Caribbean Star #60 vol. 4 / 2015

Caribbean First Interfaith Newspaper, Serving The Community

September 18 – 24, 2015

Caribbeanstarnews@gmail.com

Star

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GAYLE SIGNS UP FOR PAKISTAN SUPER LEAGUE See Page 39

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GUYANA

Vol.4 #60

STEP-DAD KILLED, MOM DIES, NOW TEEN ATTEMPTS SUICIDE

GUYANA

GUYANA GOLDFIELDS See Page 34 CELEBRATES FIRST GOLD POUR

OVER $100M BUDGETED FOR CITY CLEANING

Granger stresses need for better safety, environmental care in industry

See Page 10

HERSTELLING KILLER NABBED … WAS PROMISED $1.7M ON TERMS Sums totalling over $100 million have been budgeted to clean and desilt street drains, alleyways and canals as the ‘Clean-up my Country’ campaign continues.

GUYSUCO RECORDS HIGHEST WEEKLY See Page 4 PRODUCTION SINCE 2012 See Page 26

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

September 18 – 24, 2015

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Caribbean Star Newspaper Mute on Marriott …Officials keep tight lid on hotel info

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here is no word yet on the forensic audit into the Marriott Hotel with two government ministers giving conflicting positions on its completion.

Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin recently told Stabroek News that the forensic audit into the hotel has been completed and the report is to be finalised. However, junior Finance Minister Jaipaul Sharma said that the audit is not yet completed. He said that he was not at liberty to comment on the forensic audit at this time.

Stabroek News asked Gaskin about the monthly operational costs as well as the occupancy rates for the Marriott which was built largely with taxpayers’ dollars.

He was also asked if the hotel is able to cover its own expenditures at this point in time without government assistance.

“It should be the hotel itself, the company itself, they should be able to pay their bills. That’s my information, but again I don’t have any official information on Marriott figures, it has only been speculation around,” Gaskin said. He added that while he was the Minister of Business, the Marriott Hotel project does not fall under his portfolio. He, however, noted that reports are that the occupancy rates of the hotel are between 20%50%.

When Stabroek News reached out to the Office of the Director of Finance of the US$58 million hotel, this newspaper was told that information relating to operating costs would not be publicly shared.

The APNU+AFC government had opposed the controversial hotel prior to being elected to office and has since promised changes to the hotel’s parent company Atlantic Hotel Inc (AHI).

Minister of State Joseph Harmon had announced in July that Winston Brassington would be removed as its Chairman.

Subsequently, a new Board of Directors was identified with Beverley Harper slated to be the new chairperson replacing Brassington. Derrick Cummings, Patricia Bacchus, Hughley Nelson and Lawrence London were also named as board members.

Harmon had previously stated that the board would be composed of persons who the public recommends until “such time that the government comes up with a final decision as to how to dispose of this asset.” He had said that government made it clear that it is not interested in running or getting involved in the hotel business and it is not the business of government to be running any hotel.

Days after Harmon’s announcement, Stabroek News was informed that the two Hong Kong businessmen Victor How Chung Chan and Xu Han of ACE Square Investments Ltd had pulled out of their planned US$8 million equity investment into the hotel. That investment would have given them 67% of the equity.

As it stands, AHI currently owns 100 percent of the hotel’s equity, with government’s holding company NICIL in-

September 18 – 24, 2015

3

vesting US$36 million and US$15.25 million being received from Republic Bank Ltd of Trinidad.

The government has not released any information in relation to the status of the potential investors.

Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo at a PPP press conference recently advocated for the selling of shares to Guyanese. However, given that it had no private investors, Guyanese taxpayers have already funded the construction of the hotel.

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

September 18 – 24, 2015

State media boards appointed … entities charged to end abuse, bankruptcy

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he members of the boards for the Guyana National Newspaper Limited (GNNL) and the National Communications Network Inc (NCN) tuesday appointed and have been charged to help lift the two entities out of years of abuse and bankruptcy even while ensuring they become viable and competitive enterprises.

The new members of both entities bring to the fore a wealth of experience in journalism and media management. They were installed at a simple ceremony at the Arthur Chung International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown. The GNNL Board chaired by Amerindian activist and Programme Manager of the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) Jean La Rose comprised of Karen Davis, Imran Khan, Scherazade Ishoof-Khan, Ruel Johnson, Bert Wilkinson, Tabitha Sarabo, Patricia Woolford, and Sohan Poonai.

The board for the electronic State media is headed by prominent businessman Bishwa Panday, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo flanked by GNNL General Manager Michael Gordon and GNNL Chairman Jean La Rose Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo flanked by GNNL General Manager Michael Gordon and

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo with the board members of GNNL and NCN GNNL Chairman Jean La Rose Mark Archer, Dr Paloma Mohamed, Margaret Lawrence, Kojo McPherson, Dhanwanti Sukhdeo, Carolyn Walcott, Imran Khan and Colin Thompson. Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo congratulated the new board members of the two entities and explained that Director of Public Information (DPI) Imran Khan has been appointed to sit on both boards as his representative.

The Prime Minister, who also has responsibility for Public Information, was very candid about the State media. “The NCN and the GNNL are both State media owned 100 per cent by the State, 100 per cent shareholder and under the law, the government rep-

resents the State, so that I wish to be clear about.” Both NCN and GNNL are incorporated under the law under the Companies Act which provides for the appointment of directors. The boards will decide on policy issues and will engage management on the efficient administration of operations, and Prime Minister Nagamootoo said the abuse of the State media, which was more pronounced at the Guyana Chronicle under the PPP/C, will stop.

Fresh approach He said there will be a fresh approach to the management of the newspaper and the GNNL directors will be the drivers of this.

“The Chronicle newspaper, which is the primary source of income

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of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited, has been one of the most abused newspapers in any part of the world politically speaking. It was allowed to be reduced to the status of a political rag or a political broadsheet where views, except those of the ruling party/government were allowed. And therefore, there is a credibility problem that the members of the board will have to confront. And the credibility problem is being able to tell the people of Guyana that this is your property, this is reflective of all of us, all of our views,” the Prime Minister said. He, however, pointed out that while the State media will be carrying opposing views, it will be doing so responsibly, noting that it will not be used as a tool to denigrate anyone. The Prime Minister was referred to as an “intellectual jackass” by the Guyana Chronicle under the former administration.

Inclusive and acceptable “The board will have to guide the newspaper on issues of policies to make the newspaper national, make the newspaper inclusive, make the newspaper acceptable, make the newspaper something that you would want to read; that it has wholesome information on entertainment, sports, cultural items that may satisfy the needs of all the people

of Guyana.”

Prime Minister Nagamootoo spoke highly of the new Chairman, contending that as a member of a minority group, her appointment is historic. But he urged the board to make GNNL a national newspaper, one that is viable, competitive and sustainable, not trapped in debts by those who book ads and cannot pay, would not pay and never intended to pay.

“It is there in the market, it is a competitive market and while it is a State paper, it has to fend for itself. It has to be able to sell goods that are saleable and at the same time make profits to keep itself viable and to be able to provide minimum standards for the employees who occasionally have to don long booths to walk in water when the rains come down or have to sit in a canteen that is surrounded by asbestos or something objectionable that no one will feel comfortable eating in that environment,” Prime Minister Nagamootoo told the new GNNL Board. Both La Rose and Panday in accepting their appointment say that the look forward to working in their new role and to transform the respective state media they have been assigned to viable, truly national and competitive entities.

By Tajeram Mo

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ums totalling over $100 million have been budgeted to clean and desilt street drains, alleyways and canals as the ‘Clean-up my Country’ campaign continues.

According to a GINA press release, work in the city is being conducted by the Mayor and City Council and areas being targeted are Agricola, Mc Doom, Houston, Ruimveldt, Bourda, Lacytown, Le Repentir and South Cummingsburg. It said over $5 million have been allocated for the cleaning of avenues and verges.

Flooding in Albouystown Wednesday after a few hours of rain Meanwhile, the Bourda Cemetery is being cleaned of garbage and overgrown

weed and similar work is set to begin at Le Repentir Cemetery, which is in the process of being fenced. The release said that according to City Hall officials, the cemetery will be weeded regularly, once the weather permits.

Parapets and verges in Carmichael, Main and Camp streets have been manicured and the M&CC is conducting similar work in other wards in the city.

The release said work in Lacytown and Bourda was budgeted at more than $65 million with $6 million for the Bourda Cemetery. At Agricola, Mc Doom and Houston in excess of $25 million will be spent to enhance the communities, it added.

Caribbean Star Newspaper

September 18 – 24, 2015

5

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

September 18 – 24, 2015

Body of Kaieteur tourist sighted Tuesday, members of the Guyana Defence Force and the Guyana Police Force were enroute to Kaieteur Falls where they plan to rappel down to the gorge in an attempt to retrieve a body believed to be missing tourist, Laleta Sivanand. The discovery comes in the wake of her disappearance on September 1 while on a tour of Kaieteur Falls.

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n Saturday, officials received word from Kaieteur National Park rangers that they had spotted a body in the gorge of the falls, which they suspected to be that of the missing woman.

It was confirmed yesterday that the remains are indeed that of the woman, given the attire she wore at the time she went missing.

Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman, who also has oversight responsibility for the management of the nation’s natural resources, confirmed to the Guyana Chronicle that his ministry had also received said information and that a team was on its way to the area to

retrieve it.

The minister explained that it is suspected that the remains of the woman would be in an advanced state of decomposition, given the time she was reported missing.

Asked about the likelihood of burying the body on location or bringing it to the city, Minister Trotman said that the government, through the relevant agencies, will try its best to ensure that the remains are brought out of the area, so that the woman’s family can accord her a decent burial.

Trotman said the team will take some time to meet to the area, as they have to do some trekking before moving into the

gorge, after arriving at the park by plane.

Persons familiar with the terrain said that the team will reach the location sometime today.

Up to yesterday, it was reported that the inclement weather in the area would also impact on the team’s achieving its goal.

Gyaneshwarie Sivinand reportedly plunged to her death earlier this month, while accompanying several other persons on a tour to the Kaieteur Falls.

The woman did not indicate to any relative that she was going to the location, and it was only after she was reported missing that contact was made with her family, who only then became aware that

she was in the interior location.

Persons on the tour with her said she had been very uneasy throughout the flight; she’d been crying and generally appeared to be in distress.

However, it was not her first visit to the area, according to persons close to her.

On the day the woman disappeared, she and the other tourists had visited the Falls and while they were heading back to the airstrip, she reportedly made an about turn and jumped to her death When it was realised that she was not among the other tourists, an alarm was raised, and a search party went looking for her but came up empty-handed.

There are unconfirmed reports that the woman was having relationship issues, and had planned to travel out of the country the same week that she disappeared.

After she was reported missing, the GDF Special Forces joined the search and completed a search of the gorge below Kaieteur Falls to no avail.

The Kaieteur National Park was temporarily closed as investigations were being led by the Guyana Police Force.

Additionally, there were immediate moves to review the Park’s operational protocols to ensure the continued safety of visitors to the magnificent site.

20

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

Jai Mata Di, My name is Dulcie Nirmala Paras and I am a gratified member of “The Shaanti Bhavan Mandir”.

It gives me great pleasure in writing today’s article on Navratri and what it means to me. You will also be able to enrich your knowledge in the significance and have a better understanding of the profound meaning of what this great period is teaching us.

As a young girl growing up in the East Coast Demerara, Guyana, Navratri meant Durga Paat, where we saw a coconut, a lime and a nutmeg being offered to the Divine Mother, with no clue as to why, and the special prashadam that was offered was forbidden to be eaten by anyone except married women. I was also told that if you perform this puja once and do not continue, something bad will happen, and this left me circumspect. But in years to come I was destined to realize that my limited perceptions of this auspicious period was not true. As I progressed through life, I started realizing the depth and meaning of this wonderful celebration through the medium of our Gurus, Pundits, Learned Individuals, and also having the texts easily available to us.

“Sir Google” is also a great asset at our finger tips, with any misconceptions we may have.

I have certainly come a far way and is now equipped with the knowledge of the significance of Navratri, which now takes me through the most divine experience, that was most often unreachable to the common man. The differences in my Navratris earlier and now have become perceptible! The frightened mind back then, has now transformed into tears of gratitude. The mantra chantings and soulful chalisas gave way to finding the divine’s presence inside one’s heart. Habits etched in our soul as a child, gave way to

freedom. This inward journey is beyond comparison and explanation! These nine night gives us a time for self-referral and an opportunity to eradicate the misery, sorrow, pain and false pride in our lives, giving us a chance to be the change we want to see.

Significance of Navratri: For Hindus, this festival is of great importance.

The beginning of spring and autumn are very sacred for Hindus as they denote climatic and solar influence, hence during this period Goddess Shakti- the ten armed goddess is worshipped. Navratri begins on the first day of a bright fortnight of Hindu month Ashwin. During the festival of Navratri, nine forms of Shakti are worshipped with dance and festivities which culminates on the tenth day; commonly known as Vijaydashmi or Dasshera.

Goddess Durga is worshiped by different names and in different manner during these nine days.

‘Durga’ in Sanskrit means ‘remover of miseries’.

Goddess Durga is the destroyer of evil so Nav – meaning nine and Ratri meaning nights, is the most auspicious time of the Hindu calendar. This festival holds much importance, for it is believed that by invoking Shakti, everyone is worshipping the energy behind the essence of this universe.

