Sunday Times October 13, 2019

Nationwide coverage coverage from from the the best best news news team team in in Guyana Guyana Nationwide Issue No. 4075 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON BEACON OF OF TRUTH TRUTH THE

Sunday, October 13, 2019

1 dead, 3 missing in suspected piracy attack

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

CJIA’s value for money audit on hold

…as AG awaits documents from Infrastructure Ministry P7

Man, girlfriend attacked by woman’s P14 ex-lover The "Sara 1" – the fishing boat in which the men left on Saturday last

Dead: Kawal Kissoon, also called "Ajai"

Missing: Marvin Tamesar, also called "Buddy" and "Bin Laden"

PPP regional reps lament procurement corruption

Missing: Otto Lamar

Fire Service warns of overloaded circuit breakers, P9 illegal connections

Missing: Vishnu Seeram also called "Kevin"

Young P13 Guyanese launches book in India

GECOM’s elections staff complain of delayed salaries

Page 12

Oil revenues

IMF warns Guyana to moderate spending on public investments

…says "baseline" v "aggressive" spending reduces chance of Dutch disease …urges equal levels of saving, spending during first 5 years

Page 10

High calibre weapons used to kill brothers found in P8 Region 1

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

Sunday, October 13 – 04:30h – 06:00h and 14:30h – 16:00h and Monday, October 14 – 05:00h – 06:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, October 13 – 16:00h – 17:30h and Monday, October 14 –16:35h – 18:05h.

1 dead, 3 missing in suspected piracy attack

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunshine with midday thundery showers are expected. There will be clear skies at night.

Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 04:07h and 16:20h reaching maximum heights of 2.63 metres and 2.68 metres.

Low Tide: 09:57h and 22:14h reaching minimum heights of 0.59 metre and 0.51 metre.

saturday, october 12, 2019

LOTTERY NUMBERS N

08 19 21

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DAILY MILLIONS

06 07 12 19 21 LUCKY 3

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PAY DAY

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friday, october 4, 2019

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DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS IN PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE HOTLINE FOR CONFIRMATION - TEL: 225-8902

Dead: Kawal Kissoon, also called "Ajai"

Missing: Marvin Tamesar, also called "Buddy" or "Bin Laden"

Missing: Vishnu Seeram also called "Kevin"

Missing: Otto Lemar

fisherman is now dead and three of his crewmen are missing after a suspected piracy attack on a fishing vessel in Suriname waters.

The four fishermen, all from the Corentyne, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), were on a fishing expedition but their boat was found without them in it.

Dead is 36-year-old Kawal Kissoon also called “Ajai” of Letter Kenny Village, Corentyne. Missing are Marvin Tamesar also called “Buddy” and “Bin Laden”, 20, of Lot 305 Miss Phoebe, Port Mourant; Vishnu Seeram, also called “Kevin”, 20, of Lot 76 Miss Phoebe, Port Mourant; and Otto Lemar Petrie, 20, of Lot 90 Miss Phoebe, Port Mourant.

The four men departed the wharf for the sea at Number 65 Village last Saturday aboard Sara 1 – a fishing vessel owned by Sharanand Rabindranath called “Jerry” of Number 68 Village, Corentyne. They were expected to return before the end of the month.

However, Kissoon’s body was discovered on the foreshore at Abary on Friday with his hands bound behind his back and his feet tied together. However, it was not until Saturday that his body was identified.

Sara 1 was found on the foreshore at Wellington Park, Corentyne, on Friday afternoon. None of the crew members was seen in it.

The owner was contacted and the boat was inspected

by Police.

A villager told this newspaper that the boat was seen on the foreshore since Wednesday but none of the crew members was seen.

“I see the boat there but did not take it for anything,” a villager said. Other villagers reported seeing the boat on Monday at a fair distance offshore, drifting.

Speaking with this publication, Seeram’s mother, Shamwatie Inderjit, said that Police arrived at her home on Friday evening and informed her that the fishing vessel was found on the seashore. She said she was then informed that none of the crewmembers

was found.

Meanwhile, a fifth fisherman, who was thought to have been on the boat, did not make the trip.

“I went to see if I could identify my son's clothes because I wanted to know if it was them. I really don't know the boat but when I go inside the boat, I see my son's clothes. When I go and check the boat, I see all my son’s stuff in the boat. All his clothes and just how I pack the bag for him to go to sea with. His hat was left on the cabin and when the check the seine, they had a lot of blood. I wanted to know if they beat them or if they chop them because the police said they check the boat but they did not say if they saw blood,” the worried mother said.

Other family members were able to identify items belonging to their loved

ones, confirming that it was the vessel that the four men left in to go fishing.

At the time of the discovery of the boat, there were two fish and two chickens in the icebox on the vessel.

The boat’s engine is missing.

Kissoon, a father of two, had been a seaman for eight years while Petrie was on his maiden voyage to the deep sea.

According to his mother, Onicka Simon, Petrie had been in the industry for the past three years. She said he worked on small boats but did not go far into the sea. However, since the family moved to the Corentyne late last year, he was unable to find work and last week he was contacted

by Seeram.

“He came and told Lemar that they need one more person to go out to fish

and when Lemar told me, I tell him that it is okay because he ain’t getting no work,” the woman said.

Seeram had captained several boats before but it was his second trip on Sara 1. The first trip was unsuccessful and the crew went back to sea to make up for their losses.

Police are still investigating while search parties have been formed to look for the missing men. Up to late Saturday evening, they were still searching.

Last April and May, five fishing vessels were attacked in two separate instances. A total of 25 fishermen were affected and six survived. The bodies of three were recovered and 16 are still missing.

Two persons were subsequently charged for the attacks. Those cases are still ongoing.

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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

Banking for developing Guyana

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ith the developed world still enmeshed in the 2008 crisis precipitated by banks operating in a freewheeling liberalised financial industry, we hope the upcoming elections will encourage our competing parties to announce measures to avoid that dead end. The present precipitous plunge in the value of our dollar is just a hint of what lies ahead for the new “oil economy”. We raise the possibility, once again, of public and development banking.

Back in the 70s, the Government launched GNCB as a public bank, competing with the several commercial banks then operating, and GAIBANK as a development bank, securing its funds from grants and loans from the international community. By the 80s, the Government effectively assumed control over the entire banking industry through varying levels of nationalisation of the private banks.

The rationale offered for our massive government intervention was— bluntly— market failure. GNCB, as a public bank, was responding to the unmet need for a more distributed and accessible banking system; while GAIBANK was intended to fill the endemic financing gap for targeted entrepreneurial activities left unattended by the commercial banks.

Unfortunately, the system quickly degenerated into a classic, rightly-criticised, “repressed” financial system: the Government maintained artificially low interest rates, inducing excess demand for credit which the Government must now allocate. The low interest rates (effectively so when the high inflation rates were deducted) became an effective disincentive to savings and combined with the inability of the Government to borrow internationally, eventually resulted in low investment and thus, low growth. This situation was exacerbated by all the other potential negative features of development banking: cronyism, rent-seeking and corruption by bureaucrats, misallocation of funds in misconceived schemes etc. By the eighties, we had plunged into negative “growth”.

The IMF’s Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) of 1989 bequeathed our present financial system: banks and other financial institutions totally privatised and “liberalised”. It was putatively subject only to market forces with Government reduced to a “non- distorting” regulatory role. GAIBANK was dissolved and GNCB privatised. So we have three decades experience with the liberalised financial system. What have we learnt?

The developed world has now accepted what China and the other emerging economies have shown: participation of government is vital in the financial sector. Otherwise, the social function of overall national development – which necessitated the invention (and the ongoing maintenance) of the banking system in the first place – will inevitably be eroded and vitiated by the workings of unmediated human greed. A system driven only by the profit motive cannot do otherwise. We have been spared the worst excesses of the financial depravity experienced up north – through our relative “underdevelopment in financial instruments”. On the other hand, we have not witnessed any turnaround in banking efficiency or the financial intermediation necessary to foster growth of our economy.

Their reluctance (even refusal) to service the domestic entrepreneurial potential necessary for our development has resulted in billions of dollars lying idle in their coffers or parked abroad. However, rather than leaving the financial market to do what was necessary to clear itself – offering lower rates to borrowers – the Government offered the banks a way out: Treasury Bills. The banks could then lower their interest rates to depositors while raising it to borrowers.

The “spread” – the difference between the deposit interest rate and the lending rate has persistently been in double digits.

The banks were being rewarded for not doing what justified their existence in the first place – taking risks to lend money.

The Government was supposedly keeping down inflation. In our considered judgement, we should relook at the utility of development and public banks. The raison d’etre for those institutions is even more evident – and necessary – today, if we want to achieve the double-digit growth rates necessary for a quantum leap in living standards.

Of course, we have to rectify the downside risks inherent in government ownership, which in our case, having tried the model, can be easier identified.

Fans of Guyana Amazon Warriors during the Hero Caribbean Premier League final between Guyana Amazon Warriors and Barbados Tridents at Brian Lara Stadium on Saturday in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago (Photo by Ashley Allen - CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images)

All eyes set on GECOM! Dear Editor, A deeper re-examination of the legacy of Mr Granger’s political participation in Guyana uncloaks his troubling shadowy character and his myriad shades of grey. An enforced review is consequential on the evidence of his high radicalism and it presents many stark reminders that the mantra of the man is by no means force-ripe. In fact, it is a well-cured and regurgitated but failed approach that is synonymous with epochs of misrule by his iron-fisted PNC predecessors.

With their contaminating and meddling hands in the elections machinery, they have created horror stories, which haunted Guyana for decades and now threatens to re-emerge under Mr Granger’s deliberate hands. There is much tension and urgency in an atmosphere of desperation among citizens, with respect to needed elections in Guyana. All eyes are on GECOM regarding the National and Regional Elections that are long overdue.

David Granger’s legacy and his role in the PNC’s involvement in previous rigged elections leave Guyanese to wonder what would be the difference this time around. In 1973, it cannot be denied that Granger was fully involved in the worst rigged elections in this country.

His legacy will certainly be indelibly etched inside the names: Bholanauth and Jagan Ramessar, the Ballot Box Martyrs.

Additionally, their crying families and descendants who are still living with vivid memories of what took place on that day.

They were slaughtered under the hands of the wicked PNC controlled military, and their lifeless bodies paraded in the streets of Berbice to terrorise peaceful citizens. This must never be forgotten.

Fixed elections seem to be an ingrained trait with this man Granger. At the PNC Congress running up to the 2015 National and Regional Elections, Granger was involved in seriously rigged elections, which resulted in his elevation to the leadership of that party. It is public knowledge that gunplay erupted at the congress, and that Mr Carl Grenidge demanded a recount when he narrowly lost the leadership to Granger. Always a sore loser, Mr Granger went up against former President Desmond Hoyte after he accepted defeat at the 1992 elections. His grudge for the former PNC leader and President stems from him being transferred to a desk job at the Guyana Consulate in Venezuela, thus denying him the chance of heading the Army.

Under Granger’s watch as Opposition Leader, the PNC threatened the 2015 National and Regional Elections with blood and violence.

The appointed Returning Officer in one of the regions was threatened and told that “if he stayed on the job, the drains will

be flooded with blood”.

This Returning Officer had to feign sickness and give way for Melanie Marshall, who did her own thing. Thirty-three false Statement of Polls surfaced as a result under her and Lowenfield’s watch.

David Granger’s legacy is a revelation, with the imprint of being sworn as a minority defacto President. His defacto Government, from the inception, demonstrated no respect for Guyanese. The Granger cabal effectively reversed all of the election and manifesto promises they made to citizens and threw them out of the window. The thieving started from day one with the cleanup campaign and the creation of the D’Urban ‘Jumbie Park’.

They then fuelled up the wildfire like a thieving spree, with massive increases in salaries for the Ministers and nothing for the people furthered the corruption galore, and this led to the successful passage of the No-Confidence Motion on December 21, 2018.

At the time, Granger accepted the falling of his Government and promised elections in three months.

Subsequently, he started to dodge and doodle, doing everything to delay the elections.

He questioned the courts and facilitated the imposition of the highest level of taxes in decades on the poor unsuspecting citizens who became collateral damage.

Granger’s most unpardonable sin, however, is

his deliberate interference with the Guyana Election Commission (GECOM). Defying the Constitution, he appointed his own “kit and kin” as Chairman and received the blessings of the Judiciary in Guyana for his most indecent act as he humiliated eighteen of Guyana’s best sons and daughters by branding them as not being fit and proper. It took the Caribbean Court of Justice to overrule this dictator, and return some sense of credence to these sons and daughters of eminence. Granger’s defiance of the rule of law and the Guyana Constitution is his worst legacy.

Granger is now playing with the lives of all of Guyana’s sons and daughters as he and his colleagues are doing everything to confuse the electorate and take full control of GECOM. He had a role in deliberately manipulating the service of Surujbally to renew the contract of Keith Lowenfield.

Surujbally had refused to renew the contract of several others who would have served as key balancers to the GECOM equation and these deeds are now haunting him. Mr Granger must be condemned and all eyes set on GECOM. The GECOM staff is the most corrupt and details received from an inside source will be a revelation! Read next letter.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

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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

Is Guyana a nation of laws or outlaws?

Dear Editor, Mr Basil Williams has reportedly told the press that “the Leader of the Opposition has been saying that he is not interested, but of course he is free to say whatever he likes in Church Street or on the streets of Georgetown or on the streets of Guyana…the real test is when Parliament resumes and the matter is called, he must go there and say that he is not complying with the Constitution”.

Firstly for Mr Williams’ information, Guyana does not have a Leader of the Opposition since

the Government fell on December 21, 2018, and legally expired on September 18, 2019. There is only one position officially alive today and that is the Head of State as prescribed by Article 89 of the Constitution. Guyana is a State and it must have a Head of State. So the role Mr Williams is playing today is subject to interpretation since, clearly, he has not been a legitimate member of a legal Cabinet since September 18, 2019. He can choose to bully his way into the National Assembly and infringe on its sanctity; that

is an issue that the Speaker of the House will have to answer for, but under the Constitution, Guyana has no legal Minister or Cabinet in place.

Today we have a gang of executive outlaws parading as Ministers and at the same time claiming to be following the law. Since September 18, 2019, they have been attending illegal Cabinet meetings, illegitimately using public resources and are unlawfully incurring expenditures on taxpayer dollars.

The Head of each budgetary agency or their des-

AFC identity is completely lost Dear Editor, It is now the foregone conclusion of the masses in Guyana and the Diaspora that the Alliance for Change has long become subservient to the PNC-dominated coalition Government to the point of being totally consumed.

The identity is completely lost. They further opined that the leaders, namely, Moses Nagamootoo and Khemraj Ramjattan have been relegated to “rubber stamps” status, merely regurgitating the views, utterances, opinions and policies of the PNC. We have seen numerous examples: when Granger illegally appointed Patterson as GECOM’s Chairman, when the four estates were heartlessly closed and when the PNC wilfully embarked on a course of violating the Constitution and flout the CCJ’s rulings among others.

This is in stark contrast to the coalition in 1964 between the UF and the PNC. Let us take a look at the first coalition which was formed between the UF and the PNC to oust the PPP from Government. The United Force was formed by Peter D’Aguiar on October 5, 1960, and won 16.38 per cent of the votes in the 1961 elections, but a point of vital importance is the fact that the elections were won by Dr Jagan’s PPP by a “slim majority” when compared to the totality of votes garnered by the UF and the PNC. This aroused the dictatorship instinct in Burnham and gave him the opening he needed. This “slim majority” by the PPP indicated that a coalition by Burnham and D’Aguiar could win if the electoral system was changed to proportional representation. The same mindset prevailed in 2015.

Then the manipulators, the UK and the US, gave Burnham exactly what he needed to begin his quest for absolute power – proportional representation just in time for the 1964 elections. This move saw the coalition of the PNC and UF, who together won 52.9 per cent of the votes.

This resulted in Burnham getting the prime ministerial post and D’Aguiar, the Finance Minister as agreed.

However, D’Aguiar was not a corrupted person, he was used to wealth and its accompanying opulence and in September 1967, he resigned from the Cabinet because of blatant corruption by the PNC faction. He became totally disgusted by the corruption of Burnham’s PNC. He even went further.

In October 1968, D’Aguiar joined hands with Jagan and walked out of the National Assembly and in January 1969, D’Aguiar appeared in a documentary, “The Making of a Prime Minister”, in which he expressed deep regret and disappointment about coalescing with the PNC. But the damage had been done and it took more than two decades of suffering and anguish to finally rid the nation of the PNC scourge which he was duped to install. Ironically, the elections in 1992 was held on October 5, the same day that the UF was formed, and the PPP emerged victorious as it always did. However, D’Aguiar must be given full credit for making such a hasty departure from the PNC and his total rejection of that party and its leader!

Now let us look at the Alliance for Change which was formed in 2005. It was formed by three disgruntled members of Parliament who claimed that both the PPP and the PNC destroyed the socio-economic fabric of the country and cannot be trusted to be in Government. The people needed change, they claimed. The AFC’s message appealed to some and in 2006 it won 6 seats and in 2011 it won 7 seats or 10.3 per cent of the votes. However, the leadership of the AFC, influenced by the arch enemies of the PPP, Moses Nagamootoo and Khemraj Ramjattan, created an unholy alliance with the PNC, not spurred by change but by greed for power and material gains. Nagamootoo and Ramjattan saw an opportu-

nity when the PPP gained a slim majority in 2011, not unlike the 1961 elections.

After joining forces in the National Assembly to frustrate the Donald Ramotar Administration, the AFC signed the Cummingsburg Accord on Valentine’s Day 2015 and handed Guyana on a platter to the Burnhamite PNC. Unfortunately, Ramjattan and Nagamootoo are no Peter D’Aguiar, these people are thirsty and greedy for power as well material gains and they made no effort to mask this as the coalition plundered and pillaged the Guyanese nation day after day. They immediately transformed themselves into the “fat cats” and began to live the “Cadillac lifestyles”, which Nagamootoo had vehemently advocated against.

The AFC shamelessly forsook their founding principles and the “rubber stamps” were born on May 11, 2015.

Today, these two “rubber stamps” are vying for the title of “Best Rubberstamp”, but the caretaker President has made it clear that the AFC cannot select the prime ministerial candidate and that prerogative belongs to him. It now seems that the titles of First and Second Vice Presidents and prime ministerial portfolio will be snatched from the AFC and they will have to settle for the crumbs which the master would fling at them.

Unlike D’Aguiar, the unprincipled and self-seeking duo, Nagamootoo and Ramjattan, is holding on to the PNC for dear life! They cannot depart in honour! It’s a shame to see how low some people can stoop – people who were once thought to be heroes of the people!

But time will dictate an ignominious and humiliating end for this duo who sold their souls and misled the people who unwittingly believed in them.

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

ignated accounting officer must be put on notice and should be extremely careful with regards to what they are approving as expenses after September 18, 2019.

The pertinent questions that they must ask themselves – is the payment properly and legally vouched and is it supported by a valid instrument of authority? If not, they are exposing themselves to being personally surcharged by the incoming Attorney General of Guyana.

There is no Cabinet and no Minister, only a Head of State and, therefore, there is

no legal reason to finance the activities of usurpers who are illegally squatting in these roles. In the eyes of the law, Article 89 is the only applicable clause for consideration since, as I said, Guyana is a State and must have a Head of State until the next Head of State is sworn in, but in compliance with Article 106 of the Constitution, there are no Ministers or caretaker Ministers legally in place.

Finally, I want to put on notice all members of the Private Sector, before you conduct any business with the State, please ensure you

have a clear contract which outlines which Department is incurring the charges. If it is to finance the Office of the Minister, there is a high likelihood that you will not be paid when the new Government is installed in March 2020. We have all now been put on notice. The financial pain to all those who offered services or facilitated the operations of these illegitimate Ministers will be massive.

Regards, Sasenarine Singh

GuySuCo downplaying production deficit Dear Editor, The GAWU has seen a statement by the GuySuCo with regards to its 2019 second crop performance. The Corporation’s statement, aspects of which were reported on October 11 in a section of the media, was in response to a statement that was issued by our Union wherein we expressed, very much, our concerns with respect to the performance of the sugar industry thus far.

We saw, in the statement, the Corporation said that the GAWU and the NAACIE “… did not take the time to apprise themselves of the real situation regarding the production status…”. We are at a loss to understand what “the real situation” really means. Nevertheless, it was as a result of probing during our October 1 engagement with the GuySuCo, that our Union was able to get a better understanding of the situation the industry is in at this time. We have sought, in the past, to become au fait with plans and situation of the Corporation, but our genuine efforts are being ignored for reasons unbeknownst to us. This is a marked departure from the past when the Union and the workers were treated as valued stakeholders, deserving to know of the industry’s challenges and to consider, collectively, workable efforts to alleviate the difficulties were being faced.

The Corporation, in its statement, sought to downplay its production deficit contending that our Union was, seemingly, engaged in misinformation. This, however, is far from the truth. The reality is that the data the GAWU shared was given to us by the Corporation during the engagement we mentioned. We had, obviously, no reason to question the GuySuCo information that was given to us. It appears, in the future, we may have to find some means to ensure that credible and accurate data is shared with us.

Now it seems that the Corporation has double-checked its figures and has sought to downplay the worrying state of affairs. Though it has not released, publicly, as far as we are aware, the data to substantiate its contention. We, nevertheless, will give the GuySuCo the benefit of the doubt. But whether the deficit is 35 per cent or 23 per cent or somewhere in between, it does not negate the re-

ality the industry is severely behind its targeted production. It is, in our view, a difficult obstacle to surmount in the remaining crop weeks and, it seems, the crop would have to be extended.

