Guyanatimes international may 25 2018

INTERNATIONAL THE BEACON OF TRUTH

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‘Where’s the evidence?’

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WEEK ENDING MAY 27, 2018

ISSUE NO. 398

…Hinds says APNU/AFC Govt’s accusations of PPP corruption a fishing expedition See story on page 3

The stage is set! Guyana is preparing to celebrate its 52nd Independence Anniversary on Saturday, May 26. As is customary, the Annual Flagraising ceremony will be held at Durban Park in Georgetown, which attracts thousands of Guyanese as well as visitors from around the world .

Caribbean nationals among criminal aliens, immigration violators nabbed in US Page 14

US report gives harsh analysis of Guyana’s healthcare system …points to lack of specialists, substandard public health Page 22

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NEWS 3

WEEK ENDING MAY 27, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

‘Where’s the evidence?’ …Hinds says APNU/AFC Govt’s accusations of PPP corruption a fishing expedition

By Michael Younge

T

he A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU-AFC)

coalition Government is failing miserably to honour its campaign promises to the Guyanese electorate as it continues to perform poorly as far as

governance, accountability, and transparency are concerned.

This is the position of former President and Prime Minister Samuel

Hinds, who stressed that after three years in office, it was clear that the coalition was unable to fulfil many of the promises it had made on the campaign trail ahead of the May 2015 General and Regional Elections.

“I think that the campaign was based on a lot of promises and accusations, which were just words…Maybe they didn’t know what to expect when they entered Government, but they haven’t delivered on their promises,” he said.

Hinds also stated that the Government’s accusations of widespread People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) corruption were proving to be a fishing expedition as the coalition has been unable to substantiate

Former President and Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds

claims in that respect with hard evidence.

The former Prime Minister maintained

that the coalition Government should seriously explore the idea continued on page 5

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WEEK ENDING MAY 27, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

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EDITORIAL

SARA and credibility

A

few days ago, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA), Aubrey Retmyer, was reported as saying that his known political loyalty would not affect his work. His response was in the context of perceived bias by SARA against members of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) who continue to be placed before the courts. The PPP has consistently labelled the charges as baseless and frivolous and more recently the Party’s General Secretary described them as a means of reputational damage.

To some, Retmyer’s statement can be seen as refreshing and as a hallmark of professionalism. To others, it would be mere defensive rhetoric. He accurately referenced Guyana being a small country and the difficulty of knowing persons who are not politically oriented.

He also stated that he can have a political preference and still be unbiased in the execution of his duties.

Such comments are laudable, a reflection of people’s expectations and captures the manner in which someone at that level should execute his/her duties. While one may have no reason to doubt his ability to function professionally, the context of what has unfolded since the establishment of SARA, must be examined.

The Government, having promised their supporters during the 2015 election campaign to place PPP officials before the courts, has used SARA and the numerous forensic audits in that regard. Of importance is that during its three years thus far, some stakeholders have pointed out what they believed to be very questionable Government transactions including the Sussex Street Drug Bond, Jubilee Park and the G$600 million plus drug purchase for the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

The stakeholders who brought attention to these situations are of the belief that State assets may have been compromised and that there is more than enough merit for each to be thoroughly investigated by SARA. The reality is that only officials from the PPP Administration have being charged and placed into the court docks. The perception by many is that SARA is deliberately ignoring everything that has been presented in relation to Government’s alleged wrongdoings. With time, perception tends to become a substitution for reality and it is therefore extremely challenging for people not to believe.

Perception or not, many are of the view that SARA, through its actions so far, is an entity solely to go after former PPP officials. From its mandate, that clearly is not the case. However, strong words such as ‘witch-hunt’ and ‘persecution’ have been used by the PPP and its supporters to describe what is being meted out to them. In that context of what continues to unfold, the usage of such terms not only seems unavoidable, but factual.

This feeling is further fuelled by the lack appearance of any attempt by SARA to give similar priority to complaints raised in relation to alleged financial improprieties by Government officials in spite of necessary information reportedly provided. Clearly, the ordinary people will be unaware if efforts are ongoing discretely. Even if that were the case, the lack of provision of minimal information stacks on the growing perception.

In this regard, some have questioned the Agency over what appears to be a reluctance to investigate the complaints alluded to. This therefore has potential to negatively impact its credibility which in turn can give credence to the belief of bias against one side.

None can dispute that information first has to be verified. Then the credibility of that and potential evidence are determined to further an investigation.

By that, it implies that initial work has to be done. Was it? If not, why? Therein may lie Retmyer’s dilemma. While as an individual he would want to ensure that his political allegiance does not cloud his professional judgement, the entirety of SARA’s operations has to be seen to be complying in tandem. The belief by many is that the entity’s judgement may be clouded by alleged political loyalty. Even if it is not true, there is that strong perception which is driven by a belief of political direction.

In order for the Agency to have full acceptance from all on its national purpose, that perception has to change through impartiality and unfettered and holistic professionalism devoid of any political directive. It therefore becomes extremely challenging, again in the context noted, for any known political operative or affiliate at the helm to remove that perception despite good intentions.

However, he has an opportunity to influence the raising of the bar on expected fairness to mitigate the strong belief of partiality. A genuine quest in that direction would be welcomed and would boost credibility.

In celebration of Guyana’s 52nd Independence Anniversary, the staff of the Times Media Group hosted and participated in a grand cultural extravaganza. The event included presentations on Guyana’s fight for Independence, aspects of the six different cultures and samples of cuisines that make up the culinary fabric of the country.

Georgetown City Hall restoration closer to realisation

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he restoration of the City Hall building, estimated at G$400 million, was the topic for discussion at a two-day workshop at Duke Lodge, Georgetown, which concluded on Thursday.

The project is a collaborative effort between the European Union (EU) and National Trust of Guyana. It focuses on preparing a comprehensive restoration and sustainable conservation management plan that will guide the refurbishment and long-term preservation of the structure.

Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) Town Clerk Royston King told reporters that the estimated figure was derived around a decade ago and he further observed that given the fact the building has deteriorated even more over time, additional funds would be needed to save the structure, which was completed in 1889.

“It has significant historical and cultural significance and we couldn’t allow the building to remain like that in the city,” King noted on Wednesday.

The assessment plan falls under a G$64 million contract, which has special focus on the physical and structural state of City Hall and the City Engineer’s Building.

A comprehensive green restoration plan and a sustainable conservation management plan will also be put forward to stakeholders.

British architect and conservationist Francis Maude said that the local construction industry and capacities for joinery were assessed in various meetings between November 2016 and 2018.

“We also visited the municipal archives in order to learn about the history and development of the building and we returned to the UK (United Kingdom) to work on the report to support the findings on what we had done,” Maude observed.

Georgetown Mayor Patricia Chase-Greene said that future generations would be able to see and appreciate the beauty of the building, which her grandchildren call a “castle”. However, the building has suffered much neglect over the years even though millions of dollars has been

allocated to facilitate repairs, including some G$20 million in 2012. Apart from that, an independent fund had been set up to garner donations to salvage the structure.

Nevertheless, the Mayor regarded much of the work done over time as “cosmetic surgeries”. National Trust Head Nirvana Persaud added that the technical development plan should be handed over to City Hall by July and it was expected that City Hall would then seek funding from international donors. Persaud is, however, appealing for locals, including the Private Sector, to support the restoration initiative.

In a previous report, Mayor Chase-Greene had highlighted that operatives of the M&CC were in discussions with the World Monument Funding Agency, Guyana Heritage Society and the National Trust, which also gave assurances of its support after a review of the building, indicating that repairs should be conducted in the near future.

She pointed out then that the wait was on for a thorough report from the organisations along with recommendations on each phase of the restoration process, after which the rehabilitation works will commence.

Ambassador of the European Union Delegation, Jernej Videtic described the plan as the precursor for future works on other heritage structures.

“City Hall has been described as the most picturesque and most handsome building in Georgetown as well as one of the finest examples of gothic architecture in the Caribbean. This plan will set the benchmark to enable a transfer of know-how of how to correct and restore other monuments of historical and symbolic value in Guyana,” Videtic explained.

NEWS 5

WEEK ENDING MAY 27, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Int’l workers’ union calls on Guyana Gov’t to address sufferings of sugar workers

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he International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Association (IUF), an international trade union confederation, through its General Secretary Sue Longley, has written to President David Granger expressing strong concerns over the downsizing of sugar.

The IUF has strongly urged the President that his Government “…actively look at the plight that has befallen the thousands of workers of the sugar industry who have lost their livelihood…” The trade union body said the situation “…if left unchecked, would not be in the interest of your beautiful country and hospitable people.”

In its letter to President Granger, the IUF, which speaks on behalf of 10 million workers through its 422 affiliated unions in 131 countries, said it was aware that the sugar industry “…has made substantial contributions to your country’s national life and development…Its role as a national institution can-

not be diminished, especially recognising the absence of alternatives at this time.”

The IUF said bearing those factors in mind and taking into account the information it has been receiving, it could not help but be saddened by what has taken place.

“From our vantage point, we cannot fail to express our view that very little thought has been given to address the well-being and welfare of the thousands who have been affected. The impact, we have learnt, has been nothing short of significant and the disruption of village economies and the social fabric of communities, for us, is disturbing.”

Moreover, the IUF said it was aware that the coalition Government, despite being advised to, did not pursue any considered study to get a better grasp of the eventualities that would flow from its reform plans. As such, the international body told the President in the missive that it was not the wisest of positions.

Nevertheless, the IUF said too many Guyanese men, women, and children have found them-

‘Where’s the evidence?’...

from page 3

of returning to the people for a new mandate in order to restore public confidence in its ability to govern and transform the country’s poorly-performing economy.

“Even in areas where they have not performed any better (than the PPP), they should return to the polls to seek a new mandate. In fact, I think that people should demand that the coalition seeks a new mandate,” Hinds said on Friday during the exclusive interview.

Asked whether he was concerned by the arguments and propositions put forward by several political and ethnic groupings that he was merely a token used by the PPP for window-dressing purposes, Hinds responded in the negative.

He said while he could understand the sentiments being expressed, his career in public service coupled with his quiet yet effective work of representing Lindeners before and after he joined the PPP, spoke volumes about his accomplishments as Prime Minister and President of Guyana.

Hinds, who was

Donald Ramotar’s Prime Ministerial Candidate back in 2011, said that the Guyanese people were wise and intelligent, and they knew what he stood for as a public figure.

He said that ultimately Guyanese were supportive of leaders who were hard workers and understanding as well as compassionate.

Hinds’ statement comes on the heels of similar sentiments expressed by former Finance Minister Juan Edghill over the weekend which suggest that the Government is becoming desperate in its actions and attacks on the media, because it knows it is losing electorate support even though it continues to blow its own trumpet.

Edghill, like Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, has pointed out that supporters of the coalition are becoming impatient, disillusioned and disconnected from the leadership of the coalition, which is finding itself in a series of controversies and scandals which have affected its reputation since coming to office in 2015.

selves facing tough and difficult times. “We are sure, Mr President, that you cannot be comforted by this fact. I should add, Mr President, that earlier this year during a visit to Guyana, myself and colleagues had an opportunity to meet a group of these workers,” the statement added.

For the IUF, hearing first hand from the workers, their stories of survival and struggle as they live day in and day out, was heart rending and very moving. “It is difficult, therefore, for us to imagine what has taken place in the days and weeks that followed that interaction,” it added.

Longley, in an exclusive interview with Guyana Times International in January, had said that her organisation has been paying

keen attention to the developments in the sugar industry. “We have been following this closely for some time. We’ve worked historically in sugar to improve working conditions with a view to having a stronger and healthy sugar sector in the Caribbean,” she said.

The IUF official noted that it has been a concern for her organisation with the changes taking place in the Caribbean regarding sugar, starting with St Kitts and Barbados.

“We were hoping that remaining producers like Guyana would remain very much committed to the industry,” she added.

Asked to comment on the manner in which the retrenchment took place, Longley said, “Like we’ve heard, it’s not just figures on paper, but there is a very human impact

President David Granger

or cost on those retrenchments. And we take note of the suicides that have taken place as a result of this.”

In November, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) first announced plans to dismiss thousands of workers, which it did. The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) says the downsizing and subsequent closure of sugar estates would lead to the loss of

IUF General Secretary Sue Longley

more than 15,000 jobs, and the potential threat of poverty for 50,000 to 100,000 people.

In May 2017, Government announced plans to close the Enmore and Rose Hall Sugar Estates, sell the Skeldon Sugar Factory, reduce the annual production of sugar, and take on the responsibility of managing the drainage and irrigation services offered by GuySuCo.

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Guyanese weathering the onslaught of an uncaring, blatantlybiased Govt

Dear Editor, Twice within weeks, I have been forced to use the word disgraceful and the reasons being that the situation in Guyana is so appalling that the only description that can best describe it is the use of that single word, disgraceful!

Last Friday, D’Urban Street, Georgetown became the scene of another deadly confrontation between armed thieves and law enforcement.

Two bandits were shot dead, stopped short in their tracks in the act of committing a crime. This latest incident came fast on the heels of a deadly shootout mere months ago in another ward of the city.

Now, I would like you to contrast the above occurrences with the circumstances of some other folks right here within the city limits, I speak of those greens sellers in and around the Bourda Market area. These are ordinary people like anybody else, trying their level best to eke out a living selling from the back of their vehicles. Those farmers, after paying the council fees, were given permission to sell their produce for a meagre four hours per day. However, soon after that they were faced with eviction from that area; very soon after the collection of their fees, these farmers were told that they were illegal sellers and trespassers on the city’s streets.

The forceful removal of the predominantly Indian vegetable farmers from selling along Alexander Street is an act of extreme provocation. It is a discriminatory and unconscionable act meted out to those farmers

by City Council staff. The Georgetown City Council is continuing along the same path of Central Government, who revel in the thought of hurting a certain select group of people. These vendors have now joined the ranks of thousands of their counterparts in the sugar belt in being snuffed out of existence and the right to survive. This is outrageously evil!

I want you to consider the aggravation, that state of being pushed over the limit for doing something that is perfectly normal, perfectly legal. That state of being totally provoked is enough to cause one to turn to a life of crime, but they would not! These people could have easily taken up arms like the thieves of D’Urban Street, but they would not! They could have easily resorted to a life of crime, but again they would not. They are like true patriots, hardworking people who would rather tough it out each day and somehow create a niche where they can survive against the odds. Though discriminated against, these people are showing the grit and determination that oppressed people show under extreme and trying circumstances. These are persons who have families to take care of, mortgages to service, while at the same time send their children to school. These mounting costs are almost unbearable, but as persons of character they rally on.

They are weathering the onslaught of an uncaring, heavy-handed, blatantly-biased regime and their operators.

Well then, President Granger and his PNC-led coalition should be utterly ashamed of themselves seeing these goings-on are taking place right here in the seat of Government and all we can get is this bland token response “we are concerned about the crime situation” and nothing else. What about ensuring the safety of your citizens? Where are the signs of the “good life?” Where is the hope for the youths?

Respectfully, Neil Adams

WEEK ENDING MAY 27, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Love indeed conquers all Dear Editor, What a fairytale wedding the marriage between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has been. This is a wish come true for both parties. Mostly, people on a global scale were happy for this couple and I must say I agreed with Rev Curry, who was one of the preachers who spoke at the royal wedding.

Love indeed conquers all. Love is the nuclear weapon that unites humankind to live in peace. I have no doubt Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will be a unique ambassador for peace and goodwill for all nations. Good luck to the princess.

Love is, however, strong like a nuclear weapon that has consequences. It can explode for the right or wrong reasons depending on one’s ability to deal with its ups and downs. But I do believe Meghan can handle it.

Meghan Markle cannot escape that she married into

the royal British institution that represents bittersweet times of colonialism and 700 years of slavery.

In today’s atmosphere within the African

of which Meghan Markle is now part of. That will place Meghan in a very precarious position. When an outsider marries into the Royal British family

Diaspora, and most Caribbean nations and organisations like Guyana’s African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA) are demanding reparations and an apology from the British Crown

it’s expected that they will have to follow in the shadow of the Queen and her royal family keeping their lips somewhat closed. And for this particular reason the Pakistani Doctor Hashmat Khan (CCN aired

5/ 19 /18) refused to marry Princess Diana after a divorce from Prince Charles.

Doctor Hashmat Khan and his family thought logically marrying Diana would have dire consequences living in the shadow of British royalty.

Obviously we witnessed Africans globally celebrating Meghan’s marriage into the British royal family , and the Queen breaking all traditions of royal ethics (Princess Diana must be virgin, King Edwards VIII’s abdication, Princess Margaret forfeiting her rights to marry a divorcée) and Africans rejoicing they have now reached the Promised Land. Are Africans now willing like the Queen and British royalty to break traditions in their demand for reparations and forgive the ugly time of British colonisation and slavery all in the name of one love?

Sincerely, Vassan Ramracha

The growing problem of confidence in the CCJ must be addressed

Dear Editor, Prime Minister of Barbados, Freundel Stuart, in a viral social media video posted on Saturday, May 19, 2018, addressed the functioning of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), and promised that his country would break from the Caribbean Court of Justice in its appellate jurisdiction once his party is re-elected to office.

Editor, this Prime Minister’s comments carry much weight in Guyana, considering conflict-of-interest questions as well as other unanswered questions. Prime Minister Stuart talks about “politicians wearing robes” – a reference to the judges on the CCJ bench – and expresses concern about “attitudes” that impact the CCJ’s functioning.

For Guyanese, the reference to attitudes is an interesting one, more so

considering the questions about the actions of CCJ President Sir Dennis Byron in Guyana. Sir Byron has still not clarified his involvement in local happenings, despite questions having been raised in our own local letter columns about his involvement.

There are also unanswered questions about linkages involving Sir Byron’s Judicial Assistant, Richard Layne, whose grandfather, James Patterson, was unilaterally appointed GECOM Chairman. Layne is also connected to the father of a sitting Minister, since it was Donald Trotman – who also has another controversial appointment as head of the Lindo Creek CoI – who presented his petition for admission to the local Bar. That certain top Government officials have displayed ‘inside knowledge’ about how the CCJ will rule in

the third term presidential challenge remains something that the Court itself has not addressed; displaying instead a silence that is even more worrying when you factor in Prime Minister Stuart’s recent comments about “politicians in robes” sitting on the CCJ bench.

Editor, in my humble view, the biggest worry that the CCJ has is about losing the confidence of people. Once the Caribbean people lose confidence in the CCJ, there will be many ramifications. Looking ahead, you have to wonder if the CCJ will answer the unanswered questions and put to rest concerns, or allow the growing problem of confidence in the CCJ to fester.

Sincerely, Zeniah Talbot

Working towards a new collaborative approach for the development of Guyana Dear Editor, The newspaper report that the Private Sector Commission (PSC) is trying to encourage the political parties to take more nationalistic, less narrow-politically motivated initiatives for the development of our country is indeed music to the ears for Guyanese who are tired of bickering

and back-biting and truly want to see us working together to address the problems of our nation.

It is a pity to read that the expected response has not been forthcoming.

I am sure I reflect the views of most nationalistic Guyanese that not only the PSC, but all other national groupings including our trade unions,

churches and other social groupings should insist that we eschew our divisive baggage of the past and work towards new collaborative approaches for the development of Guyana.

Sincerely, Nowrang Persaud

How is closure defined in this instance?

Dear Editor, I cannot (and will not) pronounce on the guilt or innocence of the members of the Joint Services in the Lindo Creek massacre. That is the job of the chairman of the Commission of Inquiry, though I must profess my ignorance of the terms of reference of this inquiry. However, based on the many public utterances (not on the

evidences presented nor on the testimonies given) of the honourable chairman of this commission, I must say that I would be very, very surprised if, in his final summation or compilation of his findings, the members of the Joint Services who went to Lindo Creek are not found to be culpable in the murder of those miners, or are found to be guilty of those miners’

murders in the first degree.

