Sunday Times November 24, 2019

Nationwide coverage coverage from from the the best best news news team team in in Guyana Guyana Nationwide Issue No. 4117 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON BEACON OF OF TRUTH TRUTH THE

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Main witness in 2018 Agricola murder …teen cousin of slain man also executed shot, battling for life at GPHC See story on page 3

Welsh company eyes Guyana’s market to supply marine oil Page 10

...proposes production of domestic electricity

Over $28M donated to CIOG’s Orphans and Vulnerable Children programme

PRICE

$120 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Major risk P15 assessment study on climate change needed – CDC Head

Guyanese woman wanted in Suriname

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Stewartville residents P14 complain of roadside bar …say lewdness, nudity continue into morning hours

Page 17 In these Dexter Ceres photos, children, who attended the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC), are seen enjoying activities at the Muslim Youth Organisation, Woolford Avenue, Georgetown

EBD records New UG spike in Chancellor robbery believes free university under arms …10% increase in road fatalities education achievable Page 13

See story on pages 7 & 13

Guyanese P16 need to generalise skill sets – Energy Director UG to continue programme to create P11 apps for persons with disabilities

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BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, November 24 – 03:00h – 04:30h and 14:30h – 16:00h and Monday, November 25 – 04:00h – 05:30h and 14:30h – 16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, November 24 – 14:45h – 16:15h and Monday, November 25 – 15:25h – 16:55h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunshine is expected throughout the day. There will be clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North North-Easterly to East SouthEasterly between 1.78 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 02:32h and 14:51h reaching maximum heights of 2.61 metres and 2.73 metres.

Low Tide: 08:24h and 20:51h reaching minimum heights of 0.59 metre and 0.46 metre.

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Main witness in 2018 Agricola murder executed …teen cousin of slain man also shot, battling for life at GPHC

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he main witness in the murder of 34-year-old Kacey Da Silva, a father of one, who was shot and killed at Agricola, Greater Georgetown, on December 20, 2018, was murdered on Saturday evening in their village.

Dead is 25-year-old Seon Bobb, a friend of Da Silva’s, who was shot last year while in the company of Da Silva when the man was executed.

Meanwhile, a 15-year-old cousin of Da Silva was shot on Saturday and is currently battling for his life at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Reports are that shortly after 19:00h on Saturday, Bobb was walking along Second Street, Agricola, when two gunmen pounced on him. This newspaper was told that the men fired several shots at Bobb, who attempted to escape by running into a side street then into First Street, Agricola.

However, he was subsequently shot as residents in the area rushed out of their homes after hearing gunfire.

The bleeding man was picked up by residents and rushed to the GPHC for medical treatment. He, however, succumbed to his injuries shortly after arriving at the hospital.

Meanwhile, while the injured man was being transported to the hospital, two armed gunmen, believed to be the same duo that shot Bobb, ventured to a “liming house” in First Street, Agricola, where Da Silva’s teenage cousin would frequent with his friends.

The gunmen opened fire at the youth, who was reportedly shot multiple times, before falling to the ground.

Residents told this publication that the house where Da Silva’s cousin was shot is the same house that Police raided on Thursday and arrested several persons.

The perpetrators then fled the area following the two shootings.

According to sources in Agricola, the gunmen are known in the area.

This publication was told that the men are called “Thuggie” and “Two-Two” and are in their early 20s.

Guyana Times understands that the two gunmen belong to the same “crew” that killed Da Silva last year.

A source stated that Bobb’s murder and Da Silva’s cousin’s shooting are as a result of the “crew” wanting to eliminate any witnesses that would testify against Da Silva’s shooter and his accomplice.

In fact, this publication was told that after media reports on Saturday revealed that one suspect in Da Silva’s shooting was finally arrested 11 months after the crime occurred, the “crew” took measures into their own hands to ensure that the suspect never faces jail time for Da Silva’s murder.

“This was done to get rid of Bobb because he would have had to testify as a witness. He was ready to do so. Kacey was his friend, he was there and got shot when Kacey was killed too. So he knew, he saw who killed his friend, and who shot him last year so this was to make sure he didn’t talk,” a relative told this publication.

Eleven months had passed since Da Silva’s murder with no one charged for the crime and only recently Police were said to have

Kacey Da Silva, a father of one, who was shot and killed at Agricola, Greater Georgetown on December 20, 2018

caught a break in the Da Silva murder case, following the arrest of five persons during a raid at Agricola on Thursday.

One of those arrested is said to be the brother of the murder suspect.

The man, who was arrested on Thursday morning, is the brother of the murder suspect that the police were hunting for in relation to him having a hand to play in the shooting to death of Da Silva and the shooting of Bobb.

On Thursday morning during one of the several police raids conducted in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), the suspect was nabbed after he, along with four others, were found inside of a house at First Street, Agricola, with three handguns, ammunition, and a small quantity of cannabis.

However, at the time of the quintet’s arrest, investigators were unaware that they had arrested one of the suspects that were reportedly involved in Da Silva’s murder and the shooting of Bobb.

When contacted by Guyana Times on Friday afternoon, senior Police sourc-

es close to the investigation confirmed that an extension was sought for detaining that suspect after the legal 72-hour holding period expired.

The extension was granted and the suspect is currently in Police custody.

Investigators are now intensifying their efforts in the probe into the killing of Da Silva now that they have a person of interest that was initially said to have been the accomplice involved in Da Silva’s death.

According to reports, Da Silva, also known as, “Presser” and Bobb were shot after “Home Alone” opened fire on them for laughing at him because he was beaten by another man during a fight at Second Street, Agricola, on December 20, 2018.

It was reported that the suspect felt embarrassed after DaSilva and Bobb started laughing at him and calling him names.

Police said that shortly after, the suspect’s brother allegedly handed him a gun, which he used to confront DaSilva and Bobb and began shooting at the two men.

The suspect and his brother then left the location on foot through one of the access streets in the village, leaving DaSilva mortally wounded with gunshots to the right chest and left foot.

Police in a release gave the suspects nicknames like “Home Alone” and “Gudgie”.

Shortly after the killing, a senior police rank related that Police had arrested a person in relation to the murder of Da Silva and attempted murder of Bobb.

That person was subsequently released.

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Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544 223-7230,223-7231,231-0544, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

PNC's endgame for sugar

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n December 2015, this newspaper revealed the PNC Government’s plans to shutter Wales Estate, which was reluctantly conceded on January 17, 2016. Minister of Agriculture Holder claimed, “GuySuCo will be exploring the feasibility of alternative ventures utilising the Wales lands. The important criteria for such projects would be wealth creation and employment generation. It is hoped that the first of such projects could commence by October 1, 2016”. He admitted the closure was unrelated to the CoI. A month later, he was more specific: he told the National Assembly that “the sugar factory would be converted into a business establishment which will see the rearing of poultry and other livestock”.

Operations were allowed to run down to the end of 2016, and finally, in May 2017, Holder laid a “State Paper on the future of the sugar Industry” in the National Assembly, where he announced the additional closure of Enmore-LBI, Rose Hall and Skeldon Estates. The paper repeatedly promised: “Employees are to be leased land by GuySuCo to engage in crops (crop types to be decided by GuySuCo and the Ministry of Agriculture)”.

However, after the Official Gazette of December 30, 2017, announced NICIL’s formation of a Special Purpose Unit (SPU) that would take control of the closed estates’ assets, nothing was mentioned again about the promise of lands to the workers. The SPU claimed that “over 70 proposals, from local and international companies, have already been submitted but announced the firm of PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC) would be retained to “valuate” the closed estates. The Minister of State announced a State Land Sale Committee has been established to ensure “transparency in the disposal of the assets”.

A year later, as the valuation exercise dragged on, and more to the point, the lands, equipment and factories degenerated, all the touted prospective “bidders” including DDL, had departed. The people of Guyana, who the state boasted “owned” the estates, were in the dark about their fate until a public spat broke out between GuySuCo and the Min of Agri on one side and the SPU on the other. The former claimed the SPU was engaged in mission creep and was now trying to manage GuySuCo and not just divesting the closed estates. As an instance, they pointed to SPU’s CEO Colvin Heath-London appointing a Board of Directors in March 2018 with himself as the Chair. This had to be rescinded by Cabinet.

In the meantime, the SPU had secured a $30B GuySuCo 5-year bond facility at 4.75% interest, where the ‘fixer’ received $116M in fees. The money was supposed to buy two co-generation plants, upgrade the three factories to produce plantation white sugar, contribute two years of general ongoing operations costs and expand storage and packing facilities. But a year and a half later, none of this had materialised, while $1.5B had been paid in interest for money not used, excepting for $2 billion extended to GuySuCo for operational expenses. GuySuCo pointed out that since the divestment money was supposed to be passed on to the corporation but it had seemingly been abandoned, they had “placed at risk the retooling and restructuring of GuySuCo in their strategic plan”. Even the billions earned from the sale of “scrap metal” – to which the factories had been reduced – were not given to GuySuCo. What is the position on the sugar industry at this point, then? No worker has benefitted from the lands that were promised to them; GuySuCo has not benefitted from the sale of assets and billions of dollars continue to be paid on the $30B bond with the principal due in three years. In the meantime, bereft of any investment, the operational estates continue to founder: the promised 147,000 tonnes annually will not be reached this year.

Who is responsible? It was thought the decision was solely Granger’s but in August, Khemraj Ramjattan boasted “it was primarily the AFC who (sic) was a big part of that decision”. What is the endgame?

It has to be the complete closure of GuySuCo.

A group of children embracing a merry moment with bikes at the Central Islamic Organisation (CIOG) annual Funday for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, hosted at the MYO Auditorium, Georgetown on Saturday (Dexter Ceres photo) guyanatimesgy.com

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

A lot hinges on cognitive ability of those we elect in 2020 Dear Editor, There is a cacophony of drums in the land; drums of the masquerade bands as they herald the arrival of the festive season; drums of political parties, urging supporters into action, register, vote, support! And then there are the oil drums, not playing sweet calypsos as yet, empty, sitting, waiting to be filled and then sold, yet this silent oil drum is louder than all combined, its melody different to every ear, some hear sounds of hope and prosperity, others are dancing entranced by greed and avarice.

As we, Guyanese, stood outside of the Guyana International Petroleum Business Summit and Exhibition (GIPEX-2019), ironically titled “A Gateway to a Golden Future” and watched the parade of foreign businessmen saunter in, Guyanese pondered on the question of how will this oil really and truly benefit me and my family? Some have found jobs in the industry, some have sold bhagee to the oil company and yet the majority remains reserved about their prospects for improvement.

An awful lot hinges on the cognitive ability of those we elect in 2020.

After signing the Stabroek Petroleum contract extension, Raphael Trotman said two things that show the think-

ing of the Granger Administration, (A) “we should – given our relative size, a nation with under one million people, our relative underdevelopment and our relative inexperience – try to stabilise our relationship rather than go out and quote 15 and 20 companies to come into our waters and develop the resource” and (B) “We were already receiving 50 per cent of the profits as an equal partner, having not sunk a single cent into the development of the block”. Both of these statements show a level of naivety that has cost Guyanese dearly.

In the first statement lies a colossal error; Guyana should have insisted on relinquishment provisions in the Stabroek contract and then invited all International Oil Companies (IOC) to an auction. Brazil called its auction that raised 25 billion a failure; Granger hailed 18 million a success.

Guyana’s oil is of better quality and easier (cheaper) to access than Brazil’s.

A ‘Golden Gateway’ opportunity lost.

The second statement states factually that Guyana will receive 50 per cent of profits. What Trotman failed to grasp is that ‘cost oil’ contains hundreds of millions of dollars in earnings for ExxonMobil employees.

The Operator benefits

tremendously during the exploration phase also, thousands of ExxonMobil employees earn hefty salaries during the exploration, development, design, and extraction of oil. Guyana pays these bills by way of pre-contract costs and the cost oil. The shareholders of ExxonMobil (CNOOC, HESS) and Guyana split the profits equally, but not the benefits. A strong Local Content Policy allows Guyana to get a share of those ‘costs’ and increase our benefits. It should have been priority one for any Government, not a throwaway task designated to a newly-formed Department and then only three years after the discovery of commercial quantities of oil. Guyana will have to play catch-up for many a year to come, any delay could be disastrous. The amateur hour must come to an end. Send home the clowns.

Despondency caused by the performance of Granger’s maladministration of the nation, its economy and possible future earnings, have caused many to consider ‘direct cash transfer’ an attractive proposition. Faced with incompetence in every aspect of governance, citizens have thought it would be better to get something now than watch it be squandered by Granger and his

cabal. Guyana has a massive hydro-electric dam to be built; it has massive investments to make in education, agriculture, mining, construction, infrastructure and all other areas to improve our lives. These developments are not possible without a plan and a capable team dedicated to delivering positive results.

The Guyanese people have to listen to the drums, block out the noise and discordant notes of racism and opportunism; of greed and avarice; of hope and promise.

We have to discern who among the political parties have a plan and the ability to deliver on the promise of oil. I have and I can hear David Rudder’s beautiful song playing in the inner ear.

Can you hear a distant drum Bouncing on the laughter of a melody (yea, yea) And does the rhythm tell you, come, come, come Does your spirit do a dance to this symphony Does it tell you that your heart is afire Does it tell you that your pain is a liar Does it wash away all your unlovely And are you ready for a brand new discovery Elections are on the second of March 2020.

Respectfully, Robin Singh

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

The onslaught against Need for an local companies anti-bullying strategy for schools

Dear Editor, In an article by Matthew Bristow and Ezra Fieser, the IMF is quoted as saying that Guyana’s economy will grow by 86 per cent in 2020.

Naturally, everyone is buoyed by the oil find and are desperate to secure a piece of the action. None are more deserving or better positioned than our local companies that have battled and survived against dreadful odds. However, it has not been easy for them.

Local companies have no expertise in the oil and gas sector and this has opened the doors to the foreigners. The Trinidadians, for example, have been buying up land here since 2015 and with their oil expertise, they are taking the hog’s share of what is loosely referred to as local content. In fact, the only thing Guyanese seem to supply at the moment is hotels and taxis and that will not last very long either with the vast acreage which has been gifted or sold to foreigners. Guyanese in every sphere of business should brace for increased competition from new companies which are rapidly being established here.

The following suggests

that the Government and key Government agencies have been discriminating against or acting without consideration for local companies: 1. Whereas Guyanese are generally unwelcome in most Caricom states and our citizens are not allowed to own, operate or conduct business, our Government has thrown open the pantry to all and sundry.

2. Our Government waives compliance and taxation requirements for foreign companies while local companies are forced to comply. This creates an uneven playing field as KN has highlighted, which makes it easy for foreign companies to underbid locals. This is not only prevalent in the oil and gas sector.

3. Agencies such as the EPA have been vigorously pursuing local companies to comply in innumerable ways.

For example, the EPA is monitoring noise levels, pesticides, hazardous substances, waste discharge, fuel storage, fuel spill safeguards, fuel storage licensing, disposal of waste oil, just to name a few. While this is all and good, contrast it with the oil and gas sector where the EPA has abrogat-

ed its responsibility, leaving it exclusively in the hands of the oil companies to do what they think is best for Guyana.

4. The Govt has been granting concessions to foreign companies that have never been contemplated for locals. A recent example is the gifting of hundreds of acres of prime agricultural land from Wales Estate to a foreigner who wishes to plant coconuts.

This is a waste. Coconut does not require prime agricultural lands. It can be grown on the tough seaside and heavy salted lands where nothing else can be cultivated. In addition, a coconut plantation requires relatively very little labour so jobs will be few and far.

5. The Government is so enthralled with foreign companies that it has agreed to pay the taxes of oil companies from its meagre share of oil revenues. This needs no gloss - it is simply treasonous.

Many of the foreign operators are imposing their own international standards on local companies which are seeking to get involved in the supply chain. It is tough for local companies since the buyer will not wait for the locals to get certified when there is al-

ways the option to outsource or import. To add salt into the wound, local companies are being ridiculed that they cannot compete.

Local companies are already being squeezed by a high cost structure, where the cost of energy is prohibitive, high taxation, where the Minister of Finance has implemented some 200 new taxes in recent times, shortage of foreign currency and the energy-sapping bureaucracy for securing permits, compliances and licenses, all of which are waived for the foreign competition. Locals also have to deal with the high level of crime, and over the last year, an illegal Government that has been violating the Constitution and in so doing, shrinking the economy further and creating more uncertainty for business.

It was, therefore, no surprise that local companies were largely unrepresented at the GIPEX Petroleum Summit billed as The Gateway to the Future. This is yet another gateway that remains closed to Guyanese, compliments Granger, APNU/AFC. Sincerely, Ravi Ram

GECOM must be more prudent in their spending!

Dear Editor, Much of the recent events and activities conducted by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) suggest significant wasteful undertakings and by extension, squandered millions of taxpayers’ dollars. The situation is tantamount to the old adage that one must continuously make false statements, to cover-up the initial ‘lies’. In this respect, the Government has been pathological and the Secretariat a ‘tap-dancer’ hopping and swaying in accommodation to the falsehoods advocated by the PNCR Commissioners and agents in GECOM, rather than the strict legal guidelines.

It follows that for one to entertain any discussions related to the associated unnecessary costs and overtures of expended funds relating to the created ID card saga, it would be extremely provocative. This is given the shallow unsubstantiated claims by PNC Commissioners, particularly, Vincent Alexander to which the Secretariat seemed to, or deliberately fell prey.

In addition, President Granger’s repeated public insinuations have falsely fuelled the thought that free and fair elections could not be had without the contentious House-to-House (H2H) activities. Knowing this to be false, there is no public evidence that the Secretariat under Mr Lowenfield would have moved to disqualify Mr Granger’s position. Rather, they were happy to lavishly spend on some meaningless activities which only now serve to support delays and create conflicts.

While GECOM’s autonomy allows the organisation to disqualify Mr Granger and his cabal’s unqualified tantrums, this obviously has not happened in every sphere of activity warranting such assertiveness. This is baring the halt of the unnecessary H2H, and the decision not to support the disenfranchisement of thousands of voters because they did not uplift ID cards by Chairperson Justice (retired), Claudette Singh.

The nation has seen the deliberate delaying tactics of the APNU/AFC. Citizens must, therefore, hold David Granger accountable for his seemingly planned false alarms and dangerous advocacy that the Register of Registrants is bloated with over two hundred thousand names. Granger’s false claims about these numbers are not a first; cannot be substantiated, and therefore is emphatically dangerous. It is clear that in the context, he must be looked at as a person who must not be trusted. Further, it is President Granger’s unconstitutional unilateral appointment of the clearly unfit James Patterson as Chairman of GECOM which has set the tone of this current enigma, that is most dangerous for Guyana.

It is rational for one to accept that the Granger Administration has demonstrated an overwhelming clandestine intent which, on the one hand, argues that young people would be disenfranchised without the H2H and only this approach would get rid of the apparent bloated 200,000. On the other hand,

they have wickedly tried to remove thousands of legitimate voters in Region Five.

Thankfully, GECOM did not fall for their willy-nilly diabolical efforts and the complainant should have been prosecuted. Regarding the PNC’s objections of over fourteen thousand names on the Preliminary Voters’ List, of which they were unable to prove, this must be looked at by all Guyanese. GECOM staff in this respect must be commended for not wasting time and throwing out the more than 13,000 objections.

It is the view of various public stakeholders that tens of millions of dollars were spent on the “truncated, unverified, PNC-driven H2H” Registration, which should have never commenced in the absence of a GECOM Chairman. It is, therefore, imperative that GECOM account to the nation how much money was spent and wasted on Lowenfield’s accommodation of the PNC delaying tactics of dodging from the impending elections.

It is also the view of many, that the recently truncated H2H Registration was indeed a designed milking cow for GECOM funds, and an avenue to defend the unrealistic spending by the Secretariat headed by Lowenfield. The need for a forensic audit of this organisation is therefore strongly necessary to qualify or justify the unaccounted and unappropriated expenditures.

The labour costs expected for the Claims and Objections exercises were supposed to be the most important ex-

penditures. However, reports suggest that other expenditures were of similar standing. Transportation and meal took a substantive amount from the allocation. It suggests that GECOM is one of the highest-paid entities in this country, with one of the most inefficient management complement. This is perhaps one of the reasons for irrational and illogical and illegal advice from the Secretariat to the Commission.

The Head of the Secretariat is guilty of ill-advising the Chairman on almost every front, and he continues to make decisions without the Commission’s approval. One would recall the Secretariat’s increase during the period of the Claims and Objection exercise despite the Commission’s decision which was otherwise.

It was just recently that the Secretariat pronounced that the verification of everyone on the Preliminary List, had to be done before their names could be on the Revised List of Electors. Was this intended to stretch the time of the activity and spend more taxpayers’ money? Thankfully, this misnomer was corrected by Chairperson Justice Retired Claudette Singh.

These misguided and mischievous actions are in the DNA of Lowenfield’s Secretariat.

Justice Singh has to also look at the beastly expenditure of the Secretariat as she grapples with bringing the organisation in line.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

Dear Editor, An article in the media entitled “Mom arrested after pepper-spraying students bullying her daughter” raises a number of issues. The article indicates that a child was being bullied by other students but “according to a police rank who [was] at the scene of the incident, he did not make any attempt to intervene as he claimed that it was “against the law” for him to arrest juveniles.

So, what then is the role of the police in situations like this? Suppose one of the bullies had pulled out a knife and fatally stabbed the victim with a police officer merely watching on, what then? Can the Police Force please provide clarification, especially given that, among other things, a police officer is a peace officer? Just what exactly does ensuing “law and order” entail in situations like this.

Secondly, the mother was arrested for attempting to protect her child by pepper-spraying the bullies.

Was she supposed to, like the police officer, simply stand by and witness her child being brutalised? What are her legal options to protect her child in such a situation?

Finally, according to an

aunt of the victim, the school claims “they can’t do anything when dem [alleged bullies] beating my niece on the road”. But doesn’t a school have a responsibility as long as the student is in school uniform, in or out of school?

In any case, why has the school not been doing anything even when the victim was bullied in school? Can the Ministry of Education please provide clarification?

Last September UNICEF reported that 51 per cent of students are being bullied in schools globally. Empirical and anecdotal evidence would seem to indicate that this figure is much higher in schools in Guyana. In fact, bullying has even resulted in deaths of victims, 10-yearold Roseann Akeila Harris being one example.

