October 31, 2016

President, First Lady open Sunrise Centre in Region 2

P2 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 3025

guyana-times.com

Monday, October 31, 2016

2015 AG Report

Ramkarran scolds Jordan for “unusual” outburst against Sharma …says Auditor General not Govt’s bookkeeper Page 3

Weekend fires leave several homeless

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

National P10 Assembly celebrates Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary

Edward B Beharry and Company Ltd cops top position in GHDS motorcade P14

See stories on pages 7, 9 and 10

Miss Global International

P14 Poonam Singh cops 1st runner-up, several awards

Locals undergo training P15 to handle natural gas …1st shipment expected on Nov 11

Diwali celebrations continue countrywide. In this composite photo, Guyanese celebrate the auspicious occasion of Diwali by creating decorative rangoli designs and lighting diyas to illuminate their homes

Patient to sue GPHC, claims negligence

Page 9

AG should be hauled before court for contempt – Nandlall Page 7

…says he attempted to prejudice outcome of Carvil Duncan case

National Commission P14 for the Elderly hosts symposium

– elderly urged to continue building relationships

2 news

monDAY, october 31, 2016 | guyana-times.com

President, First Lady open Sunrise Centre in Region 2

– aimed at empowering and providing skills training and mental health support services

R

President David Granger and First Lady Sandra Granger with participants

esidents in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) can now access professional counselling, mental health support services, holistic wellness activities, skills training courses free of cost now that the Guyana Foundation has formally opened a Sunrise Centre in the Region.

The Centre was officially opened on Saturday during the ceremonial cutting of ribbon done by President David Granger and First Lady Sandra Granger, assisted by elder Kayman Sankar at lot 1 Zorg-enVlygt, Essequibo Coast.

Addressing the audience the First Lady called on Essequibians to use the Centre to empower themselves in the various skill areas. First Lady Granger, patron of the Guyana Foundation, said that the

Centre was opened with the aim of building a strong community that can fight against the many social ills in society such as depression and suicide.

She said it is her desire to see the Centre become a hub where persons can visit in time of need as well as to make themselves more marketable. She congratulated the organisers for the achievements thus far. She mentioned that the Centre since establishment has hosted GOAL workshops as well as extended its services to persons in the Amerindian community of Lake Mainstay\Wyaka.

The First Lady therefore called on the graduands to use their skills to start small businesses and hence earn an income from their skills.

Meanwhile, founder of

the foundation Surpriya Singh-Bodden during her address said that the Sunrise Centre is part of the foundation’s ongoing efforts to provide urgent training, counselling and support to individuals and families in need across Guyana. SinghBodden said that most of the facilitators and mental health counsellors hail from Essequibo Coast.

She happily informed that the three-month pilot phase was successfully completed and already, the foundation has received orders from a leading fashion house in the Cayman Islands.

Singh-Bodden further stated that 80 per cent of the focus of the Guyana Foundation will now be directed to Region Two. The Centre is currently operating under the motto

“Hope for Tomorrow, Today, Together”.

It is the first such Centre to be opened in Guyana to date. On the occasion 34 persons graduated in skills such as Electrical installation, catering, fabric designing, and floral arrangements. They were presented with certificates by First Lady Granger.

One participant Verlyn Trotz told this newspaper that the course was a life changing one for her. She did the catering course and said she learnt a lot from it.

When asked what she intends to do with her knowledge she said she can now cater for birthdays, weddings and other occasions.

Kevin Gangoo an electrical installation student said he would like to thank Guyana Foundation for providing young people within the district with the various

First Lady Sandra Granger, Guyana Foundation President Surpriya Singh-Bodden and an elderly citizen cutting the ribbon

skills.

The Centre will be starting new courses November 14.

Also attending the

opening was Region Two Chairman Daveanand Ramdatt and Regional Executive Officer Rupert Hopkinson.

Policemen stabbed by drunken Lethem man

P

olice in Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) are hunting for a male suspect who reportedly stabbed two constables outside a nightclub in the border town on Sunday morning, a Police report said.

Police spokesman, Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan identified the injured ranks as Constables Samuels and Chichester.

He said that the duo,

along with other ranks, were standing outside the Lethem nightclub when an intoxicated male villager, known to the ranks, exited the club and repeatedly held onto the hands of the female rank, but was rejected.

The male ranks intervened and an argument ensued, during which the suspect whipped out a knife and stabbed Samuels and Chichester about their bodies before fleeing the scene.

The injured Policemen were rushed to the Lethem hospital where Samuels was treated and sent away.

However, Chichester was transferred to the Boa Vista General Hospital in Brazil, where he underwent two surgeries. He was stabbed to the wrist and abdomen; according to sources, his intestines were protruding.

He remains hospitalised Police have not yet arrested the suspect, but investigations are ongoing.

news

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monDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016 | guyana-times.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, October 31 – 05:00h-06:30h and Tuesday, November 1– 05:00h-06:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, October 31 – 16:40h-18:10h and Tuesday, November 1– 05:00h-06:30h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

2015 AG Report

Ramkarran scolds Jordan for “unusual” outburst against Sharma …says Auditor General not Govt’s bookkeeper

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

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Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: South-easterly to Easterly ranging from 1.78 metres to 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 04:34h and 16:44h reaching maximum heights of 2.64 metres and 2.72 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 10:21h and 22:41h reaching minimum heights of 0.59 metre and 0.48 metre respectively.

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Ralph Ramkarran, as House Speaker, received at least 10 Auditor General Reports in the 2001-2011 period

F

ormer Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran, SC on Sunday heaped criticisms on Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, over his “unusual” outburst at Auditor General, Deodat Sharma, whose final audit report for 2015 was critical of government and in the process gave the Finance Minister a lesson on the independence of the Audit Office.

Jordan had argued that Sharma’s opinion that certain government expenditures did not qualify as emergencies and so were not properly charged to the Contingencies Fund was an act of the Auditor General overstepping his constitutional boundary.

Jordan had argued that Sharma has no authority under the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act to pronounce on whether expenditure qualifies as ‘urgent, unavoidable and unforeseen’, since it is the Minister of Finance who is empowered to make that determination. Jordan had also claimed that previously, Sharma’s reports were sent to the Finance Ministry for editing before it was handed over to Parliament.

Sharma categorically rejected these assertions and made it known to the minister he was given the opportunity to edit the Auditor General’s Report but that such a facility has been with-

drawn. The Auditor General rejected the minister’s assertions.

Weighing on the recent “unusual” outburst, Ramkarran who served as House Speaker more than 10 years, made it clear that the minister was out of order.

“The executive should not publicly chastise or question decisions of independent, constitutional office holders except within official channels,” Ramkarran wrote on his weekly Blog, The Conversation Tree.

Constitutional mandate

He explained that while the National Assembly gives the Government authority to spend from the Consolidated Fund after a budget in instances of ‘urgent, unavoidable and unforeseen’ with subsequent parliamentary approval, the Auditor General, likewise, has a constitutional mandate to scrutinise these spending.

“The Auditor General is required by the Constitution to audit the public accounts of Guyana, which includes the Contingencies Fund, and he shall not be subject to the direction or control of any person,” Ramkarran explained.

Ramkarran in defence of Sharma said that the Auditor General is not to be confined to being a mere bookkeeper for the government; and if he found that the Minister dipped into the Contingencies Fund for any expenditure, he is obliged to examine the use of the Contingencies Fund to ascertain whether such use complies with the statutory requirements of being for ‘urgent, unavoidable or unforeseen purposes’.

“Where in the world would a constitutionally mandated Auditor General consider himself or herself to be so statutorily circumscribed that he or she would preclude himself or herself from giving an opinion on the use or misuse of a fund that he or she is required to au-

Winston Jordan was appointed Finance Minister in May 2015

dit?” Ramkarran wondered.

Institutional mechanism

The former Speaker noted that there are institutional mechanisms that are available to the minister if he disagrees with the Auditor General, pointing to the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament which examines the report, a forum at which the minister can raise his objections to the AG’s findings.

He however pointed out that while the Auditor General may take note of the minister’s objection, “his master is not the National Assembly, but the Constitution, as interpreted by the courts, for good reason.” There is also the legal option, Ramkarran said, explaining that Jordan can apply to the court for Writs of Certiorari and Prohibition, where the court will consider whether the Auditor General exceeded his powers. And if it is proven that he did then the court can effectively quash the Auditor General’s decision and prohibit him from doing it again.

The legal luminary explained that Guyana follows the Western liberal, democratic, tradition of separation of powers. Separation between executive and legislature, he said, can be nominal under Westminster constitutions, where the executive sits in the Parliament, or subversion can reduce the independence of the judiciary

and other constitution office holders.

He said to maintain and strengthen that independence, relations between Government and Constitution Office holders must be professionally structured, however such niceties did not engage previous administrations, leaving very little or no precedent for the current government to follow. Ramkarran reminded Jordan that some of Sharma’s reports were critical of the past governments while they were in office but “they, wisely, never publicly confronted him.”

He suggested that criteria, capable of growing into conventions, need to be developed to deal with Government relations with constitutional office holders.

Financial abuse

Sharma, in the 2015 Auditor General Report which was laid in the National Assembly on October 13, 2016, pointed out abuse of the Contingencies Fund by the Government.

Sharma said that during the period under review, amounts totalling $799 million were drawn from the Fund, by way of 24 advances. He said that it was disappointing to note that the advances continued to be granted, even though they did not meet the required criteria.

He also pointed to a drastic increase in overpayments, a failure to adequately expend allotted funds and repeated breaches of the financial laws and regulations by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government.

These very concerns were highlighted in previous years’ reports by Sharma, under the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic, but not many were implemented under that government and the trend continues under the APNU/AFC Administration which won last year’s National elections on a transparency and accountability ticket.

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monday, october 31, 2016

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Editorial

The optics of governance

A

ctions taken by a government with no consideration of their context is akin to playing Russian Roulette with national body politic. In Guyana, for the APNU/ AFC government to schedule Cabinet meetings at Camp Ayanganna, the headquarters the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is to ignore the very checkered history of that institution in the struggle to establish democratic governance in Guyana. The refusal of the government to reconsider its decision in the face of widespread expressions of disquiet in the society only emphases suspicions raised during the elections campaign of a de facto "military government" being created.

The Ministry of the Presidency (MotP) announced last week that due to repairs to the building in which it is housed and where Cabinet meetings are held every Tuesday, they had to find an alternative venue. "The main requirements for a temporary alternative venue," the statement adumbrated, "relate to privacy and confidentiality, security, document preparation and reproduction, size, cost, accessibility, parking and minimal disruption to traffic and regular business." Claiming to have reviewed a "number of options" the MotP concluded that only Camp Ayanganna was suitable.

Opposition Leader and former President Bharat Jagdeo immediately rejected the rationale and pointed out that during his twelve years at the helm of Guyana, meetings were held not only out of the Presidential Complex, but actually out of Georgetown in Berbice, Essequibo Coast and the Rupununi. He, not surprisingly, repeated his party's earlier expressed fears of a government. "ominously being dominated by a military mindset.”

Representing a view from of those who would not be considered to be in the opposition camp, president of the Trade's Union Council, Lincoln wrote in a letter to the press: "First, this could be considered a non-issue, but in our politics where the PPP/C campaigned and sensitised the society that a Granger administration would result in militarisation of government the administration should have avoided fuelling the perception and giving their opponent political ammunition. Secondly, previous PNC and PPP/C governments held Cabinet meetings in various locations, which this government could have reviewed and then learnt from those experiences."

In terms of its role in the suppression of democracy the US Country Report on Guyana had the following to say about the GDF: "Beginning in 1973, the PNC regularly used the GDF to help it win every national elections...Once they were collected, large numbers of ballot boxes were quarantined at Camp Ayanganna for more than twentyfour hours with no reason given. The PNC apparently had expected to receive a large number of votes in its traditional Georgetown strongholds and initially had allowed a fair count in districts there. When early results showed a low voter turnout, the PNC called on the GDF to intervene.

At the PNC's first biennial congress in 1974, the GDF was required to pledge its allegiance to the PNC. During the 1970s and 1980s, GDF soldiers routinely received political indoctrination. The GDF also scheduled marches to celebrate major PNC political events, such as party congresses.

The PNC's increasing politicization and subordination of the GDF disturbed many members of the officer corps. When some expressed a desire for military neutrality, PNC informants in the armed forces alerted Burnham to the dissension within the GDF. In August 1979, Colonel Ulric Pilgrim, the operational force commander, and Colonel Carl Morgan, a battalion commander, were dismissed. Pilgrim and Morgan had been two of the most popular officers in the GDF. Burnham appointed a PNC loyalist, Colonel David Granger, commander of the GDF." While the APNU/AFC government might expect criticism of its latest intemperate action to blow over, this one raises foundational fears on democratic governance. They have effectively destroyed any hope of a unity government that many hold out as the only hope for Guyana. Surely, WPA and the AFC Cabinet members protested this move from "inside" and their rebuff would have sent a chilling message to the PPP.

Staff of Assuria Insurance Company extends Happy Diwali greetings to all

Diwali – keeping the light burning “

D

o not let the candle of wisdom die out in the darkness of lust and error. For the wise man approaches with his torch to light up the path of mankind.”

Kahlil Gibran Diwali, the ‘Festival of Lights’, is one of the most enchanting and beautiful festivals that adorn the Hindu calendar. It commemorates the beginning of the Hindu New Year and there is an unmistakable element of fun, laughter, excitement, reunion, and heartfelt felicity associated with the celebration. And why not enjoy and have some fun when the harvest season has ended and the financial books are closed?

Diwali originated in rural India as primarily a harvest festival, a time to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. Diwali is observed in many countries outside of India, and in Guyana and Trinidad, the Hindu community joyfully anticipates the coming of Diwali.