If and when that happens, what next? Will these men be charged and placed before the courts? If not, how then is closure defined in this instance?

Respectfully yours, Reginald Sookram

news 7

WEEK ENDING MAY 27, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

All countries must Barbados PM’s statement on work together exiting CCJ unfortunate – Ram to achieve goal of universal health coverage …Guyana’s Health Minister tells world health assembly

Attorney and commentator, Christopher Ram

By Samuel Sukhnandan

P Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence addressing the World Health General Assembly

L

ocal efforts made

by Governments can motivate global action for active collaboration with several countries and sectors. This, in turn, can contribute to the achievement of universal health care for all, Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence told the World Health General Assembly of 194 country representatives. The World Health Assembly is being held in Geneva Switzerland from May 21 to 26, 2018.

Universal health coverage is a goal of all countries under the World Health Organisation (WHO) to which they all must work together to achieve. Minister Lawrence told representatives of member states that, “We can share learnt lessons, best practices and promote close cooperation between governments to ensure that we achieve universal health, (for) everyone, everywhere,” the Minister is quoted by the Department of Public Information as saying.

With reference to Guyana’s progress in this regard, she said that the Government has to ensure that, health coverage remains free for all, in keeping with the constitutional rights of all Guyanese.

In achiev-

ing Sustainable Development Goals for health, “universal (health) coverage by itself clearly is not sufficient to ensure the health, well-being and equity in our countries,” the Minister stated. She added that while there is an improvement in access to health services, there is need to address the social factors of health.

Health services in Guyana are decentralised and the challenge is ensuring that all persons in Guyana access adequate and appropriate health services.

She added that the Public Health Ministry has embarked on a vision of having every person in Guyana be among the healthiest in the Caribbean by 2020. Also, a national health strategy 20132020 has been developed to support the process.

This strategy has been compiled on two main pillars, one of which is Universal Health coverage. This means access to medicines and health technologies, providing equitable access to people-centered care. It also envisions strengthened integrated health services delivery networks and competencies for other human resources for health.

ublic statements made by Barbados Prime Minister Freundel Stuart in relation to withdrawing his country from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as its final court has received mixed reviews.

Local commentator and Attorney Christopher Ram is one who is not too pleased with the timing nor the content of Stuart’s statement, which was made recently at a political meeting in St Michael.

“I think that is most unfortunate because we should be trying to develop some kind of Caribbean jurisprudence, which admittedly the CCJ has not been able to do or has failed to do,” he stated.

While the Barbadian Prime Minister did not go into details, he cited disrespect from the Port of Spain-based court and the limited number of cases being brought before it.

“I am determined to put Barbados on the same level as every other (Caribbean

Community) Caricom country by de-linking from the CCJ in its appellate jurisdiction. We went in first and we can come out first,” Stuart said.

But in the same breath, he also stated that he will ensure that Barbados does not return to the Privy Council, which in effect means the Barbados Appeal Court could be made the country’s final court.

More worryingly, however, Ram said the timing of his statement comes almost immediately after a judgement of the CCJ, which he might have considered unpalatable. Ram said this is a bad sign because politicians and political leaders must certainly defer to courts in matters of law.

But Stuart had made it clear that he is not commenting on the decisions of the CCJ, noting that as an officer of the court and as a lawyer, he respects the decisions that courts make.

“When I’ve disagreed with them I appeal them. But, I’m not going to have Barbados disrespected by any politicians

wearing robes, it is not going to happen. And I spoke about this privately to the present President of the CCJ. I don’t want to influence any decisions, I don’t care what they decide,” Stuart said.

Again, Ram told this newspaper that the timing of Stuart’s comment is important for another reason, especially when another Caricom member country is considering to make the CCJ its final court.

“I think it is a setback although at the moment, there is no guarantee that he would be able to effect his wish. But coming just before Antigua was supposed to go to referendum. The timing is bad,” he opined.

Only recently, the Antigua and Barbuda Government said it intends to hold a referendum within the next four months on whether or not the island would adopt the CCJ as its final court.

The country’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne, in tabling the Constitutional Referendum Bill 2016 in Parliament in October 2016, urged locals to support the initiative to replace the Privy Council even as he admitted that two-thirds support in the referendum “is a tall order”.

“At this time we should point out what are the weaknesses of the CCJ and try to fix those weaknesses, not try to weaken the court which I think he has done. His (Stuart) decision is certainly sending a signal to Antigua that could have unfortunate consequences,” Ram added.

Nonetheless, Ram firmly believes all Caricom countries should adopt the CCJ, regardless of the current criticisms it is faced with right now. He said if the CCJ has set a precedence based on facts, law and logic, then Caribbean countries should accept it, but must understand that it is still in its early stages.

“I think we all should do that.

But Stuart has just undermined that kind of commitment to join continued on page 8

8 news

WEEK ENDING MAY 27, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Businesses, consumers will face more pressure due to further dip of Guyanese currency vs USD - Edghill

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he Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has issued a notice announcing the a further dip of the Guyana currency versus the United States (US) dollar; which will see increases being borne by businesses when paying customs duties.

According to a notice taking effect from May 1, GY$208.05 is to be exchanged for US$1. In the case of the British currency, GY$287.19 is to be exchanged for £1. The changes have not gone unnoticed.

Concerns have already been expressed by some that this change will have an adverse impact on business. According to former Minister within the

Finance Ministry and Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Juan Edghill, the increase will likely be passed down to consumers.

“If the GRA put out an exchange rate that is higher than before, it means that when they’re calculating the value of an item, for instance if they’re calculating the duties and the taxes at the new rate, you will end up paying more,” he explained, during an interview on Tuesday.

“If you pay more, the business person will have to pass that cost on to the consumer. So, the consumer would end up paying more. And that is the exchange rate that would be used for the currency in the acqui-

Former Minister within the Finance Ministry, Juan Edghill

commodity, in our case its gold. The movement of the rate is determined by what is taking place in the market. And once that rate goes up, prices will go up.”

Foreign currency

sition of fuel, all other commodities. That will be official in all matters of taxation.” According to Edghill, it was therefore important for the GRA to issue its notice, as this will be its new modus operandi. The former Minister within the

Finance Ministry noted that this latest development is an indication of what is taking place on the market. “That rate is fixed and driven by what is taking place; the demand, as well as the availability. The dollar has to be backed by some

Following last year’s reported crisis regarding the availability of foreign currency in the local market, the Bank of Guyana (BoG) Governor, Dr Gobind Ganga had stated last month that the bank now has over US$75 million in foreign currency.

“Currently, we have almost US$75 million of excess supply of foreign currency in the market with commercial banks, and we are hoping that this excess supply will drag the rates down further than where it is.

So, it is not in shortage; there is excess supply of 75 million or more US dollars in the market,” Dr Ganga had asserted. While both the Central Bank and the Government had maintained that there was no foreign currency crisis, several commercial banks and cambio dealers had insisted otherwise, jacking up the exchange rate for US dollars.

In fact, business owners had also complained about the apparent foreign currency shortage, saying that they were unable to readily make overseas payments by draft or wire transfer for products and services from overseas. Even citizens had borne the backlash of the crisis by paying high exchange rates.

Government, through the Central Bank, issued a circular to cambios and the local banking sector informing them of the regulated rates for foreign currency trade.

According to the circular seen by Guyana Times International, non-bank cambios must reduce the spread between the buying and selling rates on foreign currency transactions to no more than GY$3.

During his 2018 Budget presentation back in November, Finance Minister Winston Jordan had said that the Bank of Guyana’s exchange rate for the Guyana Dollar to the US Dollar is expected to remain stable at G$206.5 throughout this year, while adding that the US Dollar had appreciated by 1.6 per cent against the Guyanese dollar.

Barbados PM’s statement on...

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the CCJ.” In March, the Trinidad-based court began the first of several hearings into Guyana’s Government appeal of the sovereignty of the people case.

Guyanese Cedric Richardson had challenged the Constitutional amendments by Parliament that limits the number of times a person can serve as President.

He claimed that these amendments were unconstitutional and such a change should have been enacted via referendum. The CCJ is presently considering the case.

But much controversy erupted in Guyana after National Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan announced at a Berbice, Region Six meeting that the CCJ will rule in the Government’s favour in the case.

This prompted Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo to question how it was that Ramjattan could have

made such a public statement and whether or not he had inside information.

“I don’t know whether it’s loose talk or they do have inside information as they say, but either way this could affect the credibility of the court. If they claim they have inside knowledge, it could also be entirely false,” Jagdeo told the media during a recent press conference.

The CCJ was established in 2001 to replace the London-based Privy Council as the region’s final court, but while many of the 15-member Caricom countries are signatories to the court’s original jurisdiction, only Barbados, Guyana, Belize and Dominica are members of its Appellate jurisdiction.

The CCJ also functions as an international tribunal interpreting the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas that governs the regional integration movement.

WEEK ENDING MAY 27, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

NEWS 9

PNC withdraws President’s anti-media statement

…following widespread criticisms

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mid mounting criticism over several anti-media statements made by President David Granger during a People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) General Council meeting, the party has now withdrawn those statements made by the Guyanese Head of State.

On Wednesday, the PNCR said it retracted its previous press statement on the party’s General Council Meeting held on May 19, 2018, claiming that the quote made by President Granger regarding the media was “taken out of context”.

In the previous press statement, Granger was quoted highlighting “the daily challenges faced by the coalition from some sections of the media”. However, this did not sit well with several media entities who are known to have been critical of Government in the past. The members of the fourth estate have since expressed feelings of being threatened by the President’s remark.

In an effort to take attention off the controversial statement made by Granger, the PNCR said that the President has long been and will continue to be a strong advocate and defender of freedom of information.

“The leaders and members of the PNCR strongly believe that free access to information is an inalienable right of every citizen. It is an indispensable condition of democratic society,” the statement said.

The party did not stop there, but went on to state that citizens’ access to information was a democratic right and information was necessary for citizens’ informed participation in society.

“The PNCR is committed also to non-interference in the independent media. Independent media act as watchdogs of the Government. They promote transparency by ensuring that information is provided to the public on the work of the Government,” the party also added.

Further, the PNCR said private media companies were a source of valuable feedback on the effectiveness of the efforts of the Government. Therefore, there is no good reason for the State to interfere in the work of the private media, and it has committed to ensuring that that does not ever occur.

Guyana Times threat

Meanwhile, on Tuesday Guyana Times informed the country that it received a number of threats from persons who claimed to be agents of the Government to stop publishing news items which are critical of the Administration and its work.

These persons have threatened that should the newspaper continue to pursue articles which are critical of the Government, its owners, management, and affiliate companies will face dire consequences.

As an independent media house, this newspaper pointed out that it has striven to express the views of all Guyanese irrespective of religion, race, creed, or political background.

“We are of the view that this threat is aimed at silencing us as a media house from performing our role as the fourth estate of democratic government…This media house, over the past 10 years, has stood firm as a watchdog of our democracy and against Government excesses.”

In the past, Guyana Times has been threatened by Government officials. In particular one Government official called for the torching of Sanata Complex, Georgetown which houses, among other entities, the newspaper, Television Guyana (TVG-CH 28) and Radio Guyana Inc (RGI).

The companies have all strengthened their resolve and stood their ground since the President’s comments and the threats which pre-dated and increased after his statement.

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WEEK ENDING MAY 27, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

CAL offers more leg room Linden hospital records first major prostrate surgery on flights

Chief executive officer Caribbean Airlines, Garvin Madera, left is joined by chairman of the Airports Authority of T&T Keith Thomas as they relax in the economy cabin of the Boeing 737 jet aircraft, during the launch of the Caribbean Plus at the Head Office, Golden Grove Road, Piarco yesterday.

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(Trinidad Guardian)

lthough Caribbean Airline’s (CAL) financial position has improved, CEO Garvin Medera says there is still a lot to be done.

“The reality is that the airline is very seasonal. Each quarter would present different challenges. It is not constant throughout the year, so profitability as a whole for the airline does not necessarily hinge on one quarter or the other. We have improved significantly year-on-year,” he said.

According to Medera, among the challenges for the state owned carrier is that it did not make a profit on the airbridge.

“Anytime we put up flights on the airbridge we make a loss, so any improvements would have been on other

routes,” he said.

Medera spoke to the media following the launch of CAL’s Caribbean Plus product at the airline’s head office, Golden Grove Road, Arouca, yesterday.

Caribbean Plus offers extra leg room in the economy cabin of CAL’s Boeing 737 aircraft and affords travelers the opportunity to pre-book and pay for seats in rows 4-10 with additional leg room.

The programme starts on June 1.

Seats may be bought on all routes subject to availability, except domestic flights between the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. Prices of the seats would depend on distance.

He said recent increases in energy prices would affect the airline’s expenses but were a normal part of doing business.

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Dr Brian Niles

he Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) has recorded its first major prostate surgery, done by Urological Surgeon Dr Brian Niles recently.

According to Dr Niles, the patient, a male diabetic, had an enlarged prostate that had been causing him difficulty in urinating, and he was suffering extreme pain due to multiple stones in his bladder, which were removed during the surgery.

Dr Niles explained that the bladder stones were formed as a result of the patient’s inability to empty his bladder effectively. “He had two massive stones as well as a massively enlarged prostate. I’m sure it’s one of the biggest that I have ever done. The normal size of the prostate is about 30 to 40 grammes, and his was about 275 grammes. We transfused him 2 units of blood, and he’s stable and doing well,” Dr Niles explained.

He added that the patient has since been able to urinate, and is presently

recovering in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the LHC, after which he is expected to be transferred into the hospital’s male ward.

“We’re very excited for this type of development for the Linden community. I feel very confident in saying that we can do a lot for Linden in Linden, as far as Urology goes”, Dr Niles declared.

He further stated that while resources are limited, he is confident that more can be achieved with the support of health officials.

“Our resources may not be perfect, but we make use of what we have, and I think that with the continued support from the hospital administration and the Ministry of (Public) Health…I feel very confident that we would be able to provide as high a level of service, or even higher than what you may even see in Georgetown”, Dr Niles said.

Urology services commenced at the hospital last November, and are conducted the second week of every month from Monday to Thursday, targeting both males and females of all ages.

Dr Niles had said that one of the most common issues dealt with is prostate diseases, such as prostate cancer and prostate enlargement.

Others include ‘stoppage of water’ due to enlarged prostate, kidney stones, and sexually-related issues in both men and women, including impotence, erectile dysfunction, pelvic pain, total and urinary incontinence, among other urological disorders.

The medical doctor graduated from the Howard University College of Medicine in 1987. He has done Internship at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. His other qualifications include Urology Residency (4 years) at Howard University Hospital and Fellowship at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New York. He has also worked in Trinidad and Tobago. (Utamu Belle)

Guyanese Cops urged to learn foreign languages …to boost crime-fighting capacity

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ith the high influx of foreign nationals in Guyana, especially those from Spanish speaking nations, acting Police Commissioner Paul Williams has called on the ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to develop their skills in the area of foreign languages, to be better able to fight crime.

Williams pointed out that it would be very sad to know that, for example, a Chinese national was complaining to an officer that the person, who robbed him or her, was standing right there, and just because of the language barrier, the service it offers is less effective.

He said there is a high influx of Chinese, Cubans and Venezuelans into Guyana and pointed out that it is important for Police Officers be able to understand basic words in the certain foreign language.

Police Commissioner Paul Williams

Williams added that training does not have to be facilitated by the GPF, owing to the fact that “we are now living in a technological age. The ranks or the recruits, they are pretty young and they can even help to develop their capacity through social media and all these things because all these things are very accessible now via the use of phone, Internet and so on,” he posited.

It is because of this, he said, that in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID)

Induction courses that Spanish is now being taught.

In addition to this, the crime fighter seized the opportunity to renew his call for officers to treat all persons – irrespective of their race, sex or religion – with respect.

“There should be no discrimination as to sex, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual preferences and relationships. Show respect for all human rights and constitutional rights,” Williams urged.

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WEEK ENDING MAY 27, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

SOCU’s investigations driven by “political and vindictive motive” – Nandlall A nother arrest of a former People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government Minister has again sparked a debate about the motive behind these arrests by the Special organised Crime Unit (SOCU), and by extension, the David Grangeled Administration, which according to former Attorney General Anil Nandlall, is geared towards damaging the reputation of political opponents of the Government.

He said the recent arrest of former Finance Minister Sasenarine Kowlessar came as no surprise to members of the Opposition as they have always felt that the motive has been clear from day one. “It is clear beyond any doubt that these investigations are driven by a political and vindictive motive.”

Nandlall said, ultimately, this strategy is designed to get to the period when Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo was the Finance Minister. Jagdeo served as senior Finance Minister in May 1995 under Dr Cheddi Jagan.

In December 1997, he was appointed as the sec-

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo

ond Vice President.

While noting that constitutional immunities prevent them from charging Jagdeo while he was President, Nandlall is of the opinion that the coalition Government will go as far as it takes, even if it means going as far back as two decades to persecute him for transactions done while he was Finance Minister.

But Nandlall said what is interesting to note is this period saw the sale of National Bank of Industry and Commerce Limited’s shares to Republic Bank, the sale of Stock Feeds and Neocal to Robert Badal, and the sale of

Guyana Stores Limited to Tony Yassin; all of which are now labelled as “corrupt transactions.”

Further, the MP feels the Government may not stop at Jagdeo but could see former Finance Minister Asgar Ally being questioned as well.

“What I do know is that they will stop at October 5, 1992,” he added.

“So they will not investigate the sale of Guyana Telecommunications Corporation to ATN; they will not investigate the sale of Demerara Timbers Limited, or the sale of over seven Stateowned rice mills, or the sale of the National

Paint Company or the sale to Carl Greenidge, while he was Minister of Finance, of a property at Bel-Air Gardens by NICIL – none of which was the subject of any form of tender and none of which were sold pursuant to any valuation certificates, or even at market value.”

However, he reiterated that there is a principle of law which prevents investigations of certain transactions that took place several years ago, on the ground that it is unfair and against public policy to do so because of the lapse of time.

“The rationale is that if persons were to

be charged as a result of those investigations, it would amount to an abuse of process to subject those persons to a trial because of the lapse of memory, absence of evidence and absence of witnesses, etc,” he explained.

He noted all of these will militate against an accused person having a fair trial which is guaranteed as a constitutional right because the law recognises that such a person may be unable to adequately defend himself in the circumstances.

In addition to that, the local justice system protects against such eventuality in preservation of the doctrine of presumption of innocence.

Nandlall therefore concluded that it is unfortunate that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) does not see it as part of its constitutional mandate to protect the citizenry from these types of investigations, which are widely regarded as abusive and oppressive, but rather is part of the design that is promoting it.

“If this is not the use of the criminal legal process to persecute political opponents, then I

do not know what it is.

Perhaps you can assist me,” he added.

S a s e n a r i n e Kowlessar, who was recently arrested and questioned by SOCU, served as Jagdeo’s Finance Minister from 1999 to 2006. Prior to Kowlessar’s arrest, Dr Ashni Singh – also a former Finance Minister, and NICIL’s CEO were arrested, charged and placed on bail.

The duo was charged for alleged misconduct in public office for the sale of several plots of land on the East Coast of Demerara without a valuation exercise. Jagdeo has declared that all three charges against Singh and Brassington are frivolous, and all three matters were approved by the Cabinet.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is yet to respond to a written request by Nandlall to review the charges against Singh and Brassington. Yet, similar charges instituted by the PPP against five sitting Government Ministers have, on the other hand, been thrown out by the DPP.

