October 4, 2016

Guyana establishes P7 joint commissions with African, Asian countries Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyana-times.com

Issue No. 2997

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Brigadier Lewis takes command of GDF Page 2

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WHAT'S INSIDE: P8 Mother remanded for child endangerment

6-month P13 maternity leave will be costly for employers – former PSC Chairman Brigadier George Lewis accepts the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) flag on Monday hours after he was sworn in as the new Chief-of-Staff (Dexter Ceres photo)

Miner stabbed to death in Cuyuni River

Pensioner found murdered in WCD home

Page 12

Page 9

Rose Hall Estate workers strike

Convicted P11 robber nabbed with firearm, ammo

P9 Rohee broadsides Govt over “rampant corruption” – accuses President of using “device of deception” to conceal corruption

Page 16

Strike the hike

UG students protest 5% tuition increase

– VC prepared to postpone hike

Page 3

Union wants P7 legal action against DTL over labour violations …workers picket for pay increase

2 NEWS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Brigadier Lewis takes command of GDF

A

fter 35 years of distinguished military service, Colonel George Lewis was on Monday promoted to Brigadier and then sworn-in as the new Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) at Camp Ayanganna.

During an interview with the media after his inauguration, Brigadier Lewis said he has already ignited discussions with the Guyana Defence Board on a number of pertinent issues relative to the army.

“Our mandate is to provide border defence. We

President David Granger, expressed congratulations to the new Chief of Staff as he urged him to stay true to his mandate.

“The (Guyana Defence) Board is confident that Brigadier Lewis is the most senior and best qualified officer to perform the functions of the high office of Chief of Staff…He has an unambiguous mandate to apply his military education, military expertise and military experience to protect the citizens and defend the territorial integrity of the Cooperative Republic

well trained, well experienced under my command, we have started a process that we refer to as operational readiness where we have improved our ability to conduct operations through any part of Guyana utilising any resources that we have and more importantly, improving the quality of life of all military bases throughout Guyana,” he stated.

Lewis was enlisted on September 1, 1981 and eventually promoted to colonel back in 2011.

He also attended a number of courses in and out of

Colonel George Lewis receiving the badge of rank of Brigadier from his predecessor Brigadier Mark Phillips and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President David Granger

New Chief of Staff, George Lewis taking the Oath of Office in the presence of President David Granger on Monday at GDF Base Camp Ayanganna

have some challenges there we definitely have to work on; it may require recapitalisation, acquisition of new equipment. We are in discussion with the Guyana Defence Board, we have identified the issues and we are working to resolve them,” he stated.

Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces,

of Guyana,” President Granger stated at the swearing-in event.

Predecessor Brigadier Mark Phillips also congratulated his successor on his achievement as he reflected on the legacy he created during his three-year tenure.

“I think I am leaving a team of officers who are

Guyana as part of his development including the Standard Officers’ Course No11; 76 mm Cannon Specialist Training; Junior Command Staff Course; Supervisory Managers’ Development ; Advance Field Artillery in Venezuela; Senior Command Staff Course; Advance Field Artillery Officer Course in

the United States; Defence Resource Management in Belize; Military Science of Strategy and Campaign in China; Command and General Staff in the USA; Managing Democracy in a Democratic, Market-based Society, United Kingdom; Caribbean Defence and Security Course, USA; and National Authority on Chemical Database in Finland.

Lewis also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Management from the University of Guyana and a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management from Central Michigan University.

He has held numerous appointments along his way to becoming chief-of-staff which include Commanding Officer of 1 Artillery Battalion;

Officer Commanding (acting) 21 Artillery Company; Second-in-Command 1 Infantry Battalion Group; Commander (acting) 1 Infantry Battalion Group; Base Commander, Base Camp Stephenson; Commanding Officer Air Corps; Staff Officer 1 Intelligence & Security, Defence Headquarters; Commanding Officer 1 Infantry Battalion; Inspector-General, Defence Headquarters; and Deputy Chief of Staff/Colonel General Staff, Defence Headquarters.

Additionally, Lewis has attended several seminars and conferences during his career. Among them are Peace Keeping Operation (North-02) Symposium El Salvador; Regional Air Force USA; Regional Air Force Counter Drug

(RAFC) Conference, USA; Chiefs of Air Forces of the Americas, USA; Regional Counter Drug Conference, USA; Regional Intelligence Seminar and the Annual Guyana/Brazil Military Exchange Meeting, Brazil.

Lewis was also part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Haiti during 1995/1996.

He has been awarded the Military Efficiency Medal; the 25th Anniversary Medal; United Nations Peace Keeping Medal, United Nations Mission in Haiti (1996); the 40th Anniversary Medal, Guyana (2005); Military Service Medal; Colaborador Emerito do Exercito; Medalla do Pacificador-Brazil (2011); Border Defence Medal, Guyana (2016) and 50th Anniversary Medal Guyana (2016).

NEWS

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, October 4 – 05:00h-06:30h and Wednesday, October 5 – 05:00h-06:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, October 4 – 05:45h-07:15h and Wednesday, October 5 – 06:15h-07:45h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny conditions until the late morning with heavy rain showers and cloudy conditions expected for the rest of the day and in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to North North-easterly between 1.78 metres and 3.12 metres.

High Tide: 05:33h and 17:44h reaching maximum heights of 2.68 metres and 2.71 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 11:21h reaching a minimum height of 0.57 metre.

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Strike the hike

UG students protest 5% tuition increase – VC prepared to postpone hike

By Shemuel Fanfair

W

ith chants of “education, no inflation”, “strike the hike” and “no five per cent, get it from the Government”, a group of University of Guyana students on Monday gathered at the corner of UG Road and the Railway Embankment, Greater Georgetown where they stated that the extra fees were not being used to improve the University’s standards. The protesters stated that their basic needs were not being met, and noted that the fee increase was unjustified especially given the manner in which it was announced.

Final-year International Relations student Elsie Harry explained that since students were sent their acceptance letters and invoices and did not contest such, any other amendments to the agreement were unjust.

“Some people went further in paying their tuition fees; now in the middle of the semester when that [was] done and dusted, you come and say ‘oh wait, by the way, there’s a five per cent increase, we’ll amend your tuition fee’, that’s unethical,” Harry noted.

The frustrated student further expressed that the University should “lead by example”, adding that the commitments made to students should be honoured.

These sentiments were echoed by a male student who also joined the protest line.

“Five weeks into the semester and UG suddenly comes out of the blue and says you have to pay them five per cent more; that just couldn’t be right,” he stated.

Meanwhile, past student Cynthia Rutherford who said that she was standing in solidarity with the current students pointed out that students deserved better facilities before fees were raised.

“It’s a disgrace that UG would want to raise the student fee by five per cent when every year the cry re-

UG students protest on Monday over the increase in tuition

mains the same – deplorable classrooms, inadequate seating and the list goes on,” she noted.

The students claimed that they were willing to go the distance in advocating their causes, pointing out they would not be paying any increased fees.

This call was echoed by final-year Communication Studies student Roshini Taychandra.

“When you have a system where students are already struggling to pay the increase hoping that they will get better facilities and learning conditions; nothing has been done. This is my fourth year and then you open your email [and on social media] that there’s an increase, again…so we’re gonna go as far as we need to because we are not going to pay this; we are not going to succumb to that,” Taychandra declared.

It was on Friday that the University of Guyana announced that it increased tuition fees for the academic year 2016/2017 by some five per cent, meaning that fees would increase from $160,000 to $168,000. It was also stated that in the next academic year 2017/2018, fees would again be increased by five per cent.

Responding to the students’ outcry over receiving the notice via email, the University’s Registrar, Dr Nigel Gravesande stated late last week that the decision on hikes was made

by the Council in 2014, but was never applied to the academic year 2015/2016.

The increase in tuition fees follows the University’s announcement of a $10,000 graduation fee for students who will be attending the ceremony. Students not attending the graduation ceremony will be required to pay a fee of $5000. Students are today expected to assemble at the Ministry of the Presidency at 09:00h, as Cabinet meets – they will use this opportunity to air their concerns.

Guyana Times understands that the VC Professor Ivelaw Griffith is prepared to halt the 5 per cent increase in tuition fees and will be making the necessary recommendations.

Meanwhile, it is expected that on Thursday at the Turkeyen Campus, President David Granger will attend a commemorative ceremony around 16:00h. The students plan to, with placards in hand, line both sides of the access roads leading up to the cam-

pus, where another group of students will be present at the ceremony in efforts to secure the President’s intervention.

The email the students received read: “The University administration informs the University Community that the Finance and General Purposes Committee of the University had approved the increase in tuition fees for 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 academic years.”

The email went on to state that the University regretted any inconvenience caused and advised that all invoices would be amended accordingly. It said the difference without penalty becomes payable on or before November 15, 2016. The facilities fee remains unchanged.

Students had taken to social media protesting the move saying that “enough is enough”. They said that the University continued to hike fees while the institution and its infrastructure remained in a deplorable state.

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Editorial

Housing at the Centre

I

n Resolution 40/202 of 17 December 1985, the UN General Assembly designated the first Monday of October of every year as World Habitat Day. The 2016 World Habitat Day campaign sought to raise awareness about the need for affordable housing for all in urban areas, towns and cities.

According to the UN, access to adequate housing is a global challenge growing fast with urbanisation. Around one quarter of the world’s urban population continues to live in slums and informal settlements. All countries were encouraged to reflect on the state of human settlements and what the cities of the future should look like.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in his message said: “On this World Habitat Day, I urge national and local governments, city planners and communities everywhere to keep ‘Housing at the Centre’. Guaranteeing dignity and opportunity for all depends on people having access to affordable and adequate housing. I look forward to a successful Habitat III Conference that will help us advance our sustainable development agenda for the benefit of all humankind.”

Even as Guyana joined the rest of the world in commemorating this significant occasion yesterday, it is apposite to reflect on the steady progress made, over the last two decades, towards improving the living conditions for all Guyanese.

The provision of equitable access to healthcare, housing, water, electricity, education and other social services should be the foundation of any government’s promise to its citizens.

The most basic of these services is the provision of housing; adequate housing is also critical to the social, economic, and political stability of a country, as a viable housing sector can generate employment opportunities, improve public health, deepen the financial sector, provide a sense of ownership to the populace, and help develop complex institutions that provide benefits across many sectors of society.

While governments may change and directions may shift, the administration of the day should strive to ensure that all of its programmes fall within the wider scheme of ensuring that poverty is reduced and programmes and strategies are developed that will bring direct benefits to the people of Guyana. Access to affordable and adequate housing is no exception.

If we are to continue on this developmental trajectory in the housing sector, it is critical that the policies adopted take into consideration the needs of the beneficiaries including their cultural, social and economic values. The developmental strategies, therefore, should reflect optimum utilisation of existing resources for effective housing delivery.

The authorities should ensure and encourage greater participation of ordinary citizens in the development of their dwellings. Certain parameters should be considered before one develops a housing policy. It is necessary to understand how the people live in terms of the type and quality of environment; how these have affected their productivity and performance in the economy in terms of minimum standards of space, dwelling types and community facilities they could access.

Housing is a necessity, as everyone needs a place to live and credit should be given to the past administration for being in tune with this dream of the masses, but more so for making affordable housing available to all – an unrealistic dream prior to the change of government in 1992.

Thousands of house lots have been distributed, since that time, which have benefited thousands of Guyanese with the domino effect being felt in almost every other sector. One cannot underestimate the impact of this significant investment made by the past government.

The new administration has now pledged its commitment to improving the quality of life of Guyanese by establishing new, cohesive communities and consolidating existing settlements.

They have recognised, early on, the importance of keeping ‘Housing at the Centre’, and have assured that this will be achieved through the implementation of several strategies.

The resulting impact of these approaches should see not only the living conditions and quality of life improved for the beneficiary and household, but ultimately the formation of cohesive and sustainable communities in which Guyanese can secure the ‘Good Life.’ As the plans unfold, it is expected that the programmes and policies implemented will indeed provide not only affordable but adequate shelter for all.

They believed they could; so they did: All dressed in ceremonial attire, this battalion of servicewomen took to the field at the Guyana Defence Force headquarters, Camp Ayanganna to bid farewell to outgoing Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Mark Phillips on Monday

Nagamootoo now wants to exult his Indian culture Dear Editor, Moses Nagamootoo left Guyana last week to go to India to attend a Tamil Conference, to celebrate and strengthen the Tamil heritage which is so rich and alive in Guyana. It was easy for the organisers to get him to attend; it is another opportunity for an overseas trip and another opportunity for him to fulfil an endless, consuming need for perpetual affirmation.

Unfortunately, it is a very difficult thing to get him to attend one of the Madrasi services in Guyana itself.

Less than two years ago, the same Nagamootoo stood in front of people in New York and disavowed his Indian heritage when he defiantly proclaimed he is a Guyanese and not an Indo-Guyanese. He rejected being an Indian-Guyanese when David Granger and other Guyanese of African descent rightfully refused to disavow their African heritage. In the uproar that followed in Guyana, Nagamootoo stood his ground and insisted that he is a Christian Guyanese, not an Indo-Guyanese.

Nagamootoo, however, did not return the medal of honour he jubilantly accepted a few years earlier as a "Person of Indian Descent" given by an international Indian Organisation. In fact, he brazenly displays this honour and emphasises it in his biography. It did not stop him earlier this year as a person of Indian origin from attending a

conference in New York organised by the same international Indian organisation. Now he is attending a Tamil conference in India, celebrating the richness of the Madrasi culture.

He is brazen enough to extol his Indian heritage and show off that he, as an Indo-Guyanese, has achieved the position of Prime Minister in his country. Like Nagamootoo, I am a Madrasi Indo-Guyanese.

Unlike Nagamootoo, I have never felt compelled or in any way felt the need to disavow my pride in being a Madrasi IndoGuyanese. I have never felt that being a Madrasi IndoGuyanese somehow makes me less a Guyanese than Nagamootoo or Granger or anyone else. Acknowledging and being proud that I am a Madrasi Guyanese does not in any way make me less a Guyanese and does not deny any other person from being an equal Guyanese when they chose to embrace their origins.

No one questions that Nagamootoo, like Granger or Jagdeo or me, is a Guyanese. But our Guyanese identity is a rich diversity. We have different heritages and racial makeups, but we are part of a rich tapestry that has become the Guyanese people.

There is nothing in the celebration of our Guyanese identity that demands or even voluntarily makes it necessary for any of us to disavow our heritage.

Indeed, the true Guyanese

spirit demands that we acknowledge and celebrate the rich diversity of our individual heritages. I can be proud of Cheddi Jagan and Walter Rodney, and the fact that Cheddi was an Indo-Guyanese does not make him more or less a hero than Walter who is an Afro-Guyanese.

It is shameful for any of us to disavow the Guyanese linkages to Africa or India or any other foreign place that our ancestors might have originated from. There is nothing to be ashamed of because our ancestors might have come from Africa or India or Portugal or China or that they might have been indigenous people who were invaded.

While we celebrate how we have turned our various ethnic, cultural or national origins into our unique Guyanese identity, none of us need to de-emphasise those origins. When we find it necessary that black Guyanese must disavow their African origin we insult our black brothers and sisters. When we must disavow our Indian linkages in order to feel we belong to the Guyanese identity, we contribute to ethnic and racial tension.

It was an opportunistic, misguided and shameless act for Nagamootoo to disavow his Indian origin and he never apologised to his Indo-Guyanese sisters and brothers. He betrayed all Guyanese by this spineless act that he needed to disavow his Indian or-

igin in order to be accepted as a Guyanese. While every Indo-Guyanese should feel betrayed, all other Guyanese should equally be repulsed and insulted. In effect, he was calling non-Indo-Guyanese racists because he feels that they will not accept him as their brother, simply because he happens to be IndoGuyanese.