We saw too the sugar company charging that “…the second crop which was initially projected to commence in the last week of July…” We find this statement strange bearing in mind that the production schedule that the Corporation provided to our Union, among others, indicated clearly that the first week’s production would be during the week ending on August 9, 2019.

The GAWU is, indeed, happy to learn that most of the factory difficulties were resolved though we are aware that there are still some nagging issues.

Expectedly, if the Corporation’s statement is anything to go by, those issues would be remedied in a short time. Moreover, we were heartened to have learnt that the Corporation “…is con-

fident that the production targets for the second crop would be achieved…” We are also, like the Corporation, hopeful too.

At this time, the GAWU cannot fail to reiterate that important to the industry’s success is the commitment, efforts and dedication of the thousands of workers in the fields, factories, offices and elsewhere. Those workers, who despite the difficulties of their tasks, continue to exert great effort and make significant sacrifices but yet they are treated in the worse of terms. They have, in the era of the “new GuySuCo”, not gotten an increase in pay, they have had their long-standing benefits simply ignored, and have seen some benefits suspended without rhyme or reason.

Undoubtedly, the situation and circumstances have greatly impacted them and their families.

Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU

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Foundation

How to build your child’s confidence and self-esteem chance to thrive and be happy.

Use the following strategies to help your child feel good about themselves:

By Monica Foley, MEd

S

elf-esteem plays a significant role in the development of healthy children. Children with high self-esteem generally become more successful in life. Unfortunately, the outcomes for children with low self-esteem can be quite poor. As a parent, your child’s self-esteem is largely your responsibility.

There is a lot you can do to help your child to feel confident and competent.

Love your child unconditionally Every child should believe that no matter what they do – success or failure

Encourage persistence Success and persistence go hand-in-hand.

Find courage in your child to be persistent, and you are showing them how to be successful. Praise your child when they stick with a difficult challenge and don’t give up. One way you can help your child is to set a good example. Demonstrate

progress. These are actions that anyone can achieve.

Avoid over-praising Your child knows when your praise is excessive.

Give praise when recognition is due. Also, praise your child for making a good effort. It should be noted that excessive praise has been shown to hurt a child’s confidence rather than boost it.

Take good care of yourself Taking good care of yourself shows your child that you’re important.

They will believe that they’re important and should take care of themselves as well. You can model how to make themselves a priority.

There’s no doubt that a child with high self-esteem is happier and more

confident. We want the best for our children, so it’s our responsibility to help lead our children down this path.

What we do at home can have a significant impact on our children’s future. Teach your children to love and believe in themselves, and they’ll reap the benefits throughout their entire lives. (childdevelopmentinfo. com)

Self-esteem building activities

As a parent, what you do at home matters tremendously Children with high self-esteem have the confidence to try new activities and feel a sense of pride in their accomplishments.

While it’s never pleasant to fail, these kids possess the emotional ability to withstand lack of success, as well as maintain the courage to try again.

Kids with low self-esteem are self-critical and have difficulty being positive when making mistakes.

This may lead to the child not being able to try again, or refusing the next opportunity to be successful.

Children can be sensitive and have a peer group that can be quite harsh, so as a parent, what you do at home matters tremendously. It’s critical that your child possesses a healthy reserve of self-esteem, which will also serve as a buffer to survive the unpleasantness of other kids.

Give your child the best

tage.

Eat healthy and take proper care of yourself

– their parents still love them and will continue to be there for them. Consider the impact it has on a child’s self-esteem when they believe they’re only loved when they behave a certain way or achieve a specific result.

Help your child to set achievable goals Few things are more beneficial to self-esteem than success. Work with your child to establish these goals. Begin with goals that are very easy to accomplish.

Give your child a taste of success and the confidence boost that goes along with it. For example, a good goal for a young child might be to clean their room.

what it means to persevere.

Give your child choices It’s hard to have self-esteem when you don’t have any control over your life. To provide a sense of self-control, give your child choices. This can be as simple as giving them two options for lunch or allowing them to choose what shoes they wear that day.

Discourage perfection Discourage your child from attempting to be perfect – a game that no one can win.

Your child’s self-esteem will suffer when they realise that they can never be perfect. Show your child that you value effort and

S Allow your child to overhear you complimenting them A child gets a big boost to their self-esteem when they hear a parent praising them to another adult. Your children are always watching you. Use that to your advan-

tart nurturing your body with healthy foods. They not only influence your physical health, but mental health as well. Buy more fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, cereals, and whole grain products.

Make fresh homemade juices, full of vitamins and antioxidants. Avoid junk food, food rich with sugars, fat and salt. Exercise regularly.

Ensure proper hygiene Maintaining hygiene is crucial for feeling comfortable in your own skin.

These can be anything from taking showers every day, making a special hairstyle to yourself, manicure, pedicure, or cleaning your teeth with a special thread or toothpaste.

Wear something that makes you feel wonderful The heading says it all… Just pick up your most favourite clothes from your wardrobe and wear them. If you can’t think of anything good, go and buy something for yourself.

Wearing good clothes always has a positive impact on your mood.

Do something nice for yourself When your self-esteem is low, you tend to believe and think that you do not deserve anything good.

For this reason, you never allow yourself to enjoy life to the fullest, and you never do anything nice for yourself.

A great way to improve your self-image is

learning to love yourself, and show appreciation for yourself. Do something nice that would make you happy – for example, schedule a spa session, or get a new haircut.

Practise laughing… at yourself also Many people tend to be very serious, and studies have shown that this can decrease life enjoyment, along with self-esteem, at a great deal. If your self-esteem drops a little whenever someone teases you, the only solution you have is laughing… at yourself.

Developing a healthy sense of humour can help you improve your self-esteem, especially if you learn to make light of life, and give up taking yourself so seriously. If someone makes a joke that is unintentionally hurtful, laugh. If someone makes a joke that is meant to be hurtful and humiliating, just laugh. Don’t receive that energy…

Chances are, everyone else will be surprised by your reaction, and those who tried to humiliate you will not bother next time. Moreover, not giving them the satisfaction of seeing how much you dislike the joke, or how much it hurts you, will help your self-esteem thrive.

Make a contribution Increasing your selfworth is a matter of what you do to be worthy in your own eyes – and there is no better way of improving self-esteem other than making a contribution. (Excerpt from enlightenmentportal.com)

7 CJIA’s value for money audit on hold news

SUnDAY, october 13, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

PPP proposes strategy to better education in Guyana ...says Govt doing more harm than good

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s the People’s Progressive Party continues to roll out its manifesto ahead of next year’s General and Regional Elections, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has revealed a “three primary objective” strategy for the country’s education sector.

Jagdeo said at his weekly press conference that these three objectives are: to have universal access at every level from nursery to university; to improve quality at every level, and preparing young people for the labour market.

The intention, he noted, is to reorient the programmes at the tertiary and technical vocational level so that Guyanese will be fully prepared when they venture out into the job market.

Jagdeo, who is also the PPP’s General Secretary, said that the party believes that these should not be the only changes in the education sector.

“We have to improve facilities across Guyana, we have to offer incentives to teachers and opportunities for training and skill development,” he asserted.

Further, the Opposition Leader reminded of PPP’s intention of offering 20,000 online scholarships. He not-

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

ed that this project is intended to significantly expand across Guyana, also benefiting hinterland students.

Jagdeo said that education should also be affordable for everyone. On the note of supporting affordable education, the party also believes that no child should have to purchase textbooks.

The Opposition Leader stressed that the State should be tasked with the responsibility of purchasing textbooks for children.

Concerning the private education sector, he indicated that corporate taxes would be removed from those institutions.

“For private education at all levels, from nursery to university, the plan is to re-

move the corporate taxes so that they would not have to pay corporate tax,” he noted, reminding that it was the APNU/AFC Government that imposed a 14 per cent Valued Added Tax (VAT) on education.

He recalled that it was only after mounting pressure that the tax, which trickled down to parents, was removed.

To this end, Jagdeo contended that the coalition has been doing more harm than good.

“They started off by, you would recall, removing the [$10,000 ‘Because We Care’] grants from the school kids, which by now, would have put eight billion dollars in the pockets of the parents or these children,” he noted.

In fact, the Opposition Leader related that President David Granger has replaced the grant with his “Five Bs” initiative (boats, buses, bicycles, breakfast, and books), which has resulted in them spending more for the maintenance of buses than the actual cost of the buses.

“Look at the Auditor General’s report, we have spent $20 million on maintenance of one of these buses, and more than the cost of the bus, millions of dollars”,

he stated, adding “That could never replace the eight billion dollars that you took away from the school kids”.

Moreover, he indicated that President Granger has also failed in fulfilling the promise to provide jobs for students one year after graduating from the University of Guyana (UG).

“He failed on the fees of university education that increased by 35 per cent. The nutrition programme has not been extended; in fact, it has been cut back in many areas. The school uniform [vouchers] for students, many hinterland people didn’t get it,” Jagdeo pointed out.

Against this backdrop, the Opposition Leader noted that President Granger’s touted position that the education sector has improved under his Administration is far-fetched.

“It has contradicted this view that he still believes, he is the only one who believes it, that he is pushing education, or education is a priority of his Government,” Jagdeo said.

…as AG awaits documents from Infrastructure Ministry

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he Audit Office of Guyana (AOG) probe of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and whether the modifications to the design are bringing value for money, is presently awaiting documents from the Government in order to even start the audit.

This was explained by Auditor General Deodat Sharma in an interview with this publication on Saturday.

According to Sharma, the office needs the documents from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure in order to properly plan the audit.

“CJIA, we’re still awaiting documents so that we can commence. We have not gotten the vouchers and documents as yet. So I can’t determine a timeline for that, until we get the documents and copies of the vouchers, I’ll be able to plan the audit,” Sharma said.

According to the Auditor General, they are awaiting these items from the Public Infrastructure Ministry.

He noted that among other things, they have to check the building specifications for the

Auditor General Deodat Sharma

airport.

“We have to get that from the actual vouchers. The (Permanent Secretary) PS had written me and said he would submit it shortly, but I have not gotten it as yet,” Sharma added.

The Permanent Secretary in question is Kenneth Jordan, who has a history when it comes to the Ministry providing documents to the AG. The Audit Office has previously had to complain over documents for its probe into D’Urban Park not being handed over. turn to page 13

8 NEWS

SUnDAY, october 13, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

High calibre weapons used to kill brothers found in Region 1

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igh calibre weapons are believed to have been used in the shooting to death of the two brothers whose bodies were discovered on Thursday afternoon at Father’s Beach, North West District, Region One (Barima-Waini).

According to the autopsy report, the two men, Eon Mathias and his brother Rakesh, died from multiple injuries to their bodies.

One brother died from three gunshot wounds to his back while the other lost his life after being tortured, chopped about his body, and shot to his back twice.

The bullets exited the men’s bodies through the front.

According to the pathologist’s report, the gunshot wounds were caused by “high calibre weapons”.

Meanwhile, Police ranks are still investigating the double murder and are yet to make any arrests.

On Thursday afternoon, Eon and Rakesh’s bodies were found less than 24 hours after they had gone missing.

The duo had left their home on Wednesday afternoon on their boat to fish at Father’s Beach but was never seen alive again.

Reports are that between 14:00h and 14:30h, residents near that location (including the brothers’ relatives) heard a series of gunshots being fired. The step-father of the two men immediately ventured to the location that the brothers would have been fishing at but did not locate them.

He then made a report to the police and accompanied by ranks from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), they conducted a search in the area but their efforts were futile.

Fearing the worst, the man returned to his community and notified persons

that his stepsons could not be found. It was on Thursday that persons around the area noticed two bodies on Father’s Beach.

Upon closer inspection, they realised that the men were dead and immediately notified the police.

Police Divisional Commander, Wendell Blanhum told Guyana Times on Thursday that there were several gunshots wounds visible on the bodies and that one of the brothers also had several chop wounds about his body, indicating that he had been tortured before he was killed.

More BS... …from Granger After his foray into Linden last week, Granger took his show to Berbice – the Corentyne more precisely. At Linden, he’d announced “We are born to rule Guyana”, which unleashed a slew of speculation about who exactly was “we”! Was it only PNC members since he was addressing a PNC rally? This would’ve dovetailed with PNC Chairman Volda Lawrence, who’d unabashedly announced that all her friends were PNC and they’d be the ones she’d hire!

He’d assured his Linden audience they were principled folks, unlike “Charrandas (the “Judas”) who wasn’t from Linden”. But Charrandas was from Berbice…so was Granger going to take a bold leap and visit the land of betrayers to embrace them into his party? Well, Granger didn’t go to any old village in Berbice – he went to Number 53 or Union village where he’d visited in 2018 and again this year to participate in Emancipation celebrations. Even though he didn’t actually say it, Granger might have as well announced: “Charrandas is not from Union!”

The “we” is now very clear… it’s the PNC’s “traditional” constituency, since he could’ve chosen any one of the villages “Charrandases” might be found. Like Black Bush Polder behind Union. He’d obviously prepared the ground well on his previous jaunts, for the majority of the audience were school kids who must’ve jumped at the chance to have a day off. Especially since they might’ve hoped to be given more of the bicycles Granger had doled out in 2018. They didn’t get more bicycles but they did get to see Granger’s helicopter landing and taking off – always a clincher for kids.

Granger’s message was that the folks of Union shouldn’t “get drunk on oil”…they should focus on agriculture and agro-processing which would outlast the oil. But this was just more of the BS that Granger has become famous for: BS according to the distinction made by the philosopher Harry Frankfurt, in contrast to just lying. The liar, says Frankfurt, knows the truth but lies just to fool his audience. The bullshitter, on the other hand, just don’t give a damn about what he says: he’s just looking at the effect he’ll have and will say whatever comes to his head.

Of course, agro-processing would be good not only for Union, but for all Berbice. But if Granger wasn’t bullshitting before closing Skeldon and Rose Hall estates, he could’ve arranged for the land to be leased to Berbicians of all persuasions to grow identified crops that would’ve been processed in factories established by invited entrepreneurs to satisfy markets in Caricom and a food-deficient world.

The folks of Union should ask themselves if even ONE of the promises Granger made to them since 2018 has been kept!! …on the “troubles” Once again, there are calls from ACDA for “justice for the hundreds of young African-Guyanese men executed by the PPP’s state-sponsored phantom squads”. Now when the Walter Rodney CoI was being established – starting in 2005 – the PNC had objected when it was proposed by the PPP as a “CoI into the assassination of Walter Rodney”. They pointed out that the name itself assumed an “assassination” had taken place. “Assassination” was eventually changed to “death”.

Your Eyewitness has the same problem with the wording of ACDA’s call…the name assumes a conclusion, so why an Inquiry?!! And that’s why he’s categorising the call as BS. If ACDA weren’t just playing to the gallery, why leave out the ethnic origin of others who were also killed during what Granger called “the troubles”??

Shouldn’t they join the PPP and demand an Inquiry into the entire 1998-2008 killing fields?? And let the chips fall where they may??

But more germanely, why haven’t they protested to caretaker President Granger?

He’s the one who establishes these CoI’s!! …and the road to hell Early in his life, your Eyewitness learnt the truth embedded in the statement – the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

He recommends it to the fella launching some new “citizenship” initiative.

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

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SUnDAY, october 13, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Fire Service warns of overloaded circuit breakers, illegal connections

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n light of the increase in fires across the country, Fire Prevention Officer at the Guyana Fire Service, Sheldon Sauna has warned homeowners to display safe electrical practices.

During Fire Prevention Week activities on Friday, he told the media that electrical fires are mainly caused by illegal connections or overloading the electrical circuit system.

Illegal connections, which are commonly practiced throughout the country, can also cause electrocution because such connections are usually unsafely constructed and don’t have the required electrical protection. In some cases, persons can be killed accidentally when they are in contact with live wires.

Meanwhile, Sauna also acknowledged the fact that persons have been setting fires deliberately, which can cause result in more severe catastrophes.

“Having illegal connections or overloading the circuit breakers contributes a lot, not just to electrical fires but fires on a whole….

We have persons within their surroundings who would light illegal fires and then sometimes, it spreads into something big. It can

Fire Prevention Officer Sheldon Sauna

catch hours and that sort of thing,” he said.

In August, a 34-year-old carpenter died almost instantly after being electrocuted whilst on a fishing trip with his family at Coverden, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

Orlando Ramnarine was with his wife, Aronva Parmanand and his brother-in-law on a fishing trip at El Sol Farm, commonly called the “cherry farm” on the East Bank of Demerara.

At about 13:30h on the said day, Ramnarine was in the process of casting his fishing net when it came into contact with a live exposed electrical wire, which subsequently caused the now dead man to instantly col-

lapse. While the wire was disconnected shortly after, GPL later confirmed that an illegal connection was the cause of the incident.

In order to reduce the importation and use of substandard electrical products which often result in these fires and other damages, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), in partnership with the Government Electrical Inspectorate (GEI), has developed a number of standards which will see the supervision of various electrical items being imported, resold and used throughout the country.

A total of 31 national standards were developed by the Bureau’s electro-technical committee, and were later approved by the National Standards Council to stipulate requirements for the electrical fittings and equipment.

Some of the standards titles include: seasonal and holiday decorative products, lamp holders, armoured cables, panel boards, surge protective devices and grounding and bonding equipment, among others. The Bureau is expected to commence the enforcement of these standards on February 1, 2020.

10 NEWS

SUnDAY, october 13, 2019 | guyanatimesGY.com

Oil revenues

IMF warns Guyana to moderate spending on public investments …says “baseline” vs “aggressive” spending reduces chance of Dutch disease …urges equal levels of saving, spending during first 5 years

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he International Monetary Fund (IMF) has recommended that Guyana adopt a “baseline” approach when it comes to spending oil money on public investments, in order to avoid the dreaded “Dutch disease” that is known to plague oil rich economies.

According to the fund, in its most recent report on Guyana, using an “aggressive” instead of a “baseline” spending model can have several negative macro-economic effects on a country that already has an infrastructure and development

deficit.

“Dutch disease is lower under the “baseline’” approach,” the IMF team said.

“Rapid growth in public investment spending in the “aggressive” approach would dampen private consumption and investment significantly due to large crowding out effects”.

The report added, in addition to higher real interest rates from large public sector borrowing in the short term, massive front-loading of Government investment spending would lead to higher inflation and more pro-

nounced appreciation of the real exchange rate, adversely affecting export competitiveness.

According to the report, such spending would result in reduced output from the trading sector and, thus, worsens the “Dutch disease” effects. The report noted that the “baseline” approach reduces the chance for the crowding out of private buying. In addition, the report warned, the effect of investment from the increased Government spending is dampened.

“Despite the relatively

lower amount of public investment spending to improve infrastructure compared to the “aggressive” approach, non-oil output growth in the medium- and longer-term are higher as public investment reinforces private investment, thus, minimising the effects of ‘Dutch disease’ and crowding out of private demand,” the report noted.

Spending

Despite this, however, the fund acknowledged that large transfers of oil money to the budget are expect-

The IMF headquarters in Washington, DC

ed over the next five years, as well as accumulated savings in the Natural Resource Fund (NRF). It, therefore, urged equal spending and saving during the first five years as the best option in Guyana’s context to help prevent the Dutch disease.

Based on projected oil prices and production, it noted that transfers to the budget will amount to a cumulative 32.7 per cent of non-oil GDP (Gross Domestic Product) over 2020 to 2024 and the balance in the NRF would amount to 30.1 per cent of non-oil GDP by end2024. This presents an opportunity to scale-up capital and current spending to address infrastructure gaps and human development needs”.

“Staff views the implied roughly equal shares of saving versus spending of the oil income during the first five years as appropriate— it should contain “Dutch disease” effects. Staff emphasised the need to continuously monitor the economy’s absorptive capacity and to stand ready to scale back spending if signs of overheating or spending inefficiencies emerge”.

The Natural Resources

Fund (NRF) Act remains the only piece of legislation specifically for the oil and gas sector that fully ventilated and passed. It creates the NRF fund and oversight committee, which will save and oversee oil revenue for Guyana.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan has previously said that oil revenue, when it arrives, will be divided into three parts: monies to go into the budget, money to be held as a buffer and monies to be saved for future generations. However, he has sought to downplay the amount of money Guyana will earn in 2020.

The report also notes that recommendations from past reports had included warning Guyana to keep its fiscal deficit reduced, make public investment implementation more efficient and to avoid non-concessional loans from external organisations.

“The authorities’ policies have been broadly consistent with these recommendations,” the report observed.

“In addition, the authorities continue to benefit from Technical Assistance (TA) delivered by the Fund and other providers”.

11 Guyana gets certification to benefit seabob processors A NEWS

SUnDAY, october 13, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Police reform

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ore than two decades ago, on January 17, 1999, when “ROAR against Crime” was launched in reference to Police reform, we cautioned: “We should not be stampeded into taking ad hoc initiatives without formulating a plan that addresses the need to make fundamental changes in its structural base – or the malfunctions will continue unabated.

“Modernisation” of the Force must not be equated simply with improved weaponry”. In addition to over twenty specific recommendations, four medium-term structural changes were suggested.

Recommendation #1 was “Balancing the Force”. It echoed the conclusion of Dr Cynthia Enloe, who studied Guyana first-hand after a worldwide survey in her essay, “Police and Military in the Resolution of Ethnic Conflict”.