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Guyana’s private sector concerned about impact of political climate on business

Gunmen launch daring robbery attack on hardware store at Providence

…requests sit-down with main parties

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PSC Chairman Eddie Boyer

he Private Sector Commission (PSC) has sought a sit-down with the three major political parties in Guyana in an attempt to mediate current political conflicts which it believes are having a negative effect on businesses.

The invitation was extended to the People’s Progressive Party (PPP); the People’s National Congress (PNC) and the Alliance For Change (AFC). In its invitation, the Commission registered concern about the existing political climate between the parliamentary parties.

According to the PSC, this climate could have a negative effect on Guyana’s international image, economic stability and future well-being.

The PSC noted that this climate was manifested in headlines carried by the media.

“The Commission, as a consequence, has reached out to and invited the People’s National Congress Reform, People’s Progressive Party/ Civic and the Alliance For Change, in their individual capacities, to meet and discuss this unfortunate development with the Commission,” the PSC said on Monday.

Specific invitations were sent to PPP General Secretary and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo; PNCR General Secretary Amna Ally and AFC General Secretary Marlon Williams. There was no mention of anyone from the Working People’s Alliance and Justice for All, two of the parties alongside the PNC in the broader A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), being invited.

Since last year, the coalition Government and the Opposition have been at loggerheads over a number of issues. These include the appointment of a Guyana Elections Commission

Chairman, an appointment the PPP has challenged in the courts. The PPP has also accused the Government of several instances of corruption, some of which have been reported to the Public Procurement Commission (PPC).

The Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) even brought charges against two former Government officials last month. Former Finance Minister Ashni Singh and former National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) chief Winston Brassington were charged with misconduct in public office.

Both men appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, who granted them G$2 million bail on each of the three joint charges.

But the spectacle of these former officials handcuffed featured prominently in sections of the media. Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall, who was part of the defence team, described the act of handcuffing Singh and Brassington as a dehumanising one that sought to humiliate these two former senior Government officials, who served the country with distinction.

After the Government’s move to charge these former Government officials based on forensic audits it launched after assuming office, the PPP also filed private criminal charges against a number of current Ministers.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan; Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson, and Public Service Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine were charged for the alleged breach of the Procurement Act. This is in relation to the expenditure of G$906 million in public funds to a private company, Homestretch Development Inc, for construction of the controversial D’Urban Park Project, which has, for some time now, been a contentious issue. But Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar AliHack discontinued the charges.

This is the second set of charges filed by the Opposition that the DPP has thrown out. Just days before, she also discontinued charges against Government Ministers Volda Lawrence and Dr George Norton.

Those charges that were filed respectively over the sole-sourcing of more than G$600 million in drugs and other pharmaceuticals for the Georgetown Public Hospital, and the rental of a house in Sussex Street, Albouystown, Georgetown to be used as a drug bond at a cost of G$12 million monthly.

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R Maye Hardware Guyana Inc

hree armed men who brazenly stormed the R. Maye Hardware Guyana Inc at Providence, East Bank Demerara on Sunday reportedly carted off millions in cash and other items.

Reportedly at about 09:30h on Sunday, the three armed men entered the store and held the security guard and a sales representative at gunpoint.

They then proceeded to bind and gag their two male victims before focusing their attention on the company’s vault. It is unclear how the men were able to broach the vault, but Guyana Times International understands that in excess of G$15 million was taken.

Besides the money, the armed men relieved the security guard and the sales representative of their mobile phones and a quantity of cash.

This newspaper was told that this is not the first time this business has been robbed. Owned by a Trinidadian, the business was opened in 2013.

A Police source told this newspaper that the robbery was reported mo-

ments after its occurrence, and a team of Police ranks was immediately deployed to the area. However, due to the geography of the terrain, by the time the team arrived, the men had already escaped.

“There are several roads that can lead you out from where the robbery occurred… one can lead you to Eccles, another can lead you to Mocha; and there are many cross streets which the bandits can use to escape,” the source explained.

Nevertheless, he noted that CCTV footage is being reviewed, and the scene has been dusted for fingerprints as investigations continue.

The business owner, currently in his native country, was contacted moments after the perpetrators had escaped. He has expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which the Police have handled the previous robbery. Sunday’s robbery, he added, has deterred him from expanding his business, although the idea was being mulled. (Bhisham Mohamed)

T&T man found hanging…as wife makes domestic violence report (Trinidad Express)

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hile the wife of Reynold Machiken was making a domestic violence report against him, he is suspected to have committed suicide.

Machiken was discovered dead in his cell in the Princes Town Police Station on Sunday.

A shoe lace was found tied around his neck, and fastened to the cell’s window.

Machiken’s wife was in another section of the police station giving officers a statement.

Police said Machiken and his wife walked into the police station around 9.30 p.m.

The wife reported to officers that Machiken allegedly physically assaulted her, and officers detained him.

He was searched in the presence of his wife, and placed in a cell.

Police said he was wearing a pair of sandals.

At around 10.30 p.m. officers checked the cell and Machiken asked for a bottle of water.

The officers relayed the message to his wife.

Twenty minutes later, the officers again went to Machiken’s cell and found him unresponsive and in a sitting position with the lace tied to his neck and the window. Paramedics were called in, but Machi-ken could not be revived.

A district medical officer pronounced him dead at the scene.

An autopsy is expected to be held today at the Forensic Sciences Centre.

Inspector Williams is investigating.

Linden man burnt with gasoline Man acquitted of carnal knowledge by battered reputed wife charge almost 10 years later

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smiling Sherwin Marcus on Monday walked out of court a free man, having been acquitted of an allegation of carnal knowledge committed on a female under the age of 15 almost 10 years ago.

His case was heard by judge of the Sexual Offences Court, Justice Jo-Ann Barlow.

Marcus was accused of committing the offence between March 1 and 31, 2009 at a community in the county of Demerara.

The female was 13 years

Freed: Sherwin Marcus

old at the time.

After nearly three hours of deliberation, the jury returned with its decision in a 10-2 verdict of not guilty.

After informing Marcus of his freedom, Justice Barlow encouraged him to stay out of trouble, and informed him that whatever he does with his life henceforth is in his hands.

This case was prosecuted by State Attorney Narrisa Leander, while Marcus’s legal counsel was Attorney Clyde Forde.

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eon Marks, 43, a vendor of Lot 206 Fourth Street, Silvertown and also of Lot 31 Nottinghamshire Mines in Linden, was burned about his body with gasoline by his reputed wife, following an argument at their home.

Reports are that, following the incident, the man was rushed to the Linden Hospital while his 52-year-old reputed wife was taken into Police custody.

According to Police, the couple has been together for two years, and Marks is reportedly in the habit of threatening and hitting his reputed wife.

This publication was told that on Sunday an argument ensued after the woman accused Marks of stealing her money. During the argument, the woman allegedly locked Marks out of

their Nottinghamshire Mines house.

Marks allegedly armed himself with a spade and broke the lock to the home to gain entry. The women reportedly then retrieved a gallon bottle of gasoline and threw it on the victim along with a cigarette she was smoking.

As Marks’s body caught fire, he rushed to the gate and jumped into a gutter. A taxi driver saw what had taken place and rushed him to the Linden Hospital Complex. He was treated for burns about his body and his condition is listed as stable.

The woman later surrendered to ranks at the Mackenzie Police Station, where she reportedly admitted to the crime.

Police later visited the scene of the crime. Investigations are ongoing.

(Utamu Belle)

WEEK ENDING MAY 27, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Triangular love affair: Linden man slapped with murder charge Recap

Taxi driver Claude De Jonge of Lot 915 South Amelia’s Ward, Linden was killed after an apparent triangular love affair had turned tragic. He was stabbed to death while at the home of his girlfriend at Cinderella City, Amelia’s Ward, Linden. His body was found at about 00:10h, lying motionless in a pool of blood next to the front door

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Dead: Claude DeJonge

hirty-two-year-old Corwyn Arthur, also known as “Cross Eye,” of Lot 1038 Cinderella City, Amelia’s Ward Linden, on Monday made his first court appearance before Linden Magistrate Clive Nurse, before whom he was not required to plead to the indictable charge of murder, committed on 40-year-old Linden taxi driver Claude DeJonge, also known as “Sonno”, of Lot 915 South Amelia’s Ward, Linden.

The charge alleges that on May 10 last, at Lot 1074 Cinderella City, Amelia’s Ward Linden, Arthur inflicted on DeJonge injuries which resulted in his death.

Unrepresented by legal counsel, Arthur was remanded to prison until July 21, 2018.

Corwyn Arthur, also known as “Cross Eye”, leaving court on Monday

of the house. He was clad in trousers, but his body bore several stab wounds to the neck, shoulder and abdomen.

A post-mortem examination (PME) performed on his body by Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh gave the cause of his death as shock and haemorrhage due to multiple stab wounds.

(Utamu Belle)

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Caribbean nationals among criminal aliens, immigration violators nabbed in US

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wo Jamaicans and other Caribbean people are among 49 foreign nationals arrested over the last seven days during what United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency describes as “a targeted enforcement operation.”

Guyana, Suriname high-ranking teams meet to discuss piracy attacks

without bond pending immigration proceedings,” ICE said, adding that a 26-year-old Haitian had also been arrested after being convicted in the Common Pleas Court at Philadelphia, of robbery, possession of an instrument of crime, simple assault, and criminal

Acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine and other members of the Guyana Police Force strike a pose with the visiting KPS team from Suriname

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ICE said that the sweep, which ended Sunday, was aimed at criminal aliens, immigration fugitives, re-entrants, and other immigration violators.

ICE said, on May 14, officers arrested a 40-year-old, previously deported Jamaican man, in Philadelphia.

He was arrested after a bench warrant was issued for his arrest and charged with presenting false identification to law enforcement.

ICE said the Jamaican has a conviction for possession with intent to distribute marijuana for which he was sentenced to 37 months incarceration.

“He will be served with a notice to reinstate prior removal order and his case has been presented to the United States Attorney's Office for possible prosecution. He will remain in ICE custody pending removal.”

ICE said they had also arrested a 27-year-old Jamaican man who had been convicted for possession of firearms in Philadelphia.

“He will remain in ICE custody

attempt-theft by unlawful taking.

He was sentenced to a maximum of 23 months confinement.

ICE said the other Caribbean nationals apprehended are from the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

The immigration enforcement agency said 17 of those arrested had criminal convictions; 14 have pending criminal charges; and six had been previously removed from the United States and subsequently illegally re-entered.

ICE also said 14 were immigration fugitives with outstanding final orders of removal issued by a US federal immigration judge; and 14 of those arrested were previously released from Philadelphia County custody, despite having an ICE detainer lodged against them.

“This operation resulted in multiple arrests of criminal aliens, public safety threats, and individuals who have violated our nation's immigration laws,” said Philadelphia Acting Field Office Director Gregory Brawley. (CMC)

Cops rescue several females in suspected human trafficking bust in Georgetown

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ixteen women had been called in to provide statements to the Police Major Crimes Unit’s Trafficking In Persons Unit after they were rescued on Tuesday following a raid conducted in Kitty, Georgetown.

The women, 14 of whom are Venezuelans with one Cuban and one from the Dominica Republic, were discovered in a house located in David Street, Kitty. The building was reportedly guarded. The security guard has since been taken into Police custody for questioning.

Reports are ranks from the Unit

descended on the house after reports were made that women were being forced into prostitution at a bar in the Kitty area.

When contacted, a senior Police official confirmed the bust, saying, “They are suspected to be victims of human trafficking at a bar situated at Garnett Street.”

Investigations are ongoing.

Earlier this year, the Police launched a major sting operation at the Diamond Nightclub and Hotel on George Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown. During the raid, approximately 41 foreign nationals, along with eight employees, were arrested and a quantity of narcotics was also discovered on the premises. Several persons have been charged in connection with the incident.

ollowing the recent deadly piracy attacks that occurred in Surinamese waters, leaving four people dead and 11 others still missing, a delegation from the Korps Politie Suriname (KPS) of Suriname met with Guyana’s acting Police Commissioner, David Ramnarine, and a team comprising several senior ranks of the Guyana Police Force.

Their engagement was facilitated as both sides continue their investigations into the two piracy attacks which occurred respectively on April 28 and May 3, 2018. Both the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Korps Politie Suriname (KPS) have pledged to investigate the matters thoroughly.

Thirteen suspects presently remain in custody, including “Crackhead,” who confessed to killing at least five of the fishermen. He reportedly was “following orders” to “get rid” of the men after brutalizing them.

“Crackhead” did not divulge any information about his accomplices, but based on descriptions given by the five survivors, the other men arrested were picked up at several locations in Suriname.

Days after the breakthrough, Surinamese Police officer Premcharan Ravikan was found dead hours after allegedly being kidnapped by Guyanese.

His body was discovered with at least five stab wounds and one gunshot wound.

Hours after the discovery of Ravikan’s body, a Guyanese fisherman walked into a Police station in Suriname and confessed to the heinous crime.

It was established after Ravikan’s death that he had provided the gun that

was used in the execution-style killing of Guyanese businessman Somnath Manohar on March 30 last.

After his death, Manohar’s family had offered members of a gang US$50,000 to revenge his killing.

Suriname law enforcement officials believe the recent piracy attacks were in retaliation for Manohar’s death. However, one of the men fingered in the piracy attacks is Nakool Manohar, brother of the late Somnath Manohar.

Nakool was arraigned in Guyana with only three counts of piracy-related offences, and has been remanded to prison.

Another man, Ron Drepaul, who reportedly was seen in the company of Nakool on the night of the fatal attacks, was also arrested, and remains in Police custody.

As investigations continue, the two countries are looking for a breakthrough, as well as to place the suspects before the courts.

At the Monday meeting of law enforcement officials, held in the Commissioner`s Conference Room at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine was accompanied by Assistant Commissioner, Law Enforcement, Paul Williams; Assistant Commissioner and Commander, `B` Division, Lyndon Alves, and others.

The visiting team comprised acting Head, Department of Major Crimes, Senior Superintendent Roberto Prade; Chief, Investigation Department, Superintendent Erwin Dort; Acting Chief, International Affairs, Deputy Superintendent Bryan Isaacs; and Detective Sergeant Jayant Somai.

Harmon to run for PNCR Chairmanship

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

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xecutive member of the People’s National Congress (PNC) and Minister of State, Joseph Harmon has announced that he will be challenging Basil Williams for the position of Chairman of the PNC. Williams, who is also a party executive, is currently the Attorney General and Minister of

Legal Affairs.

Harmon made the announcement in a short statement on Monday.

He said that the PNC held its Congress biannually at which all positions of leadership (inclusive of Party Leader and Central Executives) were up for voting.

“That is the democracy which we practise.

So every member of the Party can aspire to the highest office in our party and like many others, I am a member of the Party of long standing and, therefore, have indicated that it is my desire and my interest in putting myself up as a candidate for the chairmanship of the Party,” said Harmon.

The PNC on Saturday last held its second General Council Meeting for the year.

In April, Williams

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams

had hinted that he may run again for the chairmanship.

“I am servant of the PNC and a servant of my party. They know me. I have been working steadily throughout the years, and me and my comrades… so we don’t think that’s an issue,” he stated.

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Over 50% of elderly in the C’bean without pension — study

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ANTIAGO, Chile (CMC) — A new study by two United Nations’ agencies has found that more than half of older persons in Latin America and the Caribbean do not receive a pension from a contributing system.

In the joint publication, released on Wednesday, by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the lack of income from a contributory pension system in more than half of all men, and above all in women, aged 60 or over, is the main factor for remaining active in the labour market.

In edition No. 18 of the — Employment Situation in Latin America and the Caribbean (May 2018) both United Nations organisations stress that, according to their projections, the proportion of people aged 60 or older in the workforce will rise from 7.5 per cent to 15 per cent between 2015 and 2050.

“This is due, above all, to the aging of the population and, to a lesser degree, a moderate increase in older adults’ labour participation,” ECLAC said.

Despite recent advances in employment

formalisation and the expansion of contributory pension systems, according to data from eight countries in the region an average 57.7 per cent of people between 65 and 69 years of age, and 51.8 per cent of people 70 or older, still do not receive a pension from a contributory system, with even higher rates seen for women.

“This situation forces many older people to work,” the study indicates, stating that the employment rate for all people 60 years or older totals 35.4 percent in the region.

ECLAC said this proportion is elevated even in age groups that have already exceeded the legal retirement age: 39.3 percent in the group from 65 to 69 and 20.4 per cent in the segment of 70 years or older.

The rates are higher in countries with low coverage of contributory pension systems, the report says ECLAC and ILO underscored that own-account work is the main source of income among older persons who continue working.

“This may reflect both the discrimination that hinders access to a salaried job for older persons, as well as their desire to work independentcontinued on page 24

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Broomes swoops down on operations at stone quarry, sand pit

Guyana has moratorium on remaining oil blocks – Trotman says big names in oil industry have expressed interest

est, and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Limited ith a number of big holds a 25 per cent interest. names in the oil inThere is also Ratio dustry lined up Guyana, which is in a joint to drill for oil in Guyana’s venture partnership with waters alongside applicaEEPGL in the Kaieteur tions from local companies, Block, offshore Guyana. Ratio Government has announced Guyana Limited has a 25 per there is a standing moratoricent stake in the Kaieteur um on new oil exploration liBlock. Ratio Energy Limited cences. has another 25 per cent of the Natural Resources Kaieteur Block while EEPGL Minister Raphael Trotman has a stake of 50 per cent. made this known to the Meanwhile, the Orinduik Natural Resources committee oil block has been unof the National Assembly on der the administration of Friday, when he was called Eco Guyana and Tullow upon to give a report on the since they signed a 10-year sector.

Petroleum Prospecting liThis moratorium does cence and Production Sharing not include United KingdomAgreement with Government based company Tullow Oil. in 2016.

Tullow is the operator of the CGX Resources Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman Orinduik Block, with a 60 Incorporated, a Canadian per cent interest; while Eco oil company, is another mation, Trotman revealed that they Atlantic Oil and Gas is its jor player in the local industry. partner with the remaining 40 per are in discussions with Brazilian CGX’s entire portfolio is focused cent interest. The block is located State-owned oil company Petróleo on Guyana, in both the onshore in the shallow waters of the pro- Brasileiro (Petrobras). and offshore basins.

“Government recognises that spective Suriname-Guyana basin.

The company has stakes in “Tullow submitted its appli- the time will come when we will blocks located offshore and oncation before elections,” Trotman have to issue new licences,” he shore of Corentyne, Berbice and explained. “The Government con- said. “But we intend to do so Demerara. The Corentyne licence sidered that we should honour through the benefit and assistance applies to 1.5 million acres, while that because the agreement was of an international law firms. So the Demerara licence one million negotiated prior to the change of we have worked up a list of law acres. Both of these operations are Government. We gave the right firms that do this.” fully owned by CGX. Oil companies to Tullow to proceed as they had Onshore, the company holds In a relatively short peri- a majority stake in the Berbice agreed with the Government preod of time, Guyana has become Block, through the ON Energy viously.”