In his eagerness to bow down to his new masters, he disavows who he is. But when it suits him and when he gets to be recognised as an Indian Guyanese he has no hesitancy to proclaim his Indian origins, as he will do in India this week. It is the reason why this false prophet is silent as Indo-Guyanese are targeted for termination from the Public Service and industries such as rice and sugar where many IndoGuyanese who make their living are marginalized.

It demonstrates a frenetic ambition; insatiable, indomitable craving for power that he will sell his soul for a mere title.

As he exults in India at a Tamil meeting, his Madrasi sisters and brothers and many of his Guyanese sisters and brothers know this about Nagamootoo: he is not a disciple of nationalism, but rather he is devoid of moral principles, willing to do anything and everything to gain fame, fortune and power.

Sincerely, Dr Leslie Ramsammy

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016

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Burnhamism is back Encouraging best road practices Dear Editor, The move by the Government to compulsorily acquire a piece of private property at the corner of Middle and Carmichael Streets, in the heart of Georgetown, under the Acquisition of Land for Public Purposes Act, have sent chills down the spine of right-thinking Guyanese, especially property owners.

Many persons have called me expressing understandable fears and well-grounded apprehensions. If anyone was in doubt about it before now, those doubts should now disappear: Burnhamism is back.

The power of the state to compulsorily acquire private property for a public purpose is rooted in the concept of “Eminent Domain”, an American concept imported into our British-inherited jurisprudence and legal system.

In a nutshell, it is a power used to compulsorily acquire private property upon the payment of compensation for the public good.

However, because of the obvious draconian nature of this power and the sanctity accorded to private property, it is a power that is used on the rarest of occasions and in the most exceptional of circumstances. It is always an option of last resort.

During the height of the Burnham dictatorship, it was a power that was widely abused and misused. Dozens of private property throughout the length and breadth of this country were compulsorily acquired by the Burnham Administration and the rubric “for a public purpose”, was conveniently invoked to clothe those transactions with legitimacy and to disguise the real reasons for the expropriations.

Many of these property owners with whom I have spoken with over the years, have proffered political and personal differences between themselves and Burnham himself, or his Government, as the real reason why their properties were seized. This is borne out by the fact that under

the PPP/C Administration, the courts struck down many of these compulsorily acquired property transactions as unconstitutional and ordered the return of these properties, many times on the grounds that they were not used for the purpose for which they were acquired.

I recall as Attorney General, I consented in Court, with the authority of the Cabinet, to the re-conveyance from the State to the owners of several dwelling properties in West Ruimveldt and North Ruimveldt that were compulsorily acquired during the Burnham regime. These are poor ordinary people who never even knew why their homes were compulsorily acquired.

Why resort to this draconian measure in the first place? As I said before, this power is invoked in the most exceptional circumstances for example, if a highway is being constructed and it is found somewhere along the line, that it will encroach upon some private property.

In those circumstances where it is clear that the public good of having a highway far outweighs the interest of one person whose property is blocking that highway, the power should be exercised. The purpose for which this particular land is acquired according to the Official Gazette is for the construction of Government Buildings.

I recall as Attorney General, I made enquiries from the relevant persons that whether the said land and the plot adjacent to it was available for sale. Were they available, my intentions were to persuade the Government to purchase the same for the purpose of accommodating proposed expansions of the building which houses the Attorney General’s Chambers and Ministry of Legal Affairs.

My plans were brought to an abrupt end when I learnt the properties were not for sale. My concept of democracy and my innate respect for private property and the

rule of law prevented me from even conceiving the option of compulsory acquisition.

It is clear that these considerations do not occupy the minds of those who are in government today. There are numerous Government buildings and empty plots of State lands scattered all across this city for the government to utilise. If the intention is to expand the AG Chambers, then immediately north of the building is a huge property owned by the State which houses the Integrity Commission and the National Trust which can be used. In short, there are many options to utilise rather than covet private property.

I now recognise how genuine the President was, when, while addressing the 19th Biennial Congress of the PNC, a few weeks ago, he embraced the philosophy and politics of Forbes Burnham. The international community should now be clear on where this government stands. The signal that this move will send to investors will certainly be a negative one: private property and by extension, investments are no longer safe in Guyana.

Another nail has been driven in the coffin of the local economy.

To my mind, it is now clear that the 2019 Local Government Elections and the 2020 Regional and General Elections are going to be massively rigged unless we begin now to put into place measures, mechanisms and facilities to prevent that from happening.

Yours faithfully, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, MP, Attorney

Dear Editor, Human resources supersede all other resources. The preservation and strengthening of the human civilisation depends on the thoughtforce of the world at large.

Guyana is a small country with regards to its population. A rapidly aging population influences a decline in production and productivity which affects to the allround growth of the nation.

The full growth and expansion of our country heavily depends on the input and contribution of our youths.

Every youth should recognise the significance of their existence and act meritoriously to fulfil the mandate of life. Life is made to live and to live it fully is to take all the necessary precautions to prevent ordeals which create adverse impacts at both individual and national levels. Young people are sacrificing their own

lives on our roadways due to negligence influenced by bad judgment.

The roads of our country were created to satisfy the safe needs of our users and not the greed for dominance influenced by underdeveloped thoughts. Over the past weeks, road accidents were the centre of attraction on the pages of our newspapers.

More recently, two young academics from Linden became victims of negligible behaviour. If this is true, and I hope it is not, then it is very important to reintroduce road safety education at all institutional levels, reinforcing what was already taught.

It must be noted that casualties or deaths do not only affect the statistics of our country, but severely hurt the surviving members of the families, relatives and friends. How one could

comprehend the pain of the parents, especially a mother who experienced the loss of two young sons who were preparing for the challenges of life?

The Viraat Sabhaa (Guyana) is seeking the full cooperation of all road-users to reduce or stop the pain endured by parents and others and at the same time, encourages our youths not to transgress or violate the rules of the roads.

Please, live on, say no to speed, drugs, alcohol and other addictions, be better ambassadors of the roadways. The Sabhaa extends sincere condolences to the bereaved families of the road victims, especially the parents of the two brothers from Linden – Phillip and Jonnel Armstrong.

Sincerely, The Viraat Sabhaa (Guyana)

There is hope Dear Editor, I am saddened when in the newspapers I read of wanton loss of life whether through physical violence, poor healthcare, road accidents, or suicide.

Self-induced death speaks of despair, desperation and lack of hope!

We seem to have lost that God-consciousness that lets us know: 1) That the God of love sees us as valuable, precious, and has a beautiful plan for our lives despite the seemingly overwhelming problems; 2) That THERE IS HOPE not only in this life but in the life to come; 3) That life neither begins nor ends with man.

There's a God to face

at the end of the road, so I urge those who may be contemplating suicide, stop in your tracks and call on the name of the lord!

I challenge everyone who is desperate and in despair to call on the name of the Lord in your darkest hour. Simply say: JESUS! HELP ME! and I guarantee you that the One who stilled the storm when restless waves threatened to overturn a boat (Matthew 8:24-27), will still the storms of

your life, light will break through, and help will soon be on the way.

That help may not come in the form of a supernatural visitation. It may be the neighbour next door or the friend on the end of the telephone line, waiting to lend an ear or give a helping hand.

May God grant you the grace to call on Him in that midnight hour!

Sincerely, Claudia Heywood

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Foundation

12 warning signs your child may have a mental health issue - how's your parent radar?

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By Susan Newman, PhD

ost parents have an instantaneous desire to protect their children whether they gave birth or adopted them. As the months and years pass,

they do.

We tend to our children’s needs: If an unexplained rash appears, we see the doctor, if a fever spikes, we see the doctor, if a bone seems injured, we see the doctor.

Obvious, visible hurts are relatively easy to recognise.

That is not the case if a child begins having problems at school or with friends, if she becomes uncooperative and has inexplicable outbursts, for instance. What to do when intangible symptoms appear is murky, foreign terrain leaving parents confused and unsure.

Nearly one in five children is affected with an emotional or behavioural disorder. You may recognise something is not right, but what it is or what to do remains a mystery. You are at a loss trying to figure out what the cause may be or to put name to what your senses tell you is amiss.

Parent radar A doctor, relative, or friend may tell you it’s a stage, but you feel that the “stage” has lasted too long or the behaviour is too disruptive or failing grades don’t improve no matter what you or the school tries. You know your child better than anyone else.

These child and adolescent warning signs may indicate a problem needing specialised attention. Below is a partial list culled from Ann Douglas’s book, Parenting Through the Storm: Find Help, Home, and Strength When Your Child Has Psychological Problems. You are looking for indications that your child may be experiencing one or more of these symptoms that are also atypical for his developmental stage and not related to emotional reaction to a move or divorce or similar stressful event: Your child is having more difficulty at school.

Your child is hitting or bullying other children.

Your child is attempting to injury himself.

Your child is avoiding friends and family.

Your child is experiencing frequent mood swings.

Your child is experiencing intense emotions such as angry outbursts or extreme fear.

Your child is lacking in energy or motivation.

Your child is having difficulty concentrating.

Your child is having difficulty sleeping or having a lot of nightmares.

Your child has a lot of physical complaints.

Your child is neglecting her appearance.

Your child is obsessed with his weight, shape, or appearance.

Your child is eating significantly more or less than usual.

By listening to your parent radar and with Douglas’s help, you can voice your concerns and begin the journey of finding (and fighting for) the help your child may need.

Few are better able to guide parents through agonising uncertainty and turmoil of a child with a mental health problem than Ann Douglas. In addition to raising four children all of whom had serious problems (bipolar disorder, anorexia, ADHD, Asperger’s and depression), she had done parents’ homework for them, integrating other family stories and advice from child psychologists and other professionals in the field. She also explains unfamiliar clinical jargon and how to navigate the mental health system.

Even once you have a diagnosis, it is critical to listen to your parent radar. Mark, the father of a 12-year-old diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder, an anxiety disorder and a moderate developmental disability, told Douglas that his son “didn’t have the ability to say what he really needed…until your child can help you with that part, trust your gut and be that voice.”

Navigating the “Storm” Should you find yourself and your child on the emotional roller coaster that is a child’s mental health challenge, you will, as the book’s subtitle suggests, need help and hope. You not only must take care of yourself and stay strong for your child, but also know when to befriend others who have faced similar challenges so you don’t feel isolated and alone. Douglas compassionately explains how to develop essential coping skills to support your challenged child while taking care of the rest of the family and your marriage.

We don’t have mental health thermometers, but we do have Douglas’s sage advice, research and comforting support to get us through “the storm.” She says, “I wrote this book in the hope of making the journey a little less lonely – and a lot less overwhelming.” She has done just

that. (psychologytoday.com)

9 things highly sensitive people do

S

tudies estimate that about 15 to 20 per cent of the population is highly sensitive. Yet, many people don’t know what it means to be a highly sensitive person.

Although related to introversion, being a highly sensitive person is not the same thing. Highly sensitive people are hypersensitive to a variety of stimuli, ranging from caffeine consumption to pain.

Consequently, highly sensitive people exhibit specific, observable behaviours. Adapted from Aron and Aron’s Highly Sensitive Person scale, here are nine things highly sensitive people do:

They become overwhelmed when they have a lot to do

Highly sensitive people struggle to stay on task when they have several different tasks to do. They become observably anxious and the higher their stress level becomes, the more difficulty they have being productive.

They find noisy environments chaotic

Highly sensitive people don’t work well in open offices.

Their senses get put into overdrive by the sights, sounds, smells, and activity buzzing around them.

They get ‘hungry’

When highly sensitive people get hungry, they grow angry. They struggle to function and often take out their frustrations on those closest to them.

They choke when they’re under observation

Highly sensitive people perform at their peak when they’re in private.

Put them in high stakes situations, like a boss observing their sales pitch, and they’re likely to choke under the pressure.

They’re deeply moved by the arts

Whether they’re attending a musical or visiting an art gallery, highly sensitive people appreciate the arts. Their emotions get stirred up and they feel their emotions deeply.

They recognise other people’s discomfort

Highly sensitive people recognise when someone else needs the lights dimmed or the music turned down. Without saying a word, they can easily sense when other people’s senses are getting overloaded.

They retreat when things become too overwhelming

After a long day or a busy week, a highly sensitive person will need quiet time to recharge. A dark bedroom might provide the perfect space to recuperate.

They grow uncomfortable when there are loud noises

Loud rock concerts and noisy fireworks displays usually aren’t much fun for highly sensitive people. They have a lower threshold for noise compared to the rest of the population.

They avoid violent media

Watching violent movies or playing graphic video games can be too much for highly sensitive people. So don’t be surprised if they opt out of watching horror movies with you.

The pros and cons of being a highly sensitive person While many people have warned against the dangers of being a highly sensitive person – like the increased risk to depression and anxiety – being sensitive isn’t all bad.

Highly sensitive people are more conscientious. They notice certain details others may overlook and they can be very creative.

Being a highly sensitive person doesn’t mean you have a disorder that needs to be fixed. Instead, it simply means you process sensory data more deeply. Recognising that you’re a highly sensitive person could help you develop a better awareness of yourself and your needs. (psychologytoday.com)

NEWS

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Union wants legal action against DTL over labour violations …workers picket for pay increase

F

ollowing the prolonged stalemate over wage negotiations and allegations of unjust treatment to its workers, calls are being made for the Labour Department of the Social Protection Ministry to take legal action against the Demerara Timber Company (DTL) over labour violations.

The disgruntled workers, along with their union representative - the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) - staged a picketing on Monday outside of the company’s headquarters in Kingston, Georgetown, in a desperate attempt to call attention to their struggles and shove management into action in relation to their demands for pay increases.

GAWU’s General Secretary, Seepaul Narine, on the sidelines of the protest, told Guyana Times

that the timber company must be prosecuted by Government over its continued disrespect for Guyanese employees.

“What we believe needs to be done now is the Ministry needs to prosecute them because they are in clear violation of the law and not only violating the law to the detriment of the employees, but a flagrant disrespect to the ministry.

I don’t think that the ministry should continue to accept such a situation,” he proclaimed.

A handful of workers journeyed from Mabura Hill in Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice) to call on the DTL to engage with their union to conclude its 2015 pay increase negotiations and commence talks for 2016.

They complained of being abused by management and earning a paltry salary

DTL workers protest for wage increases

incommensurate to the cost of living in the country.

“The money can’t do. We have our families to look after and transportation cost alone is expensive,” expressed Derrick Toney, one

Guyana establishes joint commissions with African, Asian countries

G

uyana has established joint commissions with several African and Asian countries in its bid to expand its diplomatic connections throughout the world.

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge said the initiative was born on the sidelines of the 71st United Nations General Assembly in New York through meetings between members of the Guyanese delegation and senior Government officials from other countries.

Some of the countries with which Guyana has entered into joint commissions are Spain, Ghana, Liberia and Nigeria, according to the Foreign Affairs Minister.

“We would have drawn to their attention the various challenges we have, what

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge

our plans are as regards UN, our expectations, what arrangements we would like to have with them in terms of economic diplomacy and what types of cooperation we would want to have with them in terms of educational cooperation, cultural exchanges, the sale of prod-

ucts, opening of markets, and in all those cases, we did agree to establish joint commissions,” Greenidge stated.

He explained that each country would appoint teams to meet annually to implement the tasks as agreed upon by the Heads of Government.

Thereafter, a review of this process will take place to assess the progress made in strengthening diplomatic relations among the nations involved.

Only recently, Guyana entered a joint commission with Trinidad and Tobago as well as Saudi Arabia.

B a r b a d o s and Guyana have also signed a Third Joint Commission, which is intended to foster cooperation in tourism and other sectors.

of the employees.

The workers, with placards in hand, also called for the removal of the company’s General Manager, Martin Ting, whom they said has done absolutely

nothing to protect the interest of his employees.