“Any lasting resolution of ethnic conflict may require that the distribution of political authority and influence in the society be basically reordered and that, as part of that reordering, the Police and military be ethnically reconstituted at the top and the bottom.

Resolution of inter-ethnic conflict will be tenuous if the Ravi Dev security that is achieved is merely state security and not security for each of the state’s resident communities”.

Ever since we floated the above suggestion, we took a lot of flak but it is now widely conceded in all multi-ethnic countries that Forces that are more representative of the various elements of the communities are more effective ones. Just look at the London Metropolitan Police or the Police Force in any US major city. The hurdle that is now paraded most often is the rhubarb that “Indians do not join the Force”, in tones that imply that this reluctance may be some genetically inherited quality, rather than historically induced.

David Granger was a member of the Disciplined Forces Commission that specifically examined the question of the “representativeness” of all the Forces in 2003. It agreed on the specific steps that were to be taken to rectify the imbalances when it submitted its report in 2004 and which was finally unanimously approved by Parliament in 2010. Yet, even though the Grangerled APNU/AFC coalition has strenuously worked to “reform and rebuild” the forces since 2015, the “representativeness” recommendation was studiously avoided.

Recommendation #2 was, “Decentralising the Force”.

We showed that unlike the Police forces of most low crime jurisdictions that were decentralised, the GPF was heavily centralised due to the historical imperative of the colonial power to suppress rather than to protect the local population.

It is rooted in the concentration of all Police strength to protect the strategic centre. We suggested in 1999: “The centralised structure of the GPF has led to widespread ineffectiveness and dislocations. Administrative effectiveness is not the sole test of police competence, which should rather be the greatest effort in the promotion of the Rule of Law and entrenching citizens’ security. We recommend that the GPF be split into six separate forces: Metro-GT, Demerara, Berbice, Essequibo, Rupununi and a Central Force (like an FBI). Each Force would have its own Commissioner and its own command structure. The Central Force wound oversee a central Forensic lab, the Anti-drug Unit, Intelligence and international co-ordination”. We note the timid move by APNU/AFC towards decentralisation in appointing a Commander for each of the 10 regions. This does not go far enough.

Recommendation #3: “Supplementing the Force”: The first part proposed “Community Policing” which the PPP administration enthusiastically embraced because it allowed them to have more input into staffing needs. While we feel this effort must be deepened and broadened, the APNU/AFC administration has downplayed it. Secondly, we proposed the resuscitation of a People’s Militia – which we later dubbed a “Peoples’ Home Guard”. The Home Guard would have all the training as regular army units and in all regards would constitute a reserve for the Army – and a recruitment pool. They would have the wherewithal to discourage the high-powered banditry that has become endemic in our country. We note the APNU/AFC accepted this.

Recommendation #4: Streamlining the Force: We pointed out that, “Only approximately 30% of the GPF are engaged in crime detection and prevention. We elaborated on all the various non-policing elements that could be farmed out – especially to civilian staff, thus freeing up personnel trained for real police work. We asked: Does immigration really qualify as a “policing” task? Shouldn’t each Police Force have its own Prosecutors Office manned by high calibre qualified permanent staff?

The APNU/AFC accepted the recommendation on hiving off Immigration. But the elephant in the room of an unrepresentative force continues to be ignored. Why?

fter persistent efforts to be accredited by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), Guyana has finally been able to achieve this certification through public and Private Sector partnership.

The Fisheries Department within the Agriculture Ministry and Guyana Seabob Fishery was granted approval, which will seek to influence sustainable practices and quality seafood products. It is a scientific measure of sustainable fishing.

MSC is the only wild-capture fisheries certification and eco-labelling programme that meets best practice requirements which are set out by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (UNFAO).

Chief Fisheries Officer, Denzel Roberts stated that the Department was presented with a number of difficulties, however, the final

Agriculture Minister, Noel Holder handing over the certification to President of the Guyana Association of Trawler Owners, Ruben Charles

result indicates that they are working in the right direction.

“We have attained this certification, which is very important for Seabob Fishery. I could recall when we started it and it was very hard and tough. The rules keep changing but we persisted and it was a great opportunity for the Private

Sector and the Fisheries Department to work together to attain this certification. We have to work together better to ensure that we keep this certification…I can safely say that we’re heading in the right direction and it was because of this, we would have attained this certification,” Roberts shared.

President of the Guyana Association of Trawler Owners and Seafood Processors, Ruben Charles said they were assisted by international organisations, which helped in the process.

“In the end, our whole concept about management was reformed. We had a ideas about management of the fishery but it had to be more concrete. It has to rest in regulations which we had to develop. It had to rest with management plans which we developed,” Charles related.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister, Noel Holder indicated that they will be presented with an even bigger task in the future to maintain this standard.

The MSC has its ways to guarantee safe and sustainably-sourced products.

The blue fish label is applied to wild fish or seafood from fisheries certified to the MSC standard.

12 news Steer away from GECOM’s elections staff complain of delayed salaries common choice jobs – air traffic T SUnDAY, october 13, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

emporary employees of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) who were hired in preparation for the polls have claimed that they are yet to be paid for the month of September, with no response on when these payments will be made.

One of the encoders contacted this publication, stating that she began working since August for the entity. In September, they were given a stipend but it has been two weeks since the deadline passed for them to be paid.

“I am a temporary encoder/verifier for the Guyana Elections Commission. I have been working there since the 25th August.

During the month of September, they gave us a stipend of like $15,000. It varies with different persons. This was already the second week in October and we haven’t even received our salary as yet,” she ex-

plained.

According to the woman (name withheld), she contacted the Accounts Department of the Commission on numerous occasions but was told that the money will be paid eventually. There are other persons along with her who have been facing the same issue.

“Every time we call, they always telling us the next day, the other day. Some people don’t even have passage to reach to work and every time you call, they saying that ‘you will get your money’. It’s very frustrating because some of us have our children to look after and

they just get us around and around”.

Guyana Times understands that the temporary employees are under a different arrangement than that of the permanent workers. They were supposed to be paid on September 30.

“They told us that we’re temporary staff and we have to work out up to the 30th September before our time sheet can go in. Everyone was okay with that but this is the second week in October and they haven’t even given us a response”.

This publication contacted GECOM’s Public Relations Officer for a comment on the matter but calls

went unanswered.

Last year, Finance Minister Winston Jordan had announced that $5.4 billion has been allocated in the 2019 Budget for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to hold the 2020 General and Regional Elections. During his budget presentation in the National Assembly that afternoon, Jordan explained that of this amount, nearly three billion will go towards preparations for the elections.

GECOM has announced that the countrywide Claims and Objections period will be conducted at all Registration Offices countrywide and will conclude on November 18.

However, persons have until November 11 to make a claim to be included on the list if they are a Guyanese citizen by birth, descent, naturalisation or registration, 18 years or older or will attain the age of eighteen by December 31, 2019.

controller urges

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olita Fernandes has been an air traffic controller at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) for the past 18 years, and has shared the advantages of choosing a career outside of the conventional employment sectors.

Speaking at an event which was organised to help youths get acquainted with the aviation sector, Fernandes said she is thankful for the opportunity to be part of an agency that assists with the transportation of thousands of persons.

In a world where doctors and lawyers are the common choices, she stated that there is much more to discover in other fields.

“I’m now part of this team whose main focus is enlightening the youths, having them exposed to the aviation world and having them move away from the conventional job choices, like becoming doctors, lawyers, teachers…”

Looking back at the evolution of air traffic control, she related that the system is more digitalised, relying less on standard tools.

“My 18 years at the GCAA has taken me from maps, rulers and clocks to well-established digital systems and advanced technologies to assist in separating and monitoring flights.

We have moved leaps and bounds in air traffic control over the past years,” she informed.

While analysing the importance of her job, Fernandes related that they play a critical role in the smooth flow of air traffic throughout a flight.

Directions and locations must be calculated accurately and then relayed to the pilot. The weather and other external factors must be taken into account.

“An air traffic controller is that person who is responsible for issuing clearances,

Air traffic controller Lolita Fernandes

instruction and advice to aircraft, both in the air and on the ground to ensure that they are separated from each other. We also ensure that the flights are conducted in a safe and expeditious manner.”

She added,” We manage the flow of traffic, into and out of Guyana’s airspace using what we call invisible roads what we call flight routes. We also guide pilots during takeoff and landing, separate and monitor aircraft as they travel through the skies. We provide information and advice to pilots.”

Usually, they are able to control these aircraft from control towers at the airport, using complex digital technology and communication. A clear visual gives them enough influence to direct these aircraft.

Speaking to youths who may be interested in joining the profession, Fernandes explained that a University degree is not necessary, since the technical skills are specifically required.

“Every minute, every hour, every day, there are men and women working to ensure the safety of our national airspace…The position of air traffic controller does not mandate the acquisition of a college degree because the technical proficiency is synonymous to that job type.”

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SUnDAY, october 13, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Young Guyanese launches book in India

By Devina Samaroo

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oung Guyanese Rafael Boodhoo has accomplished a great feat, having his very first publication prominently featured in a book launched by the Amity Law School, New Delhi, India.

“Words can’t possibly express how inspired I feel right now,” Boodhoo stated during an interview with Guyana Times.

“Words can’t possibly express how inspired I feel right now” – Rafael Boodhoo Boodhoo, 26, of Great Diamond, East Bank of Demerara (EBD), is currently in India where he is pursuing an MBA at the Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi University.

The publication, entitled “The Disruptive Potential of Artificial Intelligence; Something to Ponder Upon”, provides perspective to young people who are at that critical point of planning their careers.

It was co-authored by his friend and classmate, Shantanu Narain.

The article is one of

several in the book titled “Artificial Intelligence, An Inducement of Technology in Human Affairs” which was launched as part of a grand cultural ceremony called “Srijan – A Genesis of Indian Politics”.

The book itself is a collection of scholarly articles from students, research scholars, academics and various industry experts and seeks to highlight the impact of Artificial Intelligence on contemporary society.

Apart from it being heavily skewed to influences in the legal industry, the book also features applications to other industries as well, such as medical, management, engineering, social sciences, etc.

What is the article about?

According to Boodhoo, the article seeks to highlight some important considerations when it comes to Artificial Intelligence (AI).

“When we hear AI, we automatically refer to those glamorised Hollywood depictions of a utopian society where man and machine live in complete harmony and there is a seamless interaction between the two and our minds race toward the possible applications to business and how easy things will become for us,” Boodhoo explained.

Young Guyanese Rafael Boodhoo

“However, AI is changing all landscapes as we know it and much sooner than later, we will find ourselves at a turning point where what we once considered to be ‘normal’, will only be a distant memory of less civilised days.”

Boodhoo explained that there are things to consider before making those choices as expectations are continuously evolving at an equal rate to advancements in technological capabilities.

He noted that this especially comes at a critical time when Guyana is ex-

pected to be launched into a developmental exodus with the advent of the emerging oil and gas industry.

“Therefore, apart from the production of this article, I am personally endeavouring to learn and identify ways we can make our own human capital more competitive so that we can aid the sons and daughters of our country to reap the benefits of her soil.”

Where did the idea come from?

The story behind the article being published is quite simple. Boodhoo’s friend

Shantanu, a former student of the Amity University, approached him one day with the proposal.

“Coincidentally, I had just completed an internship as a Consultant at a Technology Consultancy Company in New York just one month prior so my insight on AI and its applications had already been nurtured and developed.”

Boodhoo said he accepted the offer without hesitation, as he was excited to have his very first publication.

The article was completed in one night, after the duo worked for four continuous hours.

“It was my interests for application of human capital development back home and my colleague’s passion for his practice as well as his dynamic industry experience that served as the driving force to complete our small project,” Boodhoo pointed out.

Who is Rafael Boodhoo?

Boodhoo is currently employed as an assistant administrative officer of the Guyana Water Inc. He is on study leave pursuing his MBA Degree at the Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi University, through a Commonwealth Scholarship.

Boodhoo is a proud for-

CJIA’s value for money audit...

It was Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman Irfaan Ali who had requested further probing be done by the Auditor General into specific projects. Among those projects was the D’Urban Park Project, for which the AG in his 2015 report listed some $36.5 million in Lotto funds being used for rehabilitative works.

Ali had stated that these requests were in relation to follow-ups from the findings that had been included in the AG’s 2015 Report. In his 2015 report, the Auditor General had said that from following checks on the accounts, it was found that while Government transferred $1 billion of the Lotto money to the Consolidated Fund in 2015, it held onto just over half a billion dollars to remain under the control of the Ministry of

the Presidency and it spent $305 million on various activities.

But the audit into the D’Urban Park Project has always been hindered by a lack of access to pertinent information, with the Audit Office being forced to write to the Public Infrastructure Ministry requesting documents. It was this year that the Ministry claimed that vouchers were delivered to the Audit Office since 2017.

CJIA

In 2012, under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration, Guyana secured a US$138 million loan from the China Exim (Export-Import) Bank to fund the expansion and modernisation project, for which the Guyana Government was slated to in-

ject some US$12 million.

Upon completion, the airport is expected to have four air passenger boarding bridges for arrivals and departures, a 450-seat departure area, escalators and elevators, in addition to an extended runway catering for larger categories of aircraft.

But the parliamentary Opposition has always contended, and documents showed, that the airport ex-

pansion has been downsized.

In addition, the former administration has contended that for a fixed price contract, the airport specifications should have remained the same.

In a public post this year responding to assertions from his successor, former Public Works Minister Robeson Benn had denied claims that the project was not supervised in its early stages and

mer student of the St Joseph High School and he also holds a BSc Public Management Degree from the University of Guyana.

His aspirations in life are simple – to be as helpful and inspirational as he can to all those he meets along his journey in life.

“I do not believe my aspirations are those of a typical business school student, rather than simply aiming for the top seat in the corporate world, I find that my motivations are more of a nonmaterial nature,” he stated.

However, he has a burning passion to play a role in the transformation of his country.

“It is disappointing to know how far behind we as a country are, so it is my intention to try to improve this state with whatever resources I can produce to aid its advancement,” he posited.

“My main inspiration is the development of our human capital component so that we as a country can be more competitive with the rapid exposure to ‘real globalisation’ to come with our emerging oil and gas industry and to help equip our own youths to be more competitive and enjoy its benefits that are so eagerly anticipated.”

from page 7

had thrown his support behind calls for “a full-fledged public investigation” into the project.

Benn had also questioned how a fixed price contract was allowed to deviate to such an extent. He had pointed out that there have been extensive modifications to the project, with the plans for a new stand-alone New Terminal Building being changed to an Arrival Hall addition to the

old Terminal Building.

He had also noted that instead of eight bridges, Guyana was only getting four. Benn had also observed that the mezzanine floor with escalators to a Viewing Gallery had been cut out from the construction, and the building’s footprint and actual total square footage are now less than what was contracted for.

14 NEWS

SUnDAY, october 13, 2019| guyanatimesgy.com

Man, girlfriend attacked by woman’s ex-lover A

man and his girlfriend are nursing stab wounds about their bodies after being attacked and stabbed by the woman’s ex-lover.

Injured are 47-yearold Vanessa Julian, a waitress of Number 76 Housing Scheme and 48-year-old Garfield Richards, 48, a hirecar driver of Dukestown, Corriverton, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne).

Reports are at about 23:10h on Friday night, the couple were inside Richards parked vehicle along Skeldon Public

Road, Corentyne, Berbice, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), when the sus-

pect approached them.

This newspaper was told that a heated argument ensued between the attacker and the woman, who is his ex-lover. Moments after, the suspect is said to have

stabbed his ex-lover and her new boyfriend before fleeing the scene.

Police Regional Commander, Calvin Brutus when contacted told Guyana Times on Saturday that the injured man and woman were rushed to a medical facility near Skeldon by public-spirited persons.

However, because of the extent of their injuries, they were transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

“They are both in a stable condition. It was public-spirited persons who notified us [Police] about the

incident when it occurred and then the hospital also called us. We are unsure at this point, what the suspect used to stab the couple since no weapon was recovered at the crime scene. He is also still on the run, however, we are presently hunting for him,” Commander Brutus said.

He also confirmed that reports received by the police are that the suspect was involved in a relationship with the female but the relationship ended a while ago. The woman subsequently moved on but the suspect was annoyed and resorted to following her.

Minimal reports of drug usage among youths in Region 3 – Commander

R

eports of drug abuse among youths and schoolchildren in Region Three (Essequibo Islands- West Demerara) are minimal as Guyana Police Force’s Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) programme in schools continue to reap successes.

This is according to Regional Commander, Senior Superintendent Linden Lord, who, in an interview with Guyana Times, explained that young people in the region are becoming more informed and aware of the negative effects that come with using illicit substances.

He stated that although there may be cases where youths are using illegal substances at their homes or private residences among other locations, the issue of drug abuse is not as widespread or alarming as it was one year ago, when reports surfaced about a growing

Police Commander of Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), Senior Superintendent Linden Lord

trend throughout the country by school children.

Commander Lord noted that there has not been an increase of reports in this regard and that in the past six weeks, he has taken control of that Region; no teacher or school administrator

has contacted any Police station in his Division to report matters of substance abuse.

His predecessor, Commander Edmond Cooper, just two months ago had stated to this publication that even as the DARE programme continues to be

expanded in various educational institutions across communities, a lot of work needs to be done to sustain it.

At that time, he had noted that the implementation of the DARE programme in his policing Division has resulted in keeping the rate of students using drugs in schools at a minimum.

“We just got to sustain it. The children are receptive about the information.

They are even excited about the information because remember it is a comparative analysis they are making with what they see on television as opposed to what the Police are saying”.

He had also stated that while successes are notable, such an initiative needs to be sustained in order to have maximum results since it not only benefits children attending schools but also their families and friends that live in their villages.

L

ast week we celebrated Fire Prevention Week under the theme: “Save lives, protect property, strive towards a greener environment”. This theme is very timely since the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been receiving numerous complaints related to emission from open burning of garbage. This week we will examine the implications of burning and how you can curb that habit.

You don’t have to be a scientist to observe that burning of waste is an environmentally poor waste management option. It is dangerous to public health and the environment.

Waste commonly burned at or nearby homes and business premises, may include paper, cardboard, textiles, plastics, household and industrial chemicals, food, containers, packaging materials, cans and bottles and yard clippings.

Burning releases toxic chemicals Burning such waste can result in the release of highly toxic pollutants into your home or environment. Pollutants include particulate matter, nitric oxides, dioxins and many other dangerous chemicals. Some particulate emissions that are commonly found in smoke are small enough to enter the respiratory system and can have immediate and long-term health effects such as asthma, emphysema and other respiratory illnesses; other effects of pollutants include nervous system, kidney, or liver damage, and reproductive or developmental disorders.

The danger of open fires * Open fires are especially dangerous near populated areas, highways, airports, healthcare facilities and other smoke-sensitive areas. Children, older people and persons with heart problems and respiratory ailments like asthma are sensitive to these pollutants. * Burning also threatens natural resources such as soil, water, air, wildlife, and natural habitats and can destroy soil nutrients and reduce fertility. Water runoff after burning may carry contaminants into nearby drains, trenches, or streams, reducing water quality. * Fires also contribute to climate change when carbon dioxide is released as vegetation burns.

To dispose of waste by incineration requires an Environmental Permit. The Environmental Protection Agency encourages citizens to desist from the unauthorised burning of waste. Contact your local authority about safe and proper waste disposal methods. Be vigilant and exercise caution when around open fires.

If there are no garbage collection systems in your area, start with what you can do: o Refuse excess packages which means reduction of waste, o Reduce the waste you produce by planning well and shopping smart, o Reuse items as far as possible to prolong its shelf life, o Recycle organic waste by composting them, and o Bury the waste which are not biodegradable.

The EPA has the Air Quality Regulations which seeks to control the amount of air pollutants emitted into the atmosphere. Protect yourself and those around you; dispose of your waste properly.

You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O ECEA Programme, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit. epaguyana@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

news

15

SUnDAY, october 13, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

The case for GDP versus GNP – the need for new measures of progress

I

n previous writings, it was highlighted by this author that GDP is not a prudent measure of economic progress and the need to develop a new metric to measure economic growth and development. Since these contentions were put forward, academic debates are now surfacing by key politicians and economists of regional financial institutions on the need to move from GDP as an economic measure to GNP – against the backdrop of Guyana becoming an oil production country soon. This article attempts to build on these contentions to highlight the difference between the two measures and why it will now become ever more important to adopt GNP to aid better decision making and the pursuit of more prudent economic policies.

Since its creation, economists who are familiar with GDP and SNA methodology have emphasised that GDP is a measure of economic activity, not economic well-being. In 1934, Simon Kuznets, the chief architect of the United States national accounting system, cautioned against equating GDP growth with economic or social well-being. The US Bureau of Economic Analysis’ description of GDP states the purpose of measuring GDP is to answer questions such as “how fast is the economy growing?”, “what is the pattern of spending on goods and services?”, “what per cent of the increase in production is due to inflation?”, and “how much of the income produced is being used for consumption as opposed to investment or savings?” (McCulla and Smith 2007). To understand how GDP continues to be misused as a scorecard for national well-being, it is important to consider how the current system has evolved. It is also important to recognise that GDP is not inherently bad—it measures what it measures.

Rather, it is being misused as an indicator of something it doesn’t measure and was never intended to measure.