The inside and outside of homes are beautifully decorated with deyas (earthen lamps), and with every passing year, we are literally mesmerised by the spectacularly dazzling display of exquisitely and artistically designed illuminations on motorcades, houses and business premises that seem to outshine the glitter and glamor of Manhattan’s Times Square.

Amidst the jubilation and display, we must not lose sight of the strong spiritual current that runs deep in the proper observance of Diwali.

Diwali signifies the light

that dispels the darkness of ignorance. This is the light of spiritual knowledge that comes from the long and arduous journey towards selfrealisation.

The longest journey begins with the first step, and this Diwali is another reminder for us to take that crucial first step towards self-realisation. We do not have to go out of the way and put on a special show or display; one piece of cotton soaked in oil or ghee in an earthen lamp and lit with humility and a deep yearning to be free from ignorance is far “brighter” than thousands of dazzling illuminations lit for mere revelry and enjoyment.

In all the great religious and spiritual traditions of the world “light” itself is symbolic of knowledge, joy, purity, vitality, life-sustaining power, as darkness is symbolic of ignorance, destruction, and death.

As Shri Krishna sang in Gita: “I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance”. [Bhagavad Gita 10:11]. As conditioned beings we are all caught in this cosmic drama of light and darkness, joy and sorrow, gain and loss, victory and defeat, etc and the experience of these dualities seems to be a necessary element in our spiritual evolution.

This is beautifully expressed by the mystic poet Rumi, who wrote: “God turns you from one feeling to another and teaches by means of opposites that you will have two wings to fly, not one”. It is not surprising,

therefore, that Diwali is celebrated on the 15th day in the dark half of Kartic (October – November).

It is but fitting that we celebrate this Festival of Lights on the darkest night of the darkest period – indicating that just as the emergence from darkness makes the sunlight even more dazzling and splendid, so God’s Grace and the ensuing spiritual knowledge and awareness (the light of the diya) is most manifest, and revealing as we emerge from the depths of spiritual slumber induced by the dense darkness of ignorance and error (the darkest night [Amavasya] of the soul).

Throughout the ages, our rishis and sages have sought for this Light as is evident in the famous Gayatri prayer: Aum/Bhuh Bhuvah Svah/ Tat Savitur Varenyam/ Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi/ Dhiyo Yo nah Prachodayat ~ The Rig Veda (10:16:3) Meaning: “We meditate on that most adorable, desirable and enchanting lustre and brilliance of our Supreme Being ….who is our creator, inspirer and source of eternal Joy. May this warm and loving Light inspire and guide our mind and open our hearts.”

And in the Brihad – Aranyaka Upanishad there is the invocation: “Lead us from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from death to immortality”.

The spiritual dimension of Diwali is heightened by fact that around this time at different periods in the history of the universe and the world certain events occurred that brought forth

great joy and spiritual effulgence and obliterated the forces of darkness and evil.

Lord Vishnu in His fifth avatar appeared as Lord Vamanadev (The Dwarf Incarnation) and vanquished King Bali. Another avatar of Lord Vishnu, Lord Dhanvantari appeared around Diwali time and delivered the Ayurvedic science of medicine to mankind. The Pandavas of the Mahabharata returned from their exile at the time of Diwali and Bhagwan Shri Krishna killed the wicked king Narakasura and liberated 16,000 princesses from captivity.

Bhagwan Shri Rama returned to Ayodhya amidst jubilant festivities and celebrations on the night of Diwali. In the absence of Bhagwan Shri Rama, the citizens of Ayodhya were bereft of all happiness and joy (as if the light of their lives was extinguished) and they were plunged into unbearable grief, despair and darkness.

They illuminated their dwellings in grand style to reflect their inner joy and exuberance because the Supreme Embodiment of righteous, good governance and dharma had returned to take His rightful place on the throne.

On a more recent time scale, Diwali is celebrated by the Sikhs because on this day in 1619 Guru Hargobind (the Sixth Guru), was released from captivity at Gwalior Fort by the mogul emperor Jahangir (the same tyrant who tortured and martyred the Fifth Guru, Arjan Dev, in Lahore). continued on page 5

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monday, october 31, 2016

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You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, Queens Atlantic Investment Estate, Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Crime will be with us for The Guyana Chronicle’s the foreseeable future misleading headline

Dear Editor, Crime is at an all-time high in Guyana. Since the Coalition Government took office last May this scourge has taken a meteoric rise reaching epidemic proportions. However the government is downplaying this epidemic with lots of talk that this is not the case; they have even provided us with statistics to support their point but all right thinking individuals - even if you have half a brain - can testify to the fact that Guyana is reeling from this crippling effect of crime.

Hardly a day passes that you are not stunned by the news of another armed robbery, many times fatal. A home, a business, someone who has just come from the bank or an innocent person walking by with jewellery, being relieved of your cell phone—we are all at risk of being robbed.

This is the reality of what our country has become, and yet for all of this the authorities are saying “it is peace and quiet, Guyana is a lovely place."

Crime, especially gun crime, has been the order of the day because of the following reasons: From the get go crime has been politicised by the Government of the day. While in opposition they accused the PPP/C Government of being too hard on crime and criminals while ridiculing the Government's crime fighting plan.

At the same time they vi-

ciously attacked the police for their efforts at getting the situation under control.

They dogged their efforts at every turn nothing that what the police did was good enough for them. So, in effect they whittled away at anything sane where crime fighting was concerned.

This tactic was visibly evident when the last Parliament was convened, when the president went on a tirade at the PPP/C Opposition. He claims that the opposition is responsible for crimes in Guyana and that they "were killing Black youths" when they were in Government.

He even quoted stats to beef-up his position, stating that 400 young black men were murdered by the PPP/C regime.

Now, I do not know where the president got his figures from, but I am quite sure that he was playing a very dangerous race game, while building up hate in the Black community. Instead of bringing something of worth to tackle crime, here we have a president lambasting the opposition, adding salt to the wounded populace.

With nothing sensible to offer the nation the PNC-led Coalition is calling crime by a new name. Further to this issue is the president's very friendly affiliation to criminals using the euphemistic term "petty criminals" when he released 60 of them at his inauguration and 40 more, bringing the grand total to 100 persons who in

his words committed "petty crimes."

Even when you look at it from the strategic standpoint of the judiciary coming on board with tougher sentencing for serious crimes this present government has sent the signal it would not be hard on sentencing.

That lone judge who stood out in his tough sentences was suddenly relieved of his post in the High Court and is now in the civil court. His efforts at being a deterrent to crime "you do the crime then do the time" is of no avail now.

Thus, they have paved the way for criminals to laugh at the justice system.

What we have now is the innocuous sentencing of gun toting bandits.

So, the rampage is on get a gun and terrorise the populace, kill, steal, loot and expect little, if no punishment in return. Guyana is in for the long haul.

With Christmas coming and an estimated increase in cash flow, my bleak forecast is a horrible holiday period awaiting us. I will also tell you this: we have a return of "the blackouts" which makes the nefarious activities of criminal elements even more severe.

Are things getting better?

Are we on to "the good life?

A resounding no! We are in a long night of sorrow.

I rest my case.

Neil Adams

Dear Editor, The next time the Guyana Chronicle tries to discredit a Government Press Secretary or a Government Communications Officer, it might be wise for them to be accurate by at least attempting to print the entire story. What Guyana Chronicle failed to print in its article dated Saturday 29 October 2016 and titled “Harmon: Ministers not meeting public at Congress Place”, was that a Press Release announcing those public meetings (copied to the entire media corps) was sent directly from the People’s National Congress Reform’s Headquarters at Congress Place, Sophia.

It should also be noted that the journalist from Stabroek News who posed the question about those public meetings to Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, was honest enough to indicate that a release was sent out directly from the POLITICAL PARTY (PNCR).

Additionally, as a youth member of the PNCR, I see absolutely nothing wrong with those ministers meeting with members of the public at Congress Place, Sophia. The fact is that those Government Ministers are also Members of Parliament and members of the People’s National Congress Reform – the party which is the largest in the APNU+AFC Coalition Government.

Those Members of

Diwali – keeping the...

The Jains also celebrate Diwali because Mahavira (the last Jain Tirthankar) attained nirvana or salvation on Diwali night in 527 BC, over 2500 years ago in Pavapuri province in Bihar. The Harivamsa Purana (a supplement to the Mahabharata) provides one of the oldest references to Diwali by mentioning dipalikaya as a festival marking the nirvana of Lord Mahavira.

One of the core principles of Jainism is the adoption of compassion and non-violence as a way of life itself and the concept of aparigraha or non-possessiveness to protect the environment from human greed.

For Buddhists, Diwali marks the anniversary of the third Mauryan emperor Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism. Ashoka is still the only emperor who renounced war after victory.

In still more recent times, the great reformer, guru, and storehouse of Vedic knowledge, Maharishi Saraswati Dayanand, attained nirvana on Diwali night. He fiercely fought against superstitions and

hypocrisy and his core mission was to re-establish the glories of the Vedas.

On that moonless night of Amavasya, Maharishi ushered in a new dispensation for mankind based on truth, justice and equality and a new society – the Arya Samaj.

Diwali is also the worship of Maha Lakshmi.

Maha Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Among the four goals of man, purusharthas (dharma, artha, kama, moksha), artha is associated with the attainment of wealth and material prosperity.

The ancient rishis never neglected any aspect of human life; so Hinduism can never be described as “other-worldly”. No good can come out of false renunciation. Active involvement in the world has to be the way for most of us. The human dimension of our existence has to flourish but every aspect of our life and must be guided by dharma (righteous conduct). Wealth must be acquired by ethical means and even then we have to banish greed and covetousness from our lives.

Maha Lakshmi rides on an owl, a creature that is said to sees better in the dark; reminding us that when we become carried away by wealth, we quickly become enveloped in the darkness of ignorance.

But as we light our deyas, we have to realise that it is God’s presence in our lives that can make us truly prosperous and illuminate our lives in the midst of the darkest pain and suffering. I know many people who are normally referred to as “poor people” who have a light shining in their eyes, a glow on their faces, and a song in their hearts.

These are the blessings we need on this Diwali day.

We have to keep the light of knowledge and virtue burning brightly within and bring it forth to the world in good actions and deeds, working vigorously and selflessly to eradicate poverty, violence, exploitation, injustice, hatred and cruelty, fiercely resisting all forms of discrimination, forging friendship and goodwill, and in humble and little ways, bring warmth and joy in the lives we touch.

Happy Diwali!

Cecil Ramkirath

Parliament have constituents that would have chosen them to represent their interests at the highest levels of office. I would have seen an issue had it been that those proposed meetings at Congress Place were the only public appearances made by the government ministers who again I stress, are also MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT. Further, one cannot expect the Minister of State to address a political party issue at a POSTGOVERNMENT CABINET PRESS BRIEFING – a fact the minister clearly stated during that Press Conference.

Guyana Chronicle’s headline twisted Minister Harmon’s words to create a perception of “confusion in the camp” and achieve the paper’s own unethical purpose.

Please see Minister of State Joseph Harmon’s verbatim response on the matter, below.

“There was no discussion at CABINET about a statement put out by a POLITICAL PARTY about ministers and going to meet with the public so I’m not aware of it at this point and time that you’re raising it, but I’m sure that we’re going to examine that.

Clearly there is a distinction between the government and parties and so sometimes parties even in the coalition when they go to their party conferences and so on and make statements, we do not comment as a government.

I deal with government and I would ask maybe that you address those party matters to the political parties who made the statements; but certainly as a government we never discussed that at Cabinet.”

Sincerely, Malika N Ramsey PNCR Youth Member and Press Secretary

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MONday, october 31, 2016

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Foundation

things too much screen time does to your body

Schools as ecosystems

– introducing a purpose-driven mindset redefining success

By Mathew A White, PhD

A

s more schools become interested in applications of theories of well-being and developing positive education programmes, many are seeking robust frameworks to establish clear school strategy. Recently, a graduate from the Masters of Applied Positive Psychology at the University of Melbourne, Ash Buchanan, further developed Carol Dweck’s foundational fixed and growth mindset theory.

Ash Buchanan is a design and developmental consultant whose experience spans the areas of wellness, leadership and sustainability. He believes in creating spaces – physically, psychologically, socially, and ecologically – that open the mind, engage the senses and touch the soul. His work is informed by a love for the natural world, and a passion for bringing people closer together.

Ash writes: “When we think regarding ecosystems, it’s clear to see that wellbeing and flourishing cannot be understood in isolation. Systems don’t thrive because everyone tries to grow and reach their potential independently of each other. That would end in disaster and ecological collapse. Rather, well-being and flourishing are better thought of as an interrelated systemic property, the result of a rich web of contributive relationships.

Contribution unites and elevates everything within an ecosystem. Flourishing occurs when there is rich diversity performing in concert – where each element can play a unique and valuable role in the healthy functioning of another.”

Introducing the mindset

benefit

Buchanan’s insight has significant implications for the way schools integrate teaching around fixed and growth mindset. He further asserts, “Today, a growing community of educators are using this ecosystems perspective to rethink the purpose of school fundamentally. At the core of this community is a simple question; what does it mean to be successful in life? As Albert Einstein argues, “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.” Rather than being driven by individual gain, this community is finding there is the real value, in being of value – to themselves, to others, to nature and the future. It is a purpose-driven mindset that is redefining success; from being the best in the world, to being the best

BY JR THORPE

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for the world. It is the Benefit Mindset.”

Learning about Buchanan’s take on this intrigued me. Buchanan writes, “The Benefit Mindset describes society’s everyday leaders who look beyond personal achievement, to promote well-being on both an individual and a collective level.

It builds on Carol Dweck’s pioneering research, on how beliefs about the nature of intelligence can profoundly shape our ability to learn and grow. This framework takes her Fixed and Growth Mindset to the next level – towards a richer definition of success in school and life”. For those of us who are at the chalk-face introducing well-being at scale in educational systems, there is an alarming lack of robust theoretical frameworks. The majority of research focuses on the impact on individual programmes. Rather than considering schools as creativity ecosystems, especially recognising the well-being takes place within a clear values framework.