“Outside of that, we have en- a hot bed of oil exploration activ- joint venture, owned 62.5 per cent forced a solid moratorium. We ity. The most popular example by CGX Energy and 37.5 per cent want to know we have control and of this is ExxonMobil’s affiliate, by local investors. a sense of definition about what it Esso Exploration and Production Following on the heels of the is we are dealing with. 3.2 million Guyana Limited which has to parliamentary Opposition urgbarrels of oil is a major volume date, made a number of oil discov- ing Government to auction the reeries. and billions of US dollars.” maining oil blocks, something its This company’s domain is the own Advisor, Dr Jan Mangal had The Minister noted that Government has received appli- Stabroek Block, which is 6.6 mil- recommended, Government had cations from French multi-nation- lion acres. While Esso Exploration stated that a process of both dial company Total, Italian compa- and Production Guyana Limited rect engagement and select bidny ENI, United States Company is the operator and holds a 45 ding would be used to allocate Chevron, Spanish company Repsol per cent interest in the Stabroek Guyana’s remaining oil. and even local companies. In addi- Block, Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds a 30 per cent interBy Jarryl Bryan

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Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, questioning Manager of Durban Quarries, Ravie, as Acting Mines Manager Krishna Ramdass looks on

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ne day after reports in State media suggested that quarry operators owed over G$8million in royalties to the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) for last year, Junior Natural Resources Minister Simona Broomes openly criticised elected Local Government officials in the Bartica Town Council for their handling of the sector in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

According to a Department of Public Information (DPI) missive, the minister called for greater compliance in the quarrying sector.

However, in the same vein, she ordered Acting Mines Manager Krishna Ramdass to issue a cease order to the Durban Quarries company.

According to reports, the company showed the “most glaring instances of non-compliance” in safety practices, where the company “failed to correct unsafe mining practices despite notices by the GGMC a month ago to do so”.

The cease work order followed Minister Broomes and a GGMC team conducting impromptu inspections at quarry operations in Region Seven.

Durban Quarries operated a stone quarry in the Mazaruni River.

Manager of the quarry, Ravie (only name given), was quoted by the State media body as noting that efforts were being made to comply with the order, but efforts had been stalled by inclement weather. It was, however, disclosed by DPI that there were signs that mining is occurring despite rocks being precariously perched on the facing.

“This is safety… Is it because he [GGMC of-

ficer] was not forceful that there was no regard shown?” Minister Broomes asked the quarry manager.

Broomes, meanwhile, called on Acting Mines Manager Ramdass to ensure that the GGMC follows due process to enforce compliance. The Minister and GGMC staff also visited BK International Quarry, Baracara Quarries Incorporated, Durban Quarries, Toolsie Persaud Limited’s St Mary Quarry in the Essequibo River, and a sand pit in Five Miles, Potaro Road, Bartica.

It was observed that the Minister also recommended that a sand pit be closed at Five Miles, Bartica following “dangerous safety infraction” that was said to have occurred there.

“Men were shovelling sand from a sheer drop wall into the back of a truck despite signs of an unstable overburden. Minister Broomes and the GGMC officers immediately ordered the men to stop working, and the truck left the pit,” the DPI missive highlighted.

A credible source in the Region Seven district confirmed that the sand pit is managed by the Bartica Town Council.

“They have a system where people pay them for the removal of sand and loam,” the source pointed out.

However, DPI reported Broomes saying that operators at the sand pit previously ignored cease work orders issued by the GGMC over the last three years, She has declared that the authorities would have to correct things.

Minister Broomes said the Ministry and the GGMC will be engaging the Town Council to address their concerns.

Three hundred-plus facing axe from University of T&T —Minister (Trinidad Guardian)

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n estimated 300plus workers are being cut from the University of Trinidad and Tobago. While 57 academic staffers have so far received dismissal letters, an additional 287 non-academic staff members are also expected to be dismissed, Education Minister Anthony Garcia confirmed on Monday.

Garcia was replying to queries in the Senate from UNC Senator Wade Mark on UTT job cuts.

Garcia’s figures signalled an estimated total of 346 staffers will

be losing jobs.

Garcia said, “Information from UTT states 59 academic staff are to be dismissed, 57 of which already received dismissal letters.

In addition, 287 non-academic staff are expected to be dismissed.

Discussions are still ongoing between the Oilfield Workers’ Trade union (OWTU) and the UTT,” Garcia said.

He was also asked about the request for information by the union regarding the 287 to be retrenched.

“As part of the negotiating process, the union has been requesting certain information

– bits of information – that has been provided to them. However, I’ve facilitated three meetings in an effort to bring both parties together and at the last meeting I held between the union and UTT, the union had requested some additional bits of information.

“The UTT is now treating with that information and I’ve been assured that in the nottoo-distant future that information will be relayed to the union.”

Mark expressed concern at the impact retrenchment of 300-plus workers would have on UTT’s quality of educa-

tion.

On further Opposition questions about whether the Labour Ministry had been formally notified of the retrenchment exercise – and what assistance is being provided by the ministry to retrenched workers -, Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste- Primus said: “Information from UTT states that with regards to the academic staff, they’re not deemed to be workers under the (governing) act which requires reporting to the ministry.”

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US report gives harsh analysis of Guyana’s healthcare system …points to lack of specialists, substandard public health

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key United States report on Guyana’s healthcare system has given a harsh analysis of the standards of local public emergency care, hospitalisation and surgery as currently being offered to the Guyanese public.

According to the US Department of State’s Crime and Safety Report, medical care in Guyana leaves much to be desired. It states that while care is available for minor medical conditions, there is a lack of appropriately trained specialists and substandard hospital care.

“Medical care is not equal to US standards,” the report states. “Care is available for minor medical conditions, although quality of care is inconsistent. Emergency care and hospitalisations for major medical illnesses or surgery are very limited, due to the lack of appropriately trained specialists, below standard in-hospital care, and poor sanitation.

“Visitors are advised to bring prescription medicine sufficient for their length of stay and

The US report gave a harsh analysis of health care in Guyana

should be aware that Guyana’s humid climate may affect some medicines. Some prescription medicines, mainly generic, are available.”

When it comes to contacting emergency medical services via the 913 number, the report warns that the number is not always operational. In addition, it notes that an ambulance is not always available, while there are few private ambulances.

“Serious illnesses and injuries often require travellers to be medically evacuated to where adequate medical atten-

tion is available. Such medevac services are very expensive,” the report stated.

Besides being expensive, the report notes, such services are generally available only to travellers with travel insurance covering medevac services or those who are able to pay for the service in advance. The report carries a quotation for the medical evacuation, which it says can range from G$40,000 to G$200,000.

Vaccination

According to the report, mosquito-borne viral infections such as

Chikungunya, Dengue, Yellow Fever, Malaria, and Zika are significant health risks. But while the report notes that Chikungunya and Dengue Fever have become endemic, it states that Yellow Fever and Malaria are prevalent in the interior.

“Personnel travelling to Regions One, Seven, Eight, Nine and 10 are advised to use malaria prophylaxis. All US Government personnel are advised to obtain Yellow Fever vaccination prior to travel.

There are no prophylactic therapies for Dengue

and Chikungunya.”

Reminding that in January 2016, the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) had issued a Level Two Travel Alert for countries hit by the Zika Virus, the report recommended that the most prudent strategy was to prevent mosquito bites through repellents, treated bed nets, window screens, and air-conditioning.

The US State Department also warned that instances of water-borne diseases increase during periods of flooding. It, therefore, advised visitors to use

only bottled or purified water for consumption purposes. It also advised that special precautions be taken when eating fruits and vegetables, especially during the rainy seasons.

“Leptospirosis, while not common, is a viral infection spread via rodent droppings and waste.

Given the limitations of the sanitation system, one should exercise caution, including vigilant hand washing after outdoor contact and vaccination of pets that may contract the disease from food bowls and other exposed surfaces that rodents may traverse.

“Special attention should be paid to Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Human Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS).

“In addition to elevated infection rates among high-risk populations, data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) shows that Guyana has among the highest prevalence rates in Latin America and the Caribbean,” the report goes on to state. (Jaryl Bryan)

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Female prisoner granted Presidential Pardon P

resident David Granger, pursuant to powers under article 188(2) of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, has granted Presidential Pardon to one woman prisoner, whom he considered fit and proper to receive such pardon.

According to a release from the Ministry of the Presidency, this Presidential Pardon shall be effective as from May 25, 2018, in observance of the 52nd Independence Anniversary of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

That woman prisoner is from New Amsterdam Prison, namely, Shremattie Singh, 30 years old.

The prisoner served a portion of her sentence for false pretence.

“It is expected that this expression of compassion and humanity by His Excellency will result in this prisoner reuniting with her family and leading a good and useful life hereon,” the MotP said.

Minister Harmon meets with Repsol’s Global New Ventures Director

Shremattie Singh

Cross dresser slapped with assault charges M

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21-year-old cross dresser was on Thursday released on bail by Magistrate Leron Daly after he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged with, among other things, two counts of assault.

Nicholas Kissoon of ‘B’ Field Sophia, Georgetown, pleaded not guilty to the charges after they were read to him.

The Court heard that on May 23, 2018, Kissoon while in custody at the Brickdam Police

Station, damaged a door and door lock valued at Gy$34,667.

He was also slapped with two charges of assaulting Police Constables; Tavon Watts and Ryan Fields. Kissoon was also charged with resisting arrest from Constable Fields.

Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh made no objection to bail being granted.

The unrepresented Kissoon was released on Gy$90,000 bail and is expected to return to Court on May 28, 2018.

Accused: Nicholas Kissoon

inister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon, on Wednesday, met with Mr. Mikel Erquiaga, the Global New Ventures Director for Repsol, an integrated global energy company based in Madrid, Spain.

In an invited comment, Mr. Erquiaga said that his visit to Guyana is a demonstration of the company’s re-commitment to its investment in the country. “Our meeting was to reinforce Repsol’s continued support to Guyana, our commitment to continue having a strong relationship with the country and our commitment to continue investing in exploration activities offshore Guyana,” he was quoted by the Ministry of the Presidency as saying.

Minister Harmon, in his remarks, said that the Government looks forward to seeing positive results from the company’s work in Guyana. “We are happy with the work done by Repsol over the years and I trust that over the coming months, that there will be more work done in the block assigned to you,” he said.

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SARA’s head, deputy holding posts unlawfully, says Nandlall A lthough the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) Act came into force since May 11, 2017, SARA remains mired in deep controversy, according to former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall.

Nandlall reminded that several questions raised even before the Bill was tabled in the National Assembly by a wide cross-section of society, including, the parliamentary Opposition, to date remained unanswered.

Expectedly, within one month of the Bill’s enactment, legal proceedings were launched challenging the constitutionality of several of the provisions of the controversial SARA legislation. These proceedings are still pending in the Constitutional Division of the High Court.

The Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) said if this challenge was successful, then everything that SARA would have done would become legally questionable, including the impending charges. “It would be interesting to see how the Government will navigate these technical legal issues,” he stated.

Pointing to some clear loopholes in the transitionary period, Nandlall claimed that the persons who currently hold the position of Director and

Opposition MP Anil Nandlall

Deputy Director of the agency, Professor Clive Thomas and Aubrey Retemyer respectively, seem to be holding those posts unlawfully.

“Having regard to the track record of the coalition Government, these persons are obviously enjoying handsome remuneration packages.

The public is unaware of what these packages are, although public funds are being utilised to finance them,” he explained. The former Attorney General has argued that both Thomas and Retemyer may be obtaining those monies unlawfully, because the Act provides for the Director and Deputy Director to be appointed by the National Assembly. Neither Thomas nor Retemyer were

appointed by the National Assembly.

The terms of their office are to be determined by the Parliamentary Committee on Appointments, as provided for by the Act. Again, this has not been done, although it came into force over a year now.

“Yet, Professor Clive Thomas continues to act as the Director of SARA under this transitionary provision. His continuation in office, therefore, is as illegal as that of the Deputy Director, who can only be appointed by the National Assembly under the Act and who was not,” he asserted.

Nandlall, therefore, believes that the two men are in no position to lecture the nation about illegality and to be entrusted with the responsibility of investigating and curbing illegality.

Political affiliations

The other significant issue, which according to him, contaminates these two office holders, is their known and professed political connections. Professor Thomas is a leader of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), one of the political parties in the coalition Government.

On the other hand, Retemyer was recently quoted in the press as conceding that he has a political affiliation.

Though he did not disclose to which political party he is

SARA Director, Professor Clive Thomas

SARA Deputy Director Aubrey Retemyer

aligned, Nandlall said it did not take a genius to figure out where his political allegiance lay, noting that it was certainly not with the Opposition.

“However, he maintains that despite his political affiliation, he can act fairly. What he fails to understand is that the test is not subjective but objective: it is not what he thinks, but the perception, harboured by the ordinary Guyanese, that is important.

Quite frankly, a perception that he will take instructions from the Office of the President is a quite reasonable one to hold in the circumstances,” Opposition MP said.

In addition to that, Nandlall reminded that State Assets

Recovery Unit (SARU) which was established as SARA, was housed in the Ministry of the Presidency while Retemyer was a member of the party in Government. He was appointed by the Ministry of the Presidency to SARU. That appointment still holds in SARA. SARA is still housed within the Ministry of the Presidency.

Tacuma Ogunseye and Desmond Trotman, two longstanding leaders of the WPA were also employed by SARU, which Nandlall said exacerbated the political contamination. There is no indication that they have not been transitioned over to SARA like their colleagues. (Samuel Sukhnandan)

Consensus with coalition partners Over 50% of ... …Granger tells PNC being sought General Council Meeting

from page 20

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he People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) held its second General Council Meeting for the year on Saturday, May 19, to reconnect with the party base, but, according to information coming out of the congress a prevailing theme was how to resist the parliamentary Opposition’s criticism of its various policies.

According to the PNCR in a statement to the media, Party Chairman, Attorney General Basil Williams urged the party to be ready to put up with the resistance from the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

“In his welcome remarks, the Party Chairman spoke of the 60 years of light that the PNC has provided in this multi-ethnic, multicultural, and multireligious country of Guyana and reminded members of the leader’s congress speech in which he said that members must stand up for our party and defend it.”

“The Chairman said that the task of members is to stand up and defend the party, the Government and the coalition. He then proceeded to list the many achievements of the Government over the last three years,” the party also stated.

Meanwhile, in her report to the General Council, PNCR General Secretary Amna Ally brought the Council up to date on the state of the party and the work of the

The head table from left: Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan, Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence, Social Protection Minister Amna Ally, President David Granger and Attorney General Basil Williams

Party Secretariat over the last quarter. According to the release, the focus of her report was on membership, achievements, Local Government Elections, projections and other related party affairs.

President David Granger delivered the feature address, in which, according to the release, he highlighted daily challenges being faced by the Government from “sections of the media”. In addition, the President’s address had a cultural aspect.

“The Party Leader spoke on the celebration and importance of Chinese and Portuguese Arrival Days, and also that of Indian Arrival Day, African Emancipation Day and Amerindian Heritage Month. The leader told General Council that Guyanese were bless-

ed to be living in a country with such diverse cultures and ethnicities; peoples from all over the continents of Earth, living, mixing, loving and working together.

“The way forward is based on certain principles, right now we are engaged in discussions with both the Alliance For Change and the other partners in the APNU … seeking consensus,” Granger was quoted as saying.”

In addition to the addresses from party leaders, reports for the last quarter were also presented to the General Council by representatives of the National Congress of Women (NCW); Guyana Youth and Student Movement (GYSM); North American Region (NAR); Georgetown District of the PNCR and the 10 administrative regions.

ly, taking advantage of the skills acquired over the course of their working lives to work in conditions that allow for greater flexibility,” they said.

In addition, the study shows that a high proportion of employed older adults work in the agricultural sector, where pension system coverage tends to be low.

The study also finds that 7.2 per cent of people 60 years or older are working, despite the fact that they receive a pension from a contributory system, which may be due to the low amount that they receive or their preference to remain active, above all among people with higher educational levels.

“It is necessary to expand pension system coverage and supplement it with non-contributory pensions to reduce the pressure on older people to continue working, usually in low-productivity jobs, just to have a minimum standard of living at an age when societies should guarantee them the conditions to enjoy their old age with dignity,” said Alicia Bárcena, ECLAC’s executive secretary, and José Manuel Salazar, ILO regional director.

They added that, given the accelerated aging process that many regional countries face, “it is essential to analyse the conditions and funding needed for inclusive and sustainable pension systems.”

With regard to the current overall employment situation, the ECLAC-ILO report explains that in 2018 the region is undergoing a phase of modest economic recovery, with growth estimated at 2.2 percent, compared with the 1.3 percent recorded in 2017.

In this context, the organisations project a slight rise in the regional employment rate, which is expected to contribute to the fact that, for the first time since 2014, there will likely be a small drop in the urban unemployment rate to around 9.0 per cent (down from 9.3 per cent in 2017, the highest level since 2005), according to ECLAC. “This evolution in employment, coupled with real wages that are expected to keep rising moderately, should help strengthen households’ purchasing power, thereby contributing to the stabilization of the economic recovery,” ECLAC said.

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PM Nagamootoo says young, non-violent offenders must be transformed, not jailed

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

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s Guyana continues to celebrate Youth Week, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo has called for youths who are associated with petty felonies to be reformed and not placed in the lockups.

Speaking at the inaugural Guyana Youth Business Summit on Wednesday, which was held under the theme “Empowering Guyana’s Youth Through Training, Mentorship and Leadership D e v e l o p m e n t ” , Nagamootoo stated that for Guyana to develop and improve the lives of its younger generations, mechanisms must be set aside for individuals to benefit from, after they would have committed “non-violent” offences.

“We have to not condone the use of illicit drugs, but we have to make sure that we deal with it in a compassionate and a realistic way so that we do not send our young people to jail, but help to rehabilitate and reform them. Those that are before court for nonviolent offences should be allowed an opportunity to make life better rather than them to be spending the rest of their lives behind bars.”

He also noted that several reports in the past have indicated that the rate of unemployed youths, youth crimes and drug use are on the increase. As such, he said, the Youth Policy has been introduced, but the final document has not been debated in the National Assembly.

Recently, it was revealed by the Director of Youth, Melissa Carmichael, that the policy, which is still in its gestational stage, ca-

ters for the development of a National Youth Empowerment Action Plan, which will include comprehensive and strategic programmes and projects being implemented.

The first session of the two-day summit saw dozens of young entrepreneurs who were presented with hands-on knowledge from experienced individuals about the different aspects of venturing into a new business.

Throughout that day’s proceedings, presentations were made by entities such as the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA); Commercial Registry; Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS); National Insurance Scheme (NIS); Guyana Energy Agency (GEA); GO-Invest and Dr Rosh Khan.

The participants were urged by the acting President to be among the policymakers and were briefed on the need for youths to be brought out into the political aspects of society.

In many cases, young entrepreneurs are unaware of the procedures and support systems which can assist in the establishment of a business enterprise.

According to the coordinators and members of the various ministries, these will help to assist them in critical areas which include the lack of capital and increased knowledge on the ways to access capital, which can be one of the key limiting factors. It was revealed that Guyana had begun to engage in discussions to promote more youth businesses and work of equal value among aspiring entrepreneurs.

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feature 33

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– (From Earliest Times to Independence)

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hroughout the early part of 1966, preparations for Guyana’s independence celebrations went in full swing. A special committee appointed by the government designed the new coat of arms and selected the Canje pheasant as the national bird.

The design and colours of the new flag, appropriately called “The Golden Arrowhead”, had already been chosen during the period of the PPP government from entries submitted through an international competition. The winning fivecoloured design was sub-

colours were also seen as symbolic to the country various assets: green for the agriculture and forests; gold representing the country’s mineral wealth; red for the zeal of nation-building; black border, depicting the people’s endurance; and white symbolising the natural water potential of the country.

A nation-wide competition, sponsored by the National History and Arts Council, also helped to select the words of the new national anthem. The winning entry, “Green Land of Guyana”, was written by Reverend

Linden Forbes Burnham and Dr Cheddi Jagan

mitted by an American, Whitney Smith. The name chosen for the independent nation – Guyana – was also chosen since 1962 by a select committee appointed by the House of Assembly.