• First 3 days of Navratri: is dedicated to Durga Maa and her incarnations such as Kumari, Parvati and Kali are worshipped. The destructive aspects of Goddess Durga symbolizes the commitment to acquire triumph over all the evil tendencies of the human nature. The ego, anger, lust and other animal instincts, should be eradicated from within, which is represented by breaking a coconut.

• Second 3 days of Navratri: is dedicated to Lakshmi Maa - the goddess of prosperity and peace. Devotees approaches Goddess Lakshmi to acquire all the spiritual wealth and prosperity.

This is the reason why we offer the lime, asking Maa

September 18 – 24, 2015

to remove the bitterness we harbor within. Even though the devotee has acquired victory over evil tendencies, and prosperity and peace, he/she is still deprived of true knowledge. Knowledge is required to live the life of humane tolerance.

• Last 3 days of Navratri: is dedicated to Saraswati Maa – the bestower of knowledge. After the devotee has removed all the negative qualities from within for the past 6 days during the Navratri period, only then he/she is ready to absorb the principles elucidated by the Scriptures, represented by the nutmeg. The ninth and final day of Navratri is also known as ‘Mahanavami’.

On this day, Kanya puja is performed to worship nine young girls, who have not yet reached the stage of puberty. These nine girls symbolize one of the nine forms of goddess Durga and is worshipped, and fed. The Dandiya and Garba Raas (stick dancing) is encouraged as a way of celebrating. The festival

7

ends with Ramnaumi, to be celebrated on March 28th this year.

The nine days of Navratri are also an opportunity to rejoice in the three primordial qualities that make up the universe. Though our life is governed by the three gunas, we seldom recognize and reflect on them.

The first three days of Navratri are attributed to tamo guna, the next three days to rajo guna and the last three days to sattva guna. Our consciousness sails through the tamo and rajo gunas and blossoms in the sattva guna on the last three days. The three primordial gunas are considered as the feminine force of our magnificent universe. By worshiping the Mother Divine during Navratri, we harmonize the three gunas and elevate sattva in the atmosphere. As I close, I invite you to come celebrate Sharad Navratri with us at the Shaanti Bhavan Mandir, 112-06 Jamaica Avenue, starting October 13th – 21st, 2015.

Jai Ho!

8

Caribbean Star Newspaper

September 18 – 24, 2015

JetBlue in discussions to start flights to Guyana

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LORIDA, United States, Tuesday September 15, 2015 – US airline JetBlue has initiated discussions with the Guyana government about introducing flights into that country.

The initial talks were held on the sidelines of the recent Florida Conference on Current Caribbean Issues: The Diaspora Discussion and will be followed up with a team from the airline visiting Guyana to address the issue in more detail with the relevant government ministries and agencies.

“Jet Blue has indicated its interest in providing service to Guyana and I have indicated to the airline that Guyana is ready to welcome them,” Guyana’s Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge said after having discussions with JetBlue’s Vice President for Network Planning Dave Clark.

“There are some specific issues such as fuel costs in Guyana and others that have to be addressed but I would say they now have a clear indication that they are welcome and we are prepared to examine and seek to resolve the issues about which they have concerns.”

It is widely speculated that JetBlue is eyeing service to Guyana with a stopover in a destination such as Barbados before introducing a direct service from New York once it acquires aircraft that can handle long haul flights.

GUYANA’S FOREIGN MINISTER CARL GREENIDGE AND JETBLUE’S DAVID CLARK IN DISCUSSIONS IN THE GARDENS AT MIRAMAR CITY HALL IN FLORIDA.

Family Time

By Tivanie Singhroy

S

ita Ram. My name is Tivanie Singhroy and I am a proud member of the Naujavaan Mandalee Youth Group of the Shaanti Bhavan Mandir.

Today I would like to tell you how much I enjoy spending time with my family. I am very lucky to have my entire family, mom, dad, sister and my nani.

My mom and my nani help me get ready for school everyday. I am very happy to have my mom take me to and from school. My nani cooks a lot of delicious food for me. I am so happy to have her. My sister helps me with my homework and does my makeup for all my performances. Even though she yells at me sometimes, I know she loves me dearly.

My dad is the best. He takes me shopping all the time! And he carries me up the stairs whenever I fall asleep in the car.

Some of us are very lucky to have our family with us all the time. My message to parents and grandparents is to spend quality time with your family. It will make a big difference in their lives. Children need to know that they are loved and cared for. Do little things together. Take a walk together or simply read a book in the afternoon cool breeze. If you live in my house, reading is a must. Mom keeps books everywhere. You can even find them in her car!

I wanted to write about this topic because I have a friend in class who is always sad. Everytime there is a class activity for the family, his parents never attend. He would sit at his desk and cry.

I asked him one day why his mom and dad never comes to his class. He said he doesn’t know. I felt really bad for him. I wish that one day his family could come and spend some time with him.

Kids very much love to have their parents around, so please make sure when you plan your day that time is set aside for your children and family. I know many parents who spend many hours of their day on non important things. Please do not rob your kids of their much needed family time. They need your love and support in order to take on the challenges in life. Do not let them down.

I thank god everyday for my family.

Jai ho!

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Caribbean Star Newspaper SCHOOLBOY, 12, SHOT DEAD

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WELVE-YEAR-OLD Yakini Charles was among thousands who began their Secondary school education in Trinidad and Tobago last week. tuesday , his life was ended, snuffed out by gun-wielding criminals who made him a statistic, the 298th person to be murdered in the country for the year so far. The young pupil died at hospital yesterday after being shot multiple times by unknown assailants on St Andrews Lane in Belmont yesterday morning.

It could not be ascertained whether Yakini was on his way to the Tranquillity Government Secondary school where he started classes last week, but he was in uniform when residents found him bleeding on the roadway after gunshots were heard.

It was originally thought that he had reported to school earlier in the morning and was sent home because his uniform did not

conform with school requirements.

But checks by Newsday revealed he was not listed among students who were so disciplined.

Minister of Education Anthony Garcia said yesterday he had heard about the murder of the schoolboy, but did not have full details. Saying he intends to find out, Garcia expressed concern about this murder and in the interim extended condolences to the family.

According to reports, Charles was walking along St Andrews and Hermitage Lanes at 8.45 am when gunshots rang out. The young boy reportedly ran north on Olton Road and collapsed.

He was rushed to Port-ofSpain General Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

He was the 12th murder victim for the year under the age of 18.

Eight spent shells were recovered at the scene.

The death of the pre-teen has left his family in a state of shock and disbelief. His grandmother and great-grandmother Lucille and Ianthe Layne told reporters, Yakini was a blessing on the entire family...a blessing which was snatched away violently. “He was such an enthusiastic and helpful child,” said Ianthe.” He would help you with anything that you needed. Sometimes he would see me working and say ‘come nah granny, let me help you’.” Newsday was told that the entire family was going to surprise Ianthe for her birthday when she celebrates today. But she said she got an even bigger surprise when a friend of Yakini’s came to their home and informed them that he had been shot. “I am going to be 97 years old,” said Ianthe.

September 18 – 24, 2015 “I have never in my life had to come and endure pain like this.

To come now in my old age and feel such sorrow, I just don’t know.” The boy’s grandmother Lucille, said Yakini was excited to go to school.

“He was very excited about the projects he had to do for school,” said the grandmother.

“He asked one of his aunts to get two notebooks and some brown cotton for a project.

He even started talking Spanish last night when his aunt was picking him up with his home work. He said he liked Spanish but didn’t like French.” Police have not yet determined a motive for the killing, but relatives believe he was in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Relatives added that the area usually had a lot of gang activity and recently neighbours have been seeing strange persons lurking around.

Charles’ grandmother said she could forgive the child’s killers but she would never forget what they did. She called for the end to all the violence in her area.

“I just want them to put down

9

their guns,” said a sobbing Lucille.

“Please put down your guns!”

No arrest has been made and Belmont police are continuing investigations into the killing.

MINORS MURDERED IN 2015 Sean Carrabayo, 18, shot dead in Carenage on January 3 Ronaldo Hill, 15, shot dead in Cocorite on April 11 Brandon Lutchman aka Papi, 18, shot on April 8, died at hospital on May 12 Zane Chase, 18, shot dead in Laventille on June 2 Shmeichel Bynoe, 18, shot dead in Laventille on June 12 Dominic Robinson, 15, found dead with gunshot wounds in Arima on June 13 Keron Adams, 18, shot dead in Moruga on July 25 Jahiem Lord, two, shot in Chaguanas on August 15, died at hospital on August 17 Aaron Walker, 18, shot dead in Laventille on September 1 Michael Edwards, 17, shot dead in Mayaro on September 6 Amit Ramlogan, 18, shot dead in Belmont on September 12

It’s not just what you do, it’s who you do it for.

We are in your community helping you plan for the future, so that you and your loved ones keep enjoying all the good in life.

Indra Puran, CLTC, LUTCF Agent, New York Life Insurance Company 420 Lexington Avenue, 14th & 15th fl.

New York, NY 10170 (646) 266 5416 lpuran@ft.newyorklife.com http//:www.indrapuran.nylagents.com

© 2014 New York Life Insurance Company, 51 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010 Keep Good Going™ is a trademark of New York Life Insurance Company, all rights reserved.

Life Insurance. Retirement. Investments.

Registered Representative offering investments through NYLIFE Securities LLC (Member FINRA/SIPC), A Licensed Insurance Agency.

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GOOD

10

September 18 – 24, 2015

Caribbean Star Newspaper

Guyana Goldfields celebrates first gold pour G

- Granger stresses need for better safety, environmental care in industry

uyana Goldfields Inc (GGI) Tuesday celebrated its first gold pour with a grand opening ceremony in the Cuyuni that saw a pledge of a 20 to 30-year relationship with the country and President David Granger used the occasion to stress the importance of the industry to the economy while at the same time warning of improvements that were needed.

Following the August 4, 2015 pouring of its first gold bar—marking the culmination of a 19year search for the precious metal at the Aurora mine site—the Canadian mining company flew in dozens of guests for a tour of the mill and the unveiling of a plaque.

The Ministry of the Presidency said that the projected corporate income tax over the life of the mine is estimated at US$509 million. Projected payroll taxes are estimated at US$67 million; excise taxes, US$43 million.

In a stirring address, Granger stated that the presence of the mine in the middle of the Cuyuni/ Mazaruni region was a symbol of Guyana’s determination to develop its national patrimony and demonstrate its sovereignty over the Essequibo region, a clear reference to recent sabre-rattling

by Venezuela.

Chairman and Founder of Guyana Goldfields Incorporated. Patrick Sheridan (left) and President David Granger (right) during a tour of the SAG mill located at the mine. (Ministry of the Presidency photo) Declaring that “Guyana’s children must never be poor again,” Granger said that a little part of what was produced yesterday at the Aurora Gold Mine and in the future will be deposited into a Sovereign Wealth Fund, which his government is in the process of designing, and kept for posterity.

Amid the sweltering jungle heat, the President said that he was looking forward to increased

gold production by the company and the honouring of its commitment to creating needed jobs, evidence of which he said he saw yesterday.

He also called for full respect of the country’s occupational health and safety laws and said that Guyana Goldfields could become a model for large-scale gold mining and environmental compliance.

“We commit our government’s support to you and the entire gold mining sector,” Granger said while contending that the development of the hinterland is inextricably bound to the development of the people and the gold industry.

Turning to the challenges facing the industry and tracing its 150-year history including the gold rush of the 1890s, Granger noted that gold for several years had been the largest foreign exchange earner for the country but that the 2014 drop in the price had hit production, declarations and earnings. Rising costs, he said, had also led to the closure of small operators, the loss of hundreds of jobs and a decline in growth.

Describing gold as an important pillar of the economy, Granger said that the country would be better off if the industry was placed on sounder economic bases. He pointed out that in 2014 gold accounted for 7% of the Gross Domestic Product, US$469 million in foreign exchange earnings and a whopping US$648.5 million in 2013.

“We want the good times to come back,” Granger said, stating that the industry employs 15,000 persons directly and sustains about 90,000 in 18,000 households.

Speaking in the presence of former prime minister Sam Hinds and former minister of public works, Robeson Benn, the President referred to the three types of mining: the individual or placer, the entrepreneurial/medium scale and the large scale and said that all three will be sup-

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ported by his government.

Arguing that the industry was traditionally poorly managed even though profits were huge in the boom years, he said the introduction of mining regulations at the start of the last century constricted the industry as “easy come, easy go.”

Adverting to the collapse of the gold price from over US$1,800 to just over US$1,000 in the last few years, Granger said the industry has to be put on a sounder footing and he listed a number of things that had to be done for and by the industry.

Pointing out that four key gold nodes: Mabaruma, Bartica, Mahdia and Lethem remain but mere villages today and do not provide the type of services they should, he challenged the respective ministers in his government to ensure that the delivery of education, health and social protection are improved. He cited trafficking in persons and high mining fatalities. He added that there must be a public-private partnership to build infrastructure in these areas to enable safer transport.

He then argued that the industry has created problems for itself as there are persons who try to evade royalties and smuggle gold. In the backdrop of a major ongoing investigation into gold smuggling, Granger alighted on what he called the notorious case of 2012 when 476 lbs of gold believed to be from Guyana was stolen in Curacao and another in 2008 at Moleson Creek, Corentyne involving 30 lbs.

He said that the time had arrived for strategic policies and long-term plans in the industry.