Buchanan states, “What sets our everyday leaders apart from their normal achieving counterparts is how they aspire to discover their strengths, to meaningfully contribute to causes that are greater than the self. They question ‘why’ they do what they do, and believe in making a meaningful difference”.

Buchanan’s understanding of the leadership opportunities that are faced by principals, in particular, encouraged me to ask him to expand on this more. He said, “Everyday leaders recognise while it’s critical that everyone learns how to grow and uniquely differentiate themselves, this is best done when contributing to society and global ecosystems.

They acknowledge that humans can’t thrive in isolation, but rather, thriving is

something we must do together. There is no such thing as human flourishing without ecological flourishing.

Therefore, when adopting a Benefit Mindset, well-being and flourishing don’t only mean the pursuit of success, growth and personal health – as it is often referred to as meaning in psychology and the well-being sciences. Rather, it means creating cultures of contribution.

Cultures where each of us can uniquely be of value, where individualism and collectivism can flourish side by side”.

Flourishing in an interconnected world

I had the opportunity to discuss the Benefit Mindset in more detail with Buchanan in Adelaide at a major bi-annual positive psychology and well-being conference. He claimed, “The key takeway is this; if we actually want young people to live meaningful lives in a flourishing global society – they need to learn how to do it contributive. This step is where the real leverage lies. Imagine what would be possible if we had generations of students finishing school with a richer appreciation of how their unique strengths could make the world a better place. Imagine the ripples of change that would be possible with whole generations living their lives with purpose. Imagine everyone in your school flourishing in concert with each other and nature. It’s time to boldly reimagine what’s possible in education – and prepare young people for a flourishing future”. I am excited about the Benefit Mindset and how it can strengthen the application of positive education more broadly in schools. Stay tuned, Ash Buchanan’s work is one to watch. (psychologytoday.com)

hen I was a child, the only warning we had been given about technology and our health focused on televisions: “too much TV will make your eyes go square.”

But these days, as all kinds of screen-based devices – tablets, iPods, laptops, mobile phones – are common in our everyday lives, scientists have been focused on figuring out what screen time does to the body and brain. And even if you steer clear of the hysteria and tabloid reporting on the issue, a lot of the facts don’t look particularly good. ost of the research on screen time focuses on children, because, after all, that’s where the biggest difference in lifestyle is. Adults may stare at computers all day as a simple matter of course – you’d be hard-pressed to find a standard nine-to-five that doesn’t involve a screen – but children are supposed to be gleefully climbing trees, throwing apples at NancyLou and engaging in other traditional manifestations of childhood, not staring at a smartphone for hours on end. Being concerned about whether children are spending too much time around screens is not exactly a new worry, but it’s a field where some interesting new conclusions have been found recently. But what about adults in dorm rooms and bedrooms, scrolling Tumblr or texting until late at night?

Are screens really causing prolonged physical effects on them, too? The answer, appears to be “yes, under certain circumstances.” We all know about how excess device use impacts our sleep – using bright devices before bed can cause poor quality sleep, according to medical advice – but that appears to be only the beginning of the real effect. Reading on, and learn about five ways your excessive screen time changes your body.

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1. Your brain restructures

According to Psychology Today, one of the fundamental consequences that a large amount of screen time has on adults is a restructuring of the matter that makes up your brain. (The brain consists of grey matter, the heavy bit that makes up the folds, and white matter, which transmits messages between neurons.) These results don’t apply to everyone – they’re all proven consequences of screen addiction, which is a psychological condition based around severely excessive use of electronic devices – but folks who aren’t addicts but do use their devices heavily may experience some version of the same restructuring. Too

much screen usage seems to result in grey matter shrinkage, problems with white matter’s ability to communicate, a lot more cravings, and general poorer cognitive performance. Not great news, guys.

2. You’re more vulnerable to metabolic syndrome

This particular finding comes from a 2008 study of adolescents, but its thinking still seems to hold true for folks of other ages.

Metabolic syndrome combines diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure; it’s a pretty toxic cocktail of poor health, apparently linked to an abnormally sedentary lifestyle. (You’ll notice a pattern in this; the bodily damage done by screen time often doesn’t have much to do with the screen itself, but rather hinges on the fact that we sit still while bingewatching.) But the 2008 study found a pretty strong link between screen time and metabolic syndrome, even if the children also did a bunch of physical activity after the fact – so the effects of sitting still for hours can’t be undone with a single brisk walk.

3. You’re more vulnerable to eye strain

Yeah, yeah, my parents were right. My eyes may not have turned square, but it’s pretty well-recognised by the medical community that too much screen time is seriously bad for the peepers. Blue light from screens isn’t just keeping us awake; it may also damage the retina , and eye strain from too much device use is increasing. A report by CBS had a few recommendations, including the 20-20-20 rule: after 20 minutes of staring at a screen, look at an object at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Plus, try to use the dimmer switch on your devices rather than letting them burn brightly for hours.

4. You may not be as able to process emotions as previous generations

This is an intriguing one. It’s a contentious discovery in children — several places, including HBO and NPR, have hosted controversial specials about whether screen time really inhibits the emotional development of children – but it may impact adults, too. Even if you didn’t grow up with an iPad within reach, lack of frequent faceto-face interaction, in favour of Facebook and other simulated emotional connections, may actually impact on your ability to process emotion properly. The results for adults aren’t in yet, but it doesn’t seem like such a farflung idea; even late adopters can be seriously damaged by a technology. (bustle.com) TO BE CONTINUED

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monday, october 31, 2016 | guyana-times.com

AG should be hauled before court for contempt – Nandlall …says he attempted to prejudice outcome of Carvil Duncan case

Attorney General Basil Williams

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ormer Attorney General Anil Nandlall believes his successor should be hauled before the Court for Contempt for his flagrant violation of the sub judice principle when he publicly spoke on the Carvil Duncan matter, currently engaging the attention of the Court.

Nandlall contended that Attorney General Basil Williams is no ordinary litigant and therefore his pronouncements on a pending court case will not go unnoticed.

According to Nandlall, Williams practically signalled to the judiciary, government’s desired expectations regarding the Duncan matter.

The embattled trade unionist filed proceedings in the High Court challenging the actions by the Executive to remove him from office as Chairman and a member of the Public Service Commission, a member of the Judicial Service Commission, and a member of the Police Service Commission.

The quintessential issue for the determination of the court is whether or not it is lawful for the Government to have embarked on this path, in light of the fact that there are pending criminal proceedings in the Magistrate’s Court, to which Duncan has pleaded not guilty and whereof his attorney, Nandlall, opines he is protected by a constitutional doctrine which presumes him innocent until proven guilty in those proceedings.

Notwithstanding the existence of these pending proceedings in the High Court, the Attorney General at a recent press conference asserted that the Government can lawfully remove Duncan from office during the pendency of the criminal proceedings and before its determination.

Nandlall argues that the Attorney General is the head of the Bar and the Executive’s principal legal representative and therefore his official influence can be overwhelming.

“He has publically signalled to the Judiciary and the particular judge, the Executive’s view and I dare say, its expectations. Is the Attorney General attempting to prejudice the outcome of the pending case? Is this the example the head of the Bar is setting for other lawyers? Should lawyers now engage in public articulation of cases which are the subject of pending litigation?”

Nandlall advanced.

He strongly believes that the Attorney General satisfied all the ingredients of the offence of Contempt of Court, for breach of the sub judice rule. “In any properly functioning judicial system, Mr Williams would have been hauled before the Judge for Contempt. But it is now a matter for the Judiciary,” the former AG noted.

During the news conference, the AG expressed: “We don’t have to wait for no criminal matter to be completed to move administratively against anybody, that’s always been the rule ...if you are a public servant and you are charged for any offence in Guyana, what happens to you? You’re interdicted…”

But Nandlall rapped the AG for thinking that Duncan is a public servant.

"Mr Duncan is the Chairman of the Public Service Commission, a high constitutional office whose function is to employ, transfer, promote and discipline Public Servants. This office holder has a strong regime of security of tenure akin to that of a judge of the Supreme Court. By what ra-

criminal proceedings."

Rule 80. (1) of the Public Service Commission Rules provide: “Where criminal proceedings have been instituted in any court against an officer, Permanent Secretary or the Head of Department,

the Commission shall not institute disciplinary proceedings against the officer upon any grounds arising out of criminal charge until after the court has determined the matter and the time allowed for an appeal from the

decision of the court has expired; but where an officer, on conviction, has appealed, the Commission may commence proceedings after the withdrawal or determination of the appeal.”

2 homeless after Onderneeming fire – husband hospitalised

Carvil Duncan

tional process of reasoning and logic can such an office holder be equated to a public servant?" he stated.

He explained that the Public Service Commission Rules have no applicability whatsoever to Duncan.

"Indeed, it is Mr Duncan’s responsibility to apply those rules to Public Servants. It is the constitution, the Supreme law, which applies to Mr Duncan.

Therefore, not even by analogy, can Mr Duncan be sensibly equated to a Public Servant or can the Public Service Commission Rules apply to him.

In any event, Mr Duncan was not “interdicted”. The President established a disciplinary tribunal to investigate his removal from office. Long after the establishment of the tribunal, Mr Duncan was then “suspended”. Therefore the disciplinary process to remove Mr Duncan from office commenced long before his suspension," he said in response to the AG. Nandlall continued by noting that the AG misrepresented or misinterpreted the Public Service Commission Rules.

"These rules clearly provide that if a public servant is charged with a criminal proceeding, no disciplinary action can be taken against him until those criminal proceedings are determined.

The rationale is clear: to proceed with disciplinary proceedings while the criminal charges are pending, would not only abrogate the presumption of innocence, but would also prejudice the

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couple from Onderneeming Sandpit, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) are currently homeless after a fire of known origin completely destroyed their 30×20 flat concrete two-bed home.

According to information reaching this newspaper, the pensioners ran out the back door to escape death.

The occupants are Tom Leondail, 76, and Kuntie Leondail, 76 of Lot 1012 Onderneeming Sand Pit, Essequibo Coast.

The fire reportedly occurred between 18:30 and 19:00h Sunday.

Information revealed that around 18:30h the wife left her husband sitting in the hall and went to the kitchen to have dinner.

Around 19:00h the pensioner told his wife he was smoking a cigarette and it fell onto the chair and a fire started. The couple could not help the situation and ran out the home.

The husband received minor burns to

Fire ravages the couple’s Onderneeming home

both hands and lower back. He is presently hospitalised at the Sudden Public Hospital.

His condition is listed as stable.

Details of the fire are still sketchy but it was learnt that the Anna Regina Fire Station has launched an investigation. They were alerted about the incident by the couple's neighbour, however, by the time they arrived the house was completely gutted.

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mondAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Looking back in anger...

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...and border security

or years, your Eyewitness – along with the Government – has been railing about the destruction of our nation by drugs and guns smuggled into the country across our border with Brasilia and Venezuela.

Well, your Eyewitness can rail...but isn't the Government supposed to take action?

Your Eyewitness’s suggestion – you can't just bitch and moan, can you? – was to post our GDF to our border regions rather than have them loll around near our seawall at Camp Ayanganna and near the airport at Camp Stephenson. And in any case, isn't the military threat our GDF's supposed to repel from Venezuela? But it was like pouring water on a duck's back.

Your Eyewitness assumed the PPP was just scared stiff about messing with the GDF's fixed ways. We don't have to go into the whys and wherefores, do we? But this APNU/AFC Government flaunted its military linkages to get elected. Yet while hiring every veteran still remaining in Guyana – and a good number who didn't – sending the GDF to the borders doesn't seem to've entered their minds.

So what was the GDF to be doing? Well, now we know.

Remember how the Ministry of Public Health facilitated a whole new pharmaceutical warehouse – at a cost of $450 million – just in case the Govt Pharma Warehouse at Diamond spontaneously ignited? Well, because this is much more important, the GDF's been headquartered at Camp Ayanganna for the past FIFTY years just in case the Office of the President needed repairs.

This is what military people are supposed to do because they receive constant training in these matters in military colleges in the States and UK, etc. It's called Strategic Planning – and while you may suppose that only deals with possibilities of attacks from foreign forces and all that...it's more than that.

But seriously, Dear Readers, your Eyewitness just read one of the most ridiculous reports in years. Returning from a Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) meet with the US, Public Security Minister Ramjattan announced we'd be getting assistance from the latter for Border Security. His words: "We told them that we would like to have surveillance equipment. If it is not going to be airplanes, drones that could go a good hundred miles and come back and be at some command centre. They have other technologies that I am not too savvy about that they can probably utilise through satellite imagery."

So this is what our military braintrust's been waiting for? Couldn't they've at least briefed this Yahoo about border surveillance to make him "savvy"??

The GDF will still have to be border deployed to intercept the detected targets!

...at the PPP

It seems all the goading by the spit press and the bloodhounds on the sidelines have paid off and the APNU/ AFC is ready to go after the PPP in the courts. Or so it seems. After sole sourcing $153 million worth of audits – forensic or otherwise – and getting the condemnations they wanted (Surprise! Surprise! ), the natives were getting restless! They'd shelled out serious money to put them in place, no? (Remember FUCOP? (Funding a United Candidate for Opposition Presidency) But surely that couldn't be all. After all, FUCOP members' gotten back their investment and more's coming down the pike. Breaking Wind Farm, anyone? More likely, the threat of prosecution is a misdirection play to take people's attention from all the scandals by big ones in their administration. But even here, the Government's screwing up.

Do they really want to go down the road of who were allowed to buy house lots at Government-developed housing schemes and at what price?

Let's just check out Republic Park behind Bagotstown, on the EBD...

...and traducing the Constitution

But to pull off the misdirection stunt, the Executive's crossing the Constitutional line to directly order the Police to initiate the prosecutions.