The flag of Guyana was designed with a golden arrowhead along its middle to signify Guyana’s journey into the future. The golden arrowhead, with narrow white and black strips along its sides, was set on a green and red background with narrow white and black strips along the sides of the arrowhead. The five

Archibald Luker, and the words were set to music by Cyril G. Potter, a prominent Guyanese educator and musician.

Guyana became an independent nation on Thursday, 26 May 1966, but the independence celebrations began four days before and continued until 29 May. Public buildings and business places were brightly decorated with streamers and buntings bearing the colours of the Guyana flag.

On the evening of 25 May, a grand cultural performance took place at the Queen Elizabeth

Park (later to be renamed the National Park).

Dignitaries in the audience of thousands included the Duke and Duchess of Kent, representing Queen Elizabeth, and representatives of foreign governments.

Then at midnight, the Union Jack, the symbol of British colonial rule for 163 years, was lowered and the new flag of Guyana, the Golden Arrowhead, was raised to the top of the mast. Just before the flag raising ceremony before a huge crowd, Prime Minister Forbes Burnham and Opposition Leader Cheddi Jagan publicly embraced each other, indicating their satisfaction that Guyana had finally won its political independence.

With the raising of the new flag, fireworks burst across the sky in various parts of the country. Then around mid-morning, the State opening of the Parliament of Guyana took place.

It was preceded by a military parade accompanied by much pomp and pageantry. Significantly, for this occasion, a portrait of Sir Walter Raleigh decorating the wall of the Parliament chamber was removed and replaced with a portrait of Prime Minister Burnham.

The meeting of Parliament was chaired by the Speaker, Aubrey Alleyne. The Duke of Kent read a throne speech on behalf of the Queen, after which on behalf of the sovereign, Queen Elizabeth, he handed over to Prime Minister Burnham the constitutional in-

Part of a band at one of the carnival-style float parades held May 29, 1966 (Photo courtesy L. Hernandez)

The Duke of Kent presents the instruments of independence to Prime Minister LFS Burnham, May 26, 1966

struments designating Guyana an independent nation. Immediately after, there were speeches

by Prime Minister Forbes Burnham and Leader of the Opposition Cheddi Jagan.

Burnham, in an appeal to Guyanese nationalism, declared: “The days ahead are going to be difficult. Tomorrow, no doubt, we as Guyanese will indulge in the usual political conflicts and differences in ideology.

But today, to my mind, is above such petty matters. For today Guyana is free.”

In welcoming independence, Dr Jagan seized the opportunity to point out that the Burnham government was abus-

ing its powers through the extension of the state of emergency beyond the date of independence.

This, he said, was generating fear throughout the country and was detrimental to the struggle for peace and security.

He also highlighted the view that his party was “the victim of repeated constitutional manipulations designed to keep it out of office.” He added, “We are confident that despite these manipulations the People’s Progressive Party can be triumphant at future elections if these are fairly held.”

Later that afternoon, Sir Richard Luyt was sworn in by the Duke of Kent as Guyana’s first

Governor General at a ceremony in the ballroom of Guyana House, the official residence of the Governor General.

During the period of the independence celebrations, many public events were also held.

These included carnivalstyle parties, exhibitions, float parades and public rallies addressed by Burnham and his ministers.

On achieving independence, Guyana became the 23rd member of the British Commonwealth.

(Excerpted from “The Guyana Story – (From Earliest Times to Independence) by Dr Odeen Ishmael. 2005.

Guyana.org) (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

34 feature

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966 was an historic year. British Guiana was throwing off the shackles of British Colonialism to achieve Independence on May 26, - 900 years, after William of Normandy had invaded England.

Relative calm had returned to the nation after the political upheavals of 1962 to 1964, as we now prepared to be-

preparations for the independence celebrations were in full swing.

The year before Major Clarence Price had assumed command of the Guyana Defence Force from Col Pope, and the local forces were in continuous ‘drill sessions’ preparing for the ‘pomp and circumstance’planned.

Rudy Bishop formed the renowned (Chronicle)

WEEK ENDING MAY 27, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

where the University of Guyana was subsequently built On the evening of Wednesday May 25th a grand cultural performance at the Queen Elizabeth Park was staged before thousands, including dignitaries, with the Duke and Duchess of Kent representing the Queen. At midnight, Lt Desmond Roberts low-

Queen Elizabeth meeting with Guyanese during her visit to British Guiana in 1966 just before the country gained independence

come “One People, One Nation, One Destiny” These ‘prophetic’ words, which became our ‘nation’s motto, first appeared May 1958 during a massive Float Parade in honour of the visit of Princess Margaret. Six floats depicting the ‘Six Peoples’ produced by the Theatre Guild carried this slogan. I portrayed a Chinese ‘coolie’ shopkeeper’, complete with pigtails, while the Chinese Dragon Dancers showcased their culture.

Later that year, in October, Minister Brindley Benn, Minister of Education and Community Development, adopted the May motto, as the slogan for ‘History and Culture Week. There’s much conjecture today in the new millennium whether this ‘Oneness’ has been achieved.

February 1966, Queen Elizabeth visited, signifying the beginning of the end of 163 years of British rule. The Queen attended a Royal Race Meet at Durban Park, and I was particularly pleased when visiting the Legislature, she paused on the balcony to admire briefly my décor on the Demico House façade, which was a ‘striking tribute to the House of Windsor'.

Locally, feverish

Atlantic Symphony Orchestra off the Kitty foreshore, while 900 school children, together with performers from the Theatre Guild Dance Group – plus musical ensembles - the nation’s major choral groups Police Male Voice Choir, - Police & other steel bands prepared for a lavish historical Pageant ‘Ours The Glory’ to be staged at the Queen Elizabeth Park (later renamed National Park).

Cicely Robinson – was the pageant Director.

The Theatre Guild in conjunction with the National History and Arts Council staged ‘Guyana Legend’ written and directed by Ricardo Smith, with original musical compositions by Hugh Sam and Valerie Rodway.

Come May – the celebrations began throughout the week of May 22 to 29th with pageants, concerts, parades, folk singing and dancing; Indian musicians; Chinese dragon dancers; Queh Queh; calypsonians, and steel band tramps – all in a potpourri of frenzied celebration.

Sir Jim Campbell dedicated the Independence Arch on Brickdam near Vlissengen Road – a gift from DEMBA to the people of Guyana. Bookers gift to the nation was the land at Turkeyen

ered the Union Jack and our Golden Arrowhead was raised to a stirring gun salute, followed by a spectacular firework display with effigies of Prime Minister Forbes Burnham and the Kaieteur Falls.

Burnham and Jagan embraced each other publicly to tumultuous applause...simultaneously a team of GDF Soldiers with Amerindian guides, led by Adrian Thompson raised the flag - our Golden Arrowhead on Mt Ayanganna. The flag was also raised at the old Fort Nassau, the ancient capital of Berbice, by a direct descendant of our former Dutch Settlers and also on Fort Island – the site of the former old capital of Essequibo. The State Banquet followed a special session of the Legislature where a painting of Sir Walter Raleigh was replaced by a portrait of PM Forbes Burnham.

Aubrey Percival Alleyne was the Speaker of the House, Sir Richard Luyt, K.C.M.G. the departing Governor General and Hon Rahaman B. Gajraj C.C.E. our Mayor.

Unfortunately I missed most of the official ceremonies as I was preparing for the Float Parade – hav-

ing 3 Banks/ DIH vehicles to decorate in allnight sessions. I actually witnessed the midnight fireworks from a guava tree in John Carter’s residence at Sandy Babb Street and Vlissengen Road.

The Float Parade was breathtaking – Guyanese celebrating liberation and independence, with a massive tramp east on North road – past the reviewing stand, constructed on the Lama gradient opposite the Bourda Green. My floats– “Let Freedom reign”, ICEE Delights, and Pepsi Power won first, third and fifth place respectively. Weiting & Richter’s topical 7UP Dwarfs was second.

1966 was a pivotal year in our history.

The Bank of Guyana was established the previous year, and a National Insurance Scheme implemented.

Parade Ground was r e n a m e d Independence

Park. Culturally the nation had achieved much in the field of music, theatre, drama and the arts. Ramblers, Combo 7 and Rhythmaires competed for best string bands, while Kaietuckians, CASSO, Pelcans, Silvertones, and Invaders were the top steelbands.

The ‘Sound of Music’, Dr Zhivago, Agony and Ecstasy - Born Free, A Man for all Seasons, and Blue Max were the silver screen hits.

Radio Stations Radio Demerara and GBS on Hadfield Street were fully operational. The hit songs on the air-

waves were Born Free, "Somewhere my Love, Strangers in the Night."

Guyanese icon Dave Martins scored his first breakthrough hit with ‘Honeymooning Couple” Four years later, the nation became The CoOperative Republic of Guyana. (Excerpts from an article by Godfrey Chin published in the Guyana Times) For more Nostalgias check out Godfrey’s Nostalgias - de Book - Golden Memories of Guyana 1940 to 1980 now on sale locally. (godchin1@aol.com) (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

The queen being greeted by officials in British Guiana on her royal tour in 1966

Thousands crowded the streets to get a glimpse of the queen

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nificant days in this country's history, a history that must never be erased. To even understand this day's significance, we have to indulge and engage ourselves into the past to feel the experiences of previous generations, to understand the reasons for the Independence struggle, and to

sustain the gains accrued since 1966.

Former President Cheddi Jagan asserted that the reasons for the Independence struggle were "...

Because life was hard and conditions were abominable. (Excerpt from the Guyana Chronicle 2003) (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

Hand in Hand building decorated for the first independence day celebration

“M

ost, if not all buildings were decorated with buntings, colors of the new Guyana flag, and lights. The trees on Main Street and Camp street avenues were all lit up and were like a fairly land. Citizens (including yours truly) strolled through the avenues and window shopped at night just to admire the lights and decorations,” The Duke of Edinburgh was in town for the celebrations as were other foreigners either on official business or otherwise.

The Demerara Rowing Club hosted a Regatta in the Demerara River. Some of us were allowed time off from work to attend (in the Club house of course).

It was really a festive time the likes of which I have not seen since, and

Independence heroes

Cheddi Berret Jagan - (March 1918 March 1997) (Executive President of the Republic of Guyana: Oct 9, 1992 - Mar 6, 1997) Jagan was born on March 22, 1918 on the sugar plantation of Port Mourant, Berbice.

His father was a foreman of a work crew on the plantation.

His grandparents had come from India as indentured labourers.

After primary school and two years of secondary school, his father sent him to Queen’s College in the city of Georgetown. He was then fifteen years old. In September 1935, Cheddi left for the United States where he did pre-dental studies at Howard University. He was able to earn a scholarship to pay for his second year at Howard.

In 1938, he entered Northwestern University and embarked on a four-year dental program graduating in 1942. While studying dentistry he was also doing courses in social studies. He graduated in 1942, with a degree in dental surgery (DDS) and a Bachelor of Sciences degree (B.Sc).

On August 5, 1943 he married a student nurse, Janet Rosenberg before returning home in October that year.

Cheddi set up his dental practice with the help of his wife, as dental assistant, his brother, as laboratory assistant, and a cousin. He also spent a great deal of time with the workers and was soon established as a labour leader.

In 1947 Dr. Jagan formally entered the political arena with his election to the National Assembly. In 1950, three years later, he created the People's Progressive Party (PPP). In 1953, the PPP won the first elections held un-

reminded of the Coronation celebrations in the ‘50s. People were able to put aside their differences, political and otherwise for a while to be united in celebrating this significant, historical event.”

These were the fond recollections of a then young Guyanese girl, of Chinese ancestry; now a grown woman and preparing for the country’s 52nd Independence Anniversary, the memories of that auspicious period still had the power to bring a warm smile. Throughout the early part of 1966, preparations for Guyana's independence were in full swing; guests included Dignitaries and the Duke and Duchess of Kent.

Independence is one of the most sig-

der Universal Adult Suffrage.

However, Britain suspended the Constitution, citing the PPP's pro-communist ideology. The British sent troops and warships to deal with any resistance they might encounter but there were only peaceful demonstrations. Dr. Jagan was imprisoned for six months for not obeying an order limit-

Prime Minister Forbes Burnham is cheered by the large crowd as he leaves the National Park after the flag raising ceremony on May 26, 1966.

Proportional Representation, the Government was formed by a Coalition comprising the PNC, led by Burnham and the United Force (UF), led by businessman, Peter D’Aguiar.

Dr. Jagan was leader of the Opposition until 1992, when the PPP won the elections that year. He became President and remained so until his death on

was awarded the Percival Exhibition. In 1942, Burnham received the highest scholastic award in the country at that time, the British Guiana Scholarship. This annual award was reserved for the scholar attaining the highest grades at the Senior Cambridge Examinations held locally.

Linden Forbes Burnham and Dr Cheddi Jagan fought for an independent Guyana

ing his movements.

In 1955 Dr. Jagan was reelected leader of the People's Progressive Party. Between 1953 and 1957, the PPP was split in two factions. Dr. Jagan continued to be leader of the PPP, while the new faction, named the People’s National Congress PNC), was led by Forbes Burnham.

The PPP won the 1957 and 1961 elections becoming the country’s first Premier, and formed the Government. In 1964 the PPP again won the election with a majority of the votes cast. However, the elections, was held under the system of

March 6, 1997. (GINA) L. F.S. Burnham (1923-1985) First Executive President of the Republic of Guyana: (Oct 6, 1980 - Aug 6, 1985) Burnham was born in Kitty, on February 20, 1923. He was the son of James Ethelbert and Rachel Abigail Burnham. He attended the Kitty Methodist School; Central High School, and Queen’s College. His hobbies included cricket, chess and horseback riding.

In 1954 he won the Centenary Exhibition and a Government Junior Scholarship. In 1955 he

In 1944, Burnham earned the Bachelor of Arts Degree at External Examinations of the University of London. In 1947, he received his Bachelor of Laws (Hons.) degree at the University of London. In 1948 he was admitted to the bar of the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn, London.

An extemporary scholar, Burnham was noted for his oratory skills. In 1947 Burnham was elected President of the West Indian Students Union in London, a position which allowed him to participate as a delegate of the Union in the International Union of Students’ Congress in Prague

(1947) and Paris (1948) In 1951 he married Sheila Bernice Lataste. They had three daughters: Roxanne, Annabelle, and Francesca.

In 1957 he married Viola Victorine Harper together they had two daughters, Melanie and Ulele. Burnham returned to British Guiana (Guyana) and in 1949, along with Dr. Cheddi Jagan they founded the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). Burnham was Chairman of the Party.

In 1952 Burnham was elected to the Georgetown Town Council. In 1959 he became Mayor of Georgetown, and again in 1964. In 1959, Burnham was elected President of the Bar Association of Guyana. In 1963 and in 1965 he was elected President of the Guyana Labour Union. In 1953 when the PPP Government came to power, Burnham was appointed Minister of Education.

In 1957 he founded his own political Party – the People’s National Congress. This followed the suspension of the British Guiana Constitution by the British Government, and the rift in the PPP. In 1964 the PNC became the major party in a coalition Government with the United Force and Burnham became Premier of British Guiana.

May 26, 1966, Burnham led the country to independence and was the first Prime Minister of Guyana. Guyana became a Republic in 1970. On October 6, 1980 Burnham became Guyana’s first Executive President, a position he held until his death.

On August 6, 1985 Burnham died at the Georgetown Hospital in Guyana after a throat operation. (GINA) (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

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Preserving our literary heritage

Down Independence Boulevard

by Ken Puddicombe

by

Petamber Persaud

T

he book Down Independence Boulevard and Other Stories is an important addition to the country’s literature because it focuses mainly on the push/pull factors fashioning internal migration with some attention paid to the pull/push factors of external migration and the disillusionment of returning home, all fascinatingly rendered in sixteen linked stories set in Guyana and North America but mainly in Guyana, during the ugly 1960s, from where all the main characters originate, some firstly migrating to safer locations in order to escape from racial animosity, racial discrimination and racial conflagration while others who are unable to deal with those curses, end up in the Diaspora to face similar curses in different guises, forcing at least one man to return to his birthplace where he has invested new monies (in a new building) to make a new start but is disillusioned on discovering he is deceived and cheated out of his investment and dream by a sister (and her husband) whose action is influenced by a society darkened by despotism and corruption.

However, not all of the stories are about racial disintegration; some are about universal theme of man/woman relationship told in a different tone, adding some humour (dark humour) and balance to the book saddled with sadness, offering little or no redemp-

tion. For instance, in ‘Why men leave’, set on Independence Day, two men – Jack, the taxi-driver and Ram, the jailer – conspire to liberate themselves from their nagging/dominating wives by flying out of the country simultaneously, to disappear without a trace. In ‘the last straw’, a woman takes revenge on her husband (and his family who treats her like a slave) a meticulous man who is proud of his moustache and appearance, by cutting off the right handlebar of his moustache, putting it in his lunch kit and then moving out.

Down Independence Boulevard and

Other Stories is a sad book where characters habour hopes of seeing a better Guyana, devoid of race baiting and racial incitement but time and again these hopes are tested and dashed when challenged by events like the Black Friday strikes and riots of 1962 and the Wismar Massacre of May 1964.

Early stories like ‘Black Friday’ and ‘Sounds in the Night’ set the tone of the collection. In ‘Black Friday’, Old Man Augusto Dias loses everything even the opportunity to return to his ancestral home, Madeira, forcing his descendants take refuge in the Diaspora.

This first story also introduces two other main characters Ecliffe Van Sertima and Ian Veira protesting against the Government and eventually taking refuge in the Diaspora.

‘Sounds in the Night’ paints the harrowing story of the Wismar Massacre.

Lata and her husband, Rahim, recount their personal horror (and the horror of fellow Indians) starting on Sunday May 24, 1964, and how with the help of a Black family, they manage to escape on a refugee boat to Georgetown eventually making Independence Boulevard their home.

In ‘A House is not a Home’, a mixed race couple, Muniram and Cassandra,

having fled from Endeavour – a predominately Indian village - are now contemplating taking refuge in Buxton, a predominately Black village or moving to the Diaspora but met with opposition from Rahim who was adamant about leaving his home or his country.

The title story ‘Down Independence Boulevard’ displays two links in the collection – the road from which all the main characters ‘originated’ – and the taxi driver, Jack Yusuff who turns up in many of the story, sometimes late.

The collection closes with ‘Eulogy’ and ‘You can never go home’. In ‘Eulogy’, set in Canada, Ian watches a DVD he has paid to be made of some of his colleagues he has managed to get together in order to celebrate his death.

After the viewing, Ian walks out into heavily falling snow and heads for a lake in the park…. In ‘You can never go home’, Cassandra buys her husband, Muniram, a one-way ticket to Guyana where he is disillusioned on discovering that the house he has sent money to his sister to build was just a photograph of somebody else’s.

The linked stories sustained interest throughout the reading through suspense, delve use of language and attention to details. Moreover, it is useful to note that writing from afar allows the writer more freedom to recreate the past, filling out missing pieces in our history.

Down Independence Boulevard and Other Stories coming shortly after his two novels, Racing with the Rain and Junta, solidifies the author’s position as a convincing and credible writer of historical fiction.

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

What’s happening:

Check out Guyana Book Foundation, 66 New Garden & Anaira Streets, ‘Matching Fund Project’ between May 2 and July 20, 2018, for all levels of books at concessionary price. For further information, please call 227-4942.

Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

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G

uyana gained its independence May 26, 1966 from Britain, and is now a sovereign state that has also attained republican status. It is now free to make its own decisions concerning its welfare and its citizens.