Gross national product (GNP), on the other hand, measures the total of all business production and service sector industries in a country, plus its gains on overseas investments. The computation of GNP also subtracts the capital gains of foreign companies or foreign nationals earned domestically. Through the GNP measure, therefore, a more accurate portrait of the economy can be analysed and studied for trends since GNP calculates the total incomes of all nationals of a country, earned both domestically and abroad. This gives a far more realistic picture than the income of foreign nationals in the country as it is more reliable and permanent in nature. GNP can also be calculated on a per capita basis to demonstrate the consumer buying power of an individual from a particular country, and an estimate of average wealth, wages, and ownership distribution in a society.

At the time it was conceived, GDP was a useful signpost on the path to a better world: a path where increased economic activity provided jobs, income, and basic amenities to reduce worldwide social conflict and prevent a third world war. That economic activity has created a world very different from the one faced by the world leaders who convened at Bretton Woods in 1944. We are now living in a world overflowing with people and manmade capital, where the emphasis on growing GDP and economic activity is leading the world back toward the brink of collapse. As Herman Daly said recently: “Economists have focused too much on the economy’s circulatory system and have neglected to study its digestive tract. Throughput growth means pushing more of the same food through an ever larger digestive tract; development means eating better food and digesting it more thoroughly” (Daly 2008).The world financial system is in crisis, partly as a result of overemphasis on material growth at all costs and a neglect of real and balanced development. Now, the world is in need of new goals and new ways to measure progress towards those goals. There is a need for a global dialogue and consensus on these issues.

Scholars have argued that the time is right to embark on a new round of consensus-building processes that will reenvision what was institutionalised over the last 65 years.

The need is clear for: (1) New goals with a broader view of interconnectedness among long-term, sustainable economic, social, and ecological well-being (2) Better ways to measure progress towards these goals (3) An invigorated campaign for the realisation of this evolved economic system with new institutions By: J.C. Bhagwandin, MSc Email: jbbankingadvice@gmail.com (The Author is an experienced Macro-finance and Research Analyst; and a Senior Lecturer of BBA / MBA programs at Texila American University, University of Bedfordshire and the Association of Business Executives (ABE) programs 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.)

GCAA can handle increase in aviation sector – Director General W

ith an influx of new airlines displaying interest in entering the Guyanese market, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority said it will be able to handle any increase in the aviation sector.

This was the position shared by Director General of the GCAA, Egbert Field, on the sidelines of an event on Friday. He stated that they have planned for this upward trajectory and will continue to ascend towards greater efficiency.

“Looking ahead with what is coming, I am confident that we will be able [to] surmount any tsunami or waves that comes to Guyana. We’ll be able to handle any amount of airlines. It’s difficult. The staff is working hard but I have planned for it and I can see us really riding the waves in a cruise fashion. At the moment, we’re on a climb but we’ll be able to handle any airline when it comes in.”

According to him, a robust workforce of efficient professionals is needed to manage the sector. Fields

GCAA Director General Egbert Field

also explained that they have built the Authority, in recent time, in light of the growing demands.

“Unless we build ourselves to a robust size, with enough certified, qualified personnel, we would not be able to handle the aviation business. I dare to say, if this authority had remained at the level it was in 2016, it would have been in serious trouble right now,” he relat-

ed.

Two weeks ago, GCAA and Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) recently inked an Air Services Agreement to offer new routes from Guyana. The agreement permits Qatar’s national carrier, Qatar Airways, to operate any number of passenger and cargo flights as well as cooperation between the carriers concerned.

There were reports that United Kingdom-based Virgin Atlantic Airways had expressed interest in expanding its service to Georgetown. However, the airline has since denied such a move.

Guyana Times had reached out to Virgin Atlantic, whose representative said they do not have any confirmation of plans to launch in Guyana.

Last December, Copa Airlines announced that it would be adding another flight to its Guyana-Panama route with onward connections. With approval, Copa was set to operate the additional flight on Fridays, adding to existing flights on Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Prior to that, American Airlines launched its operations with four flights weekly. American Airlines is one of the largest airlines in the world with well over 1000 aircrafts in its fleet, over 6000 daily flights serving over 350 destinations in over 55 countries.

16 news PPP regional reps lament procurement corruption P SUnDAY, october 13, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

eople’s Progressive Party (PPP) regional representatives of Regions One (Barima-Waini) and Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo) are decrying the level of corruption that has infested their respective regional procurement systems.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, the Vice Chair of Region Nine, Karl Singh, disclosed that over the past three months, there have been issues whereby Regional Executive Officer (REO) Carl Parker, who is heading the region’s Tender Board, awarded some 85 per cent of the region’s contracts using selective tendering.

“So he would have basically selected, not a few, almost all PNC (People’s National Congress – the leading party in the APNU fraction of the Government) people and gave them all these contracts without following all the tendering procedures,” Singh noted.

He pointed out that as Vice Chairman, as well as Chairman of the Region’s Works Committee, he wrote Public Procurement

Commission (PPC), seeking an investigation into the matter.

“That investigation was carried out two months ago and onto now, we have not seen any action taken as relates to that issue,” he posited.

As such, Singh said that because of the incompetent contractors who were given those contracts, many of the region’s projects have not been completed as yet.

In fact, he explained that usually, around September, approximately 65 to 75 per cent of the works in any region should be completed but in the Upper Takutu- Upper Essequibo Region, only about 40 to 45 per cent of the works are completed.

He added that in addition to the works moving at very slow pace, payments to contractors is also at a snail’s pace.

“So you see the incompetence there on the part of the REO… We continue to see discrimination by him. We continue to see persons, whom he believes are associated with the PPP (People’s Progressive Party)

Region One Chairman Brentnol Ashley

Region Nine Vice Chairman Karl Singh

and thinks are associated with the PPP, not getting any work, and those are the ones who are qualified contractors. Those are the ones who are paying the taxes, NIS (National Insurance Scheme), GRA (Guyana Revenue Authority)…,” Singh stressed.

Meanwhile, Region One Chairman Brentnol Ashley, also lamented the same, telling reporters that major projects in the region that should have been awarded and near completion are not yet awarded or are still in the mobilising stage. In fact, he noted that those projects are only about 30 per cent

completed.

He specifically pointed to the education sector where many of the schools, including Port Kaituma Primary and Secondary, as well as Mabaruma Primary, have their works stalled. This, he stated, has resulted in the inconveniencing of students, who are forced to attend school using the shift system.

“For instance, in Port Kaituma in the morning, the primary school uses the secondary school building and in the afternoon then the secondary school children would go to school,” he noted.

According to the Regional Chairman, this is happening despite the contractors recently having the two months holiday to complete the works.

Furthermore, Ashley complained that the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), through two of its major committees – Finance, of which he is the Chairman, and Infrastructure, of which he is the acting Chair – have been prevented in carrying out its mandate to monitor the projects.

In addition, the Regional Chairman said there are allegations of corruption of millions of dollars.

“For instance, contracts are being awarded contractors such as the Town Council and when we do investigate, it would have already been sub-contracted to someone and so the local democratic organ is not being given the opportunity to decide who the contracts should be sub-contracted to and this all coming through the office of the REO,” he stressed.

With regards to the award of contracts, Ashley

contended that his region is also experiencing the same level of corruption as Region Nine, whereby hand-picked supporters of the APNU/ AFC are being given contractors.

“So it’s not something that is being done in a bi-partisan manner. It’s something where, [if you’re] a supporter of [my party] I’ll give you a contract…that is exactly what is being done in Region One,” he asserted.

One specific instance, Ashley highlighted, was a contractor, who got the contract to supply dietary to institutions in Mabaruma, recently dying and instead of having the contract go back to tender, it was handed down to the contractor’s son, whose name is not even in the business registration.

“Those are the kind of corrupt practices that’s happening in the region. Besides that we have, for instance, contractors getting four, five, six contracts and they cannot get it done. And these things are being done with cronies and buddies of APNU/AFC coalition,” the Barima-Waini Chairman noted.

GPL repairing damaged 69kV submarine cable T he Guyana Power and Light (GPL) has commenced remedial works on the damaged 69 kV submarine cable which runs across the Demerara River and links the Vreeden-Hoop and Kingston power plants.

According to the company, the armour and insulation protection of the cable, which extends to the con-

ductors, was damaged at two locations in June and August by vessels traversing the Demerara River.

The 69 kV cable, which rests along the upper Demerara River within proximity of Craig, East Bank Demerara, was dislodged by a barge sailing along the Demerara River in June.

Due to the extent of the

damages, two repair kits had to be sourced from China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC), the company that laid the cable in 2012.

However, repairs to the cable were delayed due to the discovery of the second damage in August, which re-

quired additional diagnosis and testing.

As a consequence, both repair kits were manufactured and shipped to Guyana.

Following the arrival of the kits, the contractor, CMC, immediately commenced work to retrieve

and repair the compromised sections of the cable, which were approximately 0.7 and 0.8 km offshore the Kingston Substation.

Upon completion, the cable will be re-energised to transfer power generated by the Vreed-en-Hoop Plant to supply the eastern section

of the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS).

Additionally, as a preventative measure, the cable will be reburied in the Demerara River to a depth of approximately 15 feet.

Empowering Guyanese girls will lead to meaningful national contributions – RDC Chair

E

mpowering Guyanese girls will lead to them making meaningful contributions to national development. This was according to Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) Chairperson Genevieve Allen, who was at the time speaking at a function in observance of International Day for the Girl Child.

Allen explained that Guyanese girls are fortunate, adding, “I will like to let you know that according to statistics, 1.4 billion girls are without education and we are so fortunate here today in Guyana to have the privilege to have access to education, to have access to healthcare, and to have access to internet access as well”.

October 11 has been given the name International Day for the Girl Child since 2012 by the United Nations, and Guyana has joined in with rest of the world to observe the day.

In recognition of the day, the Ministry of the Presidency, in collaboration with the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Region Four and Massy Industries, hosted a forum

Officials of the RDC and Massy with the participants

themed: “Empowering Girls for a Brighter Tomorrow”.

This event, hosted at the La Bonne Intention (LBI) Secondary School, East Coast Demerara, was aimed at ensuring Guyanese girls are empowered through interactive programmes that are designed to develop their skills and abilities.

Bringing the curtains down, she encouraged the audience that, “before you empower a young boy, it

is good to also empower a young girl. You empower one girl, you empower an entire village, you empower one girl, you empower an entire nation, you empower one girl you, empower the entire world”.

The International Day of the Girl Child was set aside by the UN to promote human rights and girls’ empowerment. The main aim is to shed light and to address the many needs and

challenges girls around the world face; some of which include lack of education, abuse, and discrimination.

Participating schools of this event were the LBI Secondary, Beterverwagting Secondary, Plaisance Secondary, Buxton Secondary School and the Beterverwagting Educational and Welfare Club.

guyanatimesgy.com

SUnDAY, october 13, 2019

17

Regional

Protest leaders in Ecuador accept talks with 2 dead as migrant boat sinks off Mexico Govt, Moreno imposes curfew in Quito

A

n Indigenous group in Ecuador that has led massive protests against a law that ended fuel subsidies said on Saturday that it has accepted direct talks with President Lenin Moreno to discuss its repeal, the first sign of a breakthrough in a dispute that has triggered more than a week of sometimes violent unrest.

The announcement by Conaie, an umbrella organisation for Indigenous groups across Ecuador, came as the highland capital of Quito was rocked by a tenth day of clashes over Moreno’s austerity plan, with the office of

the country’s comptroller set on fire and access roads to Quito’s airport blocked.

Moreno said he ordered a curfew and the militarisation of Quito and surrounding valleys starting at 15:00h. “This will facilitate the use of public force in the face of intolerable excess of violence,” Moreno said on Twitter.

One of Conaie’s leaders told local TV channel Ecuavisa that conditions for the talks included holding them in public and having them broadcast on media.

“We’re not going to talk behind closed doors. It has to be with the Ecuadorean

A

Demonstrators take cover next to Egyptian Embassy during a protest against Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno's austerity measures in Quito, Ecuador

people,” Leonidas Iza said in broadcast comments. “There has to be large screens so every tiny input from our members can be heard”.

The Mayor of Quito, Jorge Yunda, told Ecuavisa

that Moreno’s government had decided to “analyse” the decree Moreno passed last week that cut the longstanding fuel subsidies. (Excerpt from Reuters.

Venezuela denies entry to Guatemalan Presidentelect, scuppering meeting with Opposition Leader

V

enezuelan authorities on Saturday denied Guatemala’s President-elect Alejandro Giammattei entry into Venezuela, where he was scheduled to meet with Opposition Leader Juan Guaido.

Giammattei, a conservative who won the Central American country’s presidency in August, landed at Simon Bolivar International Airport near the capital Caracas but was placed on a departing flight to Panama in part because he had not been invited by socialist President Nicolas Maduro, authorities said.

Guaido, who leads the Opposition-controlled National Assembly, was recognised as Venezuela’s rightful leader by dozens of other nations in January after invoking the Constitution to

assume an interim presidency, arguing Maduro’s 2018 re-election was illegitimate.

“This is a message for President Guaido: we are with you. Even though they have not let us enter, we will make our voice heard today across the whole continent,” Giammattei said in a video filmed on an airplane and posted by Guaido on Twitter.

Maduro calls Guaido a US-backed puppet seeking to oust him in a coup.

In a statement, Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry said Giammattei had attempted to enter on an Italian passport, which caught migratory authorities’ attention.

“Once Mr Giammetti made clear his visit was not for touristic or private purposes, and since he had not been invited by the national executive or with the coor-

Trinidad: 43 years’ jail for rapist cop The winner of Guatemala's presidential election, Alejandro Giammattei, talks during an interview with Reuters in Guatemala City, Guatemala

dination of the Guatemalan Embassy, authorities proceeded to declare his inadmissibility,” the statement read.

Giammattei later tweeted that he had landed in

Panama without incident.

Maduro has overseen an economic collapse in once-prosperous OPEC member Venezuela and is accused of corruption and human rights violations. (Reuters)

Caribbean coral reef could be destroyed to make way for cruise ships in the Cayman Islands

I

t is one of Britain’s most prized coral reefs, sitting off the coast of the Cayman Islands which were praised by Prince Charles as a “shining example” of a Commonwealth nation protecting its marine life.

But 15 acres of the coral reef, which is home to critically endangered turtles, could be destroyed to make way for two cruise ship docks as part of plans to boost tourism.

Environmental campaigners warn the George Town Harbour project will see 22 acres of the seabed dredged, and silt sedimentation will turn the “crystal-clear aquamarine waters to murky white”.

In December, the first publicly initiated referendum on the islands will decide the reef’s future, after 25 per cent of the electorate signed a petition to take the decision to a vote.

There are fears it may not save the reef as

small boat carrying African migrants off the coast of southern Mexico sank on Friday, leaving two people dead and one missing, authorities said.

The boat was travelling off the southern border state of Chiapas when it listed to one A member of Mexico's National side, pitching its occuGuard keeps watch near the body of pants into the water, a migrant from Cameroon washed the state prosecutor's ofashore following a shipwreck fice said in a statement. in Puerto Arista, Chiapas A 39-year-old man was found dead, it added, mostly Central Americans, washed up on the shore. The but in recent years, there second body was later locat- has been an increasing numed a few hundred metres ber of Africans, who often fly to South America and then from the first.

A search operation "man- make long treks overland aged to rescue eight mi- and by boat.

African migrants in grants alive", the prosecutor's office said, adding one Chiapas regularly stage protests demanding the person was still missing.

All were from Cameroon, Mexican authorities allow a country that has seen a them to continue their jourgrowing exodus amid an ney towards the US. Undocumented miincreasingly violent conflict between its French and grants regularly use boats English-speaking communi- to evade the authorities in southern Mexico, where the ties.

Chiapas is the main Government has deployed crossroads for migrants 6000 National Guard percrossing Mexico towards sonnel to tighten the border. the United States. They are (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

A Police officer who had been having sex with a girl since she was 14 was jailed on Friday for 43 years.

The girl became pregnant at 17, but PC Visham Ragoo, 40, did not want the baby.

One night in February 2008, about 22:00h, he dragged her naked into an apartment and put a gun into her mouth. He held a knife against her and threatened to cut her open.

The girl begged and pleaded with Ragoo to stop.

A nine-member jury in the San Fernando High Court heard a 19-minute audio of her ordeal recorded on a cell phone.

Ragoo had been on trial before Justice Carla Brown-

Jamaica lobbies US on banking relationships

J

campaigners claim the Government has withheld the latest designs for the docks, and the date of the vote coming so close to Christmas will mean many residents are on holiday.

“The marine environment is the heritage of the

Caymanian people and decisions made today will have consequences for generations to come,” said Shirely Roulstone, of the Cruise Port Referendum (CPR) Cayman campaign group.

“We must be responsible

custodians of our precious natural resources.”

The seabed will be dredged and two deep water piers constructed on pilings to allow marine life move underneath as part of the project. (Excerpt from the Telegraph)

Antoine. On July 15, the jury found him guilty of grievous sexual assault, rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault and false imprisonment.

He is from Freeport and was attached to the Chaguanas CID. Brown-Antoine sentenced Ragoo to 18 years on the first count, 15 years on the second, two fouryear terms for assault and false imprisonment, and two years for assault occasioning bodily harm.

She ordered the sentence run concurrently, so Ragoo will serve only 18 years in jail with hard labour. (Excerpt from T&T Newsday)

amaica will continue to lobby the United States to take the lead in legitimising licensed cannabis growers and processors in the correspondent banking relationships with US banks, Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Audley Shaw, has said.

A Government statement said that Shaw, who was addressing the recent CanEx Business Conference and Expo, held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James, a suburban parish, located on the north-west end of the island, had noted that while Jamaica had made significant strides in creating an industry needed to catapult the island to the highest sphere of global cannabis, the issue of correspondent banking continues to be a major challenge for legal cannabis producers.

“I have had several meet-

ings with investors and prospective investors who lament the difficulty of getting money into the country to conduct legal and legitimate business within the sector – all this while other countries are busy leveraging the global demand for cannabis,” Shaw said.

He said that the refusal to bank within the sector, forces retailers to engage in mostly cash transactions to facilitate business.

“This poses not only a danger to business operators but also stifles business linkages, as associated companies also refuse to engage with cannabis businesses to avoid conflict in relationships with their respective banks,” Shaw said, adding that the passage of the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act in the US Congress could resolve correspondent banking challenges”. (Excerpt from CMC)

18

SUnDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2019

guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

Burkina Faso mosque attack Fierce typhoon paralyses Tokyo, causing floods, damage across Japan kills 15 worshippers

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O

ne of the most powerful typhoons to ever hit Tokyo paralysed the Japanese capital on Saturday, leaving millions confined indoors and streets deserted as fierce rain and wind killed two, flooded rivers and threatened widespread damage.

Nine people remain missing in landslides and flooding, it said.

Authorities issued evacuation advisories and orders for more than 6 million people across the country as the storm unleashed the heaviest rain and winds in years.

Some 80 injuries have been reported so far, while more than 270,000 households lost power, NHK said.

The storm, which the Government said could be the strongest to hit Tokyo since 1958, brought record-breaking rainfall in many areas, including the popular resort town of Hakone, with a whopping 939.5 mm (37 inches) of rain over 24 hours.

Typhoon Hagibis, which means “speed” in the Philippine language Tagalog, made landfall

A residential area is flooded in Ise, Mie Prefecture, central Japan, ahead of the arrival of Typhoon Hagibis, in this photo taken by Kyodo October 12, 2019

on Japan’s main island of Honshu on Saturday evening. A magnitude 5.7 earthquake shook Tokyo shortly after.

Even as the typhoon moved away from the capital late on Saturday, one expert warned of further flooding as several surrounding prefectures began releasing water from dams, letting it flow downstream.

The Japan Meteorological

Agency issued the highest alert level for 12 prefectures, warning of potential for once in decades rain totals. It later downgraded the alert level for several prefectures, including Tokyo.

Just last month, another strong storm, Typhoon Faxai, destroyed or damaged 30,000 houses in Chiba, east of Tokyo, and caused extensive power outages. (Excerpt from Reuters)

India's Modi picks up trash from seaside town while hosting China's Xi

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ndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi went picking up trash on Saturday from a scenic beach resort where he is hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping for summit talks.

Modi and Xi are meeting in the southern town of Mamallapuram, home to centuries-old wind-swept temple monuments but also popular with tourists for surfing in its perfect waves.

But Modi released a video of himself going “plogging” - an activity where joggers combine their run or walk with picking up the trash - on the beach outside his luxury resort early on Saturday.

He collected plastic bottles - on which he has declared war - as well as banana skins and other litter in a big plastic bag, as the waves rolled into the shore in his latest effort to highlight the lack of cleanliness in public places in India.

“Plogging at a beach in Mamallapuram this morning. It lasted for over 30 minutes. Also handed over my ‘collection’ to Jeyaraj, who is a part of the hotel staff,” he tweeted.

“Let us ensure our public places are clean and

t least 15 people have been killed and two seriously injured in an attack on a mosque in northern Burkina Faso.

Gunmen entered the Grand Mosque in the village of Salmossi on Friday evening as those inside were praying.

The attack prompted many locals to flee the village which is close to the Malian border.

Hundreds of people have been killed in the country over the past few years, mostly by jihadist groups.

One resident from the nearby town of GoromGorom told AFP news agency: "Since this morning, people have started to flee the area."

He added that there was a "climate of panic despite military reinforcements" put in place following the attack.

No group has admitted carrying out the attack.

Jihadist attacks have increased in Burkina Faso

Military enforcements have been put in place in the area following the attack

since 2015, forcing thousands of schools to close down.