First, he said, “we must have improved infrastructural development” arguing that the resource richest parts of the country like the Cuyuni had the worst infrastructure. Roads, bridges, stellings will lead to greater economic activity, he argued, adding that infrastructure must be seen as an investment and not a liability.

Second, there must be improved security, Granger said. Noting the presence in the gathering of Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud and Chief of Staff of the GDF Mark Phillips, the President said he would be having a meeting with them today. Advising that a plan was being developed for better security and was open for public input, the President said that there must be better security as gold mining had become increasingly dangerous, miners were being killed and criminal elements were moving into the area.

Addressing mining pit accidents was the third area of concern cited by Granger. He expressed anguish that 62 men had died in 60 months and 25 in 16 accidents – including 10 at Mowasi – between June 2014 and May 2015. “Mowasi…

Mowasi,” the President intoned, adding that foreign leaders had condoled with him on the tragedy. He said the death of 10 men in a population this size was a catastrophe and declared that the lives of men and women were more precious to him than mineral resources. He said that safety standards must be upheld. Citing the Commis-

sion of Inquiry that had been conducted into mining pit deaths, Granger said that enforcement capabilities will be strengthened and warned that legal action will be taken against companies and individuals in violation.

Perhaps the most impassioned part of his address referred to the protection of the environment. He stressed that land reclamation and reforestation of mined out sites must be mandatory and not optional. “Do not leave huge abscesses on the landscape… The days of a free for all are all over…we need to be more environmentally conscious.” He charged that entire communities were threatened by unsafe practices and river banks had been destroyed. “Rivers that looked like tea are now looking like chocolate,” due to high turbidity, the President said, urging that the industry pay attention to the impact of bad practices on human settlements.

The President also said there must be a firm stance against white collar corruption and illicit activities. Systems at the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission are to be improved and Granger said that mines officers have to be incorruptible. He declared that no one who pays bribes to a public officer will escape the long arm of the law.

He reiterated that the government wanted the three forms of gold mining to co-exist and to benefit from a level playing field. He however called for an upgrading of technology to lift the mining sector from the 19th century into modernity. “Guyana has to take a leap forward, a leap outward and a leap upward,” he urged.

He added that the administration is working on a 10-year plan to incorporate specific policies and to ensure that the gold industry remains a major contributor to the economy.

Guyana Goldfields’ investment here dates back to 1996.

The company expects to produce between 30,000 ounces to 50,000 ounces of gold in 2015, depending on how quickly full ramp-up is achieved, and around 120,000 ounces to 140,000 ounces of gold in 2016.

According to the plan for its Aurora Gold Project, the mine is designed to produce 3.29 million ounces of gold, averaging 194,000 ounces per year, over an initial 17-year mine life.

On October 5, 2011 GGI had announced that it had clinched a Memorandum of Understanding with the government for the Aurora Gold Project which sets mining royalties and paved the way for a mining licence.

The MOU had set out the key terms of the Mineral Agreement, also known as a Fiscal or Stability Agreement.

It said that significant among the terms of the MOU are: -Mining royalty of 5% on gold sales at a price of gold of US$1,000/oz or less -Mining royalty of 8% on gold sales at a price of gold over US$1,000/oz -Corporate income tax rate of 30%

Caribbean Star Newspaper

September 18 – 24, 2015

11

President receives investment proposals from business group in Canada

P

resident David Granger wrapped up what was described by organisers as a successful three-day visit to Toronto on Sunday during which he made repeated calls for Guyanese living in Canada to return and invest their skills and capital to help move this South American country forward.

The President also received investment proposals from a group of businessmen who are willing to start up small businesses in the hinterland and other parts of Guyana. President Granger was accompanied by First Lady Sandra Granger and Minister of Social Cohesion Amna Ally. During his stay in Toronto the President met with members of the organising committee that planned the visit on Friday evening, delivered the keynote address to over 700 supporters at a dinner and dance in his and the First Lady’s honour Saturday night, addressed business leaders and professionals at a brunch and spoke to local media at press conference on Sunday at the Riverstone Golf Club in Brampton, a Greater Toronto Area suburb. Throughout the visit whenever he spoke President Granger assured the audience that his new government is working hard to improve and strengthen the security sector internally and on the external front is aggressive in its use of the appropriate diplomatic channels to settle once and for all at the International Court Venezuela’s claim to Guyana’s territory.

“We are pursuing all the diplomat-

President David Granger and First Lady, Sandra Granger at the dinner in Toronto ic channels to have this matter settled once and for all at the International Court so don’t be afraid to return and invest in Guyana,” he told over 200 businessmen and professionals during the brunch. The President was passionate in addressing Venezuela’s claim explaining the origins of the dispute between Britain and Venezuela and the eventual 1899 Arbitral Award that defined Guyana’s current boundaries.

“We have the Chinese investing in forestry, the Russians in bauxite, the Brazilians in gold so why is it you Guyanese in the diaspora can’t work with me,” he asked to loud applause. President Granger said Guyana needs like yesterday engineers, financers, information technology specialists, educators and other skilled professionals to

return and invest and help develop the country’s almost non-existent infrastructure in the hinterland.

He repeatedly also boasted of the huge eco-tourism potential in Guyana’s hinterland waiting to be exploited and he said he would prefer Guyanese in the diaspora work with him to develop a world class eco-tourism product.

Other areas he addressed included the country’s high suicide rate, plans for a diaspora conference before the end of the first quarter next year and the establishment of a Diaspora Unit in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Guyana’s 50th Anniversary celebrations next year, new appointments to the Foreign Service, health and transportation services and the green restoration of Guyana.

This is the second time this year the President touched down in Toronto.

Back in April he visited while campaigning for the May 11 elections as Opposition Leader. Then the mood was hopeful that he would succeed in leading the coalition to victory. This time around people were simply overjoyed to see him back as President and he reminded those at the events that he is the President for all Guyanese and that he was engaging the Opposition Leader to work with him to achieve unity and a good life for all.

“The Opposition represents 49 per cent of the Guyanese population and the governing coalition 51 per cent and I’d be foolish not to engage the Opposition,” he said. During a break between the end of the press conference and the start of the brunch Sunday the President met with several business groups – in a format much like speeding dating – who presented proposals to invest in Guyana. Projects included information technology proposals to deliver internet to the hinterland, mini hydro systems mounted on barges using water flow in rivers to generate electricity, investment banking, carbon sequestering using the country’s vast forests and small tools manufacturing among others. The President promised to have the Minister of Business visit Toronto within the next few months to follow up with those who presented proposals with the aim of helping make as many of the projects as possible a reality.

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September 18 – 24, 2015

Caribbean Star Newspaper

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

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14

September 18 – 24, 2015

ISLAM

Peace / submission to the will of our creator.

QURBANI THE IMPORTANCE OF QURBANI

Allah Says in the Quraan, It is not their meat, nor their blood that reaches Allah. It is your piety that reaches Him. (QURAN) 2. It is related from Hadrat Ayesha (R.A.) that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wa Salam) has said: “There is nothing dearer to Allah during the days of Qurbani than the sacrificing of animals. The sacrificed animal shall come on the day of Qiyamah with its horns, hair and hooves (to be weighed in Sawaab).

The sacrifice is accepted by Allah before the blood reaches the ground. Therefore sacrifice with an open and happy heart.”

3. Hadrat Zaid ibn Arqam R.A. relates that the companions of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wa Salam) asked: “O Rasulullah what is Qurbani?” He replied: “It is the Sunnah of your father Ibrahim.” They asked again, “What benefit do we get from it?” He answered, “A reward for every hair of the sacrificed animal.” “And what reward is there for animals with wool? they asked. “A reward for every fiber of the wool,” replied the Holy Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi wa Salam).

4. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wa Salaam) has said: “The person who makes Qurbani with a willing heart and with the niyyat (intention) of Sawaab, then on the day of Judgment that Qurbani will shield him from the fires of Hell.” Every Muslim should take advantage of this opportunity and sacrifice as many animals as he can afford. The wealthy should make Nafil Qurbani for Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wa Salam), his Umma, and for their own living or deceased relatives. Permission for Nafil Qurbani is not necessary.

WARNING FOR THOSE WHO IGNORE QURBANI There is a tradition related form Hazrat Abu Hurairah (R.A.) that Rasulullah (S.A.W.) said that the person who has the means of performing Qurbani but does not do so should not even come NEAR our EIDGAH, (place of Eid Namaaz (Prayer)).

ON WHOM IS QURBANI Wajib?

1. Qurbani is Wajib on all Muslims (male and female) who are sane, Baaligh (have reached the age of puberty) and are the possessors of minimum Zakatable wealth (Nisab). It is not necessary that the ownership of such wealth be for a full year.

2. Qurbani is Wajib on a man for himself only, not for his wife and children. However, it is his duty to see that his wife’s and grown-up (Baaligh) children’s Qurbani are made if they are possessors of Nisaab. If he makes their Qurbani out of his wealth with their permission, their Qurbani will be valid.

3. Qurbani is not Wajib on poor people (who do not possess wealth equal to Nisaab) nor on travelers (Musaafirs) nor on minors. If a minor reaches the age of puberty or a Musaafir (traveler) becomes a Muqeem (resident), i.e. by completing his journey or in-tending to

stay in one place for 15 days or more, before the sunset of the 12th Zil Hijjah, then Qurbani is Wajib on them.

4. Qurbani on behalf of a deceased person is Wajib if he had made a Wasiyyat (Request) that it should be undertaken from his wealth, provided the cost does not exceed one third of his net estate.

5. Qurbani is Wajib on a person who makes a Nazr (Vow), i.e. if a certain work of mine is carried out I will make Qurbani, then Qurbani becomes Wajib on him when that task is accomplished. This Qurbani must be carried out in the days of Qurbani, unless it is generally excepted and understood that merely slaughtering an animal on ANY DAY is referred to as Qurbani, and this had been the intention of the person who made a vow, then it will be permissible for him to sacrifice an animal on any day.

6. If a poor person buys an animal during the days of Qurbani, with the intention of Qurbani then it becomes Wajib upon him to sacrifice this animal. However, if this animal dies or gets lost, Qurbani will not remain Wajib on him. It will not be necessary for him to buy another animal. If he buys another animal and thereafter the first one is found, it becomes Wajib upon him to sacrifice both animals.

7. A person, on whom Qurbani is Wajib, purchased an animal for sacrifice. Thereafter this animal was lost, stolen or died. In such a case, it will be Wajib to sacrifice another animal in its place. If, after purchasing the second animal the first one is found, the sacrificing of only one animal is Wajib upon him. If he sacrifices the second animal then it is preferable to give as charity the difference in price between the two animals, if there be any, difference e.g. the 1st animal had cost him $100, and the second had cost him $ 80. He should now give $ 20 as charity. However, it is preferable to make Qurbani of both the animals.

8. A person, on whom Qurbani is Wajib, bought an animal for sacrifice. Due to some reason he did not slaughter it on the fixed days of Qurbani. It is now compulsory upon him to give the animal away, alive, as charity.

If he did not purchase the animal and Qurbani was Wajib on him, it is obligatory for him to give as charity, the value of an animal.

9. If a person, on whom Qurbani was Wajib, failed to carry it out for a number of years, should give the value of that number of animals as charity. Slaughtering of that amount of animals during the days of Qurbani will not compensate for the missed Qurbani, but will instead be regarded as voluntary Qurbani.

10. If a person carries out Qurbani on behalf of a person on whom Qurbani is Wajib, without his permission and without his knowing; this Qurbani will not be valid. If it is done with his permission or instruction, it is permissible.

Caribbean Star Newspaper

11.It is Mustahab (preferable) for those intending to make Qurbani not to cut their hair or clip their nails (from the time the moon for Zil Hijjah is sighted until after Qurbani.

12.Qurbani is an Ibaadat that has to be carried out every year on which it is Wajib. Being a Hajee is not a condition for Qurbani becoming Wajib.

THE TIME FOR QURBANI 1. The time for Qurbani begins after Eid Salat on the 10th of Zil Hijjah and ends at the setting of the sun on the 12th of Zil Hijjah.

2. It is better to make Qurbani on the first day, then the second day and lastly the third day.

3. Qurbani is allowed during the two intervening nights but it is preferable during the day because of the possibility of not slaughtering correctly.

4. People living in remote village areas where Eid Salat is not performed, may slaughter after Fajr time (Subah Saadiq-early dawn) has set in on the morning of the 10th Zil Hijjah.

5. If a person residing in a town (where Eid Salat is performed) sends his animal to the village (where Eid Salat is not performed), it is permissible that his animal be slaughtered before the Eid Salat.

6. If a doubt occurs as to whether it is the 12th or the 13th, it is Mustahab (preferable) to give away all the meat in sacrifice after slaughtering the animal.

7. If an animal bought for Qurbani was not slaughtered during these days, it must be given away alive, as charity.

8. These days, i.e. the 10th, 11th and the 12th of Zil Hijjah are known as AYYAAMUN NAHR(the days of slaughtering).

CONDITIONS FOR THE QURBANI ANIMAL 1. Qurbani can be made of goats, sheep, cattle and camels; male or female: No other type of animal is allowed for Qurbani.