Throughout the early part of 1966, preparations for Guyana’s independence celebrations were already being done excitedly. A special committee appointed by the government designed the new Coat-of-Arms and selected the Canje Pheasant as the national bird.

The design and colours of the new flag had already been chosen during the period of the PPP government from entries submitted through an international competition.

Being an independent country, certain changes were brought about: the name British Guiana was changed to ‘Guyana’ (chosen since 1962 by a select committee appointed by the House of Assembly); the Union Jack (British flag) was lowered and the Golden Arrowhead, Guyana’s flag was hoisted for the first time; Guyana had its first Prime Minister, Linden Forbes Burnham and its first Guyanese Governor General, Sir David Rose; Guyanese no longer sang the British national anthem, ‘God Save the Queen’ but proudly sang Guyana’s own national anthem, ‘Dear Land of Guyana’; our national symbols came into use for the first time; the British Guiana Volunteer Force became the Guyana Defence Force and at the last parade of the volunteer force held at Eve Leary on Independence Day, Sir Richard Luyt, the Governor General at that time, took the salute.

Guyana’s symbols of nationhood represent the fact that it is a nation which has attained independence. The symbols are: the National Flag (the Golden Arrowhead), the National Coat-of-Arms, the National Pledge, the National Motto and the Arms of the President. Except for the last symbol, all the others came into use on Independence Day, May 26, 1966. Each symbol holds a special significance.

The Golden Arrowhead has five colours each having its own meaning. The green background symbolises Guyana’s vast agricultural and forested areas.

The gold which forms a golden arrowhead symbolises the country’s mineral wealth and its forward thrust.

The red triangle symbolises the zeal and dynamic task of nation building which lies before our nation.

The white bordering the flag symbolises Guyana’s many rivers and water potential. The black bordering the red triangle symbolises the strength and endurance of the Guyanese people which will sustain the golden arrow’s forward thrust into the future.

Director of the Flag Centre in Florida, USA, Dr. Whitney Smith designed the Golden Arrowhead.

The design was submitted to Dr. Cheddi Jagan, the Premier of British Guiana in 1960, six years before Guyana gained its independence. Dr. Smith said in a 2011 interview with Encyclopedia Britannica: “Among the flags in my collection that I treasure are the national flag of Guyana, of which I am the designer…”

Each part of the National Coat-of-Arms also has its own significance. Sections of designs submitted by Alvin Bowman, L.R. Borrowes and Stanley Greaves were incorporated into the final design of the Coat-ofArms. Bowman was given the commission for producing the final design according to the requirements set out by a committee.

The Coat-of-Arms was selected on the recommendation of the National History and Arts Council and approved by the College of Arms in England. The House of Assembly accepted it on February 25, 1966.

The Amerindian headdress on the Coat-of-Arms symbolises that the Amerindians are the indigenous people of the country that is the first ones to live here. The helmet, a monarchial emblem, tells that Guyana was once a monarchy country ruled by a king or queen. The two diamonds at the side of the Amerindian headdress represent the country’s min-

eral wealth. The jaguar holding the pick-axe represents labour. The other jaguar holding the stalk of rice and sugarcane symbolises our two main agricultural crops- sugar and rice. The shield signifies protection for the nation. The three blue wavy lines on the shield represent the country’s many rivers. The Victoria Regia Lily on the shield is our National Flower. Robert Schomburgk, a German botanist, discovered it in 1837. The Canje Pheasant or Hoatzin at the bottom of the shield is our National Bird. It is a rare bird which is found principally in this part of the world. It is seen often on the Abary, Mahaica and Mahaicony rivers and especially in the Canje river area and on the banks of the Berbice river. At the bottom of the Coat-of-Arms are the words of our National Motto: “One People, One Nation, One Destiny.”

A nationwide competition, sponsored by the National History and Arts Council, also helped to select the words of the new National Anthem. A generous sum of Gy$500, a significant amount in those days, was given to Reverend A.L. Luker, an Englishman living in Guyana and winner of the selected lyrics for the anthem. R.C.G. Potter, a prominent Guyanese musician and educator, set the poem to music and earned himself a cash prize of Gy$500.

The Cyril Potter College of Education is named after him.

These symbols are imperative because they signify that we are an independent nation and show the solidarity we share as a unified country. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

Did you know?

A

s part of the official Independence celebrations, the new Guyana flag, the Golden Arrowhead, was raised on Mount Ayanganna to coincide with the first moments of Independence Day, May 26, 1966.

A group of Guyana Defence Force soldiers and guides, led by Adrian Thompson and local Amerindian mountaineer Isaac Jerry, ascended the mountain on the eve of the flagraising ceremony where Jerry raised the flag, and flares were fired off to celebrate the occasion.

The team later described the event as “rough, but exciting.”

A plaque bearing the names of the party was left at the summit.

Tributes to Jerry were made posthumously in 2006 by Minister of Amerindian Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues on behalf of the government for his contribution to national expeditions.

Suriname Premier John Pengal turned down an invitation to attend Independence Day ceremonies due to a territorial squabble over the Corentyne River with what was then British Guiana.

The first baby born in Berbice for the new nation of Guyana was Kamala, a 6 lb, 6 oz baby girl who was born one hour after midnight on May 26 to Ms S. Singh of Bush Lot West Coast Berbice. Singh was presented with two cheques as gifts.

were attending by the visiting dignitaries, including the Duke a n d

The Independence Arch

The National Park was renamed the Queen Elizabeth II National Park in 1965 in honour of the Queen's visit to Guyana. On Guyana’s independence it became known as the National Park.

It was formerly occupied by the Demerara Golf Club since 1923.

For the Parade of Floats which continued Independence celebrations, Wieiting & Richter, a distributor of ‘sweet’ drinks, including 7-Up, came up with a unique idea for their fairy tale float: Snow White and the 7-Up dwarfs.

In Puerto Rico, Aubrey Armstrong, Leonard Cummings,

and Clifford Johnson raised the Guyana flag on Independence Day at the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico’s administration building.

A Mr. J.G. Ramson claimed to have reaped a 10 and-a-half pound potato on Independence Day from his Thomas Street home garden.

50,000 Independence souvenir buttons were donated to the Guyana government by the Lions Club.

Some things never change. A road users’ theme was suggested by the police for Independence week celebrations: “Walk, Ride, and Drive Carefully.”

The day before independence, Prime Minister Burnham was presented with a personal gift of a custom-made Western saddle by the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Lincoln Gordon, who was Head of U.S. Delegation to Guyana’s independence.

Throughout Guyana, on May 29, independence dedication and thanksgiving services were conducted. Several

Duchess of Kent, a visiting naval crew.

Just several months after independence, Guyana experienced its first international crisis called The Ankoko Crisis.

On October 12, 1966 it was discovered that Venezuelan soldiers made an incursion on the island of Ankoko at the confluence of the Cuyuni and Wenamu rivers.

The island was divided between the two states in the The Arbitral Award of 1899,

and drawn up on a boundary map which was signed on the 7 January 1905 by British and Venezuelan diplomats. Venezuela however, refutes the document.

According to Odeen Ishmael PhD, writing in the ‘Guyana Journal’, February 2006, the Ankoko issue declined in prominence, and both countries, since then, left the matter and the efforts to find an overall solution of the “border” controversy in the hands of the UN Secretary General.

Venezuela still occupies the Guyana side of Ankoko Island.

Ankoko island 1905 British Guiana's first gold coins were issued in 1976 to celebrate the tenth anniversary of its independence in 1966. (www.taxfreegold.co.uk/ guyana) (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

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A

s we celebrate Guyana’s 52nd Independence Anniversary, let us reflect on how the journey began.

Certainly the seeds of seeking an end to colonialism must have been planted in the hard days of slavery and indentureship when life was unbelievably difficult and the reason for the crushing oppression and cruelty was easy to define.

Billions of words have been written about slavery, the middle passage, the unbearable cruelty of the slave masters and the many uprisings against slavery.

These were dealt with in ways which are almost beyond belief. Cheddi Jagan in his book “The West on Trial” writes about the prisoners in the Berbice uprising: “...53 of the defendants were condemned to death. Next day, 15 of them were burnt to death over a slow fire and 16 were broken on the rob rock. The remaining 22 persons were hanged...”

After slavery was abolished, indentured labourers for the many sugar estates w e r e

When they were flogged at the manager’s house they rubbed salt pickle on their backs.”

With these experiences and much more, the spirit of resistance against those who caused the sufferings was inlaid and would later be expressed in a desire ‘to be free of such exploitation.

Guyana’s history shows that the very beginning of the recognition of the need to be independent of Britain began with the formation of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) in 1950. The ‘concept of a struggle to free British Guiana of colonialism probably had its origin in Cheddi Jagan’s studies, while a student in the USA, of the writings of Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi. At that time, India was on a course aimed at complete independence from British rule. The struggle inspired many in the British, Dutch, French and Belgium colonies in all parts of the world to follow suit.

As early as 1945 Cheddi Jagan, in an article wrote: “It therefore

The young couple that fought for a free Guyana - Janet and Cheddi Jagan

brought to this country.

Their conditions were slightly better than the slaves. Dr. Jagan in his book quotes Elizabeth Caesar, a labourer of Pln. Vreed-en-Hoop: “... the Coolies were locked up in the sick house and next morning they were flogged with a cat-o’-nine tails; the manager was in the house, and they flogged the people under his house; they were tied to the post of the gallery... I cannot tell how many licks; he gave them enough. I saw blood.

behoves the working class people to get control of government through their Constitutional ballots in our forthcoming election, with a view towards complete independence.”

And after the PPP was founded, in its first Manifesto, the Party declared: “The People's Progressive Party recognising that the final abolition of exploitation and oppression, of economic crises and unemployment and wars will only be

achieved by the socialist reorganisation of society, pledges itself to the task of winning a free and independent Guianese society in which security, plenty, peace and freedom shall be the heritage of all.”

Thus began the struggle in the then British Guiana for independence.

Somewhere in the psyche of the onetime slaves and indentured workers lay the elements of resistance to those who brought about the misery of their forefathers. It took time for most Guyanese to accept the idea that Guyana could be a free and independent nation.

Many scoffed at the advocacy, by the PPP, of independence from Britain. British Guiana is too small to be independent they said. There was talk of an amalgamation of the three Guianas - British, Dutch and French - into one country.

Conservatives and recipients of favoured positions from the British, the business and religious community (Christian), were against such an “outrageous” idea. There was, indeed, a lot of opposition to the concept of independence. The PPP pursued its objective through the years.

Former allies fell out and I can recall, would only support independence if Jagan were not at the head of government. The Cold War, too, had its negative effects which led to political interference and a nation in

Janet Jagan fighting for a free Guyana

dire conflict.

Despite the long and difficult struggle for independence, which many countries also experienced, Guyana became a free and independent nation and proudly took its place in the United Nations and other organ-

isations, like the NonAligned Movement, the OAS, etc.

All Guyanese can be proud that we have overcome oppression, exploitation and attempts at a dictatorship. Guyana is a democracy that upholds all the finest principles

of a democratic state. We have our problems, serious problems, but they will be overcome. Unity is the password to our future. (Excerpts from An article written by the late and former President Janet Jagan ) (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

An article published in 'The Times' on Guyana's independence and Dr Cheddi Jagan

40

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By Ravi Dev

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Arrival and Indian connections II

ne of the consequences of the peripheralizing and silencing of the Indian presence in the Caribbean has been a lack of knowledge in the other groups about changes that were initiated in that community both indigenously and externally.

Consequently, there remains a persistent myth that the Indians in general and Hindus in particular are like the people described

by Squire in his poem:

“There was an Indian, who had known no change.”

Save rather than “straying content along sunlit beaches gathering shells”, the Indians brought from India into the WI linger in fields, where they gather produce.

There were fundamental changes, however, in the way of life (called “Sanaatan Dharma) of the immigrants and their descendants, which was now described as an “ism” – Hinduism. As we wrote last week, some

of these changes were engendered by one of the reform movements that had sprung up in India in the 19th century — the Arya Samajist.

The latter continued with congregational worship, which was not a feature of “Sanaatan Dharma” through the millenia, but which, interestingly enough, had already been adopted by the Brahmin priests who had arrived as immigrants.

A visiting Royal Commission

in 1870 noted two temples or “Mandirs,” but within two decades these had multiplied exponentially. In India, there were two types of Hindu priests – both drawn from the Brahmin caste/ varna: those (Purohits) who performed the 16 sanskaras or sacraments that mark the life of Hindus even before birth to death; and those who performed the worship rituals in the temples – Pujaris.

In Guyana, these two roles were fused into the person of the “Pandit”, a word which simply meant a learned person. The Arya Samajists, especially after Professor Bhaskaranand’s work between 1937 and 1945, trenchantly criticised not only the worship of Murtis or images, but also the insistence of the Pandits that they had to be of Brahmin birth. A very fierce battle erupted in the Hindu community, which still redounds into the present And it was into this rather polarised milieu that Swami Purnananda was plunged when he arrived in Guyana in 1953. The institution of the Swami, or “Monk”, had been introduced into Sanaatan Dharma a thousand years before by Adi Shankara, and was adopted from the Buddhists. Before the Buddha, all individuals could “renounce” societal duties in their last stage of life, and retire to the forests.

The Buddha introduced the notion that one could become a “renunciate” even from the first stage of life. Shankara organised the Hindu Swamis into ten orders, who could, if they chose, work on behalf of Sanaatan Dharma from “Ashrams”. A Swami could be from any of the four castes/varnas.

At the beginning of the 20th century, one young Bengali renunciant, Swami Pranvananda, formed the Bharat Sevashram Sangh to encourage a more virile Hindu response to British rule, and to also provide social services for the poor.

Unlike the Arya Samaj, which was also founded for similar purposes, Pravananda did not reject Murti worship.

One of his disciples was a school teacher who was ordained as Swami Purnananda. He was sent to Trinidad, along with three other Swamis and an assistant, at the invitation of a Hindu organisation there, and arrived on 31st December 1950. He remained in TT for another two years, and there he launched an Ashram while the others went on to Guyana, made some contacts and returned to India.

Arriving in Guyana in 1953, he quickly organised the “Cove and John Ashram” with a high school by 1957 – one of only two others on the East Coast of Demerara.

While he initiated Guyana’s first Swami, in my estimation, his greatest contribution was to reform the local Sanaatan Dharma practices from “within”, so to speak. Without criticising the Brahmin priests, he fundamentally altered the performance of the puja, in which all Hindus could now participate. Much of this change was achieved by the simple expedient of printing, in 1956, a small booklet, “Aum Hindutvam”, in which the mantras for the Havan or offerings to the sacred fire – emphasised by the Arya Samaj as “Vedic” and “authentic” – but was combined with the mantras for conducting the worship to the Murtis. Because the text was in Roman script – in addition to Devanagari – worship by Sanataanis could now be conducted by one and all.

While the “Ashram” trained Swamis and not “Pandits”, Swami Purananda’s work marked the beginning of Hindus of any birth being able to become Pandits. This was a revolutionary step in Guyana.

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enuka Tewari is a selftaught craftswoman, who hails from the county of Demerara. As a teenager who loves crafts and designing, she has managed to create a business in less than a year, which brings to life the needs of her customers.

CraftsCreations&Smiles, her online-based business, speaks volumes in bringing out the strange crafty demands of customers. What makes this enterprise a unique one is the fact that the items cannot be found in stores or on the Internet, since it customises items to fit the various oc-

casions.

Some of the popular items in recent months include dream catchers and elaborate floral crowns. However, mugs

with catchy slogans, twisted copper necklaces, and eccentric bridal bouquets are also

on the list.

“CraftsCreations&Smiles is an online craft store and my aim is to provide the customised creations. We also have items that are already made. We do items such as bouquets, floral arrangements, floral crowns, mugs, corsages, and basically anything crafty.”

Tewari recalled that it all started when a friend desperately needed a floral crown for his girlfriend and she decided to help him.

It was that first creation of hers that sparked a latent aspiration to make craft-making an enterprise, rather than just a hobby.

“After creating that piece, I posted it on social media and it received tons of likes. That’s when I decided that I can create even more amazing stuff and make a business out of it,” Tewari explained.

“The main aim behind the business is to have persons being able to have their designs come to life, so we work with various specifications,” she related.

She reminisced on the days when artsy ‘stuff’ was just part of her school projects, which would reflect her imagination and personal-

ity. Building on those memories, she continues to create for her business even more astonishing pieces that capture the attention of strangers everywhere.

On numerous platforms, the 19-year-old has had the chance to showcase her products. Her creations have been showcased at Curl Fete and the recently-held Regional Agricultural and Commercial Exhibition at the Leonora Track and Field Centre.

In both cases, customers are thrilled at the quality of work being handcrafted by Tewari and many of her items are sold immediately.

She explained that making other people happy is one of the things that drive the business forward, since she is always working to please the customers and meet their needs. This epitomises her favourite quote, “Keep smiling and brighten someone’s day” which she turns to for inspiration.

Bending copper into dazzling pieces is not just her way of making crafts, but it relieves stress and enables the mind to think beyond the norm.

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Adolescent conversations on suicide

By Ashley Anthony

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ith the second season of ‘13 Reasons Why’ released, the topic of suicide will inevitably be brought to the forefront of adolescent conversations.

The show itself received serious backlash following its release last year. If you aren’t aware, the show details the life of a high school girl, Hannah Baker, and the self-described reasons for her suicide, which she includes in 13 recorded tapes that she mails to her classmates.

One of the reasons the show was widely criticized was the manner in which it chose to portray her suicide. In the show, the method is documented in extreme detail, featuring graphic imagery. Mental health experts agree that graphic representations of suicide may be harmful to viewers, especially those who have attempted suicide themselves, or are contemplating suicide.

Days after the show’s release in April of last year, two Californian teens, Bella Herndon and Priscilla Chui, took their lives. Their families believe that this is in part due to the fact that the show made them feel as though suicide was a viable option; one which people would understand if they provided good enough reasons, with Priscilla’s uncle saying, “I feel as if the show gives only one alternative for cyber bullying and other teenage issues.” The same relative further said that the scene in which Hannah commits suicide is “very graphic” and can “act as a trigger”. He did, however, explain that Priscilla had been battling with depression for a long time.

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Something else, too, that was dangerous about the show was that it did not seem to focus on Hannah’s internal struggle.

Most people who commit suicide have a diagnosable mental illness at the time of their death. The show did not portray her reaction as unhealthy, but rather as understandable; and further, went on to make it seem as though through suicide a person can be avenged — that by committing suicide you can ‘punish’ people who have wronged you.

These criticisms are not to say that suicide should not be talked about.

However, they are to say that suicide should be talked about responsibly.

Netflix and the producers of the show have appeared to listen, including additional warnings on triggering episodes, and a general warning at the beginning of the second season, where cast members explain that if you have been suffering from depression, are contemplating suicide, or have been sexually assaulted, the show “may not be for you”; and advise that if you should still want to continue watching, you watch with a “trusted adult”.

Personally, I can’t say how much influence media portrayal has on suicide becoming an actuality.

There are two types of suicide: impulsive ones, and planned ones. In an article titled “The Role Of Impulsiveness Is One Of The Saddest Things About Suicide”, published on Business Insider by Corey Adwar, he explains that according to the New England Journal of Medicine, anywhere from

a third to eighty percent of suicides are impulsive.

He further went on to say that twenty-four percent of people who had nearly succeeded in committing suicide said they made the decision within five minutes, and about seventy said the decision had been made within an hour. The same article then detailed that, “90% of people who survive suicide attempts, including the most lethal types like shooting one’s self in the head, don’t end up killing themselves later.”