In May of 2012, a lecturer attached to the University of Guyana’s Tain Campus, Maureen Bynoe, in a study on bullying, discovered that ethnicity was a major factor that contributed to bullying in the school system. When is the Ministry of Education going to implement an anti-bullying strategy? Has one even been crafted?

Sincerely, The Caribbean Voice

Isn’t this gross hypocrisy?

Dear Editor, “Drastic and unconscionable”, the term used by members of the Granger cabal to describe the severance of 375 workers by Troy Resources Inc (TRI), a mining operation in Guyana. Mr Raphael Trotman stated in a newspaper article that “this is not the time of the year that we should see workers going home, they have homes, it’s Christmas”. This is a most unfortunate situation and we must all stand with these workers and push this company to deliver on its legal obligation to release their full severance package and final paychecks swiftly. It is also expected that the principles of the Termination and Severance Pay Act (the law) shall be complied with in full.

But why is Mr Trotman attempting to play with our intelligence? Where was his empathy and respect for the rule of law when the sugar workers were being sent home by the then Granger Government in 2016 and 2017, close to the Christmas season? Isn’t this gross hypocrisy on the part of Mr Trotman?

It was close to Christmas 2016 when some 1100 sugar workers from Wales Estate were sent home without their severance pay in violation of the law. Most of those sugar workers had to wait for a year to receive their benefits; some even longer and not without

GAWU (the sugar union) going to court to enforce this right against the uncaring and unconscionable actions of “Team Granger”. Today, some 3 years and 3 months after the cruel acts by Team Granger against the sugar workers, some 107 sugar workers from Wales Estate still have not received their severance pay. Even a court order from Chief Justice Roxane George has been ignored by Team Granger.

This entire nation must feel for all dismissed workers since behind every worker is a family and a weak family translates into a weak nation. This act from TRI has weakened our nation and must be condemned.

But please Mr Trotman, do not come today and pretend that you are so committed to the workers when your team did even worse to the workers of Guyana than TRI. To rub salt into the wounds of the families in the sugar belt, Mr Granger has not offered a salary increase in 2019 to the sugar workers, treating them like children of a lesser god. Why does Team Granger have so much contempt for the sugar workers of Guyana?

This financial apartheid against the workers has to end.

At all times severance pay must be delivered to the workers as per the law. No exceptions.

Regards, Sasenarine Singh

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Foundation

Nurturing youth leadership skills at home …family meetings play an important role in cultivating young leaders

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eveloping youth leadership skills during high school most often makes us think of after-school group activities and special programmes designed to train emerging young leaders. But parents can also foster leadership in their children at home by using a simple tool – the family meeting.

The concept of the family meeting has been popular for several decades and is often recommended by psychologists and family therapists to build positive relationships. Regular weekly meetings are a formal opportunity for families to discuss important issues, plan, problem-solve, and have fun together.

Much has been written about the benefits of family meetings, how to develop a family meeting agenda, and habits that make family meetings successful. If you have never held family meetings or would like to learn more about them, read “Family meetings can be fun, productive, and meaningful.”

This article looks at family meetings through a new lens – with a focus on youth leadership development. It’s a topic not often associated with family meetings.

But there is good evidence that children can learn core leadership skills in their home environments by taking a lead role in family meetings.

Youth leadership begins with practise As children transition into and through adolescence, they need to practise skills that will teach them how to exercise positive influence over themselves and others. These skills do not come naturally to many children because they have not been in situations where leadership skills are easily developed. In fact, to become comfortable as a leader, it is helpful to learn and practise new skills in a safe, nurturing environment.

What are youth leadership skills? How can they be nurtured by families?

You will find many listings of youth leadership skills. Here,

teen years.

Children who learn to set and achieve goals with their families become intimately familiar with the process. They understand that achievement takes perseverance and determination.

They learn that problems and challenges arise along the path to success that must be overcome. They acquire the ability to work with others and communicate clearly. Instead of expecting parents to have the answers or make all of the decisions, they begin to see themselves as part of creating solutions that work for everyone.

we’ll focus on the skills that parents can best nurture at home within the structure of family meetings.

These meetings provide a formal opportunity for kids to learn and practise.

Youth leadership skills include: Decisionmaking Goal setting Problemsolving Relationship-building Communicating Listening Self-awareness Empathy How family meetings can inspire youth leadership Family meetings are built around agendas, much like after-school clubs, organisations, or business meetings. When parents decide to start regular meetings with children, there is a certain amount of ongoing preparation required, like learning what agenda topics work best, experimenting with new ideas, adapting to change, facilitating problem-solving, etc. Like most groups that seek consensus and strive to work together, family meetings can be messy.

At first, parents are the role models. They show children a way of learning together that is not always perfect. They learn from mistakes. They make sure everyone has a voice in problem-solving and decision-making.

They are the major cheerleaders for making family meetings work!

Once family meetings became a mainstay in your household, leadership should shift.

Elementary-school-age children can contribute to leading different parts of the agenda, like creating a meeting opening, picking a topic for discovery time, or

planning the fun family activity. As children mature into high school, giving them more responsibility in leading family meetings continues to build youth leadership skills.

Youth leadership requires the ability to set and achieve goals Planning and goal-setting are important aspects of family meetings. They are opportunities for families to plan trips and outings together, organise family service projects, manage chores, learn to budget, etc.

We know from research, that goal setters often become peak performers. Goal setting is a skill that is highly associated with those who excel in school, work, and life. Research has uncovered many key aspects of goal-setting theory and its link to success (Kleingeld, et al, 2011). Setting goals is linked with self-confidence, motivation, and autonomy (Locke & Lathan, 2006). One study showed when people wrote down their goals, they were 33 per cent more successful in achieving them than those who formulated outcomes in their heads.

Family meetings not only give children a voice in goal-setting, but also the ability to play an active role with keeping minutes and tracking goals. These are tasks that are easily shared with children as they mature into their

Family meetings can be fun, productive, and meaningful

By Marilyn PriceMitchell, PhD

F

and structure of meetings to their children. Together, the aim is to create habits that will help your family nurture positive relationships with your children – the core of positive youth development.

amily meetings are opportunities for parents and children to discuss important issues, strengthen communication, reinforce values, and nurture positive relationships.

Often, parents and kids are reluctant to adopt family meetings because they don’t understand their purpose and structure. Some parents fear it will lessen their authority.

When effectively organised and led, there are many benefits of holding family meetings for children and parents.

Family meetings strengthen

Conversely, children may view family meetings as a way for parents to enforce rules and restrictions.

Recently, 15-year-old Brian refused his parents’ invitation to attend a meeting, saying, “What a waste of time! Why do we need weekly family meetings to argue about the same things we argue about all week long?”

Brian’s response can be typical for children, especially teens who are trying to exert control over parental authority and don’t understand how family meetings can benefit children.

How can Brian’s parents explain the value of holding regular family meetings and invite their son into ongoing positive conversations with them and his younger sister?

When parents understand the benefits of family meetings and how to develop an effective agenda that incorporates fun, problem-solving, and family bonding, they will likely be able to explain the value

relationships and foster core developmental abilities in kids of all ages. These abilities prepare children for youth leadership positions in their schools and communities as they mature and develop. Holding family meetings is an intentional way to help raise genuinely successful kids with internal abilities that help them navigate through life. Meetings provide a regular opportunity to: Learn about each other and the world (curiosity) Practise communication skills (sociability) Overcome challenges together (resilience) Reflect on feelings (self-awareness) Live your family values (integrity) Set and achieve shared goals (resourcefulness) Have fun and inspire one another (creativity) Appreciate and understand your loved ones (empathy) (rootsofaction.com) To be continued

8 benefits of family meetings

Problem-solving and consensus-building: a vital skill for youth leaders Youth leadership outside of the home requires children to solve problems by building consensus among groups of people.

These are some of the most important skills required to successfully lead community engagement and service efforts as well as after-school clubs and organisations.

Not surprisingly, problem-solving within families is challenging, just as it is in the world beyond families. Since problem-solving is almost always part of the agenda of family meetings, it presents a unique opportunity to give your teenager some experience in facilitating this process with other family members. Of course, before they jump in, they’ll need some guidance, role modelling, and your assurance that failure is an acceptable option because that’s how we learn. Parents must be there to support their teens, ready to show understanding and love.

Teens who learn to handle various parts of the family meeting agenda become confident in their abilities to perform similar tasks outside of home. In the process, they learn other valuable skills, like how to listen to others, build consensus, and put themselves in other people’s shoes. (psychologytoday.com)

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SUnDAY, november 24, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

EBD records spike in robbery under arms A

lthough the Guyana Police Force said that there has been an overall decrease in serious crimes in the various police station districts, there has been a significant spike in certain crimes along the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) between January 1 and November 10, 2019, when compared with the corresponding period last year.

The most alarming increase was recorded in the category of robbery under arms where firearms were used to execute the crimes. In the Providence district, with less than two months remaining for this year, 32 reports of this nature were received.

Last year there were only 26 reports of such heinous crimes, six less than the figure recorded for 2019.

According to Police Commander of Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) SubDivision B (EBD), Senior Superintendent Kurleigh Simon, the police are taking measures to curb such occurrences along the EBD. He stated that criminal “hot spots” have been identified and are being monitored/ patrolled regularly as well as the fact that Police are continuing to conduct sporadic raids at premises to nab criminals and weed out criminal elements engaged in various crimes, particularly, in robbery under arms.

“I know robbery under arms is the most serious or more scarier offences, particularly for members of the public…persons are fearful that crime is on the increase. However, with all of the statistics that we have there we

(Demerara-Mahaica) with 2235 cases being reported throughout the country between January 1 and October 31, 2019.

This figure represents a decrease with 2292 cases recorded last year for the corresponding period.

He had also stated that a whopping 41.3 per cent of the total serious crimes took place in the Georgetown Sub-Division of Region Four alone.

He noted that Region Four Sub-Division C (East Coast Demerara) has recorded 14.6 per cent of serious crimes followed closely by Region Four SubDivision B (East Bank Demerara) with 12.8 per cent.

The crime statistics recorded for the period of January 1 to November 10, 2019, compared with data from 2018 to highlight increases and decreases in various categories of crime

are still operating at a minus two per cent in terms of serious crimes.”

However, in Golden Grove (inclusive of the New Diamond/ Grove Housing Scheme areas), Grove and Timehri Districts, there have been decreases in robbery under arms acts this year when compared to last year.

In the category of breaking and entering and larceny, both the Golden Grove and Grove districts recorded notable increases between the period of January 1

and November 10, 2019, in comparison to statistics obtained by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for the same period in 2018.

Last year, there were 23 cases of B&E and larceny in the Golden Grove district but for this year, there were already 25 reports filed at the relevant police station in that area.

In the Grove district, last year saw 22 reports of the same crime executed in that area, while for 2019, thus far, there have already been 28 cases reported to

the police.

Meanwhile, burglary is on the rise in the Golden Grove district.

For 2019, there have been 15 reports about this crime lodged at the police station in that area, a major spike from the 3 cases filed during the same period in 2018.

Just recently, the GPF’s acting Crime Chief, Senior Superintendent Michael Kingston had told the media that more than 68 per cent of the serious crimes that occurred this year were recorded in Region Four

Spike in murders and larceny However, despite the overall figure for 2019 displaying a reduction in serious crimes in comparison to statistics from last year, there was a notable spike in murders and larceny from the person categories.

This year saw a 35.7 per cent increase with 114 murder cases in comparison to 2018’s 84 cases.

Meanwhile, with 159 cases of larceny from the person in 2019, there was a 31.4 per cent increase when compared to last year’s record of 121 cases of this nature countrywide.

As it relates to robbery under arms where instruments were used instead of firearms, in 2018 there were 202 reports. This year, to date, there have been 257 occurrences, a 27.2 per cent spike.

Additionally, burglary crimes have risen by 7.9 per cent with 164 cases reported for 2019 thus far when compared to the 152 cases last year.

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SUnDAY, november 24, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

It ain’t over...

T

…till the election’s over

he Americans have some sayings about endings: “It ain’t over till it’s over” and “it’s not over till the fat lady sings”!! The “fat lady”, of course, is the very buxom Brunhilde who sings in the finale in Wagner’s opera about the end of the Norse Gods!! There’s also the much more ancient “nothin’ is carved in stone” – unless you’re handed a couple of stone tablets from behind a burning bush!! Your Eyewitness prefers the much more homely “don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched”. He knows his chickens and eggs!! Those who imbibe might prefer “there’s many a slip between the cup and the lip”!

That’s a whole lot of advice on predicting what’s ahead, isn’t it?

Which seems to be ignored after the “negotiations” between the PNC and AFC on their “new coalition” arrangement. (You still think there’s an APNU?? Then your Eyewitness has a bridge to Hogg Island he wants to sell to you!!) Didn’t you just love all the drama? Demands, threats to “walk away”, (AFC) adamantine refusal to be “bullied”, insistence on “adhering to the Constitution” (PNC), conciliatory noises from the sidelines (Trotman) and then, (finally!) an agreement. The whole routine is worthy of being staged at the Theatre Guild!

But is there an agreement? The AFC – actually, umm, Ramjattan – thinks so, even though there’s been no “official announcement”. He insisted he hadn’t been “bullied” or done any bullying. Really, so why’d he concede a reduction in EVERY area from the original Cummingsburg Accord?

Did he wilt because of the dulcet tones of Volda Lawrence?

Did she suddenly become more expansive and allow that some of her friends to whom she might give “wuk” could be AFC people?? Did she have a Damascene moment with Granger’s voice booming from the heavens??

Your Eyewitness hardly thinks so. And Ramjattan should’ve become much more circumspect in his reporting of the new “agreement”, the moment Granger invoked “adhering to the Constitution”!! Has he forgotten that Granger’s appointed himself the sole arbiter of constitutional interpretation in Guyana? At best, he allows that the Courts MAY have their “perception” on the Constitution!! So let’s examine the “agreement”, shall we, and see if it’ll pass Granger’s constitutional muster?

Notice that Ramjattan was mute on the prize he’s fought a bloody battle with Nagamootoo to secure: become the PM candidate for the PNC coalition. Granger had already reneged after 2015 on the role of the PM by his idiosyncratic interpretation of the Constitution. Does Ramjattan still think even if he promises to step aside from the Presidency, Granger and the PNC will believe him??

The Constitution says it’s the President who chooses his PM and he cannot be fettered!!

Does Ramjattan still believe in fairy tales? He should go see Frozen!! …till GECOM delivers One frequent letter-writer, Dr Annie Baliram, claimed in a missive, “GECOM can’t be trusted. GECOM is a troubled agency. GECOM is heavily influenced by the ruling APNU/ PNC political party. GECOM will never be able to deliver fair elections without the oversight of electoral observers”.

Now your Eyewitness concedes these are merely opinions of the good doctor. But she went on to make some a specific accusation about the agency: “The UNDP offers to oversee the elections but GECOM is deliberately denying this. This is unfair and cruel”. She explained how this offer could prevent rigging. So when your Eyewitness saw a letter in response from the PRO of GECOM, Yolanda Warde, captioned “GECOM: We will deliver credible elections”, he fully expected Baliram’s assertion to be explicitly rubbished! Sadly Warde’s bald assertion was all there was to it!! Nothing about the UNDP’s offer.

She just confirmed the rig is in.

And it ain’t just the oil rig!! …till you choose who cast stones One Toerhane Doerga, of the rice scam fame, had bitterly criticised Jagdeo of “picking” the PPP’s Presidential Candidate.

Then he goes and launches a new party, TNM, and picks the entire executive and slate!!

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

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SUnDAY, november 24, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Guyanese woman wanted in Suriname

S

urinamese Police are currently on the hunt for a 29-year-old Guyanese woman, who is wanted for an alleged murder committed in that country.

Local reports in Suriname confirmed that a wanted bulletin was issued by the Department of Fighting Heavy Crime of the Suriname Police Force for Angel Lesha Lam also known as “Ashantie�, who was born on February 23, 1990. She is a citizen of Guyana.

Lam is wanted for attempted murder and involvement in a serious as-

Wanted in Suriname: Angel Lesha Lam

sault. Persons with any information on her whereabouts are asked to contact the nearest police station with the details.

In October six persons were wanted by Interpol for various criminal offences. They were: Harry Narine Rajkumar, 47; Benvolio Francois Caitanya Valenski, 27; Marcus Brian Bisram, 30; German National Julie Elizabeth Ravel, 65; Neon Daneyon Jemmott, 41; and George Andrew Hercules, 64.

Days ago, Bisram was extradited to Guyana, where he was arraigned for the murder of Faiyaz

Narinedatt, committed some two years ago.

Rajkumar was wanted in Canada for attempted murder, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and disobedience of a court order.

Valenski was also wanted

by Canadian authorities for attempted murder; unauthorised possession of a firearm, pointing a firearm, possession of a weapon, use of a firearm during commission of an indictable offence, discharging a firearm with intent to wound and endanger a life, conspiracy to commit murder, and occupying a motor vehicle with a firearm.

10 news

SUnDAY, november 24, 2019 | guyanatimesGY.com

Welsh company eyes Guyana’s market to supply marine oil …proposes production of domestic electricity

E

volve Trading and Investment, a welsh company, has set their sight on investment opportunities here in Guyana, with the aim of providing Low Sulphur Marine Oil to the marine industry.

This resource, the company said in a release, will be supplied in keeping with the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) as they seek to forge international relationships in the trade industry. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, they are “identifying a niche market by using

their unique cutting-edge technology to create strategic global hubs”.

The company is one which provides training, jobs, electricity and water, along with the development of newer technologies to cure a number of challenges in various regions.

Senior Vice President of the company, George Karstein Irvine met with officials from both the Guyana and UK Governments to outline plans and provided reasons to enter the market, creating a strategic hub for the production and distribution of Low Sulphur Marine Fuel Oil

(LMSFO). When completed, it would be the first of its kind in South America.

Meanwhile, 50 megawatts of domestic electricity can also be generated.

“To this end, Evolve Trading and Investment has signalled an exclusive agreement with a 100 per cent owned local company, A&S Enterprise…The technology being proposed can also be used to create 50Mw of domestic electricity as well as copious amounts of fresh water which could be made available to the local national grid,” the company signalled.

A joint meeting will be facilitated in January 2020 between the partnering companies in this venture.

As Guyana prepares to step into the shoes of an oil-producing nation, the industries have since attracted a host of foreign investors.

Oil and gas companies throughout the world have discovered over seven billion barrels of oil equivalent for the year 2019, but of this amount, Guyana has the second most discoveries so far in the year.

This is according to Norwegian research company Rystad Energy, which compiled a report on all the discoveries of oil around the world and

came up with a list of the top 10 countries. Russia is in the lead, with over 1.5 billion barrels of oil found in its Dinkov and Nyarmeyskoye oil fields.

So far, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL, Exxon’s local subsidiary) has made 14 oil finds in the Stabroek block over 100 miles offshore Guyana, including four for this year.

Last year, the company made five discoveries.

These discoveries have pushed the total estimated recoverable barrels of oil equivalent to over six billion. In addition, Exxon is moving ahead with its Liza Phase Two project, which will contain approximately 30 wells.

The Liza Destiny, Guyana’s first Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, arrived in Guyana’s waters at the end of August. The vessel will play a key role in oil production, scheduled to begin in the first quarter of next year.

Meanwhile, Tullow has made at least two oil finds in its Jethro and Joe wells. On September 16, the same day that ExxonMobil announced its 14th oil find, Tullow also revealed that it had made its second oil find

Senior Vice President of Evolve Trading and Investment, George Karstein Irvine

in just a matter of weeks – the discovery of 14 metres of oil reservoirs at the Joe well.

However, the oil found

by Tullow was found to be heavy crude which has a high sulphur content. Crude with high sulphur content is a variety of oil that is less economically viable than the light, sweet crudes found in the United States and Saudi Arabia, or even the oil found by ExxonMobil right offshore Guyana in the neighbouring Stabroek Block.

Both the Jethro and

Joe wells were drilled in the Orinduik Block, which is located just a few kilometres from ExxonMobil’s discoveries. Despite the close proximity of the blocks, however, Exxon has not had the same issues with oil impurities.

In light of the latest analysis, Tullow said that it would weigh “the commercial viability of these discoveries considering the quality of the oil, alongside the high-quality reservoir sands and strong overpressure.”

NEWS

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SUnDAY, november 24, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

PNC, democracy and sugar workers

T

he PNC bent backwards to accommodate the AFC in their coalition “accord” renegotiation. Why else would they give the latter 30% of the seats they would receive at the next elections in light of their abysmal performance at the 2018 LGE? Especially when, in polarised societies, voters are more willing to “experiment” with their votes than in national elections, when control of the state is at stake. And the simple answer is they want the ABC countries, which have an even larger stake in Guyana today, to repeat their 2015 blessings on a “multiracial government”.

The PNC gave away the store in 2015 because they needed the IndianGuyanese component of the AFC’s base to give them “multiracial” credentials – and ditto this time around.

Even though the actual “giveaway” was more notional than not, given the PNC diluting the real powers of the Ministries conferred to the AFC – especially the Ravi Dev Prime Ministership and the Public Security Ministry.

It was a pappy show but they were able to get away with the “multiracial” tag and they are hoping for a repeat performance.

But the US was not totally convinced about the multiracial bona fides of the coalition. In a report for the USAID, “Democracy, Human Rights and Governance Assessment of Guyana” issued in March 2016, the authors concluded: “It was considered still too early to assess whether the Executive is actually “walking the walk”. Events occurring during the writing of this report suggest that the Executive has been sufficiently reminded of its political vulnerability. For example, the decision to table in the National Assembly the Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Guyana Sugar Corporation, along with the postponement of Police promotions, may indicate a preferential option for more democratic governance”.

The authors were correct to be cautious on the PNC’s claim to “democratic governance”. A year later, Granger used the report of a one-man CoI he appointed to investigate a twoyear “assassination plot” against himself to completely revamp the top brass of the GPF after he had strong-armed the Police Service Commission (PSC) to resign and then reappointed a more compliant one. The Opposition Leader was forced to observe that Guyana was being remade into a “Banana Republic”.

But the PNC’s subsequent actions on the GuySuCo CoI was more revealing. The entire CoI Report, laid in Parliament on Dec 30, 2015, was thrown into the garbage, including its central recommendation that the Corporation be supported for three additional years, rehabilitated and privatised. Instead, the coalition unilaterally decided to shut down four of the seven sugar estates and fire almost 7000 workers, mostly PPP supporters, employed by GuySuCo and private farmers. Neither the sugar union GAWU nor the Opposition was informed, much less consulted, on the heartless move. It was Guyana Times that revealed the closure of Wales in early 2016.