If they feel the DPP's compromised, there's a constitutional provision to deal with that.

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

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monday, october 31, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Fire guts Cummings Street pharmacy – arson suspected, owner loses $millions

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n investigation has been launched into a suspected arson attack that destroyed a Cummings Street, Georgetown, business, resulting in millions of dollars in losses.

According to information, the fire started just before midnight on Saturday at the Ram’s Pharmacy.

Eyewitness reports stated that a strong scent of gasoline emanated from the premises as the flames grew.

Additionally, one man was reportedly seen fleeing the scene soon after the fire had started.

Police and Fire Service ranks are investigating a gap in the wall at the back of the pharmacy believed to be used to execute the arson.

The business place after the fire Saturday night

When contacted, A Division Commander Clifton Hicken confirmed that police have received information to this effect and that a team is actively pursuing leads in this regard.

He further disclosed that no suspect has been arrested for the suspected arson.

Hicken recalled that his ranks arrived on site at 12:30h and stayed at the scene of the blaze until 03:00h.

When Guyana Times visited the area on Sunday afternoon, a police rank was stationed adjacent to the pharmacy, guarding against possible looting, which includes several stores.

Meanwhile, proprietor Lakeram told Guyana Times that this was the first time in 21 years of operation that fire has struck his business. He stressed that he is

“clueless” as to why anyone would carry out such an act against him, noting that he cannot think of any enemies.

“I don’t know who would want to do this,” the man said softly, noting that it was less than one week since he took in stock for the Holiday season.

“Is de whole shop was stock up,” the owner explained.

When asked about coverage, Lakeram stressed that while some of the items was insured, it would not be able to suffice for the entire stock, which he estimated to be in the multimillions.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that arson was behind the recent fire at Gafoors Houston Complex, Georgetown, and a suspect was apprehended and taken into custody.

Patient to sue GPHC, claims negligence

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former patient of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) is soon to take legal action against the facility, citing wilful neglect.

The husband of Onissa Bowling, 25, of Campbellville, Georgetown, contacted Guyana Times to voice his frustration over the injustice that was meted out to his wife.

According to the man, in December of 2015, his wife was rushed to the Hospital in a very sick state, she was then tested by doctors there, treated for malaria which she never had, and sent home.

However, the woman’s health deteriorated and she was again rushed to the Hospital for further diagnosis.

When she arrived there, this time with abdominal pains, she was given an ultrasound where it was discovered that she suffered from gallstones.

A few days later, she was taken into surgery during which the gallstones were supposed to be removed.

The man further explained that when Bowling was sent into the recovery

Onissa Bowling

area, her condition continued to deteriorate.

An ultrasound was again done and doctors discovered that they missed a few of the gallstones and Bowling was again taken into surgery.

At this point, according to her husband, her condition was one that gave cause for great concern.

He said, “When we think that finally we can rest and that the worst was over, tragedy struck again.”

The man told Guyana Times that Bowling’s health continued to deteriorate and the woman was continually crying out for abdominal pain.

When an inspection was done, the family was shocked to discover that doctors allegedly left gauze in the woman’s belly after her last surgery and this was causing her insides to become septic.

The angry relatives of Bowling, after becoming frustrated over what they described as “lackadaisical” behaviour of the Hospital’s doctors, transferred the woman to the St Joseph Mercy Hospital where she successfully underwent surgery to remove the gauze.

According to the husband, on numerous occasions while Bowling was at Georgetown Public Hospital, he, along with other family members, sought audiences with the administrators of the Hospital for an explanation, but the attempts were unsuccessful.

Bowling was said to be in the hospital for almost a year for a minor issue which could have been rectified but was not.

As such, the woman’s family has taken action, disclosing that in the coming week, a notice will be

served to the Hospital for compensation.

Family members are also hoping that by doing this, they would expose the doctors of the facility and alert

others as to what is currently transpiring at the GPHC. When Guyana Times contacted GPHC’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mitzy Campbell on Sunday

evening, she explained that the matter would be investigated and assured this publication that details would be provided upon completion of the investigation.

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guyana-times.com

monday, october 31, 2016

News

Assembly Fire destroys National celebrates Guyana’s 50th Grove home Independence Anniversary

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Fire blazes through the home on Saturday night

he Festival of Lights ended on a sour note for five persons in Grove on the East Bank of Demerara after their home was destroyed by a fire of unknown origin, which began at approximately 20:15h on Saturday.

The home was reportedly rented out to upper and lower flat tenants.

According to the lone resident in the upper flat of Lot 214 Section A, Block Y, Grove, Troy Looge, he was returning home when he no-

ticed the roof of the home was ablaze.

"My landlady call me to collect some fish, and I left to go to Campbell Street in Grove around quarter to eight and come back around eight thirty and see the house on fire," he said.

Looge stated that he was unsure of how the fire began.

"I usually leave the windows open, so I don't know if the squib shoot and go in the bedroom and land pon the bed and the fire start," Looge speculated.

One of the tenants from the lower flat identified as Marlin Alec, stated that she and her daughter were not at home at the time of the fire. However, the two young men who were at home told firefighters that they heard pots and pans falling in the upper flat.

Eyewitnesses at the scene stated that the first fire truck to arrive came without water, and a second one was called in.

Meanwhile, this publication was informed by firefighters at the scene that it seemed as though the fire started as a result of negligence, as diyas were apparently lit and left unattended at the home.

It was also disclosed that the fire began at the back of the upper flat of the home, in the kitchen. Firefighters also mentioned that the area smelled of a gaseous substance.

At the scene, arson was ruled out since according to the firefighting officials, the home was “well secured”.

Furniture and other household items from the lower flat were salvaged; however, nothing was saved from the upper flat of the house.

A dance routine at the afternoon of reflection on Guyana's 50th Independence Anniversary

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he National Assembly on Friday evening hosted a ceremony to reflect on Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary.

Dignitaries and the public were treated to a grand ceremony, filled with cultural activities, to reminisce on the 50 years of Guyana’s Independence.

As part of the event, Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, listed the names of the members of the first and second parliament as he recognised their hard

work for the past 50 years.

Additionally, five persons who served in the First and Second Parliaments and who attended the ceremony were honoured by the National Assembly.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland handed over the medals to the esteemed members.

Invitees were entertained with the recitation of poems, singing, several dance routines and other special items, which speak

to Guyanese history and diversity.

Keon Heywood recited his special poem, “Song for my homeland”, a piece he wrote especially for Guyana’s Golden Jubilee celebration.

In attendance were President David Granger, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Ministers of Government, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and heads of agencies and organisations of Guyana.

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News

Cubans fined, deported … one remains on remand

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our Cubans and a Guyanese appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on separate charges of forgery and overstaying in Guyana.

The charge against Alberto Rodrigues Costas, 52, stat-

ed that between April 30 and July 29, 2016, in Georgetown, Costas failed to comply with any conditions of a permit granted to him by overstayed the time granted to him.

Costas told the court via a translator that he felt cheated since he only wanted to stay

and labour. As such, a guilty plea was entered upon his behalf by the Magistrate.

Police Prosecutor Sean Gonsalves stated that the defendant arrived in Guyana via the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri; and that the defen-

Babita Sarjou murder

Preliminary Inquiry continues

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he Preliminary Inquiry into the murder of Babita Sarjou, whose body was found six years after she had gone missing, continued at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Sharnandand Naraine, called ‘Anand’, the ex-husband of Sarjou, and Dorel Pronton, called ‘Yankee’ of Lot 54 Broad Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, both appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Lance Corporal Jermaine Audrey attached to Major Crimes Unit, Criminal Investigations Department, took the witness stand as he was cross-examined by Pronton’s Lawyer Stanley Moore.

Audrey explained to the court that during the cross examination, Pronton was never offered any inducement or injured to make his statements.

Meantome, at a previous court hearing two of the prosecution’s witnesses testified against the defendants.

Inspector Jermaine

Dorel Pronton

Dead: Babita Sarjou

Laundry testified to putting the charge of murder to Naraine.

However, Detective Inspector Seraj Singh of the Major Crimes Unit, testified to be being offered a bribe by Naraine as he was taking his statement on the day he was charged.

The matter was set down for November 15, 2016.

On May 22, 2016, Crime Chief Wendell Blenhum accompanied by a team of detectives, swooped down on the home of Naraine located at Lot 51 Seaforth Street,

Campbellville, Georgetown, where they dug up a site in the yard and the woman’s remains were found.

Sarjou went missing on November 4, 2010 after she received a called from Naraine who allegedly stated that he would accompany her to a Diwali motorcade.

Reportedly, on that night, Sarjou got into Naraine’s vehicle where she was strangled

by Pronton who was lodged in the backseat.

Her lifeless body was then transported to the home of Naraine where it was buried.

dant’s passport was stamped by immigration to stay in the country for three months.

However, he overstayed his time, without having any extension legally made to his permit.

Costas was fined $60,000.

Should he fail to pay the fine a 30-day imprisonment will be implemented. He will be escorted to the nearest port of exit upon paying his fine or serving his time.

The charge against Yubisley Frank Pecho Quintana, 32, stated that between June 14 and July 13, 2016, in Georgetown, he too failed to comply with any conditions of a permit granted to him.

He pleaded guilty and was fined $60,000 or in default spend one months in prison, followed by immediate deportation.

Meanwhile, Providencia Esperanza Grullon Guzman faced two charges of forgery and overstaying her time. The

charges stated that on April 14, 2016 she entered Guyana and should have left on May 13 but failed to comply with the immigration conditions.

Accused Rosario Palanco Deleidy was also charged for overstaying her time. Rosario arrived on August 8, 2016 and was scheduled to leave on September 7 but failed to do so. The defendant was also fined $60,000 or 30 days imprisonment upon failure to pay the fine.

The second charge against Guzman, 26, is that between April 14 and October 26, 2016, she conspired with persons to commit forgery. She arrived in Guyana and was granted one month’s stay but forged a passport stamp for an extension of three months, of her Dominican Republic passport #SE3374751f, purporting to show that same was stamped

by Guyana immigration officials at CJIA. The woman was represented by Attorney Paul

Fung-a-Fat, pleaded not guilty to both charges, and was remanded to prison until November 4, 2016.

Kenrick Bourne also appeared before Magistrate Latchman on charges of forgery. Bourne allegedly assisted in forging Guzman’s passport, by uttering same to an immigration officer, Constable Errol Charles, on October 26.

He pleaded not guilty.

According to Fung-a-Fat who also represented this accused, stated that his client’s girlfriend asked him to have her stay in Guyana for an additional three months.

The lawyer said Bourne apparently applied for a one-month extension without realising that it had been changed to three months.

Despite the lawyer’s attempt to convince the magistrate to grant bail, it was refused. He too will reappear in court on November 4, 2016.

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guyana-times.com

monday, october 31, 2016

News

Miss Global International Edward B Beharry and Poonam Singh cops 1st runner-up, Company Ltd cops top position in GHDS motorcade several awards

Edward B Beharry Company representatives presented with their prize for copping first place in the motorcade

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dward B Beharry and Company Ltd once again copped the top position on Saturday night as the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha (GHDS) hosted its grand Motorcade and Cultural Programme at the La Bonne Intention (LBI) Community Ground, Georgetown.

The winning float displayed slogans to raise awareness about breast cancer in Guyana and, as such,

copped the best commercial prize, as well as the overall best designed prize.

The event consisted of two categories and the winners were recognised and rewarded accordingly.

In the large category, the Success Hindu Temple came out as the top winner with the Golden Om Dharmic Youth Organisation coming in second position.

Dharmic Naujawaan was awarded third place while

Soesdyke Vishnu Mandir copped fourth spot.

Finally in that category, LBI Hindu Mandir was awarded fifth place and Good Hope Mahaica Mandir followed in the sixth place spot.

In the small category, the Balesar family copped the top position with a float which displayed goddess Lakshmi and her husband, Vishnu, as they stand within the coils of the manyheaded serpent.

The Ba Shri Mandir was awarded second space, while Camille’s Institute, another big winner every year, was awarded third space.

Coming in fourth was Philadelphia Hindu Temple followed by the Windsor Forest Radha Krishna Mandir.

The De Willem Hindu Temple, whose float displayed a large elephant sculpture positioned at its front and was a spectacle for onlookers, was awarded the sixth position.

This year, the Andrew Arts Trophy for best overall designed float in the entire competition was given to the Success Hindu Temple.

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iss Guyana Global Poonam Singh on Saturday evening copped the 1st runner-up spot and several awards in the Miss Global International Pageant 2016, held in the Dominican Republic.

The 21-year-old Guyanese beauty queen finished behind the Brazilian representative.

Singh broke the news via a video she posted on her Facebook page following the Pageant. She stated that she could not believe she had done her country so proud, given that the pageant was her first.

“Guyana, I am so glad that I am bringing this home to you. I am bringing all these medals home to you, and I just want to say thank you for your support,” Singh stated.

The Guyanese beauty walked away with the Best Personality, Best National Costume and Best Evening Gown prizes, in addition to her second-place finish. She also captured the secondplace prize for Miss Maja of the World and finished in the top three for the talent competition.

Miss Guyana Global Poonam Singh

The delegates from around the world participated on the evening of the pPgeant in national costume, swimwear, evening wear and intelligence segments.

The delegates who would have placed in the top five in the talent preliminaries had the opportunity of showcasing their masterpieces on the night of the pageant.

Singh, who performed a song as her talent piece, definitely blew the crowd away with her melodious voice. That

came as no surprise, since in 2011, at the age of 16, Singh shot to stardom when she placed second in the GT&T Jingle & Song Competition after which she ventured out to pursue her tertiary education.

She graduated with a Diploma in Communication Studies from the University of Guyana, and is presently pursuing a Bachelor of Law from the University of London through the Nations University.

At the Miss Global International 2015 Pageant, Guyana’s representative, Alicia Bess had secured the second runner-up spot. She came in for high praise from Singh in her Facebook video.