Even making reference to a study in 1978 of 515 people who were prevented from attempting suicide on the Golden Gate Bridge between 1937 and 1971.

The study found that after more than 26 years, 94% were still alive or had died of natural causes. I think in cases where suicide is impulsive, shows like ‘13 Reasons Why’ have far greater impacts. People who attempt to commit suicide impulsively are described as “indecisive”, and as suicidologist Edwin S. Shneidman put it, “The prototypical psychological picture of a person on the brink of suicide is one who wants to and does not want to. He makes plans for self-destruction and at the same time entertains fantasies of rescue and intervention.

It is possible — indeed probably prototypical — for a suicidal individual to cut his throat and to cry for help at the same time.” In such instances, a person is not completely sure that they want to die, but, in the moment, are overwhelmed by negative thoughts which push them to the edge. I think (that) in this case, a triggering

…PNC

scene in a show can be what encourages a person to go through with their attempt.

I think, though, that there is something good to be said about the show. It has started a discussion — one about how we should safely discuss and portray suicide in the media, as well as one about what issues teens are facing in schools. It is obvious that people can relate on some level to challenges Hannah faced, and it is important to talk about them. However, it is even more important to remind teens that these issues are not permanent: that they can be resolved, and that there are people who are willing to support and counsel them.

Guyana remains having one of the highest suicide rates in the world, largely due, I think, to the lack of mental health education (about mental illnesses and the causes and warning signs of suicide), and the lack of safe spaces to discuss issues. Young people can feel isolated; they don’t feel like they can discuss their depression with their parents or relatives (as they won’t be taken seriously), they don’t feel comfortable talking to their teachers, and our schools don’t have counsellors.

It is up to us to change the environment, and to break down the walls of stigma surrounding suicide and mental illnesses by discussing them in a safe and responsible manner.

The Wedding

atiricus was in a mellow mood. His wife had insisted he watch THE WEDDING with her as they had their breakfast. Satiricus didn’t mind weddings in general, and this wedding literally gave him the opportunity to see how “the other half” lived. Or at least how they became hitched up. As he sauntered over to the Back Street Bar, he was still mulling over what all of this meant when a member of the English Royal family could marry a black girl from the US. “Well, na like she wan pore gyaal fram de g’etto, you know!!” said Bungi after Satiricus had unloaded his thoughts to the fellas.

“Budday!!! Even if she na pore, you can imagine wha’ de Queen musse t’ink?” said Cappo.

“Especially when she only became Queen because her uncle wasn’t allowed to marry a divorced white American!!” observed Hari.

“But if the Queen accepted this wedding, don’t you think this means the race thing in England and US isn’t as bad as it’s made out to be?” asked Satiricus earnestly.

Rattled…

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“Sato, ole fr’en, na de same t’ing yuh seh when Obama get elect?” said Bungi with a smile.

“An’ look who dem elect afta Obama!!” grinned Cappo.

“C’mon fellas,” protested Satiricus. “You have to admit this is progress.”

“Or this could be the exception that proves the rule!” said Hari. “An’ the rule being people getting’ more racial, all over.”

“Me ‘gree wid you Hari,” said Bungi. “Afta all de skin teeth’ today, yuh guh hear wha’ dem guh she ‘bout abee.”

“And what you think they will say?” asked Satiricus, as he lent over the table.

“De gyaal na do dis an’ she na do da!” said Bungi firmly. “She guh gat fuh prove she-self ev’ry day.”

“Yep! She’ll never be good enough for them,” said Hari sadly. “And she looks like she’s such a nice girl.”

“Leh me tell ayuh somet’ing, me Dady teach me,” said Cappo. “Fish and cast-net nah friend.”

ell! Well! Well! Who woulda thought!!

The PNC summoned their Congress and all they talked about was how to counter the PPP!! Imagine, they’re the incumbent Government — with all that that implies – and yet they are being so rattled by the Opposition PPP!! But really, it’s not just the PPP. Sure the PPP’s been waging a vigorous campaign to “oppose, expose, and depose” the PNC. But that’s what an Opposition’s supposed to do, isn’t it?

No…what has rattled the PNC is a section of their traditional constituency getting restive. Which segment?? The same segment which wouldn’t stand for their excesses under Burnham. And we know that segment ended up standing up to them, don’t we?? And this is what’s scaring the bejesus out of the PNC!! This is the strata of educated, upstanding African-Guyanese who would’ve been in the League of Coloured People that initially opposed Burnham for being too crass.

Call them the “middle class” or what you will, they just can’t stand what they consider to be the “thug element” in the PNC. And they don’t need a soothsayer to tell them the present iteration of the PNC is being hijacked by that section.

Granger, as a card-carrying member of the LCP, had been expected not to go down that path…but here you have it!!

They’d been very upset at Granger’s undermining of the Rule of Law, undergirded by the Constitution.

They’d been livid at the gross ineptitude of the AG, who’s the CHAIRMAN of the PNC. What does it say of them if they’re being led by such an untutored mind?? The law is very important to this segment… it’s what helped to create their strata, to begin with! They’d been very upset at the economy being allowed to go into free fall – and putting all their eggs into that oil basket. They have much to lose.

And it’s not as if the PNC hasn’t been warned about “Dutch Disease”.

So why the focus on the PPP?? Simple. The PNC’s signalling that strata: if not us, it’s THEM – the PPP — who’ll be allowed to return. As the group that historically saw it as their birthright to rule after the departure of the whites, they have little love for the PPP, whom they consider interlopers!! What the PNC is scared sh*tless about is that that group may strike out on its own – and then strike a modus vivendi with the PPP, who at least can run the economy!!!!

The PNC’s attack on the media fits the above scenario. The media haven’t been supporting the PPP per se. They’ve simply been highlighting the missteps of the PNC — allowing their erstwhile middle-class supporters to see the Emperor wearing Burnham’s old clothes!! …and rolled!

Well, it wasn’t Big Joe Turner belting out the old Blues classic “Shake, rattle and roll”. But Ben E. King’s “Stand by me” wasn’t that far from the mark at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in staid, proper Windsor Castle chapel!! While “Stand by me” is overtly a love song, coming out of the Civil Rights era, in which they were turning dogs on black folks in the American South for just sitting at the same counter with whites in a diner, it does have some deeper reverberations.

But they seemed to’ve flown over the heads of the gathered “royalty” and “nobility” – just like Rev Michael Curry’s classic sermon, drawn from the depths of the Black experience all the way back to the days of slavery. Your Eyewitness wonders whether the perplexed, behatted, posh crowd got Curry’s message: that it’s only by accepting Jesus’s REVOLUTIONARY message of “loving your neighbour” – like the black slaves of yore did – might the present political schism decrease.

Curry quoted MLK, but Gandhi also said, “God is love”!! …investors Another newspaper repeated your Eyewitness’s caution at the Government seeking to JAIL Government officials for offering incentives to investors. The US South offers the biggest incentive packages in the world!!

Of course, such actions will rattle investors!!

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WEEK ENDING MAY 27, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Retrograde step to withdraw from CCJ

Ideology… -De la Bastide on Barbados PM’s threat F T …of power here are some who claim that Granger, the present leader of the PNC, doesn’t have an ideology like his mentor, Forbes Burnham.

They couldn’t be further from the truth!! The question that arises is: “What was Burnham’s ideology?” That is, the body of ideas that both “explained” the world and simultaneously guided him in negotiating that world. The short answer is Burnham’s ideology was encapsulated in one word – ‘power’.

There are, running around, some who’ll want you to believe that Burnham’s ideology was “socialism”, or Marxism, or even “Black Power”!!

The last was ironically the closest; since he was black, and wanted power more than anything else in the world! But following Fanon in his explication of “Black Faces; White masks”, it’s quite possible Burnham didn’t even see himself as ‘black”!

Burnham’s “black power” was about his personal power – he couldn’t care less about other black people, and saw them only as a means for him to acquire the personal power he craved!!

And this is what Granger’s all about. He’s just as opportunistic about using whatever that’s floating around out here if it would help to get him power.

Granger, for instance, is never tired about boasting about how he’s consummating Burnham’s “legacy”.

But if, from an economic standpoint, Granger has just adopted the neo-liberal model of the IMF – circa 1980s!! — how could he be consummating Burnham’s “cooperative socialism”?? We all know what Burnham thought about the IMF, don’t we??

He called it an “International Mother F**ker” and threw them out of the country.

Granger’s all about power. If Burnham’s bible – in his own words – was that of Machiavelli’s “The Prince’ – which explained in lurid detail how to get and keep power by any means necessary, Granger’s bible is from his military background – Carl von Clausewitz’s “On War”. As is typical of these 19th century tomes, their philosophy was summarised rather pithily by the author himself: “War is a mere continuation of politics by other means”!

As one analyst wrote: Clausewitz is “the source of the doctrine of ‘absolute war,’ the fight to a finish theory which, beginning with the argument that ‘war is only a continuation of state policy by other means,’ ended by making policy the slave of strategy…” And this is what’s playing out in Guyana’s politics today. Granger will stop at nothing to win what he sees as a “war” against the PPP. The firing of 7700 sugar workers in just another policy in his total war strategy. The battles over constitutional interpretation (“perceptions”!!) and judicial appointments are just another front of his total war.

It cannot be too soon for Guyanese to understand the Burnhamite ideology of total power – before we’re all consumed by Granger! …of sell out Your Eyewitness isn’t surprised at the surprise being expressed by the Georgetown chatterati at the shameless sell-out of our country to various and sundry carpetbaggers, foreign and domestic.

He isn’t surprised because they’re all cut from the same pack of cards: people who think you can just sit around in air-conditioned rooms, sign pieces of paper, and – voila!! – the country will develop.

Sorry to burst your bubbles, chumps!! These carpetbaggers come in all stripes and hues, but they all have one thing in common: they’ve come to take you to the cleaners. Most often, this will take the form of tax concessions — which used to be called “tax holidays”, but which today are in much more devious guises. Of course, the PPP had to sweeten the deal for Rusal to come here… but the question that must be challenging the PNC brain-trust is: How was the PPP able to do it WITH SO LITTLE!!!

One answer, of course, is their percentage might just be too high!! …of brother’s keeper Back in the days of slavery, one of the slogans was “Am I not a man and a brother?” Seems like one of our big ones has abandoned the homily.

He’s said his brother’s on his own!!

ormer president of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) retired chief justice Michael de la Bastide says if Barbados withdraws from the appellate jurisdiction of the court it will “seriously undermine the standing of the court in the eyes of the people of the region.”

He is hoping that the threat to withdraw would not become reality.

Barbados was the first Caribbean country to adopt the CCJ as its final Court of Appeal and that decision has become an issue in the current campaign for the May 28 election in that country.

Barbados’ Prime Minister Freundel Stuart has signalled “once the Democratic Labour Party is returned to office Barbados will be withdrawing from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as its final court of appeal.”

Stuart had first raised the issue at the Caricom inter-sessional in March where he said that only four Caricom countries— Barbados, Guyana, Dominica and Belize—had made their CCJ their final court of appeal.

He told a political meeting: “I think the attitude coming from Port-of-Spain leaves much to be desired in terms of how it’s treating Barbados and I am not going to have a situation where other countries in the Caribbean keep a safe, distance from that court while Barbados supports it.”

The Barbadian leader has also expressed unhappiness with the rulings of the court saying they “were not reflecting positively on Barbados.”

Speaking to Guardian Media on Monday, de la Bastide said if Barbados withdraws from the court it will be a “retrograde step,” for that country and one that will

Barbados’ Prime Minister Freundel Stuart

“seriously undermine the standing of the court” in the region.

“One hopes it does not come to pass,” de la Bastide said.

Stuart made it clear Barbados will not return to the Privy Council as its final court of appeal, but offered no alternative to the CCJ, prompting de la Bastide to ask “is he going to make the Barbados Court of Appeal the final court?”

He hopes that if Stuart wins the election that the threat would not be carried out.

Just why T&T had failed to join the CCJ has to do with politics and de la Bastide said the politicians will have to say why the court established by Caricom member states in 2001 and inaugurated in 2005 and which is based in Portof- Spain had not been adopted by T&T as its final appellate court.

Attorney General Faris AlRawi blames the Opposition UNC for this. He said “the matter of full accession to the CCJ is one that lies squarely within the realm of

the UNC politics.”

Legislation to make the CCJ the final appellate court requires a special majority—which is threefifths of the Parliament voting in favour of the change from the Privy Council to the CCJ. Al-Rawi said, “The ability to take full matters to the CCJ is based upon constitutional majority which the UNC has blatantly said they would never support.”

This, he said, was “borne out by the fact” that they “blatantly refused to do it when they were in government in the period 20102015.”

As a result, he said, “there is nothing that the present government can do to compel the move toward the CCJ as the final court of appeal.”

Al-Rawi conceded that “there may be merit in some of what he (Stuart) is saying in so far as it coincides with the current position of T&T.” (Trinidad Guardian)

Guyana, Indonesia to strengthen relations

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uyana and Indonesia have expressed a common interest in strengthening bilateral relations between the two States.

This was discussed during a recent meeting between Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge and Indonesia’s first female Foreign Affairs Minister, Retno Marsudi.

“Guyana is keen on strengthening its cooperation on the political, economic and commercial front in areas of preservation of the environment, energy, agroprocessing, scholarship offers, and trade and investment,” Minister Greenidge said.

Further, Minister Marsudi shared her country’s commitment to further strengthening relations with Guyana through increased trade relations and technical

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge meets with Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Retno Marsudi

cooperation.

Guyana and Indonesia established formal diplomatic relations on August 27, and have collaborated in international fora such as the Non-Aligned Movement, the G-77 and China, and the United

Nations, among other areas.

During the meeting, Minister Greenidge also used the opportunity to express condolences on behalf of the Guyana Government, on the loss of lives in recent terrorist attacks in Indonesia.

“Terrorism is a problem that affects everyone, thus there is an urgent need to strengthen international cooperation among States to fight against transnational organised crimes,” he stressed.

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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan: Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter Suhana turns 18 Women need to stop judging each other

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earing the tag of one of the world’s most beautiful women since she won the title of Miss World in 1994, actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan says the society needs to stop perceiving women, who like grooming themselves, as less intelligent.

Aishwarya believes that women need to stop judging each other on the basis of how much makeup they put on. One’s desire to look glamourous shouldn’t become the parameter of judging their intellect, said the actor, in a group interview on the sidelines of her Cannes appearance as the brand ambassador of cosmetic brand L’Oreal Paris.

“Grooming has been a part of our culture since the beginning, both for men and women. Everybody grooms themselves but to what degree depends up on the individual. First, we need to free ourselves of judging each other. Someone did more then it’s his or her choice, and if someone did less then that’s also their choice. I don’t think either side should be judged.

We, as women, need to stop judging each other in a sense that if you put make-up that doesn’t mean you don’t have brains, it doesn’t mean you lack in substance, it does not mean that you are not sensitive or compassionate,” Aishwarya said.

She continued, “At the same time, if you choose not to use makeup, doesn’t

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mitabh Bachchan has always expressed how proud he is of his daughter Shweta Nanda. Not very long ago, he shared a picture of Abhishek Bachchan and Shweta calling them apple of his eyes. Now, the actor has got the chance to share the screen space with Shweta and he tags the moment as an honour.

On his blog, he wrote, “We endorse a jewellery brand , Kalyan and we work on a campaign together .. she for the first time .. a joy and honour, a pride .. Shweta my daughter my first born … loving and concerned and the most beautiful daughter in the whole wide world!!!”

Earlier, Amitabh has shot for commercials with wife Jaya Bachchan for the same brand. This is for the first time when Shweta would be seen onscreen.

In the stills, both Shweta and Amitabh seem to be playing a fatherdaughter duo from a regular middleclass family. Describing the moment, Amitabh shared on his blog, “I trav-

mean you are a disinterested person or a person lacking in colour or you are brainy just because you don’t put makeup, or you are too serious and not a fun-loving person.

The day we break away from these pre-conceived notions, we all will start co-existing.”

A lot of female actors have been subjected to such sexism within the industry and outside, wherein if they dress up, on or off screen, they are not taken seriously.

Aishwarya, however, said she hasn’t faced that prejudice, courtesy her conscious film choices and the acclaimed directors she has worked with through her more than two decade-long film career.

“Since the beginning, through media interviews, the audience has got to know about my real personality, my beliefs, my choices. I didn’t get judged on the basis of my looks. I do believe, however, that I could have got bracketed or slotted had my audience not known how I am off screen. Also, look at the choices I made in my career. I worked with people like Mani Ratnam, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Aditya Chopra… So, that helped too. You think these people would work with me because of my looks? I am sure they are intelligent enough to not risk their films with my face. They must have seen something in me,” she concluded. (Indian Express)

el today for the work in the greatly in demand and preferred mode of travel, the AUTO .. the autoriksha .. the auto, the rick .. call it what you may .. how on earth did this word ricksha develop .. in India or where .. the Brits may have invented it in their Colonial occupation .. but the facts are pretty close .. there is debate on its origin and Japan, UK, USA seem to be the forerunners of this invention ..

HOWEVER ..

Mr GoolgeLoyd the master of all information claims it to have been invented from the Japanese word .. jinrikisha, meaning human powered vehicle invented in Japan by a European missionary to carry around his invalid wife.”

On the work front, Amitabh Bcahchan was last seen in 102 Not Out alongside Rishi Kapoor. He would next be seen in Thugs of Hindostan, which is scheduled for a release by end of this year. Shweta, on the other hand, has turned an author with novel ‘Paradise Towers.’ (Indian Express)

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ollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter has turned 18 this week. Suhana Khan has never failed to turn heads wherever and whenever she has made a public appearance. She is often seen as a true personification of elegance and grace.

While she is a grown-up, Gauri and Shah Rukh have often expressed how much they adore Suhana.

On Suhana’s birthday eve, Gauri shared a picture of Suhana on her Instagram. Along with the post, Gauri expressed the excitement of Suhana’s birthday party. She wrote, “Gearing up for a birthday bash.”

Both SRK and Gauri have spoken about Suhana and her aspirations on different occasions. Shah Rukh Khan had once said he is shy around his daughter. He once told Bombay Times, “I need to spend more time with my daughter, I am a little shy in this space.

So when she is with her girlfriends, I am like ‘Yaar, main barge in toh nahin kar raha,’ Bacchiyan hain meri, sab mere saath hi badi hui hain IPL matches dekh-dekh ke. But I still feel awkward. I need to open up a little and spend more time to pass on whatever little I know.” (‘I hope I am not barging in’, all of them are like my daughters. Everyone has grown up with me watching the IPL matches together.)

In another interview, he revealed how Suhana aspires to be an actor.

Gauri Khan too dropped a major hint on how Suhana is prepping up for her big break. At an award show, she revealed that Suhana has bagged a photoshoot for a magazine and added that she is extremely excited and is looking forward to it.

Well, Suhana is truly turning out to be the perfect one who would take forward SRK’s legacy. (Indian Express)

Sushmita Sen recalls the incident when a 15-year-old boy tried to harass her

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ushmita Sen is known for grace and the actor has always remained poised in front of her audience. The actor recently opened up about the time when a fifteen-year-old boy misbehaved with her. She spoke about the incident at a recent event in Mumbai, where she was asked to comment on the issue of women’s safety in the country.

Sushmita Sen said, “So many times people think we don’t encounter things like misbehaviour because we have bodyguards. Let me tell you, even with ten bodyguards around, we are dealing with a crowd of at least a hundred men who have often managed to misbehave with us.”