The conflict spread across the border from neighbouring Mali where Islamist militants took over the north of the country in 2012 before French troops pushed them out.

The UN Refugee Agency said more than a quarter of a million people in Burkina Faso have been forced to flee their homes over the past

three months.

Last week, 20 people were killed in an attack on a gold-mining site in the north. (Excerpt from BBC News On Saturday, about 1000 people protested in the capital Ouagadougou to denounce violence in their country and the presence of foreign military forces in the region. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Iran decries 'cowardly attack' on oil tanker off Saudi coast

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n Iranian Government spokesman has described as "cowardly" an attack on its oil tanker, which was hit in Red Sea waters off the coast of Saudi Arabia on Friday.

"Iran is avoiding haste, carefully examining what has happened and probing facts," spokesman Ali Rabei was quoted as saying by the official news agency, IRNA. He said Iran would respond after the facts had been studied. "An appropriate response will be given to the designers of this cowardly attack, but we

will wait until all aspects of the plot are clarified," he said.

Iranian media said the incident could stoke friction in a region rattled by attacks on tankers and oil installations since May. The National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC), which owns the Sabiti, said its hull was hit by two separate explosions off the Saudi port of Jeddah.

But the State-owned company denied reports the attack had originated from Saudi soil.

For its part, Saudi Arabia said it received a distress message on the

same day from a damaged Iranian tanker in the Red Sea but the vessel kept moving and switched off its transponder before it could assist, State news agency SPA reported on Saturday.

SPA said the Sabiti tanker did not respond to many communications from the Saudi authorities.

There was no claim of responsibility for the reported incident.

Political risk consultancy Eurasia Group said it did not have firm evidence about who may have been behind the incident.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Turkish-led forces advance into Syrian border town, fighting rages

T Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi picks up plastic trash at the beach ahead of talks with China’s President Xi Jinping in Mamallapuram, India October 12, 2019 in this still image obtained from video

tidy! Let us also ensure we remain fit and healthy.”

Modi has called for an end to the consumption of single-use plastics by 2022.

Concerns are growing worldwide about plas-

tic pollution, especially in oceans, where nearly 50 per cent of single-use plastic products end up, killing marine life and entering the human food chain, studies have shown.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

urkish-backed Syrian rebels advanced into the border town of Ras al Ain in northeast Syria on Saturday but it was unclear how far, with Turkey saying it had taken the town centre, and Kurdish-led forces denying that and saying they were counter-attacking.

Turkey pursued its fourday-old, cross-border offensive against a Syrian Kurdish militia despite an outcry from the United States and European Union and warnings of possible sanctions unless Ankara called off its attack.

Ankara began its onslaught against the YPG militia, which it said is a terrorist group backing Kurdish rebels in Turkey, after Trump withdrew some

US troops there to support Kurdish forces in the fight against Islamic State.

Turkey’s stated objective is to set up a “safe zone” inside Syria to resettle many of the 3.6 million Syrian war refugees it has been hosting.

Speaking as night fell, Mustafa Bali, Head of the SDF media office, said the SDF remained in control inside Ras al Ain. The senior Turkish official said “nearly all” YPG forces had fled south from Ras al Ain. The SDF accused Turkey-backed rebel fighters of killing a Kurdish politician in a road ambush on Saturday. The rebel force denied it, saying it had not advanced that far.

The Syrian Observatory

Turkey-backed Syrian rebel fighters ride on a military tank near the border town of Tel Abyad, Syria, October 12, 2019

for Human Rights, a UKbased organisation which reports on the war, said Turkey-backed groups had killed nine civilians on the road, including Hervin Khalaf, co-Chair of the secular Future Syria Party.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

sunDAY, october 13, 2019

19

ANSA McAL Trading Ltd Lucozade Handicap Tournament…

Action intensifies for final day F

riday night saw more outstanding squash and great sportsmanship from players in the ANSA McAL-sponsored Lucozade Handicap Tournament, being held at the Georgetown Club on Camp Street.

Four matches were played in the Open category as the competition heated up. Deje Dias (-15), in his usual do-ordie style, took on the up-andcoming Mohryan Baksh (0), who showed great improvement in his approach and execution of various shots. In the first game, Baksh made a valiant bid and reached 14 points, but couldn’t quite

push the last, as the long rallies took their toll.

Both players had come out to win, but the experience and will of Dias dominated the second game, which he finished 15/5 to graduate to the semi-finals on Saturday.

Nicholas Verwey continued his winning streak by overcoming Johnathan De Groot in a tight match. The outstanding play of Verwey pitted against the flair of De Groot had made for exciting viewing, with both athletes covering the court and hitting tight shots, but rising star Verwey closed off both games with the close scores of 15/14 and 15/13.

The lone girl left in the Open category, Abosaide Cadogan (0), faced Gianni Carpenter (-2) in a threegame thriller that went down to the last point. Cadogan came from behind at 9/6 to win the first game 15/13, but fell in the next game 15/8.

The decider came point for point down to the wire at 14/14, when Cadogan put a low drop into the tin and Carpenter took the victory.

The final match of the evening was between Nicholas Narain (-15) and Samuel Ince-Carvalhal (-11). It was another close encounter, and the tight first game went to Narain 15/14. Both players

Results Open

Deje Dias (-15) defeated Mohryan Baksh (0) 15/14, 15/5 Nicholas Verwey (-10) defeated Johnathan Degroot (6) 15/14, 15/13 Gianni Carpenter (-4) Abosaide Cadogan (-2) 13/15, 15/8, 15/14

Nicholas Verwey

were patient, hit to target, and showed unrelenting fitness, but Narain pipped the younger Ince-Carvalhal to the post in the first, and went on to win the second 15/9.

In the Category ‘A’ Plate, Joshua Verwey played a

Nicholas Narain (-15) defeated Samuel Ince-Carvalhal (-11) 15/14, 15/9

Category A Plate

Joshua Verwey (3) defeated Teja Edwards (7) 15/7, 15/9 Lajauan Munroe (5) Angel Rahim (9) 15/10/15/6 smooth game to defeat Teija 15/7, 15/9; and Lajaun Munroe (5) outplayed Angel Rahim (9) 15/10, 15/6, each to ensure their shot at the finals on Sunday.

The final matches begin at 11:30hrs on Sunday.

Brilliant Biles wins vault gold Eliud Kipchoge makes history by running marathon in under two hours to tie world’s medal record

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Eliud Kipchoge powers through the finish line unrivalled

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liud Kipchoge made history by becoming the first person to run a marathon in under two hours on Saturday.

The Kenyan distance runner recorded a historic time of one hour, 59 minutes and 40.2 seconds as he took part in an INEOS challenge event in Vienna.

Kipchoge, 34, was joined by 41 support runners who all rotated in at different stages of his effort, while a car projected a laser to help the runners track their pace.

The four-time London Marathon winner broke new ground, although his time will not be recorded as an official world record due to it not taking place in a professional race.

Kipchoge had previously attempted the feat in May 2017 at the Monza racing circuit, finishing 25 seconds outside the mark on that occasion.

This time around, he ensured October 12, 2019 will be a date that goes down in the history books.

“After Roger Bannister in 1954 it took another 63 years - I tried and I did not get it,” said Kipchoge of his efforts to reach the astonishing achievement, referencing Bannister’s famous four-minute mile.

“After 65 years, I am the first man. I want to inspire many people to know that no human is limited.”

Kipchoge holds the official world record,

which stands at two hours, one minute and 39 seconds.

In his attempt on Saturday, at the halfway point he was projected to finish with 11 seconds to spare and as the second hour of his effort progressed it began to look increasingly likely he would accomplish that.

With six kilometres to go he was still 10 seconds inside his target and he accelerated from there to come in more comfortably than the initial splits had suggested.

Kipchoge knew he had done it as he approached final straight and repeatedly pointed to the lively crowd who roared him on.

He raised his arms and hugged wife as soon as he crossed the line, before being greeted by his support team and celebrating with his ecstatic pacemakers while raising the Kenyan flag.

Kipchoge added: “Absolutely remember the 41 pacemakers are among the best athletes ever in the world. I can say thank you to them, I appreciate them for accepting and together we made history on this one.

“We can make this world a beautiful world and a peaceful world. My wife and three children, I am happy for them to come and witness history.

“I am feeling good. The positivity of sport, I want to make it a clean sport and an interesting sport.” (Sportsmax)

imone Biles claimed a record-equaling 23rd medal at the gymnastics world championships on Saturday, leading an American one-two finish in the vault final in Stuttgart.

Biles produced two breathtaking vaults — a Cheng and an Amanar — to finish with an average score of 15.399 inside a packed arena.

The 22-year-old has now matched Belarusian Vitaly Scherbo’s record tally of 23 world medals. Biles holds 17 gold medals across four championships against 12 for Scherbo, who competed in five world events between 1991 and 1996.

Biles has extended her legacy as one of the best gymnasts of all time in Stuttgart this week but she has not had time to sit back and take in her achievements.

“What is it supposed to feel like?” Biles said. “I don’t know. I don’t get time to think about these things. I think about my performances and then... dinner.”

Four-time Olympic champion Biles was joined on the podium by team mate Jade Carey, who finished with an average score of 14.883 for her second world medal in three years on the apparatus.

Britain’s Ellie Downie landed two well-executed vaults to claim bronze for her first individual medal at the worlds.

Biles arrived in Stuttgart as joint women’s record-holder on 20 medals with Svetlana Khorkina but broke the tie with the Americans’ fifth consecutive team gold on Tuesday before winning her fifth allaround title two days later.

She had the opportunity in Saturday’s asymmetric bars final to become the most decorated gymnast ever at the worlds but failed to repeat her silver-medal display from Doha last year and settled for fifth spot.

Nina Derwael of Belgium earned the gold by finishing 0.233 points ahead of second-placed Becky Downie of Britain, while 16-year-old American Sunisa Lee finished with bronze.

“This was such an incredible week,” the 19-year-old Derwael said.

“First qualifying for the Olympics with the team, that was our main goal here, and then the all-around final that went really, really good for me, and just now like ending with this high note, just it’s incredible.”

(Reuters)

Simone Biles

Teenager Coco Gauff reaches 1st WTA final in Linz

C

oco Gauff is through to her maiden WTA final as the teenager defeated Andrea Petkovic of Germany 6-4 6-4 in the semi-final of the Linz Open.

The 15-year-old becomes the youngest female to reach a final since Czech player Nicole Vaidisova in 2004.

But she only got into the event as a lucky loser after an injury to former Wimbledon winner Angelique Kerber.

“This is crazy, I thought I was out of the tournament in qualifying,” said the American.

Currently ranked 110th, Gauff showed real determi-

nation to save nine out of the 10 break points she faced, before she sealed victory on her second match point.

In the final on Sunday, the girl from Florida will play either former French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko of Lativa or Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova. (BBC Sport)

20

guyanatimesGY.com

sunDAY, october 13, 2019

BCB-New Building Society (NBS) 40-over tournament

Fyrish, Scottsburg United, Young Warriors A among victorious teams

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he New Building Society (NBS) Ltd 40-over Second Division Cricket tournament organised by the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) continued on Sunday last, although heavy rainfall affected the completion of most of the matches in the second round.

Several matches were completed, and among the teams registering victories were Fyrish, #72 Cut and Load, D’Edward, Scottsburg United, Young Warriors ‘A’, # 70 Spartan CC, Bush Lot Rising Stars and #72 All Stars.

The tournament is being contested by a total of 80 teams divided into 18 zones. The teams would play each other on a round robin basis, and then the winner of each zone would advance to the playoff segment.

The BCB/NBS Second Division tournament is the largest cricket tournament in the West Indies in terms of the number of participating teams. Last year’s tournament was completed in a record four months, with Rose Hall Town Bakewell defeating D’Edward in the finals to lift the title.

The highlight of the rain- affected round were centuries recorded by Scottsburg United’s Saif Kamal, with 103 not out; D’Edward’s Heralall Bridgelall, with 109; Delbert Hicks of Rose Hall Tigers, with 113 not out; and Ronald Gransown of Bush Lot Rising Stars, who smashed 124.

Devanand Chatterpaul of #72 Cut and Load had the best bowling figures of six wickets for six runs from five overs.

Scores from the matches played are as follows: Fyrish defeated Tamarind Root by 34 runs at Hampshire. Fyrish scored 219 all out in 37 overs, with Chandradat Roopnarine making 32, Javed Mohammed 62, Troy Mathieson 44, and Sayad Bacchus 29.

B. Madramootoo took 4 for 39 from 8 overs; Michael Ramdhial took 3 for 40 from 8 overs, and S. Joseph took 2 for 25 from 7 overs.

Tamarind Root scored 185 all out in 27.1 overs, with R. Deonarine making 38 and D. Rangasammy taking 4 for 32 from 8 overs, while Troy Mathieson took 4 for 37 from 7.1 overs. #72 Cut and Load defeated #66 by 10 wickets at #66 ground. #66 scored 19 all out in 12.2 overs, with J.Boodhan and V. Harry each making three runs, while Devanand Chatterpaul took 6 for 6 from 4.2 overs, including two maidens. #72 Cut and Load made 20 without loss in 2.3 overs, with Rishi Persaud and Trishan Ramdass each making 10 not out. #70 Spartans defeated Crabwood Creek all Family Cricket Club by nine wickets at the #70 Ground. CWC All family CC made 56

Delbert Hicks has continued to churn out centuries

all out in 15.2 overs, with S. Dhanraj scoring 18 and J. Bachan 15.

Rayan Yacoob took 4 for 27 from 4 overs, and D.K Mathura took 5 for 2 from 4 overs, including 3 maidens. #70 Spartans made 57 for 1 from 4.2 overs, with Omesh Mathura registering 42 not out.

Scottsburg United defeated #70 Young Blood by 58 runs at the # 71 Cricket Ground. Scottsburg United made 228 for 8 from 20 overs, with Saif Kamal recording 103, Nicholas Ceres 25 and Shadab Rasheed 42. M.Azrudin took 3 for 24 from 3 overs and Fyzal Khan took 2 for 28 from 4 overs.

‘Champions Games 2019’…

Linden to defend title in October 26 showdown

#70 Young Blood made 172 all out in 19.3 overs. M.Azrudin scored 54; R. Rampersaud 17, and Reaud Alli 40. Akhtar Nahar took 3 for 18 from 4 overs, and Saif Kamal took 3 for 36 from 4 overs. #72 All Stars defeated #68 Turn Team by six wickets at the #68 Ground. # 68 Turn Team made 156 for 7 from 25 overs, with T. Persaud scoring 26; P. Persaud 63 and D. Ghanie 17. Pradeep Gobind took 3 for 16 from 5 overs, including one maiden, and A. Hemchan took 2 for 33 from 5 overs including two maidens. #72 All Stars made 159 for 5 from 19.3 overs. G. Chatterpaul scored 37, P.Chatterpaul 38, and A. Hemchand 23. J.Hulsee took 2 for 30 from 5 overs and T. Persaud took 2 for 29 from 5 overs.

Young Warriors ‘A’ defeated Police by 58 runs at Cumberland.

YWCC ‘A’ scored 190 for 7 from 20 overs, with Alex Algoo making 30, and Kassim Khan 18; while K. Amsterdam took 2 for 31 from 4 overs and T. Drakes took 2 for 28 from 4 overs.

Police were 138 all out in 18 overs. K. Amsterdam made 66, G. Byass 18, and T. Drakes 34. S. Khan took 3 for 14 from 3 overs, while Suresh Dhanai, Kassim Khan, Trevon Stanislaus and Amir Khan each had one wicket.

Bush Lot Rising Stars defeated Achievers by 3 runs at the Bush Lot Cricket Ground. Bush Lot Rising Stars made 186 all out in 24.2 overs, with Renald Gransown contributing 128, Yovendra Budhu 19, and Dellon Joseph 20.

Sherwyn Peterkin took 2 for 31 from 5 overs, as Achievers registered 183 for 7 from 25 overs. Odel Miller contributed 74, Akeem Blackman 39 and Collis Noble 13. Dellon Joseph took 4 for 30 from 5 overs.

D’Edward defeated Blairmont Remnant by 171 runs. D’Edward scored 254 for 5 from 30 overs, with Altaf Khan contributing 17, Heralall Bridgelall 109, and Abdool Subhan 104. W. Subhan took 2 for 38 from 6 overs and K. Boodwa took one for 45 from 6 overs.

Blairmont Remnant registered 84 all out in 18.1 overs. F. Subhan made 27, K. Singh made 31 and K. Boodwa 19. Devindra Lalsa took 2 for 16 from 6 overs, while Keith Fraser took 3 for 19 from 4.1 overs and Hemraj Harilall took 3 for 40 from 6 overs.

Rose Hall Tigers defeated Whim by 78 runs at Whim. Rose Hall Tigers registered 231 for 5 from 30 overs, with Mark Pappannah recording 32, Delbert Hicks 113 not out, and Randolph Lewis 21.

K. Deonarine took 2 for 15 from 3 overs, while Whim recorded 153 all out in 27 overs. Mahendra Charran contributed 34, Wazir Tashir 35, and Surendra Budhu 36. Khemraj Mahadeo took 2 for 31 from 6 overs, and Randolph Lewis took 2 for 26 from 6 overs.

GAICO Grand Prix Chess Tournament continues today

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Taffin Khan

Part of the action in the 2018 Champions Games

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he National Youth Ministries of the Assemblies of God in Guyana will be hosting their annual Day of Sports, branded ‘Champions Games 2019’, on October 26 at the Eve Leary Track and Field Ground in Kingston, Georgetown.

The theme for the day’s events is “In it to win it”, and the action will commence with the March Past event wherein 12 sections drawn from churches throughout Guyana will be represented. This will then be followed by the track and field events, before the cricket, football, and other fun activities as the sections compete to be crowned overall winner.

The games will comprise 24 track races in respective male and female categories as follows: Open 3000-metre; Open 1500-metre; Open 800-metre; Open

400-metre; Open 200-metre; Under-17 200-metre; Under-15 200-metre; and the most exciting events in the respective male and female categories: the 100-metre sprints and the 4 x 100-metre relays.

This event promises to be a thriller as, in 2018, Linden had defeated three-time champions East Bank Demerara and are expected to defend their title against stiff opposition. At the end of the Games last year, which had seen competition from top athletes in Guyana and abroad, Linden had topped the competition with 247 points, while East Bank had come in second with 206 points, and Essequibo had finished 3rd with 175 points.

In 2018, both male and female 100m Open races had been dominated by West Demerara, but Essequibo had reigned

supreme in the male 200m race, while West Demerara had done similarly in the female race. East Coast, East Bank, West Demerara and Linden continue to record top-bracket finishes for the other races, including the 1500m, 3000m and a few sprint relays.

Alongside these athletics events will be novel events such as the lime-and-spoon race, the sack race, tug-o-war, the Crix Relay, and many other activities which will be staged throughout the day.

This year’s edition of the annual Day of Sports is expected to be bigger than its predecessor editions, as it is anticipated that all athletes will come out to battle for supremacy in their respective fortes.

Admission to the event is priced at $300, and the action will commence at 08:00 hrs sharp.

affin Khan and Ronuel Greenidge are among nine players who won their first match on Thursday when the second GAICO Construction Chess Tournament commenced at the National Racquet Centre.

The competition of fighting chess saw three Berbicians entering the fray: Dane Grimmond, Steve Leung and Jacob Nauth. Three junior players are also boldly facing the seniors for supremacy.

Joshua Gopaul, former Junior Champion, accepted a draw offer from his senior counterpart Shiv Nandalall in a bitter encounter lasting almost four hours.

Junior player Ethan Lee also agreed to a drawn result following the second request from his senior opponent Loris Nathoo. However, Jaden Taylor of St. Stanislaus College went down to his opponent Roberto Neto.

Twenty-two players, including the three juniors, are in battle mode to accumulate Grand Prix points in the competition.

Rounds Two and Three will be played on Sunday, while Rounds Four and Five will run off on Tuesday and Thursday respectively. The final two rounds will be run off on Sunday next at the same venue.

sunday, october 13, 2019

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Jefford sponsors medals, trophies for Upper Demerara Inter-Schools Championships

F

ounder of the Jefford Track and Field Classic, Edison Jefford, has donated a quantity of medals and trophies to the Upper Demerara/ Kwakwani District 10 Department of Education for their Inter-Schools Track and Field Championships which will be held this week at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground.

Jefford has said that he quickly accepted the request to support the defending champions at the National Schools Championships because of his commitment to continue to contribute to the development of sports in the region and in Guyana.

He has congratulated the District, and wishes all the athletes well in their quest to represent the region.

Edison Jefford has recently hosted the annual Jefford Track and Field Classic X, an event that saw some of Guyana’s top athletes competing in different track and field events in their respective categories.

At the end of that event, Cassie Small, Natasha Alder, and Jermaine Simmons emerged as champion athletes. Small won the 100m (12.02s), 200m and 400m events (one minute, 03.7s); while Alder won the women’s shot put (12.55m) as well as the women’s discuss event (37.92m).

Simmons won the male discus event, and placed second in the shot put event.

As a result of major sponsors coming on board for his event, Jefford has decided to invest in the future of ath-

letics in Guyana at its grassroots level. The male and female athletes were sponsored with prizes that came with the compliments of The Under Armor, MVP Sports, and Urban Life brands, and they included $25,000 worth of Under Armor gear and $25,000 each for the male and female champion athlete, along with trophies.