Bilateral negotiations between the Union and the Company reached a stalemate on November 17, 2015 after the Company did not

approve any pay increase, but offered a Christmas Bonus of $5000 to each worker. DTL informed that its financial state precluded it from offering a pay rise.

Following the impasse, the dispute was next subjected to conciliatory services by the Ministry of Social Protection, Department of Labour.

According to GAWU, though a few meetings were held, the company remains unwilling to divulge its financial statements for scrutiny by stakeholders.

The workers have therefore grown impatient over the treatment by management and the slow pace of the wage negotiations.

They are calling on DTL to return to the bargaining table and favourably resolve the matter since they are committed to continue the protests until their demands are addressed.

8 NEWS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

IN THE COURTS

Mother remanded for Eyew tness child endangerment Different A Couple strokes...

mother who said she did not want her infant appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Faith McGusty charged with endangering the child’s life.

Jewel Coates, 35, of West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, is accused of wilfully contributing to her three-weekold child being in need of protective intervention on September 30, 2016 at West Ruimveldt.

In court on Monday, Coates said that the father of her child took away the

Jewel Coates

baby’s belongings and went on a drinking spree. She further explained that as such, she left the child for a few hours and went to an aunt’s home.

However, upon her return, she did not find the child, but was told that she was taken to the home of an older sister. Later in the day, she visited the baby, but was not permitted to breastfeed her. In court, she told the Magistrate that she did not want the child.

She was remanded to prison, but would return today for a report.

slapped with fraud W charge

...on changing the world

A

couple was on Monday taken before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan charged with fraud.

Cleya France and John Freeman of Lot 214 Middle Road, East La Penitence, Georgetown, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and pleaded not guilty to the allegation after it was read to them.

It is alleged that on July 4, at Bourda Market, they obtained a quantity of greens valued $543,000 from Baldeo Jadia with intent to defraud by falsely pretending that they would have paid him three times the amount, knowing same to be false.

According to the prosecution’s case, the couple who shares six children together was given the responsibility of taking the goods to Port Kaituma.

However, they claimed that they got into an accident and could not fulfil the promise made to Jadia.

Their attorney, Clyde Forde made a successful bail application.

They were both placed on $25,000 bail and will return to court on October 5.

ell, your Eyewitness saw the obligatory genuflection to Gandhi at the Promenade Gardens - just as it was done since it’s unveiling back on Oct 2, 1969. The reminder of the prophet of non-violence was probably erected to encourage us to stay off the path of going at each other with hammer and tongs - since that’s what we’d done earlier in the decade in a virtual civil war. Cheddi had said he was a Gandhian, but it hadn’t helped.

Interestingly, that technique found more fertile ground in the American South with Martin Luther King, who presented a different option to Malcolm X’s “Burn baby, Burn” tactic to bring attention to America’s seething race problem. It’s a pity the FBI and the CIA didn’t learn anything from King - since his deployment of Satyagraha preceded our 1960’s riots. And we know the FBI kept a careful surveillance on him!!

But if our local politicians - who’d gone along and executed the CIA-instigated riots - learnt anything, it wasn’t about “truth force” or suchlike. No sir. After the ‘60’s riots’, “choke and rob” was unleashed in Georgetown in the 1970’s to keep the opposition in line. Gandhi’s message of turning the other cheek didn’t cut much ice with those fellas. By the 80’s we’d moved on to “kick down the door bandits” who’d upped the ante in the infliction of gratuitous violence. More lessons to Opposition supporters even as the speeches on Gandhi’s greatness continued unabated.

With the change of government in 1992, extreme, violent hate speeches became the norm and finally it all exploded on Jan 12, 1998, when hundreds of Indian Guyanese were beaten and violated in the streets of Georgetown. The Gandhian message still hadn’t taken hold - but the speechifying didn’t let up. “An eye for an eye will leave everyone blind!” we were told.

The violence went to even greater heights (or lows??) in the new millennium. Buxton became an armed state within a state that took on the Guyanese state. Policemen lives were snuffed out like flies and bodies of suspected “bandits” started to litter the roadsides. Gandhi’s philosophy was isolated. That extended violent period - the longest in Guyana’s history didn’t end until a full decade later - in 2008, after the last of the leaders, Fineman Rawlins and his gang, were gunned down. But not until three massacres had sent the nation into shock.

It’s been eight years since Fineman’s demise. Can we hope that finally those who have grouses might want to settle them peacefully?

Has Gandhi’s “eye for an eye” warning kicked in?

...for Colombian guerrilla war

But if we Guyanese bemoan the lack of receptivity to the Gandhian path of settling disputes peacefully here - think about what just happened in Colombia.

There, leftist guerrillas under their organisation FARC, have been fighting the government for over FIFTY-TWO YEARS!! Where over 260,000 persons have been killed.

Now you’d think Colombia was ripe for peace, no? The world thought so!

But no! After a peace deal was brokered and signed by the government and FARC, it was taken to the people to be ratified in a referendum. And guess what vox populi said… NO PEACE! CONTINUE THE WAR!!

Now what’s going on here? “Vengeance” is going on… that’s what. While the vote was very close - just a 0.25 per cent difference between the two sides.

The decision gives a whole new meaning to the word “winner” since more people will die unless some face saving way out is brokered. U2’s Bono and Beatles’ Ringo Starr failed to stay the victory of the “Yes to war!”

Maybe we could send our statue of Gandhi to drum up support for “his way”??

...on natural disasters

With Hurricane Matthew approaching Jamaica and Haiti… your Eyewitness is reminded of the retort by the Guyanese who was complimented for having no natural disasters in Guyana.

“We had Burnham!” It shut up his WI friend.

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

NEWS

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Rohee broadsides Govt over “rampant corruption” ― accuses President of using “device of deception” to conceal corruption

T

he A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government is facing mounting criticisms over a number of contracts and other deals which many consider to be “shady” or “questionable” transactions, leading to fresh accusations that the 18-monthold Administration is mired in corruption.

The most recent broadside came from People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Clement Rohee, who lambasted President David Granger who he said was busy trying to create diversions to protect his Ministers from public scrutiny.

“When Mr Granger said there was corruption in the Private Sector, he was obviously shielding his Government from public scrutiny and encouraging the public to look elsewhere for corruption and not in his camp,” Rohee told a Monday morning press conference called by his Party.

He added that the President’s claim was “another use of the device of deception by the President to obfuscate the rampant corruption in the APNU/AFC Administration”.

Rohee sought to support his contention with examples, including recent questionable actions by the Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Water incorporated (GWI), Dr Richard Van West-Charles, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) procurement fiasco and the controversial sin-

Integrity Commission, the Commission has not been constituted.

It added that the law set out both criminal and administrative sanctions for nondisclosure to the Commission by public officials, but, no such publication or convictions occurred during the year.

However, President

President David Granger

gle-sourcing of a makeshift pharmaceutical bond by the Public Health Ministry.

Already, a number of independent anti-corruption campaigners have taken President Granger to task over his apparent inaction when it comes to accusations of corruption involving top Government officials.

TIGI’s take

Earlier this year, the Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc (TIGI) issued scathing assessments of the Government, essentially concluding that the coalition was facilitating and proliferating corruption in the country, pointing to a number of questionable appointments by the Government and interference in the work of some autonomous agencies like the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

The TIGI had also criticised Junior Natural Resources Minister Simona Broomes for conflict of interest after it was revealed by this newspaper that she ap-

PPP General Clement Rohee

Secretary

plied for and was issued a mining permit after she was appointed a Government Minister. She was also criticised for her significant mining interests, while having ministerial oversight of the mining sector.

US State Department Report

Further, in April 2016, the US Department of State said that corruption continued to be among the leading human rights problems facing Guyana.

“There remained a widespread public perception of corruption involving officials at all levels, including the Police and the judiciary,” the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2015, released by the Department, said.

It noted, however, that the Government responded to the report, but did not elaborate.

The report also stated that while the law required public officials to declare their assets to the

Granger in an effort to exculpate his Government has said that corruption in Guyana was more rampant in the Private Sector and non-State organisations than in his Government.

He said the real contributors to corruption were those who committed crimes of tax evasion, smuggling, narcotics trafficking, traf-

ficking in persons and money laundering, none of which really emanate from within Government, but rather, benefit the Private Sector, offshore banks and tax havens.

“It is my view that corruption in Guyana is most widespread outside of Government,” the President had declared.

Miner stabbed to death in Cuyuni River A

miner was on Sunday evening fatally stabbed during an argument at Sand Hills, Puruni Area, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

The name of the deceased was not immediately available, but Guyana Times understands that he hailed from Bartica.

Information reaching this newspaper stated that the deceased and another man were consuming alcohol and an argument ensued.

The argument quickly escalated into an altercation during which the suspect, armed with a sharp object, dealt the man several blows to the body.

The injured man collapsed and died immediately. The suspect reportedly fled the scene, but persons in the area went in pursuit of him. When contacted, Senior Superintendent

Ravindradat Budhram, Commander of F Division (Lethem-Interior Locations) told Guyana Times that a team of investigators was deployed to the area on Monday morning.

However, up to late Monday evening, the body was being transported to Bartica. As a result of the

mountainous landscape of the area, telephone contact was quite difficult and as such, he could not confirm if the suspect was apprehended.

The Commander added that the suspect was a well-known individual in the area and he was confident that the Police would track him down.

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NEWS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

UK stops buying greenheart from Guyana T

he United Kingdom Government has made a decision to cease the importation of greenheart from Guyana on the grounds that the logs are not coming from sustainably managed forests, a move which has left both the local private sector and government contemplating their next move.

The decision is costing Guyana millions in revenue, since greenheart accounts for 90 per cent of exports to the UK. The trade took a drastic nose-dive in 2014 all the way to August, 2016. It has been reported that in 2015 there was a 65 per cent decline in the trade, with the industry bringing in US$1,143,706.40 earnings— a marked decline in the 2014 earnings (US$ 3,245,338.24).

Currently, both parties are in discussion with the local logging companies and other affected stakeholders to iron out the issue.

ble standards and regulation. It also directly impacts value-added, jobs, businesses, while causing thousands of indigenous people to be unemployed,” he explained, adding that foreign exchange is being lost, and rural livelihood and development are stymied due to lost opportunities even with the FLEGT in place.

He said too that the decision was made without consultations with the forest authorities and stakeholders.

“If Guyana is the only place in the world where greenheart is found in commercial quantity then certainly it is prejudicial to Guyana itself” – Business Minister Chairperson of the Guyana Manufacturers Association, Mahindra Chand, noted that the decision has the ability to ruin Guyana’s forestry image; it has already tarnished Guyana’s Sustainable Forest Management efforts, while negatively impacting the level of local and foreign investments.

“The decision has brought on the introduction of a non-tariff barrier, dou-

According to Chand, in May 2015, the UK Environmental Agency issued a technical note or an advisory to its contractors for the Government funded projects which state inter alia “greenheart from Guyana” is not currently available from category ‘A’ certified legal and sustainable sources. He stated that category ‘A’ indicated that the timber is not certified.

He expounded that there

is currently insufficient Category ‘B’ Evidence (based on the UK Government requirements) to prove it is from sustainably managed forests, though there is adequate evidence to prove legality.

“So they have singled out greenheart to say that there isn’t sufficient evidence for it to qualify under category b,” he said, adding that the UKEA’s technical note went on to state that a decision has been made that we will apply timber procurement policy rigorously and that we will only buy timber from legal and sustainable sources.

This currently prohibits the purchase of new greenheart from Guyana as it does not have sufficient evidence based on the UK government requirements that forests origin are sustainably managed.

He stated that since the issuance of the advisory the UK contractors have been forced not to use greenheart even though it is and always will be the best timber for the job.

Notably, he said on September 27, 2016 the British High Commission responded that there is no change in the UK Government’s procurement

policy and that the requirement remains for legal and sustainable products that can be confirmed either by a FLEGT license, by an independent forest certification scheme or provide other evidence that meets the criteria.

The British High Commission Chand related, stated that it is the responsibility of individual UK Government departments to follow this guidance.

Chand however urged the Guyana Government to rectify the matter since jobs and businesses are being lost, along with rampant unemployment in Indigenous communities.

He recommended that the Government of Guyana, through its High Commissioner in London, should contact the relevant UK Government Ministry with responsibility for UKEA to begin talks or negotiations.

He suggested further that the forest sector (the GMSA/FPA) and the GFC should help to prepare the necessary documentation to confirm compliance with Category B and WTO implications.

Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin indicated that any problem that affects local industries does concern the government and “greenheart is more than a local industry, it is part of our Guyanese identity.”

This particular problem, he said, is having a harmful effect on greenheart products and that government was aware of it for some time and has been engaging the local private sector.

Meanwhile, Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, promised that they will link hands to find a solution, adding that the government has met with the Private Sector Commission to develop a plan of action forthe issue.

He indicated that, “despite whatever mischief has been put into the public domain” Guyana’s verification system has been tested and proven legitimate.

“The implication is of course that we have one country exiting the EU setting a standard that is not aligned with the EU and it is important that we nip it in the bud as fast as we can before it spreads to other countries and could possibly give Guyana a bad reputation.

Interesting it only applies to greenheart,” Trotman noted.

A representative of the Forest Products Association remarked that they are grateful to have the government’s side on the matter, since the issue has had far-reaching effects on jobs, the private sector along and country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). These effects, he added, will be noticeable in the annual report on Guyana’s GDP.

Ethno-Global Indian Identity – Part 2

L

ast week, I showed that globalisation was the main driving force behind the formation of an ethno-global Indian identity.

In this column, I will address the characteristics so associated with ethno-global Indian identity.

Since the 1950s, there have been concerted efforts to connect India with the Indian Caribbean. Ever since Indians were brought to the Caribbean in the nineteenth century, Indian Swamis and Muslim leaders from India have travelled to and lived in the Caribbean teaching and preaching Hindu and Islamic spiritually. These sentiments for a closer connection between the Caribbean and India were expressed through individual lectures, associations and the media such as the East Indian Association and the East Indian Weekly.

In recent times, there have been attempts by the Indian government to unite or at least connect Indian people with Dr Lomarsh Roopnarine the Indian Diaspora – Pravasi Bharatiya Divas – or people of Indian origin – for their contributions to India. January 9 was recommended as Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, the day Mahatma Gandhi returned from South Africa in 1910.

Gandhi went to South Africa to challenge the injustices of the indenture system there. A number of top Indians officials –Bharrat Jagdeo and Basdeo Panday - from Caribbean have received awards for their stewardship associated with Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.

The Indian government has also granted dual citizenship to Indians in sixteen countries with large Indian populations, which interestingly excludes some Caribbean countries, although this position might have changed in recent times. The Indian government states that citizenship will be given to overseas Indians based on compatibility of the legal system in the countries they reside as well as certain requirements associated with the definition of dual citizenship.

The idea of granting dual citizenship to overseas Indians is intended to review emotional bonds that were lost during outmigration and to re-establish cultural, economic and spiritual links with India. The Indian government believes that all Indians, wherever they reside, constitute the global Indian family and efforts are skewed in that direction to promote a universal blood brother and sisterhood, especially in former indentured colonies where there appears to be a widespread nostalgia for things Indian.

This ethno-global identity is enhanced through travel agencies that offer pilgrimage packages to Indians in the diaspora to visit India. Likewise and in a sort of a natural exchange, Indian films (Bollywood) and Indian music continue to pour into the South Caribbean, which promotes and sustains an inadvertent IndoCaribbean revitalisation movement sweeping through the region.

This movement is supported by continuous symposia and seminars, most noticeable in Trinidad. For the past two decades, there has been at least a yearly conference at the University West Indies in Trinidad on Indian issues. The primary motive behind these yearly conferences is to engage the Caribbean and the Indian Diaspora with India vis-à-vis on issues that affect Indians such as ethnic discrimination, ethnic conflict, ethnic identity, and so on.