“Alicea Bess, you are the epitome of what a queen should be like,” she raved.

Singh stated that she did not have enough time to train for the international pageant, but it was Bess who worked with her extensively for approximately a month.

Singh’s Facebook video received an outpouring of warm wishes and love from friends, past queens and many others.

National Commission for the Elderly hosts symposium – elderly urged to continue building relationships

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Invitees paid keen attention

he Ministry of Social Protection through the National Commission for the Elderly is encouraging the elderly to put things in place to battle loneliness.

Addressing a gathering Saturday last at the Bath Settlement Mosque, West Coast Berbice, Pastor Randolph Williams noted that the elderly need to get someone to help them battle that emotion by finding innovative ways to deal with it.

The symposium was the final programme organised by the National Commission for the Elderly in observance of Month of the Elderly. It was held in collaboration with CIOG's women's arm, the National Committee of Sisters' Affairs (NACOSA).

Pastor Williams urged the elderly to cherish lessons they have learned over the years, and to continue building relationships with people of all ages. “And when you do that, the young ones will grow up with an appreciation for the elderly. Old age is a blessing,” he said.

Williams noted that the Commission is focusing on improving the lives of senior citizens in Guyana. Among priority areas to be addressed

are minimum standards for homes and facilities caring for the elderly, security, public transportation, access to services, and abuse of the elderly.

Emphasis is also being placed on social, educational and recreational programmes.

Meanwhile, addressing the seniors at the symposium, Commissioner Aleema Nasir, who is also Chairperson of the Rights of the Child Commission and who serves on the National Commission for the Family, noted that the National Commission for the Elderly was put in place by the Ministry of Social Protection and has chosen commissioners who care deeply for our elders in Guyana.

The Commission has been working closely with the Ministry to ensure that life gets better for our elderly.

“For example; we are looking at ways of accessing medical treatment to be more comfortable. For those who live in homes, the ministry is looking at the minimum standard for such institutions. For those of you collecting your old age pension... we are trying to come up with ways of means of making your collecting easier. We know that there is usually a very long wait and a

crowd at the beginning of the month,” she said, referring to the long lines at some Post Offices during the first two days of the month as pensioners go to uplift their pensions.

October was dedicated Month of the Elderly, which was observed under the theme; ‘Take a stand against ageism’.

During the month there were several programmes by the Commission which included radio and television programmes, a concert at the Umana Yana where elders were able to showcase their talents, being one of the highlights of the month.

Nasir said many of the programmes organised were aimed at bringing awareness: “It is hoped that this month would have brought to the Guyanese public the struggles that our elderly face in our communities and I encourage interventions to make their lives comfortable. We can all do our part in this effort for our elders who have no doubt contributed tremendously to our society. Our lives are enriched because of you!”

She concluded with: “You know the saying: What goes around comes around.”

MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016

guyana-times.com

15

News

Locals undergo training Italy reels from 4th earthquake in 3 months to handle natural gas ... 1st shipment expected on Nov 11

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epresentatives from several key organisations underwent a fourday training on how to handle liquid natural gas (LNG), as the first shipment is expected in Guyana within two weeks.

Local manufacturing giant – Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) – teamed up with United States company, ICON LNG’s, to roll out the pilot phase of a project that will see a more cleaner and more environmentally friendly fuel being commercially disturbed.

This project is said to be synced with the Government’s policy of developing a green economy here.

According to founder of ICON, Eric Schubert, he saw the potential for natural gas in the Guyanese market and took the first step three years ago towards realising this project but stumbled on some hiccups as it relates to transportation of the fuel here – this is, of course, after he would have acquired the necessary approval from the requisite authorities here.

He noted that while demand for clean energy has always been there in the Caribbean, like Guyana, the ability to get it here is not easy.

He stated that natural gas is much cleaner, much more environmentally friendly but getting it to desired destinations quickly, efficiently and safely, have always been a difficulty.

“It’s very tough to get products in this market in an economical way. The normal way to bring liquid natural gas is by bulk and it’s impossible given the river system, the ports and especially the river system. So myself and team put a lot of efforts into coming up with the most efficient logistical system to bring the natural gas in – we call it a virtual pipeline,” explained Schubert.

Moreover, the ICON

founder posited that this project with DDL will see them connecting one of their generators to the company’s grid.

This, he noted, is being done in time for the November 11 arrival of a shipment of LNG for power purposes, which will not only be the first such shipment to Guyana but also to the Caribbean.

He said too that it is very easy for his company to add its equipment to the engines of these companies without the need for additional infrastructure.

On this note, Schubert outlined that besides power generation, he is also looking to expand his supply chain here in the transportation and mining sectors. He explained that ICON has conversion kits for vehicles, which will run on all natural gas and with the flip of a switch, can go back to diesel or gasoline.

He noted that the option is there in case the natural gas runs run especially in the absence of filling stations with such fuel.

Furthermore, the ICON founder said that his company sees the mining sector as a potential “big market” since the mines themselves generate power and have very large mining equipment that can run on 100% liquefied natural gas, without even switching over to gasoline.

Additionally, Schubert remarked that ICON is also considering creating its own minigrid locally.

However, before the arrival of the shipment, ICON is ensuring that the relevant Guyanese authorities are properly trained to deal with natural gas, particularly those who may come in contact with the substance.

To this end the company held a four-day training with personnel from DDL,

the Guyana Fire Service, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), John Fernandes, McCorp, Demerara Shipping, the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and the medical profession.

The training was conducted by US-based expert company HazMat Education and Training and was facilitated

by DDL, where the participants were rewarded with requisite certificates on Friday during a simple graduation/ closing ceremony.

HazMat expert on hazardous material Daniel Wright, was the lead instructor and explained that the sessions were focused primarily on hazardous operations and emergency response. He noted that the training was well received by the participants.

Meanwhile, Business Minister Dominic Gaskin during brief remarks recognised that the training provides a useful way of increasing the understanding of natural gas as the country looks to the need of reliable, affordable and clean energy.

“Anyone who seeks to explain the Guyanese economy and our inability to competitively produce for the global market and our failure so far to developing a competitive manufacturing industry, usually speaks of the lack of affordable and reliable energy as one of the main causes. So it is good to see that some action is being taken by one of our local manufacturing companies and a reputable local manufacturing company at that to explore new options for addressing this very vexing problem,” he asserted, while commending ICON for focusing on the issue of safety before the start of the pilot programme.

Aerial footage shows the devastation to villages in central Italy

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owns and villages in central Italy have been hit by an earthquake for the fourth time in three months.

The 6.6-magnitude quake – Italy's strongest in decades – struck close to the region where nearly 300 people were killed by a quake in August.

This time no-one appears

to have died, but about 20 people were injured.

The medieval basilica of St Benedict in Norcia, the town closest to the epicentre, was among buildings destroyed.

An evacuation of buildings in the region deemed vulnerable to seismic activity last week, following strong aftershocks from August's

quake, may have saved lives.

Tremors from this latest earthquake were felt in the capital Rome, where the Metro system was shut down, and as far away as Venice in the north.

The head of the national civil protection agency, Fabrizio Curcio, said there had been extensive damage to many historic buildings, but no deaths had been registered.

"About 20 people are injured. As far as people are concerned, the situation is positive, but many buildings are in a critical state in historic centres and there are problems with electricity and water supplies," he added.

Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has promised that everything will be rebuilt, saying resources would be found.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Venezuela's Maduro meets Opposition at Vatican-led talks

V

enezuela's unpopular socialist leader Nicolás Maduro shook hands with Opposition Leaders at Vatican-convened talks on Sunday, but his wary foes threatened to boycott further meetings if some demands were not quickly met.

The irate Opposition Democratic Unity coalition has escalated protests against Maduro after authorities scuttled a recall referendum that polls show he would have lost, triggering a presidential election.

Their top demand is to revive the plebiscite.

Opponents say 17 years of socialism have wrecked the OPEC nation's economy and crushed democracy, while the Government says a USbacked elite is seeking a violent coup.

Maduro, 53, who won election to succeed Hugo Chávez in 2013, arrived mid-evening for the meeting at a Caracas museum.

He cordially greeted the five Opposition Leaders, including coalition secretary

general Jesus Torrealba and Opposition Governor Henri Falcon.

Also attending were a Vatican envoy, representatives of the UNASUR regional bloc, and three former Heads of State or Government from Spain, Panama and the Dominican Republic.

"The Pope is following the situation of this country very closely and hopes this process can continue peacefully," said papal envoy Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

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monDAY, october 31, 2016 | guyana-times.com

What the people say VOX POPULI I SAY...

How can Government support the movement to encourage value-added products in the agriculture sector?

Taushuan Daniels – Essequibo Coast

Kenisha Lambert – Linden

"I think that Government should show more support and provide funding for small-scale farmers. Also by encouraging the use of more local products. Government should also encourage more local manufacturing companies to work together with farmers in promoting and creating quality products that can be used in other countries around the world."

"I personally feel that the Government can do so much more to boost agro processing in Guyana – persons do not get the kind of support [needed]. Government needs to grant loans and help in finding profitable markets for agro-processors. Also help in sponsoring workshops so that processors can be updated with the changing technology."

Colwyn Murray – Georgetown

“They can support by opening more factories, so that products can be manufactured on a larger scale. For example, plantain flour used to be made manually, where they would put the hipped parts of the plantain in the sun to dry and when that process was through, they would pound it until it turns to flour. Now, if this Government could create a specially designed factory just for that purpose, it would be more effective to our economy and create many jobs for some. They can try a citrus factory as well.”

Nandalall Narine – Georgetown

“What a government must first understand is the concept

Caesar McAlmont – Linden

"Well, I think Government can start by setting the pace by encouraging the use of, promoting and utilising more of our home-grown agricultural products. Guyana is rich in lands and agricultural products. Also by partnering with farmers and creating more avenues for their products to be marketed, both at the local and international level."

Ulene Abiola Garraway - Essequibo Coast

"I think the Government can do a lot more to help agroprocessors in Guyana. Firstly, I feel that persons should be assisted with grants in an effort to help them, also there should be an active marketing strategy to help small businesses; there should also be a compulsion whereby all supermarket owners should have a shelf assisting to showcase local products.”

Leah Andrews – Berbice River

“Most of the people stop farming in the Berbice River,

because they stop the boat service and now they don’t even come and check the farmers.

They use to come every month and visit us, but for the year none of them went up the river. I have livestock and if you don’t try for yourself, you get no help. So I think Government can support the movement to encourage value-added products in the agriculture sector by first visiting farmers and providing services which will encourage farmers; like transportation services so that we can bring out our produce and others can take it and make that want, but if we can’t produce, then nobody will have anything to work with.”

Vilma Persaud – Essequibo Coast

“With agriculture you need to add value with whatever you

of globalisation and its effects on this type of business. Guyana has an abundance of raw materials, raw produce, and mineral wealth inclusive of oil. To really tap into these resources by creating valueadded products will call for the creation of many factories. These factories are all profit driven and have a preference for low overhead costs. Cheap and reliable energy, skilled and reliable labour market, safety and security, ability and flex to maintain competitive advantage with global pressure, a strict but inclusive government, achievable goals and targets, strict time management and what to give up to get what must be the government concerns and work to set the kind of environment.” produce! Research will help people better to know what they can do with their produce to add value to their products. In agriculture, you find that a lot of produce go wasted. It is very important for the Government to develop this sector because we have more import than export. The Government should encourage value-added products by providing equipment for the people because in most cases people that are now starting up a business are unable to acquire such necessities on their own. For example, we do not even have a lab available to establish nutritional value of products to state the exact amount of nutritional value an item carries. In those areas, Government can lend support. ”

Donald Sinclair – Georgetown “I would like to speak with specific reference to coconut,

Raymond Trotz – Georgetown

“The Government has to play a key role in sharing the entrepreneurial risk in creating value-added products: if it is left entirely up to the Private Sector, it is not likely that persons will invest in new products at great expense.

In order to make an impact with value-added products that will be marketable on international markets, it is necessary to place some investments in the creation of these products. We do that by creating a facility where a person can move from an idea to implementation. It is basically business incubation. ”

"Government can support added value agricultural sector

by helping to create markets and providing tax breaks, along with subsidies to jump start the industry. Added value markets both in the country and abroad are necessary bedrock issues that must be addressed in order for this to become a success. Foreign markets will also provide much-needed foreign exchange revenues to allow Guyana to import high-tech equipment and machinery that are not produced in Guyana.

“While fresh products are most desired, added value products can be pushed as a viable alternative, or accompaniment to fresh products.

Fresh fruits and jams/jellies are an example of how an added value product can complement the fresh version. "

Wendell Thompson – East Bank Berbice

go and study in New Zealand and they never replied to me, which shows that there is no interest in supporting entrepreneurial efforts of young persons. I have some ideas which I don’t want to make public, but soil type variety and other conditions will be important and I will not be able to facilitate all those studies. But, if I was given the opportunity to go to New Zealand to study, I would be in a better position to assist farmers to make more with what they produce. So Government needs to support persons who wish to pursue studies in the agricultural field.”

Mark Moseley – Linden

Rajkumar Raghoobar - Essequibo Coast

“I believe that the Government should create a network to help businesses in the marketing aspect; more awareness is needed in sensitising the people about a product whenever it’s launched.

It is way beyond planting: persons need to be taught proper marketing strategy; also grants need to be given, lots of persons want to become selfsufficient, but do not know how and where to go."

“I applied for a scholarship to

Orlando Trotman – Georgetown

“Reduce the intake of agriculture products into our country and market more of our local products, eg plantain chips and these mix tin vegetable. They should also help to enhance the way in which we package and market our local products.”

since we have just concluded coconut awareness week.

Now, we know that coconut has been identified as a possible part of agricultural diversification and in economic diversification when we consider the challenges facing sugar, rice and bauxite in our traditional exports, it is important to look at alternatives and the coconut, based upon its extensive acres involved in coconut cultivation, appears to be a viable crop.