District Representative Christine Sampson has thanked Jefford for the contribution, and added that such support would help the region prepare for the upcoming challenge of defending their title at the National Schools Championships in November.

She said Jefford has sponsored all the medals and trophies for the Under-20 category.

ꟷ on his appointment as West Indies selector

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Roger Harper was appointed Selector for Cricket West Indies

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Guyana Football Federation President Wayne Forde and CONCACAF’s Howard McIntosh following the initial revelation of the MoU back in April

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Edison Jefford (left) handing over samples of the medals and trophies to District Representative Christine Sampson at the premises of Woodpecker Products

congratulates GFF, DFA gear up to sign MoU BCB Roger Harper

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n its ongoing efforts to set a solid and holistic platform for the sport of football in Guyana, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) will on Wednesday sign a historic Football Development Memorandum of Understanding with the Denmark Football Association (DBU).

For this historic development to take place, President of the DBU, Jesper Moller, will lead to Guyana a three-member delegation which will include Andres Hoj, Manager of the

Presidential Office, and Ms. Eva Pasquier, UEFA Head of International Relations.

Making the trip on behalf of CONCACAF would be Mr. Howard McIntosh Senior Project Manager of CONCACAF. GFF President Wayne Forde has disclosed that he is very excited to be closer to signing this historic MoU, which would further consolidate the ongoing efforts of the GFF to streamline the sport.

Forde has hailed this historic development and noted that all the details would

be shared on Wednesday October 16 at a press conference to be held at the Pegasus Hotel.

“The GFF Executive Committee has undertaken to expand its international relationships, and we believe that a partnership with one of the leading football nations can only bode well for the development of football across Guyana. We’re excited to enter into this long-term partnership, and look forward to a fruitful engagement with the DBU in the coming years,” he has declared.

he President, Executives and members of the Hilbert Foster-led Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) have said they would like to offer profound congratulations to Roger Harper, former Guyana and West Indies Test cricketer, on his appointment as a selector for Cricket West Indies (CWI). “The appointment of Harper is welcome by the entire county, and we are confident that the selection of West Indies teams would be done on merit”, the BCB personnel have said. “West Indies Cricket needs all of the leaders, especially selectors, to be professionals; and in Roger Harper we have the complete product with a long (and) distinguished career on and off the cricket field. Harper was a highly successful captain of Guyana for several years, and also served as vice captain of the West Indies team under the great (Sir) Vivian Richards. “After his playing (career) ended, Harper

BCB President Hilbert Foster

earned respect as a coach for the West Indies and Kenya, while his performances as President of the Georgetown Cricket Association is only surpassed by the BCB in Guyana. Roger Harper is widely respected as a disciplined, knowledgeable and fair person.

“For many years, Berbicians have watched on as players like Veerasammy Permaul, Anthony Bramble, Erva Giddings, Tremayne Smartt, Romario Shepherd, and even Devindra Bishoo, have been treated unfairly by selectors, who seem more interested in selecting players from one country. The BCB would like to recommit itself to working along with every legally recognised stakeholder to develop our cricket to its highest level in the West Indies.

“Congratulations are also extended to the other newly appointed selectors. We are confident that the four selectors would work together and take West Indies Cricket to a new level”, the BCB have said.

Former ECC member Pooran Singh makes timely donation to club P

By Timothy Jaikarran

ooran Singh, former National Under-19 player, member of the Everest Cricket Club and Member of the Georgetown Cricket Club, has made a timely donation to the Everest Cricket Club as it ventures to rehabilitate its facilities.

Singh previously represented both the ECC and GCC, and is currently Chief Accountant at the Savannah

Charitable Trust Limited located in England. This Trust is governed by former England Test cricketer Phil Edmonds.

As his rationale for making this contribution, Singh said, “As you know, I played for GCC, Everest, Guyana U19, and then migrated to England. I am aware that the club is in need of donations as they are currently in their rehabilitation phase. I was privileged enough to receive a do-

nation from my company in England. Two years ago, in 2017, I helped GCC, and I decided that this year I should help the club that I first started out my cricketing at. The financial donation, when given to the club, is not for any specific use, but to cater to the general needs of the club, whether it be to better the field, reconstruct the pavilion, or even fix up the dressing rooms or even the club house.

It is there for them to use.”

Singh also indicated that, as a former cricketer, giving back is something that he has always wanted to do. He also said he is extremely proud of the bold steps that the club is making, as he referenced the fact that, over the weekend, the club posted a mammoth total of 434 runs made in 40 overs.

He noted that he is extremely proud of the journey the club has taken since it emerged first runner-up

in the 2018 edition of the 2nd Division NBS Cricket Competition, and he said he is optimistic about the club’s performance in the 2019 edition.

Singh had this to say: “To all the younger players out there, I urge you to try to improve; take the game very seriously, forget about parties and alcohol, train hard and motivate yourself, and you will definitely make it to the top.”

22

guyanatimesgy.com

SUnDAY, october 13, 2019

Women’s CPL T10 Courts Invitational tournament…

Gladiators edge out Revellers in three-run thriller

T

he Courts Gladiators have defeated the NLCB Revellers by three runs in Saturday’s CPL Women’s T10 Courts Invitational Tournament played at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.

The Revellers had prevailed by eight wickets in the NLCB Challenge match played on Thursday last, and it looked like the outcome was going to be repeated when the Gladiators were restricted to 66/6 from their 10 overs. But in the absence of star player Stafanie Taylor, the Revellers came up short, on 63/6, despite Chinelle Henry’s unbeaten 17 and Stacy-Ann King’s 11 off five balls to go with her three wickets in the first half of the game.

The Revellers were always behind the rate after a tidy opening over from Shakera Selman. Hayley Matthews and Shabika Gajnabi then struck with

successive deliveries to remove both openers: Jodian Morgan, smartly stumped by Kycia Knight, and Britney Cooper, who went cheaply. That left the Revellers on 7/2 and up against it.

Natasha McLean hit two boundaries before holing out to Kyshona Knight at deep cover for 14; and when Afy Fletcher bowled Chedean Nation to leave the Revellers on 33/4 with just 20 balls remaining, the game appeared to be heading decisively the Gladiators’ way.

King and Henry had other ideas though. They added 22 runs in the next 12 balls, to leave the team needing only 12 from nine balls. King was then run out, and that proved decisive, as the Gladiators held on to leave both sides with a win each from the two matches.

Earlier, Kycia Knight and Matthews had again impressed for the Gladiators at the top

of the order. They had shared a 54-run partnership for the Gladiators in Thursday’s NLCB Challenge defeat; and this time, with Kycia moved up to open alongside Matthews, they put on 41 for the first wicket.

Matthews (26 from 23) picked up a couple of boundaries with trademark cut shots and another with a fine leg glance, while Kycia pulled one four in her 15 from 13 balls; but, in successive balls, the two fell in identical fashion: caught by McLean when attempting big hits down the ground off King.

The Gladiators never recovered their momentum. King added a third wicket: Sheneta Grimmond, slicing to Felicia Walters at backward point, for just 2.

Kyshona Knight, looking to get things moving again, picked up a one-bounce four through midwicket, but was then bowled via inside edge-and-pad off

GAW cop 6 spots in CPL’s “Team of the Tournament”

T

he Guyana Amazon Warriors are definitely the team of the Hero Caribbean Premier League 2019 season, again proven by five Warriors players and the coach being named in the CPL Team of the Tournament.

The 13-member ‘Team of the Tournament’ was selected by the Hero CPL Director of International Cricket with help from this year’s commentary team: Mark Butcher, Danny Morrison, Dirk Nannes, Ian Bishop and Daren Ganga.

Having led the Guyana Amazon Warriors to a perfect record of 10 wins in the preliminary matches and a resounding playoff win, Shoaib Malik (313 runs) was the obvious choice for captain. He is joined by fellow Amazon Warriors players Brandon King (453 runs at 56.62) and Imran Tahir (15 wickets at 11.53), who have each played an integral part in the record-breaking tournament for the Guyana franchise.

The sole representative from the Jamaica Tallawahs is New Zealand ‘keeper-batsman Glenn Phillips (374 runs at 37.40), who has been selected as wicketkeeper for the team. Phillips has been the leading light for the Tallawahs team, which had a tricky season, but

the Kiwi did brilliantly at the top of the order.

The Trinbago Knight Riders have two players in the team, Lendl Simmons and Kieron Pollard. Simmons (429 runs at 42.90), a late replacement in the Knight Riders squad, has done a superb job at the top or the order, as his team made the playoffs once again. Pollard (349 runs at 58.16 and 6 wickets at 29.66) stepped up to the captaincy after Dwayne Bravo had pulled out of the tournament with an injury, and he has led from the front with both bat and ball.

The Barbados Tridents have three players making the team. Jason Holder (14 wickets at 23.07) and Harry Gurney (10 wickets at 16.3) have both got the nod. They both have been superb with the new ball a s their team finished second on the points’ table.

The other

Tridents player selected is Hayden Walsh Jr of the USA (21 wickets a 12.19). This spinner has claimed five wickets in one innings and four in another, as he had a breakout season.

The St Kitts & Nevis Patriots are represented in Fabian Allen (218 runs at 27.25) and Sheldon Cottrell (12 wickets at 19.25).

Allen has scored his 2019 Hero CPL runs at the remarkable strike rate of 177.23, and has also been one of the fielders of the tournament.

Cottrell has again been saluting his way to success, as he starred with the new ball and at the death for the Patriots.

The Head Coach of the Year is Johan Botha. He has taken Guyana Amazon Warriors into the CPL final with 11 straight wins. The 12th and 13th men are also from the Amazon Warriors: Chris Green (13 wickets at 20) and Chandrapaul Hemraj (298 runs at 27.09 and 5 wickets at 17.2). They make up the rest of the squad.

Team Gladiators

Henry for seven.

Qiana Joseph pumped the only six of the innings over wide long-on to start stand-in skipper Anisa Mohammed’s final over of

the 10, but was bowled by the next ball.Mohammed was on a hat-trick when Gladiators skipper Afy Fletcher ran past the next to be stumped ‘by a distance’ by

Reniece Boyce. The hat-trick ball was survived, as the Gladiators scrambled to 66/6 and a total that would prove just about defendable. (CPL)

8th annual Kadir Mohammed Memorial Cycle Race…

Jamual John seeking to extend redhot form in ‘ounce of raw gold’ race

Dynamic Duo Jamual John and Briton John will today be battling for supremacy (Brandon Corlette photo)

T

here are more than one million dollars in cash prizes up for grabs in the eighth edition of the Kadir Mohammed Memorial “ounce of raw gold” Cycle Race, and two-time defending champion of this event, Jamual John, will be seeking to extend his supreme form in this race and cash in on his efforts.

The race begins at 7:00h today, Sunday October 13, from the premises of the National Sports Commission at Homestretch Avenue, and will travel to Dora on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway before returning to the point of origin for the finish.

This route is set for seniors, juniors and veterans under 45 years old. The juveniles, veterans over-45 and mountain-bikers will turn back at Yarrowkabra on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

Organised by the Flying Stars Cycle Club and sponsored by the Mohamed family of Bartica, this event has reportedly attracted all the country’s top wheelsmen.

Overall winner of this race will receive one ounce of raw gold, while those placing from second to eighth; top four finishers in the juniors’ category; top three in both the veterans under-45 and veterans over-45; and top three mountainbikers would each receive cash prizes. (Brandon Corlette)

guyanatimesgy.com

sunDAY, october 13, 2019

23

Tridents end Warriors’ 11-0 streak to win CPL 2019

W

hen the New England Patriots defeated the New York Giants 38-35 to end the 2007 regular season, they became the first NFL team to go undefeated since the league expanded to a 16-game format. But the game exposed vulnerabilities that gave the Giants a blueprint to beat the Patriots in their rematch in Super Bowl XLII 1714.

On Sunday, Guyana Amazon Warriors defeated Barbados Tridents to take their CPL record unbeaten streak to 11 matches by posting a Providence Stadium record total of 218 for 3 behind Brandon King’s record century.

What was lost in the shuffle of that match w a s that the Tridents actually made a serious fist of the chase, ending on 188 with Jonathan Carter topscoring to make 49 off 26, as some vulnerabilities started to appear.

Bucking the T20 trend of teams opting to chase, the Tridents success through much of CPL 2019 has been in defending totals. Given a chance to bat first in the CPL Final at Brian Lara Academy, Carter produced a stirring roundhouse kidney punch that stopped the Warriors dead in their tracks. Unable to dance around the ring, the Warriors chase was floored by a collective effort from Jason Holder’s bowling unit as the Tridents produced a stunning upset to claim their second CPL title, and first since 2014, by knocking off the Warriors to thwart their undefeated title bid.

Running amok Having to go without their second leading scorer JP Duminy, who sat out with a hamstring injury picked up in Thursday’s win over Trinbago Knight Riders, Tridents got off to a solid start in the first 10 overs to reach 76 for 3. But after Shai Hope fell in the 12th over, the chase went haywire with Shakib Al Hasan involved in a pair of runouts.

The first came four balls after Hope’s wicket as Holder flicked to deep midwicket.

Shakib hared down three strides ahead of Holder for the first run and was already a quarter of the way back for a second before Holder had turned at the non-striker’s end. Keemo Paul had covered the ground well to field and relay to Nicholas Pooran over the striker’s stumps as Holder came back reluctantly in response to Shakib and wound up being out by a foot.

Shakib created an identical situation with Carter two overs later after Carter drove out to extra cover. Once again, Shakib was three steps ahead and started coming back for a second run, but Carter was slow getting out of the crease after striking the ball and wasn’t interested in the second, but made his decision too late for Shakib as Paul relayed once again to Pooran.

This time his throw dragged Pooran well away from the

stumps but Shakib had given up and Pooran’s throw from 5 yards away was true, leaving the score 109 for 6 with 31 balls left.

Upset the Apple Carter Against the Knight Riders on Thursday, Ashley Nurse and Raymon Reifer plundered 43 off the last two overs to salvage a floundering innings and get up past 160 on a traditionally lowscoring ground. On

not his usual fluent self. After reaching 4 off 10 balls, he got a half-tracker from Walsh Jr. that should have gone for six but failed to get the elevation, a microcosm of his lack of rhythm on the night as he picked out Reifer at deep midwicket. It put Walsh Jr. on the path to ensure an American would raise the CPL trophy for the second year in a row after Khan with TKR in 2018.

King Dethroned The Warriors were still in with a chance of overhauling the target as long as the tournament’s leading scorer was at the crease. Brandon

Riefer of Barbados Tridents celebrates the wicket of Chandrapaul Hemraj

SCOREBOARD Barbados Tridents Innings (20 overs maximum) J Charles c Hemraj b Tahir 39 AD Hales c King b Shepherd 28 PD Salt c †Pooran b Laughlin 0 SD Hope † c Hemraj b Paul 8 Shakib Al Hasan run out (Paul/†Pooran) 15 JO Holder (c) run out (Paul/†Pooran) 1 JL Carter not out 50 AR Nurse not out 19 Extras (lb 7, nb 1, w 3) 11 TOTAL (20 Overs, RR: 8.55) 171/6 Yet to bat: RA Reifer, HR Walsh, HF Gurney Fall of wickets: 1-43 (Alex Hales, 5.2 ov), 2-45 (Philip Salt, 6.2 ov), 3-73 (Johnson Charles, 9.1 ov), 4-88 (Shai Hope, 11.4 ov), 5-90 (Jason Holder, 12.2 ov), 6-108 (Shakib Al Hasan, 14.5 ov) BOWLING CJ Green (4-0-32-0) C Hemraj (1-0-10-0) I Tahir (4-0-24-1) B Laughlin (4-0-28-1) R Shepherd (3-0-29-1) KMA Paul (3-0-30-1) S Malik (1-0-11-0)

Guyana Amazon Warriors celebrate the wicket of Philip Salt (right) of Barbados Tridents during the Hero Caribbean Premier League Final

this occasion, it was Nurse and Carter who resurrected the Tridents in the waning overs.

Carter took the lead with a trio of fabulous straight drives for six before and another over midwicket. The bulk of that came in the 19th over off Keemo Paul, who leaked 17 in the frame as momentum swung sharply toward Tridents.

Nurse then took his swipes at Romario Shepherd in the 20th with a six and four to start the final over before Carter struck a two to bring up a 26-ball halfcentury as Tridents ended with 63 off the last 31 balls to post a total that looked like it was well above par based on the evidence of Thursday night.

USA 3, rest of CPL 2 Coming into the final, Shoaib Malik had only been dismissed four times in 11 innings. Two of those came at the hands of Knight Riders fast bowler Ali Khan and Tridents legspinner Hayden Walsh Jr., the only two Americans playing in the tournament.

Walsh Jr. added Shoaib for a second time on Saturday night to cap his season with a tournament best 22 wickets in just nine matches.

After Raymon Reifer had set back the Warriors in the Powerplay with the wickets of Chandrapaul Hemraj and Shimron Hetmyer, Shoaib came to the middle but was

King was looking sharp but struggled for support at the other end, causing him to lose

order until 41 were required off 12 balls. Paul holed out to long-on off Gurney in the 19th

Fans of Guyana Amazon Warriors at D’Urban Park, Georgetown

patience. On the last ball of the 11th over, King charged impetuously at Nurse and turned a full ball into a yorker, playing over the top as it slid past leg stump for a simple stumping by Hope.

Another half-tracker claimed another big scalp for the second time in the chase as Pooran toe-slapped a long hop from Nurse to Alex Hales at long-on. Harry Gurney and Reifer then continued to whittle through the middle

and with 33 needed off the last over, Reifer mathematically clinched it by having Chris Green slashing an edge behind, giving him the best bowling figures ever in a CPL Final.

With their backs against the wall playing a de facto elimination match in the penultimate game of the regular season against St. Lucia Zouks, Tridents stormed back to life and in the end, snuffed out the Warriors fairytale season with a Cinderella finish of their own. (ESPN Cricinfo)

Guyana Amazon Warriors Innings (target: 172 runs from 20 overs) BA King st †Hope b Nurse 43 C Hemraj c Al Hasan b Reifer 1 SO Hetmyer c Hales b Reifer 9 Shoaib Malik (c) c Reifer b Walsh 4 N Pooran † c Hales b Nurse 24 SE Rutherford c Holder b Gurney 15 R Shepherd c †Hope b Reifer 9 KMA Paul c Holder b Gurney 25 CJ Green c †Hope b Reifer 5 I Tahir not out 4 B Laughlin not out 1 Extras (lb 1, nb 1, w 2) 4 TOTAL (20 Overs, RR: 7.2) 144-9 Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Chandrapaul Hemraj, 1.5 ov), 2-30 (Shimron Hetmyer, 3.3 ov), 3-53 (Shoaib Malik, 7.4 ov), 4-79 (Brandon King, 10.6 ov), 5-88 (Nicholas Pooran, 14.2 ov), 6-104 (Sherfane Rutherford, 15.5 ov), 7-121 (Romario Shepherd, 17.3 ov), 8-139 (Keemo Paul, 18.5 ov), 9-139 (Chris Green, 19.1 ov) BOWLING JO Holder (4-0-37-0) RA Reifer (4-0-24-4) S Al Hasan (2-0-18-0) HF Gurney (4-0-24-2) HR Walsh (2-0-23-1) AR Nurse (4-0-17-2)

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2019

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

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Page 23

Tridents end Warriors’

11-0 streak to win CPL 2019

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October 13, 2019

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Page 14

Nick Jonas to Priyanka Chopra: So proud of your work in The Sky Is Pink FREE DISTRIBUTION

Taking a plunge (Photo

by Subhash Haimraj)

2 Sunday Times Magazine

OCTOBER 13,2019

guyanatimesgy.com

Feature

H

eld annually on 5 October since 1994, World Teachers’ Day commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. This Recommendation sets benchmarks regarding the rights and responsibilities of teachers and standards for their initial preparation and further education, recruitment, employment, and teaching and learning conditions.

The Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher-Education Teaching Personnel was adopted in 1997 to complement the 1966 Recommendation by covering teaching and research personnel in higher education.

With the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goal 4 on education, and the dedicated target (SDG 4.c) recognizing teachers as key to the achievement of the Education 2030 agenda, WTD has become the occasion to mark progress and reflect on ways to counter the remaining challenges for the promotion of the teaching profession.

World Teachers’ Day is co-convened in partnership with UNICEF, UNDP, the International Labour Organization, and Education International.

In 2019, World Teachers’ Day celebrates teachers with the theme, “Young Teachers: The future of the Profession.” The day provides the occasion to celebrate the teaching profession worldwide, to take stock of achievements, and to address some of the issues central for attracting and keeping the brightest minds and young talents in the profession.

OCTOBER 13, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine

3

Feature

By Utama Bell

“I

t’s because I love what I do, I stay here”. Those were the words of 66-year-old Linden veteran Teacher and Educator Marcia Craig, whom I sat down with recently for an interview on the occasion of World Teachers’ Day. ‘Miss Craig’, as she has been passionately called throughout the years by both students and residents alike in the community has been in the teaching profession for 51 years, having started this prestigious lifelong calling in the year 1968. I was amused when she told me this. “That’s longer than I have been alive”, I mused. She looked at me and smiled, as she took me along this 5 decade long celebratory journey. A firm disciplinarian, Miss Craig has been known over the years to “perform miracles” as it relates to reforming and enhancing students’ learning and moral capabilities. Though she’s retired as Senior Headmistress on medical grounds, it seems as though she’s far from quitting anytime soon, as her passion and love for teaching keeps drawing her back. Miss Craig has dedicated most of her life to the profession, having thought at several schools in Linden including the Christianburg and One Mile Primary schools as well as the New Silvercity and Linden Foundation Secondary schools, amongst others outside of the community. She later founded her own private educational institution, MC’s Educational Institute which is situated at Retrieve, Mackenzie, Linden. There, she teaches English Language to Grades 10 and 11, preparing them for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations.