In May 2017, the Min of Agriculture finally laid a “State Paper on the future of the sugar Industry” in the National Assembly, which confirmed the closure of Wales and the incipient closure of Enmore-LBI (ECD), Rose Hall (Canje, Berbice) and Skeldon (Corentyne, Berbice). But what brought the issue of non-democratic governance of the PNC more to the fore was the differential treatment meted out to the fired sugar workers versus that to its supporters.

The PNC’s State Paper made repeated commitments to alleviate the dire plight of the former group: “GuySuCo also proposes to surrender land for lease to employees for them to engage in agricultural production. The resources that exist under the “Green Economy” and “Regional Food SelfSufficiency” drive would support their efforts… (crop types to be decided by GuySuCo and the Ministry of Agriculture)”. Yet, to date, not a single acre has been leased to a fired sugar worker who is all on the breadlines. At Wales, without any notice or tender, 700 acres were instead leased to a Ghanaian company specifically formed for the purpose – to cultivate coconuts.

Contrast this treatment to the Government’s launching a CDB-funded $2.6 billion scheme in Dec 2016, as Wales was being shuttered, to resuscitate agriculture behind the four African-dominated villages of Ithaca, Buxton, BV and Mocha.

Identified crops would be processed, packaged and marketed to Caricom and other global markets.

At the end of slavery, the sugar producers spitefully conspired to deny the ex-slaves the opportunity to become independent. This PNC Government intended to do the same with the present Indian-dominated sugar workers. While claiming "multiracial" credentials.

UG to continue programme to create apps for persons with disabilities A

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed earlier this month between the Public Telecommunications Ministry, the University of Guyana (UG) and the National Commission on Disability to allow web designers and developers of ICT (Information C o m m u n i c a t i o n Technology) products to continue training in the creation of apps for persons with disabilities (PwDs).

Facilitated by UG, the training for the creation of these apps is aimed at bringing PwDs into the mainstream of public life – in the workplace and socially— to ensure they have the same opportunities to learn and earn, and ensure that they have access to web content via programmes and software specially designed for their use.

At the signing ceremony at Colgrain House, Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes noted that the MoU is forward movement along the path to making provisions to Guyanese people living with Disabilities.

In June 2019, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) activated the new Tax Exemption Policy for Disabled Persons. By then, the United Nations had sanctioned the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, which states that easy access to the Internet is now a human right.

Another step towards making these provisions was the initiation of the Train-the-Trainers programme which the Ministry executed in July in collaboration with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

The first week of training was led by specialists from the ITU and the remaining 4 weeks or tutelage were conducted online.

Meanwhile, Professor Dr Michael Scott of UG’s Office of Academic Achievement stated, “We live in a society in which many people have limitations/disabilities so it is imperative that we do everything in our power to help these persons to rise above their limitations.

The Academic Department is always willing to take on challenges such as this”.

He added, “The University has made this commitment to continue the training initiative for web designers and creators of ICT products to facilitate people living with certain disabilities or lim-

itations to consume web content either audibly, visually, by touch use or other senses”.

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Paloma Mohamed and National

Commission on Disability Executive Secretary Beverley Pyle were also present at the signing.

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SUnDAY, november 24, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

news

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SUnDAY, november 24, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

New UG Chancellor believes free university education achievable

…lays out short-term vision, “low-hanging fruits” for entity

By Jarryl Bryan

W

ith the recently increased discussions on the University of Guyana (UG) becoming a tuition-free zone, newly appointed Chancellor, Professor Edward Greene believes that making education at the University free is certainly achievable.

During a recent interview with this publication, Professor Greene was asked

investments in human capital. According to the academic, investing in human capital can bring enormous returns to the country as a whole.

“The investment in human capital bears returns that are enormous. And I would certainly urge and collaborate with the Government to really come through with their promise of free education,” he said.

Article 27 of the Constitution of Guyana

Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and decorated diplomat officially took over as Chancellor at the University’s 53rd Convocation ceremony on November 16. His appointment ends almost a year’s search for someone to succeed former Chancellor Emeritus Nigel Harris.

Greene enters office at a time when UG is under the direction of an Interim Management Committee that

Low-hanging fruit

UG Chancellor, Edward Greene

Professor

create the basis for that development trajectory that we could benefit from in this new phase.”

Greene also explained that from his observations, there are areas for improvement in infrastructure on campus. As an example, he noted that given the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), there should be improvements to the laboratories.

The University of Guyana

for his thoughts on the concept of free education at UG. Greene noted that not only is it doable, the right to free education is also enshrined in the Constitution.

“I think [free education] is doable. With the resources from oil, we can find a way to make that a priority. As a matter of fact, it’s enshrined in the Constitution. And I think when we look at what happens in Singapore and the rest of South-East Asia, where they really developed education from childhood to university and made that free,” he explained.

Greene noted the developmental potential that those countries have been able to realise and the importance of

states that every citizen has the right to free education from nursery to University.

At UG, however, there have in fact been incremental increases in tuition and various services since 2017.

With elections on the horizon, various political parties have pitched the idea of implementing free education at UG, which currently has over 5000 students enrolled.

There is an international precedent for free tertiary education, with countries like Germany, Brazil and Norway offering world-class public university education free of cost.

The

Plans for UG former

Deputy

was set up after the controversial departure of former Vice Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Griffith. During his interview, Greene acknowledged that at present, the University faces many challenges.

“But there are lots of opportunities, especially given we are on the cusps of a buoyant economy. So I think one of the short term things the University can do is to ensure it develops the kind of programmes that can equip its graduates to get engaged in the sustainable development future of Guyana.”

“And that really means that not only an investment in their education in oil and gas, but in those sectors that

The Chancellor also noted the importance of the University engaging the community, rather than leaving the institution with the perception of being an ‘ivory tower’. According to Greene, UG must be able to provide perspectives, including research, on issues that affect the wider community.

“Chief among these issues is how do we tackle climate change. Together because it’s a human endeavour, how do we develop towards a green economy? How do we really level the playing field so that more people can have opportunities to get a higher education, and technical training? That’s how I see us moving in the immediate future. I call it the low-hanging fruit.”

“We discussed this (Tuesday) in a meeting with the transitional management committee, which now runs the University since we don’t have a sitting Vice Chancellor. I was very impressed with the plans to make the University a re-

search-oriented institution.

Yes, we have to teach. But we can only teach current things on the basis of active research.”

Greene expressed the belief that when the University conducts research, it should be relevant to developments not only in Guyana but also global developments. Greene also lauded the fact that UG had created a research programme in biodiversity and listed some of the other areas he wanted to see UG do more research in.

“So research in agriculture, climate change, engineering and hydraulics, soil, agro-industries, these are things which we believe we must engage our students.

We have to source the funding,” Greene noted.

“We have to [advocate with the] Government to see the University as a vital source for the development thrust. We have to help the graduates feel comfortable with [Guyana’s potential], that they will not migrate in [the numbers] that they have been.”

EBD records 10% increase in road fatalities

…despite overall decrease in traffic offences countrywide

D

espite the overall report from the Traffic Department of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) that shows a recorded decrease in accidents and road deaths countrywide when compared to the corresponding period last year, there has been a notable increase in road fatalities along the East Bank Demerara (EBD) corridor.

For this year thus far, the EBD Sub-Division has already recorded a 10 per

cent increase in road fatalities and a 14 per cent increase in damage accidents when compared to the same period in 2018.

This is according to Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) Police Commander of Sub-Division B (EBD), Senior Superintendent Kurleigh Simon, who made the disclosure during the unveiling of his Sub-Division’s Christmas crime-fighting and policing plan on Saturday. Turn to Page 14

Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) Police Commander of Sub-Division B (EBD), Senior Superintendent Kurleigh Simon

14 NEWS

SUnDAY, november 24, 2019| guyanatimesgy.com

Stewartville residents complain of roadside bar International …say lewdness, nudity continue into morning hours

R

esidents of Stewartville on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) have mounted several complaints against a bar in the area which was established just a few inches away from the public road, indicating that the degree of nudity and noise nuisance is intolerable.

Guyana Times was contacted by residents who insisted that many persons who live in close proximity to the business establishment have complained about their noisy activities to no avail. According to one resident, in many cases, the police were called in but the issue persists.

A resident stated that the structure faces the roadside and loud music is played from the afternoon until the early morning hours. Adding to that, there are many cases of nudity and improper disposal of human waste. This, the exasperated woman stated, is an unhealthy environment for children within the community as well. At times, minors are spotted late into the night.

“You have older folks.

You have people with young babies. Three children last month were doing drugs

Just a few months ago, noise nuisance created by the Cozy Nook Restaurant and Bar on the Soesdyke Public Road had caused much disturbance to persons, causing many residents to make formal complaints to the police.

The bar on State lands which has unsettled the community

out there and the police had to come and pick them up.

These things must be removed. We cannot go out in the night. We want to know why this bar on State land is still out here and why they have a toilet facing the homes of residents. We must be able to sleep without this noise in our ears,” she detailed.

This publication understands that officials of the regional administration were also informed about the issue but no action has been taken. After complaints during a Government outreach, the owner was asked to remove the structure, which was never done.

In 2018, the Public Security Ministry had re-enforced the ‘2 am curfew’ for nightspots and other plac-

es of entertainment. This was after taking into account the effects of alcohol consumption on crime and violence – including domestic violence and traffic accidents. However, the woman has clarified that this specific WCD bar in question is swarmed by a host of issues, including the fact that it was illegally established.

“I spoke to the REO and you know what she told me? She was like ‘If I move them, then I got to move taxi stands’. What does taxi stands have to do with this? Taxi stands do not play noise. The Minister was here when they had the outreach and when they asked for Government to regularise there, he said no. They told him to remove but instead, he add on.”

Jaguar Day is November 29

EBD records...

from Page13

“So for last year, we had 12 road fatalities but this year, we are having 19. Last year, we had 196 damage accidents and this year we have 224. So, it is a cause for concern for all, not only for the Police but for other road users also,” Superintendent Simon told the media at a press conference.

Commander Simon, who only recently took up the mantle to head that new policing Sub-Division after the former A Division (Region Four) was split into three Sub-Divisions, stated that although efforts were intensified by the Police to curb traffic accidents and fatalities, effective results could only be achieved with the cooperation of drivers and road users.

However, he noted that the Police under his command will be doubling their efforts in trying to keep passengers, road users and even the drivers themselves accident-free and safe.

Less than two weeks ago, the GPF’s Traffic Department reported that from January 1 to November 10, 2019, it saw a four per cent decrease in accidents and a six per cent decrease in road deaths related to accidents when compared to the same period in 2018.

This was according to Traffic Chief, Superintendent Linden Isles, who noted that in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) – the East Bank Demerara Sub-Division (Region Four (B))— special systems have to be put in place since this is a section where most of the serious accidents have been recorded.

“If you look at the statistics, it would show that in 2018, there were 16 accidents with 24 deaths and in 2019, we have 17 accidents with 25 deaths. So special emphasis will be placed in that area. In addition, we can look at Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), we had 14 accidents with 14 deaths in 2018 and 15 accidents with 15 deaths in 2019”.

Touching on fatal accidents that occurred in the 10 administrative regions across Guyana for the years 2017 and 2018 during the Christmas period, the Traffic Chief stated that there has been a decrease as well.

This period is from November 15, 2018, to January 15, 2019.

Isles had also added that the GPF Traffic Department will be upping the ante to condignly deal with drivers who are caught driving any motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol as part of ensuring that their lives, as well as innocent persons, are protected.

T

he jaguar has long been intertwined in the fabric of Guyanese history and culture; it stands on Guyana’s Coat of Arms and is considered our national animal.

These majestic animals have earned their place as kings and queens of our forests and are protected by law. In 2018, at the Conference of the Parties for the Convention on Biological Diversity (CDB), November 29 was designated annually as International Jaguar Day. This Day was created to raise awareness about the increasing threats facing the jaguar and the critical conservation efforts ensuring its survival from Mexico to Argentina.

Jaguars play an important role in maintaining the health of our planet. As apex predators, they help to maintain a balance in the population of the species they prey on. As such, they contribute towards the regulation of the global climate and ecosystem resilience which ensures we benefit from clean water, as well as materials for food, and medicines. The need for jaguar conservation is ever-present. The jaguar has lost 50% of its natural range and its population is declining. In fact,

jaguars are now extinct in El Salvador and Uruguay.

The main reasons behind the decline in the population of jaguars are conflict with humans, habitat loss due to activities such as mining, logging and agriculture, overhunting of the jaguar’s prey and poaching. Recent estimates suggest that Guyana’s ‘potential’ jaguar population is approximately 4300 (J?drzejewski et al, 2018). However, further studies are needed to better understand Guyana’s jaguar population and to inform conservation efforts.

The Government of Guyana stands committed to advancing the Jaguar 2030 Conservation Roadmap which aims to strengthen the Jaguar Corridor, ranging from Mexico to Argentina, by securing 30 priority jaguar conservation landscapes by the year 2030.

The Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission (GWCMC), as the agency responsible for the protection, conservation, management and sustainable use of Guyana’s wildlife is actively involved in conservation efforts to protect the jaguar. Since the beginning of 2018, we have participated in outreaches in approximately twenty-two communities across the country in a bid to better understand human- jaguar interactions and develop solutions that will reduce conflict between humans and jaguars so we can co-exist mutually. We urge all residents to be cognizant of the importance of the jaguar and understand that we all have a role to play in the protection of this species.

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SUnDAY, november 24, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Major risk assessment study on climate change needed – CDC Head

By Jarryl Bryan

The rival of the future is here …the future of sustainable business

T

he world has changed in myriad ways since 1992. In 1992, the global population was approximately 5.5 billion and has grown to about 7.4 billion today. This increase is 50 per cent more than all the people in the world in 1900. More than 55 per cent of the world’s population lives in urban areas.

Twenty-seven years ago, this was true for only 44 per cent of the population. The global economy has also grown dramatically.

Global GDP was US$25.39 trillion and as of 2016, that number has exceeded US$75 trillion. This growth has had a major impact on the quality of life with extreme poverty falling significantly.

For example, in 1992, one in three people suffered from extreme poverty; today, one in ten people live in extreme poverty.

The geography of the world’s economy has also changed.

This change is characterised by the shift of economic activity from the North to the South and West to East. The number of fortune 500 global firms coming from the emerging economies has exploded from 4 per cent in 1992 to more than 25 per cent today and China is poised to surpass the United States’ economy as the world’s largest economy very soon.

In the area of climate change: at the time of the Rio Summit in 1992, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was launched, which is now matched by specific commitments from 190 countries aiming to turn the vision of the Paris Agreement into reality. Since this agreement was signed, businesses have moved swiftly, with more than 300 companies embracing science-based targets and more than 100 businesses committing to using 100 per cent renewable energy.

T

he recent high tides and the flooding and disruption it has brought with it have been chalked up by some to climate change. And according to Civil Defence Commission (CDC) Director, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, a major study on climate change and its effects in Guyana is needed.

During a recent interview with this publication, Craig noted that the time has come for a detailed risk assessment study on climate change and what it means for Guyana, so that policymakers can make informed decisions on the way forward to protect vulnerable communities.

The aftermath of floods that hit areas in Mahaica

ance on mitigating the effects of climate change. It has done this through its representative on the Sea and River Defence Board under the Ministry of Public

Structural economic change

The economic shift that the world is experiencing appears to rival the significance of the industrial revolution a century and a half ago. A digital, connected economy is profoundly changing business today, and this will only accelerate in decades to come.

This transition is already reordering daily life, the nature of work, and the competitive landscape for business.

These changes come alongside critical progress in the global struggle for equitable and inclusive growth – notably in the reduction of absolute poverty, the improvement of women’s health outcomes and educational attainment.

However, inequality within nations is on the rise and there is growing frustration with an economic system that enables a small fraction of the population to control most of the world’s resources.

A new business environment

The wave of changes sweeping the world is coalescing to create a new operating environment for business. There has never been a time in the last 25 years when companies everywhere have faced such all-encompassing change. Almost every business today is asking itself fundamental questions about the nature, shape and future of its business such as these: * What business sector are we in and who will be our traditional competitors in a time of change? * How can we build new business models that deliver value for consumers consistent with environmental limits? * How should businesses respond to an emerging revolution in the nature of work? * How will micro-manufacturing, re-shoring, and other developments upend in global supply chains that have defined the past 25 years? * Will massive middle classes in the Global South mimic Western tastes? * What is the role of business in a world where governments often move slower than the changes reshaping the world, and when trust in both business and government is at an alltime low? * And ultimately, how can large companies remain sufficiently nimble in an era of rapid change?

The companies that are addressing these questions headon, there is the promise of remarkable innovation – not only in technology but also in business models, partnerships, products and services, and ways of engaging consumers. Moreover, many of the new strategic imperatives for companies have the potential to bring massive improvements in sustainability. The changes that are emerging could deliver great leaps forward – through both direct and indirect means.

Next week the author will contextualise this article in terms of what this means for the future of Guyana.

By: JC Bhagwandin, MSc Email: jbbankingadvice@gmail.com (The author is an experienced Macro-finance and Research Analyst; and a Senior Lecturer of BBA / MBA programmes at Texila American University, University of Bedfordshire and the Association of Business Executives (ABE) programmes in Guyana.

The discussions and analyses presented are exclusively his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper nor the institutions he is affiliated with.)

“I think nationally, we have to engage in a major risk assessment, to see what the projection from climate change and sea-level rise, how it’s going to impact the country. And what will be the best measures to reduce the impact in the future,” Craig said.

He noted that with the coast being below sea level, it is advisable for persons living in these areas to adapt to the effects of climate change. Craig noted that some things persons can do to protect themselves include adhering to building codes and putting a stop to littering.

“We have building codes.

And the building codes talk about building a certain level above the ground. So my advice is for persons to take those building codes into consideration. Secondly, in those farming communities, especially those where you have livestock, we’ve advised persons to build their pens on stilts.”

“Those are some adaptation measures that have proven useful in Asia and other countries around the world. Garbage disposal is a big thing. People continue to look at the environment and abuse the environment and dispose their garbage improperly. I think we need to be conscious about the environment. I think we have to safeguard our environment and property.

Craig explained that one of the ways the CDC itself has been playing its part is by providing guid-

Infrastructure. According to Craig, river and sea defence constructions remain one of the most effective measures for climate adaptability.

“What we have seen too

is if we develop proper infrastructure, we have positive results. In 2018, communities on the West Coast, particularly Stewartville and the lower ones, were impacted by the levels of high tide in 2018, but in 2019 after work was done on sea defences, the impact was minimal in those communities,” he said.

“So it shows that once you identify those vulnerable areas and you take certain mitigating measures, it will definitely reduce the impact on communities,” Craig also explained to this publication.

Flooding in Mahaica last month saw more than 300 acres of rice being destroyed and hundreds of acres more being put under threat of destruction by saltwater. In addition, livestock was destroyed and properties sustained damages.

Apart from the destruction of acres of the rice crop

CDC Director, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig

itself caused by the water, it had been reported that the flooded land was no longer suitable for rice production since the soil composition had become too salty.

In the case of the sea defence at Dantzig, Mahaica, salt water from the ocean flowed onto the land when it was breached, killing livestock, rice fields and vegetable farms. Persons in the residential areas were also hit.

Checks on the affected areas almost two months after several villages were first inundated revealed that persons were still losing livestock and the area is plagued by mosquitoes. It is understood that some of the other affected areas included Carlton Hall, Harmony Hall, Glaziers Lust, Prospect, Highdam, Rebeccas Rust, Brooms Hall, Bath, Quakers Hall, De Kinderen, Zealand and Planters Hall.

16 news

SUnDAY, november 24, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Guyanese need to generalise skill set – Energy Director

W

ith Guyana’s budding petroleum industry, scores of persons are rushing to get themselves qualified within the oil and gas field; however, Director of the Department of Energy, Dr Mark Bynoe, is cautioning against being specialised in a single discipline.

During an interview on the sidelines of the recently-concluded 2nd annual Guyana International Petroleum Summit and Exhibition (GIPEX), Dr Bynoe was speaking about capacity-building to fill the gaps within the oil and gas industry.

But he pointed out that persons need to be conscious of the fact that the majority of the opportunities available are just “short-term shocks”, especially since the sector is new to Guyana.

According to the Energy Director, once the petroleum sector matures, then high demand for such skills sets will diminish. At that point, he explained, those skills can be then used in other economic sectors if they are generalised and not just specialised to the petroleum field. “…In the early days, the oil and gas sector would employ more persons but as it

Director of Energy Department, Dr Mark Bynoe

begins to level off, those numbers will drop off. It’s like the construction industry… That’s why we speak to having a flattening of the skills sets, rather than being specialised because when the oil industry begins to mature, you want those skills set to be transferrable so that they’re able to move into other areas to help with the development of the country,” Dr Bynoe asserted.

The Head of the Energy Department went on to say that this is particularly important because the recent focus has been heavy on the oil and gas sector and not much attention has been placed on further improving the existing sectors within Guyana’s economy.

“There is still a dirt of certain skills set we need to enhance inclusive of the en-

gineering field, mathematics, science. STEM is a big thing for us and if we begin to speak about utilisation of these resources, we have to have the capacity.

Otherwise, what will happen, Guyana will encounter significant leakages from the economy. So even though monies will be coming in [from the oil sector], those monies will be going back out if we don’t have capacity here,” he stressed.

On this note, Dr Bynoe outlined that a number of steps have been taken to building capacity within Guyana. In fact, he noted that the Government has been working with some of the oil companies currently operating in Guyana such as CGX and ExxonMobil as well as Tullow Oil to build capacity at not only at the level of the University of Guyana but in the Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET).

Added to this, he disclosed that efforts are afoot to drill down such training as early as in the primary school stage in an effort to widen the conversations on the “new Guyana”.

However, as the Government continues to work with stakeholders to build capacity locally, there is a trend whereby these trained persons are being absorbed by private companies within the oil and gas sector.

To tackle this, the

Sydney Armstrong

Energy Director opined that Government may need to relook at bonding students.

“These are modalities one can put in place to for the next three to six years, depending on how long you spend abroad – that’s the number of years you’d be expected to give back to the country”.

He added that it does not “mean you still wouldn’t have some level of attrition or movement of labour within different sectors occurring. But of course, you can plan, knowing that within the next three to five years, you will have these skills set available to you”.