Now, it will be important for the Government to start looking at which in which they can assist farmers. ”

Rawl Fraser – Corentyne

“First of all, they have to recognise that we farmers play an important role and we have to be treated with respect.

Since this Government took over, the extension officers don’t come out to visit us and it reflects Government’s position on agriculture.… they have to practise what they preach. They have to show that agriculture is important to this county.”

news

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monday, october 31, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Guyana Energy Agency unveils Police’s Maxine plans for Energy Month 2016 Graham receives

C

aricom Energy Week (CEW) has been an annual feature celebrated across the Caribbean by member states. This year, a decision was made

by Caricom to have the entire month of November be labelled ‘Energy Month’.

Hence, going forward CEW will now be Caricom Energy Month (CEM).

Now, Guyana and fellow Caricom member states will be observing Energy Month in keeping with the promotion of sustainable energy under the theme “Sustainable Energy for Sustainable Development (SE4SD)”.

The main thrust of CEM continues to be the building of awareness among various segments of society and across the Community, “about critical energy issues with a key focus on sustainable energy development at the national level”.

This year the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) has planned several activities for various target groups to commemorate CEM 2016.

The objective of these activities is to sensitise Guyanese, with specific focus on youths, on sustainable energy and its role in ensuring the sustainable development of our nation and the Caribbean region at large.

The GEA in a release highlighted that several activities for Energy Month 2016 will include a broadcast/Publication of this year’s

Energy Month Message from the Minister Responsible for Energy, Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, through sponsorship by the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) and the Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotia Bank). Two thousand booklets with energy related information will be donated during energy month. The booklet distribution will target both adults, and children on Monday 17 November to Secondary schools of Forms 4 and 5 in Essequibo and Linden (Regions 2 and 10).

They will be able to view a “Sustainable Energy” video and benefit from a 30-minute power point presentation on ‘Sustainable Energy Initiatives and Conservation Practices’.

During the visit, students will have an opportunity to interact with officials of the GEA and be encouraged to form ‘Energy Champion’ clubs and meet regularly to discuss the implementation of energy conservation measures in school and at home.

On Friday 25 students of Grades 4 to 6 from ten primary schools in Region 5 will benefit from an ‘Express your Energy’ activity. Originally held in Georgetown, Region 4, GEA

has decided to take the activity to another region so that schools and students of outlying areas will benefit from the exercise.

‘Express Your Energy’ is non-competitive in nature and allows young children to convey their interpretation of energy efficiency, conservation and sustainability through artwork, pictorial illustrations, discussions and games.

In July this year GEA launched a video competition for Secondary Schools titled ‘My Green School’.

Featured as one of the activities to commemorate CEM 2016, ‘My Green School’ aims to have students of forms 1 - 5 make a case to promote renewable energy development and reduce the carbon footprint within their respective school.

Participants are encouraged to show opportunities for improved energy use or efficiency this year or since interacting with the Agency.

To facilitate a wider participation of schools in the competition GEA has extended the deadline of this activity to Wednesday 09 November 2016.

The conferral of plaques and prizes to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners of the

competition will take place on Tuesday 29 November.

This activity is sponsored by Demerara Bank.

Additionally, as a complement of the ‘My Green School’ competition, a solar photovoltaic system will be designed and installed at the school of the 1st place winner. At a cost of over $2 million, the installation of the system is envisioned to benefit not only the school but students as well, by fostering learning and creating interest in renewable energy technology.

The observance of Energy Month 2016 is a representation of the strengthened integration of the Caribbean Community as member states seek to address climate change mitigation and adaptation, energy access and energy security as part of a low carbon approach to development.

GEA’s observance of ‘Caricom Energy Month’ will continue to be an annual feature in fulfilling part of its mandate through the dissemination of information, essential to improving public awareness on sustainable energy, conservation and overall efficiency.

The overarching objective being to empower Guyana’s youth and citizens as a whole, such that behavioural changes will occur thereby aiding in the country’s sustainable development and the realisation of a ‘Green Guyana’.

Chinese Government to fund ACCC repairs

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elecommunications and Tourism Minister, Cathy Hughes, has disclosed to the media that the maintenance and repair works to be carried out on the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC) will be funded by the Chinese Government.

According to Hughes, this is in keeping with the China Government’s promise of a gift to the Guyana Government many years ago.

The minister said that the Chinese Government will be expending US$7 million to assist with the works that are to be carried out, starting in December.

“Chinese established that there are some structural problems with the centre and therefore in keeping with their gesture, in giving this centre as a gift and their ongoing role in its maintenance, they offered to have the repairs done to a tune of US$7M,” Minister Hughes stated.

She said too that China has always played a key role in the functioning of the facility, since giving the centre to Guyana: “The Chinese Government has had a very close role in the ongoing maintenance of the conference centre, they gave us extensive facilities and as you know, a lot of the equip-

ment in the conference centre is Chinese and therefore it was absolutely necessary that when we look at the maintenance of the centre, they have always played a very strategic role.”

Another section of the media had published recently that the funding for the repairs was coming from the Government, and as such suggested that the monies should be spent in other areas.

Addressing this, Hughes said that the money given for that specific purpose from the Chinese could not be used for other purposes.

The minister clarified: “This is a grant that is spe-

cifically based on China’s relationship with the centre, it is not part of our larger financial arrangement and grant funding that the Ministry of Finance handles in terms of funding that we are getting for expansion of several other areas of concern and therefore the option for the funds to be used for something else does not exist at all.”

Minister Hughes took the opportunity to further praise the Chinese Government for their contribution, highlighting that for last year alone, the centre was able to bring in over $60 million for rentals alone.

scholarship award

Senior Superintendent Maxine Graham receiving her Award from Madam President of IAWP, Margaret Shorter, in Barcelona in the presence of other officials from the Association

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he Guyana Police Force’s most senior female officer was a recipient of an International Recognition and Scholarship Award in Barcelona, Spain, earlier this month.

Staff Officer ‘Administration’ 1 and Senior Superintendent of Police, Maxine Graham, received the award on October 9, 2016, at the Award Ceremony in Catylona, Barcelona.

Graham was awarded a Plaque for winning the 2016 International Association of Women Police Recognition and Scholarship Award, for her vast area of work which includes key responsibilities and appointments, aimed at developing and improving the lives of members of the Force, single parents, youths, elders and the less fortunate.

She was selected from a list of 45 nominees from law enforcement agencies in over 70 countries around the world.

During this time, Graham along with 20 other female officers from the Guyana Police Force was in Spain to attend the 54th Annual Conference of International Association of Women Police (IAWP), held from October 9 to 13, 2016.

On April 28 this year Graham received from President David Granger, the Good Conduct and Long Service Medal for dedication and commit-

ment to the Guyana Police Force.

Then again on October 6, she was bestowed the Discipline Service Medal – a National Award for long service, dedication and hard work within the Guyana Police Force.

Graham is enlisted in the Guyana Police Force for close to three decades and serves this legal organisation with distinction and dedication.

A University of Guyana graduate in the fields of Public Safety and Security Management, and Social Work, this Senior Superintendent who still has a number of years before retiring, is currently pursuing a Degree in Law, and has the possibility of taking up the mantle as Guyana Police Force’s Legal Advisor, having already spent ten years as a Court Prosecutor/Court Superintendent in Central Georgetown.

The Force congratulated Senior Superintendent Graham, DSM, a mother of two sons, who are both serving in the Force, for her many outstanding achievements and wished her well in her future endeavours in the Guyana Police Force and beyond.

The other female officer who recently gained recognition is Superintendent Charmain Stuart, Director of Music.

She is the only female police officer who holds such portfolio in the Caribbean.

18

guyana-times.com

MONday, october 31, 2016

ARCHIE

Keep your financial and personal affairs a secret.

(March 21- Bring about changes that will April 19) make you feel and look your best. A romantic adventure will do you good.

ARIES

Get your priorities TAURUS straight and set your plans in (April 20- motion. Discuss your options May 20) with a personal or business partner, and turn your dream into a reality. Don’t lend or borrow money or possessions.

dilbert

Question anything that GEMINI seems suspicious. Someone (May 21will try to trick you into doing June 20) something you shouldn’t and don’t want to do. Don’t cave under pressure. Focus on selfimprovement.

You must embrace change and novelty. You’ll gain ac(June 21- cess to information that will July 22) alter the course of your life if you network or participate in something that sparks your imagination.

CANCER

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

You will impress some people and make others jealous if you take action and honor your promises. Don’t just participate when you can call the shots. Change will keep you up-to-date.

Put muscle behind your VIRGO work and speak up about (Aug. 23Sept. 22) your thoughts and feelings.

Your insight and dedication will attract interest and the help you need to get things done.

Calvin and Hobbes

LIBRA You need to keep things in (Sept. 23- perspective. If you overreact, Oct. 23) you will draw attention to something you’d rather not address just yet. Put more energy into personal improvements, instead of trying to change others.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

A change in the way you SCORPIO do things or how you present (Oct. 24what you have to offer will Nov. 22) make a difference. Strut your stuff.

Be scrupulously honest to SAGITTARIUS avoid looking bad in front of (Nov. 23- friends and relatives. Your Dec. 21) ethics and integrity will help you get ahead.

THURSDAY'S

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Let your extensive inCAPRICORN side knowledge work in your (Dec. 22favor.

Don’t be afraid to do Jan. 19) things differently. Keep your competition guessing in order to succeed.

Focus inward and refuse AQUARIUS to let others’ words and ac(Jan. 20tions affect your productivity Feb. 19) or confidence. A financial opportunity will come from an unexpected source. Romance is in the stars.

RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” is not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed. To contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe, write to Word Game, Kathleen Saxe, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

PISCES Go over contracts or finan(Feb. 20- cial, legal and medical conMarch 20) cerns, and make sure everything is in order. Problems while traveling or dealing with authority figures will cause delays.

monday, OCTOBER 31, 2016

Last shot at selection for Guyana Jaguars

West Indies A v Sri Lanka A, ODI, Colombo...

Mohammed, McCarthy tons complete clean sweep

A

fter seven rounds of semi-professional three-day cricket among eight teams in preparation for the West Indies Cricket Board Professional Cricket League Digicel Sportsmax Regional FourDay Tournament, 28 of the leading Guyana Jaguars players will have their final opportunity to gain selection to the regional team ahead of the season opener on November 11.

Cricket Guyana Inc (CGI), owner of the Guyana Jaguars will host a four-day Practice Match beginning today at the Everest Cricket Club from 9:30h between two teams. Just back from a successful three-match A Team tour of Sri Lanka, Vishual Singh will lead one team which comprise players such as Tagenarine Chanderpaul who amassed the most runs in the league, legendary former West Indies captain and batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Barbadian Raymon Reifer who was the best allrounder in the league.

Talented national allrounder Christopher Barnwell will lead the opposition team which includes Gudakesh Motie and Keon Joseph who also just returned to Guyana after being part of the Sri Lanka tour, Chanderpaul Hemraj who made the highest individual score in the league and Eon Hooper who took the most wickets in the league.

The Guyana Jaguars will be defending the championship trophy for the second consecutive year, having won the coveted title in 2014/2015 and 2015/2016.

As such, a win for the Guyana Jaguars this season will see them being crown triple champs- a goal of the team and CGI. With the goal in mind, CGI is hereby reminding players that the selectors are authorised to choose players from outside of selected franchise 15 on a ‘Pay For Play,’ basis should the need arise. As such, CGI expects the highest standards of competitiveness and professionalism throughout the season’s activities - in both matches and training; hereby emphasizing the need for optimal performances in matches and fitness, with nothing less of professional attitude being

19

Keon Joseph

Jason Mohammed celebrates the fall of a Sri Lankan wicket

B The father and son (Shivnarine (left) and Tagenarine Chanderpaul) combination will be in action once again

Vishaul Singh

the hallmark of the players.

Notably absent will be medium pacer Paul Wintz and off spinner Steven Jacobs due to injuries as well as Leon Johnson and Devendra Bishoo who are on test duties with the West Indies in the United Arab Emirates and West Indies A team players Assad Fudadin, Veersammy Permaul and Ronsford Beaton who are set to return to Guyana towards the end of the practice match.

Team A; Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Rajendra Chandrika, Shimron Hetmyer, Vishaul Singh (Captain), Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Raymon Reifer, Anthony Bramble, Sherfane Rutherford,

Clinton Pestano, Anthony Adams, Raun Johnson, Gajanan Suknanan, Jonathan Foo and Ashasya Persaud Coach is Esuan Crandon while the Assistant Coach/ Manager is Julian Moore.

Team B; Kandasammy Surujnarine, Robin Bacchus, Bhaskar Yadram, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Christopher Barnwell (Captain), Kemo Paul, Tevin Imlach, Seon Hetmyer, Romario Shepherd, Eon Hooper, Gudakesh Motie, Keon Joseph, Steven Sankar and Kevon Boodie.

The Coach is Michael Franco while Clive Grimmond is the Assistant Coach/Manager.

ad light denied Sri Lanka A in Colombo as they fell eight runs short of the DuckworthLewis revised target of 257, conceding the one-day series 0-3 to West Indies A. An interruption due to rain in the 12th over had reduced the match to 47 overs a side. West Indies A made 305 for 5 in that time with centuries from captain Jason Mohammed and Andre McCarthy. But Sri Lanka A were taking a right tilt at the target. They needed 58 runs in 54 balls with three wickets in hand, and they had hard-hitting allrounder Dasun Shanaka at the crease on 32 off 26 with the umpires called the players off the field due to bad light. With no further cricket possible, Sri Lanka A were left agonisingly short.

West Indies A, though, would have been thankful for the runs they had on the board. They had won the toss, opted to bat and found themselves at 59 for 3 in the 15th over before Mohammed and McCarthy joined forces. Their 163-run partnership not only revived the innings but put their team in a position of dominance.