Whenever Indians have met as a global family, be it for academic, cultural or human rights reasons, exchanges are at the highest level and they may even garner and galvanise substantial support to challenge forces that affect or violate them. No other organisation in the Indian global community has been so vocal than the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO).

Over the years, GOPIO has organised conferences and have addressed issues like human rights abuse and economic empowerment among Indians around the world. I am not sure of GOPIO’s impact on Indians but this global organisation has certainly brought awareness to issues affecting Indians.

GOPIO aside, ethno-global Indian identity has in recent times assumed unique characteristics. Indian identity in Guyana, for example, has taken syncretic forms such as Indian-American as it adapts to the changing realties mainly due to economic, political and social challenges exacerbated by local, national, regional and global trends.

I believe that ethno-global Indian identity is made up of individuals whose histories have been interrupted, if not affected, by forces beyond their control. These individuals are marginally integrated in and outside of their homeland. There is amongst them an uncanny sort of cultural confusion. Many cannot return to a normal life without realising that they have been shaped by foreign ideas, realising that their feeling have been neither here nor there, or realising that they have been so much of the same but yet so different.

Their identity is claimed either from a position of marginality or in an attempt to regain the lost centre of gravity. These Indians when asked who are you, the individual reply generally is “I am simply an Indian.” These Indians, I argue, are realistically lost souls with a wondering and wandering identity. (send comments to: lomarsh.roopnarine@jsums.edu)

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Region 2 economy slow, residents need to become self-sufficient – President

Convicted robber nabbed with firearm, ammo P T

wenty-five-year-old Eon Ward of Central Amelia’s Ward, Linden, who was recently sentenced in absentia to five years’ imprisonment for armed robbery and the unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition, was on Monday arrested by Police ranks at his home.

Commonly known as “Killa”, Ward will now face an additional charge since the Police unearthed an unlicensed 9mm Ruger SemiAutomatic Pistol with seven matching rounds of ammunition. Once the charge is read to him, he will be taken to prison to commence his five-year sentence.

“Killa” was charged on October 19, 2011 for three counts of armed robbery.

Police in 2011 stated that

Convicted robber Eon Ward

he relieved Carlos Brown of two cell phones on October 14, 2011 at Co-op Crescent, Mackenzie while being armed with a firearm.

On the said day, he, along with an accomplice, robbed

Richard Alves and Michael Pooran of $1,056,950 in cash. The money belonged to Edward B Beharry Company Ltd. In addition, Police accused Ward of robbing Veronica Fonttanelle of close to $500,000 in cash and a quantity of cheques, property of Utility Services Coop Society Limited. This occurred in June of 2011.

Ward was apprehended

by Police after a high-speed chase through the streets of Mackenzie. After making several court appearances, he was released on bail during the trial, and was a noshow for the ruling. He was sentenced in his absence and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He had been in hiding until his arrest on Monday.

Gangaram murder

Teenager arrested, new information surfaces

E

ven as Police continue to hold one man in connection with the Gangaram, East Canje, shooting last week, another suspect was on Monday taken into custody.

According to a police source, a teenager is now being questioning because he may have vital information.

Last Thursday the bullet riddled body of Ramnarine Itwaru called ‘Bill’, 38, a cattle farmer of Gangaram Settlement, was found on a dam in Canefield at Speculation.

The teenager arrested is also from Speculation.

It is believed that the man was executed over a land dispute. Police had earlier arrested Ramadolar Shamdundar also called ‘Arnold’ of Gangaram. He remains in custody and is the prime suspect in the murder of Itwaru.

Meanwhile, the dead man’s wife Kunti Hemraj also called ‘Rosie’ says she is now living in fear following her husband’s death.

She believes the police have the man who is responsible for her husband’s death but is fearful of being harmed by his relatives.

The woman explained

that some of her husband’s cows were stolen some time back and Itwaru had accused the man, who is now in custody.

As investigations continue, the Major Crime Unity have taken the suspect to Georgetown as they try to piece together the events leading up to the fatal shooting.

It is expected that the teenager will provide information for further questioning of Shamdundar.

The slain cattle farmer was laid to rest over the weekend. He leaves to mourn a wife and an 11-year-old son.

Police question PGS guards following foiled robbery

D

etectives are now questioning the three guards injured during a shootout with a group of armed men at Demerara Bank, Camp Street and South Road, Georgetown, that occurred on Sunday evening.

Police are of the belief that the robbery was staged and that someone might have alerted the gunmen of the late night deposit. A source close to the investigations revealed that they are looking at every possible lead in the case that already has a lot of loopholes.

He noted that based on statements gathered, the three guards could not identify any of the people but claimed that after coming under attack, they adopted tactical positions and returned fire, thus foiling the robbery.

Despite this, one of them identified as Micheal De Clou was shot to his thigh while a bullet grazed that arm of the female rank and

the other male rank was shot to the foot.

However, while no arrests were made, the Police have recovered the car used by the suspects at D’Urban Backlands, which was riddled with bullet holes.

In addition, several spent shells were found inside of the vehicle. However, a quantity of spent shells and five live rounds of.38 ammunition were collected at the scene.

It was reported that the guards collected a deposit from the Royal Castle restaurant on Sheriff Street and were heading to Demerara Bank when it was realised that they were being trailed

by a car. Nevertheless, they drove to Camp Street and again saw the vehicle behind them.

Instead of driving off the scene, they armed themselves and opened the door of the armored vehicle. As they exited one of the guards reportedly discharged a round with the intension of scaring off the people in the car but they were greeting with a hail of bullets.

None of the guards could give the Police a description of the vehicle, claiming that their priority was to report the matter.

The Police are continuing investigations into the robbery.

resident David Granger has said that the slothfulness of the Region Two economy is not an issue to be addressed by his Government alone but rather, it will take a collective effort from everyone in the Pomeroon-Supenaam Region.

The Head of State was at the time addressing residents during the commissioning of a spanking new 16-seater school bus in the Tapakuma community.

Alluding to the state of the region’s economy, the President said that residents living in the area need to make themselves more self-sufficient, rather than depending on government for everything. While he acknowledged that Region Two is the ‘Rice Bowl’ for Guyana, he encouraged the

region’s farmers to add value to the rice crop through agro-processing. This he said can also be applied to other crops to jump start the economy.

“You need to do your budget at home, how you eat, how you spend, how you live, depend on the state of the economy; you need to participate towards the progress of the economy; if the economy strive then everyone will strive.”

Granger further encouraged the residents to establish cottage industries and to become entrepreneurs to earn a higher income, as opposed to depending on government for jobs.

He also called on parents to educate their children so that they can be better empowered in the future.

“You have pineapple ga-

lore here, canned the pineapple, export the fruits, make fruit juices and sell, there are fishes in the river, catch them and dry it, every single thing, be it fruits or vegetables, there is a market for it, don’t sit on your hands” the President urged.

He also encouraged young entrepreneurs to tap into available markets.

These comment came on the heels of vendors’ complaints about the struggling economy.

Many of the region’s residents bemoaned the state of the economy due to the downturn in the rice industry. This, they explained, has caused a ripple effect since the main economic activity for Region Two is rice and currently rice farmers are receiving low prices.

12 NEWS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Pensioner found murdered Salvager to remove “Dragga” in WCD home from Mazaruni River

T

T

he lifeless body of a 65-year-old woman was on Monday found with multiple stab wounds in her Cornelia Ida, Squatting Area, West Coast Demerara home.

The dead woman has been identified as Bibi Keneiz.

Police D Division Commander, Leslie James, when contacted told Guyana Times that the woman’s body was found just after midday and that based on information received during initial investigations, the Police are hunting a male suspect. He was reportedly seen in the area prior to the discovery.

Guyana Times understands that the woman was stabbed in her abdomen and from all indications her small wood house was ransacked, leading to the belief that the murder might have stemmed from robbery.

The Police are continuing their investigations.

Despite crime appearing to be spiralling out of control, acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine disclosed that during the comparative period of January 1 to September 23, serious crimes have declined by 19 per cent.

This, he noted, was as a result of an 11 per cent decrease in murder, that is, 99 cases so far this year compared to 111 last year same period.

As it relates to robberies, the acting Top Cop disclosed that robbery with firearms saw a 10 per cent decrease with 528 cases this year against 584 last year; there was a 19 per cent reduction in robberies in which other instruments were used with 225 cases as against 277 last year; and robbery with violence recorded a 20 per cent decrease with 76 cases against 97 last year.

Teenager caught, remanded for armed robbery

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19-year-old Berbician was on Monday remanded by Magistrate Alex Moore when he appeared to answer to the charge of armed robbery.

Mark Griffith, of Number Two Village, East Canje, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), was not required to plead to the indictable charge.

It is alleged that the accused, while in the company of others and armed with a dangerous weapon, that is to say a gun, entered the home of Navendra Singh, also called

“Suresh”, situated at Lot 74 Bristol Street, Cumberland Village on September 20 and robbed him. Singh was relieved of one laptop computer valued $110,000; one Samsung Galaxy cellular phone valued $60,000; one gold ring valued $40,000; an electronic tablet valued $20,000 and two gold chains valued $230,000.

Police Prosecutor Inspector Godfrey Playter told the court that the suspect was arrested on September 29, after Police Officers found him with two cellular phones.

Singh later identified the

Samsung Galaxy phone as being his own. Playter objected to bail on the grounds that the offence was a serious one and a gun, which has not yet been located, was used. The defendant, the Prosecutor added, might commit similar offences if he was allowed bail.

Magistrate Moore upheld the prosecution’s bail objection and signed an order for the teenager to be remanded. Singh was further ordered to return to court on October 21 when the Police will be expected to present a progress report.

he Maritime Administration (MARAD) of the Public Infrastructure Ministry has engaged the services of a professional salvager to remove the dredge (“Dragga”) in the Mazaruni River. The wreckage has been there since June.

Acting Harbour Master Michael Tallent visited the location on Saturday. He was accompanied by professional salvager, Captain Leroy Benjamin, who is expected to provide an assessment report by the middle of this week.

Crown Mining Company, of North Road, Georgetown, which owns the grounded “Dragga” had made attempts to remove the sunken equipment.

According to Director of the company, Mahendra Persaud, initial efforts were futile owing to the depth of the water at the time of the incident.

“When we arrived, the water was about eight feet higher than it is now and we started immediately from the front to seal the compartments. Out of the 34 compartments, we managed to seal 27; the (remain-

The damaged Crown Mining “Dragga” in the Mazaruni River

ing) seven are below the water. The speed of the water is about 30 miles per hour and at eight feet high, you can’t stand there,” Persaud told the Government Information Agency (GINA). He said the company would continue with its efforts.

However, acting Harbour Master Tallent told GINA much more needed to be done.

“I think the owner of the “Dragga” is making some efforts as we can see. I think his efforts are not enough to clear the channel; that is why we at the Maritime Administration Department will remove the “Dragga”

earliest,” Tallent said.

Benjamin is expected to present his findings and recommendations to MARAD. Works should commence thereafter. There are reports that boats cannot pass due to where the wreckage is located.

The “Dragga” was being relocated from the Mazaruni mining district to the Essequibo, when it ran aground in June of this year.

A “Dragga” is a mining apparatus similar to a floating building on which is mounted hydraulic and other equipment for extracting gold and diamonds from a river’s bed.

UG students charged for obstructing justice

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wo civil engineering students of the University of Guyana were on Monday before the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court charged for obstructing justice.

David Haraknarine, 20, of Lot 30 Line Path, Berbice

and Savanand Jagnarine, 24, of Fourth Street, Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown appeared before Magistrate Zamina Seepaul-Ally.

Both men pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on September 30 and October 3, 2016, they

obstructed the course of justice.

The facts of the matter were not presented in court; however, both men were granted $30,000 bail each.

They are scheduled to reappear before the court on November 3.

NEWS

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

6-month maternity leave will be costly Jialing kicks off for employers – former PSC Chairman early Christmas promotion F ormer Private Sector Commission (PSC) Chairman Ramesh Dookhoo on Monday stated that while the Government’s proposal for six months of maternity leave was commendable, it would put a strain on the Private Sector.

Dookhoo said although the proposal was “nice sounding” and creditable on the Government’s end, it would cost both parties money.

“I’m already hearing murmurs from the Private Sector that it will be costly for them,” he sa id.

Recently, the Social Protection Ministry, along with the Public Health Ministry, announced a proposed six months’ maternity leave for mothers, and two weeks’ paternity leave for fathers.

Currently, the mandate for three months of maternity leave contradicts the World Health Organisation (WHO) call for mothers to breastfeed their babies for six months.

The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) has highlighted the need to support women in balancing work and family, especially when it comes to breastfeeding their babies. Public

Former Private Sector Commission Chairman Ramesh Dookhoo

health recommendations are based on research that established health benefits from breastfeeding, ranging from reduced infections and improved IQ in babies, to lower risk of breast and ovarian cancer in mothers.

PAHO added that promoting breastfeeding in the workplace increases benefits for employers, including superior employee loyalty to companies as a result of gratitude and satisfaction, and reduced absenteeism because breastfeeding employees’ babies get sick less often and less severely.

Thus, PAHO recommended that employers implement policies, including paid maternity leave, paid breaks for breastfeeding, a dedicated room for breastfeeding in the workplace that is private and hygienic, and flexible or reduced working hours for breastfeeding mothers.

WHO had further advised that Governments implement the maternity protection legislation and related measures consistent with the International Labour Organisation’s 2000 Maternity Protection

Convention, which calls for at least 14 weeks of paid maternity leave for new mothers, as well as breastfeeding breaks and facilities in the workplace.

Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence has indicated that the Ministry hoped to have the proposal brought before Parliament in 2017.

Alluding to the financial implications of this move, Dookhoo added, “Cost is a big thing for the Private Sector if someone is off of their job for six months, then you would have to have someone to replace them and that means you would be paying two salaries, but it is good.”

Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton, has long bemoaned the fact that mothers were currently only able to breastfeed for three months. He pointed out that if the health sector would recommend six months’ exclusive breastfeeding, there should be discussions about mothers being granted six months’ leave.

The Public Health Minister stated that while this might burden employers; in the long run, it would be worth it.

Co-ops to be resuscitated dited and a cooperation existing between the league and each cooperative because we need to understand that we have obligations to the league, we need to understand that we have obligations to the members,” Minister Scott said.

Some members of cooperatives present at the meeting

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he Social Protection Ministry’s Labour Department is working to resuscitate cooperatives across Guyana. This announcement was made by Minister within the Social Protection Ministry with responsibility for Labour, Keith Scott, who said there are plans to have youths involved in the process.

On Monday, Scott met with members from the cooperative societies in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) at the Toevlugt/Patentia Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC). The meeting was held at Good Intent Village.

Scott said the Ministry planned to visit all the cooperative societies to assist them in restructuring their systems and those that are able to manage themselves properly would be assisted further. He said for those that are corrupted, interim management councils

would be set up to ensure systems fall in line.

According to Scott, the Ministry plans to bring on stream thrift societies and a children credit union.

The Minister plans to have another meeting with members of the cooperative societies of Region Three since one meeting was not enough to cover all the issues of the Region.

Earlier in the year, Scott had said his Ministry was working on crafting a policy to boost the cooperative society movement.

There are currently over 1000 functioning cooperatives in Guyana, all of which are currently being audited. “What we need to have in place is total accountability: auditing accounts that must be au-

Prizes to be won in the Jialing “Let’s Celebrate Christmas”

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utomobile Power Products (Jialing) on Monday ushered in an early Christmas season with its Let’s Celebrate Christmas Promotion.

The promotion started on Monday and would run until December 17, 2016, when the last coupon has been filled. As a standard to give back to its customers, Jialing will be giving away a JL110-3 Trip motorcycle, a Honda brush cutter and one year’s worth of free motorcycle gas, along with a food hamper.