2. Castrated animals may be used for Qurbani. This type of animal is preferable.

3. Qurbani of barren animals are also allowed.

4. Goats, sheep have to be at least one year old. However, very healthy sheep that looks one year old may also be used.

5. Cattle must be at least two years old.

6. Camels must be at least five years old.

7. Sheep and goats count as one share per animal. Cattle and camels are divided into seven shares per animal, i.e. the Qurbani of seven persons is allowed with one cow or one camel.

8. If a person sacrifices one cow or camel (without sharing with others), his Qurbani will be accomplished by the whole animal, If the sacrifice several animals instead of one, his Wajib Qurbani will be accomplished by one animal and the other animals will be counted as Nafil (voluntary) Qurbani.

9. If less than seven persons make Qurbani of a cow or camel, it is permissible. If any person’s share is less than one seventh, the Qurbani of all the persons will not be valid.

10.If more than seven persons share one COW or camel, the Qurbani of none of them will be valid.

11.When more than one person makes Qurbani a cow or camel, it is a condition for the validity of the Qurbani of all the persons

that each one of them has the Niyya (intention) of Qurbani or Aqeeqa. If any one of them intends to merely eat meat, the Qurbani of all the shareholders will not be valid.

12.When buying a cow or camel one made an intention that he will share this animal with others. After purchasing the animal, he intends others to share with him. This Qurbani will be proper.

13.At the time of purchasing a cow or camel one makes the intention that he will not share this animal with others It is now not good for him to share that animal with others, but if he does, the Qurbani of the share-holders will be valid. Qurbani will also be valid if he is a person upon whom Qurbani is Wajib. i.e. a rich person if he is a poor person then he will have to make Qurbani for that number of shares that he has given to others. If the days of Qurbani have passed, then he must give the value of that amount of shares to the poor.

14. The animals chosen for Qurbani should be healthy, free from faults and defects.

THE QURBANI ANIMALS THAT HAVE THE FOLLOWING DEFECTS CANNOT BE SACRIFICED: 1. An animal that was born without horns or the horns had broken off from the middle, can be used for Qurbani. If the horn has broken off from the root, it cannot be used for Qurbani.

2. Those animals that are totally blind or have lost one-third or more of their eye-sight, or one-third or more of the tail is cut, are not allowed for Qurbani.

3. An animal which limps and walks on three legs and cannot put the injured (4th) leg onto the ground, or that it can put the injured leg onto the ground, but is unable to walk on it, cannot be used for Qurbani. However, if it is unable to walk on it, but can still take support from it, then Qurbani is allowed with it, even though it is limping.

4. Animals having no teeth at all cannot be used for Qurbani. If an animal has lost some teeth only, and has most of the teeth, Qurbani is permissible with it. If most of the teeth are lost, Qurbani is not proper with that animal.

5. Animals born without ears cannot be used for Qurbani. Animals with very small ears can he used for Qurbani.

6. Animals that are so thin and weak or sick that they are unable to walk the place for slaughtering, cannot be used for Qurbani.

7. If an animal sustains an injury whilst slaughtering, ea. a leg breaks or an ear is cut etc. the Qurbani of such an animal will be valid.

8. An animal was bought in a healthy and perfect state. After purchasing it, an accident occurred which rendered the animal unfit for Qurbani. In such a case, if the purchaser is not wealthy (Saahib un Nisaab), it will be permissible to offer the same animal for Qurbani. If the purchaser is Saahib un Nisaab (possessor of Nisaab), then it is compulsory upon him to obtain another animal in place of the injured animal.

9. If an animal bought for Qurbani gives birth (before being slaughtered), then thisnewly born animal should also be slaughtered.

Shayk Abdullah Khan Abdullah.khan@ihsanacademy.org

Caribbean Star Newspaper Inquiry into public service set to begin - 30 statements already in

G

uyana’s public service will shortly come under in-depth scrutiny by a commission of inquiry that will examine the quality of recruitment and pay to that category of government employees.

The hearings, set to commence later this week or early next week, will be open to the general public for oral presentations, and will be held at the Public Service Department, Waterloo Street.

The three-member team, under the chairmanship of Professor Harold Lutchman, will be examining means of bettering the public sector, including reviewing the current age of retirement and making recommendations.

While 30 statements have been received, the commission has issued a call for other submissions urging the populace to get involved.

“We have not come here with pre-de-

September 18 – 24, 2015

15

termined decisions…we are going to listen to Members of the Public Service Commission of Inquiry, from the stakeholders for an left: Sandra Jones, Chairman Professor Harold Lutchman efficient public sector,” and Samuel Goolsarran with its secretary Geeta ChandanLutchman stated yesterEdmond yesterday (GINA photo) day at a press briefing.

The other two commissioners are Sandra Jones and Samuel bers of the public have been calling and Goolsarran. emailing the secretariat with statements Secretary to the Com-mission Geeta about their experiences in the public serChandan-Edmond said that the mem- vice. She said statements have also been received from persons in the diaspora.

Chandan-Edmond also guaranteed that the process of persons making submissions will be impartial.

The commission of inquiry was established by President David Granger.

The commission’s mandate, established by its terms of reference states that it will, “Inquire into, report on, and make recommendations on the role, functions, recruitment, training, remuneration, conditions of service and other matters pertaining to personnel employed in the Guyana Public Service.”

It will also determine what measures should be taken to improve the efficiency of the public service in the discharge of their duties to the general public and review the methodology used in classification and recruitment of those workers.

Further, the COI will examine the principles on which salaries and wages of public servants should be fixed specifically; the mechanism for the determination of wages and salaries, the level of consistency between the salaries and the various levels of public servants and the basis on which enumeration for various levels of public servants is determined.

The three-member commission informed that they were not privy to the cost of the COI or how much they will be earning as commissioners and that at this time that was not their focus. They said that a review of the public sector in Guyana was long overdue since it’s only through periodic analysis that governments are able to ascertain what works and what needs upgrade and changes.

“We are not concerned about cost at this stage, you cannot look at cost,” Lutchman stressed as he explained that the main objective was the bettering of the public sector.

He said that the commission’s main concern was also to see “to what extent the recommendations made will reach down to the public servants and others.”

Additional submissions can be forwarded via email to moc.liamg@noissimmocstnavrescilbup or sent to the secretariat at the Public Service Department on Waterloo Street. Any additional inquiries can be made via telephone at 2254321.

Nonetheless the commission will be visiting the three counties to interface with public servants and persons who use the services of the public service.

Lutchman pointed out that while government has given a tentative duration period of three months, it was too early to determine if the renewal option given will be used.

16

Caribbean Star Newspaper Herstelling killer nabbed …was promised $1.7M on terms September 18 – 24, 2015

OSWALD Junior Yaw, 21 years, of East Ruimveldt Back Circle, who was allegedly hired by the wife of Herstelling block-maker Nathan Persaud to kill him, was arrested last evening by police who had staked out a city location for four days.

C

rime Chief Wendell Blanhum has confirmed that the man was arrested by ranks of the Major Crime Unit who had received intelligence about his whereabouts. The man was taken to the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters last evening where he reportedly confessed to the crime and gave details about the contract to kill 47-year-old Nathan Persaud last Thursday on the instructions of his wife Gwendolyn Persaud.

She was remanded to prison on Monday when she appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennon charged with the murder of her husband.

The hitman told the police that he was promised $1.7 million by the man’s wife to murder the man.

He explained that on the day in question he caught a minibus and travelled to Diamond where he met the woman and the final plans for the murderous act were settled.

According to him, the woman told him

that she would sell a pool table from her shop to give him a part payment and subsequently he would be paid in installments for the job. Those installments were to be paid at $100,000 per month until the entire $1.7 million was paid off.

On Sunday when this publication spoke with one of the woman’s sons, he said that his mother had sold off a few of their assets, including a large pool table which she had in her shop.

Yaw explained to investigators that after the plan was finalised he and the woman caught a minibus out of the community and during the journey she continued to instruct him on how the killing must be done and provided him with directions to the man’s house.

The minibus then stopped at Herstelling where the hitman disembarked and the deal was for him to meet her in Georgetown after he had killed her husband. The man followed the instructions and after murdering the man he travelled

to the city.

Yaw also told the police that he went into the community and searched for the address and after locating it, he befriended the man and had a cordial conversation with him. During the conversation the hitman realised that he could not commit the murderous act in the open and so he requested to use the man’s washroom.

As the man entered the house first to direct him to the washroom, he saw a clay brick and immediately picked it up and lashed the victim to the head. At that point the man began fighting up and he picked up a knife and stabbed him.

He then used a hammer and bashed the man to the head and face. He told the police that once he was satisfied that the man was dead, he left the house and boarded a bus to Georgetown.

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The suspect also confirmed that he was interested in securing the money for the hit in order to visit his girlfriend in Antigua to surprise her for her birthday.

Nathan Persaud was laid to rest on Monday while his wife who admitted to hiring a hitman to murder him was charged and remanded to prison on Monday also. The husband and wife who were married for approximately 23 years were involved in a bitter property dispute.

The dead man’s mother on Sunday said that what her daughter-in-law did was very heartbreaking as she had treated her like one of her own children. The woman’s son expressed disgust at the role his mother played in murdering his father and described it as a very, very messed up move by her.

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WHY SHOULD GOD LET YOU INTO HEAVEN? I f you should die before tomorrow’s sunrise, would you be in Heaven? The Bible tells us of two places beyond the grave: there is Heaven and there is Hell.

Most people trust the information in the Bible, proven for centuries it is the Word of God. However, there are still some who reject its truths. Well, one day we will all find out the truth. Someone asked a man once, “You don’t have fun like the rest of us. You go to church and live so reserved.

You say you want to go to Heaven. If you find out when you die there is no Heaven, what will you do?” The man’s reply was classic, “I will be satisfied I lived a good life. You live in sin and say there is no life after death. If you find out when you die there is a Hell, what will you do then?”

Because of Bible teaching, we set ourselves to live with good morals and hope to make it to Heaven. The question still lingers, “If you should die tonight, why should God let you into Heaven?”

There are many popular misconceptions regarding life beyond the grave.

“The grave ends it all” or “there is no life after the grave.” We hear this all the time. It may be said like this: “there is no Heaven and Hell; Heaven is your good times here and Hell is all your troubles here.” This is the motto of people who want to live without any regard to God or godliness. These in their pride reject the existence of God, Heaven or Hell.

They are all-sufficient in themselves and totally independent of God. Well, if that is true, we all don’t need to observe any moral code because there would be no accountability at the end of the journey.

But our hearts and conscience tell us this is not the fact. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”

Hebrews 9:27.

“All good people go to heaven, no matter what.” Think about it, there is some good in the worst among us and there is some bad in the best of us. Either way, we are not “all good.” This is just our nature and we can’t escape from it. Some people would have you believe you get to Heaven if your good outweighs your bad.

The question will be, “When are our good deeds good enough to open Heaven’s doors for us?” So what about those bad things on our record? The fact is, if you can’t get rid of the bad, you can’t enter into that Holy City. The Bible teaches no one can enter into eternal life by doing good deeds or trying to keep the commandments. “ Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Psalm 53:3). “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Ro-

disobedience, but He moved to restore them in a right relationship with Him. God provided clothing for them by way of an animal skin. That means the life of an animal was sacrificed for them. He promised He would send the Seed of the Woman to crush the head of the Serpent. That plan unfolded in Scripture so we understand Jesus was the Seed that paid a dear price for our redemption and freed us from Satan’s power. This is God’s means of bringing lost mankind back to Him and opening the door to Heaven for us.

mans 3:23).

“You have to be baptized to go to Heaven.” These are the ritualistic folks.

It is unfortunate that people are led to believe if they perform some rituals and give to charities they will be okay with God. It leads people to think they don’t need God’s forgiveness for sins. They think they can serve both God and mammon and still make it to Heaven – all you need is to get baptized. However, our names on the church register and our attendance to rituals and ceremonies do not secure our place in Heaven.

“If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:6-10.

“The preacher can pray you into

heaven at the funeral.” How can we live contrary to God’s Word and expect on funeral day someone can pray to open Heaven’s doors for us? Absolutely not true! “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10.

God wants all people to go to heaven.

The heart of God is for every soul to make it to Heaven rather than go to an eternal Hell. 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” God took the initiative and acted to redeem fallen mankind in the Garden of Eden. After the Fall by Adam and Eve, they were separated from Him by sin. He loved them enough to not condemn them for

“I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh to the Father, but by me.”

Jesus declared this powerful truth in John 14:6. Skeptics of the Bible rail at this as narrow-minded. It is not narrow-minded: it is an open invitation to everyone.

It speaks the truth, yet excludes no one.

There is no other way to heaven except through Jesus Christ and His righteousness that is imputed to us. Only the holy will go to heaven so just being a good person will never be enough to inherit eternal life. How can a sinner be made holy? “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:10). There is hope for us because “For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.” (Hebrews 2:11). God will let us into Heaven if He sees the image of His Son stamped on our lives. Jesus forgives our sins on account of the price He paid on the Cross. His Spirit in us helps us live in righteousness and prepares for Heaven.

He wants to save anyone who calls on Him. He will forgive you right now if you ask Him and you will be ready for Heaven. God will let you in because of His Son Jesus Christ in you.

Take your family to church this weekend.

Pastor Haniff Bacchus Calvary Assembly

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September 18 – 24, 2015

Caribbean Star Newspaper

UN agency offers anti-corruption prosecutor help A United Nations (UN) anti-corruption agency has proposed to assist Guyana with a UN prosecutor on corruption to ensure thorough investigations of such crimes in the future.