Meanwhile, at one of the panel discussions during the GIPEX forum, Head of UG’s Department of Economics

in the Faculty of Sciences, Sydney Armstrong, underscored the need to recognise the importance of the tertiary education institution in the budding industry.

He noted that UG has a major role to play in capacity-building and while it is important that the institution takes up this mantle, it is hindered by various challenges.

As such, he too underlined the need for UG to partner with stakeholders in the industry on this front. One such initiative that the institution is looking at is reaching out to the rural regions of Guyana.

He said UG is looking at establishing outreach centres in hinterland communities where there would be short courses and training programmes, or even workshops and seminars for residents there.

However, he pointed out that all of this requires financing.

Only on Thursday, UG signed a $459 million agreement with American multinational corporation – Halliburton on the sidelines of GIPEX. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) provides opportunities for developments in the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, specifically in relation to laboratory equipment, staff development and software development.

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17

SUnDAY, november 24, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Over $28M donated to CIOG’s Orphans and Vulnerable Children programme F

or the year 2019, the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) has dedicated in excess of $28 million towards helping and

successfully fulfil the financial and educational needs of these children.

“Approximately more than $2 million is expended every month on this pro-

tiatives was recognised by both US Ambassador to Guyana Sarah-Ann Lynch and British High Commissioner to Guyana Greg Quinn as they pledged

Children enjoying rock-climbing

providing necessities for hundreds of young children and teenagers under its Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) programme countrywide.

This revelation was made on Saturday during the opening ceremony of the Organisation’s annual Funday hosted for the OVC, organised by the CIOG and the Zakaat House of Kuwait.

The sponsorship programme, which is extended to children of all religions, was initiated back in 1993 and now sees some 400 children benefitting.

According to the Director of CIOG’s Education Department, Shaykh Moeenul Hack, some $28 million was set aside to

gramme. And more than 1000 children, since 1993, have graduated from the OVC programme of CIOG. For 2019 alone, more than 28 million have been expended,” he disclosed.

Further, the Director shared the recorded successes of these children as a result of assistance through the programme.

“What have been the results of this programme?

We’ve had 100 per cent passes at the National Grade Six Assessment in 2019, another achievement we’ve had 100 per cent passes at the CSEC exams in 2019 of the orphans and vulnerable children who sat the exams,” he pointed out.

The impact of these ini-

in Guyana.

“I have sponsored a child through this programme over the last couple of years. It has been a pleasure doing so and I promise to continue doing so even after I leave Guyana.

I know that support has an impact and that makes me happy,” Quinn noted.

Meanwhile, in expressing similar sentiments, the Ambassador expressed gratitude to those who contribute financially to such programmes.

“Both the educational and social impact is obvious with a number of children here today who report having excelled at their recent NGSA and CSEC exams…there are a number of sponsors who make this achievement possible through their generous support”.

The religious organisation also grasped the oppor-

US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch and British High Commissioner Greg Quinn watch as a volunteer helps a child into a play car

further support towards the programme.

In his remarks, High Commissioner Quinn expressed satisfaction of being a contributor and committed to doing so even after the end of his tenure

tunity to acknowledge the foreign dignitaries’ support and the academic success of those OVC students who sat the NGSA and CSEC examinations earlier this year.

These two girls smile gleefully as they enjoy some of the activities on Saturday

18

sunDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2019

guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

3 Colombian Police Giuliani-Pompeo contacts revealed in newly-released papers killed in bombing

T

hree police were killed in a bomb blast late on Friday at a police station in Colombia, after thousands gathered for renewed protests and sporadic looting erupted in the capital Bogota.

A police source told Reuters 10 officers were also injured in the explosion, in the town of Santander de Quilichao in the southwestern province of Cauca, known as a hot spot for drug trafficking and violence.

The source did not attribute the bombing to a particular armed group. Police are expected to hold a news conference on Saturday morning.

Three people were killed on Thursday as more than 250,000 people marched in a national strike to express growing discontent with President Ivan Duque’s government.

Their grievances included rumored economic reforms that the president has denied and anger at what protesters call a lack of government action to stop corruption and the murder of human rights activists.

Thousands gathered on Friday afternoon in Bogota’s Bolivar Plaza for a “cacerolazo” - a traditional Latin American expression of protest in which people bang pots and pans.

“We are here to keep protesting against the Duque gov-

A

Military personnel stand guard during a protest on the second day of the national strike in Bogota, Colombia (Reuters photo) ernment,” said 25-year-old art student Katheryn Martinez, as she clanged a pot with a fork accompanied by her father Arturo, 55.

“It’s an inefficient government that kills children and doesn’t acknowledge it,” she said, referring to a recent bombing targeted at rebels that killed eight teenagers and prompted the former defense minister to resign.

The crowd, which included families and elderly people, was abruptly dispersed by tear gas, sending protesters running up the steep narrow streets of the historic district.

Some protesters regrouped at nearby intersections and continued chanting, while people in other neighborhoods gathered

in celebratory cacerolazos, temporarily blocking some roads.

A 21:00h curfew is in force across Bogota, except for the neighborhoods of Bosa, Kennedy and Ciudad Bolivar, where it began at 8 p.m.

Posts on social media and callers into radio stations said neighbors were organizing to protect homes from looters, while officials urged calm.

Several supermarkets in the city’s south were looted on Friday as protesters, many masked, burned items in the street and blocked roads. Other protesters stole a public bus.

Some people were taking advantage of the protests to “sow chaos”, Duque said in a televised address on Friday evening. (Excerpted from Reuters)

n ethics group has published nearly 100 pages of documents obtained from the US State Department that it says clearly detail contacts between President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at a key point in the Ukraine affair.

American Oversight, a self-described non-partisan watchdog investigating the Trump administration, said the documents provided "a clear paper trail" of contacts in March between Giuliani and Pompeo.

The group, which obtained the documents through a federal Freedom of Information Act request, did not claim to know what the two men discussed in the calls on March 26 and March 29.

But the documents confirmed contacts between the men nearly a month before the then-US ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch, was abruptly recalled.

The new information "reveals a clear paper trail from Rudy Giuliani to the Oval Office to Secretary Pompeo to facilitate Giuliani's smear campaign against a US ambassador", American Oversight's director, Austin Evers, said in a statement.

Witnesses in the recent impeachment hearings in the US House of Representatives have described Giuliani as conducting a "rogue" operation, independent of the State Department's mission, to pressure Kyiv into investigating Trump's domestic political opponents. While the content of the two brief calls is unknown, they at least raise the question of whether there was a degree of coordination.

Yovanovitch testified before the US Congress that Giuliani had smeared her reputation by raising questions about her loyalty, presumably because she was unwilling to press the Ukrainians to investigate former US Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, over the latter's

Ukraine business dealings.

There is no evidence so far that either of the Bidens did anything illegal in Ukraine.

One email released by American Oversight appeared to show that Madeleine Westerhout, then Trump's personal assistant, had helped connect Giuliani to Pompeo when he had difficulty making the call.

Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union, testified on Wednesday that Pompeo "knew what we were doing, and why" regarding Ukraine's assistance with investigations.

"Everyone was in the loop," he said.

Al Jazeera's John Hendren said the documents confirm what the administration officials had been saying in the impeachment hearings about there being two channels for the US foreign policy - one official and the other directed from the president through Giuliani. (Excerpted from Al Jazeera)

Former Namibian Minister arrested after Al Jazeera investigation Kenya landslide: At least F 29 killed after heavy rains A

t least 29 people have died in landslides caused by severe weather in West Pokot county, Kenya.

The landslides, affecting the villages of Nyarkulian and Parua, were reportedly caused by heavy rains.

Officials say the villages have been cut off by flooded roads and at least one bridge was reportedly swept away.

President Uhuru Kenyatta said in a statement that his "heartfelt condolences" were with the relatives and friends of the victims.

Mr Kenyatta said there had been "massive destruction" of property and infrastructure, and that he has ordered armed forces and rescue services to the area to help.

Seven children were among the dead recovered so far, officials said.

Interior Minister Fred Matiang'i confirmed that rescue operations were "ongoing", adding that "harsh weather conditions" were hampering a full assessment of the damage.

Images on social media

The landslides were sparked by heavy rain (EPA photo) showed trees, mud and other debris scattered across roads.

The Red Cross has confirmed it is responding to reports of the "massive" landslides.

Kenya's meteorological department issued a warning of heavy rains on 18 November, telling people in "landslide-prone" areas to be on "high alert".

Countries throughout east Africa have been affected by the downpours in recent weeks.

Landslides and flash floods

have killed people in Ethiopia and Tanzania while hundreds of thousands have been displaced in Somalia by heavy rains.

Scientists warn that a weather system called the Indian Ocean Dipole is making flooding worse in the area.

Known as the Indian Ocean "El Niño", it occurs when the western part of the Indian Ocean becomes significantly warmer than the eastern part.

(BBC)

ormer Namibian Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Bernhard Esau, has been arrested following allegations of corruption and money laundering in the Namibian fishing industry.

Esau's arrest on Saturday came in the wake of a joint investigation by Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit, the Icelandic State Broadcaster RUV, and the Icelandic magazine Stundin based on leaked documents provided by the whistle-blowing group, WikiLeaks.

Warrants have also been issued for the former minister of justice, Sacky Shanghala, former chairman of the state-owned fishing company, James Hatuikulipi, and Esau's sonin-law, Tamson Hatuikulipi.

Al Jazeera's investigation exposed the roles of well-connected Namibians who facilitated Samherji's entry into the industry, in part based on the "Fishrot" archive released

by WikiLeaks.

Fishrot is a database of more than 30,000 documents containing internal emails, memos, Powerpoint presen-

tations and media provided by former Samherji employee-turned-whistleblower Johannes Stefansson.

Shortly after the release of the archive, Esau and Shanghala resigned from their positions as ministers. The two were accused of receiving bribes in return for giving Samherji, one of Iceland's largest fishing companies, preferential access to Namibia's rich fishing grounds.

James Hatuikulipi resigned as chairman of the state-owned fishing company, while the CEO of Samherji, Thorsteinn Mar Baldvinsson, stepped aside from his post pending an independent investigation.

During his time as the minister of fisheries and marine resources, Esau developed close ties with Samherji, allocating it a significant portion of Namibia's fishing quota.

Whistle-blower Stefansson alleged that this preferential access to fishing quotas was given in return for "bribes" paid to Esau, Shanghala, and their associates, James Hatuikulipi and Tamson Hatuikulipi.

Former Namibian Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Bernhard Esau

According to the leaked documents, Samherji made payments from 2012 onwards to businesses associated with Shanghala worth close to $10m.

In return, the well-connected politicians appear to have fixed a bilateral fishing agreement with neighbouring Angola in order to provide Samherji with greater access to the Namibian fishing quotas. (Excerpted from Al Jazeera)

T&T cop killed in freak accident

T

he public’s help is urgently being sought to locate the driver of a vehicle that drove over a police officer as he lay on the highway after he was involved in an accident, killing him instantly.

The freak accident took place around 3 am Saturday on the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway in the vicinity of the Courts Megastore, El Socorro.

PC Leon Ramsey, a mo-

torcyclist who works with the Traffic and Highway Patrol Branch, was returning to base in Aranguez after completing patrol duty on Ariapita Avenue, Woodbrook, when the accident occurred.

Ramsey was on the eastbound lane of the highway in the company of motorcyclist 9822 PC Clark, when a pedestrian attempting to cross the highway came into his path.

It is reported that Ramsey swerved in an attempt to avoid the pedestrian, picked up a skid and fell off his motorcycle which collided with the unidentified man.

As Ramsey lay unconscious, he was run over by an oncoming vehicle. The person in the car did not stop.

Police are searching for person driving the silver motorcar that failed to

stop after the incident. Both Ramsey and the pedestrian died at the scene.

Ramsey, of Lange Park, Chaguanas, had approximately four years service.

Anyone with information on the vehicle involved in the accident can call 800TIPS or contact the police at 555, 999, 911 or at any police station, text/WhatsApp 482-GARY(4279) or share information via the TTPS App. (T&T Guardian)

The body of PC Ramsey lay on the Churchill Roosevelt Highway in the vicinity of El Socorro after the driver of a silver motorcar drove over him as he lay unconscious on the highway, killing him

sunDAY, november 24, 2019

19

England v New Zealand Test…

BJ Watling masterclass turns tables on England B

J Watling embodies many of the traits that make New Zealand such an accomplished Test side: skilful but unflashy; hard-working and unflappable under pressure; impressive as an individual, but wedded to the team's cause.

The going has been tough in Mount Maunganui's maiden Test, but it was no surprise that Watling got going in response to leave New Zealand on top at the end of day three.

England have not won a Test in this part of the world in more than a decade, and although they began the day with designs on a first innings’ lead, Watling's unbeaten 298-ball effort left them in no doubt as to the size of their challenge, if they are to put one over on the No. 2-ranked side.

A century-stand between Watling and Colin de Grandhomme ground down the resolve of England's attack, and England could manage only two wickets in the day - one of them coming via Joe Root's occasional off-spin. Watling did give up one chance: dropped at slip on 31 by the usually reliable Ben Stokes, he otherwise applied himself adroitly in conditions that lent themselves to his preferred mode of unobtrusive accumulation. He brought up his eighth Test hundred, and second in consecutive innings, with a legside nurdle halfway through the evening session, and

briefly allowed himself a moment in the sun as the first man to reach such a milestone at Bay Oval. Then it was back on with the helmet, and on with the job at hand.

By that stage, Watling and Mitchell Santner had taken New Zealand into the lead, and they were able to extend their partnership through to the close, as England endured a long, hot day in the dirt. While Santner faced numerous uncomfortable moments in the face of a peppering from Stokes, he dug in for more than 100 balls to further stymie England.

There were questions about Root's tactics, his having opted not to use Jofra Archer at the start of the day, and then delaying taking the second new ball.

Stokes was curiously ignored during the afternoon session too, and he seemingly underscored the point by taking a wicket with his first delivery when called on after tea.

Dom Sibley pulled off a brilliant one-handed catch to send back de Grandhomme for 65.

England's frustrations were epitomised by Archer, who occasionally threatened to produce the fire-breathing form of his debut home summer. At one point, he sent the speed gun above 150kph, but he remained wicketless after the DRS overturned an lbw decision against Watling late in the day.

Archer was also con-

vinced he D e had trapped Grandhomme Watling took 14 balls shortly afto get off the ter he had mark, before taking reached a up the 149-ball cudhalf-century, only for England to burn their second review as ball-tracking adjudged it to be going over the stumps.

New Zealand's sixth-wicket partnership, which eventually realised 119 runs, began in watchful fashion after the dismissal of Henry Nicholls had left them 197 for 5. But Watling and de Grandhomme turned the screw during the afternoon, as they extended their association into three figures and Root shuffled through his options.

Some occasional signs of low bounce - notably when Nicholls was given out lbw against Jack Leach, only to successfully review - were not enough to unsettle Watling, who again found a valuable ally in the more assertive de Grandhomme. Their rapid century-stand at Colombo's P Sara Oval in August set up a series-levelling win against Sri Lanka in New Zealand's last Test outing, BJ Watling celebrating his eighth and the pair were again Test century soon setting the tone here.

Christy 1965 Chase at Ascot…

gels. He was briefly troubled

by Sam Curran's inswing after lunch, but responded with a brace of fours when the bowler overpitched. He then took on Archer's short stuff, hooking for six with two men back, and bringing up a 73-ball half-century with a pull for two off the same bowler. He was on 62 when Rory Burns could not cling on to a rasping chance in the gully, Burns suffering a split thumb in the process.

Having claimed the key wicket of Kane Williamson on the second evening, and seen Nicholls struck on the helmet by Archer in the closing exchanges, England's ambition would have been to chisel out some more New Zealand batsmen during the first hour; but in the end, the two was as many as they could

manage in the day.

Just 11 runs came from the first eight overs, delivered by Curran and Stuart Broad; and Archer's introduction did little to alter the course of proceedings, beyond the loss of a review when seeking another lbw verdict, this time against Nicholls. New Zealand's fifth-wicket pair were happy to tick over, and it wasn't until Root decided to investigate the possibilities of spin that things livened up.

First Leach won an lbw decision against Nicholls, only for DRS to show that the impact was fractionally outside the line of off stump.

Root then brought himself on from the other end, saw Watling dropped at slip

by Stokes from his second ball, and trapped Nicholls in front with his fourth.

For England's captain, that was about as good as it got.

(Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD New Zealand 1st Innings JA Raval c Denly b Leach 19 TWM Latham lbw b Curran 8 KS Williamson (c) c Stokes b Curran 51 LRPL Taylor c Pope b Stokes 25 HM Nicholls lbw b Root 41 BJ Watling † not out 119 C de Grandhomme c Sibley b Stok es 65 MJ Santner not out 31 Extras 35 (b 22, lb 4, nb 2, w 7) TOTAL 394/6 (141 Overs, RR: 2.79) Yet to bat: TG Southee,

N Wagner, TA Boult Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Tom Latham, 7.3 ov), 2-72 (Jeet Raval, 22.4 ov), 3-106 (Ross Taylor, 32.6 ov), 4-127 (Kane Williamson, 39.4 ov), 5-197 (Henry Nicholls, 70.4 ov), 6-316 (Colin de Grandhomme, 110.1 ov) BOWLING O M R W SCJ Broad 25 10 45 0 JC Archer 30 8 84 0 SM Curran 23 6 74 2 MJ Leach 37 6 97 1 BA Stokes 16 4 37 2 JE Root 10 2 31 1

Leganes v Barcelona clash…

Cyrname ends Altior's Vidal salvages late victory for La Liga leaders unbeaten run

C

yrname beat favourite Altior to win the Christy 1965 Chase at Ascot. The 5-2 second favourite, ridden by Harry Cobden and trained by Paul Nicholls, led the near two-andthree-quarter-mile race from start to finish. The unbeaten Altior (1-3) was unable to respond when Cyrname made a run for home with three fences remaining.

The other runner, Solomon Grey, trained

by Dan Skelton and ridden by Harry Skelton, was dropped in the opening stages as the head-tohead unfolded.

The meeting between Cyrname and Altior was one of the most hotly anticipated showdowns in recent memory, likened to the classic rivalry between Kauto Star and Denman.

Altior, ridden by Nico de Boinville and trained

by Nicky Henderson, had been heavily backed, with punters expecting the nine-year-old to make it 15 wins from 15 starts.

Unbeaten Altior usually takes command from the front, but after stepping up to a new, longer distance, the animal was not allowed to do that by seven-year-old Cyrname,

who then turned that advantage into victory with a devastating late burst.

The win was another notable piece of history in a race that already has big names such as Wayward Lad (1981), Deep Sensation (1992) and Master Minded (2010-2011) on its roll of honour.

This first encounter could be the start of a rivalry between Cyrname and Altior that could take them both to National Hunt's Christmas showpiece, the King George VI Chase at Kempton. (BBC. COM)

– Leganes 1, Barcelona 2

S

ubstitute Arturo Vidal rescued Barcelona with a scrappy late goal as the leaders of LaLiga recovered from an early setback to win 2-1 at bottom side Leganes on Saturday.

Barca boss Ernesto Valverde fielded an attacking line-up that included Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann, Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele in a 4-2-3-1 formation, but it did not look like paying off for large parts of the clash.

Leganes have won just once all season, but the underdogs took the lead through Youssef En-Nesyri's sublime early strike, before the champions hit back in the second half.

Suarez dragged his side back on level terms, and Vidal scored in fortuitous fashion 11 minutes from time, to move Barca three points clear at the summit.

The winning goal was allowed to stand after a VAR check showed the midfielder was not offside due to the ball reaching him via a Leganes player.

Barcelona lost 2-1 at Leganes last season, and were behind inside 12 minutes on this latest trip, EnNesyri cutting inside on his left and curling the ball into the top-left corner.

Suarez wasted a couple of promising opportunities before forcing an excellent fingertip save from

Ivan Cuellar with a header from Dembele's cross. But the Uruguay international found a way through eight minutes into the second half, after being left free on the edge of the six-yard box, to head in Messi's free-kick.

Barcelona took control of the contest, but were left frustrated until Vidal struck 22 minutes after being introduced from the bench.Vidal was left in space to bundle the ball past Cuellar from close range, after Dembele's corner deflected into his path. The touch off the leg of Ruben Perez ensured the goal-scorer was onside despite Leganes' protests.

(Sportsmax)

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sunDAY, november 24, 2019

CMI Super50 Cup…

5 found guilty of breaching CWI Code of Conduct

F

our players and one team official have been found guilty of breaching the Cricket West Indies Code of Conduct during the Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 Cup. The four players are Jonathan Carter, Joshua da Silva, Keon Harding and Akeal Hosein; while Trinidad & Tobago Red Force head coach Mervyn Dillon has also been found guilty of a breach.

Four out of the five admitted to their offences and accepted the imposition of the proposed sanctions, so there was no need for formal hearings. In the case of Harding, however, he was charged with two breaches in the same game – a Level 1, to which he admitted and accepted the proposed sanction; and a Level 2, which he intends to appeal.

Jonathan Carter Carter was reported by on-field umpires Nigel Duguid and Lyndon Rajkumar and reserve umpire Bernard Joseph for a Level 1 breach of the Code of Conduct during the match between Barbados Pride and Jamaica Scorpions on November 20 at the Conaree Cricket Centre in St. Kitts.

The Pride captain was fined 10 percent of his match fee by match referee Stewart Rawlins after he breached paragraph 2.3 of the Code of Conduct: relating to the abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings.

Joseph and Rawlins reported hearing loud, crashing glass coming from the Pride dressing room, and upon investigation discovered that Carter was responsible for a broken glass window.

Joshua Da Silva Da Silva was reported by on-field umpires Gregory Brathwaite and Leslie Reifer Jr and reserve umpire Christopher Wright for a Level 1 breach of the Code of Conduct during the match between West Indies Emerging Players and the United States on November 19 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad.

The WI Emerging Players wicketkeeper/

batsman was reprimanded by match referee Hayden Bruce after he breached paragraph 2.4 of the Code of Conduct by showing dissent at an umpire’s decision by action or verbal abuse.

The umpires reported that Da Silva hung around for an extended period of time, and pointed to his forearm before leaving the field, after he was adjudged lbw to Noshthush Kenjige for 31.