Marketing Manager Romel Richmond stated that once their customers spend more than $5000, they would be eligible to enter the promotion. He stated that the grand drawing for the prizes will take place on December 19, 2016 at the Jialing building at Oronoque and Charlotte Streets.

However, customers will be able to benefit from instore bargains and discounts on selected models. “We like to give back to our customers and so we are starting it early,” he said.

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guyana-times.com

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016

Regional

Colombia’s peace deal in limbo Brazil’s new parties fail to capitalize on after shock referendum anti-corruption mood C B o l o m b i a ’ s Government and Marxist guerrillas scrambled on Monday to revive a plan to end their 52year war after voters rejected the hard-negotiated deal as too lenient on the rebels in a shock referendum result that plunged the nation into uncertainty.

Any renegotiated peace accord now seems to depend on whether the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) could accept some tougher sanctions against them.

“No” voters, who narrowly won Sunday’s plebiscite, want assurances the rebels will hand in cash from drugs, spend time in jail, and earn their political future at the ballot box rather than get guaranteed unelected seats in Congress.

Both President Juan Manuel Santos and Rodrigo Londono, the top FARC commander better known by his nom de guerre Timochenko, put a brave face on the referendum setback after their teams had negotiated for four years in Havana.

They vowed to maintain a ceasefire and keep working together, even though that could now be another lengthy and complicated process. “I will keep seeking peace until the last minute of my term,” said Santos, who leaves office in mid2018.

In a statement, the FARC said it would “remain faithful” to the accord signed last week with the Government and called on Colombians to mobilise peacefully to support terms of the existing agreement.

Supporters of ‘No’ vote celebrate after the nation voted ‘No’ in a referendum on a peace deal between the Government and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels in Bogota, Colombia, October 2, 2016

Latin America’s longest conflict has killed 220,000 people, displaced millions and brought atrocities on all sides.

Santos, whose political image has taken a beating with the result, planned to meet all political parties on Monday. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Duprey back for Clico talks C L Financial majority shareholder and former Chairman, Lawrence Duprey is back in Trinidad and Tobago on personal business, his first visit back in several years, the T&T Guardian has been told.

Duprey, who has been living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for the past seven-plus years, arrived last Thursday just before the Budget, a spokesman confirmed.

The spokesman said he came on personal business, including to meet with lawyers – though they said he isn’t filing legal action against anyone. He will be meeting shareholders before he returns overseas.

The T&T Guardian understands that top CL

Former CL Chairman Lawrence Duprey

Financial group members held a meeting with him last Friday – prior to the Budget delivery – and he also subsequently met senior representatives of some CL companies.

Some quarters have speculated that Duprey would not have come to T&T unless needed in positive efforts to

resolve the Clico/CLF issue, and possible discussion concerning the Golden Grove Estate Clico owns in Tobago, where Government is pushing forward with the planned Sandals hotel development.

Duprey didn’t respond to email query on whether he had come to discuss, with colleagues or Government, the

Clico/CLF issue or the hotel development on Clico’s 600 Golden Grove estate. That is owned by Clico subsidiaries Occidental Investments Ltd (OIL) and Oceanic Properties Ltd (OPL). The estate is earmarked for development of the Sandals resort with which Government is forging ahead, following an August meeting where Clico and CLF representatives – including Duprey’s representatives – met with Finance Minister Colm Imbert and agreed in principle to the hotel development on the Clico estate. This will be as part of their moves to repay the $20 billion debt Clico owes Government for bailout following the 2009 collapse of the former insurance giant.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Powerful Hurricane Matthew threatens Haiti and Jamaica

Bad weather from the storm has already arrived in parts of Jamaica

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ne of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes in recent years is expected to cause flooding and landslides when it passes by Jamaica and Haiti.

The fast-approaching Matthew, a Category Four storm, could bring up to 40

inches (102cm) of rain.

Heavy rain and winds have already hit parts of Jamaica, with floodwaters blocking roads in the capital Kingston.

Haiti could be more seriously affected when the hurricane passes over the coun-

try’s south-west later on Monday.

Haitian authorities have urged people to stock up on food and water and secure their homes. Thousands are still living in tents following a huge earthquake in 2010.

The Mayor of Haiti’s largest slum in the capital Portau-Prince, Frederic Hislain, has urged the Government to evacuate some 150,000 people whose homes are threatened.

Matthew is later expected to reach eastern Cuba, where a hurricane alert is in place for six eastern provinces and residents are being moved from low-lying areas.

As it is moving slowly north over the Caribbean, the storm’s maximum sustained winds are reaching 140mph (220km/h), the US National Hurricane Centre (USNHC) said on Monday.

Its centre is expected to pass to the east of Jamaica and make landfall to the south-western tip of Haiti later in the day before reaching eastern Cuba, the USNHC said.

Southern areas of Haiti, including Jeremie and Les Cayes, are expected to see the worst of the heavy rain and treacherous winds.

“Wherever that centre passes close to would see the worst winds and that’s what’s projected to happen for the western tip of Haiti,” US hurricane specialist John Cangilosi said.

“There is a big concern for rains there and also a big concern for [a] storm surge.”

The storm is expected to pass east of Florida through the Bahamas, although it is too soon to say whether it will hit the US coast. (Excerpt from BBC News)

razil’s municipal elections showed that new parties have failed to capitalise on voters’ disenchantment with a corruption-tainted political establishment, making it unlikely an outsider will win the 2018 presidential poll.

The political movements nurtured by the anti-corruption street protests of 2013 and 2015, despite a massive presence on social media, won just a handful of mayoral posts and local council seats in Sunday’s nationwide polls.

In the first elections since President Dilma Rousseff was dismissed in August for breaking budget rules, her leftist Workers Party lost nearly two-thirds of the cities it controlled, amid a backlash at a massive graft scandal at State oil company Petrobras.

Yet more than 4000 of Brazil’s 5568 municipalities will remain in the hands of traditional parties aligned with new centre-right President Michel Temer,

whose Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) has also been embroiled in the Petrobras investigation.

“We felt like the 300 of Sparta, fighting against the system,” said Felipe Camozzato, one of four winning candidates of the New Party, referring to the ancient Greeks’ heroic defeat by a far larger Persian force at the battle of Thermopylae.

“We didn’t expect to promote change in four years.

It’s a project for 20, 30, 50 years,” said Camozzato, whose party is one of the most popular on Brazilian social media with over 1.2 million Facebook followers.

While new movements have generated an online buzz with pledges to clean up politics, the political machines of Brazil’s established parties quietly capitalised on stricter financing rules and a shorter campaign to retain strongholds in smaller towns, a breeding ground for legislative candidates. (Excerpt from Reuters)

LIAT Pilots under investigation

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he Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCA) says it is investigating a matter involving two senior LIAT pilots. The two are accused of operating an aircraft in contravention of their licence agreement, which places a barrier on the age of a pilot and a co-pilot in a single cockpit.

ECCA says it cannot comment on the status of the investigation because of its sensitive nature. Chairman of the Leeward Islands Airline Pilots Association (LIALPA),

Carl Burke says since both men are members of the Association he would only comment after the probe ends.

Last week, the two pilots one over the age of 60 and the other over 65 were allegedly scheduled to fly the same plane. The pilots’ licence appears to prohibit this.

If found culpable, the men who are senior both in age and rank could face dismissal. LIAT’s acting CEO Julie Reifer-Jones could not be reached for comment. (Antigua Observer)

El Salvador Judge reopens El Mozote massacre investigation

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Judge in El Salvador has reopened an investigation into the 1981 El Mozote massacre – considered one of the worst atrocities in the civil war.

The Judge accepted a request put forward by three human rights groups to reopen the case based on a Supreme Court ruling in July.

The ruling overturned an amnesty for those who committed war crimes during the 1980 to 1992 conflict.

Some 75,000 people died in the civil war, with many of the victims children.

The July Supreme Court ruling declared the amnesty law, which was approved in 1993, unconstitutional.

Relatives of 11 victims of the 1981 El Mozote massacre are handed the exhumed remains of their loved ones

at the Supreme Court of Justice in May. The court order opened a way for human rights violations by the military and rebels during the civil war to be prosecuted. Rights group said it meant the country could finally deal with its tragic past.

The killings in and around El Mozote – some 200km (120 miles) from the capital, San Salvador – were part of a “systematic plan of repression” by the military during the civil war.

Between December 11 and 13, 1981, soldiers from a now-banned battalion, the Atlacatl, shot dead residents of El Mozote suspected of sympathising with left-wing rebels.

Nearly half of the victims were children. (Excerpt from BBC News)

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016

guyana-times.com

15

Around the World

Unrest US suspends talks with Ethiopia: continues a day after Russia on Syria ceasefire deadly stampede D T he United States on Monday suspended talks with Russia on trying to end the violence in Syria and accused Moscow of not living up to its commitments under a ceasefire agreement.

The announcement came as the Syrian Government supported by Iranian-backed militias and Russian air power pounded the rebel-held area of Aleppo, bombing one of the city’s main hospitals and badly damaging water supplies.

“The United States is suspending its participation in bilateral channels with Russia that were established to sustain the cessation of hostilities,” US State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. “This is not a decision that was taken lightly.” The confirmation that the US-Russian talks on Syria have collapsed suggests that there is little hope, if any, of a diplomatic solution to end the 5-1/2-year-old civil war emerging anytime soon.

A man inspects damage near a hole in the ground after airstrikes on the rebel held al-Ansari neighbourhood of Aleppo, Syria on October 2, 2016

It could also trigger deeper US consideration of military options such as providing more sophisticated arms, logistical support, and training to Syrian rebel groups that US officials have said were under consideration, either directly or via Gulf Arab states or Turkey. However, US President Barack Obama has been loath to get the United States more deeply involved in a third war in the Islamic world and US officials

have said he is unlikely to do so with less than four months left in office. US Secretary of State John Kerry threatened last week to end the talks after a ceasefire he and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, brokered collapsed last month after warplanes believed to belong to Russia bombed a UN aid convoy.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday suspended a treaty with Washington on cleaning

up weapons-grade plutonium, signalling he is willing to use nuclear disarmament as a new bargaining chip in disputes with the United States over Ukraine and Syria.

Starting in the last years of the Cold War, Russia and the United States signed a series of accords to reduce the size of their nuclear arsenals, agreements that have so far survived intact despite a souring of US-Russian relations under Putin. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Paris Police hunt armed attackers who targeted Kim

Kim Kardashian West’s publicist said the star was “badly shaken but physically unharmed”

K

im Kardashian West has arrived back in New York as the hunt continues for armed robbers dressed as Police Officers who targeted the

American reality TV star in a Paris apartment.

The gang held a gun to Kardashian West’s head during the early morning robbery, before tying her up

and locking her in the bathroom.

They then escaped with an estimated US$11.2 million in jewellery.

Her publicist said the star was “badly shaken but physically unharmed”.

The mother-of-two, who became a household name thanks to the reality series “Keeping Up With The Kardashians”, left France hours later, flying to New York in a private jet.

She was pictured with her mother Kris Jenner – who had been at the Givenchy show with Kardashian West on Sunday in Paris – and husband, the rapper Kanye West, outside their home in the city hours later.

Paris police are continuing to search for the gang

of five, two of whom forced their way into Kardashian West’s luxury apartment about 02:30h on Monday.

“What happened is very unfortunate and those responsible must be severely punished,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told TV5 Monde. “We are fully mobilised to ensure the safety of the French people, as well as all those who visit France, and in particular tourists.”

A Police source told the BBC the attack was carried out by five men, wearing Police-style jackets, who forced the building’s overnight security guard to show them where Kardashian West was staying. (Excerpt from BBC News)

4 cities in China move to restrict property purchases

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our Chinese cities have announced new restrictions on property purchases as the Government tries to cool soaring home prices stoked by property speculators in second- and third-tier cities across the country.

The measures in Chengdu, Jinan, Wuhan and Zhengzhou were the latest in a string of steps to tighten credit flowing into the property sector as the Government tries to balance the need to prevent bubbles while stimulating economic growth.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, meanwhile, has investigated and punished 45 property developers and intermediaries for encouraging speculation

via false advertising, the spreading of rumours and breaking presale rules, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

A spate of credit tightening measures over the past two weeks “shows that China’s top level may have reached consensus that the concerns about overheating in property market may have overshadowed the concerns about the economic slowdown”, OCBC said in a research note on Monday.

“The shift of policy tone also shows that China is unlikely to stimulate the economy further aggressively.

This may not bode well for market sentiment in the longer run,” it said.

Many mid-tier Chinese cities have become targets of property speculators look-

emonstrators have clashed with Police in central Ethiopia a day after a deadly stampede at a religious festival that started when police fired tear gas and warning shots.

Protesters blocked roads in several towns in the Oromia region on Monday as the Ethiopian Government declared three days of mourning to ease tensions in the region after at least 52 people were killed in Sunday’s chaos.

Witnesses said many people were crushed and others fell into ditches as they tried desperately to escape the Police. Shoes and clothing littered the scene of the disaster as a small group of angry residents dug for bodies in a deep ditch.

“We’re digging because people are buried inside

the ditch. Fifty-two dead is a lie,” Dagafa Dame, one of the diggers, told AFP news agency.

Oromo activists called for “five days of rage” after the stampede.

Clashes between security forces and protesters continued on Monday morning in Bishoftu and Ambo, an Ethiopian Government official and witnesses told The Associated Press.

“Some people tried to come out en masse this morning to protest the deaths of holiday-goers on Sunday and also demand the release of people arrested during the celebrations,” said Nimona Negash, a tuk-tuk driver in Bishoftu, where the disaster occurred.

“Today’s protesters were peaceful but dispersed by Police violently.” (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Exchange of fire continues on Pakistan-India border

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akistani and Indian troops exchanged fresh fire across the de facto Kashmir border, Pakistan’s military said, following an overnight attack on an Indian army camp in which one soldier was killed.

No casualties were reported in the latest skirmish on Monday, which came five days after India said its troops had crossed the border to carry out “surgical strikes” across the Line of Control (LoC) that separates the disputed territory – a claim Pakistan has flatly denied.

“Indian troops yet again resorted to unprovoked firing after midnight at the Line of Control in Iftikharabad sector and Pakistani troops befittingly responded,” Pakistan’s military said in a statement, adding the exchange ended in the morning.

It said troops also responded to unprovoked Indian firing in Nezapir and

Kailer sectors.

The latest exchange came after attackers fired on an army camp in the Indian Kashmir town of Baramulla late on Sunday. Senior local Police official Imtiyaz Hussain Mir told media between two and four attackers were involved.

Indian Kashmir Police Chief Danish Raja said up to five people were wounded at two other places along the LoC. “There was a ceasefire violation in Sawjian and Shahpur in Poonch sector. Five people have been injured ... The firing has stopped.”

The spike in tensions between the two nuclear-armed rivals follows weeks of deadly protests in Kashmir.

More than 80 civilians have been killed, mostly in clashes with forces during protests against Indian rule, in the worst violence in the region since 2010. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Italian Coast Guard in mass migrant rescue

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Models of residential buildings are seen at a sales centre in Zhengzhou, Henan province, China, September 23, 2016

ing for the next big thing beyond China’s major cities.

Other cities such as Tianjin, Hefei and Suzhou have also recently rolled out countermeasures to limit purchases as home prices jump.

The average new home price in 70 major cities climbed an annual 9.2 per cent in August, up from 7.9 percent in July, according to data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics. (Excerpt from Reuters)

he Italian coastguard has coordinated the rescue of more than 5600 migrants, in one of the biggest operations in a single day.

The migrants had set off from the Libyan coast in nearly 40 boats.

One migrant is reported to have died and several others were airlifted for medical treatment.

According to the International Organisation for Migration, some 132,000 migrants have arrived in Italy this year.

Nearly 200 minors were saved from one of the boats, which was crammed with some 720 people.