R

egional representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Amado Philip de Andres said Wednesday that after being stone-walled by the previous PPP/C government on corruption discussions, the response from the APNU+AFC government has been positive and finalized proposals coming out of discussions could be implemented as early as year-end.

“It is also important to mention that with the previous government, the UN had a lot of problems because the Government of Guyana is party to the United Nations Conven-tion against Corruption and now we are reviewing the implementation by the Guyanese authorities of this convention. We never obtained any response and now with the new government we are obtaining strong responses that the fight against corruption… [is] for real,” he told reporters. de Andres was part of a UN team that visited the Attorney-General’s (AG) Carmichael Street office to discuss issues which falls under the mandate of the UNODC. The agency aims to assist member states in their struggle against illicit

drugs, crime and terrorism. Transnational crimes centered on crime and the trafficking of drugs have been worrisome for Guyana and over the years, evidence has emerged that corruption at various levels have helped to fuel these types of crimes.

The UN representative explained that yesterday’s meeting was an “initial mission” coming on the heels of discussions with the prime minister one day earlier. He said that UNODC is a specialized agency which works closely with the UN resident coordinator who is based in Guyana.

Regional representative of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Amado Philip de Andres (right) makes a point during a meeting with Attorney General Basil Williams yesterday.

At left is UNDP Resident Representative Khadija Musa.

He said that the discussions so far are twofold: prevention and prosecution, and investigation with regards to corruption and money laundering. He informed that in the case of the AG, UNODC was looking at some options for asset recovery and specialized anti-corruption investi-

gations.

One option, he said, is to support the government and, more particularly, the AG with a UN prosecutor on corruption “working mainly to mainstream legislation and ensure that future investigations on corruption which I would say are more and more sophisticated, are carried out in the right way.”

Reporters were inform-ed that given the positive response from government, the UNODC has already had discussions with Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman which were centred on supporting government in the establishment of a network of compliance officers. “In the Ministry of Planning or public works when you have procurement, you always have your one or two or three compliance officers certified by the United Nations so that is one option we were discussing with the minister,” de Andres said while adding that the other option is to have an anti-corruption diploma course for civil servants with some specialization on transparency which “could be a kind of like the entry door to good anti-corruption practices for any government official at the technical level.”

He said that the UNODC is also interested in working with the private sector as it is felt that this body has a major role to play. “Guyana will have an expanding private sector in the next five years and something we would like to explore is how the private sector will work hand-inglove with the government of Guyana and

the Attorney General’s office to prevent and also to fight corruption,” he said.

Asked how soon the results of these discussions would be seen, de Andres told reporters that through the office of the UN resident coordinator, UNODC will lay over a list of proposals to government in the next few weeks. “It is for the government to approve or to make some recommendations. Once that happens which could probably take place in October, we would be ready providing that funding is available for what the government needs…we could start sometime between December and January next year,” he disclosed.

AG Basil Williams told reporters that the meeting was to re-discuss wide ranging issues with specific emphasis on anti-corruption, asset recovery, money laundering, trafficking in persons and other aspects of transnational crimes. He said that the discussions so far have been very “informative.”

Williams said that government is interested in anti-corruption, noting that while in opposition, “we fought valiantly against corruption in the last government. So we are very much interested in correcting corruption in Guyana…we welcome the proposals and these discussions have opened certain avenues that we can follow.”

He said that he has requested certain things from de Andres which he hopes will be received so that “we will be able to move on from there.”

After trailed from airport…Woman, son, 13, robbed at gunpoint

- stolen phone tracked to Agricola A woman and her 13-year-old son were held at gunpoint and robbed on Tuesday night minutes after arriving from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

R

owena Bowen, a Travel Agent, of Lot 2 Shell Road, Kitty, had landed from Miami at the CJIA airport around 10.30 pm on Tuesday when she noticed a suspicious man standing and looking at her at the arrival terminal.

“On the way down from the airport I just had this feeling that maybe somebody was following. I kept looking back constantly and saw a car following us all the way down from the airport,” she told Stabroek News . She said that she constantly kept her eyes pasted in the rear view mirror and noticed that the car kept following them. She explained that while every other car would drive pass them and go in different directions, this one specific car, which she had noticed next to the car that had picked her up at the airport, kept driving slowly behind them.

“At one time coming off the back road

I said let me see if the car is really following us but it didn’t turn exactly and started to drive slowly. After a while I noticed it behind us again all the way on Sheriff Street, into Campbell Avenue, into Middleton Street and into Barr Street, where I finally lost sight of it,” she said.

Bowen said that when they arrived at her Shell Road home she told the driver that she thought someone was following and that they should not stop and continue going somewhere else. The driver said he didn’t notice any vehicle and so she exited the car and was walking up the stairs to her front door when she noticed two young men walking in the street.

“At that point while I was going up the stairs something tell me to throw my passports away so I threw them in the plant pot beside the stairs,” she said.

She recounted that the two men

walked pass the house and so she subsequently picked up the passports from the plant pot. After they turned back and started walking towards the house again, she said, she had another gut feeling that told her to hide the passports again and she did.

“After they passed the house again one of them wave me off and continued walking and my son asked me if I knew him and I said no,” Bowen said.

She added that when the men were about 10 feet away from the house they suddenly turned back and rushed towards the driver of the car. She said one of them pulled a gun on the driver and the other rushed up the stairs and demanded her bag.

“He said that he would kill me if I don’t give him the bag and so I gave it to him and he turned around and tried to run away,” she said, but fell down the flight of stairs onto the concrete below. She said the man who took her bag was “a youth” and he was dressed in a white t-shirt and khaki pants. After he fell, she said, he quickly got up and escaped with the other man.

She said she then called the police station and police officers arrived promptly and a search ensued.

The two men escaped with about

US$750, a camera, and a Samsung phone.

Bowen’s nephew tracked the phone throughout the night and it was located at Vlissengen Road, Hadfield Street, and finally at Houston.

She added that while when she passed Houston there was a road block on the East Bank Highway, the police had not stopped any vehicles that matched the description of the one she gave.

She said her nephew checked the location of the phone around 2 pm Wednesday and it was in Agricola.

Police have yet been able to arrest anyone in connection with the robbery.

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Term life insurance protects your family and your budget.

“Should I buy term or permanent life insurance?” That’s usually the first question most agents are asked when they meet with a new client. While permanent life insurance is often a better long-term value, there are times when term life insurance makes perfect sense. Let’s examine each of these circumstances more closely.

If you are just starting out: Term life policies offer young families and people on a budget an economical way to protect their lifestyle. That’s because these policies provide simple, dependable coverage for a limited period of time, and are therefore less expensive than policies that provide lifetime coverage and

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If you are underinsured: As indicated above, the premiums on term life insurance policies are generally affordable. Therefore, you may find it easier than you thought to purchase supplemental coverage and increase the amount of protection you and your family enjoy.

If you have a short-term

need: In many cases, people purchase term life insurance policies to give themselves extra financial protection during critical—or particularly vulnerable—periods in their lives. Some common examples include purchasing a new home, starting a business, sending a child to college, or having a spouse leave a job to care for an aging relative.

If your needs may change: One of the best things about term life policies is the fact that you can typically convert them to permanent life insurance if your needs change down the line. And because the ability to convert is often guaranteed—even if your health changes—this feature essentially preserves your future insurability.1 Deciding on the right type

of life insurance isn’t easy. It is, however, vitally important—especially for young families who may not have had enough time to build up a financial safety net on their own. In many cases, term life insurance can be a viable option; however, you may find it well worth your while to consult an insurance agent and make sure you have considered all your options.

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September 18 – 24, 2015

GuySuCo records highest weekly production since 2012

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he Guyana Sugar Cor-poration (GuySuCo) says it has recorded its highest week of production since 2012 due to an increase in turnout among cane harvesters.

“The improved cane supply to the factories resulted in better factory performance,” GuySuCo said in a statement on Monday, while announcing that it produced 9,441 tonnes of sugar in its seventh week of production.

In particular, GuySuCo credited “major contributions” from Skeldon, Albion, Rose Hall and Blairmont estates, which it said surpassed their weekly production target, as well as a 95% achievement by the Wales Estate. GuySuCo noted that Skeldon, Albion, Rose Hall and East Demerara estates all recorded an over 70% attendance by cane harvesters during the seventh week.

Further, it noted an improvement in attendance at Wales Estate, from below 50% for the last three crops, to above 60% for the current crop, after meetings with the workers’ union about the situation.

The second crop has not been without issues and GuySuCo cited strikes as well as a poor turnout of 56% among harvesters at the Blairmont Estate. As a result, Blairmont recorded a punt weight of 5.42 tonnes, which was less than the 6.36 tonnes industry average.

In contrast, GuySuCo said, the Skeldon Estate nearly outperformed the others, only falling behind Albion. Skeldon pro-

duced 2,116 tonnes of sugar last week, while Albion produced 2,166 tonnes.

Additionally, GuySuCo reported that Skeldon has exported 1,184,000 KWh using bagasse fuel during the last week and to date 24,184,000 KWh have been exported to the national grid.

Skeldon commenced grinding two weeks after the official start of the second crop and to date has produced 7,774 tonnes of sugar. The estate is expected to surpass its dismal first crop output of just 8,000 tonnes by the end of this week.

The last crop target for Skeldon was set at 17,000 tonnes.

Given the rate of production, Skeldon is projected to produce over 30,000 tonnes of sugar for the second crop.

The troubled Skeldon estate, inclusive of the US$110 million factory, has been under scrutiny since its start-up due to its inability to deliver promised production rates.

GuySuCo currently produces sugar at US$0.40 per pound but Skeldon’s cost of production is higher than the industry average.

Meanwhile, although production has significantly increased in the second crop, GuySuCo has not adjusted either the second crop production target of 146,300 tonnes or the overall 2015 target of 227,443 tonnes. The second crop production total currently stands at 46,883 tonnes.

Caribbean Star Newspaper Kitty woman charged with stabbing former co-worker in bar brawl

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Kitty woman found herself facing a wounding charge yesterday after she allegedly stabbed her ex-workmate during a brawl at the popular Seeta’s Bar in Kitty.

The accused, Shonette Gonsalves, 21, was charged in a Georgetown court with unlawfully and maliciously wounding Alana Duncan on August 19.

Gonsalves, who resides at 73 Dowding Street, Kitty, was not required to plead to the indictable charge.

According to the police report, on the day of the wounding, Gonsalves and Duncan were both at Seeta’s Bar but the two were seated at separate tables. An argument ensued between the women, which eventually led to Duncan pouncing on the victim and stabbing her several times, police say.

Prosecutor Deniro Jones told the court that Duncan, who was present in court, had sustained serious injuries and had been hospitalised but was subsequently released.

Jones had initially stated that the two ladies were unknown to each other, but Duncan informed the court that the two had been acquainted before as they were both employed at Seepaul’s Sports Bar together before Gonsalves was dismissed.

Jones told the court that he did not ob-

Shonette Gonsalves ject to bail being granted to Gonsalves as long as the amount was substantial.

Gonsalves was placed on $120,000 bail

by Magistrate Ann McLennan and the matter was adjourned to October 14 for reports.

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

Swami with a Mission

By A special correspondent

in the country (837 girls to 1000 boys).

The launch was done amid much fanfare with senior Cabinet ministers Maneka Gandhi, Ravi Shankar Prasad, J P Nadda, Smriti Irani, Haryana CM M L Khattar and actor Madhuri Dixit present.

In a speech, Modi said, "We cannot call ourselves citizens of 21st century by practicing such a crime and we by our mindsets belong to 18th century when daughters were killed soon after they were born."

Referring to Haryana, PM said it was very painful for him to see that in a state which produced a woman like Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian

here are religious leaders and there are swamis, who perform rituals, yet there are swamis who perform not only rituals for ritual sake but are also helping to eradicate wrong doings and social dogmas prevailing in the society. Swami Aryavesh, president, World Council of Arya Samaj, is doing exactly the same in India. He is currently visiting New York, representing the Arya Samaj, one branch of Hinduism.

Swami Aryavesh, while visiting New York, was invited to Maharishi Dayanand Gurukula in Jamaica, New York. He received a warm welcome

by Dr. Satish Prakash. He was also accompanied by Dr. Balvir Acharya. Dr. Acharya, a noted scholar on Vedas, when in the US, gives lectures at various universities and other institutions.

Formerly known as Jagvir Singh, advocate, he did not pursue his law practice but took to the cause of humanity. He comes from Haryana, India.

Swami Aryavesh’s presence fills the room, where he sits. He has softer yet very convincing way of speaking.

He talks about his work in India, which has brought recognition and some satisfaction, “but the work is not even close to finished.”

There are other people in the room, who talk about his social work and his charitable works. Swami has been instrumental in curtailing the drinking menace in his state Haryana. He travelled with his mentor Swami Indravesh throughout India and abroad.

Swami Indravesh, Swami Aryavesh took to white clothing first to practice chastity and humbleness, but after Swani Indravesh’s passing in 2006, he took a vow of celibacy and became ‘sanyasi’ or a celibate.

His major contribution is starting the message of -"Beti Bachao" or save the girl child. It was a campaign in Haryana and outside to end the gender-selective abortion of female fetuses, which has skewed the population towards a significant under-representation of girls in many Indian states. Sex-selective abortion or female foeticide has led to a sharp drop in the ratio of girls born in contrast to boy infants in some states in India. Ultrasound technology has made it possible for pregnant women and their families to learn the gender of a foetus early in a pregnancy.