Mervyn Dillon Dillon was reported by on-field umpires Gregory Brathwaite and Carl Tuckett, TV umpire Leslie Reifer Jr and reserve umpire Christopher Taylor for a Level 1 breach of the Code of Conduct during the match between Red Force and Guyana Jaguars on November 8 at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad.

The Red Force head coach was reprimanded and fined 20 percent of the team official’s match fee by match referee Reon King, after he breached paragraph 2.4 of the Code of Conduct when he failed to follow an umpire’s instruction during the match.

The umpires reported that Dillon entered the field of play during the first refreshments break of the match, and was seen having a discussion with the Red Force players after he was specifically told at the pre-tournament meeting on November 5 that no coaches are allowed onto the field of play during the hours of play.

Keon Harding First, Harding was reported by on-field umpires Gregory Brathwaite and Christopher Wright, TV umpire Carl Tuckett and reserve umpire Jonathan Blades for a Level 1 breach of the Code of Conduct during the match between West Indies Emerging Players and the United States on November 19 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad.

The WI Emerging Players fast bowler was fined 10 percent of his match fees by match referee Hayden Bruce after he breached paragraph 2.3 of the Code of Conduct: relating to the abuse of

coach Floyd Reifer and the umpires, the player admitted to showing dissent at the crease, but not striking the advertising hoarding. Harding has until November 30 to appeal the imposition of the second fine.

Mervyn Dillon

cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings.

The umpires reported that Harding struck a garbage bin near to the entrance of the players’ enclosure with such strong force that it was heard on the field of play. This happened after he left the field of play following his dismissal lbw to Noshthush Kenjige for a duck.

Coming out of the same incident, Harding was also reported for a Level 2 breach of the Code of Conduct and was fined 70 percent of his match fees by Bruce for breaching paragraph 3.2 of the Code: showing serious dissent at an umpire’s decision by action or verbal abuse.

The umpires reported that Harding showed dissent immediately at the crease when he was dismissed, and also struck an advertising hoarding when he was leaving the field.

The following day, at a hearing attended

by Harding, West Indies Emerging Players head

Akeal Hosein Hosein was reported by on-field umpires Gregory Brathwaite and Christopher Wright, TV umpire Carl Tuckett and reserve umpire Jonathan Blades for a Level 1 breach of the Code of Conduct during the match between Trinidad & Tobago Red Force and West Indies Emerging Players on November 13 at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad.

The Red Force spin bowler was reprimanded by match referee Michael Ragoonath after he breached paragraph 2.2 of the Code of Conduct when he failed to follow the instructions of the umpires.

Hosein was instructed by the on-field umpires not to enter the field of play at the e n d of the 1 3 t h over, and was further advised by the reserve umpire at the start of the 14th over that he was not allowed to enter the field of play at that time.

The player, however, proceeded onto the field at the end of the 14th over, in Jonathan Carter breach of the umpires’ instructions. (CWI)

Australia v Pakistan Test…

Labuschagne’s maiden ton, Starc’s late surge set up victory push M arnus Labuschagne’s maiden Test century and highest firstclass score, which he narrowly missed converting into a double, followed by an evening surge from the quick bowlers, put Australia well on track for victory at the Gabba on Saturday.

A lead of 340 would have been overwhelming for Pakistan even before they stumbled to the close on 3 for 64 against Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.

Australia ended up losing their last five wickets for 35, but it barely mattered; and it gave them the perfect period to bowl in the evening. Starc raced in and struck in his second over when he had Azhar Ali lbw with a bail-trimmer.

And then left-hander Haris Sohail continued his poor tour when he sparred at a short delivery he could have left alone, much in the manner of the first innings.

Cummins, who was handed the first new ball for the first time in Australia, was then brought straight back into the attack to target Asad Shafiq, and the move worked as Shafiq edged to third slip.

Shan Masood and Babar Azam did well to survive to the close of play. Masood came close to nicking Nathan Lyon to

slip in the penultimate over of the day, but the umpires’ soft signal was not out.

In January, there was much surprise - and a degree of ridicule - when Labuschagne was elevated to the No. 3 spot, but he will end the year having cemented his place in that role for the foreseeable future. His hundred came from 161 balls, with one of his least convincing shots of an innings filled with classy, classical strokeplay -- he edged Shaheen Afridi to third man. His progress continued to be serene until after tea, when he steered Afridi to gully and had to haul himself from the crease, acknowledging congratulations from the Pakistan players and the crowd.

David Warner could add only three to his overnight score before becoming Naseem Shah’s maiden Test wicket; and to the almost disbelief of the crowd, Steven Smith was bowled by Yasir Shah for 4.

Matthew Wade, however, joined Labuschagne in a stand of 110 which kept Australia motoring. Resuming on 1 for 312, it was Labuschagne who dominated the early scoring.

Warner struggled for the fluency of the previous day, adding 3 off 25 balls as Pakistan finally opted for a sustained around-the-wicket line. In a match that has become

an almighty struggle for the visitors, Warner’s dismissal was an absorbing moment, as 16-year-old Naseem worked him over from around the wicket before finding his underedge with a rapid short ball (and his foot was behind the line this time).

However, that was Naseem’s only spell of the day, as he sent down just four overs before spending the rest of the time grazing in the outfield while the lead swelled against some unthreatening part-time spin and the expensive Yasir, who became the first bowler to concede over 200 runs three times in Test cricket.

Yasir, however, did have the satisfaction of claiming Smith for the seventh time: after Smith had whipped a boundary to the leg side to get off the mark, and played over a very full delivery as he again looked for the on- side and was bowled.

Yasir knew the stats.

He signalled seven as he celebrated, leaving Smith with his first single-figure Test score since Newlands, when his career was thrown into turmoil. To no-one’s surprise, he was spotted in the nets during the lunch break. When Josh Hazlewood later drove a boundary, it meant Smith would have the lowest score of

the innings.

While claiming two of the bigger wickets offered solace for Pakistan, the lead was already over 100. With Naseem not returning to the attack, and Yasir unable to stem the runs, no pressure was built on Labuschagne or Wade up to the lunch interval. By then Labuschagne had the century and Wade was settled.

Pakistan appeared to stop trying to bowl out Australia, giving Haris’s part-time leftarm spin a lengthy outing against defensive fields. Wade helped himself, his half-century including a huge six down the ground off Iftikhar Ahmed, and Labuschagne continued on his pristine progress with one of the shots of the match - a straight drive off Imran Khan - and some delightful deft touches against the spinners to move past 150.

Wade had a hundred for the taking when he edged Haris, the ball bouncing off Mohammad Rizwan’s knee into the gloves.

Rizwan then took another excellent catch off Haris, when Travis Head could hardly believe he had glanced an edge down the leg side, having been gifted the opportunity for one of the more pressure-free Test innings.

After tea, the talk was when, or if, Australia would

declare in the evening, but Tim Paine bottom-edged a pull that looped to slip against Afridi, and after Labuschagne had departed, the tail was whittled

out swiftly.

Nevertheless, the most significant wickets of the final session were still to come.

(Excerpt from Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD Australia 1st Innings DA Warner c †Mohammad Rizwan b Naseem Shah 154 JA Burns b Yasir Shah 97 M Labuschagne c Babar Azam b Shaheen Shah Afridi 185 SPD Smith b Yasir Shah 4 MS Wade c †Mohammad Rizwan b Haris Sohail 60 TM Head c †Mohammad Rizwan b Haris Sohail 24 TD Paine (c) † c Asad Shafiq b Shaheen Shah Afridi 13 PJ Cummins c †Mohammad Rizwan b Imran Khan 7 MA Starc lbw b Yasir Shah 5 NM Lyon not out 13 JR Hazlewood lbw b Yasir Shah 5 Extras 13 (b 6, lb 4, nb 3) TOTAL 580 all out (157.4 Overs, RR: 3.67) Fall of wickets: 1-222 (Joe Burns, 60.5 ov), 2-351 (David Warner, 100.5 ov), 3-358 (Steven Smith, 103.5 ov), 4-468 (Matthew Wade, 131.6 ov), 5-506 (Travis Head, 139.5 ov), 6-545 (Tim Paine, 148.5 ov), 7-546 (Marnus Labuschagne, 150.2 ov), 8-559 (Mitchell Starc, 151.6 ov), 9-567 (Pat Cummins, 154.3 ov), 10580 (Josh Hazlewood, 157.4 ov)

BOWLING Shaheen S Afridi Imran Khan Naseem Shah Iftikhar Ahmed Yasir Shah Haris Sohail

O 34 24 20 12 48.4 19

M 7 3 1 0 1 1

R W 96 2 73 1 68 1 53 0 205 4 75 2

Pakistan 2nd Innings Shan Masood not out Azhar Ali (c)lbw b Starc Haris Sohail c †Paine b Starc Asad Shafiq c Smith b Cummins Babar Azam not out Extras 4 (lb 3, nb 1) TOTAL 64/3 (17 Overs, RR: 3.76) Yet to bat: Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan †, Yasir Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Imran Khan Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Azhar Ali, 2.5 ov), 2-25 (Haris Sohail, 4.4 ov), 3-25 (Asad Shafiq, 6.4 ov) BOWLING MA Starc PJ Cummins JR Hazlewood NM Lyon

O M R 4 0 25 5 1 16 6 1 16 2 1 4

27 8 0 20

W 2 1 0 0

sunday, november 24, 2019

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Inaugural 592 Beer Inter-Village Football Festival…

Victoria, Ann’s Grove record wins as tournament commences P aradise dismantled Victoria 3-1 while Ann’s Grove edged Melanie when the inaugural ‘592 Beer Inter-Village Football Festival’ continued on Friday at the Golden Grove Community Centre ground.

Trevon Dainty broke the deadlock in favour of Paradise in the 32nd minute, placing his effort into the lower left corner from inside the right of the penalty area.

The second goal for Paradise came in the 56th minute, when Teshawn Gordon scored from the penalty mark, calmly slotting his effort into the lower

left corner.

The game was out to bed in the 65th minute, with Teon Stewart making his presence known with a shot from the left of the box into the lower right side of the net.

Victoria eventually pulled one back in the 70th minute, as Sherwin Skeete fired a powerful shot from inside the penalty box into the right side of the goal.

Meanwhile, Ann’s Grove edged Melanie 1-0. Kevon Barry scored in the 55th minute, stabbing into the back of the net following a goal-mouth scramble.

Action continues today at the same venue. Plaisance will lock horns with Mahaica from 19:00hrs, while the feature match will pit Golden Grove against BV from 21:00hrs.

The event features 12 teams battling in an initial group format. Group ‘A’ comprises Buxton, Plaisance and Mahaica; Group ‘B’ consists of Friendship, Paradise and Victoria; and Group ‘C’ features Brush Dam, Melanie and Ann’s Grove.

Group ‘D’ contains Annandale, Golden Grove and Beterverwagting [BV].

The winner of each group will advance to the semi-final

round. The grand finale is pegged for December 14th.

Winner of the event will pocket $300,000 and the championship trophy, while the second-, third- and fourthplaced finishers would collect $150,000, $100,000 and $75,000 respectively, together with the corresponding accolade.

Individual prizes would also be awarded for the Most Valuable Player [MVP] and the Best Goalkeeper.

Among the other sponsors of this event are Bakewell Guyana Incorporated and Colin Talbot Construction Services.

Complete Results

Game 1 Melanie nil vs Ann’s Grove 1 Kevon Barry scoring in the 55th minute Game 2 Paradise 3 vs Victoria 1

Paradise scorers being

Trevon Dainty in the 32nd, Teshawn Gordon in the 56th, Teon Stewart in the 65th Victoria Scorer Sherwin Skeete in the 70th

Budhan Memorial Sports Complex Horse Meet is today Youth versus experience in Bibi Farida Asgarally Memorial 30-Over Cricket Competition…

ꟷ popular Chutney singers to showcase event

T

he Budhan Memorial Sports Complex will today stage a grand one-day horse racing extravaganza at its premises at Number 66 Village, Corentyne Berbice (Region 6).

Six races are carded for this exciting meet, which begins promptly at 13:00h. The races will be run in the following categories: The L Open, feature event of the meet, carries a top prize of $170,000. The other events are the L2, L3, Unclassified A, Unclassified B, and Unclassified C. Speaking with Guyana Times Sport, Neville Budhan, owner of the sports complex, said: “We are expecting a huge turnout for the event. In the past we have gained the necessary support, and, as such, we are expecting the same once more.

At the event, there will also be Chutney singing by two top artistes, namely Sasenarine and Michael Harrygobin, to keep the crowd entertained.

“Thus far, there are 40 horses confirmed,

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Horses being fine-tuned in preparation

and persons can still enter their horses on the day of the meet. Some of the horses set to be a part of the main event are Jungle Prince, First Prince, Stolen Diamond, and (there are) many others.”

Budhan declared that the inconsistent weather pattern is nothing to worry about, as he expects excellent weather, and he is urging persons to attend the meet. He said the track is in prime condition, and there is a picnic atmosphere that would be conducive to families coming out to enjoy themselves while watching the horses race.

He described the Budhan Memorial Sports Complex as a place of standard, where disorderly conduct has never been condoned. Thus he is urging everyone to come and support the meet, which commences at 13:00 hrs.

This event is exclusively sponsored by ANSA McAL Trading Limited.

thrilling encounter today

Former Guyana National Youth Wicket-Keeper Ejaz Asgarally

T

he West Meten-Meer-Zorg ground will come alive with anticipation and celebration when top players of that village compete against each other in the Bibi Farida Asgarally Memorial 30-Over Cricket Competition, which commences today.

Meten-Meer-Zorg Future Youths and Meten-Meer-Zorg Sports Club Seniors are due to do battle in this tournament from 10:30am sharp; and according to Naseema Khan, a daughter of the late Bibi Farida Asgarally, who is currently visiting Guyana, “The Asgarally family is happy to be involved in cricket.

“Some special reasons are because the Meten-Meer-Zorg ground is just 3 houses away from where we grew up, and the family has had a rich history of cricketers, beginning from my Uncle Abdul Shakoo who played cricket across Guyana before he migrated to the USA, and brother Ejaz Asgarally who has represented Police Sports Club and Guyana from 1997 to 1999 at the National Youth level; and a few years back, my nephew Azzurdeen Andy Mohamed, who represented the USA in the youth Under-19 World Cup Cricket in New Zealand”.

Khan disclosed there is a possibility this event may very well be played across Region #3 at some time in the future.

The teams will use the white ball and colour clothing for this game. The match will definitely be a thriller from the first ball bowled, as it will feature some of the top youth players on the West Coast of Demerara battling a vibrant senior team which has extensive experience in playing cricket.

The Meten-Meer-Zorg Future Youths team consists of J. Maxwell (C), D. George, T. Imlach, S. Alexander, R. Lindore, C. Mc Ewan, D. Hills, D. Sewnarine, S. Evans, Dinesh George, and D. Ram. The Meten-Meer-Zorg Sports Club Senior Team consists of Mahendra Nankishore (C), Troy Khan, Shawn Mc Kay, Rabindra Dasrat, Adrian Johnson, Sean Allen, Kevin Coleman, Levy Miggings, Javid Shafik, Anil Sukdeo, Emanuel Chrisnauth, Chris Class, Travis Mohamed and Ansar Khan.

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SUnDAY, november 24, 2019

Turbo Knockout Tournament…

Fruta Conquerors, Riddim Squad prevail

T&T Courts Grand Slam Franchise cricket…

Six Guyanese women in line-up

R

iddim Squad and Fruta Conquerors Under-20 teams each began the Turbo Knockout tournament on a high note, registering wins on Friday evening’s opening night of play.

Playing at the Ministry of Education Ground on Carifesta Avenue, Riddim Squad came up against Eagles FC in the first encounter of the night.

Ironically, Eagles FC were the first to have the upper hand, by way of a goal from Andre Adelph in the first minute of play.

Stunned by the early goal, Riddim Squad tightened their defenses to ensure no recurrence of lapses, and Wendell Joseph equalized in the 22nd minute. To the Eagles’ detriment, Joseph returned a minute later to net a second goal, thereby giving Riddim Squad the lead.

The first half play finished with the score on 2-1, but in the second segment, Eagles worked on getting the equalizing goal; howbeit, their shot accuracy was off, and the score remained on 2-1.

Then Kevin Agard put any thought of a win far out of the Eagles’ reach when he

A snippet of the Turbo action

netted Riddim Squad’s third goal, in the 56th minute, for the 3-1 victory.

In the following game, Police ‘B’ took on the Under-20 Fruta Conquerors team, who are fresh off a Limacol title win.

Police ‘B’ had defeated Dynamic FC by a 3-2 margin earlier in the week, and were riding their winning momentum as they went into this encounter with the youth team. However, their focus was shifted off-balance when Fruta’s Wayne Baker found the back of the net in the 10th minute to give the youngsters an early lead.

Police fortified their back line to restrict their opponents from getting close to the nets, then Amanike Buntin pulled off a stunner in the second half to level the

scores in the 54th minute.

The scores remained at 1-1 even after regulation time had expired, making way for a penalty shootout.

At the penalty mark, the younger Fruta Conquerors U20 team proved themselves the better team, as they connected four goals to the Police ‘B’ team’s two.

As such, Eagles FC and Police ‘B’ teams have been knocked out of contention for the $400,000 grand prize.

The second-placed team will pocket $200,000, while thirdand fourth-placed teams will receive $100,000 and $50,000 respectively.

This tournament is being powered by the Guyana Beverages Inc (GBI) under their Turbo brand, and is coordinated by the Petra Organization.

Central Essequibo Under-17 40-Over Cricket competition…

Charles’ all-round brilliance earns Bulls commanding win I

n the latest round of play in the Central 40 overs. Sheldon Charles led from the front Essequibo Under-17 40-Over Cricket in scoring an impressive 172 (5x6,20x4). He competition -- last Sunday at the Imam smashed the ball to every part of the ground Bacchus Ground at Affiance -t h e as he showed his class and aggression when Bacchus Bulls Under-17 that show was most needed. team defeated the He was ably supported by Benny Richmond Under-17 Persaud’s 20 (2x4) and Nasir Mohamed’s team by 101 runs in 15 not-out (1x6,1x4) to add to the Bulls’ iman encounter that pressive tally, despite extras contributing was riveting from 28 runs. the first ball bowled.

Bowling for the Richmond team, Victor The Bulls (only name given) took 2 for 75, the Under-17 team Richmond bowlers being unable to stop have adopted a forthe flow of runs as they were dominated mat that is simifrom the get-go. lar to the one being In the end 253, was too much for the used by their senior Richmond team, and they looked a desquad contemporaries, jected bunch when their time came to thus their impressive occupy the crease. Richmond folded for streak has continued a paltry 152 all out in 35 overs, with in 2019, and they have Alanzo (only name given) top scoring been handed victory afwith 50 (1x6,6x4). ter victory in this tourUnable to form any worthwhile nament. partnership to hold their innings Bulls Captain Sheldon together, the Richmond side sucCharles has been in impeccacumbed to a panic attack and were ble form, scoring a brilliant bowled out for that paltry score.

63 last weekend, and followThe Bulls gave away 35 extras and ing that up with a brilliant still managed to keep the game in their century in this match to add favour. Bowling for the Bulls, Sheldon to his tally of runs.

Charles followed up his century with 3 Sheldonfor 20, Raphael David took 3 for 25, and Batting first, the Bulls Charles team made 253 for 2 in their Nazeer Mohamed took 2 for 20.

Erva Giddings has been a star performer for Guyana in Regional tournaments (Brandon Corlette photo)

T

he third edition of the Courts Women’s T20 Grand Slam Franchise Tournament will take place from December 3 to December 13, 2019, and each of the four franchises will have a full complement of West Indies stars.

Among the Regional players are six Guyanese women: Erva Giddings, Shabika Gajnabi, Shemaine Campbelle, Akaze Thompson, Kaysia Schultz and Sheneta Grimmond.

Although 33-year-old Giddings has not been fairly treated by the West Indies selectors, she continues to be involved in Regional cricket. Giddings will turn out for UDECOTT North Starblazers.

Her Berbician team mate, Campbelle, had featured in this Grand Slam in 2018, plying her trade for the defending champions, the LCB Contractors Central Sharks.

Gajnabi, who made her West Indies debut during 2019, will turn out for Southern Titans.

Thompson will feature in the star-studded LCB Contractors Central Sharks squad, along with Campbelle and Mohammed. Grimmond will

2018 defending champions, LCB Central Sharks

also turn out for the same franchise.

UDECOTT North Starblazers will feature the promising leftarm spinner Kaysia Schultz, who will play alongside Giddings and West Indies player Natasha McLean, among others.

Courts continue their support of the tournament for a 3rd consecutive year, while Cricket West Indies will continue their support for the event to ensure that the top West Indies players are available.

Defending 2018 captain Anisa Mohammed of LCB Contractors Central Sharks will this year come up against the likes of Stafanie Taylor, Afy Fletcher, Britney Cooper, Hayley Matthews and Stacy-Ann King, to name a few. This will be Taylor’s debut in the tournament.

The local franchises include defending champs LCB Central Sharks, runners-up Southern Titans, Trident Sports Phoenix and UDECOTT North Starblazers.

Matches will take place at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, UWI Spec and the National Cricket Centre.

guyanatimesgy.com

sunDAY, november 24, 2019

By Brandon Corlette

A

fter that 5-0 defeat against India Women in the T20I series, numerous question marks were raised for the West Indies as the T20 World Cup looms. Captain Anisa Mohammed disclosed that the batting failed West Indies in all five of the T20 matches played. The most runs scored in the series by a West Indian batter was 59, which came off the bat of Guyana’s Shemaine Campbelle.

This, she said is beyond unacceptable, as West Indies were dominated by a visiting team in their own backyard.

“Definitely, our batting (let us down)! I think we needed to score a lot more runs in each game. Looking at our line-up, we have a lot of good batters, but it was a matter of players believing and executing”, captain Mohammed said plaintively.

With the absence of big players Stafanie Taylor and Deandra Dottin, West Indies Women looked an indifferent team, and played poorly throughout the tournament.

Although the series was already lost before the final match, the batters still had opportunity to get some runs on the board.

Chasing a decent total in the final game, West Indies Women lacked intent, and consequently suffered a defeat.

“If the Indians could score runs, then why

can’t we?” Mohammed asked.

Apart from Campbelle’s 59 in the series, Chedean Nation had 56 runs and Hayley Matthews had 54 runs. Matthews’ six wickets was the most taken by a West Indian in spinfriendly conditions in five T20 matches.