Mohammed finished unbeaten on 105 off 108 deliveries while McCarthy from being 6 off 13 - racked up 102 off 75 balls, hitting left-arm spinner Sachith Pathirana for four fours in the 31st over.

With a total of 305 on the board, West Indies A strengthened their hold of the game by allowing only one Sri Lanka A batsman - opener Danushka Gunathilaka - to cross fifty. The hosts were 166 for 6 when their lower-middle order started fighting back.

Pathirana and Shanaka

hammered 51 runs in 33 balls for the seventh wicket and when West Indies A broke that stand, Nuwan Kulasekara and Shanaka bashed 31 in 13 balls to inspire hopes of a consolation victory. But it was not to be.

Having lost the game by

Andre McCarthy

such a narrow margin, they may have wondered how things might turned out if their bowlers had pressed having reduced West Indies A to 59 for 3, or about how Charith Asalanka had eaten up 41 balls to make only 23.

(Cricinfo)

Jason Mohammed

SCOREBOARD West Indies A innings (47 overs maximum) C Walton† c Silva b Pathirana 36 K Hope c Gunathilaka b Fernando 7 A Fudadin b Kulasekara 0 J Mohammed* not out 105 A McCarthy c Shanaka b Kulasekara 102 R Powell c Jayasuriya b Shanaka 24 K Mayers not out 17 Extras (lb 3, w 10, nb 1) 14 Total (5 wickets; 47 overs) 305 Did not bat: V Permaul, DK Jacobs, KOK Williams, RR Beaton Fall of wickets: 1-43 (Hope, 7.6 ov), 2-44 (Fudadin, 8.2 ov), 3-59 (Walton, 14.5 ov), 4-222 (McCarthy, 38.1 ov), 5-258 (Powell, 41.5 ov) Bowling: Kulasekara 9-1-65-2 (1nb), Fernando 9-0-54-1 (3w), Shanaka 9-0-59-1 (2w), Pathirana 8-0-45-1, Silva 5-0-27-0 (1w), Siriwardana 4-024-0, Jayasuriya 3-0-28-0

Sri Lanka A innings (target: 257 runs from 38 overs) D Weerakkody† c †Walton b Beaton 20 M Gunathilaka st †Walton b Mohammed 58 D Jayasuriya c †Walton b Permaul 18 K Asalanka c Permaul b Williams 23 T Siriwardana* lbw b Jacobs 35 M Shanaka not out 33 S Ashan lbw b Williams 3 S SPathirana c Hope b Beaton 34 K Kulasekara not out 12 Extras (b 4, lb 3, w 4, nb 1) 12 Total (7 wickets; 38 overs) 248 Did not bat: B Fernando, AAS Silva Fall of wickets: 1-44 (Weerakkody, 7.6 ov), 2-90 (Jayasuriya, 13.2 ov), 3-114 (Gunathilaka, 20.5 ov), 4-149 (Asalanka, 26.6 ov), 5-163 (Siriwardana, 29.4 ov), 6-166 (Ashan, 30.2 ov), 7-217 (Pathirana, 35.5 ov) Bowling : Mayers 3-0-240 (3w) Beaton 7-0-38-2 (1w) Williams 9-0-742, Permaul 9-0-43-1, Powell 1-0-11-0 (1nb), Mohammed 5-0-25-1, Jacobs 4-0-26-1

20

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

MONday, october 31, 2016

Bangladesh v England, 2nd Test, Mirpur, 3rd day...

Bangladesh secure 1st Test win over England

Mehedi Hasan wrapped up Bangladesh’s maiden Test win against England with the wicket of Steven Finn © Getty Images

E

ngland reached 100-0 in pursuit of 273, but collapsed dramatically on the fourth evening to give Bangladesh their most famous Test victory.

Teenage off-spinner Mehedi Hasan excelled once again as Bangladesh completed a landmark victory over England in Dhaka to earn a richly deserved share of the spoils in their twoTest series.

Bangladesh were narrowly beaten in a thrilling first Test, but were not to be denied on this occasion, triumphing by 108 runs despite a thrilling fightback from their opponents midway through the fourth day.

Having been set a stiff target of 273, England reached 100-0 at tea, thanks largely to a counter-attacking maiden fifty from Ben

Duckett in his second Test.

Yet a dramatic collapse very much in keeping with the numerous shifts in momentum that have produced such excitement throughout this absorbing series - followed in Sunday’s evening session, Mehedi claiming 6-77 to finish with 12 wickets in the match and Shakib Al Hasan returning 4-49 as Alastair Cook’s side slumped to 164 all out.

The hosts were therefore able to celebrate their most notable Test triumph - a first against England - amid jubilant scenes at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.

Mehedi, meanwhile, has emerged as a new rising star in international cricket, having confounded England’s batsmen to claim 19 scalps in a magnificent debut series. (SportsMax)

Zimbabwe v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Harare, 2nd day…

O

pener Tino Mawoyo scored an unbeaten 41 as Zimbabwe reached 88 for one at stumps at the end of the second day of the first test against Sri Lanka on Sunday.

Replying to Sri Lanka’s first innings tally of 537 at the Harare Sports Club, Mawoyo and veteran Hamilton Masakadza, who scored 33 not out, were digging in as Zimbabwe ended the day trailing by 449 runs.

Opener Brian Chari was dismissed lbw for five off the bowling of stand-in skipper Rangana Herath.

Upal Tharanga finished 110 not out when Sri Lanka were finally dismissed in the final session on Sunday, put-

SCOREBOARD Bangladesh 2nd innings Tamim Iqbal c Cook b Ansari 40 Imrul Kayes lbw b Ali 78 Mominul Haque c Cook b Stokes 1 Mahmudullah b Ansari 47 Shakib Al Hasan b Rashid 41 Mushfiqur Rahim*† c Cook b Stokes 9 Sabbir Rahman lbw b Rashid 15 Shuvagata Hom not out 25 Taijul Islam c †Bairstow b Stokes 5 Mehedi Hasan Miraz c Root b Rashid 2 Kamrul Islam Rabbi c & b Rashid 7 Extras (b 17, lb 7, w 1, nb 1) 26 Total (all out; 66.5 overs) 296 Fall of wickets: 1-65, 2-66, 3-152, 4-200, 5-238, 6-238, 7-268, 8-273, 9-276, 62.6 ov), 10-296 Bowling: Finn 3-0-18-0, Ali 19-2-60-1, Ansari 19-0-76-2, Stokes 12-2-52-3, Rashid 11.5-152-4, Woakes 2-0-14-0

England 2nd innings (target: 273 runs) A Cook* c Mominul Haque b Mehedi Hasan Miraz 59 B Duckett b Mehedi Hasan Miraz 56 J Root lbw b Shakib Al Hasan 1 G Ballance c Tamim Iqbal b Mehedi Hasan Miraz 5 M Ali lbw b Mehedi Hasan Miraz 0 B Stokes b Shakib Al Hasan 25 J Bairstow† c Shuvagata Hom b Mehedi Hasan Miraz 3 C Woakes not out 9 A Rashid lbw b Shakib Al Hasan 0 Z Ansari c Imrul Kayes b Shakib Al Hasan 0 S Finn lbw b Mehedi Hasan Miraz 0 Extras (b 4, lb 2) 6 Total (all out; 45.3 overs) 164 Fall of wickets: 1-100, 2-105, 3-124, 4-124, 5-127, 6-139, 7-161, 8-161, 9-161, 10-164 Bowling: Mehedi Hasan Miraz 21.3-2-77-6, Shakib Al Hasan 13-1-49-4, Shuvagata Hom 6-0-25-0, Taijul Islam 5-2-7-0

Upul Tharanga anchored Sri Lanka’s innings with an unbeaten 110 © AFP

ting Zimbabwe into bat for 23 overs at the end of the day.

Tharanga played a patient innings to record a second test ton after starting the day on 13 not out with Sri Lanka 317-4.

Zimbabwe took a single wicket in the opening session but restricted the run rate on a docile wicket before grabbing three more in the second session including that of Asela Gunaratne, who scored 54 on debut.

The hosts dropped sever-

al catches as Sri Lanka were finally all out after 155 overs with Kusal Perera having contributed a maiden test century on Saturday for the injury-ravaged visitors who are without injured captain Angelo Matthews and his deputy Dinesh Chandimal, plus several key bowlers.

The 26-year-old Perera, in his eighth test appearance, hit 110 off 121 balls. Zimbabwe captain Graeme Creamer finished with four wickets for 142 runs. (Reuters)

SCOREBOARD Sri Lanka 1st innings F Karunaratne c Mawoyo b Cremer 56 K Silva c Williams b Waller 94 M Perera† c Waller Cremer 110 K Mendis c †Moor b Cremer 34 U Tharanga not out 110 D de Silva c Williams b Cremer 25 A Gunaratne c Cremer b Williams 54 D Perera run out (Mpofu) 23 R Herath* c Waller b Mumba 7 R Lakmal c Tiripano b Mpofu 7 C Kumara c †Moor b Mpofu 0 Extras (b 10, lb 7) 17 Total (all out; 155 overs) 537 Fall of wickets: 1-123, 2-198, 3-282, 4-307, 5-351, 6-450, 7-498, 8-512, 9-536, 10-537

Bowling: Mpofu 31-6-96-2, Mumba 24-2-101-1, Tiripano 26-7-71-0, Cremer 42-6-142-4, Masakadza 9-3-31-0, Williams 17-2-54-1, Waller 6-0-25-1

Zimbabwe 1st innings T Mawoyo not out 41 B Chari lbw b Herath 5 H Masakadza not out 33 Extras (b 4, w 5) 9 Total (1 wicket; 23 overs) 88 To bat: CR Ervine, SC Williams, PJ Moor†, MN Waller, AG Cremer*, DT Tiripano, CT Mumba, CB Mpofu Fall of wickets 1-21 Bowling: Lakmal 6-1-140, Kumara 4-0-34-0, Herath 9-1-29-1, Perera 4-0-7-0

21

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Adrian Sukwa launches forward in his brief stay in Albion’s second innings

he first ever New York Business Group Under-19 Two-Day, two innings cricket tournament concluded on Saturday at the Albion Sports Complex ground with Rose Hall Town Pepsi ‘A’ being crowned champions.

The final started in Friday and ended on Diwali day in front of a handful of spectators including the sponsors and their families and Berbice Cricket Board officials. Day two was blessed with fabulous weather and Kevlon Anderson and Kevin Sinclair made hay while the sun shone.

Replying to 95 all out made by Albion on the opening day, Anderson and Kevin Sinclair resumed the day on 78/1 in pursuit of the crucial first innings points which would ultimately guarantee them the championship.

They knocked the wind out of the sails of Albion with a 184-run partnership for the second wicket after Junior Sinclair was dismissed for 14 in the afternoon session of day one.

Kevin Sinclair hit 15 exquisite boundaries on the lush Albion sward in compiling 111 while Anderson was very busy and picked the gaps nicely on the huge outfield in his workman like top score of 138. He added a 23 for the third wicket with Bhaskar Yadram and a further 42 for the fourth wicket with captain Bradon Prasad after losing Sinclair.

Yadram and Prasad both made 14. After seeing the lead go past the 200-run mark and the total at 306, Anderson perished after hitting 14 fours. Keith Simpson was left not out on 6 when the declaration came at the fall of Anderson with the lead at 211 half way through the second session.

With just about a session and a half remaining in the day’s play and the competition, Albion who failed miserably with the bat in their first knock then began positively in their second turn at the crease with captain and best batsman Adrian Sukwa and Ritesh Umroa looking to brighten proceedings on the festival of lights.

Sukwa showed is class briefly for 20 (2x4) in the opening stand of 32 while Omroa went on to 61 not out when

the players shook hands and called the game off one ball after the final hour began. Matthew Hardyal (6), Joshua Harrychand (9) and 11 year old Reaz Karim (2) all fell to cunning bowling from Rose Hall Town Pepsi ‘A’ bowlers who were looking for an outright win.

Kevin Sinclair picked up two wickets for 22 while Prasad had one for 27 and Keith Simpson one for 26.

Simpson who picked up 3-9 in the first innings was later named best bowler of the final while Kevin Sinclair copped the best batsman award and Kevlon Anderson the Most Valuable Player.

The New York Business Group was well represented and were responsible for the lavish presentation ceremony. There were plaques for outstanding individuals, trophies and cash prizes for

the presentation of prizes and collectively stated that the NYBG will continue with the success story next year while spreading their wings to include Essequibo and Demerara.

Speaking on behalf of the Berbice Bricket Board, President Anil Beharry expressed gratitude to the NYBG while stating that the tournament was well run and was seen as a tournament to improve the competitive sills of the county’s under 19 team so that they can have a better showing nest year at the inter county level after a disappointing showing in 2016. Beharry also congratulated the finalists and Rose Hall Town especially for winning.

Executives of Albion Sports Complex Cricket Club; Imtiaz Baccus, Veemen Walter and Orvin

The Most Valuable Player of the final collects his Grade A bat and trophy from Hafeez “Mr Rockaway” Ali

outstanding individuals and medals for all participants of the final including players, scorers and match officials.

Eighteen grade-A bats and a pair of wicket keeping pads were also presented.

The tournament which started in March was jointly organized by the Berbice Cricket Board and the Albion Sports Complex Cricket Club and fully sponsored by the New York Business Group (NYBG) who comprise a group of hard working and patriotic Guyanese that now reside in New York, USA. Ralph Tamesh, Hafeez Ali, Bhola Ramsundar, Ajit Mootoo and Insaf Ali assisted with

Mangru also expressed their satisfaction to the NYBG for the tournament. Baccus also presented a token of the club’s appreciation in the form of a certificate to the NYBG. However, Veemen Walter spoke of the positives that can be derived from the tournament but stressed that if the decision makers do not work together then all the hard work and money invested will go to waste. Walter, a cricket administrator for more than two decades called on the authorities to stop playing ‘cricket-politics’ and let cricket move forward.