Miss Craig is not only loved for her stern teaching personality but her strict stance on upholding moral values. She believes that education is the key which unlocks a world of possibilities and has dedicated her life to ensuring that young people understand this.

“Some students told me once that education wasn’t necessary, and I tried to show them how necessary education was then and I know now that they know that education is necessary because all those that thought it wasn’t necessary because they all have went on to be good products in society... I let them know that education is vital...Get an education so you can fit into society...education is key, education is necessary, education tells you how to make decisions, education teaches...”Miss Craig emphasised.

She went on to state that over the years she has learned that education allows one to realize, understand and work on their mistakes as well as change and improve negative situations. As such, Miss Craig posited that it is important for parents to instill in their children the importance of having an education. Being what many refer to as a ‘strict disciplinarian’, Miss Craig also plays the role as motivator to her students as she shared her belief that moral standards are on the decline.

“Society is on the decline, morals in the society are on the decline because most parents don’t have the time”, she noted.

In this regard she said if parents dedi-

Marcia Craig

cated more of their time to ensure that their children are educated and disciplined there would be a better society. In her experience, she said many youths are not motivated by challenges, which is an area she works to ensure she sees change.

“Some young people, as soon as a challenge presents itself, they run”, Miss Craig highlighted. She noted that her perseverance with students over the years has led to many of them who did not have the confidence seeing their lives changed for the better.

“This school environment, this academic situation that we’re in, some people don’t have the time to work with the students but sitting with them, listening to them motivates me. So I would just keep working”, she said.

She related that she had intended on parting ways with the teaching aspect of the profession to focus only on administration, but admitted that she is motivated to keep going owing to her passion for more improved academic results at her school.

“It’s because I love what I do, I stay here... and if I was to live my life over again I would want to be a teacher. You know when I get most of my gratification? When I’m in class and everyone is tuned in to me, everyone is paying attention and I look into their eyes and I see that they understand. I feel like I’m in heaven”, she said.

Given her years of experience she said she can tell whether a student understands what is being taught based on the look in their eyes.

“I can look into their eyes and I see it...I would say, ‘yes I know that you don’t understand. Tell me what you don’t understand...Alright, good, let’s go it over’. I probably have many great moments, but that particular moment when I’m in class and I can get all of them with me and I can see it in their eyes. Some may not grasp everything, but you know that they would leave with something...I live for that moment every time I enter into a class and if I’m work-

ing and they’re not getting it I am worried”, related Miss Craig as she went on to share many experiences she’s had with students over the years.

She not only teaches teenagers but adults as well.

Though she admits that she bonds more with teenagers.

“I like working with teenagers. I like talking to them.

I like showing them what life has to offer and I like to encourage them and show them that it is important to be educated”, she explained.

As Miss Craig noted, teaching has become a part of her life and she would not trade the profession for the world. Having raised her children along the educational pathway, she takes pride in knowing that they have all achieved successful careers. She noted that the feedback she receives from former students who have went on to pursue their careers is what gives her gratification.

“For the 50 odd years that I have been a teacher, I have enjoyed it and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. As long as God provides the health and strength I will go on...I just love it and the odds, I’m not saying that sometimes it doesn’t get to me...but as long as God spares my life. I am going to work with whoever needs the help”, she posited.

As for her disciplined side, she said she will continue to work to instill good morals and values into her students.

“I would maintain discipline because that is how I grew up. I was raised that way so there is nothing else I can do. My methods are sometimes unorthodox...but I have respect for everyone. All of the children here I respect and I tell them that they are expected to treat every teacher with respect... teaching is good as well as maintaining dis-

cipline”, she outlined.

Miss Craig noted too that she pays attention to what is happening within the environment so that she can relate to her students.

“Every morning, I talk to my students about what I heard on the radio, about what I read in the news. I talk to them if there are unsavory events or activities, I would show them how they don’t need to participate in those things”, she said.

Additionally, Miss Craig noted that proper use of grammar is also encouraged as was experienced first hand during our interview as the students would be corrected on their pronunciation as they politely interrupted our conversation every now and then to relay information.

“If I hear poor Grammar, I would tell them that ‘you don’t need to have that in your life’, therefore you have to grasp when we teach. I always try to show them that for everything they have consequences, every activity, every action has a reaction...”she noted.

Though she plans on leaving the teaching arena, Miss Craig said she is currently working towards a 100 percent pass rate at CSEC as her Institute has has already achieved a 98 percent pass rate. It is achievements such as these that tend to keep her going.

“I love what I do. I could have remained at home but I feel like there are persons who need what I have to share. And it wouldn’t be right for me to just sit at home and keep all the k n o w l edge”, she quipped.

4

Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

OCTOBER 13, 2019

Feature

By Mohanlall Suelall

N

i

k

o

s

Kazantzakis had said, “True teachers use themselves as bridges over which they invite their students to cross; then, having facilitated their crossing, joyfully collapse, encouraging them to create bridges of their own.”

Bearing that in mind, Rabeena Rajkumar joined the teaching profession over 20 years ago and to date she still goes to work every day feeling as though it is the first. For her, teaching gives her fulfilment and knowing that she is impacting the lives of the future generations of groundbreakers makes her the happiest.

M i s s Rabeena started her career as a young teacher at the tender age of 18 in January of 1999. The first school she taught at was the CV Nunes Primary School, which is located in Anna Regina along the Essequibo Coast in Region 2 (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

E v e r since, she has been blazing the trail as one of the foremost teachers on the Essequibo Coast because she believes teaching

is not just about explaining the syllabus to her students, rather it involves imparting holistic education in order for them to be-

come rounded members of society.

Miss Rabeena continues on her journey as a teacher with a passion for education. She gives her best to her pupils so as to empower them with knowledge and skills that will prepare them to follow their careers and become successful men and women.

“Teachers have an important role to play and that is to mould the world. They must have respect for themselves and others along with love for the job and an interest in human development,” she said.

Always wanting to become a teacher, Miss Rabeena completed her secondary education at the Anna Regina Multilateral School and immediately took on the challenge of following her goals. She joined the Cyril Potter College of Education at Cotton Field on the Essequibo Coast in pursuit of that dream. When she would have completed her training, she joined the staff at CV Nunes Primary, where she has been ever

since.

W h e n asked about some of her challenges, a smiling Miss Rabeena said one of them is "balancing the different learning needs of pupils". For her, a good teacher is one who pays attention to the different learning capabilities of all their students.

Paying attention and analysing the learning capabilities of different students are of paramount importance to Miss Rabeena because it allows her to craft plans to attend to the needs of every student. It also allows her, as a teacher, to ensure that every student performs to the best of their ability so when they go out into the world and become whatever they were aiming for, she could proudly say that she was a part of them becoming who they are.

A mother herself, Miss Rabeena believes in nurturing her students as though they are her own children because of the mere fact that they spend most of their time with her. She treats every student in her care the same way she would wish that teachers

treat

her own daugh-

ter.

For her, World Teachers’ Day is one day where the importance of teachers could be stressed but she believes that teachers should be honoured on a daily basis. Teaching is considered to be the mother of all professions since, without the right teaching, one cannot be functional in any other role.

“My advice to all the students out there is to be focused and follow your dreams. I would tell them to don't let the world change you…you go ahead and change the world for the better because you can do it.”

guyanatimesgy.com

OCTOBER 13, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 5

Feature

By Utama Bell

T

he Nursery level is believed to be the ‘foundation level’, which sets the pace for student learning and future academic achievements.

This is the main reason why Nursery school teacher Kim Fung takes her job so seriously. Miss Fung, of Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice) has been in the teaching profession for almost 10 years and is presently attached to the South Amelia’s Ward Nursery School. She attended the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) and is currently a final year student at the University of Guyana where she is pursuing a Bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education.

Her passion for assisting children in the learning process w a s birthed m a n y years ago

when she entered into a volunteer teacher’s programme and was stationed at the Aroaima Primary School in the Upper Berbice Region.

There, Miss Fung learned that teaching was indeed her calling. Speaking with the Sunday Times Magazine, she related that this passion later drove her to continue to become more qualified by pursuing a career in Education. Prior to teaching at her present location, she taught at the Amelia’s Ward Nursery school also in Linden. For Miss Fung, she explained it is more than just a daily dose of teaching.

“I just love the job, I love children. The experience is amazing. Just to see how the students come into school not knowing much and then you are there to teach them.

They leave you learning so much- how to write their names for example. It might sound simple but sometimes it’s very challenging to make them achieve things like that. This is one of the most important levels of a child’s education. It’s the foundation, so my role is super important”, she declared.

Miss Fung, who is a former student of the New Silvercity Secondary School in Linden admits that while

she did not initially dream of becoming a teacher, she grew to develop a love for the profession as she entered into it as chance would have it.

“I grew to love it as I got into it and that is why I chose to become a professional teacher”, she said.

She noted that it is a path she is proud of and will continue along. According to her, there are many rewards which comes from being a teacher, and they are found in the simplest things such as a smile on the children’s faces.

A typical day in the life of Miss Fung, as she explained entails greeting her students with hugs in the morning. As the day progresses, she works with the students in achieving daily goals through various interactive educational activities.

She presently has nineteen students enrolled in her class as she explained that it becomes extremely challenging at times, especially when it comes to dealing with, in some cases hyperactive students. Nevertheless, she noted, “Seeing them smile really lights up my world”.

In taking a closer look at student learning, Miss Fung

explained that every child learns differently. She also shared her experience with dealing with a child with mild autism whom she noted was able to make a lot of progress during the time he spent in her class. In such cases, she explained, it is important that effective intervention is applied. In such cases, she is grateful for her knowledge gained through training and attending University.

“I would also do my own research just to learn about how to deal with children with different abilities. I would have learned a lot too from attending Teacher’s College and University. You learn how to deal with every child- how to meet every child’s needs because every child is special and they all learn differently. So, you have to observe and know what works for them”, Miss Fung reasoned.

Her advice to both teachers and parents of students at the Nursery level is to be patient and try to understand the learning abilities of children at the early childhood level. This, she noted, would give a better under-

Kim Fung

standing of how to cater to their specific educational needs.

“Every child learns at their own pace and every child has a special way of learning. You have to be observant and understand ways in which they learn easily and develop special ways in catering to their specific needs. Create a child friendly atmosphere and give them experience that would involve all of their senses and motivate them to learn and reach their full potential”, she advised.

Miss Fung looks forward

t o completing her Bachelors degree programme at University and to a fulfilling future in Education.

On the occasion of World Teachers’ Day, celebrated on October 5, the dedication and efforts as well as the strides made by teachers such as Miss Fung and others across the globe is being recognized. This year, World Teachers’ Day is being observed under the theme, “Young teachers: the future of professions.”

6 Sunday Times Magazine

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OCTOBER 13, 2019

Feature

W

orld Poetry Day was originally celebrated on the third Saturday in October and then October 15 was earmarked as it coincided with birthday of Virgil, the Roman epic poet and poet laureate under Augustus. However, in 1999 UNECSO declared March 21 as World Poetry Day, a day which is now also used in Guyana.

Would that World Poetry Day had remained in October for my database shows that there are more than ten Guyanese poetry writers born during this month.

It is useful to know that this article is another effort to lobby for A Day of Guyanese Literature, (for more, please see the Sunday Magazine section of the Guyana Times, 29 September, 2019).

These Guyanese writers include (in no particular order) Ada Debidin, Cleveland Hamilton, Paloma Mohamed, Rajkumari Singh, Michelle Asantewa, Eric Phillips, John Campbell, James C. Richmond, Dennis Craig, Taij Kumarie Mootelall, Merlin October Persaud, Patrick Cheeks and Brianna Gopie.

Ada Debidin was fifty-four when her first published poem, ‘Lines at Bartica’, came out in The Chronicle Christmas Annual of 1967. Her first collection of poems was published when she was age 85.

Paloma Mohamed

Rajkumari Singh

Mahadai Das

Cleveland Hamilton was a poet who immortalised our heroes and heroines, also capturing the life of significant world events and the noteworthy nature of places. He was profuse in praise for womanhood. He wrote the ‘Song of the Republic’ [of Guyana].

His first and only collection of poems is ‘As I was Singing’.

Paloma Mohamed, has already won the Guyana Prize for Literature three times!

She has published a collection of plays, two books of poems, and written numerous plays. She has also produced a number of films and has written literature for children and studies on child abuse.

Rajkumari Singh was a poet, playwright, broadcaster, and political activist who established herself as the first recognised East Indian woman writer in Guyana. She pioneered and enhanced the slighted ‘coolie art forms’ and became the surrogate cultural and artistic mother to younger writers and artists. In 1971, she published ‘A Collection of Poems’, which tells of her perception and true feeling about issues affecting her. The poem ‘Per Aji’ is her most anthologized work John Campbell was a poet, playwright, actor and artist. In 1957, he won the University of the West Indies award with the play Come Back to Melda. He published seven collections of poems, a collection of famous murder stories, a collection of five one act plays and a monograph.

Dennis Craig was an educator, linguist, painter and poet who won the Guyana Prize for Literature for Best First Book of Poetry in 1998. His poem ‘Flowers’ was his

Brianna Gopie

Taij Kumarie

most anthologised piece and one of the best-known poems throughout the Caribbean.

Mahadai Das published three collections of poems, namely, ‘I Want to be a Poetess of my People’, ‘My Finer Steal Will Grow’ and ‘Bones’. ‘A Leaf in his Ear: Selected Poems’ was published by Peepal Tree Press in honour of her memory. Her most anthologised piece is ‘They came in Ships’.

In 1998, Merlin Octobert Persaud took up an unlikely challenge from the Secondary School Reform Project, Ministry of Education, by writing a collection of 24 poems, later publishing the anthology.

Soon after, two of those poems found their way into the Guyana Christmas Annual 1999.

James C. Richmond is a prolific, evocative spoken-word artist, poet, writer and actor. Richmond is the first person in history to write and publish in poetry on the book of Daniel in the Bible.

Also, he has written poetry on the entire Book of Revelation. His publications: include ‘Reflections of Today’, ‘Where the Pomeroon Meets’, and ‘ On the Window of My Skin’.

Eric Phillips as so far published more than three collections of poems including ‘Wishful Love’ and ‘Quintessentially Yours’.

Michelle Asantewa Michelle Asantewa is an editor, publisher, novelist and poet. ‘The Awakening and other poems’ is her first collection of poems.

Patrick Cheeks would walk the walk by sharing his poetry in schools.

He has published lots of poetry including ‘Heartsongs: A Poetic Symphony’ which contains sixty-four poems.

Brianna Gopie won the first prize in the Junior Poetry Category of The Guyana Annual 2019 issue with her poem, ‘Puppets’.

Taij Kumarie Mootelall is a change agent, multifaceted artist, poetess and performer. She cofounded Blackout Arts Collective, Jahajee Sisters and many other similar organizations, lobbying for the rights of women artists. Taij was instrumental in the publication of a poetry anthology entitled, ‘Bolo Bahen! Speak Sister!’

Bolo Guyana, bolo in poetry.

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

guyanatimesgy.com

OCTOBER 13, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 7

Feature

By Mohanlall Suelall

S

omeone once said that failure is not a permanent experience and that one should rise above it and choose to be better than they were since changing and growing are what make you win. Perhaps it was that very saying and his refusal to accept that failure was there to stay, that drove Sir Raghunauth Doodnauth to the pinnacle of success today.

Coming from a single-parent home where household chores coupled with little or no access to financial resources meant limited studying time for Sir Raghunauth. It was all of those factors that caused him to fail his Common Entrance and lose his shot at attending a secondary school where he could have excelled.

However, with determination and hard work, he was able to live his dream of becoming a trained secondary school teacher and today he serves as the Deputy Head Master of the Anna

Regina Multilateral School.

Sir Ragu, as he is popularly known to his students, colleagues and friends, said that his life as a poor

kid coming from a single-parent home where mommy was the only breadwinner gave him the opportunity to experience what is real poverty. Those experiences are what motivated him to educate himself

so as to eradicate poverty from his life forever.

Sir Ragu, after failing his Common Entrance Examination,

w a s given a place at the Anna Regina Community High School, now Cotton Field Secondary, where he was given a second chance to fulfil his dream. It was with the help and guidance of his Head Master, Sir Ruport Osborne, teachers like Sir Kumar Narine and Miss Banwattie Gocool, who later became his mentors, who gave him the necessary support which motivated him and built his confidence after which he started to show his full potential.

His commitment and determination were so overwhelming that he moved from the very bottom to where he began to top his class, consistently. When it came to his graduation after completing his secondary education, Sir Ragu was adjudged the best graduating student of the class of 1989 at the Anna Regina Community High School.

Sir Ragu, after leaving school, was given a chance to teach at the said school after which he went to the Cyril Potter

College of Education, Turkeyen Campus, from 1992 to 1994 and qual-

ified himself as a trained mathematics teacher. After completing CPCE, he returned to Anna Regina Community

High, now Anna Regina Secondary, and was placed as the acting Head of the Business Department.

In 2012 he attended the University of Guyana and in 2016 where he read for a Degree in Education AdministrationSecondary.

Sir Ragu said that his passion is to see that all students get a sound and equal education so as to empower them to be better equipped with the necessary tools to face the many challenges in life.

Sir Ragu said that he was once called the dunce boy by his friends because he was attending the Anna Regina Community High School which was branded by the Anna Regina Multilateral students then as the dunce school. But the proud teacher said that he is happy to see that the same “dunce” school pro-

duced many great students who later became doctors, lawyers, and teachers etc and as a testimony, he is now the Deputy Head Master of the Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary School, the same school which the students who were laughing at him attended.

His advice to all teachers is to give their best to their students because as teachers you can help to make a change in their lives and to all students, see education as a tool to empower you to become the person you wanted to be and to follow your career.

“While money can do great things, those who are not fortunate enough can also become great by putting education first and one day you too will be able to live a comfortable life. To all teachers, may this day give us the opportunity to sit back and reflect on our past achievements and failures and to set new goals for we are the moulder of this nation and what we give will one day return to us. Happy Teachers Day to all teachers.”

8 Sunday Times Magazine

october 13, 2019

Feature

I

ndigenous arts and craft provides an important source of income for many of Guyana’s indigenous villages. The intricately beautiful pieces take days to complete and requires a specific skillset that many do possess. Here are a few of those master pieces that showcases the talent of Guyana’s indigenous communities. (Photos from Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs)

guyanatimesgy.com

guyanatimesgy.com

october 13, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine

9

10 Sunday Times Magazine

OCTOBER 13, 2019

Fashion

F

lattering, cool and easy, with a relaxed leg and a variety of cropped and full-length silhouettes, the Wide Leg pants fad is back. This universally flattering cut always makes a statement and the styling options are endless.

Wide-legged pants include any style that is not skinny (tight all the way down) or straight-legged.

Different brands use this designation for pants and jeans that are wide from the waist down, palazzo pants, flares, boot-cuts, bellbottoms, culottes, and more.

So here are a few looks you can rock with your wide leg pants and hop on the trend train.

guyanatimesgy.com

guyanatimesgy.com

OCTOBER 13, 2019

Recipes

Sunday Times Magazine 11

Home & Cooking

Home décor

CHICKEN AND ZUCCHINI/ SQUASH

Ingredients • 5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs • 1 tsp thyme • 1 tsp cilantro • 3 cloves garlic • 1 wiri wiri pepper, seeds re moved • 1/2 tsp grated ginger • 1/2 tsp black pepper • 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp canola oil • 1/2 onion, chopped • 1 tsp tomato paste • 5-6 small zucchini, cut into 1/2

inch pieces • 2 1/2 cup chicken stock

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Cut chicken into thin strips. Finely dice thyme, cilantro, garlic and pepper then add to chicken. Add grated ginger, garlic and salt and stir to combine. Let marinate for at least 1 hour.

2. In a pot over high heat, add oil.

When the oil is hot, add seasoned

Gorgeous Kitchen Design Ideas

chicken then cook until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add onion and sauté for about 2-3 minutes until it’s softened. Add tomato paste and stir, then cook for about a 1-2 minutes.

3. Add zucchini/squash and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium then cover pot. Cook for 15 minutes or until the zucchini has softened, then remove from heat and serve with rice. (Jehan Can Cook)

Dreaming of a kitchen renovation? Before you knock down any walls, start small and give the heart of your home a well-deserved upgrade using these stylish spaces for inspiration. Simple swaps like new stools, lighting, or even cabinets’ knobs can update your kitchen in a flash, and don't miss our favorite paint ideas as well.

Pattern Pile-On Like you would in a cozy bedroom, pile on prints to your heart's desire, starting with an accent wall covered in one pattern, and a colorful rug in another.

Stash and Hide

Because you can never have too much storage, stash bulky appliances, like stand mixers behind a sliding cabinet door or for a faster solution, turn to good ol' baskets to hold and conceal seasonal goods like holiday cookie cutters or sprinkles.

CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN WINGS WITH HOT HONEY SAUCE

Ingredients 3-4 lbs chicken wing segments Buttermilk brine: • 2 tbsp garlic powder • 1/4 tsp cayenne powder • 1/2 tsp paprika • 1/2 tsp black pepper • 1/2 tsp ground thyme • 1/2 tsp dried oregano • 1 tsp salt • 1 cup buttermilk Seasoned Cornstarch/Flour Mix: • 1 cup Cornstarch • 1 cup flour • 1/2 tsp paprika • 1/2 tsp dried parsley • 1 tsp salt • Corn oil Hot Honey Sauce: • 1/4 cup honey • 1/4 cup hot sauce

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Place chicken wing segments in a bowl then add garlic powder, cayenne, paprika, black pepper, thyme, oregano and salt and mix to coat.

Pour buttermilk and stir to coat all of the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

2. Mix Cornstarch, all purpose flour, paprika, dried parsley and salt and

Stacked Shelving

shake to combine. Add oil for frying to a large pot and heat over medium heat.

3. Place chicken wings about 3 or 4 at a time, in the bag with cornstarch/ flour mix and shake to coat. Repeat this process in batches. Place chicken on a rack until ready to fry. When oil is hot fry the chicken in batches until golden brown and crispy, about 10 minutes.

4. Place on lined paper towel to remove excess oil.

5. To make the hot honey sauce, combine honey and hot sauce in small sauce pot and mix to combine. Over a medium fire, heat until the sauce just starts to bubble and then remove from heat. Toss fried chicken wings with honey hot sauce and serve immediately. (Jehan Can Cook)

Replace upper cabinets with floating shelves to make a kitchen feel bigger and brighter.

Juxtapose Materials

Incorporate multiple kinds of natural stone, different shades of wood, and both matte and glossy surfaces for a custom look that's not too matchy.

APPLE CRUMB CAKE

Ingredients • 1/2 cup butter • 1 cup sugar • 3 eggs • 1 1/2 cup flour • 1/4 tsp baking powder • 1 tsp cinnamon • 1/4 tsp nutmeg • 1/2 cup apple cider • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 1 apple, peeled, cored and slice

thinly • 2 tbsp brown sugar • powdered sugar to dust over top.

Crumb Topping • 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour • 1/2 cup brown sugar • 1 tsp cinnamon • 1/2 cup butter INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Crumb Topping: Mix flour, cinnamon, sugar and margarine together in a bowl with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.

Cake Batter: Oil and Flour an 8x8 pan.

In a small bowl mix sliced apples with 2 tbsp brown sugar, set aside. Mix flour,

Painted Floors

baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a bowl, set aside. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg one at a time, make sure each egg is well incorporated before adding another egg.

With the mixer on a low speed, alternately add flour mixture and apple cider to mixture, mix well. Add vanilla extract.

Pour into prepared baking dish. Place apple slices in one layer across the top of the batter. Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over apple slices.

Place into oven and bake for 50 mins.

Allow to cool before dusting with powdered sugar. (Jehan Can Cook)

Of all the kitchen paint trends, this is our favorite. Grab some painter's tape plus some pretty colors and say goodbye to boring floors forever!

12 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

OCTOBER 13, 2019

Puzzles

ACROSS

1 6 11 16 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 wds.)

31 33 35 36 37 38 39 41 42 44 46 51 52 53 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 66 67 68 69 70 72 73 74 75 77 78 79 82 83 84 88 89 90

Kiddie ride Strays Bard's forte Pier Helpers Lake Nasser dam Farther from the middle More gargantuan Frozen rain One-horned animal -- Vanilli U.S. border state Reading material for some (2

Safari boss Buddhism in Japan Prospect for gold Fabric meas.

Apply elbow grease Hotfoots it Overcharged? (2 wds.)

Loop trains Gallup finding Tint twice Discloses Wildlife refuge Blue Ox of legend Tin foil Bank jobs Protrude Shady place -- -Wan Kenobi Who gives -- --!

Corresponds Ball of yarn Four-door model Web addr.

Townshend and Seeger Famed viol.

Eye to eye with Roast pig repast Formic acid makers Scare badly Manatee cousins Roman naturalist Old butter maker Bucolic Fortunately Newlywed Anthracite Heron cousin Goes along with -- up (won't say) Cancels

91 92 93 94 95 97 98 99 100 101 103 104 105 106 108 110 111 114 115 117 120 121 123 125 127 129 131 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141

Devotee Rises rapidly Concrete floors Belly dance clackers Inferior AAA job Heather habitats "Quo --?"

Be of like mind Ferber or Millay Bancroft of films Unlock Wash one's face, e.g.

Concentrated -- -- fast!

Mark of Zorro Tent dwellers Produced Flounder cousins Hawaii's Mauna -Season -- Moines, Iowa Stand for Tall flower Many a Kurd Dance band Crockett's last stand Mail carrier's beat Sports locale Farewell Subscribe again Archangel of light Snake shapes Cattails and bulrushes Has to have Vermicelli

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Yummy All worked up Proposals On an even -Ms. Lauder Amazing things Flashlight carriers Hurt an ankle Catch some rays Social climber Realm Devastated Cartographer's book Gibson or Torme Phoenix loc.

Farm sound Paul Newman role Dumbfounded

DOWN

KATHLEEN SAXE

WORD GAME TODAY'S WORD -- DISJOINTED (DISJOINTED: dis-JOINT-ed: Lacking order or coherence.)

Average mark 42 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 59 or more words in DISJOINTED? TODAY'S WORD -- DISJOINTED deist dent dido died diet dine dint diode distend does done dose dote ides idiot indite

inset inside into iodine sedition send sent side sine site snide snit sodden stein steno stone

jest join joint joist oddest oddities odds onset onside nest nisei node noes noise nose note

tend tide tidied tidies tied tine toddies toed tone edit edition

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.

19 Fixed-up building 20 Weather system 30 Ice-skating jumps 32 Stranger's query 34 Lightweight quilt 40 It glistens 42 "The Canterbury --" 43 Eighteen-wheelers 44 Beyond zealous 45 Poet's black 46 Self-mover's rental (hyph.)

47 Kind of jacket 48 String instrument 49 Anka's "-- Beso" 50 Morticia's cousin 51 Oil jobs 52 Coffee - 54 "The Kiss" sculptor 55 T.S. Eliot's opposite of "a whimper" (2 wds.)

56 Engine knocks 58 Very small 59 Tire center 62 Lind or Craig 63 Mall tenant 64 Epic

65 67 68 69 71 73 74 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 85 86 87 89 90 93 94 95 96 98 99

Common bacterium (2 wds.)

Mop companions KP supply Rolls tightly Kind of berth Wedges Twosomes Embroiders, maybe Grumbles Muddies the waters Urgency Have -- -- day!

Jumbo shrimp Traffic-jam noise Gen. Powell Thin-barked tree Publish Grim Genetic double Audio partner Boys and men Channel-surfs Melancholy Switch positions Pastor's abode Had an election

100 102 105 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 122 124 126 128 130 132

Fish basket Nabokov heroine Guys Dust devils Took into custody Abominable Skyrocketed Overly trusting People devourers Is serious Bess' successor Oater classic Pancake topper "Satchmo" Armstrong Sonnet stanza Cub Scout leader Kind of tissue Yield, as interest Circle dance What, in Oaxaca Keats output Bruce -- of kung fu

See Solution on page 14

guyanatimesgy.com

october 13, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 13

Health

T

he term "cardiomegaly" refers to an enlarged heart seen on any imaging test, including a chest X-ray. Other tests are then needed to diagnose the condition causing your enlarged heart.

You may develop an enlarged heart temporarily because of a stress on your body, such as pregnancy, or because of a medical condition, such as the weakening of the heart muscle, coronary artery disease, heart valve problems or abnormal heart rhythms.

Certain conditions may cause the heart muscle to thicken or one of the chambers of the heart to dilate, making the heart larger. Depending on the condition, an enlarged heart may be temporary or permanent. An enlarged heart may be treatable by correcting the cause.

Treatment for an enlarged heart can include medications, medical procedures or surgery.

Symptoms

In some people, an enlarged heart causes no signs or symptoms. Others may have these signs and symptoms: • Shortness of breath • Abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) • Swelling (edema) An enlarged heart is easier to treat when it's detected early, so talk to your doctor if you have concerns about your heart.

Causes

An enlarged heart can be caused by conditions that cause your heart to pump harder than usual or that damage your heart muscle. Sometimes the heart enlarges and becomes weak for unknown reasons (idiopathic).

A heart condition you're born with (congenital), damage from a heart attack or an abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia) can cause your heart to enlarge. Other conditions associated with an enlarged heart include: • High blood pressure • Heart valve disease • Disease of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy • High blood pressure in the artery connecting your heart and lungs (pulmonary hy pertension • Fluid around your heart (pericardial effusion • Low red blood cell count (anemia) • Thyroid disorders • Excessive iron in the body (hemochromatosis) • Rare diseases that can affect your heart, such as amyloidosis

Risk factors

You may have a greater risk of developing an enlarged heart if you have any of the following risk factors: • High blood pressure. Having a blood pressure measurement higher than 140/90 millimeters of mercury puts you at an increased risk of developing an enlarged heart.

• A family history of enlarged hearts or cardiomyopathy. If an immediate

•

• • •

family member, such as a parent or sibling, has had an enlarged heart, you may be more susceptible to developing the condition.

Blocked arteries in your heart (coronary artery disease). With this condition, fatty plaques in your heart arteries obstruct blood flow through your heart vessels, which can lead to a heart attack. When a section of heart muscle dies, your heart has to pump harder to get adequate blood to the rest of your body, causing it to enlarge.

Congenital heart disease. If you're born with a condition that affects the struc ture of your heart, you may be at risk of developing an enlarged heart.

Heart valve disease. The heart has four valves — aortic, mitral, pulmonary and tricuspid — that open and close to direct blood flow through your heart.

Conditions that damage the valves may cause the heart to enlarge.

Heart attack. Having a heart attack increases your risk of developing an en

larged heart.

Complications

The risk of complications from an enlarged heart depends on the part of the heart that is enlarged and the cause.

Complications of an enlarged heart can include: • Heart failure. One of the most serious types of enlarged heart, an enlarged

left ventricle increases the risk of heart failure. In heart failure, your heart

muscle weakens, and the ventricles stretch (dilate) to the point that the heart

can't pump blood efficiently throughout your body.

Blood clots. Having an enlarged heart may make you more susceptible to forming blood clots in the lining of your heart. If clots enter your bloodstream, they can block blood flow to vital organs, even causing a heart attack or stroke. Clots that develop on

the right side of your heart may travel to your lungs, a

dangerous condition called a pulmonary embolism.

• Heart murmur. For people who have an enlarged heart, two of the

heart's four valves — the mitral and tricuspid valves — may not close

properly because they become dilated, leading to a backflow of blood.

This flow creates sounds called heart murmurs. Although not necessarily harmful,

heart murmurs should be monitored by your doctor.

• Cardiac arrest and sudden death. Some forms of an enlarged heart can

lead

to disruptions in your heart's beating rhythm. Heart rhythms too slow to move

blood or too fast to allow the heart to beat properly can result in fainting or, in some cases, cardiac arrest or sudden death.

•

Prevention

Tell your doctor if you have a family history of conditions that can cause an enlarged heart, such as cardiomyopathy. If cardiomyopathy or other heart conditions are diagnosed early, treatments may prevent the disease from worsening.

Controlling risk factors for coronary artery disease — tobacco use, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes — helps to reduce your risk of an enlarged heart and heart failure by reducing your risk of a heart attack.

You can help reduce your chance of developing heart failure by eating a healthy diet and not abusing alcohol or using illicit drugs. Controlling high blood pressure with diet, exercise and possibly medications also prevents many people who have an enlarged heart from developing heart failure. (Mayo Clinic)

14 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

OCTOBER 13, 2019

Bollywood/Hollywood

S

everal acclaimed films and a decade later, Swara Bhasker still finds herself panicking before a shoot, wondering if she is stuck in a “set format” of acting and searching desperately for ways to deconstruct her craft.

Over the years, the actor has spearheaded projects like Nil Battey Sannata, Anaarkali of Aarah while ticking the box of hits with the Tanu Weds Manu franchise and Raanjhanaa.

When asked if she has become confident of her craft today, Swara told PTI, “Not at all. You have caught me at a time where I am in a state of anxiety and panic about my craft, wondering if I have hit a rut and if my acting is all the same.”

Swara says she does not want to be “stuck in a set framework and palette of expressions” and is constantly

N

ick Jonas is proud of Priyanka Chopra’s work as an actor and producer in her upcoming film The Sky Is Pink. The 27-year-old American singer took to Instagram and showered praises on the film as well as his wife.

He posted a poster of the film along with which he wrote, “This film touched my heart in so many ways.

The story is bold and beautiful, and told perfectly by this incredible cast and by @shonalibose_’s direction. @priyankachopra I am so proud of your work as both an actor and producer in this film.”

Nick added that he is sure The Sky Is Pink will impact many lives. “You made me smile, laugh and cry and I know you are going to impact so many people’s lives with this film. I love you so much. Congrats

finding ways to get out of it.

“I feel I need something to break that and I was recently searching for acting workshops that I can attend. My craft is a huge area of anxiety for me because I think I don’t have the discipline of practising everyday and now less, as I am trying to diversify, I have a production house and I am writing a script.”

The 31-year-old actor says before starting a new film, there is always the feeling that she has forgotten how to act.

“I am always very insecure about my craft. Before every film, I panic and feel I have forgotten how to act.

Which is why I am a little obsessive about preparation. I do a lot of workshops.

If I have free time, I will enroll for a workshop.

“I am not formally trained as an actor so there

to the entire The Sky Is Pink cast, crew and creative team. You should be very proud. Everyone make sure to go see this movie!” the post concluded.

Earlier, Priyanka was quoted saying that she decided to mark her comeback to Bollywood with The Sky Is Pink because she felt it is very inspirational and a story that needed to be told.

In an interview with indianexpress.com, Priyanka revealed that her quest is to always chose roles that she has not attempted before.

“I don’t think I look at roles, I never have. For me, I have to choose from what comes to me. I am just looking to find things that challenge me. And by challenge, I don’t mean that it has to be a drama, it has to be something I have not done before, and that has been my quest through my entire career.

L

ady Gaga marked the first anniversary of the release of the movie album of A Star Is Born.

According to Interscope, the 33-yearold singer-actor was presented with a plaque honouring the album’s sales milestones.

The soundtrack of the film, which was Gaga’s full-fledged feature film debut, has hit doubleplatinum status in the US and over 6 million copies have been sold globally.

“A year ago, A Star was Born, and here we are 6 times pink plati-

B

is this baggage on my conscience that ‘you can’t screw it up.’ Acting is the only thing I have. I don’t have a choice, I have to be competent with my work. Imagine if I was a bad actor the kind of trolling I would get!”

Swara will be next seen in Sheer Qoorma, costarring Divya Dutta and Shabana Azmi. (Indian Express)

ollywood star Deepika Padukone is one of the highest-paid female actors in Bollywood right now. However, she is conflicted about the tag of the richest female actor in the country.

“It’s not in my DNA to talk about where I live and how much money I earn. But I’m also conflicted. Because I understand that today it is necessary to have these conversations. So how does it feel? A part of me feels guilty, because I think it’s important to put the film before any of this. I’ve become a producer now, so I understand this slightly better – I think it’s time the men thought about not taking so much money upfront and burdening the film. On the other hand, there are people who deliver those numbers at the box office. I’m going to

have various conversations about this because I don’t think there’s one solution.

It’s tricky,” the actor told Harper Bazaar in a recent interview.

Throughout her career, Deepika has seen various ups and downs, both on the personal as well as the professional front. The actor stated that her actor-husband Ranveer Singh has been a strong guiding force through the highs and lows of life.

“A lot of what I’m able to achieve is because of him [Ranveer Singh] – in terms of how comfortable he is with my success, or how supportive he is. We’re a good team. Over seven years, before we got married, we’ve been through a lot. He’s seen my career on the upside-down and seen me at my lowest phase when I was

I

All the parts that I have played, I have always tried to play different characters, and that is going to be my quest even as I go forward. I like to surprise myself, otherwise it gets boring, normal is boring. It has to be something that makes me want to get up and think ‘oh my god, what am I going to do?”

Priyanka said.

The Sky Is Pink releases on October 11. (Indian Express)

num,” the singer shared the news on Twitter on Sunday, as she showed off her bubblegum pink hair.

The soundtrack also features, “Shallow,” the award-winning duet between Gaga and film’s director and her co-star Bradley Cooper.

“Shallow” won two Grammys, including one for best pop duo/duo performance, an Oscar, and a Golden Globe during last awards season. (Indian Express)

t’s not always important for directors to look for a new cinematic language but Oscar-winning filmmaker Ang Lee says it is his personal curiosity about the digital technology that led him to direct Will Smith-starrer Gemini Man, about a burntout assassin confronted by his younger clone.

The story was in development for over two decades in Hollywood but it took a while for the technology to finally catch up.

Lee, who successfully created a computer-generated tiger in survival drama Life of Pi, about an Indian boy adrift in the ocean on a small boat with a Bengal tiger, thought the challenge of creating a CGI human was within his grasp.

You can tell a story and do something beautiful with something you’re familiar with. It’s not only perfectly fine but usually that’s what it’s supposed to be. But I just happened to come across a lot of questions. I was curious and wanted to see what it is, Lee told PTI in an interview.

The director first got hooked to the 3D technology while working on Pi, of which he has fond memories of shooting in India.

In Billy Lynn’s Long Half Time Walk, his follow up to Pi, the Taiwanese-origin director experimented with a high frame rate. He has retained the high frame rate in Gemini Man, which is shot in 120 frames per second instead of the usual 24 to create a fully immersive experience for the audiences.

“Fundamentally, movies haven’t changed that much.

In principle, there seems to be like a virginal ground. It started from ‘Pi’ because that’s the first time I shot it in digital with 3D, Lee, 64, said.

I had a lot of questions.

But I used very little volume because I knew 2D is all I

know. After Pi’, I tried to find answers to some of the questions I had. Of course, each answer I found opened up 10 questions. So I’m still going.

It’s my personal curiosity,” the director added.

Lee, known for genre-defying movies such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Sense and Sensibility, Brokeback Mountain and Life of Pi, in a press conference earlier spoke about how he was at the right age to tackle the existential question that the movie posed: What would you do if you are confronted with your younger self?

Asked whether he was

going through depression, and he’s been there for me.

We’re still so excited by each other, so inspired by each other. He’s my best friend,” Deepika concluded.

On the work front, Deepika will next be seen in the sports drama 83 and in the Meghna Gulzar directorial Chhapaak. (Indian Express)

someone who looked back, Lee called it a part of growing old.

It’s only in the last 10 years. I wasn’t thinking about that before I did Pi’, probably.

It is just natural because you are getting older and you start to see the other end and you start to look back, he said.

There can be a lot of self-criticism (about the past) ‘Could’ve’, ‘should’ve’, ‘might’ve’, all those things. It’s just a part of life, he said.

The director said he took the route of action genre to visualise the internal stress and conflict.

Pi, which helped Lee win his career’s third Oscar and second as the best director after Brokeback Mountain, has stayed close to the director’s heart.

I had a great experience shooting there. So I would like to do it again, the director said when asked whether he would like to return to India for any future project.

Gemini Man, also starring Clive Owen, Benedict Wong and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, is produced by Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films. (Indian Express)

guyanatimesgy.com

OCTOBER 13, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 15

16 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

OCTOBER 13, 2019

Fun Times

Archie

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Don't let anxiety take command. Anger will not resolve issues. Do what's best for you, while also keeping in mind the needs of others. You don't have to agree to get along. Freedom of thought is favoured.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- A gathering will encourage exciting, informative conversations. If you listen and learn, you will find some solutions to certain personal problems.

GEMINI (May 21-June GEMINI 20) -- Do what will benefit you (MAY 28- the most. If you keep workJune 20) ing for someone else's benefit, you will never reach your goal.

Tackling a physical challenge will ease stress.

CANCER (June 21-July CANCER 22) -- Try something new.

(June 21- Socialise and get involved in July 22) ventures that inspire you to be more creative. Sign up for a cause and strive to make a difference. Romance is encouraged.

LEO LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- A change should be made only for (July 23a good reason. Don't follow what Aug. 22) someone else is doing if it doesn't sit well with you. Focus on personal gain, enlightenment, and positive people.

Dilbert

Peanuts

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22) -- Take on only what's necessary. Learn from experience and do what will bring the highest return. A family gathering will encourage stability and closer ties.

Romance is in the stars.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- A partnership will be tested. Look for opportunities that make sense to you instead of following someone else's lead.

Happiness is doing what's right and best for you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. SCORPIO (Oct. 24- 22) -- Don't dawdle. What you Nov. 22) discover on your journey today will change the way you do things. If you look for innovative or unusual alternatives, you will achieve your dream.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

Calvin and Hobbes

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Fix up your surroundings. Do the work yourself to save money.

Don't let anyone sweet-talk you into something that could leave you in a vulnerable position.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19) -- Sensitive issues are best left alone for the time being. Concentrate on making personal adjustments that will help you explore your creative objectives. Romance is encouraged.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. AQUARIUS 19) -- Look over your person(Jan. 20- al papers and money matFeb. 19) ters. Cut corners where possible and set a budget that will encourage you to save.

Delays can be expected while travelling.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) PISCES (Feb. 20- -- A change in family dynamMar. 20) ics will take place if you attend a gathering. Use your wisdom and experience to help you level the playing field and even up the score.