Recalling the incident, the fortytwo-year-old actor said, “Six months

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eteran film and theatre actor Hemu Adhikari died due to a lung ailment at his residence in Dadar here yesterday, family sources said. He was 81. Adhikari, known for his cameo in Rajkumar Hirani’s Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006), was suffering from a lung infection for the last one-and-a-half years.

He acted in Sai Paranjpe’s Katha and Marathi films like Dhyaas Parya and Harishchandrachi Factory. His last rites were performed last night, the sources said.

The actor is survived by wife, two daughters and a son.

Noted Bollywood and Marathi film

ago at an award function, a fifteen-year-old boy misbehaved with me as he thought I wouldn’t realize because of the crowd around. But, he was wrong. I grabbed his hand from my behind and I was shocked to see he was so young, he was just fifteen!”

“I held him by his neck and took him for a walk. I told him if I make a hue and cry, his life would be over. He denied having misbehaved at first, but I sternly told him to acknowledge. He realized his mistake, said sorry and promised me that it will never happen again,” she continued. “I didn’t take an action against him because I understood that the fifteen-year-old was not taught that such things are an offence and not entertainment”, added the actor. (Indian Express)

actor Sonali Kulkarni expressed her condolences on Adhikari’s death.

The actor wrote, “Sad to know the demise of our dear friend, wonderful actor, sharp audience, deep thinker, passionate reader and a fearless, concerned citizen..RIP Hemukaka you’ll be missed #RIP #HemuAdhikari” (Indian Express)

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ctor Vin Diesel says being a producer allowed him to be more accountable for the overall film.

“Being a producer allowed me to be more accountable for the overall picture. All of our characters shine so well,” Diesel said in a statement to IANS.

Hollywood 49

Halle Berry joins Keanu Reeves in ‘John Wick 3’

Talking about Avengers: Infinity War, Diesel said: “It is a really good family to be a part of and I don’t think we ever lost our sense of family. The Marvel universe was so welcoming that we just came in and felt so grateful to be there.”

As Groot, Diesel just has one line to

H “That’s a testament to wanting everyone in the cast to shine, wanting the director to be the best. I like walking away from a film and everyone in the film being applauded for doing the best work,” he added.

Diesel has backed films like Fast & Furious, The Last Witch Hunter, xXx: Return of Xander Cage, Riddick and Hitman.

At the moment, the actor is happy about the success of Avengers: Infinity War. He is the voice of Groot from the universe of Guardians of the Galaxy.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 will air in India on Star Movies on Sunday.

say: “I am Groot”. The actor says it is tricky to get the emotions right.

He said: “When I came into the recording booth although you would assume that there would be only three words in that recording booth ‘I am Groot’, but there was like a 50 page document on the left side of every page was ‘I am Groot’ five to ten times on the right side was a paragraph or a sentence about what he was really trying to say, and so the game quickly became taking what he was really trying to say and distilling it down.

“It was tricky not hard but tricky and fun and challenging.” (Indian Express)

ollywood star Halle Berry is set to star in John Wick: Chapter 3, featuring Keanu Reeves in the lead role. Anjelica Huston, Asia Kate Dillon, Mark Dacascos, and Jason Mantzoukas have also joined the cast of the movie, reported Variety.

Berry will play the female lead of the movie, which will be produced under the banner of Lionsgate’s Summit Entertainment. Berry would be playing the character of Sofia in the film. Huston will play a figure known as The Director, while Dillon is The Adjudicator of the High Table.

Dacascos is an assassin named Zero, and Mantzoukas as the Tick Tock Man. The story picks up after the events of Chapter 2, which sees Wick, a former assassin who tried and failed to live the quiet life, with a USD 14 million price tag on his head and an army of bounty-hunting killers on his trail.

After killing a member of the shadowy international assassin’s guild, the High Table, Wick is excommunication,

‘Deadpool 2’ becomes the sixth-highest weekend opener of 2018 in India

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ndy Serkis has revealed that his upcoming live-action drama Mowgli will be closer to the world of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. The 54-year-old star has directed the film which will be set in the 19th century India.

“It’s much closer to the tone of Rudyard Kipling’s book and it takes into account the world that Kipling was living in. It’s set in 19th century colonial India and it really has that feel and flavour. It’s a live-action movie so we shot on location. It took almost four years to make. We wanted to put some space between us and Jon Favreau’s Disney film, I must say though they are completely different movies you can’t really compare the two. ”For instance, we built jungle sets at Leavesden Studios where Harry Potter was filmed and then we went to South Africa and created – and this is

the biggest difference between this and the other movie – an entire village in South Africa, south of Durban. In this film we see Mowgli try and assimilate himself into the world of man in the Indian village,” Serkis said during an appearance on This Morning.

The film follows Mowgli (Rohan Chand), who is raised by a pack of wolves as he follows the rules of the jungle. Serkis voice stars as the funloving bear, Baloo and Christian Bale lends his voice to the sombre panther, Bagheera – the man cub’s friends.

The film’s voice cast also includes Cate Blanchett as Kaa, Benedict Cumberbatch as Shere Khan, Naomie Harris as Nisha, Peter Mullan as Akela, Jack Reynor as Mowgli’s brother Wolf, Eddie Marsan as Vihaan, Tom Hollander as Tabaqui, Freida Pinto as Messua, and Matthew Rhys as Lockwood. (Indian Express)

but the world’s most ruthless hitmen and women await his every turn.

“We’re thrilled to bring audiences the third installment of our hit ‘John Wick’ franchise with an exciting cast and world-class creative team,” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chairman Joe Drake.

The film is the third installment of the superhit franchise which collected $260 million worldwide. Both the films were directed by Chad Stahelski from scripts written by Derek Kolstad, with Reeves portraying a retired hitman seeking vengeance for the killing of his puppy — a gift from his late wife.

The films are known for elaborated stunts and an impressive body count as Reeves fended off numerous gunmen out to do him in. The second film featured a Matrix reunion, with Fishburne starring in it. Reeves and Fishburne toplined all three Matrix films as Neo and Morpheus, respectively.

The film will release on May 17, 2019. (Indian Express)

yan Reynolds starrer Deadpool 2 has been doing great business at the box office. The antihero flick has become the sixth highest weekend grosser of 2018 in India, toppling Raazi. The Marvel film has made over Rs 33 crore at Indian box office within only three days of its release.

The film has already become the highest A rated film in the country.

Deadpool 2 has tumbled Bollywood star Alia Bhatt’s recently released flick, Raazi as the sixth highest weekend grosser this year. The record for the highest weekend grosser in India is currently held by Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone’s Padmaavat (Rs 114 crore). Avengers: Infinity War comes a close second with an impressive collection of Rs 94.30 crore. Following their leads are Tiger Shroff’s Baaghi 2 (Rs 73.10 crore), Ajay Devgn’s Raid (Rs 41.01 crore) and Akshay Kumar’s movie PadMan (Rs 40.05 crore). Meghna Gulzar’s directorial Raazi has done fairly well for itself with a collection of Rs 32.94 crore.

But what is even more mind-boggling is that Deadpool 2 has crossed the lifetime collection of its prequel, Deadpool here. The first film of the

franchise had minted Rs 29 crore in India. Of course, the fact that Deadpool was such a great success across the globe helped its sequel’s case greatly.

If reports are to be believed, the recently released Deadpool 2 is all set to create a new benchmark in terms of collection. The movie is likely to mint around Rs 75 crore in India.

Deadpool 2 is set to topple Marvel Cinematic Universe’s latest offering, Avengers: Infinity War too at the US box office, as per reports.

Indian Express film critic Shalini Langer gave a positive review to the film as she wrote in her piece, “It is all too confusing in the beginning, and much too smart at times — again — for its own good. But as Reynolds gets other people to match his wits against, Deadpool 2 starts hitting the spots it wants too, much more effortlessly than its prequel.” (Indian Express)

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Ming, Fiedtkou top winners at NSC awards – Guyana Times/TVG’s Akeem Greene cops Non-Print Journalist -of-the-Year award

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ormula Four driver Calvin Ming and hockey star Marzana Fiedtkou walked away with the top honours when the National Sports Commission (NSC) held its 2017 Awards ceremony on Tuesday evening at the Le Meridien Pegasus.

Both athletes dominated their respective fields, bringing great recognition to the country.

Ming in particular

2017 Sport winners! The respective winners pose with their accolades along with Director of Sport Christopher Jones and Minister of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Sport, Dr George Norton at the National Sports Commission Awards ceremony on Tuesday evening (Carl Croker)

Sportswoman of the year Marzana Fiedtkou collects her award from Minister of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Sport, Dr George Norton (Carl Croker Photo)

has done a “solo” job by displaying the Golden Arrowhead by winning the NACAM championship in Mexico, while Fiedtkou helped the country’s hockey team qualify for the Central America and Caribbean Games.

The Junior Sportsman award was split between boxer Keevin Alicock and sprinter Compton Caesar

while the female prize went to long jumper Chantoba Bright.

Additionally, Guyana Times/Television Guyana senior sport reporter Akeem Greene won the non- print (television) journalist of the year prize.

The event saw the presence of 2018 Commonwealth Games long jump gold medallist Troy Doris, who was given a special award for his achievement.

The other winners for the night were: Sports Team of the Year: The national Under-19 cricket team

Sportswoman of the Year (person with disabilities): Faith King Sportsman of the Year (person with disabilities): Ganesh Singh Female Sports Official: Dionne CushBarnwell Male Sports Official: Phillip Fernandes Female Coach of the Year: Candcy Mckenzie Male Coach of the Year: Esaun Crandon Male Sports Personality: Norman Welch Female Sports Personality: Natisha Mokutnauth Most Improved

Association/Federation: Guyana Hockey Board Association of the Year: Athletics Association of Guyana Print Journalist: Zaheer Mohamed (Kaieteur News) Online Journalist: Royston Alkins (The Xercise) Photographer : Adrian Narine ( Guyana Chronicle) Corporate Sponsor (small): Fitness Express, Beharry Automotive, Trophy Stall Corporate Sponsor (large): ANSA McAL, Banks DIH, Fly Jamaica Airways

Plans underway for martial arts film in Guyana

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s the Korean International Martial Arts Guyana (KIMAG) prepares to host its Guyana South America Undiscovered Martial Arts Championships, the organisation has disclosed that it is streamlining plans for a martial arts film that it is hoping to produce.

Local martial artists will have the opportunity come July to audition for a part in Guyana’s first martial arts film.

The film will seek to paint Guyana as a tourist destination and showcase Guyana’s talents. Martial arts superstars such as action movie director Master Art Camacho, KJN Eric Kovaleski and Billy Blanks “Tae Bo” are slated to make the trip to Guyana in order to participate in the event.

T h e martial arts seminar will run concurrently with the KIMAG international competition and will act as an audition process for those who think that they have what it takes to be a part of the inaugural film. The process will entail the ex-

perts teaching new techniques to the optimistic participants and then judging how well they are able to replicate those techniques. Contestants will also be able to show off their own skills.

Martial artists from Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Brazil, USA, and Canada are expected to travel to Guyana for the event, which runs from July 20 to 22. The competition is open to persons as young as five years old; they will compete in both traditional and freestyle empty hand kata, weapon kata, grappling, points sparring, team kata, and team sparring categories.

Tae Bo creator Billy Blanks

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PCL draft completed

…players getting ready to spring into action

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n Wednesday morning, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) completed the Professional Cricket League (PCL) 2018/2019 Draft in Antigua and the players are getting ready to spring into action.

However, it was disclosed that the Regional 50-over competition will be staged prior to the Regional Four-Day tournament since the West Indians are preparing for the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup 2019.

Based on Cricket West Indies rules, each franchise must have 15 contracted players, and as such, the Guyana Jaguars franchise retained 10 players.

Defending champions of the Regional Four-Day tournament, Guyana Jaguars selected five cricketers during Wednesday’s draft. They are Ramaal Lewis, Christopher Barnwell, Tevin Imlach, Akshaya Persaud, and Javier Spencer.

Guyana Jaguars retained Veerasammy Permaul, Leon Johnson, Vishal Singh, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Gudakesh Motie, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Keon Joseph, Anthony Bramble, Sherfane Rutherford, and Romario Shepherd.

Flashback! The four-time Regional Four-Day champions after retaining their title over Jamaica in the 2015-2016 season

Former West Indies U-19 players Guyanese Tevin Imlach and Antiguan Javier Spencer are the uncapped players in the squad while it is Ramaal Lewis’s second year with the Jaguars, even though he has not yet made his debut. Akshaya Persaud was gifted with the opportunity of making his debut last season.

Keemo Paul and Shimron Hetmyer were not retained because they both have an active West Indies contract.

They are still eligible to play for Guyana once there are no conflicting Windies duties.

Guyana’s national male basketball team preparing for CBC tournament

The men’s basketball team will be in Barbados on a three-day tour

continued on page 52

Meanwhile, Shivnarine Chanderpaul will accompany Guyana on a pay-per-play basis while Devendra Bishoo and Raymon Reifer are also in Guyana’s side.

The other squads: Barbados Pride: Anthony Alleyne, Shamarh Brooks, Jonathan Carter, Dominic Drakes, Justin Greaves, Keon Harding, Chemar Holder, Shayne Moseley, Shamar Springer, Haydn Walsh Jr* Draft picks – Marquino Mindley, Kevin Stoute, Aaron Jones, Tevyn Walcott, Mario Rampersaud

Leeward Islands Hurricanes – Rahkeem Cornwall, Montcin Hodge, Jahmar Hamilton, Keacy Carty, Jeremiah Louis, Devon Thomas, Terrance Warde, Sheeno Berridge, Akeem Saunders, Ross Powell Draft Picks – Damion Jacobs*, Sheldon Cotterell*, Orlando Peters, Nelson Bolan, Jason Peters Jamaica Scorpions: Nikita Miller, Assad Fudadin*, Derval Green, Chadwick Walton, John Campbell, Brandon King, Paul Palmer Jr, Aldaine Thomas, Andre McCarthy, Fabian Allen Draft Picks – Oshane Thomas, Reynard Leveridge, Kenroy Williams*, Denis Bulli, Steven Taylor Windward Islands Volcanoes: Devon Smith, Shane Shillingford, Kyle Mayers*, Obed McCoy, Tyron Theophile, Roland Cato, Audy Alexander, Shermon Lewis, Delorn Johnson, Alick Athanaze Draft Picks – Kirk Edwards*, Ray Jordon, Tarryck Gabriel, Denis Smith, Josh Thomas Trinidad and Tobago Red Force: Kyle Hope*, Tion Webster, Yannic Cariah, Amir Jangoo, Denesh Ramdin, Imran Khan, Daniel St Clair, Bryan Charles, Khary Pierre, Jason Mohammed Draft Picks – Odean Smith*, Jeremy Solozano, Marlon Richards, Isaiah Rajah, Joshua Da Silva

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Troy Doris: Guyana’s hope Lady Jags, Bermuda for Olympic Gold in 2020

CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifiers…

battle to exciting draw

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Troy Doris (centre) proudly shows off his gold medal in a photo op with the Mayor and Councillors of Georgetown

he Mayor and Town Council of Georgetown was bursting with pride on Tuesday afternoon as 2018 Commonwealth gold medallist Troy Doris graced the Council’s meeting chambers with a visit.

Doris, who is American-born to Guyanese parents, copped gold at the triple jump event with a leap of 16.88m.

Mayor of Georgetown Patricia Chase Green was all smiles when she

met with the young man.

Citing his recent success, Greene stated that Doris is in position to bring home an Olympic Gold in 2020. “I am certain that come 2020 that gold medal will be coming home to us after nearly 40 years,” she boasted.

Guyana’s last Olympic Gold was won by Michael Parris in 1980 for bantam weight boxing. The Mayor went on to pledge the municipality’s support to the young man for both his athletic and academic achievement.

A grateful Doris expressed appreciation for the overwhelming support he has received from the Guyanese populace.

The triple jumper noted that he has set his sights on competing on a larger stage and coming out successful; “I don’t think this will be my last medal,” he stated.

Doris was presented with several plaques on behalf of the City of Georgetown prior to showcasing his Gold Coast 2018 medal.

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Brianne Desa was a live wire for Guyana against Bermuda in the midfield on Wednesday evening at National Track and Field Centre

uyana’s senior female football team, Lady Jags managed to scrape a point in the first of their CONCACAF Caribbean World Cup Qualifiers by drawing 2-2 with Bermuda on Wednesday evening at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora, West Coast Demerara.

Both sides had their fair share of chances, but it was the Lady Jags who would be left to rue not capitalising the most.

Bermuda wasted no time announcing their arrival as Teyah Lindo, who had a double in the match, marked her first in the fifth minute with a rightfooted shot from 40 yards out which was picked up late by custodian Natalie Nedd as she was beaten into the back of the net.

Immediately, Head Coach, Dr Ivan Joseph and his master plan of producing a “defensive master class” took an early dent.

Mid-fielder Brianne Desa looked the most dynamic player on the field bringing life to the Guyanese attack with some challenging offensive runs and it was no surprise when she levelled the score, with some nimble footwork before unleashing a powerful shot off the right boot just outside the box in the seventh minute.

The pendulum was now swinging the locals’ way, and Bermuda who were touted to be the Jags’ biggest test had the Guyanese working overtime.

Their second came again, not by an outstanding play, but rather by an elementary free-kick which Lindo took just on the outskirts of the 18-yard box in the 11th minute which had Nedd, once again, beaten by flight.

The appreciative and boisterous audience was silenced and for the next passage of play, it seemed we already

knew the victors. Given this is the first step to a trip to the 2019 World Cup in France, the ladies began showing some fight. They could have brought it level, but Calaigh Copland missed a cross from the right flank just on the cusp of half-time.

Forward Cameo Hazlewood had her presence felt more in the penalty area with thoughts set on the critical equaliser in the second stanza. A more physical battle was now ensuing and the Jags drew a foul just on the edge of the box.

It was a free-kick. The fans knew the importance of it and not a sound could be heard. Hazlewood chipped and sent a ripping bullet to the right which the goalkeeper, Micah Pond, parried into goal in the 58th minute.

Tensions became high, but the tired legs saw many of the final rushes to goal lacking intensity which left the result unchanged.

In the earlier match, Barbados defeated Suriname 2-1 led by goals from Catilyn Padmore in the 2nd minute and Felicia Jarvis in the 48th minute; Suriname had equalised in the 20th minute, compliments of Saffira Hoogdork.

On Friday, Barbados battle Bermuda from 17:30h followed by the hosts and old foes, Suriname, from 19:30h.

Guyana’s starting XI: Natalie Nedd, Nikita Persaud, Sydney Cummings, Jade Vyfhius, Cameo Hazelwood, Alison Heydon, Brittany Persaud, Mariam El-Masri, Calaigh Coplan, Collette Hope, Brianne Desa Bermuda’s XI: Micah Pond, Victoria Davis, Marley Christian, K’shaela, Akeyla Furbert, Khyla Brangman, Deshae Darrell, Teyah Lindo, Jade Hill, Keeunna Dill, Jade Stewart.

Guyana’s national male basketball team preparing for CBC ...

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he national male basketball team will depart Guyana on June 8 for Barbados as they intensify preparations for the Caribbean Basketball Championships (CBC) by engaging in a three-day tour to the island.

It is understood the traveling squad will consist of 12 players, Coaches, their manager and trainer. The CBC tournament is set for Suriname from June 15-30.

The current training squad includes 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

from page 51

and Juon Nicholson. The Guyanabased 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 Crandon, Nikkoloi Smith, Domair Gladstone and Curt English.

Other overseas-based players are under consideration.

The squad’s daily training starts on Sunday, May 27, 2018 from 20:00h; all training sessions will be held at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

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