22

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

monday, october 31, 2016

Digicel Annual Breast Cancer Awareness cycle race...

John edges Leal at the tape

The respective prize winners pose with the Digicel officials after the race (Marceano Narine photo)

By Akeem Greene

I

t was an attritional battle in scorching heat between Team Evolution cyclist Raul Leal and Team Coco’s Jamal John, with the duo having to produce a dashing finish to determine the winner of the fifth annual Digicel Breast Cancer Awareness Cycle race on Sunday.

With the boisterous crowd shouting the names of the both wheelsmen, who completely dominated the race from start to finish, Leal began his attack after coming off the turn on Thomas Road into JB Singh Road, where it looked to be any of the two race but John switched gears in the final meters and managed to win the gruelling event inches ahead Leal in a time of two hours, fifty-four minutes and eleven seconds (2h: 54m: 11.72s), while 2015

lenges but Jeffrey held his composure to reach the line ahead; Christopher Griffith finished in fifth placed.

For his splendid efforts John was awarded $250,000 and trophy for first place; Leal $200,000 and trophy while third to fifth received $150,000, $100,000 and $80,000 respectively.

In the junior actegory, Raphel Leung took first prize while Jornell Yearwood and Christopher Cornelius finished in second and third positions respectively.

Leung won the first prize of $80,000, Yearwood $50,000 and Cornelius $30,000.

The veterans race which c o m prised of 18laps, saw the

Dr Syed Ghazi (centre) of the Cancer Institute of Guyana is flanked by Digicel’s CEO Kevin Kelly (left) and Head of Marketing, Jacqueline James

champion Raynauth Jeffrey and eventually lapping Kenard Lovell while in some other top riders. The finished in a distant third. the under-45 Junior Niles The 30-lap race began rule for this level of circuit clocked a time of 1:45: 26 on the outer circuit of the stipulates that if a rider is to win ahead of Warren national park in front of lapped he/she is eliminated McKay and Jaikarran the Guyana Defence Force and as such must drop out Sukhai.

(GDF) Camp Ayangana of the race.

Linden’s Hazina Base on JB Singh Road While it was smooth Barrett, racing for the then proceeded north to sailing for the two ridfirst time since last Carifesta Avenue and con- ers in front, Jeffrey year’s Digicel race, tinued westwards to Camp had to battle with copped the female cateRoad before turning east the rest of the pack gory, while Keon Thomas onto Thomas Road covering since with five laps to got the better of Ozia a total distance of 75 miles. go, the only unknown From the waving of the p o s i t i o n s w e r e g r e e n flag, John and Leal b r o k e a w a y from the pack and Wheel to Wheel! Leal and John were closely knitted throughout the entire race (Marceano Narine photo) looked like they w e r e riding McUally and Sean Budhan their own race, extending third to fifth. over-45 category being won Fourth –place finish- by Raymond Newton, fol- in the Mountain Bike race. a lengthy gap on the rest In the Novice race, of the opponents even be- er Orville Hinds gave the lowed by Ian Jackson and Oliver Young, Joslyn Khan fore the half way mark Team Coco rider some chal-

Greaves and Sherlane Sue Hang finished first to third respectively while in the Digicel’s staff event, Dennis Christiani emerged champion with Kareem Baird second and Travis Ferriera third.

At the presentation ceremony, Digicel’s Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Kelly thanked all the participants and onlookers for attending the event and disclosed they managed to raise close to $250,000 for the event and that the company has matched that sum to donate $500,000 to the Cancer Institute of Guyana.

Over 100 riders took to the starting line which begun after Marketing head Jacqueline James did a ceremonial lap with all cyclist to mark the significance of the event.

Kaysan Ninvalle secures bronze medal at World Hopes Training camp C

hase Academy student Caribbean and national 11 years and under table tennis champion Kaysan Ninvalle finished third and received his bronze medal among 11 years and under players at the World Hopes Latin American Table Tennis Selection and training camp held on the 18th to 23rd October in Lima Peru.

Kaysan along with 16 other players from nine (9) national associations from the Latin Table Tennis Union (South America Central America and the Caribbean) being: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago.

Participated in seven (7) days of high level intense training and two days of competition under the tutelage of ITTF expert head coach Germany’s Eva Jeler and assisted by Brazil’s Lincon Yasuda.

In the words of ITTF expert head coach Germany’s Eva Jeler , “These young players have a lot of talent,

Kaysan Ninvalle in action at the World Hopes training camp in Peru

a natural talent; they need to be much better technically. The focus of the training has to be on basic techniques. If the foundations of a house are not strong, you will never have a big and safe house”, Eva Jeler.

Kaysan had his battles for his Bronze medal

on and off the table since he was only awarded after his coach Linden Johnson recognized that the scores ( Win Losses ratio ) were incorrectly tabulated , however this was corrected immediately and he was awarded his prestigious medal , and corrected on the ULTM

website with an apology from Latin American table Tennis Union (LATTU) President Juman Vila.

Coach Linden Johnson indicated that the training camp was very intense and will augur well for Kaysan in the future , he said Kasyan held his

own against the best players in the region , he indicated that the ITTF experts recommended a particular regimen for him , which he would be seeking to share and implement with Kaysan and the other young talents.

Jonson added that the

training regimen used was not different from the ones we used in Guyana but had specific emphasis on improving the players’ technical proficiency movement stroke production fitness and knowledge transition to the participants Coach Johnson further indicated that Vila will be looking to implement similar types training camps with ITTF expert coaches for Caribbean players before the commencement of competitions to help advance the competitiveness of the Caribbean region players.

Kaysan expressed that the experience was a great for him to play and the training was quiet rigorous and a test of his fitness.

Despite a knee injury sustained during practice he learnt a lot and is committed to working even harder at improving technical and tactical elements of his game.

Kaysan Ninvalle is the first Cadet Player from Guyana to be selected for World Hopes selection

monday, october 31, 2016

guyana-times.com

Pakistan v West Indies, 3rd Test, Sharjah, 1st day…

23

GFF/NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power National Under-17...

Bishoo, Gabriel pin Pakistan down Hamilton’s helmet-trick helps Mahaica crush D Buxton Youth Developers

evendra Bishoo and Shannon Gabriel starred for West Indies in Sharjah as the tourists reduced Pakistan to 255-8.

West Indies enjoyed success with the ball at the beginning and end of the opening day of the third Test in Sharjah to boost their hopes of avoiding a series whitewash at the hands of Pakistan.

The Windies have suffered a miserable tour of the United Arab Emirates, failing to record a victory over Pakistan in any format.

However, after being invited to field in the final Test, Jason Holder’s men claimed two wickets in the opening over through Shannon Gabriel.

Sami Aslam (74), Younis Khan (51), Misbah-

Shannon Gabriel of West Indies celebrates with teammates after dismissing Azhar Ali in the first over

Gabriel’s initial efforts resulted in Azhar Ali – whose scores in this series read 302*, 2, 0, 79, 0 – and Asad Shafiq being dismissed for ducks.

Azhar edged an outswinging delivery to second slip, before a successful review from the Windies saw Shafiq adjudged lbw to one that nipped back.

Devendra Bishoo picked up four wickets after tea ©AFP

ul-Haq (53) and Sarfraz Ahmed (51) all registered half-centuries thereafter to lift Pakistan into a promising position.

However, a flurry of late wickets saw Misbah’s side slump from 230-4 to 2558, leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo picking up 4-74 as Gabriel finished the day with figures of 3-58.

A century stand between opener Aslam and Younis got Pakistan back on track, although the veteran was fortunate to survive two let-offs in the 22nd over, when he was dropped at midwicket and survived a missed stumping off Roston Chase.

Younis did fall to Chase in the afternoon, courtesy of a top-edge to midwicket,

but West Indies were left furious when a review of a rejected lbw appeal against Misbah, on six, went in favour of Pakistan’s captain with the tourists convinced they had their man.

Aslam had appeared increasingly fluent as the day progressed, but failed to kick on to his maiden Test hundred, instead falling to Bishoo courtesy of a misjudged reverse sweep in the first over after tea.

Pakistan rebuilt again as Misbah and Sarfraz shared 80, the latter typically aggressive.

Yet the Windies finished the day superbly, Bishoo striking twice in quick succession to have Misbah caught behind, following another reverse sweep, and Mohammad Nawaz stumped for six.

The pacy Gabriel then got in on the act again by cleaning up Sarfraz and there was still time for Bishoo to claim a fourth scalp, Wahab Riaz falling lbw shortly before bad light forced a premature close. (Sportsmax)

SCOREBOARD Pakistan 1st innings Sami Aslam c Holder b Bishoo 74 Azhar Ali c Brathwaite b Gabriel 0 Asad Shafiq lbw b Gabriel 0 Younis Khan c Johnson b Chase 51 Misbah-ul-Haq* c †Dowrich b Bishoo 53 View dismissal Sarfraz Ahmed† b Gabriel 51 Mohammad Nawaz (3) st †Dowrich b Bishoo 6 Wahab Riaz lbw b Bishoo 4 Yasir Shah not out 1 Mohammad Amir not out 6 Extras (lb 4, w 1, nb 4) 9 Total (8 wickets; 83 overs)255 To bat: Zulfiqar Babar Fall of wickets 1-1, 2-1, 3-107, 4-150, 5-230, 6-242, 7-248, 8-248 Bowling: Gabriel 17-1-583, Joseph 15-5-43-0, Holder 12-4-29-0, Chase 20-547-1, D Bishoo 19-2-74-4 West Indies team KC Brathwaite, LR Johnson, DM Bravo, MN Samuels, J Blackwood, RL Chase, SO Dowrich†, JO Holder*, D Bishoo, ST Gabriel, AS Joseph

Slingerz marksmen! (L-R) Odel Duncan, Troy Skeete and Brentol Bobb

A

splendid helmettrick from Julius Hamilton powered Mahaica Determinators to a crushing 7-1 win over Buxton Youth Developers when the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power National Under-17 League continued on Sunday at the Golden Grove Ground.

Playing as part of the East Demerara Football Association (EDFA) leg of matches, Hamilton opened his account with a goal in the 2nd minute which was followed by a Micheal Jardine goal in the 7th. The game progressed but Buxton could not find the back of the net as Martin Wilson netted 32nd to end half time with his team in the ascendency.

One minute after play resumed Hamilton made yet another conversion, which

was followed by his third in the 55th but Buxton responded in the 56th when Meshane Thomas opened his account.

When it seemed Buxton could not endure any more torment at the hands of Mahaica, Hamilton added his fourth when he scored in the 85th.

In the other match, BV/ Triumph edged Plaisance Panther FC 2-1 via a double from the in-form Omari Glasgow who recorded goals in the 56th and 67th; Jaheem Hinds was the lone scorer for the Panthers in the 21st.

Over in the West Demerara Football Association (WDFA), an Odel Duncan first half double inspired a crushing 4-1 win for Slingerz FC over Beavers at the Den Amstell ground. Duncan netted in the 4th and 11th minutes

of play, setting the perfect platform for Slingerz’ eventual win. Troy Skeete added a goal of his own in the 5th minute which had doubled the advantage for Slingerz.

Beavers narrowed the deficit on 14 minutes through an Akeem Caesar effort but that turned out to be their lone goal of the match. Brentnol Bobb netted the fourth goal for Slingerz in the 47th minute to secure full points for his team.

Meanwhile, title sponsors NAMILCO, have been urging both players and persons at large to live a healthy lifestyle by indulging in the usage of its heath oriented products Maid Marian Harvest High Fibre Whole Wheat Flour, Maid Marian Wheat-Up Breakfast Porridge and Maid Marian Multigrain Flour among many other products.

West Berbice Chambers to host cavalcade of sports

T

he West Berbice Chamber will be staging its Calvacade of Sports including 10/10 cricket, Dominoes and Volley Ball on November 6, at the Blairmont Community Centre Ground West Bank Berbice The much anticipated and fun filled one-day tournament will be contested among six teams cricket including Cotton Tree Die Hard, Blairmont Blazers, West Berbice/Achievers, Universal DVD Port Mourant, Albion and D’Edward Cricket Club.

Big names are expected to feature at the event including former West Indian, Guyanese and Berbice players from both Regions’ Five and Six. The Berbice Volleyball Association will also be part of the program and will have National players from the two regions on the court as teams vie for supremacy.

Funds raised from the event will go towards the less fortunate children and sports development. In a release, the chamber said free ice cream will be distributed and children will be treated to Bouncy Castle and Trampoline rides.

There will also be live band entertainment and an after party with Bunty Singh out of BKVJ Studio alongside Feroze High Power Sounds and other artistes.

Interest partners and sponsors are asked to come on board and support this initiative. For more information please contact 592-328-7977, 687-9009.

Sponsors so far on board includes Ansa Mc al Trading, Universal DVD Club, Big B’s Restaurant, Leah’s Online Shopping, Eworth Auto Sales, Feroze Auto Sales and High Power Sounds, Republic Bank Guyana Limited, Zaman Ali Bakery, Tiger Sports, Shano and Sons Rice Farming, Niron Singh Distributors, Tage Singh (Rex), Silverlining Auto Rental and Tyres Depot, Rick Moore and Son, Alvin Chowramootoo Con Services, Hardatt Singh Distributors.

monday, october 31, 2016

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

Digicel Annual Breast Cancer Awareness cycle race...

John edges Leal at the tape Pg 22

Digicel’s CEO, Kevin Kelly presents Jamal John with his prizes

Team Coco’s Jamal John touches the line, inches ahead of Team Evolution’s Raul Leal (Marceano Narine photo)

BCB/New York Business Group U-19 2-Day 2 Innings Tournament

Sinclair, Anderson tons flatten Albion – Rose Hall Town Pepsi A take inaugural title

The champions, Rose Hall Town Pepsi A show off their spoils with members of the New York Business Group at Albion

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