The trend was first noticed when results of the 1991 national census were released, and it was confirmed to be a worsening problem when results of the 2001 national census were re-

Ramesh D. Kalicharran flanked by (L) by Swami Aryavesh president World Council of Arya Samaj and (R) Dr. Balvir Acharia a noted scholar on Vedas. leased. The reduction in the female population of certain Indian states continues to worsen. Rates of female foeticide in many states are increasing, and the rate of girls is 900 to 1000 boys in 2001, which is still dropping.

“We asked the government to tell us, where are the missing girls, since there was a big drop of girl population in Haryana.” Swami said.

But the government was not able to answer, and that made them do further research and they found out it was female feticide.

“Then the Government of India introduced The Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994 to curb this practice and brought into operation from 1st January, 1996. PNDT Act and Rules have been amended keeping in view the emerging technologies for selection of sex before and after conception and these amendments have come into operation with effect from 14th February, 2003, but it has yet to be seen in actuality. The campaign, which is supported by human rights groups, non-governmental organizations, and state and local government in India, is still in infancy stage.

It has been observed that the trend is most pronounced in relatively prosperous regions of India. The dowry system in India is often blamed; the expectation that a large dowry must be provided for daughters in order for them to marry is frequently cited as a major cause for the problem.

One school of scholars suggests

that female foeticide can be seen through history and cultural background. Generally, male babies were preferred because they provided manual labor and success the family lineage. The selective abortion of female fetuses is most common in areas where cultural norms value male children over female children for a variety of social and economic reasons. A son is often preferred as an "asset" since he can earn and support the family; a daughter is a "liability" since she will be married off to another family, and so will not contribute financially to her parents. Female foeticide then, is a continuation in a different form, of a practice of female infanticide or withholding of postnatal health care for girls in certain households. Furthermore, in some cultures sons are expected to take care of their parents in their old age.

The campaign has reported some success in parts of India. In 2009, it was reported that in Gujarat, rates of female births increased from 802 to 882 for every 1000 male births. Beti Bachao activities were credited with this improvement. Meanwhile the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, made an emotional pitch to end discrimination against the girl child on Thursday. He launched twin programs of "Beti bachao, beti padhao" and "Sukanya Samriddhi account" in a bid to encourage birth and education of girls and tackle the abysmally low child sex ratio. PM launched the two schemes from Panipat in Haryana that has among the lowest child sex ratio

woman to have travelled in space, "other Kalpana Chawlas are killed in the wombs of their mother". In Haryana there will be a Kalpana Chawla Medical University at 100 acres of land in Karnal district. Incidently, John Hopkins uUniversity is collaborating with Kalpana Chawla University in Haryana.

Swami Aryavesh, following Swami Dayanand Sarswati’s message of equality and educating girls, did a lot of work fighting drug menace in Haryana and outside, said we took a sarvadharma jan chetna yatra - we started from district Rajkot in Gujarat to golden temple in Amritsar in Punjab, since swami Dayanand was born in Gujarat. We started the yatra on festival of lights, Diwali Day, since people worship Goddess Laxmi on Diwali. Each girl born in a house is the Laxmi of the house.

“We want to see that the girls are educated, girls have respect in the society and girls are not killed before they are born.” Swami said.

‘If we list women, who were ahead in their field, you will be surprised.

Women were part of writing Vedas, Women were rishis or sages and scholars and great warrior queens and educationists. “”Lets not forget our culture and welcome a girl child with the same enthusiasm, we welcome a boy in the house,” he added.

Swami Aryavesh is visiting Arya Samaj Mandir in Jamaica Queens., New York.

Caribbean Star Newspaper

September 18 – 24, 2015

29

World News Highlights

MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistan Pakistan accused Indian troops of firing shells across the disputed border in Kashmir on Thursday and killing three civilians as tensions ran high in both countries just weeks after they called off high-level peace talks.

ILLAPEL, Chile - Residents picked through the rubble of destroyed buildings in central Chile on Thursday after a magnitude 8.3 earthquake killed 10 people and sent powerful waves barreling into coastal areas, forcing more than 1 million people from their homes.

BEIRUT - The Syrian military has recently started using new types of air and ground weapons supplied by Russia, a Syrian military source told Reuters on

Thursday, underlining growing Russian support to Damascus that is alarming the United States.

source said on Thursday, potentially raising hopes more will come to light in an incident still shrouded in mystery.

HAVANA - Flattered by a third papal visit in less than two decades, Cubans feel especially warm to Pope Francis for his fellow Latin American blood, humble image and help towards ending hostilities with the United States.

TOVARNIK, Croatia - Amid chaotic scenes at its border with Serbia, Croatia said on Thursday it could not cope with a flood of migrants seeking a new route into the EU after Hungary kept them out by erecting a fence and using tear gas and water cannon against them.

VATICAN CITY - The Vatican said on Thursday it hoped Pope Francis’s trip to Cuba would help bring an end to a 53-yearold U.S. embargo and lead to more freedom and human rights on the communist island.

ACAPULCO, Mexico - Mexico has caught one of the supposed masterminds behind the apparent massacre of 43 student teachers last year, a police

ROSZKE, Hungary - Viktor Orban’s fence may have earned the wrath of rights groups but it’s going down well at a flower market near the Hungarian border town of Roszke, where the flow of migrants through fields of corn and sunflowers has suddenly dried up.

as a leading candidate to succeed Angela Merkel one day.

What he lacked in charisma, he made up for in competence and reliability, the same traits that had vaulted his boss into the German chancellery.

WASHINGTON - The United States on Thursday said it had repatriated a Guantanamo Bay detainee to Morocco, marking the seventh confirmed detainee freed from the detention camp so far in 2015.

HONG KONG - China’s apparent construction of a third airstrip on its man-made islands in the disputed South China Sea could fill a gap in Beijing’s anti-submarine defenses, complicating operations for the U.S. Navy and its allies, Chinese and Western experts said.

BERLIN - A few years ago, Thomas de Maiziere was seen

WASHINGTON - The head of

the U.S. Senate’s military committee criticized the Obama administration on Thursday for failing to challenge China’s building of artificial islands in the South China Sea by sailing within 12 nautical miles (22.2 km) of them, saying this amounted to de facto recognition of Chinese claims.

HAVANA - Colombia’s leftist rebels said Thursday for the first time during three years of peace talks that they were ready to discuss steps towards becoming a legal political movement.

KIEV - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko ordered six European journalists to be removed from a newly-published sanctions list, officials said on Thursday, in a swift U-turn after the list was criticized by the country’s Western allies.

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Caribbean Star Newspaper Happiness is a choice. But peace of mind is a gift— Vp Premier WEEKLY HOROSCOPE September 18 – 24, 2015

The weekly horoscopes are updated on every week to gives you an in-depth insight into your family, your love life, any career opportunities, friends and money issues.

ARIES

(March 21-April 19) It’s Monday and you’re feeling incredible. It’s fantastic to wake up feeling so refreshed. The world is full of beautiful people and at least one of them seems to really like you. Expect romance to consume you for the next couple of days -- lose yourself in it, be creative, go on an adventure together -- at least until Thursday, when you’re probably going to have to put your head down and concentrate at work in order to get everything done.

Worry not: You’ll get everything done and then you’ll have the entire weekend to think about youknow-who and relax.

LEO

(July 23-Aug. 22) It’s amazing what you’ve done, you know that? On Monday, people are thoroughly impressed. And they keep talking about you in glowing terms through midweek. The weird thing about your sudden celebrity is that you never expected it: You were just going along in the world, getting stuff done and being you, and before you knew it you found yourself at the center of this social circle. Toward the end of the week, it’s only natural that you’re going to want to have some alone time, just to figure everything out. Plan your next move. And make some sense of what’s going on in your love life.

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21) You know those travel plans you were thinking of making? Whatever happened to them? Don’t put them off any longer. Monday and Tuesday, make a plan to go somewhere exotic and then just do it. No sense in being nervous. You’ll figure out your way around in no time. And you’ll meet a bunch of new people. Plus, once you have your sights set on a vacation, work will start to seem a lot less annoying, especially Wednesday and Thursday. This weekend, someone’s going to drag you to the movies to see a comedy and you’re going to laugh for two days straight.

TAURUS

(April 20-May 20) Monday and Tuesday, you might have a power struggle to deal with. What is with people and their power trips over the silliest stuff?

Well, there’s not much you can do about it. Try to defuse the situation by taking the high road midweek. Not every battle is worth your time. And besides, come Thursday, you’ll have forgotten about all this. You’ll be too distracted by romance.

You and someone special are going to spend some time at a concert or art show, and you’re going to have an amazing time. All weekend you’ll be basking in the glow of happiness.

VIRGO

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22) The key to getting your week off to a good start is being flexible. The game plan is going to change a million times, and the more you’re able to adapt the happier you’re going to be. By midweek, do your best to be the one who calms everyone else down (and, whatever you do, don’t make things any more complicated or hectic than they need to be). The truth is, you don’t mind a little stress. You handle yourself amazingly well, especially on Friday. And it’s times like these that allow you to show off your true colors.

CAPRICORN

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19) It’s Monday and you’re having a tough time motivating yourself to do anything except stare out the window. (It’s a nice view, truly.) Not only are you lost in thought about other things, but everyone you work with is starting to get a little difficult, and it doesn’t seem worth the effort. Worry not -- by Wednesday and Thursday, everyone will be on the same level again. On Friday, you’re going to hear from someone you haven’t heard from in a while, and the conversation is going to be a blast from the past. You’ll spend the weekend thinking about the good old days.

GEMINI

(May 21-June 20) Monday, it doesn’t matter what the weather is like outside. Inside, you’re all sunshine. It may sound too good to be true, but that’s exactly how you feel. By midweek, it becomes clear that people really like being around you and talking to you and sharing their ideas, because you have a knack for conversations (and you’re also not too shabby on the debate floor). The weird thing is, at the end of the week you may find you’re having problems communicating with your family. (Some people just never listen!) This weekend, do something adventurous and high-energy. And see what you can do about getting you-know-who to tag along.

LIBRA

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21) You’re going to spend the beginning of the week surrounded by friends. What did you do to deserve such stellar people in your life? When you and your friends put your heads together, you have a tendency to dream up really big plans for the future. Which is exactly what you should be doing all this week, especially Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Sit back and take the long view of things. Don’t overanalyze anything. Be calm. The future is going to become clear soon enough. This weekend, you’re going to catch someone’s eye from across the room, and when you do, you two are going to flirt like crazy.

AQUARIUS

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18) You were hoping Monday would be smooth sailing, but no dice. Apparently, everyone else is feeling moody, and it’s going to take a little creativity on your part to get anyone to pitch in. Like any relationship, sometimes your work relationships require a bit of compromise. You’re fine with that. Midweek, what you aren’t fine with are folks who keep changing their mind for no reason. So, put your foot down. You are in control of the agenda. And worry not: It will all come together as you’ll see on Friday. This weekend, thankfully, you’ll get to spend some time with people who are on a more even keel.

CANCER

(June 21-July 22) Ah, extravagance. Do something really excessive for yourself at the week’s start.

Too much of a good thing, a wise woman once said, can be wonderful. And you totally deserve it. (Just make sure, of course, that you can afford it.) Midweek, don’t worry about whether people are going to think you’re showing off. You never show off. They know that. At the end of the week, you’re going to start to appreciate the value in the small things again. It’s going to be the details that really count. On Saturday or Sunday, you might have a run-in with a neighbor, but turn on the charm and everything will end smoothly.

SCORPIO

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21) It’s not a bad thing to have a big personality. But maybe Monday isn’t the day to flaunt it. It’s also not the day to ask for a raise. The boss seems to be in a bit of a grouchy mood, and your best bet is going to be to lay low at work and just get the job done. (You can always ask about a raise next week.) On Thursday or Friday, you’re going to learn a secret about a good friend of yours that’s going to make your head spin. You may spend the weekend lost in conversation with them.

PISCES

(Feb. 19-March 20) There’s no time like the present to start a new health routine on Monday. Not only will getting exercise and eating well make you look better, you’ll feel better too. Working out is amazingly great for your mind. And it’s a nice way to escape the current drama of work, which may flare up during the middle of the week. Later in the week, you’re going to be focused on some of your more mutually rewarding friendships. It’s nice to have great pals who know you so well they can finish your sentences.

Bandit caught after knife-point stick-up - threatened cops before surrendering to armed citizen

It was high drama Wednesday on Robb Street when one of two men who allegedly robbed a pharmacy worker at knife-point took the wrong route for his escape and ended up being caught.

M

arlon Roopnarine told Stabroek News that he and his girlfriend were walking to get a bus when a man pushed her in the corner while the other held him at knife-point.

“He say only talk I’ll juk you. I just tek the bag and knock he hand away but then is when he grab the band,” Roopnarine said, while showing a small scratch he sustained from the altercation.

“I holla thief and they turn back fo juk me up and I run meet the road head, and a car man come up with a baton and they

run in different directions,” he added.

Roopnarine is certain he can recognise the other assailant who made off with a gold band, worth $40,000.

“I see them early in the day. If I see them, I can recognise them,” he said.

The man who was held attempted to make good his escape along Robb Street but that proved to be a tactical error as he was confronted first by two police officers and then by a public-spirited citizen, who stopped him with a handgun.