Most of the children were unaccompanied.

The rescue comes exactly three years after 366 migrants died when an overcrowded boat sank off the Italian coast.

The scale of that disaster brought attention to the plight of migrants making dangerous journeys at the mercy of smugglers. (BBC News)

16 NEWS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Rose Hall Estate workers strike

One of the workers' representatives, Mark Faraia

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ugar workers at the Rose Hall Estate on Monday intensified their strike with a protest outside the estate at East Canje, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne), calling for the removal of the manager.

The workers carried placards with their disapproval of Yudi Persaud as the estate manager. “Yudi Persaud must go, we want a better manager, the workers have representatives,” they shouted as they periodically blocked traffic during the busy morning hour.

While the workers were demonstrating, their union the Guyana Agriculture and General Workers Union (GAWU) was invited to meet with management at 13:00h.

During the high-level meeting, GuySuCo agreed to give the workers their obstacle payment which they were demanding.

On Wednesday, almost 1000 workers walked off the joy, protesting management’s unilateral decision to alter the arrangements in obstacle payments, and their refusal to meet with the workers’ representa-

Scores of workers took to the picketline on Monday

tives.

Initially, the estate’s management was only willing to pay the money if the workers would have completed their allotment of work for the day.

The workers, in turn, were arguing that they could not complete what they are being asked because of the conditions under which they have to work.

While on the picketline on Monday, one of the worker’s representatives, Mark Faraia explained that all of the workers are aware that the corporation is in

a crisis: “If you are talking about reducing cost, I think that the management, the CEO, the Board and the executives should consider a pay cut; that is what big companies do, that is what smart people do. Why not give up some of the benefits that they enjoy, then they would earn themselves the

moral authority or permission to come and take anything from us… This manager is incompetent. If the government want to close this estate, don’t let them use the workers as a stepping stone to close the estate.”

Workers are expected to recommence harvesting

today, however grinding is not expected to recommence till Wednesday.

As a consequence of the six-day strike action, 660 punts of cane which had been harvested, loaded and transported to the factory, were discarded because the factory had not been grinding since Wednesday.

Incinerators for Region 1 hospitals Police Stations to be modernised

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ncinerators for the proper disposal of medical waste are to be constructed at Mabaruma and Pakera District Hospitals in Region One (Barima/Waini).

Construction should be completed by yearend and will lead to better management of solid waste in the health sector.

Regional Health Officer, Region One, Dr Ceredel McWatt said that they are working with regional engineers at the level of the Ministry of Public Health in order to ensure a competent contractor is engaged to construct the incinerators. The total cost of the construction of the two incinerators is $26 million, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

Meanwhile, Waste Management Consultant, Rufus Lewis, while making a presentation on proper medical waste management at a recent meeting for Regional Health Officers, pointed out that the proper management of solid waste starts with the separation of the different types of medical waste.

“Onsite waste should be segregated from infectious waste as well as non-infectious waste. In other words, in each ward we should have at least three containers, one for infectious waste, one for the sharps and other non-infectious waste,” he explained.

A number of challenges were identified, which may be inhibiting factors to the efficient practice of medical waste management. Some

with victims in mind

Regional Health Officer, Region One, Dr Ceredel Mc Watt

Solid Waste Management Consultant Rufus Lewis

One of the stations earmarked for remodeling

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of these are: no appropriate bins and bags for proper disposal of the different types of waste; minimal safety and health programmes; poor sanitation of healthcare facility and its environment; and no biodecontamination facilities which would remove bacteria, chemical and radioactive materials from employees’ bodies and clothing before leaving the health treatment environment.

Lewis urged Regional Health Officials to educate

staff on proper waste disposal and to also ensure that the practices are followed through.

The advantages of proper medical waste disposal include the creation of a healthy atmosphere that is free from microbes, thus minimising the risk of infection to staff, visitors and other people, cutting off unpleasant sights and bad odours, and also the reduction of harmful insects.

ighteen police stations across the country will be rehabilitated under the second component of the Citizen Security Strengthening Programme. This component seeks to improve the effectiveness of the Guyana Police Force and the Forensic Laboratory in preventing crimes and conducting crime investigations.

Initially, 12 stations would be remodeled to include: A department for domestic violence cases and domestic violence case room with the provision of accommodation for children, witness protec-

tion room, an automated case management room, area for management of the public and a listening room.

The CSSP is in the process of hiring a consultant to begin designs for the first 12 selected stations. The first 12 stations identified for rehabilitation are: Region 6-Mibicuri Police Station, Region 4-Cane Grove Police Station, Region 3-La Grange Police Station, Region 10- Mc Kenzie and Kwakwani Police Stations, Region 7 - Enachu Police Station and Isanno Police Station, Region 9-Aishalton Police Station and Annai Police

Station, Region 2- Suddie Police Station and Aurora Police Station and Region 1Mabaruma Police Station.

According to a Government Information Agency release, the stations selected were based on recommendations made by the Guyana Police Force to the Project Manager of the CSSP, Clement Henry. Henry said that these stations were considered the most in need.

Component Two is being funded by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) at a cost of $US5.5M. The CSSP is a five year programme.

NEWS

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Narco trafficking

Rohee says Govt is “the father of all excuses” …as President vows to topple “mother of all crimes”

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resident David Granger’s recent pronouncement that his Government intends to legally dent the narco trade in Guyana, is being described

by General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and former Security Minister, Clement Rohee as rhetoric.

President Granger during the recording of his weekly telecast - The Public Interest - said that drug trafficking is a key antecedent of crime and he pledged to bring it to an end.

Guyana is regarded as a key trans-shipment point for drugs and according to the President this is helping to fuel the country’s spiralling crime situation. While acknowledging that it is not the only factor for crime, the president said that once illegal drug continues to enter Guyana, it would be very difficult to control crime.

The president, while dismissing the notion that his government did very little during its 16 months in office, Granger said that it is unfair to look at just the last 16 months, adding that “You cannot ignore the fact that this has built up over the last 16 years.”

He went on to highlight that his administration thus far has established the National Anti-Narcotic Agency under Major General (ret’d) Michael Atherly and has been engaging the National Security Committee, which he (the

President David Granger

President) chairs on a more frequent basis.

“We have set up the institutions. The National Drug Strategy is being re-issued.

We are conducting investigations into an aircraft coming into our airspace and taking other measures to make sure that narco-trafficking comes to an end. I personally chair the National Security Committee every week. We won’t take extreme measures but we are definitely going to bring narco-trafficking to an end,” Granger said, adding that the National Security Committee has been examining activities and initiatives for the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU), the anti-narcotics unit of the police, GRA and Customs.

However, the President said that the law enforcement agencies lack the necessary resources to fight the drug trade.

“We do not have the resources. We do not have the aircraft to patrol our borders, we do not have the

PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee

ships to patrol our sea space, we do not have the vehicles to control the land space to bring these crimes to an end but we are working on it. We are trying to help the police be able to get where the crimes occur,” he said.

However, Rohee during a Monday press conference at his PPP Headquarters, Freedom House, Robb Street, Georgetown, said that the President was only making excuses for his administration’s failure to fight crime, pointing to Barry Dataram fleeing the jurisdiction undetected, just before a city magistrate handed down a hefty fine and a jail sentence on him for trafficking in almost 300 pounds of cocaine.

“I have this to say, if drug-trafficking is the mother of all crimes, then Granger’s administration is the father of all excuses,” Rohee declared.

He said President Granger should move from “speculation and hypothetical propositions” about the sources of crime in a Guyana

Sophia Ringroad nears completion

Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson

That section of the contract was awarded to Ivor Alleyne for $62 million. Culverts are completed while placement of crusher run is ongoing.

Further at the B Field to C Field section, works are 85 per cent completed. That contract was awarded to V Dalip Enterprise for $55 million. The culvert and other road works are completed while the final layer is to be completed by the Ministry

Services for $87 million and is 45 per cent completed.

Ferguson explained that the Ministry of Public Infrastructure will continue to bring relief to the residents of Sophia. “You know they were neglected for years and I’m happy the government through the Ministry of Public Infrastructure has taken the initiative. That is one promise we made, that once elected we would bring

Ongoing works at A Field, Sophia

of Public Infrastructure’s Special Projects Unit.

The C Field to D Field section was awarded to Courtney Benn Construction

relief.”

Ferguson urged the residents to take care of the resources they now have and not destroy any.

“If Mr Granger couldn’t stop Dataram from escaping how will he bring an end to Narco-trafficking?” Rohee asked.

He also raised a number of questions regarding how Dataram managed to flee the country: “Who facilitated him with fake documents?

Was a deal cut in exchange for his escape? How come law enforcement knew that he crossed the Corentyne River to Suriname, and that he did not go to Brazil or Venezuela? How did he manage to elude Operation Dragnet? How come he was able to know when and where road blocks were setup and to avoid them?”

Rohee described the es-

cape as “a shame and disgrace.”

He also took the President to task over his declaration that the local law enforcement was illequipped to tackle crime and the drug trade, but is not using his office to procure the necessary equipment of which he spoke.

“While they were in the opposition, they pressed for these items to be procured for law enforcement, however, now that they are in the government there is nothing stopping them from buying these items for law enforcement. Again, all we are hearing are excuses and more excuses from the father of all excuses,” Rohee said.

Less $$ for T&T Prime Minister

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xpenditure for the Office of the President in Trinidad and Tobago has been reduced from TT$24,252,300 in 2016 to TT$17,530,000 in 2017.

This information is contained in the Draft Estimates of Recurrent Expenditure 2017 which was laid in Parliament on Friday, prior to the presentation of the 2016/17 Budget

by Finance Minister Colm Imbert.

Among the areas of expenditure at the Office of President being reduced include, official entertainment (from $2.2 million to $1 million) and official overseas travel ($1 million to $900,000) from 2016 to 2017.

Expenses at the President’s establishment have been reduced from $6.5 million to $5.5 million from 2016 to 2017.

Expenditure for the Office of the President to host conferences and seminars has been cut from $1,780,000 to $500,000. Expenditure for contract employment at the Office of the President

has been reduced from $2,052,000 to $1,400,000.

There has also been a significant reduction in money allocated for the repair and maintenance of buildings which fall under the Office of the President from $1,722,800 to $300,000.

The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) also has a reduction in its expenditure from $236,317,157 in 2016 to $216,413,000. Under this head of expenditure, the cost to chairmen and members of commissions of enquiry (COEs) have been reduced from $3.5 million in 2016 to $2 million in 2017.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, recently described the Las Alturas COE as a waste of taxpayers’ money.

Expenditure at the Gender Affairs Division of the OPM has been reduced from $314,200 to $305,000 from 2016 to 2017.

Official overseas travel for the OPM has been cut from $3.8 million to $1 million, while security services have been reduced slightly from $11.5 million to

$11 million. There is no expenditure for the National Operations Centre (NOC) which operated under the OPM in 2015 while the People’s Partnership (PP) was in office. That expenditure was $120,725,757. The NOC was transferred to the National Security Ministry after the People’s National Movement (PNM) assumed office. Despite the overall cut in expenditure for the OPM, there is an increase in expenditure for nonprofit organisations which fall under its purview from $60,370,738 to $63,360,000 from 2016 to 2017.

No money is allocated for the Divine Echoes Orchestra for either 2016 or 2017. The orchestra was created during the tenure of former Prime Minister, Patrick Manning, who died on July 2. Manning’s son, Brian, has called on Government to bring back the orchestra and create a development fund for housing as ways to honour his father’s legacy.

(T&T Newsday)

Contractor killed over money

A

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elief is rapidly on its way for Sophia residents as the Ringroad project moves towards completion. Minister within the Public Infrastructure Ministry, Annette Ferguson said the works which began in December 2015 are almost completed. She noted that the project will give the residents value for money since it is being done to international standards.

Speaking with the Government Information Agency (GINA), Ferguson said that from A Field to B Field of the Ringroad project is 80 per cent completed.

context and present the statistics and the evidence to justify his assumption.

“He hasn’t done so; yet he is bold enough to make these reckless statements,” Rohee argued.

The former Security Minister said the President, a former Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), is gloating about the establishment of a National Anti-Narcotics Agency; his weekly meetings of the National Security Committee; the establishment of a US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Office here and the relaunch of the National Drug Strategy Masterplan, yet Dataram was able to escape.

small contractor, who also moonlights as a “PH” taxi driver “to make ends meet”, was stabbed to death on Saturday night allegedly by one of his part-time employees over money.

Michael Ali, 31, the father of a two-year-old daughter, of Quarry Village, Siparia, Trinidad died some three hours after the attack while undergoing treatment at the San Fernando General Hospital.

A 42-year-old fruit vendor has since been detained.

The suspect, Police said, was released from jail about three weeks ago.

“Michael didn’t deserve

that,” cried Ali’s grieving uncle-in-law Jaglal Singh.

He described Ali as an honest, hardworking man who always looked out for others.

“With all his (suspect’s) faults, he (Ali) still gave him a chance and carried him to work with him in Princes Town.

“He owed him a little balance (money), because the lady (person who hired Ali) didn’t pay him all the money she suppose to pay him, for him to pay his workers,” Khan told Newsday. He said Ali explained the situation to the suspect asking him to “hold on” as he was going to work “PH” to make up the money to pay him.

However, about 20:00h on Saturday, Khan said the suspect arrived near Ali’s home and began cursing and “carrying on” for his money. Khan said he was forced to intervene. “I cross the road and gave the worker $200 hoping that would have calmed him down, but it didn’t.” Relatives said the man pulled a knife and stabbed Ali in his upper chest.

“Michael was like a son to me, very respectful and someone you could trust. He worked very hard,” Khan said.

Investigations are continuing. (T&T Newsday)

18

guyana-times.com

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016

ARCHIE

Others’ criticism will be unwarranted. Try not to let (March 21- anyone deter you from movApril 19) ing forward with your plans.

Stick up for your ideals and beliefs, and bring about positive change.

ARIES

A willingness to collabTAURUS orate and compromise will (April 20- bring good results. Discuss May 20) what you want and what you are willing to give in return.

Romance will improve your day.

DILBERT

Trust in what you know GEMINI and feel when dealing with (May 21others.

Don’t bow to pressure June 20) to participate in something that goes against your beliefs, just because you want to fit in.

Make a subtle change to CANCER your appearance or how you (June 21- present yourself. Showing July 22) your concern will prompt peers to collaborate with you in order to bring about improvements. Romance is featured.

Look inward when dealLEO ing with domestic matters (July 23- or affairs of the heart. Don’t Aug. 22) make changes without the approval of those affected by your decisions. Be mindful of others.

PEANUTS

Engaging in activities that

VIRGO draw people from different walks (Aug. 23- of life will be enlightening. If disSept. 22) agreements surface, know that

CALVIN AND HOBBES

you are on to something worth pursuing. An unusual partnership looks inviting. .

Stand up for your beliefs.

LIBRA Don’t feel the need to bend (Sept. 23to someone’s demands. Speak Oct. 23) up and do your own thing.

Thoughts should be followed by actions.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

If you share your thoughts SCORPIO (Oct. 24- and feelings, you will be able Nov. 22) to solve issues that have been bothering you. An unusual change at home will help you achieve your goals.

If you share your thoughts SAGITTARIUS and feelings, you will be able (Nov. 23- to solve issues that have been Dec. 21) bothering you. An unusual change at home will help you achieve your goals.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

You’ll leave a lasting imCAPRICORN pression on someone who can (Dec. 22- help you advance. Don’t be Jan. 19) shy; share your ideas and vision. A change to the way you present yourself will pay off.

Don’t harp on emotional AQUARIUS situations you cannot change.

(Jan. 20Put your energy into taking Feb. 19) care of your personal documents and investments.

Knowing where you stand will help you make wise choices.