Shot selection and approach to the game by the West Indies were also questionable at times. Having lost the series, Guyanese Cherry-Ann Fraser was still not given her maiden match. This T20 series marks the final Cricket West Indies activity by the Caribbean Women. Some of the players will participate in a Grand Slam T20 in Trinidad in December, but the Windies Women will return to training in January in Antigua.

In contrast, India batters applied themselves in the T20 series, and four of their batters scored a total of five half-centuries in one innings. Fifteen-year-old Shafali Verma was adjudged “player of the series”. She announced herself to the world with 158 runs in the series at an average just below 40, including two half-centuries. She stated that the wickets were similar to Indian surfaces, and she enjoyed batting.

“I train with boys back home, and the domestic association in India provides the necessary facilities for training”, Verma disclosed. In addition to Verma’s 158 runs, Smriti Mandhana scored 107 runs in four

Smalta Girls’ Pee Wee tournament…

What will selector Travis Dowlin et al come up with for the T20 World Cup squad?

innings, while Jemimah Rodrigues scored 96 runs in three innings.

India’s Captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, has said this series was good for the preparation process as the 2020 ICC T20 World Cup looms.

“We are looking to do well in the World Cup. These games are very important, and we were looking to give each player an opportunity in these five T20 matches”, Kaur explained.

23

Gus Logie and Vice-Captain Shemaine Campbelle during a net session

This captain had scored a century at Providence in the 2018 stand-alone Women’s World T20 tourney. She described this venue as traditionally a happy hunting ground for India, who have never lost a match in Guyana.

In addition to stellar batting performances from India, the spinners had a grand time in the Caribbean. Deepti Sharma bagged eight wickets, while Radha Yadav had seven wickets.

Both the West Indies and India will be looking forward for the ICC T20 World Cup in February 2020 in Australia.

Diamond Mineral Water 46-miler…

West Ruimveldt, Timehri, Top cyclists are aiming to cap off season on winning note Tucville bag crucial wins …North Georgetown remain unbeaten

N

orth Georgetown Primary continue to dominate the 2019 Smalta Girls’ 11 and Under Pee Wee tournament, even as defending champions West Ruimveldt bagged their first win on Saturday.

There were six games on the cards on Saturday afternoon, and favourable weather conditions made for an excellent playing atmosphere.

When the final whistle was sounded, West Ruimveldt, North Georgetown, Tucville and Timehri Primary were the ones rejoicing in winners’ circle.

West Ruimveldt came up against Marian Academy in the opening game of the day.

Excellent playing from both sides saw the first half ending without a goal being scored, but the defending champions had different plans for the second segment.

Tyanna George found the Marian goalkeeper lapsing in the 25th minute, and registered the first and only goal of the 1-0 affair, which ended in West Ruimveldt’s favour.

Tucville Primary made the most of their final round- robin game, trampling FE Pollard 4-0. Kasmin James opened the scoring in the 5th minute, and returned in the 15th to push the score to 2-0 by the half.

When the action resumed, FE Pollard mounted a better defense but could still not hold off the Tucville girls.

Sherita Carmichael and

A glimpse of the rivalry between Smith Memorial and Genesis Primary (Jemima Holmes photo)

Shonia Lovell netted back-toback goals in the 29th and 30th minutes to ensure Tucville secure the much needed 3 points.

Timehri, also, enjoyed a 4-0 victory over St. Margaret’s Primary. Angel Bailey led the way for Timehri with a hat trick of goals in the 5th, 9th and 22nd minutes; and Althea Trotman contributed one in the 14th for Timehri’s four.

A one-woman show ensued when North Georgetown Primary faced off with Redeemer Primary, Martha Chance netting a whopping five goals to give her team an easy win. Currently leading the list of highest goal-scorers in the 2019 tournament, Chance found the back of the net in the 7th, 8th, 14th, 27th and 30th minutes to hand her team the victory.

As such, North Georgetown has ended their round-robin stage unbeaten.

South Ruimveldt and Smith Memorial were made to share points after their game ended 2-2. Fiona Gibbs scored first for Smith Memorial, but Brianna Elliott levelled the scores for South in the 10th.

Akyesha Abrams restored the Smith Memorial lead in the 15th minute for a 2-1 score by the half. However, South Ruimveldt was not going down without a fight, and Elliot scored her second goal to again level the scores.

Since neither side could again find the back of the net, the game ended 2-2.

Genesis and St. Stephens Primary also shared points after their nil-all draw.

The ANSA McAL-sponsored Smalta Girls’ Pee Wee tournament will continue next Saturday at the Ministry of Education Ground on Carifesta Avenue with the quarterfinal stage being played.

Briton John

T

he final cycle race of 2019 -- the 20th edition of the Demerara Distillers Limited-sponsored Diamond Mineral Water 46Mile Road Race -- will pedal off today, Sunday November 24, in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

The last cycle race which was held in Berbice last weekend saw National cyclist Jamual John recording another victory. After that race, he told this publication that he is seeking upward mobility in the points’ classification system.

The current points’ classification system places Briton John at the top with 192 points. He is followed by Michael Anthony, who has 166 points, and Jamual John, who has 153 points. Paul De

Nobrega, who placed fourth in last weekend’s race in Berbice, has 121 points, same as Curtis Dey. Andre ‘Padlock’ Green has 114 points, while Christopher Griffith has 109 points.

Organized by National Cycling Coach Hassan Mohamed, this final race of 2019 will see riders pedalling off from Schoonord at 08:30h, then head along the West Coast Demerara corridor to Parika, East Bank Essequibo before returning to the point of origin for the finish.

Junior Niles will today set out to defend the title he won last year in a time of one hour, 41 minutes and 25 seconds. In the mountain bike category, Ozia McAully is expected to dominate, while Jamal Chappel and Talim Shaw had

trailed him in second and third position respectively. Adielie Hodge had taken the juniors’ title ahead of Emanuel Gayral and Briton John in that order.

According to veteran organizer Hassan Mohammed, this event will be the final one organised by him for the season. Mohammed dubbed the year a successful one for cycling, while the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) Racing Secretary Malcolm Soonaram has confirmed this is the final race of the year.

DDL Assistant Marketing Manager Sherese Leander, along with Marketing Manager Larry Wills, will be on hand to witness today’s action and assist with the distribution of prizes after the event.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2019

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Pg 23

Batting failed Windies Women in every game ꟷ Anisa Mohammed Smalta Girls’ Pee Wee tournament…

Diamond Mineral Water 46-miler…

West Ruimveldt, Timehri, Tucville bag crucial wins Top

Pg 23

…North Georgetown remain unbeaten

cyclists are aiming to cap off season on winning note

GUYANA TIMES - www.guyanatimesgy.com, email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, NEWS HOTLINE: 231-8063 EDITORIAL: 223-7230, 223-7231, 231-0544, 225-7761 SPORT: sport@guyanatimesgy.com SALES AND MARKETING: 231-8064 - lezas@guyanatimesgy.com - PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INC.

Pg 23

November 24, 2019

TIMES BOLLYWOOD:

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2 Sunday Times Magazine

NOVEMBER 24, 2019

guyanatimesgy.com

Feature

F

oster care can be defined as the act of rearing a child who is not your biological or adopted child. It involves providing for the daily needs and care of the child, creating a family environment that offers supervision, guidance, nurturing and discipline, in the same way as you would for your biological child.

Most Guyanese will know of or have been in a home, where taking care of a relative’s or neighbour’s child has taken place. This practice of choosing a substitute family to perform the functions of biological parents has been pursued in Guyana in an informal way for very many years.

In its formal implementation, the practice is known generally as FOSTER CARE. The Childcare and Protection Agency utilises FOSTER CARE as one of its programmes for achieving the objective of providing a better quality of life for children who have been abandoned, orphaned, neglected or suffer other forms of abuse and are in need of a substitute family.

Frequently asked questions:

Q: What kind of child would need a Foster home?

A: One who is in need of care and/ protection so determined by the Childcare and Protection Agency.

Q: How long does a foster child stay with a foster parent?

A: Placement can be either short-term or long-term depending on the needs of the child and circumstances.

Q: Could we ever hope to adopt a foster child?

A: Yes, in certain circumstances. You should discuss this matter with a Child Protection Officer.

Q: What kind of persons would be suitable for Foster Parenting?

A: Persons who can commit themselves whole-heartedly.

• Are honest, accepting and flexible.

• Persons with or without parenting experience.

• Separated.

• Widowed.

• Persons in good health.

Q: Are foster children generally troubled children?

A: Yes, they are generally insecure about who they are, where they belong and why their parent/s cannot take care of them.

Q: Can a single woman foster a Child?

A: Yes Q: Can a single man foster a child?

A: It is highly unusual for this to happen, but in exceptional circumstances, the Agency might consider this alternative.

Q: What are Foster Parents required to do?

A: They are required to: • Provide adequate accommodation • Share their time and affection with the child.

• Provide nutritious and adequate food and clothing.

• Attend to the child’s health.

• Attend to the child’s academic, moral and religious training.

• Respect the child’s feeling about his/ her biological family.

• Follow the guidelines of the Childcare and Protection Agency for foster families.

Q: Could I/we ever hope to foster a child?

A: Yes, provided you are willing to fill in an application form and agree to: • A police check.

• A full medical report from a Medical Doctor recommended by the Childcare and Protection Agency and • Give the names and addresses of two (2) referees.

• Home Study and Interview Q: Is it right to specify what kind of child I want?

A: Personal preferences are respected, but cannot always be honoured. The aim of the programme is to fit the child in a home where his/ her needs can be met.

Q: Will the Child Protection Officer meddle in our lives if the child does not settle in readily?

A: The Child Protection Officer will try to find out what is troubling the child. Although the questions may seem personal, the intention is to help you find the most useful way of dealing with the problem which is bothering both you and the child.

Q: What else does the Child Protection Officer do?

A: The Child Protection Officer visits the foster home, counsels the child, looks at the child’s room, and offers guidance to foster parents in the rearing of the child.

Q: Will the child’s biological parents have to visit him/ her while the child is in my care?

A: Yes, but not necessarily at your home. Child Protection Officer will advise you on this. Please note, however, that foster children nearly always keep their ties with their biological parents, no matter how inadequate the parents are.

Q: Are Foster Parents given Training?

A: Yes, the Childcare and Protection Agency will organise training based on needs.

Q: How much money do Foster Parents receive?

A: A Monthly allowance is provided.

Q: How do I go about fostering a child?

A: By applying directly to the Childcare and Protection Agency or through the Child Protection Officer in your Region.

Ready to Apply?

* Talk to a Child Protection Officer at the Agency or in your Region and * Fill in the Foster Care Application form Your application will be assessed and you will be invited for an interview.

For further information please contact: Childcare and Protection Agency Ministry of Social Protection 7 Broad & Charles Streets, Charlestown Georgetown Tel: 227-4082 225-1257 Every child has the right to a family.

guyanatimesgy.com

NOVEMBER 24, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine

3

Feature

By Lakhram Bhagirat

“Fostering children is a very challenging task, because there is a reminder that there is the possibility that the day might come where you have to let the legal rights of the child go on to somebody else, especially if the biological parents come back into the picture. It is not a definite thing. However, it is an investment and once you love children that erases that doubt, it erases that uncertainty; it makes it all the more worthwhile.”

T

he thing that children crave the most is the need to be loved, the need to feel wanted, the need to be reassured that they matter. They need to feel as though there is someone always in their corner and quite often that need is fulfilled by their parents.

However, not all children are lucky to have their parents by their side. This is for a number of reasons and that absence quite often invokes a sense of loneliness and abandonment. Those children quite often end up resenting their very situation, but some are lucky enough to have that void filled by wonderful people around them.

While those who fill the void cannot take the place of a parent, they provide that sense of security and a feeling of being loved. That person can be a relative or a complete stranger, but what matters is that they care wholeheartedly for that child.

For almost eight years, Endar Jeet Singh has been providing that care to two girls. He is considered their saviour by some, but for him, it is just him trying to give the girls a life that they deserve.

When he was just 18 years old, Singh noticed that a family in his community of Ogle, on the East Coast of Demerara, was in a state of dire need. Both parents of the girls were alcoholics and they were not affording the children the kind of care they deserved. This deeply troubled the young man and he knew that he could not idly sit by and allow these children to be robbed of the opportunities they so deserved.

“I was working with the then Ministry of Labour and I noticed the two young children around the age of four, and a few months old.

The mother and father were both alcoholics and being the kind of person I am, which is I cannot see certain things happening, I spoke with the elders in my family and I was advised that if I wanted to do something, then I should seek some help from the people who can help. So I then went to the Ministry and spoke to someone who advised that I should take custody of the children,” he remembers.

Growing up with both parents in his life, Singh believes that every child deserves that kind of opportunity that was afforded to him. He knew that taking these children into his custody would mean that he would now have to be in a position to provide them with the same life he received and he was ready.

The now 26-year-old is a trained teacher and committed to giving the best life to the girls in his care.

Backtracking to the process, Singh was constantly asked why a young person was attempting to take on such a huge responsibility.

“I was still 18, so I needed my mom there. We took custody of the children and then the Ministry (of Human Services and Social Security) intervened and they attempted to place the children with biological family members, but that did not work out. They asked if we were willing to keep them and we agreed. The girls are now nine and 13 and I have had them for almost eight years now. At first, I did not have any major challenges, but there was a question of why a single young male wants two children and take on that responsibility at such a young age, but it just remained a question that I had to answer.”

Singh is the youngest of five males for his parents and he recounts that he always wanted sisters. So when that opportunity came up, he attempted to fill that void.

Asked how his life has been altered since he took on the respon-

sibility of raising the girls, Singh said that they have helped him to mature even faster. This he is grateful for after looking back at some of the decisions he made before they came into his life.

“Fostering children is a very challenging task, because there is a reminder that there is the possibility that the day might come where you have to let the legal rights of the child go on to somebody else, especially if the biological parents come back into the picture. It is not a definite thing.

However, it is an investment and once you love children that erases that doubt, it erases that uncertainty; it makes it all the more worthwhile.

“My encouragement to persons considering fostering: it is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have. When you are able to do certain things for a child and be there for a child and help them to grow, it is one of the most rewarding experiences,” he notes.

His reward comes when the girls are happy, when they accomplish things they wanted to.

“The bigger of the two girls I have had her since she was about five years old and she knew what was happening and what happened. At first, she was a bit standoffish and reluctant and for a very long time, I thought that she will grow up being like that. But over the last year, I noticed a lot of positive changes in her. She has now become a very responsible, very intelligent, and a very smart child in many ways and that by itself is what makes it rewarding,” he relates.

Singh says while the mother of the children has died, the father lives. However, the father has since relinquished his claims to them, because he has realised that they are being afforded the best of opportunities.

The girls are the centre of Singh’s universe and have changed his life as much as he has changed theirs. He relates that he would do it all over again, because, for him, the ability to make a difference is all that matters.

4

Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

NOVEMBER 24,2019

Feature

“I don’t regret giving up so much to be a foster mother” – Shenny Bastoo

By Lakhram Bhagirat

W

hen one takes the decision to become a foster parent, they are committing to going all in. They are making an investment in the lives of the children who may come under their care. They are promising to love those children as they would their own and they are committing to providing the best possible quality of life.

Children in the system are more often broken and they need fixing. They need to be told that they are worthy of being cared for and worthy of all the love they will receive. Many of the children in the system are victims of their circumstances. They are abused, molested, abandoned, or orphaned.

With these heavy burdens, children in the system are crushed and quite often lash out at the people who care for them. One cannot blame the children for lashing out though, rather one can only work harder to ensure the internal battles are won.

Choosing to become a foster parent means choosing to be ever so patient. It means that you are making not only a physical investment but also an emotional one. You are, through your actions, saying that ‘I am here to love and care for you’.

Shenny Bastoo made that decision over a decade ago when she gave up her job at the Bosai Bauxite Plant in Linden to become a foster parent. To date, she has fostered six children and has now adopted one. She is always contacting the Child Care and Protection Agency’s regional offices asking for more children to foster.

For her, the ability to impart her values and ideals while healing a child’s broken spirit is the very task God ordained her to do.

The 36-year-old has no biological children, but she has been a mother to many over the years. She knows that it takes a village to

raise a child as she has experienced it during her own childhood.

Bastoo grew up in the West Berbice village of Golden Fleece with love and family at the centre of her world. After growing up, she moved to the mining town of Linden, where she has spent 10 years. During that time, she entered into the foster care system as a foster parent.

She was entrusted with the well-being of six children.

Five of those children have gone on to become adults while she has adopted the sixth who is now a primary school student.

“In my whole lifetime, I always loved children even though I don’t have any. I don’t have any and I am always nice to them. At first, I went to the (Child Care and Protection) Agency to adopt and I am in the process of adopting my first child, but before that, I had to be a foster parent. I started fostering since 2007 and I have loved every bit of it,” she notes.

For Bastoo, being a foster parent has come at a cost, but that means nothing in light of helping a suffering child who is in need.

“Being a foster parent is fun. I was able to know more and how to deal with kids and show them love and how to make them happy despite their circumstances. Because of me not having children, I stand as a mother for these children so whenever I have my own, I would have the experience on how to deal with my biological child. I would not love my biological child any different than how I am loving my foster children. They are all alike and I took them with a kind heart and open arms and I promised to love them ‘till the end and I am doing just that.”

The child who Bastoo is currently fostering has been with her since she was five months old. Bastoo and her husband are the only parents she has known. Thus far, the fact that she is being fostered until her adoption papers come through has been kept from her.

“Even if you are a single parent, you must try to take care of your children in spite of the situation. Do not give up on your children, because there are some foster parents fostering who would not treat the children the way they are supposed to and I have seen that for myself. So, I will advise them to stick with their children. It is not an easy task, but faith brought me through. I had to make sacrifices to be a good foster mother. I gave up my job and I don’t regret anything,” she said.

Bastoo is on the quest to ensure that all of Guyana’s children get the requisite care and love they deserve. She is making that happen by fostering one child at a time.

guyanatimesgy.com

NOVEMBER 24, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 5

Feature

“F

ostering a child is a beautiful thing. For me, fostering a child is satisfactory and I would not have it any other way. I have been fostering my daughter since she was three and a half months old and we have been able to adopt her. It is a good thing, because she is the apple of our eyes,” Jennifer August says.

August has been in the foster-care system for almost five years now and for her, the system has opened her eyes to a whole new dimension. It has allowed her to make an

impact in the lives of children who truly need it.

“I applied for the fostering through a friend that encouraged me to because I don’t have any kids, so I went ahead and fostered a child. We used to visit her parents once per month and then her mother died and then I adopted her.

Caring for the children is so wonderful. It is giving you a sense of motherhood and it is very good for me that she has parents. It is very special.

“She now goes to Genesis School and she is doing very well. Fostering is very fun and challenging sometimes, but you know children are the highlight. Before becoming a foster parent, I have had my nieces around me and some, so one day my friends told me I should begin fostering,” she recounts.

August, without the knowledge of her husband, went and signed up to become a foster parent. When the time came and she informed her husband, he too was very supportive and now she describes their daughter as the “apple of his eyes”.

“There are a lot of children out there who need parental love and caring, because some parents don’t know how to cater for children. If you love children and taking care of them, then go for it I would tell any person contemplating becoming a foster parent.”

Recently, it was revealed that 159 children were placed into foster care while 37 were adopted thus far for 2019. The Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) observes Foster Care Month every November and this year it is being observed under the theme, “Every child deserves a champion: become a mentor or foster par-

ent today”.

With respect to foster care, the Social Protection Ministry has developed a national alternative care policy for children and it is currently working on a strategic five-year action plan for the implementation of this policy.

As such, the focus of this plan is the deinstitutionalisation of children through the promotion of family-based care and minimising the need for children to have out-ofhome care by providing training, education, financial and other support for parents which enable them to provide better care for their children.

However, the Ministry now has tangible resources to prevent unnecessary separation of children from their families with the establishment of the new Children and Family Care Centre.

In addition, these youths will be housed in the same residence where there is a high degree of care, support, structure, supervision, and services that are needed to aid in their positive growth and development.

The new foster care group home initiative is intended to benefit adolescent youths who are deemed in need of formal care (particularly by the Children Court).

Meanwhile, the vision for the group homes is to provide a therapeutic, intimate family-like care setting for a maximum of six youths to one group home provider.

6 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

november 24, 2019

Feature

8 reasons why I’m worried, anhopeful, about the next generation.

D

ear children of today and of tomorrow,

Thirty years ago, against the backdrop of a changing world order – the fall of the Berlin Wall, the decline of apartheid, the birth of the world wide web – the world united in defence of children and childhood. While most of the world’s parents at the time had grown up under dictatorships or failing governments, they hoped for better lives, greater opportunities and more rights for their children. So, when leaders came together in 1989 in a moment of rare global unity to make a historic commitment to the world’s children to protect and fulfil their rights, there was a real sense of hope for the next generation.

So how much progress have we made? In the three decades following the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in spite of an exploding global population, we have reduced the number of children missing out on primary school by almost 40 per cent. The number of stunted children under 5 years of age dropped by over 100 million. Three decades ago, polio paralyzed or killed almost 1,000 children every day. Today, 99 per cent of those cases have been eliminated. Many of the interventions behind this progress – such as vaccines, oral rehydration salts and better nutrition – have been practical and

cost-effective. The rise of digital and mobile technology and other innovations have made it easier and more efficient to deliver critical services in hard-to reach communities and to expand opportunities.

Yet poverty, inequality, discrimination and distance continue to deny millions of children their rights every year, as 15,000 children under 5 still die every day, mostly from treatable diseases and other preventable causes. We are facing an alarming rise in overweight children, but also girls suffering from anaemia. The stubborn challenges of open defecation and child marriage continue to threaten children’s health and futures. Whilst the numbers of children in school are higher than ever, the challenge of achieving quality education is not being met. Being in school is not the same as learning; more than 60 per cent of primary school children in developing countries still fail to achieve minimum proficiency in learning and half the world’s teens face violence in and around school, so it doesn’t feel like a place of safety. Conflicts continue to deny children the protection, health and futures they deserve. The list of ongoing child rights challenges is long.

And your generation, the children of today, are facing a new set of challenges and global shifts that were unimaginable to your parents. Our climate is changing beyond recognition. Inequality is deepening.

Technology is transforming how we perceive the world.

And more families are migrating than ever before. Childhood has changed, and we need to change our approaches along with it.

So, as we look back on 30 years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, we should also look ahead, to the next 30 years. We must listen to you – today’s children and young people – about the issues of greatest concern to you now and begin working with you on twenty-first century solutions to twenty-first century problems.