A witness told Stabroek News that the

man, who has been identified as Kevin Alleyne, threatened the two police ranks with a knife.

“I heard a shout of ‘thief, thief’ and saw a man in a white top running along the pave. Two police officers from Police Consumers ran over to him but he pulled out a knife and started brandishing it at them, so they backed away. As he was approaching Republic Bank, a green pickup stopped in the middle of the road and I saw a hand with a small gun point at him,” the witness said.

The occupant of the vehicle directed Alleyne to drop to the ground, then exited his vehicle and put his foot on him.

It was then that Roopnarine arrived at the scene and explained that he had just been robbed by Alleyne, whom he identified by his face and a knife tattoo on his forearm.

As Alleyne lay on the pavement in front of the Republic Bank parking lot, a crowd gathered demanding that he be beaten, while an uncowed Alleyne protested that he had rights.

“I still ga me rights. I still ga me rights,” he shouted, even as he tried to justify possessing the knife, which he attempted to dispose of in a debris-clogged manhole.

“All the time I does walk with me knife.

I does always walk wid me knife,” he said.

The crowd, however, was having none of it. “You does always walk wid you knife fo juk people and threaten police, does is wa you does walk wid it fa?” one person shouted, while another demanded that Alleyne, “Shut you mouth, ’fore you get licks fo really mek you sing.”

Soon, ranks from the Brickdam Police Station arrived and arrested Alleyne.

Caribbean Star Newspaper

September 18 – 24, 2015

Entertainment News

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Avani Modi goes from bold to Tanishaa Mukerji conventional in 'Calendar Girls' to play a Pakistani

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v a n i Modi goes from bold to conventional in 'Calendar Girls'‘Calendar girls’ actress Akanksha was Kingfisher’s air hostessTeam 'Calendar Girls' at Emvies 2015Bollywood actresses who were calendar girls‘Calendar Girls’ trailer: All about fame, love and betrayal Madhur Bhandarkar introduces his 'Calendar Girls''Calendar Girls' not anti-Pakistan: Madhur Bhandarkar‘Calendar Girls’ teaser: Reminds you of ‘Fashion’ and ‘Heroine’Star cast of 'Calendar Girls' walked the ramp at the India Internati...Madhur Bhandarkar inspired by Vijay Mallya, ex-calendar girls Avani Modi, who makes her debut in Calendar Girls, was initially surprised when she learnt that she'd be play-

ing a Pakistani girl who aspires to become a supermodel in Mumbai.

But after director Madhur Bhandarkar convinced her, she took it up as a challenge. Interestingly, she is the only one of the five debutantes — Ruhi Singh (Miss Universal Peace and Humanity 2014), Akanksha Puri, Satarupa Pyne and Kyra Dutt being the other four - who wears everything from a burqa to a bikini in the film.

Avani, who also learnt how to wear a burqa and tie a hijab for her character Nazneen Khalid, says, "Wearing a bikini is no big deal. A lot of actresses wear a bikini just to show off.

I am playing one of the Calendar girls and my character required me to wear it. It's not shown in a sleazy way. Also, I feel that wearing bold outfits and doing intimate scenes have now become a part of our films."

Hit and Run: Bombay HC to hear Salman Khan's appeal on Sept 21

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he Bombay high court on Tuesday set September 21 as the date for hearing to resume in actor Salman Khan's appeal against his conviction and sentence for culpable homicide not amounting to murder after his car crashed into a bakery killing one person and injuring four others in Sep-

tember 2002.

Justice A R Joshi did not accede to a request from senior counsel Amit Desai who appears for the actor to defer the day-to-day hearing schedule by a couple of days, on the grounds that Khan's trial was to proceed around that time in Jodhpur for the Black Buck case.

The judge said one or two days will not make a difference, but added that on that day, depending on the situation a decision could be taken. The counsel who had received a fresh paper-book containing four volumes from the trial court accepted the compilation and the hearing has to now take place on merits of the case. The court would be shut for Ganesh festival on September 17-18.

The HC had last earlier asked the sessions court to prepare the paper book keeping the HC manual in mind on relevant documents being included.

in her next

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anishaa Mukerji has moved miles away from her personal relationship with Armaan Kohli and is concentrating fully on her acting career.

Trade gup has it that the spunky actress' next has her playing a Pakistani woman in a social drama that revolves around terrorism, directed by South-based ad man, Eshwar Gunturu.

Confirming the news, Tanishaa said, "It's a Hindi language film, which will feature a few American actors as well. I play the protagonist, who happens to be a Muslim woman."

Tanishaa is slated to leave for the US on a month-long schedule on September 18.

The actress will be seen wearing the abaya, commonly worn by Islamic women and will sport a thick eye liner to look the part.

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Rakhi Sawant to play Indrani Mukerjea?

ndrani Mukerjea changes stand, finally admits to role in murderIndrani Mukerjea saga: Shock and horror among Assamese womenIndrani Mukerjea spent most of last three years in UKRakhi Sawant wants another swayamvar in Rajasthan Television and Bollywood actress Rakhi Sawant has taken upon herself the challenging task of playing Indrani Mukerjea on screen, the prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case. Her next film, titled Ek Kahani Julie Ki, will reveal vital details in the case that has missed the police and media's sharp eyes.

Rakhi claims that Indrani is her 'best friend' and there are a few facts about her which even the police are unaware of. "I know many such things about the case that the media, police or the junta doesn't know. I will incorporate all this in my film.

I've been wanting to meet Indrani ever since she was taken into custody but the police isn't letting me. I'm trying my level best to get in touch with Smriti Irani, Union Minister for Human Resource Development, for help. She used to anchor a show produced by Indrani. I, too, was a part of that show," says Rakhi.

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Priyanka has put India on global platform: Bhandarkar

ilmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar says Indians should feel proud of his "Fashion" actress Priyanka Chopra for representing the country abroad.

"We should be proud of Priyanka Chopra because of her achievements. She has put India on the global platform," Bhandarkar told IANS. His next project with the actress, who is currently seen in American TV series "Quantico", is "Madamji".

"The film is extremely close to me because of the kind of subject it is. Even for

Priyanka, 'Madamji' is very important as she loves the subject of the film and is very excited about it, just like I am," said the director. Also clarifying about the delay, he said that the "Dil Dhadakne Do" actress is busy shooting other projects. "I am looking for a 60-day schedule for the film. Once we both are free, we will start shooting."

For now, Bhandarkar is busy promoting his forthcoming movie "Calendar Girls", set to release on September 25.

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September 18 – 24, 2015

Jake Gyllenhaal reacalls hilarious complaint letter to eatery

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ake Gyllenhaal wants to have kidsJake Gyllenhaal eyeing Boston Bombing movie 'Stronger'Jake Gyllenhaal trained hard for 'Southpaw'Jake Gyllenhaal shares 'powerful bond' with niecesJake Gyllenhaal: I miss Heath Ledger "Southpaw" star Jake Gyllenhaal says as a child he once wrote a letter to a fastfood chain after they took his favorite item off the menu.

Gyllenhaal, 34, said when he found out that his favourite item at KFC, Chicken Littles, had been taken off the menu, he wrote a letter to bring it back, reported Entertainmnet Tonight.

"I don't know if you remember: Kentucky Fried Chicken, when I was a kid, they had these things, (Chicken Littles)... like little hamburgers, but they were fried little chicken nuggets...

"They discontinued them, and in school, we were told to learn how to write a complaint letter, right? So I wrote a complaint letter to Kentucky Fried Chicken telling them (to bring them back)," he said.

After nearly 20 years off the menu, the Chicken Littles, now served with pickles and mayo, returned.

When Gyllenhaal was informed by a reporter of the news, he smiled and said, "I think I indirectly had something to do with that!"

Gyllenhaal will be next seen in the drama Demolition along with Naomi Watts.

Caribbean Star Newspaper Katrina Kaif, Kareena Kapoor don't want to be referred to as star wife/girlfriend

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here's an uprising in Bollywood. Not only are A-list actresses unhappy with the fact that they get paid less than one-quarter of what their male counterparts do, many of these successful women are also annoyed that they get referred to as just 'Mrs so and so', or 'Superstar's girlfriend'.

This has been bugging the daylights out of the women who are thinkers and achievers in their own right. Gone are the days when a woman in Bollywood was happy to bask in her partner's stardom.

Katrina Kaif, who was recently promoting Phantom, saw red when someone referred to her as Ranbir Kapoor's girlfriend. In the decade gone by, Kat has earned her stripes as a Bollywood superstar; she has also made it to Madame Tussauds and has many such achievements that have nothing to do with whom she is dating. To then refer to her just as Ranbir's girl is a bit misogynistic.

Her Phantom co-star Saif Ali Khan also rose to Katrina's defence when he said that there was more to Kat and his own wife Kareena Kapoor Khan than their roles as someone's partner

or wife. Saif was absolutely vocal that they should not be asked questions about their role in the kitchen or when they will deliver babies. His simple point being — they have also scaled pinnacles of success and so, should be treated like professionals.

While it may be incorrect to just generalise and say that most yesteryear star wives were content with revelling in their famous husbands' glory, the contemporary film wife is a different species.

Take the examples of women like Reena Khan and Sussanne Roshan.

When they reckoned they had irreconcilable differences, they held their heads high and made dignified exits from their marriages to superstars Aamir Khan and Hrithik Roshan.

And there are still others like Twinkle Khanna who

Zoe Saldana to star in 'I Kill Giants' Actress Zoe Saldana has signed on for a key role in "I Kill Giants", the upcoming film version of the graphic novel by Joe Kelly and illustrator Ken Niimura.

The story follows a young misfit girl named Barbara who grapples with monsters both real and imagined in her life, reported Deadline.

The 37-year-old Guardians of the Galaxy star will play Mrs Molle, the school psychologist who helps Barbara through her struggles and forms a tight bond with her as a result.

Saldana joins Madison Wolfe as Barbara, who was chosen for the role after a nationwide search of over 500 actresses.

Anders Walter is directing the film which is written by Kelly. Filming is set to begin in early 2016.

Saldana was recently seen in Infinitely Polar Bear opposite Mark Ruffalo, and will soon be seen in the upcoming "Star Trek Beyond".

allowed her personality to bloom personally and professionally. Twinkle, who always enjoyed intellectual pursuits, has a fan base because of her writing and also has a thriving interior decoration business. The columnist-author was recently quoted saying that she finds it ridiculous that a woman's identity is based on who her husband is, or the nature of his job.

Likewise, actresses like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan too are not content with just being trophy wives.

With each passing day, they uncover a personality trait and a steely resolve to continue with their conquests in the sun, not necessarily through their heavyweight marital surnames only. So, get ready to roll out the green carpet for the new Bollywood woman, whose goals go beyond that ghar ka aangan.

Caribbean Star Newspaper

September 18 – 24, 2015

33

Akshay Kumar to help drought-stricken farmers from Marathwada

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ana Patekar and Paresh Rawal’s Marathi connectionNana Patekar, Anaspure help farm widowsNana Patekar to return as director with biopicNana Patekar takes up the cause of farmer suicidesNana Patekar gives aid to kin of farmers who committed suicide Bollywood actor, Akshay Kumar, has taken an initiative to help drought-stricken farmers. Considering the worsening situation in the Marathwada region, Khiladi Kumar has pledged an amount of Rs 90 lakh for the families of drought affected farmers who've committed sui-

Oliver Stone's 'Snowden' pushed to next year

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uentin Tarantino's 'The Hateful Eight' to release on XmasWATCH: ‘The Hateful Eight’ trailer is dark, cold and goryQuentin Tarantino : 'The Hateful Eight' is about white supremacyJake Gyllenhaal's 'Demolition' to open Toronto Film FestivalPost-Snowden, UK watchdog issues online spying report Director Oliver Stone's biographical political thriller about Edward Snowden, the former government contractor, who leaked classified information, has been pushed from its original Christmas release to 2016.

The move bumps Snowden that stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Shailene Woodley from this year's Oscar race.

Sources say the film is not finished yet.

Distributor Open Road Films has not yet determined the movies new release date, said The Hollywood Reporter.

The development gives some breathing room to the Christmas Day frame, busy with five other wide releases - Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip, Concussion, Mark Wahlberg's comedy Daddy's Home, dramedy Joy and Point Break featuring Jennifer Lawrence - as well as Star Wars: The Force Awakens, opening the previous week.

Christmas Day also includes bows from Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight and new Leonardo DiCaprio-starrer drama The Revenant from Oscar-winner Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.

Snowden has been eagerly anticipated given that it is the first narrative feature to tackle the polarising figure, considered a hero by some and a traitor by others.

The Snowden documentary Citizenfour won this year's best documentary Oscar.

Kieran Fitzgerald and Stone wrote the screenplay.

Wildbunch is selling international territories on Snowden at the Toronto Film Festival. A spokesperson for Open Road Films did not comment.

cide.

This amount will be disbursed over the period of next six months. As a part of the initiative, an amount of Rs 15 lakh will be given out today (September 15, 2015) in Beed district. Aurangabad range Inspector General of Police, Vishwas Nangre Patil, is coordinating the entire event scheduled at Beed district police headquarters at 6 pm.

Recently, it was Nana Patekar, who had taken it upon himself to help the farmers of Maharashtra who are committing suicides due to the lack of money.