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 If you express your emo(Feb. 20- tional desires, you will get the March 20) response you are looking for from a loved one. Think outside the box and good things will transpire.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016

19

India claim series & No 1 Test ranking Ravichandran Ashwin

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t the historic Eden Gardens, in front of 12,068 people, India became the No. 1 team in the world with a 178-run victory over New Zealand and captured their fourth series trophy on the trot.

It isn’t groundbreaking for a team to dominate in their own conditions. And granted, the heat and the pitches left New Zealand feeling out of place - picture Mr Bean in an MI6 facility - but when you watch R Ashwin

F

ormer West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo said on Saturday that the current players representing the West Indies against Pakistan is a lost group with many believing that windball cricket is better organised than what they are experiencing with the Caribbean team in Dubai.

“I was there in Dubai and basically the players were lost, the management team was lost, everything just looked like we were school kids again, and the team meetings had no sort of positive inputs or anything like that. It was like we were just there,” an obviously hurt Bravo stated.

Bravo said that while individually the West Indies players were always motivated, the events leading up to the team leaving the Caribbean disturbed

conjuring wickets, or Mohammed Shami demolishing stumps; when you watch M Vijay leaving the ball or Cheteshwar Pujara attacking the spinners; when you watch Virat Kohli raising his game, it is difficult not to wonder whether India have found themselves an XI capable of becoming something special.

New Zealand did the best they could in the absence of their regular captain and best batsman Kane Williamson.

He had finally recovered from a fever to come out of his hotel room and watch the match from the ground.

He would have felt proud of Tom Latham’s polished 74. He would have enjoyed Matt Henry’s bighearted performance. He would have wanted to run out to the field when the ninth wicket fell and do his little bit for his men. But 376 was too big a target in the final innings.

The coin was in love with Kohli, doing as he bid for a sixth time in a row, in Kolkata.

The weather too wanted to be on his good side, giving him the perfect conditions to ambush New Zealand late on the second day.

In Bhuvneshwar Kumar, he also had the ideal weapon to exploit a pitch that offered seam, swing and variable bounce. On the fourth day, when conditions had become better for batting, India remained tenacious. They remained patient. They were a little petulant too, putting the umpire under needless pressure every time

the ball hit pad or beat bat.

India often get on rolls like these. But it isn’t often that they make it last. Someone gives it away. A ball down leg.

A wicket thrown away. This XI, though, may just be learning to shed those bad habits.

Twelve out of the 20 wickets India took in Kolkata went to the seamers.

Admittedly, the pitch suited them better in the early stages, but not often have India made use of that advantage.

On the fourth day, when conventional swing went AWOL along with the uneven pace and bounce, they used what was given to them - scoreboard pressure and reverse swing - brilliantly. This is why India should feel upbeat about their chances.

Their fast bowlers aren’t place-holders for the spinners anymore.

But it is India, it was a spinner who got things going. Ashwin mystifies batsmen with his flight and Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor were the latest scratching their heads all the way to the pavilion. One was lbw because the ball dipped, the other was lbw again because it drifted away and as a result the Kolkata Test claimed the record for the most lbws in a Test in India. The count finished at 15. (ESPNcricinfo)

...says disturbed Dwayne Bravo the entire momentum of the squad.

“The honest truth is that it is very difficult for a bunch of 15 guys to really switch on when they are leaving for a series and the day of the team travelling they find out that their head coach (Phil Simmons) was fired.

Like which organisation in the world would do things like that?

This was a coach that had the support of the entire team and one of the best coaches we have had and he has done so much in a short period. Everyone knows that, and we were making positives,” stated Bravo.

The multi-talented West Indies all-rounder said he was concerned about the impression given to the younger players on the tour. “Without Dwayne Bravo saying anything to the young

players, when those guys get there and realise what is going on, their first statement is that their windball team is better organised,” he added.

Bravo said he remains passionate about the sport but no longer has the desire to play “this type of cricket anymore.”

“While my passion remains for the game and the sport, and I am always motivated when I take the field, what about those young players who I want to see come through. I no longer have that energy, that zeal to play a part in this type of cricket, and while I speak for myself, I echo the views of most of my teammates. Guys no longer have that interest anymore and it is sad to say that at the moment.”

The West Indies were swept in the three-match T20 series and

suffered losses in the two Oneday Internationals played so far.

Bravo said he is concerned about the future of cricket in the region and warned that change has to start at the regional level.

“If change comes at the territorial level with the respective cricket boards, there is a chance for improvement.”

He said that change must start with Trinidad and Tobago. “Time has come for change, the entire Caribbean fans, the people of the region, are all hurting, so we as players as well, feel the hurt, feel very disappointed in the way how cricket is being run in Trinidad and Tobago and by extension in the West Indies. I honestly do not see anything changing if the current administrators remain and they know why they are doing the things to actually try to remain.

At the end of the day, I do not think they have the best interest of cricket, it is all about egos and these kind of things,” remarked Bravo.

Bravo said there were T&T players who believed that the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board do not support them and do not have their interest at heart.

He pointed to himself, Keiron Pollard, Sunil Narine and Lendl Simmons. “It is difficult in those circumstances to encourage these players to want to play in this environment. There is a strong possibility that the people of Trinidad and Tobago may never get the opportunity to witness any of these players come together and represent Trinidad and Tobago again.

That is a sad situation. People need to open their eyes and make changes,” said Bravo. (guardian.co.tt)

20

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016

Young Achievers scorers (L-R) Stephen Jupiter, Marvin Josiah and Lexroy Mansfield

Uitvlugt marksmen (L-R) Scottie Leitch, Leron Jacobs, Keon Duke, Carlisle Corral, Daniel Floyd and Kevin Duke

WDFA/Stag Senior League

Uitvlugt hammer Jetty Gunners 10-0 T

he West Demerara Football Association (WDFA) Stag Senior League continued over the weekend at the Den Amstel Ground, with several teams recording thumping victories.

In what can be considered an onslaught, Uitvlugt hammered Jetty Gunners 10-0, with Leron Jacobs recording a splendid helmet-trick. Jacobs’s strikes came in the 10th, 19th, 38th and 60th. The Duke brothers combined, added three more goals to their tally, as Keon netted in the 12th and 46th while Kevin converted in the 14th. Scottie Leitch, Carlisle Correll and Daniel Floyd added the final touches with goals in the 50th, 61st and 71st respectively.

Another goal fest occurred in the Beavers clash against Pouderoyen which ended 8-1 in favour of the latter. Dwayne St. Kitts led the assault, recording a hat-trick with goals in the 30th, 71st and 73rd. St. Kitts received support from the in-form Quessey

Alleyne in the 12th and 18th while Esan Nelson also helped himself to a double, netting in the 10th and 57th; Morgan Denny was the other scorer in the 59th.

Lenroy Semple was the lone marksman for Beavers.

Young Achievers were also on the winning side, as they coasted to a 4-1 win over Wales by virtue of goals by Marvin Josiah in the 21st and 47th, Lexroy Mansfield 25th and Stephen Jupiter 32nd; Tevin John netted for the losers.

Meanwhile, FC Eagles drew with Golden Warriors 1-1; Chris Macey netted for the 18th for Eagles while Delon Layne scored the equalizer in the 26th.

This Saturday, Beavers will tackle Jetty Gunners from 14:00h then Pouderoyen FC will be action against Stewartville from 14:00h; at the same time on Sunday, Uitvlugt play Vege Boyz then FC Eagles tackle Young Achievers.

Tour of Tobago

Williams, Crawford finish on podium

The top four finishers from left: Arno Van Der Zwet (Netherlands/PSL) who finished third, Norlandy Sanchez (Dominican Republic/Team Foundation) first place, Gerron Williams (Guyana/Team Foundation) second place and Louis Diaz (Venezuela/The Braves) fourth

FINAL RESULTS Division One (60 laps) 1—Norlandy Sanchez (Dom Rep/Team Foundation) 2—Gerron Williams (GUY/Team Foundation) 3—Arno Van Der Zwet (NED/PSL) 4—Louis Diaz (VEN/The Braves) Overall: Arno Van Der Zwet (NED/PSL) Sprint Prime: Marlo Rodman (JAM/PSL) Division Two (20 laps)

1—Jabari Whiteman (T&T/Southclaine) 2—Romello Crawford (GUY/PSL) 3—Tremayne Forde-Catwell (BAR/Swift) Overall: Jabari Whiteman (T&T/Southclaine) Division Three (5 laps) 1—D’Angelo Harris (T&T/Unattached) 2—Tariq Woods (T&T/Team Woods) 3—Dexter Henry (Tobago/Unattached

Pouderoyen scorers (L-R) Quessey Alleyne, Morgan Denny, Dwayne St Kitts and Esan Nelson

West Indies name 13 for England ODIs – Giddings gets maiden call-up

T

he West Indies are set to take on England in five One Day Internationals when the British Women tour the Caribbean and Guyanese star, Erva Giddings receiving her maiden West Indies call up.

The Selection Panel of the West Indies Cricket Board announced on Monday a 13-member West Indies Women’s team for the first three One-day Internationals against England Women.

The series is scheduled to be contested between October 8 and 19 at the Trelawney Multiplex and Sabina Park in Jamaica.

The last three of the ODIs will count towards the ICC Women’s Championship, a multi-year, bilateral competition between the top eight international women’s sides, which will lead to automatic qualification for the top four teams to next year’s ICC Women’s World Cup to be hosted by the England & Wales Cricket Board.

The Windies Women are currently second in the

Erva Giddings

standings on 20 points – 10 behind current ODI World champions Australia Women – and one ahead of England Women.

They are due to complete their schedule of ICC Women’s Championship matches in November on the road against India Women.

Giddings, finished the WICB Regional T20 Tournament with the most wickets (9) which gave her the nod for to selection to the training squad and eventually to the Windies squad.

Other Guyanese gaining se-

Schedule

lection are batter Shemaine Campbelle who had the most runs in the reginal tournament and Tremayne Smartt who was Guyana’s captain.

Both Campbelle and Smartt were part of the West Indies team that won the World T20 Title in India earlier this year.

The Windies women are currently in Jamaica where the team is preparing for the series.

Squad: Stafanie Taylor (Captain), Anisa Mohammed (Vice Captain), Merissa Aguilleira, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Britney Cooper, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Erva Giddings, Stacy-Ann King, Hayley Matthews, Shaquana Quintyne, Tremayne Smartt Team Management Unit: Vasbert Drakes (Head Coach), Ann BrowneJohn (Team Operations Manager), Ezra Moseley (Assistant Coach), Oba Gulston (Physiotherapist), Hector Martinez Charles (Fitness Coordinator), Trent Sargeant (Data Analyst)

Sat 8 First One-day International – Trelawny Multiplex, Jamaica (9:30 am) Mon 10 Second One-day International – Trelawny Multiplex (9:30 am) Fri 14 *Third One-day International – Sabina Park, Jamaica (9:30 am) Sat 15 Reserve Day Sun 16 *Fourth One-day International – Sabina Park (9:30 am) Mon 17 Reserve Day Wed 19 *Fifth One-day International – Sabina Park (9:30 am) Thu 20 Reserve Day

21

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M

The victorious Mexico team will now play the winner of the South American ‘B’ Championship later this month

exico have claimed the Rugby Americas North title with a comprehensive 32-3 win over Guyana in Coyoacán, Mexico City, on Saturday afternoon. In doing so they also push on to the next round of the 2019 World Cup qualifiers, where they will play the winner of the South American ‘B’ Championship.

It was a dreadful start to the game for Mexico, who could not get any meaningful possession and conceded numerous penalties in the opening quarter. Guyana scrumhalf Ryan Gonsalves made good on his first penalty goal attempt in just the second minute of the game, but his form deserted him

as he squandered three rudimentary attempts to leave nine points on the field.

Agustín Sánchez had no problem finding the posts with his first shot in the 22nd minute to draw things level, and the fullback’s success seemed to inspire his team. With the ball finally in their hands, a chip kick into the end zone bounced fortuitously for Christian Henning to fall on, with the conversion from Sánchez making it 10-3 at the half.

The second half was all Mexico. Sánchez missed his second chance at goal early but struck his third true after Guyana hooker Rickford Cummings was sent to the sin bin for a late tackle on Miguel Carner. The Green

Machine did well to stave off any further points while a man down, but immediately after returning to full strength a creative lineout move saw hooker Mizael Loredo peel around the maul to score Mexico’s second try.

Andrés Rodríguez was the next in on the fun, running clean up the middle through a titanic gap in the defensive line and tearing away from the cover for a long-range effort. Carner took over the kicking duties but couldn’t connect with his first go. The final moments crept away with more handling errors until at last Los Serpientes were rewarded for their pressure defense and Yeudiel Suro fell on a loose pass that left the ball

free in Guyana’s try zone.

Mexico now wait for the winner of Ecuador’s match against Peru in Lima later this month. Should they pass their next test, a match against Paraguay will determine whether they move ahead in Americas zone qualifying for RWC 2019. (americasrugbynews) MEXICO 32 Tries – C. Henning (35), M. Loredo (60), A. Rodríguez (64), Y. Suro (79) Cons – A. Sanchez 2 (36, 61), M. Carner (78) Pens – A. Sanchez 2 (22, 49) GUYANA 3 Pens – R. Gonzalves (2) Yellow cards – R. Cummings (48)

Pooranmall narrowly defended his title in the ‘A’ Class with 16 points over Heywood with 15 points. National Draughts Association President, Jiaram Ramdeen took the

third spot with 14 points and a tie- breaker with Linden player, Floyd Cumberbatch and Brathwaite saw Cumberbatch taking the better.

The final leg of the

championship is slated for Sunday October 9 2016 at the same venue. The finals will be contested on the 100 square boards. The competition is opened to all players.

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he 10th Annual National Draughts Competition was played at the National Gymnasium over the weekend with Khemraj Pooranmall defended his title in the ‘A’ Class while Ulric Brathwaite dethroned Lyndon Heywood to take the ‘B’ Class title.

On the opening day, President of the Association summoned the players to observe a moment of silence for former veteran National Champion Elton Lambert who passed away on May 25 this year after a prolonged illness.

As the players battled for honours on Saturday, senior ‘B’ class player Brathwaite amassed 18 points to win that division ahead of Navin Megbarran whom gained 16 points, 4 points of which he acquired by virtue of a walk over since Michael Francis.

Francis failed to turn up on Sunday to continue the game.

Current ‘B’ Champion Heywood and Rudolph Gentle were tied on 15 points each but Heywood won the tie-breaker to take the third place.

On Sunday, Khemraj

National Draughts Association President Jairam Ramdeen (centre) poses with weekend winners Ulric Brathwaite, , Khemraj Pooranmall; Navin Megbarran, Rudolph Gentle, Lyndon Heywood and Floyd Cumberbatch

22

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016

RHTY&SC surpasses 2016 target T Miguel Cummins had a good day with the ball

Carter, Cummins rattle Emirates Cricket Board XI – Johnson, Hope among the runs

J

onathan Carter and Miguel Cummins gave a good account of themselves on the opening day of West Indians’ two-day fixture against Emirates Cricket Board XI in Dubai on Monday.

The fast-bowling pair picked up seven wickets between them to reduce their opponents to 56 for 7, after the batsmen, led by Shai Hope and Leon Johnson scored half-centuries in their total of 249 for 6 declared in 70 overs.

The West Indians, who have already lost the T20I and ODI series against Pakistan, had each of the top six batsmen getting off to starts after they elected to bat. Apart from Hope and Johnson, Roston Chase, who brought up his maiden Test century against India in Jamaica in July, and Jermaine Blackwood retired on 38 and 45 respectively.

An opportunity for some of the fringe players like Johnson, Shane Dowrich and Jonathan Carter, all of whom chipped in with useful contributions, came up as three regulars in the Test squad - Kraigg Brathwaite, Marlon Samuels and Darren Bravo are in the midst of the ODI series against Pakistan.