With that in mind, here are eight reasons why I’m worried for your future, and eight reasons why I think there is hope: 1.

You need clean water, clean air and a safe climate 2.

One in four of you are likely to live, and learn, in conflict and disaster zones 3.

We must make it OK to talk about mental health 4.

Over 30 million of you have migrated from your place of birth 5.

Thousands of you will officially never exist, unless we act 6.

You need twentyfirst century skills for a twentyfirst century economy 7.

Your digital footprint must be protected 8.

You might be the least trusting generation of citizens ever A final word...

Finally, the biggest reason for hope is because you – the children and young people of today – are taking the lead on demanding urgent action, and empowering yourselves to learn about, and shape the world around you. You are taking a stand now, and we are listening.

Just as the children of 1989 have emerged as leaders of today, you the children and young people of 2019 are the leaders of the future. You inspire us.

We want to work together with you to find the solutions you need to tackle the challeng-

es of today, to build better futures for yourselves and the world you will inherit. (Excerpts from UNICEF)

Henrietta H. Fore UNICEF Executive Director

A Child’s Plea Children idle by a sill Waiting, wondering, silent and still.

Abandoned by parents, abused and alone, No place to cuddle, no home sweet home.

Mommas and poppas alive in a park, Meager, humble, home after dark, Talking of how it is not for them To take in a child of a red tape system.

Yet how can they not make it their life?

How can they walk away from this strife?

If it were them sitting by a cracked window pane, Wouldn’t they hope someone would give them a name?

If not a name then a bed safe from harm, A story to dream on, a pillow, some charm.

A smile, a tissue to wipe away tears, Some hope for the future to last through the years.

A child lays awake rocking, alone and afraid, You wish not to see them or call them by name, Abused, neglected, alone and scared, Dying for love and crying still you choose not to hear.

Oh someone will take them, someone but me, Someone will rock them someone better you see, This is what you quietly say to yourself It’s not your job leave it to someone else.

Oh I am busy; oh I have so much to do, I couldn’t do it even if the Lord asked me to, It is a mountain I just cannot climb, It isn’t my child, I haven’t enough time.

When you walk in a store and see a child’s tears, You think what a shame, walk away knowing he’s scared, His father just hit him and his mother just screamed, But it is none of your business so you leave the whole scene.

Go about your life; forget what you know, Why should you be responsible for what others have sown?

Why shouldn’t you? Why can’t you give a bit more?

Sow a seed of charity right at your door.

If you give just one day of your life today, The rewards are great in every way, To see a child smile after being withdrawn and afraid, You can help by being a mentor, a foster parent or adopter, Just give some of your time who could ask for more?

By Suzanne DeRemer Floyd

guyanatimesgy.com

NOVEMBER 24, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 7

Feature

W

orld Children’s Day was first established in 1954 as Universal Children's Day and is celebrated on 20 November each year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children's welfare.

November 20th is an important date as it is the date in 1959 when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. It is also the date in 1989 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Since 1990, World Children's Day also marks the anniversary of the date that the UN General Assembly adopted both the Declaration and the Convention on children's rights.

Mothers and fathers, teachers, nurses and doctors, government leaders and civil society activists, religious and community elders, corporate moguls and media professionals, as well as young people and children themselves, can play an important part in making World Children's Day relevant for their societies, communities and nations.

World Children's Day offers each of us an inspirational entrypoint to advocate, promote and celebrate children's rights, translating into dialogues and actions that will build a better world for children.

World Children’s Day this year marks the 30th Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which recognises the human rights and special vulnerabilities of all children (persons under the age of 18 years), and establishes standards for protecting their well-being at all stages of their development. The Convention has been ratified by 195 States, making it the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history.

Over the past 30 years, the Convention has inspired improvements and protections that have transformed the lives of children; however, there is still much to do.

In his Message the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres urges all countries to honour the promise of the CRC. “Let’s build on advances and re-commit to putting children first,” and ensuring for every child, every right.

“For the first time, the Convention on the Rights of the Child spelled out a binding glob-

al commitment to the inherent rights of every single girl and boy. All countries recognized the unique vulnerability of children, and pledged to provide them with food, healthcare, education and protection.

“Since then, progress has been made. Child deaths have fallen by over half and global stunting has declined. But millions of children still suffer from war, poverty, discrimination and disease. Around the world, children are showing us their strength and leadership advocating for a more sustainable world for all,” Secretary-General Guterres said.

Children and young people have the same general human rights as adults and also specific rights that recognize their special needs. Children are neither the property of their parents nor are they helpless objects of charity. They are human beings and are the subject of their own rights.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child sets out the rights that must be realized for children to develop to their full potential.

The Convention offers a vision of the child as an individual and as a member of a family and community, with rights and responsibilities appropriate to his or her age and stage of development. By recognizing children's rights in this way, the Convention firmly sets the focus on the whole child.

The Convention recognizes the fundamental human dignity of all children and the urgency of ensuring their well-being and development. It makes clear the idea that a basic quality of life should be the right of all children, rather than a privilege enjoyed by a few.

The importance of children’s rights There are many reasons for singling out children's rights in a separate human rights Convention: • Children are individuals

Children are neither the possessions of parents nor of the state, nor are they mere people-in-the-making; they have equal status as members of the human family.

• Children start life as totally dependent beings Children must rely on adults for the nurture and guidance they need to grow towards independence. Such nurture is ideally found from adults in children's families, but when primary adult caregivers cannot meet children's needs, it is up to the State as the primary duty bearer to find an alternative in the best interests of the child.

• The actions, or inactions, of government impact children more strongly than any other group in society Practically every area of government policy – from education to public health – affects children to some degree. Shortsighted policymaking that fails to take children into account has a negative impact on the future of all members of society.

• Children's views should be heard and considered in the political process Children generally do not vote and do not traditionally take part in political processes. Without special attention to the opinions of children – as expressed at home and in schools, in local communities and even in governments – children's views go unheard on the many important issues that affect them now or will affect them in the future.

• Many changes in society are having a disproportionate, and often negative, impact on children Transformation of the family structure, globalization, climate change, digitalization, mass migration, shifting employment patterns and a shrinking social welfare net in many countries all have strong impacts on children. The impact of these changes can be particularly devastating in situations of armed conflict and other emergencies.

• The healthy development of children is crucial to the future well-being of any society Because they are still developing, children are especially vulnerable – more so than adults – to poor living conditions such as poverty, inadequate health care, nutrition, safe water, housing and environmental pollution. The effects of disease, malnutrition and poverty threaten the future of children and therefore the future of the societies in which they live.

• The costs to society of failing its children are huge Social research findings show that children's earliest experiences significantly influence their future development. The course of their development determines their contribution, or cost, to society over the course of their lives. (UNICEF)

8 Sunday Times Magazine

november 24, 2019

guyanatimesgy.com

Feature

Rupununi region in Guyana rides ecotourism wave T

ourism in Guyana’s southern Rupununi region has long been a small business aimed at foreign visi tors. But growing demand for experiences that mix wildlife watching with cultural activities is creating opportunities of benefit to local communities.

Now a purring economic engine, the industry not only creates jobs in rural villages where employment opportunities are scarce, but it also provides incentives to protect birds and other animals that visitors will pay to see, such as giant otters, giant anteaters and jaguars.

“With the spread of community-based tourism and the increased interest internationally in experiential travel, it is as if the Rupununi has found its moment,” says Melanie McTurk, president of, an umbrella group of the region’s tourism enterprises.

After two or three decades of being told that no one would want what the Rupununi has to offer, she adds, “All of a sudden, it is exactly what everyone wants.”

In its work with communities involved in tourism, Visit Rupununi receives support from the Guyana branch of the Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme, which is working to improve the conservation and sustainable use of wildlife in forest, savannah and wetland environments in 13 countries.

The Rupununi region offers a wide variety of ecosystems in a small area. The South — with its rolling grasslands, forested hills and woodland patches known as “bush islands” — is home to Amerindian communities as well as to descendants of ranchers who settled in the area several generations ago.

The North, which also features villages and ranches, is a sprawling wetland that floods annually, making travel difficult, but resulting in a remarkable diversity of aquatic life.

Distances and bad roads make travel expensive, and most tourists are foreigners interested in bird watching and wildlife. That is likely to change, however, as there are plans to improve the road network and pave the main highway from Georgetown, the capital on the Caribbean coast, to Lethem, on the Brazilian border in the Rupununi.

A fisherman sets a net on the Rupununi River in southern Guyana. CIFOR/Barbara Fraser

Greater access will bring both opportunities for local communities to become more involved in tourism and the risk of negative environmental impacts, McTurk says.

Nature, culture and sport Tourism in the Rupununi began when landholding families launched “Ranches of the Rupununi,” which combined home stays with nature tourism. Their customers were mainly diplomats from Georgetown and, later, scientists who were doing research in the region.

The discovery of a previously unreported population of red siskins (Spinus cucullata), an endangered species, added to the region’s popularity with birdwatchers.

Over time, several Indigenous communities entered the market, often with the help of non-profit conservation groups.

A cowboy drives a herd of cattle in Annai, Guyana. CIFOR/Barbara Fraser

nature tourists, hard-core birdwatchers and visitors more interested in cultural activities.

Villagers now see the benefits of the enterprise, which employs some villagers directly, while others supply the kitchen with fresh fruits and vegetables, says Allicock, who is senior manager of the business. Some of the revenues are invested in the school, and some in community projects like road repair.

The village of Rewa took a different tack, catering to sport fishermen seeking the arapaima, a giant, air-breathing fish found in the Amazon. The tourist cabins and open-air dining room are a short distance from the main part of the village, and jobs rotate among residents.

Karanambu Ranch, established in 1927, began its tourism efforts as part of “Ranches of the Rupununi,” but the owners also established a conservation trust, focusing especially on giant otters, which were hunted for their pelts in the 1960s and 1970s.

“The ranch, tourism and conservation are intermixed,” says McTurk, who manages the ranch with her husband.

They work with communities in the area, purchasing food and other items from them, including honey. In mid-September, the ranch hosted a beekeeping workshop, inviting about a dozen people from surrounding villages to learn to build and mainJacqueline Allicock of Surama, Guyana, speaks tain their own beehives. at the workshop on sustainable hunting, held in By managing bees in hives, Aishalton, Guyana, on 8-10 September 2019. villagers can increase their income from honey production while reducing the risk of wildfires, McTurk says.

Changes are on the horizon in Guyana, as offshore oil production set to begin in early 2020 is expected to triple the country’s gross domestic product. Some of those revenues are likely to be used to upgrade infrastructure.

Local leaders caution that road construction or improvement in the Rupununi must be planned carefully so as not to damage ecosystems and wildlife habitat or disrupt annual flooding and fish spawning.

The Sustainable Wildlife Programme is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). (Excerpt from Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) – Forest News)

A woman takes aim at a moving target during an archery competition at a heritage festival in the village of Wowetta, Guyana. CIFOR/Barbara Fraser

Surama, in the North Rupununi sub-district, began courting tourists in the 1990s, but it took about a decade to start seeing the fruits of their labor, says Jacqueline Allicock, 49, who is the first woman to chair the North Rupununi District Development Board, an organization of community leaders, and who also represents her village on the board.

The village lacked a marketing plan, Allicock says. Residents also had mixed opinions about the idea, but the village leader at the time “had a vision of what tourism was about,” and gradually more people supported it, she says.

They were aided along the way by a business owner who helped them design packages for casual

Morrison Andrea, 28, of the village of Quatata examines a sheet of wax while building a beehive during a beekeeping workshop in Guyana’s Rupununi region. CIFOR/Barbara Fraser

guyanatimesgy.com

november 24, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine

9

Health

P

ancreatitis is inflammation in the pancreas. The pancreas is a long, flat gland that sits tucked behind the stomach in the upper abdomen. The pancreas produces enzymes that help digestion and hormones that help regulate the way your body processes sugar (glucose).

Pancreatitis can occur as acute pancreatitis — meaning it appears suddenly and lasts for days. Or pancreatitis can occur as chronic pancreatitis, which is pancreatitis that occurs over many years.

Mild cases of pancreatitis may go away without treatment, but severe cases can cause life-threatening complications.\ Symptoms Signs and symptoms of pancreatitis may vary, depending on which type you experience.

Acute pancreatitis signs and symptoms include: • Upper abdominal pain • Abdominal pain that radiates to your back • Abdominal pain that feels worse after eating • Fever • Rapid pulse • Nausea • Vomiting • Tenderness when touching the abdomen Chronic pancreatitis signs and symptoms include: • Upper abdominal pain • Losing weight without trying • Oily, smelly stools (steatorrhea) Causes Pancreatitis occurs when digestive enzymes become activated while still in the pancreas, irritating the cells of your pancreas and causing inflammation.

With repeated bouts of acute pancreatitis, damage to the pancreas can occur and lead to chronic pancreatitis. Scar tissue may form in the pancreas, causing loss of function. A poorly functioning pancreas can cause digestion problems and diabetes.

Conditions that can lead to pancreatitis include: • Abdominal surgery • Alcoholism • Certain medications • Cystic fibrosis • Gallstones • High calcium levels in the blood (hypercalcemia), which may be caused by an overactive parathyroid gland (hyperparathyroidism) • High triglyceride levels in the blood (hypertriglyceridemia) • Infection • Injury to the abdomen • Obesity • Pancreatic cancer Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), a procedure used to treat gallstones, also can lead to pancreatitis.

Sometimes, a cause for pancreatitis is never found.

Risk factors Factors that increase your risk of pancreatitis include: • Excessive alcohol consumption. Research shows that heavy

alcohol users (people who consume four to five drinks a day)

are at increased risk of pancreatitis.

• Cigarette smoking. Smokers are on average three times

more likely to develop chronic pancreatitis, compared

with nonsmokers. The good news is quitting smoking

decreases your risk by about half • Obesity. You're more likely to get pancreatitis if you're obese.

• Family history of pancreatitis. The role of genetics is

becoming increasingly recognized in chronic pancreatitis.

If you have family members with the condition, your

odds increase — especially when combined with other

risk factors.

Complications Pancreatitis can cause serious complications, including: • Pseudocyst. Acute pancreatitis can cause fluid and debris

to collect in cystlike pockets in your pancreas. A large

pseudocyst that ruptures can cause complications such as

internal bleeding and infection.

• Infection. Acute pancreatitis can make your pancreas vulnerable to bacteria

and infection. Pancreatic infections are serious and require intensive

treatment, such as surgery to remove the infected tissue.

• Kidney failure. Acute pancreatitis may cause kidney failure, which can be

treated with dialysis if the kidney failure is severe and persistent.

• Breathing problems. Acute pancreatitis can cause chemical changes in your

body that affect your lung function, causing the level of oxygen in your blood to

fall to dangerously low levels.

•

Diabetes. Damage to insulin-producing cells in your pancreas from chronic pancreatitis can lead to diabetes, a disease that affects the way your body uses blood sugar.

• Malnutrition. Both acute and chronic pancreatitis can cause your pancreas to

produce fewer of the enzymes that are needed to break down and process

nutrients from the food you eat. This can lead to malnutrition, diarrhea and

weight loss, even though you may be eating the same foods or the same amount

of food.

• Pancreatic cancer. Long-standing inflammation in your pancreas caused by

chronic pancreatitis is a risk factor for developing pancreatic cancer.

Diagnosis Tests and procedures used to diagnose pancreatitis include: • Blood tests to look for elevated levels of pancreatic enzymes • Stool tests in chronic pancreatitis to measure levels of fat that could suggest

your digestive system isn't absorbing nutrients adequately • Computerized tomography (CT) scan to look for gallstones and assess the extent

of pancreas inflammation • Abdominal ultrasound to look for gallstones and pancreas inflammation • Endoscopic ultrasound to look for inflammation and blockages in the

pancreatic duct or bile duct • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look for abnormalities in the

gallbladder, pancreas and ducts Your doctor may recommend other tests, depending on your particular situation.

Treatment Initial treatments in the hospital may include: • Fasting. You'll stop eating for a couple of days in the hospital in order to give

your pancreas a chance to recover.

Once the inflammation in your pancreas is controlled, you may begin drinking clear liquids and eating bland foods. With time, you can go back to your normal diet.

If your pancreatitis persists and you still experience pain when eating, your doctor may recommend a feeding tube to help you get nutrition.

• Pain medications. Pancreatitis can cause severe pain. Your health care team

will give you medications to help control the pain.

• Intravenous (IV) fluids. As your body devotes energy and fluids to repairing

your pancreas, you may become dehydrated. For this reason, you'll receive

extra fluids through a vein in your arm during your hospital stay.

Once your pancreatitis is under control, your health care team can treat the underlying cause of your pancreatitis. Depending on the cause of your pancreatitis, treatment may include: • Procedures to remove bile duct obstructions. Pancreatitis caused by a narrowed

or blocked bile duct may require procedures to open or widen the bile duct.

A procedure called endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) uses a long tube with a camera on the end to examine your pancreas and bile ducts. The tube is passed down your throat, and the camera sends pictures of your digestive system to a monitor.

ERCP can aid in diagnosing problems in the bile duct and pancreatic duct and in making repairs. In some people, particularly the elderly, ERCP can also lead to acute pancreatitis.

• Gallbladder surgery. If gallstones caused your pancreatitis, your doctor may

recommend surgery to remove your gallbladder (cholecystectomy).

• Pancreas surgery. Surgery may be necessary to drain fluid from your pancreas

or to remove diseased tissue.

• Treatment for alcohol dependence. Drinking several drinks a day over many

years can cause pancreatitis. If this is the cause of your pancreatitis, your

doctor may recommend you enter a treatment program for alcohol

addiction. Continuing to drink may worsen your pancreatitis and lead to

serious complications. (Mayo Clinic)

10 Sunday Times Magazine

november 24, 2019

guyanatimesgy.com

Fashion

T

he world tells a woman that she does not need make-up to be beautiful, rather, true beauty comes for within. She accepts that but she also knows that there are days when that true beauty needs some help to shine through.

There are days when the dark circles under her eyes need a little concealer. There are days when that acne spot needs some extra foundation.

There are days where bright red lips leave her feeling at peace and there are days when she needs to hide all the stress of her everyday life.

Make-up is versatile and its application is an art form which many try to master.

Janica Sandy has been on a quest to master the art of make-up application for a number of years. The quest took her throughout the Caribbean and into Canada where she became certified as a Make-up Artist (MUA).

For Sandy, she knew that being an MUA was her calling after applying make-up for the first time. Through the support of her family, she was able to embark on making it her career. In 2009, she professionally began make-up application.

In addition to being an MUA, Sandy was also a model and bodybuilder. Her love for fashion also led her into a Janica Sandy and her model displaying her number of beauty pageants work in (JCI) Vancouver Canada

where she had successful runs.

As a little girl, Sandy dreamt of owning her own business and stopped at nothing to achieve that dream.

So when she launched “Ultimate Image Beauty Salon”, it was considered a testament to her unwavering determination.

Being in the age of social media, Sandy quickly became a sensation but she knew that if she wanted to make a lasting impact on the Guyanese beauty world then she would have to educate herself. She then travelled to the twin-island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago where she studied under acclaimed make-up artists.

“In keeping with my personal love and goals, I later attended “Kevin’s Reflections” which is among the top cosmetology schools in Guyana. During that time, I topped the courses and received a Diploma in Hairstyling, Nail Technology, Makeup Artistry and a Certificate in Therapeutic Massage.

“With my experience in this industry, I consider myself a highly resourceful, creative, innovative and vivacious artist of many talents. I love all things beauty and fashion since the youthful age of nine. As being a qualified MUA I love to enhance women’s beauty since that ultimately brings out their full potential and confidence,” she said.

When asked if at any time during her journey she ever doubted herself, this is what Sandy had to say, “I have a lot of confidence in myself and I know I do have the capabilities to keep rising above the bar. So I never give up I always tell myself and others around me that I have dreams that are worth me losing my sleep so I went the extra mile to be where I am at today”.

With her skills and experience, Sandy has for the past three years been sharing her knowledge through various platforms.

She is ensuring models, actors, brides, and other clients have suitable make-up and hairstyles to appear before a camera or audience.

She even launched her own cosmetic line “Image Cosmetics” in March of 2017. Sandy started to conceptualise her cosmetic line after facing difficulties sourcing the necessities with the required quality to apply makeup and enhance her work. Her line presently Janica Sandy’s consists of 100 per cent luxury bridal work at an Indian wedding mink eyelashes in five different styles and an eight-piece brush set.

“With my varying creativity, I went viral on social media so I decided to create and promote my brand – Image Cosmetics. I have plans to expand my line and will be offering a wider range of cosmetics tools for beauty applications. But my goal doesn’t stop there. One of my main goals in this industry is to work in film and become more professionally qualified. I want to have more knowledge in the profession of makeup artistry and beauty and continue to enhance my purpose, techniques, and skills.”

After doing some research on accredited beauty colleges, Sandy discovered John Casablanca’s Institute in Vancouver, Canada. She secured a spot there and graduated with her Diploma in Make-up Artistry.

She explained that moving to Vancouver and attending JCI has indeed expanded her knowledge and experience. Whilst, there she applied to the International Makeup Artists and Trade Show (IMATS) 2018. Sandy was then selected as a finalist in the beautiful fantasy category where she won third place.

Additionally, she worked on two short films “Eye for an eye” and “Laid to rest”.

“I would always say to young aspiring artist to love what they do and not because it’s trending.

There’s a saying when you love what you do you never work a day in your life and always learn to accept criticism. Choose ways in which you can have the right training and not just online or YouTube because there is a difference between influencers, bloggers, professionals and artGirl being transferred into an old man ists.”

guyanatimesgy.com

NOVEMBER 24, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 11

Recipes

Cheesecake in a jar Ingredients • 6 shortbread cookies, finely crushed • 2 tablespoons butter, melted • 2 tablespoons white sugar • 6 (1/2 pint) canning jars with lids • 12 ounces sliced fresh strawberries or any fruit • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice • 1/2 cup white sugar • 1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped Directions 1. Stir together cookie crumbs, butter, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a bowl until blended. Divide mixture evenly among jars (about 3 1/2 tablespoons each) and gently press (do not pack) into bottoms.

2. Halve 6 strawberries for garnish, and set aside.

Chop remaining strawberries.