Offspinner Rohan Mustafa and medium-pacer Amjad Javed picked up one wicket apiece for the Emirates Cricket Board XI. With the bat, only Shaiman Anwar offered any sort of resistance to end the day unbeaten on 23. He was the only one to reach double figures as five of his team-mates didn’t open their accounts.

he Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, M.S has surpassed their 2016 target of 300 programmes/activities. The Club and its eight cricket Clubs achieved the 2016 target on Sunday 25th of September when it hosted the Rose Hall Town Cuisine Festival and a Public Concert to officially closed the 46th anniversary celebration of Guyana’s smallest township. The Club during the month of September also broke the record for the most activities/programmes completed in a month.

The Club completed a total of 52 programmes/activities surpassing its old record of 48 set in October, 2015 during the RHTY&SC, M.S Silver Jubilee anniversary celebration. Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster who spearheaded each of the 300 programmes/activities stated that the Management and Members of Guyana’s leading youth and sports organisation are elated at achieving the 2016 target with over three months remaining in the year.

He expressed confidence that the RHTY&SC and the cricket teams would be able to reach the once unreachable target of 400 activities for 2016. Among the activities that remains to be completed for the next three months are the Nasir Memorial 5/5 Cricket tournament, Edward B. Beharry Co. Ltd Say Yes/ Say No Cricket Cup, Busta Champion of Champions 40 overs tournament, Tribute to Head teachers, Launching of Youth Review Magazine, Say No to Suicide Essay Competition, 2016 Christmas Village, Say No to Drugs Under 17 Cricket Tournament and the launching of an official Television video of the Rose Hall Town 46th anniversary celebration.

The Club Secretary/CEO stated that the entire membership has worked beyond the call of duty to make the RHTY&SC, M.S the Club it is today after a simple birth in September, 1990. The Hard working Secretary/CEO hailed the contribution of Club Executive Anil Ramnarine, Mark Papannah, Terry

Junior Chess qualifiers…

Sheriffa Ali

SCOREBOARD A

West Indies 1st innings LR Johnson* retired out 50 SO Dowrich† c †Ghulam Shabber b Amjad Javed 24 SD Hope retired out 59 RL Chase retired out 38 J Blackwood retired out 45 JL Carter not out 22 AR Nurse b Rohan Mustafa 0 JA Warrican not out 3 Extras (b-1, lb-4, nb-3) 8 Total (6 wickets dec; 70 overs) 2 49 Did not bat: D Bishoo, ML Cummins, Nasr Aman Khan, JO Holder, AS Joseph, MN Samuels, ST Gabriel Fall of wickets 1-48 (Dowrich, 14.1 ov), 2-140 (Johnson, 42.6 ov), 3-140 (Hope, 42.6 ov), 4-223 (Chase, 61.6 ov), 5-223 (Blackwood, 61.6 ov), 6-224 (Nurse, 62.4 ov) Bowling: Amjad Javed 11-0-43-1, Qadeer Ahmed 9-3-30- 0 (nb-1), Mati-ullah 3-1-15-0, Ahmed Raza 21-4-69-0, Imran Haider 17-2-61-0 (nb-2), Rohan Mustafa 9-1-26-1

Emirates Cricket Board XI 1st innings Chirag Suri b Cummins 0 Mohammed Qasim c †Dowrich b Carter 0 Rohit Singh c †Dowrich b Cummins 8 Shaiman Anwar not out 23 Hasan Raza c Warrican b Carter 0 Rameez Shahzad c †Dowrich b Carter 0 Muhammad Usman c Warrican b Cummins 0 Ghulam Shabber† b Carter 5 Rohan Mustafa not out 17 Extras (nb-3) 3 Total (7 wickets; 20 overs) 56 To bat: Ahmed Raza, Amjad Javed*, Qadeer Ahmed, L Sreekumar, Imran Haider, Matiullah Fall of wickets 1-0 (Chirag Suri, 0.2 ov), 2-8 (Rohit Singh, 2.3 ov), 3-8 (Mohammed Qasim, 3.4 ov), 4-8 (Hasan Raza, 3.6 ov), 5-12 (Rameez Shahzad, 5.3 ov), 6-14 (Muhammad Usman, 6.4 ov), 7-20 (Ghulam Shabber, 7.6 ov) Bowling: ML Cummins 5-1-12-3 (nb-1), JL Carter 5-2-20- 4 (nb2), D Bishoo 4-0-12-0, JA Warrican 5-1-12-0, AR Nurse 1-1-0-0

Pike, Elizabeth Brusch Joyce and food items to less fortunate Wiggins, Neville Beaton, families, donated items includKeith Hicks and Simon ing bicycles, TV set, searching Naidu for their hard lights, educational materials work in 2016. and sporting equipment to A m o n g the Guyana Police Force the 300 prowhile schools, churchgrammes/ es and NGO’s to date activities has received over completed $1M in trophies, so far in medals and sport 2016are gears as part of Tribute the Club’s Say to Heroes, A n n u a l A w a r d s RHTY&SC Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster Ceremony, Tribute to Outstanding Teachers, Tribute to Yes to Sports Programme while over 30 Law Enforcement Officers, Annual youths were assisted to obtain employTCL Cricket Academy, Republic Bank ment. The Secretary/CEO issued an apSummer Camp, Beharry Say No peal to every Club Member to remain Campaign, GUYOIL Traffic Education focused on the Club’s mandate to makCampaign, Ansa Mcal Award of ing a positive difference and to dedicate Excellence, Gregory Gaskin Memorial themselves to reaching the revised 2016 Berbice Sports Award, Career and target of 400 programme/activities by Business Fair, Rose Hall Town Cuisine the 30th of December.

Competition, Demerara Bank Spelling He also expressed profound gratBee, GBTI Tape-ball Competition, Youth itude to the Club’s numerous official Information Booklet, Rose Hall Town sponsors and donors for their support in 46th Anniversary Booklet, Children 2016 and specially mentioned the newMash Parade, Distribution of $1M worth ly elected Mayor and Town Council of of school bags to less fortunate students, Rose Hall Town especially Mayor Vijai educational scholarships to students, Ramoo, Deputy Mayor Dave Budhu and medical outreaches, construction of all- Caretaker of the Area ‘H’ ground Steve weather practise concrete pitch, refur- Ramsingh. The Secretary also noted the nishing of Club Office, Hand in Hand 5/5 assistance of the media especially DTVCricket tournament, Mother of the Year 8, LRTVS CH10, NCN TV and Radio, Event, Tribute to Fathers Programme, Guyana Times, Kaieteur News, TVG, Anamayah Memorial Basketball Guyana Chronicle, News Room and Competition, Shane 5 a side football tour- News Update. nament, Rose Hall Tourist Posters, Rose The RHTY&SC would also like to Hall Town Television Documentary, specially acknowledge the assistance of Tribute to Senior Citizens, Tribute to journalists like Micheal Khan, Gregory Role Models, Hosting of West Indies Rambarran, Franklyn Wilson, Claude Female Cricketers, Monthly feeding of David, Avinash Ramzan, Akeem Greene, the Poor, Tribute to Retired Teachers John Ramsingh, Reaz Mohamed, Tanuja and publication of Say No to Crime Raikha, Travis Seymour, Rajiv stickers with Police members of Bisnauth, Stephan Sookram, the Police stations across Berbice.

Tracey Khan The Club also distribDrakes and uted over $3M worth Leon Horatio. of clothing, footwear

leads at end of 3rd round

s the first week of the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) 2016 National Junior Qualifiers Tournament concluded at the National Resource Centre, Woolford Avenue, women candidate master (WCM) Sheriffa Ali is leading the pack. While only one round was played on Saturday, Sunday featured rounds two and three.

Ali has amassed three points so far while closely trailed by her brother, Saeed Ali and Roberto Neto with 2.5 points each.

In the second round, Neto defeated Joshua Gopaul, while Ali (WCM) made light work of Jaden Taylor. Ghansham Allijohn suffered a loss to Saeed Ali. John Wong beat Jessica Callender, Aravindra Singh def. Asiyiah Bacchus, Christopher Persaud lost to Nellisha Johnson, Akille Theophil def. Shivrani Persaud and Allem Baseer

def. Anthony Johnson.

In the third round, Neto and Saeed played to a draw, earning them half point each. WCM Ali def. John Wong, Callender def. N. Johnson, Gopaul def.

Baseer, Allijohn def.

Bacchus, Taylor def. Waveney Johnson, Christopher Persaud def.

Aravindra Singh and Anthony John def. Shivrani Persaud in the last match of the day.

The tournament will feature the Swiss

style which sees seven rounds being played with a time control of 90 minutes per player and leaves four rounds to be played next weekend.

Additionally, a senior tournament will be running alongside this tournament.

The tournament, which commenced back in 2007, has seen champions such as Ron Motilall, Haifeng Su (twice), Anthony Drayton and Taffin Khan and this year a new champion

will definitely be crowned as Haifeng Su, now residing in Canada is over the age limit.

The tournament is proud to attract so many players and acknowledged the efforts by the Guyana Deaf Association as five players; Arifa Budhu, Shivrani Persaud, Anthony Johnson, Aleem Baseer and Asiyiah Bacchus are in the tournament.

Sheriffa Ali (WCM) locked in battle with Jaden Taylor along with other contenders

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

23

heats up PMTC to win feature event

By Andrew Carmichael

S

pit Fire from the Sheriff Racing Stables teamed up with stablemate Plum Plum to win the feature event of the Port Mourant Turf Club ‘Best of the Best President’s Cup’ one-day horserace meet on Sunday at the Port Mourant Turf Club.

The star-studded lime up of animals from top stables in the country included Bourbon Bullet, Just Call Me Boss, the Shariff racing stable duo of Plum Plum and Spit Fire and the likes of Golden Blue Ecko, Jack in My Style and Climate Change.

In the feature race for horses classified A and Lower, the animals were racing for the Banks DIH trophy and a top prize of $1.5M. They were out in an even break in the 1550 meter race but as they went into the first turn, Plum Plum took the lead forcing the others to go at all guns. Just Call Me Boss stayed at her tail and Jack in My Style rounded out the first three along the straight.

However, with dust flying all over Just Call Me Boss took over the lead and the jockey spurred Plum Plum into action and challenged Just Call Me Boss. The crowd went into a frenzy and Plum Plum started to fade giving way to Spit Fire but Golden Blue Ecko with Jockey Richmond on board took the outside and went behind Plum Plum.

The leaders kept changing and with 300 meters to go, jockey got out

of his saddle and whipped Spit Fire as she ran to the liking of her name to win by more than one length.

The second place went to Just Call Me Boss ahead of Plum Plum and Golden Blue Ecko. Sports Minister Nicolet Henry was on hand to present the winning trophy to the Sheriff Racing Stables.

The second feature event for animals classed D3 and lower over a distance 1200 meters with a top prize of $800,000 saw Jockey Paul Delph piloting Its My Choice to win.

Its My Choice led from gate to poll but the call was a close one when the animals went past the finish poll. Because I Say So was secThe A and Lower race climaxed with a close finish at the Port Mourant Turf Club

Its My Choice was challenged in the D3 race, but managed the victory in a tight finish

ond and Release the Beast third.

Bourbon Bullet has come to Guyana with a very impressive record and Light Up Canada another animal recently imported finished a dead heat fourth place.

There was no romantic affair in the event for 3-year-old Guyana Bred horses event over a distance of 1200 meters with a top prize of $400,000. Ready For Romance of the Jagdeo Stables got an easy win from

Secret Thinker, Caricom Dancer and She is in Control.

Meanwhile, the 2-year-old Guyana and West Indies bread over a distance of 1100 meters with a first prize of $260,000 was won by Seven Dust of the Hababulla Stables with Mischievous Maker running second.

The third place went to Supreme Cat ahead of Miss Olympic.

The event was jointly organised by the Port Mourant Turf Club in collaboration with the Jumbo Jet Auto Sales and the KP Jagdeo Construction Company and was herald as a rematch of the recently held Real President’s Cup Horserace meet. Eight races were organised and

more than 75 animals participated.

F3 and lower class over a distance of 1700 meters and with a top prize of $400,000 was won by Golden Blue Boy of the Jagdeo racing Stables with Amazing Run second and Keep Swinging third.

The ‘L’ class race was won by Daddy’s Dollar while the H3 race was won by Amazing Run ahead of Super Bowl and Bird Man finishing in that order.

The ‘I’2 event was won by Party Time with Jockey C. Ross on board.

Bringing up the rear were She So Special, Mary Ann and Slim Shady. The top prize was $200,000.

A Ally and Sons basketball

Jammers upset Warriors in overtime to take title

By Andrew Carmichael

R

ose Hall Jammers created an upset in Berbice basketball on Sunday evening to win the A. Ally and Sons 2016 Basketball Tournament after being forced into overtime to win 44-42.

Randy Caesar with a game high of 16 points scored at the buzzer to see New Amsterdam Warriors equalize at the end of regulation time.

After trailing at the end of the first quart e r 5-10, the

Jammers fought themselves back to enjoy a one-point, lead at the end of the first half of the game (20-19).

The lead kept changing with every point scored and the Warriors were able to equalize (28-28) going into the third quarter.

The Jammers got their first 3-pointer (3033) when David Hope found the b a s k e t from beyond the line. The lead

Public Relations Officer of A Ally and Sons, Chandanie Singh-Ramborose presenting the MVP award to Mickel Lewis

was further enhanced when Raburn Murray scored another 3-pointer (32-38) with three minutes left on the clock.

With the lead, the Jammers slowed down the game and went more on their defense however Caesar was able to equal-

ize with a few seconds left and the game was forced to go into extra time after the scores were leveled at 38-38.

For the winners, Stephon Fraser (10), David Hope (9) and Mickel Lewis (7) were the top scorers while Caesar received excellent support from Shamar France and

Kwesi Mickle each scoring seven points.

President of the Guyana Basketball Federation Nigel Hinds met both teams before the start of the final and was on hand to hand over the A. Ally and Sons trophy to Rose Jammers.

The MVP of the final was

Mickel Lewis.

The tournament was organised by President of the Berbice Basketball Association Vibert Garnett and was played in two zones with each team playing each twice, [home and away] then the top two teams clashed for championship honours.

Guyana Basketball Federation President Nigel Hinds presenting the A Ally and Sons 2016 trophy to a jubilant Rose Hall Jammers team

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016

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

Tour of Tobago

Williams, Crawford finish on podium T

eam Foundation and Guyana National Road Race Champion rider Gerron Williams finished second as he was edged by fellow Foundation teammate, Norlandy Sanchez of the Dominican Republic in the 60-Lap Race around Market Square-Wilson Road during the fourth and final stage on Saturday of the 2016 Tobago International Cycling Classic.

However, CPSL’s Arno Van Der Zwet of the Netherlands won the Overall Division One title of the Classic when he placed third, behind Williams in the 60-lap race.

Guyana and PSL cyclist Romello Crawford finished second in the Division Two 20-lap race ahead of Barbados’ Tremayne Forde-Catwell. Crawford was piped by overall Division Two winner, Southclaine’s Jabari Whiteman of Trinidad and Tobago.

Jamaican Marlo Rodman sprinted away with the Plymouth Village Criterium of the 2016 Tobago International Cycle Classic in Plymouth on Friday. Rodman completed the 60-laps (78km) circuit ahead of his PSL teammate Nick Stopler of Netherlands and Geron Williams (Guyana/Team Foundation).

SEE FINAL RESULTS ON PAGE 20

Winning the Division One 60-lap event was Norlandy Sanchez (Dominican Republic/ Team Foundation) while Gerron Williams (Guyana/Team Foundation) was second

West Indies name 13 for England ODIs

West Indies will get into action on October 8 against England in Jamaica

– Giddings gets maiden call-up

Pg 20

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