3. Beat together cream cheese, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup sugar in bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Fold in whipped cream and chopped berries, and divide evenly among jars (about 1/2 cup each). Top each with a 2 berry halves and cover with lids. Chill at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Baked Chicken Breasts and Vegetables Ingredients • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves • 8 carrots, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds • 4 green bell peppers, sliced • 8 stalks celery, chopped • 8 green onions, chopped • 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley • 1/2 cup olive oil • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning • 1 teaspoon chili powder • 1 teaspoon lemon pepper • 4 pinches freshly ground black pepper, or to taste Directions • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

• Arrange chicken breasts on a baking sheet; spread carrots, bell peppers, celery, green onion, and parsley around chicken. Drizzle olive oil over chicken and vegetables; season with salt, Italian seasoning, chili powder, lemon pepper, and black pepper.

Indian Rice Pilaf Ingredients • 1/4 cup water • 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth • 1 cup long grain rice • 1 teaspoon curry powder • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 1/8 teaspoon paprika • 2 pinches ground cloves • 1 small onion, coarsely chopped Instructions Bring water and chicken broth to a boil. Combine rice, curry powder, garlic powder, cinnamon, paprika, and cloves in a bowl; stir to mix. Add spiced rice and onion to the boiling broth. Cover and cook until rice is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Designers share the decorating secrets only professionals know—until now Some people have a natural eye for design, but if you're more in the camp of those who can't do anything without consulting Pinterest board upon Pinterest board before making any major changes, we feel you. We'd love to have an interior designer on speed dial before deciding exactly where and how hang to hang that sweet new wall art we bought on a whim, but until we win the lottery, we'll have to settle for trusting our guts, and taking plenty of design tips where we can get them. We've compiled some secrets straight from the pros to help you with all your decorating needs. (House Beautiful)

Mix old and new decor

"Old and new belong together. A mix of modern pieces and antiques never tires."—Caleb Anderson

Liven up ordinary spaces with wallpaper

“I love to use wallpaper in mundane spaces. Hallways, pantries, powder rooms—all become moments of joy and funkiness. Areas of transition can be places you enjoy spending time in.”—Fawn Galli

Choose the right bulbs

"Choosing the right light bulb is very important. LED bulbs are energy efficient, and they can look great."—Paloma Contreras

Try out wicker

“Wicker is an element I love for its texture and versatility. Wicker baskets are so functional for storage, but a wicker animal brings a sense of whimsy.” —Amy Berry

Invest in antiques

“Great art and fabulous antiques only get better with age. It’s better to cry once and have a forever piece.”—Chandos Dodson Epley

Trust your intuition

"Follow your gut. If you have to talk yourself into liking something, you probably don't."—Olivia Erwin

12 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

NOVEMBER 24, 2019

Puzzles

ACROSS 1 5 11 17 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 31 33 35 36 37 38 41 42 43 44 48 50 51 52 53 54 55 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 78 79 80 84 85 87 88

-- d'etat One of the brightest stars Spell Fiberglass bundle Kind of bean Rendezvous Crete's sea The Y in YSL Hooded snakes Catch Opera immortal Secret sign Beatles hit Hollywood walk-on Buttonholes Organic compound Notre Dame's city Can't stand Passports, briefly Capitol VIP Pastel color NW state Just right Had a siesta Backstreet Henri's landmass Guarantee Old Italian currency Hot coffee hazard Whipped-cream helpings Fall mo.

"Iron Man" Zatopek Tones up Amber wine Hoarfrost Mate's comeback Cleveland exurb Pasta dish Colorful transfer Is an omen of Above, to poets -- kwon do Force Nothing, in Nice Wide st.

PC key Tiberius' garb Enigmatic one Molecular biology topic Put under wraps Restricted, as a teen Moving right -Piers Test a melon Ms. Merkel

89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 109 110 112 115 116 120 121 123 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Unlikely to bite Vague discomfort Chimes Monsieur, in Bonn Navajo foe Downy fruit Like most attics Gen. -- Powell Really enjoy Least amt.

Round starters Parthenon site "Bye Bye Bye" band Spanish hero El --- nova Famous Chairman Towel's place Green-eyed breed of cat Mountain feature Where Pago Pago is Falsetto singer (2 wds.)

A Judd Type of bat (2 wds.)

PTA concern Entice (2 wds.)

Book copier of old Helper Swit co-star Quick trip Eats away at Major nuisance Stay fresh Union man Process food Active volcano Modeling medium Seine tributary Ballpark figures Glue down Warned Actor Hal -Golden Horde member Spacious This -- -- bust!

Abolished Strategy Nurtures Taj Mahal site Recent, in Berlin Honeydew kin "-- Arden" Sayings Rara -Circus arena Impatient chucks

KATHLEEN SAXE

WORD GAME TODAY'S WORD -- STEALTHY (STEALTHY: STEL-thee: Intended to escape observation; furtive.)

Average mark 43 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 56 or more words in STEALTHY? TODAY'S WORD -- STEALTHY sale salt salty sate seal seat shale slat slate slaty slay stale state stately

stay steal stealth stela stet stye style stylet tale taste tasty teal teat test

testy that theta they east easy ethyl ashy lase lash last late latest lath

lathe latte leash least lest hale halest halt haste hasty hate heal heat yeast

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" are not allowed, but "bake" and "baking" are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

30 32 34 36 37 38 39 40 42 43 45 46 47 49 50 51 52 54 55 56 59 60 61 63 64 65 67

Hairpin curves Cavity detector (hyph.)

Invents a word Disagreeable people "Sweet" girl of song Green, as trees (2 wds.)

Shogun's vassal More agile Andes ruminant Black-market Maria Shriver's mom Good smells Razes Good buddy Lots of land Like table salt PCB regulator Femme fatale "The" to Fritz Mouths, in biology UPS competitor Put a dent in Broadcast again Cartoon sound effect Jamie -- Curtis Unearthed (2 wds.)

Pickling solution

68 70 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 85 86 87 90 91 92 94 95 96 98 wds.)

100 101

Applause Seals the fate of Tummy soother Insult, slangily Honestly!

Planet with rings Shallow dishes Plain Draw boundaries Laugh syllable Steps to the Ganges Burr or Hamilton Nobelist -- Fermi Mended socks Rattle Adherent Nikola the inventor Radar-gun info A vital sign Furrow maker Neck scarf Loathed Sing a ballad Variety of mushroom (2 Sonic -Strongest-tasting

103 104 105 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 122 124

Tourist's tote Fair maiden Ifs NBA coach Pat -Lyon's river Dive into second Slack-jawed Salad bowl wood Busy loafing Birthday suit wearer Fargo's st.

Kermit, for one Royal decree Thor's father TV "Warrior Princess" Aleta's son Dernier --

See Solution on page 14

guyanatimesgy.com

november 24, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 13

Tech

A M

icrosoft is planning to integrate Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Calendar into its Outlook.com web mail client. The software maker has started testing this integration on some accounts recently, and Twitter user Florian B was able to access it on Wednesday. After a quick setup process, you simply link a Google Account to an Outlook. com account, and Gmail, Drive documents, and Google Calendar will all be automatically displayed inside Outlook.com on the web.

It looks very similar to how Outlook for iOS and Android work, with separate inboxes and side-by-side integration in the calendar. We haven’t been able to test the integration on our own Outlook.com accounts at The Verge, but Florian reveals that it seems to be an early test as you can’t add more than one Google Account, and switching between Outlook and Gmail accounts refreshes the entire page.

The Google Drive integration supports documents and files from Google’s service so you can quickly attach them to Outlook or Gmail emails. It’s not clear how many Outlook.com users will get access to this, or when Microsoft will roll this out more broadly. While most people would simply visit Gmail for their mail, this new Outlook integration could be useful for those who use a personal Outlook.com account and a G Suite email account for work.

(The Verge)

A

udiAudi just pulled the wraps off of the E-Tron Sportback, the company’s second electric car, at the 2019 LA Auto Show. Coming to Europe in the first half of 2020, the top-tier version of the new premium EV will offer up to 446 kilometers of range (277 miles) and is powered by dual electric motors with a total power output of 265kW, or around 350 horsepower. A slightly less powerful version of the Sportback with a smaller battery will start at €71,350 (around $79,000).

If some of those numbers sound familiar, it’s because the E-Tron Sportback will be built using the same electric drivetrain and battery as the E-Tron SUV Audi revealed last year. The company is simply now using the platform it developed for the original E-Tron to power a fastback-style sedan variant. Both E-Trons represent the first flagship vehicles of Audi’s forthcoming lineup of EVs, which is part of an even bigger push into the space by parent company Volkswagen.

Audi says the higher-spec version of its new electric car will come to the United States in the middle of 2020. When it does, the E-Tron Sportback will likely wind up with a far more conservative range figure, seeing as how the E-Tron SUV received a 204-mile estimate from the EPA. That said, Audi claims the sedan styling has resulted in a lower drag coefficient, and says it’s possible the vehicle will squeeze a few more miles out of the same 95kWh battery pack.

The E-Tron Sportback’s interior also mimics that of the E-Tron SUV. There’s a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel, a 12.1-inch main touchscreen in the dashboard, and another 8.6-inch touchscreen below that for text input and climate controls. (Audi’s infotainment system also allows for voice controls, and Amazon Alexa is built in as well.)

Audi originally teased the E-Tron Sportback in concept form back in 2017, but not much has changed since then. The biggest difference is Audi chose a more standard grille on the final production version of the E-Tron Sportback over the concept version’s gaping maw. Some of the styling of the bodywork has been toned down a bit, too, though the overall shape of the car looks very similar. The production version will even have virtual mirrors like the concept, at least in Europe. (Virtual mirrors aren’t currently allowed in the US, but regulators are considering changing that rule.) It will also feature Audi’s new LED matrix headlights, which the company says can dynamically illuminate the road with ultra precision.

The E-Tron SUV has been relatively well-received in the few short months that it’s been available, and so it’s not hard to imagine the Sportback version meeting a similar fate. That said, the E-Tron SUV’s initial rollout did not go according to plan. The release of Audi’s first EV was delayed for months due to battery supply issues — a disruption that also reportedly pushed back production of the Sportback. Once the E-Tron SUV did hit the market, Audi had to recall hundreds of vehicles due to a battery fire risk. The company says it has since resolved both issues. (The Verge)

pple is hunting for software engineers to help the company build media apps for Windows. The iPhone maker revealed its plans in a job listing earlier this month, spotted by Neowin, inviting potential candidates to “join us and build the next generation of media apps for Windows.”

Apple maintains existing Windows apps like iTunes and iCloud, but these are both old traditional desktop apps that are showing their age. Apple revealed earlier this year that it’s breaking up iTunes into three separate macOS apps: Podcasts, TV, and Music. None of these apps have arrived on Windows, leaving PC users with just iTunes. If you’re an Apple Music or Apple TV Plus subscriber, you have to use the web versions instead of dedicated apps on Windows 10 right now.

Apple’s job listing mentions “experience with UWP is a big plus,” which hints that the company is looking to build Universal Windows Platform (UWP) versions of its media apps for Windows 10. This could help Apple bring apps to both Windows 10 and Xbox One, which is particularly important for Apple TV Plus as there’s no way to watch content from that service on the Xbox One right now.

It’s not clear when these new media apps for Windows will arrive, but the fact that Apple is investing in Windows 10 is good news for owners of Surface or Windows tablet devices that will benefit from new touch-friendly apps for Apple’s services. (The Verge)

T

he Google Pixel 4 has finally arrived and it's not surprising anyone. For months the handset has been subject to colossal leaks, making it one of the most leaked phones of all time. It reached such a stage that Google itself twice published information about the phone ahead of its reveal.

There's little about the Pixel 4 that we didn't know before Google's hardware event started this afternoon. That doesn't mean that it's not worth your time, though.

This is Google's fourth in-house phone – there's been one released every year since October 2016. There are two new models that have been revealed by the tech firm this year: a 5.7-inch Pixel 4 and a 6.3-inch Pixel 4XL. It's likely the company will reveal a budget-friendly Pixel 4a (as it did with the Pixel 3a) early in 2020. Both the phones it has just announced come with the 10-month-old Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chip, 64GB or 128GB of storage, wireless charging, Android 10 and no headphone jack.

That's all pretty standard, and the specs aren't going to excite any power users who want the latest in raw hardware grunt. But that doesn't mean Google hasn't done any work to improve upon the already impressive Pixel 3s. As a small nod to the phone's languishing hardware specs, Google has bumped both devices' RAM up to 6GB, from the previous 4GB. (The batteries largely stay the same: they're 2,800mAh for the Pixel 4 and 3,700mAh for the XL, compared to last year's 2,915mAh and 3,430mAh).

Where the big physical change for the Pixel range comes this year is in the camera. More accurately, the cameras. For the first time, Google has bowed to the industry trend of slapping multiple lenses onto the rear of the device. Apple, Huawei, Samsung and OnePlus have bolstered their phone line-ups with triple-camera setups in recent months.

Google is still holding out from a trio of cameras on the rear, but it has moved from one camera to two (on both the Pixel 4 and XL model). One camera is 16MP with ƒ/2.4 aperture and the second is 12.2MP with a ƒ/1.7 aperture – they're supplemented by a 8MP front-facing selfie camera. The idea is that both cameras capture images independently and then software stitches them together.

The lens that's missing when compared to competitors is an ultra-wide angle camera.

With the latest iPhones Apple rolled out its new "Night" mode for low-light images. For the release of the new Pixels, Google claims it has improved the performance of its existing night mode (called Night Sight). The latest addition is Astrophotography. The phone uses the setting to capture images of the stars and sky; it takes 15 extra-long exposure images – each lasting for around 16 seconds – over a period of four minutes and then uses machine learning to stitch them together.

The other big new addition to this year's Pixels is Google's gesture technology. Dubbed Motion Sense, it's something the company says it has been working on for five years. In demos of the tech, Lin shows how a song could be skipped to the next track by swiping a hand from left to right a few centimetres above the phone's screen. You can also stop alarms and mute calls.

The Google Pixels are being made available in black, white and a limited edition orange. Google will be selling them from October 24 and the cheapest model will begin at £669, which is lower than the Pixel 3 when it was first released last year. (Wired)

14 Sunday Times Magazine

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Bollyollywood

T

his year marked 36 years since Anil Kapoor stepped foot in Bollywood and the actor continues to reign the hearts of the audiences. Besides being a successful actor himself, Anil is also a proud father as his three kids are also doing well in the industry Sonam K Ahuja and Harsh Varrdhan are actors, and younger daughter Rhea is a producer.

Sonam was the first in the family to follow in their daddy’s footsteps but unlike her contemporaries, she has always taken her time in taking up films.

Speculations are rife now that her slowing down in the professional space is maybe because she is planning to go the family way with husband Anand S Ahuja.

“It’s not the question of… family is very important (but) Sonam has always been selective. For her to balance

her priorities are much easier. She always had a lot of time. After Neerja (2016), a blockbuster, she didn’t do a film for one year after that too! She waits for the right film and role to come to her, and then does it. That has really helped her balance her professional and personal career. I don’t think she has slowed down. There are a lot of films being offered to her, she has only said yes to filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh’s film, “says Anil.

Talking further about Sonam, the 62-year-old adds, “She has always been fortunate she was in a position to be very choosy. If you see in the last 11 years of her career, she has hardly done any films. I think that’s great, if you can be choosy.

She does what the heart says.”

Anil feels all his three children are very unique in their own way. “Harsh has

an appetite for watching films and is carving his own journey. Sonam is a ferocious reader, and that shows in her films. Rhea doesn’t watch too many films, I always tell her to go and watch. She basically watches more shows, and feels strongly ‘I don’t want any other film to influence me.’

That’s why she has always come out with something which comes straight from the heart,” he shares.

The actor himself has been keeping very busy.

He’s a chameleon when it comes to acting. Give him any kind of role, a righteous man in Nayak (2001), a negative role in the Race franchise, a hilarious don in Welcome (2007)or his latest Pagalpanti, Anil manages to pull it off with utmost elan.

He is also set to enter the historical space with Karan Johar’s ambitious epic Takht. (Hindustan Times)

N

upur Sanon had a dream debut with her music video, Filhall, where she features opposite Akshay Kumar.

Nupur is the sister of actor Kriti Sanon. She has said she was scared to act in front of a star like Akshay and thought someone would cancel the project if she is not able to pull it off.

Speaking with Pinkvilla, Nupur said, “It was my first time acting and I was act-

T

P

riyanka Chopra is the most searched Indian celebrity in the world, followed by Salman Khan. A recent study by a US based agency has confirmed that Priyanka was the most searched Indian celebrity on social media, with search interest peaking in December, when she tied the knot with singer Nick Jonas.

According to a report in Business Insider, SEMrush states that Priyanka’s name was searched 2.74 million times between the period October 2018 and October 2019, with a monthly search volume of 4.2 mil-

lion. Salman was searched 1.83 million times across the globe.

Priyanka and Nick are all set to celebrate their first wedding anniversary on December 1. She is currently in India for the shooting of her Netflix film, The White Tiger. She had shared a post on Instagram last week comparing her work patterns while filming for her American show Quantico and the film The White Tiger.

The White Tiger is an adaptation of Aravind Adiga’s prize-winning novel of the same name. The film will be

helmed by Ramin Bahrani.

It follows the extraordinary journey of a self-made man from being a tea-shop worker in a village to a successful entrepreneur in a big city. It also stars Rajkummar Rao. Priyanka will also voice the character of Elsa in the Hindi version of the Disney film, Frozen 2. Her cousin Parineeti Chopra has lent her voice for the character of Elsa’s sister Anna.

Priyanka’s latest Bollywood film, The Sky Is Pink got a mixed response from critics and underperformed at the box office. (Hindustan Times)

wo years after the head of the Grammys said women need to "step up" if they wanted to be recognised, female artists are dominating the 2020 nominations.

Five of the eight album of the year nominees are women, Ariana Grande and Lana Del Rey among the front-runners.

Meanwhile, Lizzo and Billie Eilish are shortlisted in all of the ceremony's "big four" categories: best new artist, best song, best record and best album.

Only one artist, Christopher Cross, has won all four awards in a single year.

Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi has also been recognised, with Someone You Loved picking up a nomination for song of the year; while English singer Yola picked up a surprise mention in the best new artist category. And Lil Nas X received multiple nominations for his countryrap crossover Old Town Road, which spent a record-breaking 19 weeks at number one in the US earlier this year.

The nominees for the main categories are: Album of the year • I, I - Bon Iver • Norman Rockwell Lana Del Rey • Thank U, Next Ariana Grande • When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? Billie Eilish • Cuz I Love You - Lizzo • I Used To Know Her HER • 7 - Lil Nas X

ing in front of such a big star. So, aapko lagta hai na.. (so you feel) that person is so experienced and you are coming from nothing. So whether you will be able to, match to bahut door ki baat hai (matching is a different game altogether) ...whether you will even be able to pull off. Mujhe to lag raha tha koi cancel na kar de (I feared someone would cancel the project).”

However, she added that

Akshay ensured all her fears melted away. “Thoda dar lagta hai as a newcomer. Wo darr sirf first scene tak tha.

Second scene tak sir mujhe bahut hasa chuke they (I was scared, as a newcomer but it was only till we shot the first scene. By the second scene, Akshay sir had made me laugh a lot). Then I understood his vibe is really nice, he is very warm and I am gonna have a good time.”

(Hindustan Times)

• Father Of The Bride Vampire Weekend Song of the year • Always Remember Us This Way - Lady Gaga • Bad Guy - Billie Eilish • Bring My Flowers Now - Tanya Tucker • Hard Place - HER • Lover - Taylor Swift • Norman Rockwell Lana Del Rey • Someone You Loved Lewis Capaldi • Truth Hurts – Lizzo Record of the year • Hey Ma - Bon Iver • Bad Guy - Billie Eilish • 7 Rings - Ariana Grande • Hard Place - HER • Talk - Khalid • Old Town Road - Lil

Nas X ft Billy Ray Cyrus • Truth Hurts - Lizzo • Sunflower - Post Malone and Swae Lee Best new artist • Black Pumas • Billie Eilish • Lizzo • Lil Nas X • Maggie Rogers • Rosalia • Tank and the Bangas • Yola British nominees include Ed Sheeran, whose No. 6 Collaborations Project is up for best pop album; Ella Mai, whose debut record is nominated for best R&B album; and violinist Nicola Bendetti, who is recognised for a new concerto, written especially for her by jazz musician Wynton Marsalis.

guyanatimesgy.com

november 24, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 15

16 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

NOVEMBER 24, 2019

Fun Times

Archie

ARIES (March 21April 19)

Determine what and who is a benefit, and eliminate any negativity in your life. You are best off easing your stress and focusing on the future. Romance will enhance your personal experience.

Your actions will make a TAURUS difference and help you gain (April 20- respect. If you set an example May 20) for others, you will end up in a leadership position. Positive change is heading your way.

Look inward and make GEMINI personal changes that will (MAY 28- improve your life and ease June 20) your stress. If you do what's right and best for everyone involved, you will have no regrets.

Put negativity and worry on the shelf. You have every(June 21- thing going for you, so don't July 22) stop now or look back. Shoot for the stars and make your dreams come true.

CANCER

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Dilbert

Peanuts

Aim for a restful and straightforward day spent with people you love. Refuse to get into an argument over something that doesn't really matter. Keep conversations light.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

What you get today will be determined by what you give.

There are no shortcuts, but with discipline and determination, there isn't anything you can't do if you try.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Get together with friends or relatives who share your likes and beliefs. Take on a new challenge that is geared toward healthy living.

Romance is featured.

Plan and initiate the SCORPIO (Oct. 24- changes you want to make Nov. 22) behind closed doors. Your objective should be to avoid interference or meddling of any kind. Do your thing and don't look back.

Moderation, precision and SAGITTARIUS self-confidence will be vital (Nov. 23in helping you get what you Dec. 21) want. Know when to draw the line, when to say no and when to walk away. Make decisions that serve you well.

Calvin and Hobbes

Look at what's happenCAPRICORN ing and choose to participate.

(Dec. 22- Change can be useful if you Jan. 19) focus on what's in it for you.

Ask questions and maneuver yourself into a winning position.

Consider what you want AQUARIUS and the potential conse(Jan. 20- quences of your actions.

Feb. 19) Recognize who you will have to win over before you can begin your quest. Use strategic charm and forge ahead.

Your words will affect PISCES (Feb. 20- who sides with you and who Mar. 20) doesn't. Don't fold under pressure or let indulgent behavior tempt you. Choose moderation and don't complicate your life.