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

September 18 – 24, 2015

Caribbean Connections

Caribbean countries among 22 identified as major drug producing nations affecting US

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ASHINGTON, United States, Tuesday September 15, 2015 – Several Caribbean nations have been identified in the 2015 list of major illicit drug producing countries or drug-transit countries that “significantly affect the United States”.

Under the Foreign Relations Authorization Act (FRAA), the American president is required each year to notify Congress of countries that fall into that category.

On this year’s list are: the Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Panama, Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan and Peru.

Of those President Barack Obama has determined that Bolivia, Burma, and Venezuela

“failed demonstrably” during the last 12 months to make sufficient or meaningful efforts to adhere to their obligations under international counternarcotics agreements.

“In accordance with provisions of the FRAA, the President has also determined that support for programs to aid the promotion of democracy in Burma and Venezuela remains vital to the national interest of the United States and therefore grants Burma and Venezuela National Interest Waivers,” a statement from the U.S State Department said.

A country’s presence on the list does not necessarily reflect its counternarcotics efforts or its level of cooperation with the United States on illegal drug control, the State Department explained. The designation may just be a reflection of a combination of geographic, commer-

Step-dad killed, mom dies, now teen attempts suicide*

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EEKS after her mother committed suicide following the shooting death of her step-father, a teenager has allegedly tried to kill herself by drinking poison.

The 17-year-old girl was found in her bedroom on Monday, frothing from the mouth and unconscious.

She was taken to San Fernando General Hospital, where she was warded in serious condition.

The teenager allegedly attempted suicide despite the intervention of the Children’s Authority, which yesterday said it was providing help for the family.

In a telephone interview, a relative of the teenager said she was doing well at hospital and her condition was not life-threatening.

The teenager, of Penal, and her mother, Sherry Ann Seecharan, had been detained in connection with the shooting death of prison officer Robert Seecharan on July 29.

Robert Seecharan was her mother’s husband.

The teenager had admitted she fired the shot that killed her step-father.

cial, and economic factors that allow drugs to be produced and/ or trafficked through a country.

However, when a country on the list does not fulfill its obligations under international coun-

ternarcotics agreements and conventions, the President can impose sanctions.

Film company signs historic $125 million deal with Antigua government Filming ToolsTORONTO, Canada, Tuesday September 15, 2015 – Golden Island Filmworks has signed an unprecedented $125 million equity financing agreement with the government of Antigua that will see some of the money generated from the country’s Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) being pumped into film production.

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roducer Rudy Langlais and his partners, Caribbean social entrepreneur Valmiki Kempadoo, Toronto-based producer Don Allan and veteran multidisciplined film executive Neil Sacker, closed the historic deal that will see $125 million committed to an initial slate of five feature films.

Golden Island Filmworks, an independent feature film finance and production entity run by the quartet, will produce the films in collaboration with the government at a total cost of $250 million.

“The dynamic arrangement serves as a first-of-its-kind film financing model that uses funds generated by the Antigua Citizenship by Investment Programme. Funds collected from the highly sought after citizenship programme will be invested into the $125 million film

slate,” the company said in a statement.

“Through this venture, Antigua aims to establish itself as the centre for film production in the Caribbean. A portion of all films on this slate will be shot in Antigua, which will inject tens of millions of dollars back into the local economy and foster employment and growth.”

Antigua and Barbuda Ambassador-at-Large Dr. Joseph ‘Joey’ John, who is currently Special Consultant to the Prime Minister on the CIP, was instrumental in structuring the venture and Golden Island said it would continue to work on all components and phases of development and production associated with the film slate.

He said that of all the projects that he has had the privilege of bringing to Antigua, “this has the potential to create the

biggest impact on both the economy and the social transformation of Antigua”.

“It brings a whole new industry into Antigua that will affect tourism and culture,” he said.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne said the venture would contribute to the further transformation of Antigua and Barbuda as the economic powerhouse of the Caribbean through the power and art of film.

“We are welcoming the leading directors, actors and filmmaking technicians of the world to Antigua and they are coming to create exciting films that capture the beauty, mystery, history and complexity of our country, our history, our people,” he said.

Langlais said he and his partners had a dream for more than 10 years that the Caribbean, which has produced brilliant statesmen like Alexander Hamilton, Nobel Prize-winning poets and novelists, Derek Walcott and V.S Naipaul, legendary athletes like Sir Garfield Sobers and Usain Bolt, and perhaps the world’s greatest cultural icon in Bob Marley, should add its “voice” to filmmaking.

“We have wanted to join our colleagues around the world to share our stories and join in telling stories together. Now that time is here. Exciting films will come of this collaboration,” he said.

Caribbean Star Newspaper Cops: Businesswoman was kidnapped

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HE case involving businesswoman Carolyn Katwaroo, 43, who was last seen on Friday night leaving her San Fernando home is no longer being treated as that of a “missing person”, investigators said yesterday, but as a “kidnapping.” A high-powered team comprising officers from the Cyber Crime Unit, Homicide Region Three, Anti Kidnapping Unit, Southern Division Police and Criminal Investigation Department have been put in place to investigate.

Up to late yesterday evening there were no ransom demands, police said.

Today marks six days since relatives and friends have not seen or heard from the woman who is well-known in and around the social circuit including casinos in San Fernando and environs.

According to police reports, Katwaroo of Cedar Drive, Palmiste was last seen at 8 pm last Friday when she left home in her white Mercedes Benz (PBA 6700).

The car was found some hours later abandoned at Cypress Ridge in Union Hall, San Fernando.

Police said the car key was still in the car’s ignition while her cellphone and drivers permit were in the vehicle. Katwaroo, a divorcee with no children is a close friend of a well-known south mil-

lionaire businessman. A few years ago, she sold fruits and vegetables at the Penal market, but is now involved in the wholesale fruit and vegetable importation business.

Investigators said they have in their possession Katwaroo’s personal cellphone and have been checking all calls she made and received before her mysterious disappearance. It was reported that about two months ago, Katwaroo was attacked and beaten at her home and she had since become very careful about her movements.

Even as investigations continue into Katwaroo’s kidnapping, the search is continuing for a 15-year-old La Romaine student who has not been seen since Saturday after leaving home for dance classes in the area. Nadia Mohammed of Pemberton Street, La Romaine left home at 9 am for dance classes at Revival Ministries in La Romaine.

She failed to return home and checks with relatives and friends proved futile.

A missing person’s report was made.

Relatives described Nadia as brown in complexion, mixed descent with blonde and light brown hair. She is said to be of medium built, 5 ft in height and was last seen wearing long blue jeans and a brown t-shirt.

September 18 – 24, 2015

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Small earthquake off Trinidad and Tobago

ORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Wednesday September 16, 2015 – A 3.8 magnitude tremor was recorded off Trinidad and Tobago just before 1 a.m. today.

The University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre said the quake occurred at six minutes before 1 o’clock.

It occurred 64 km west southwest of San Fernando, 82 km southwest of the

capital Port of Spain and 100 km southwest of Arima.

There were few reports of residents feeling that seismic activity, unlike the the last quake recorded off Trinidad was last week.

In that September 10 event, 4.8 magnitude earthquake shook the twin-island republic, with reports of residents across the country feeling the shaking.

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Breaking News: Maduro suspends talks for new Guyana Ambassador

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he Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has suspended further talks with Guyana on the appointment of a new Ambassador to Caracas.

According to the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, Maduro decision followed statements made by Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge at the Florida Conference on Current Caribbean issues put on by the Institute of Caribbean Studies (ICS) and the Greater Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce last weekend.

Among his statements, the Foreign

Minister has said that Maduro’s latest claim on the Essequibo, which includes this country’s maritime space, stemmed from attempts to access oil and other resources.

As a result, Maduro has ordered his Foreign Affairs Minister Delcy Rodriguez to halt negotiations on the appointment of a new Guyanese Ambassador in Caracas. The new David Granger administration has announced plans to appoint new ambassadors at diplomatic missions around the world. The current Ambassador is Geoff DaSilva.

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September 18 – 24, 2015

Caribbean Star Newspaper Sarwan rules himself out of Jamaica franchise

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INGSTON, Jamaica, CMC- Guyanese middle order batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan has ruled himself out of representing the Jamaica Franchise for the 2015-16 Professional Cricket League (PCL).

The former West Indies captain had expressed an interest in playing for the franchise when the second PCL season opens on November sixth.

But the chief executive officer of the Jamaica Cricket Association, Courtney Francis, has confirmed that Sarwan is no longer available due to commitments in Guyana.

“He [chairman of selectors Wavell Hinds] informed me that he is in receipt of an e-mail from Mr. Sarwan expressing regret that he is unable to attend

our trial matches and our training, based on commitments that Mr Sarwan has in Guyana,” Francis told OBSERVER ONLINE. Franchise rules stipulate that squad members are required to participate in physical assessments and trial matches.

“That [his absence] would eliminate him based on those criteria,” said the local cricket CEO. If selected for Jamaica, Sarwan, 35, was expected to be paid on a game-bygame basis. Fitness concerns have hampered much of his senior career with the West Indies. Sarwan played the last of his 87 Tests against India in Barbados in mid-2011.

Emergency protocols in Jamaica as nurses withdraw services

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CEO: Kevin Mohabir Chief Editor: Rhoda Mohabir Head Of Distribution: Shevin Mohabir Director/Sales Manager: Kevin Mohabir Distribution: William Despot, Sham Mohabir, & Shevin Mohabir Sports Editor: Darshan Chikery Layout & Design: Michelle Disclaimer: Caribbean Star Newspaper Inc. & Advertisers are not responsible for typographical errors on the published Ads. We accept articles, artwork, and photography which are in accordance with our Mission. We reserve the right to accept, reject, or edit any material we receive but do our best to honor the integrity of the author/artist. We do not endorse any particular writer or advertiser. We simply offer our readers information on various subject matters. It is expected that all material is submitted in “Good Faith” with no intent to mislead or harm others.

It is the readers responsibility to make intuitive decisions that are right for themselves.

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he Ministry of Health says it has activated its emergency protocols in response to high levels of absenteeism by registered nurses in the public sector. The health ministry says an average of 52 per cent of nurses have been reported absent at several health facilities across the island.

It says while there has been no official notification of industrial action by the executive of the Nurses’ Association of Jamaica, the Health Ministry has alerted the ministries of Finance and Planning and Labour and Social Security.

The association’s president Janett Farr has said nurses, upset about the government’s protracted delay in paying retroactive money from the reclassification of the health sector, have withdrawn their services.

Health Minister, Dr Fenton Ferguson, says the ministry’s Emergency Operations Centre and emergency protocols are in place to ensure that operations at

health facilities are not severely hampered.

Ferguson says regional technical directors have all been alerted and directed to monitor the situation at the local level.

He also says the team at the centre has been contacting all hospitals and health centres to ascertain the extent of the problem.

According to Ferguson, the centre will ensure the ongoing monitoring of attendance of nurses and the impact on service delivery, provide guidance to the regional health authorities and determine the nature of the intervention that may be required.

The health minister further says the centre will maintain close contact with all service delivery points including regional health authorities, parish health departments, hospitals and health centres.

It says it will re-deploy staff, if the need arises, and periodically advise the public of measures being taken.

Alleged conman arrested after collecting money to buy guns for cops

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Kingston man is now in police custody for allegedly defrauding two policemen after he collected money from them to buy firearms but failed to deliver. It was reported that in 2012, the man, who reportedly had a close working relationship with the police collected money from the two cops to procure the private firearms at “concessionary rates.”

He reportedly told them that he had dealings with a private Corporate Area gun shop and “links” with the Firearm Licensing Authority, the Finance Ministry and the National Security Ministry.

However, after the money was paid

over, the man, said to be in his 50s, disappeared.

Head of the East Kingston police, Superintendent Arthur Brown says the man was taken into custody over the weekend.

However, he declined to comment on the specifics of the investigation, offering only that the man was arrested after he allegedly attempted to defraud members of the constabulary.

In the meantime, it is understood that although only two cops have so far come forward to give statements, other cops might have also been defrauded by the man.

Caribbean Star Newspaper

September 18 – 24, 2015

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US$1.8M Toucan Complex and Mall opens at Linden

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- Dr Joseph Haynes realises dream after years of challenges

he town of Linden has been injected with an estimated US$1.8 million investment in the form of the Toucan Complex and Mall, a realization of the dream of Dr Joseph Haynes to contribute to the community.

The complex houses 18 stores which includes a radio station, a dine-in movie theatre, a tennis court and a large swimming pool is located in Amelia’s Ward. It currently provides direct employment for 40 persons and was financed

by Republic Bank Ltd. Speaking at the opening of the complex on Saturday, Dr Haynes said the vision behind the project was that he, “wanted to provide something that can create the avenue to allow our children and youth to realise dreams that go beyond what they are doing.”

Haynes pulled no punches as he related the challenges and frustrations faced in accomplishing his vision. Referring to the unsupportive investment climate which was fostered by the previous administration, he said no concessions were given, despite several requests. “It was all done with money earned from hard work,” he said.

He recounted the many tribulations faced in hiring contractors and construction workers who worked only when he was at the worksite and produced shabby work. The unprofessional and devious nature of the contractors

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Members of the Haynes family at the ribbon cutting with Minster of Tourism Cathy Hughes (third, left), Joel Haynes (second, left), Dr Esther Haynes (third, right) and Dr Joseph Haynes (second, right) forced him to eventually take one to court, because the money that was assigned for the work was used by the individual to buy a truck. The project, which started in 2011, faced its most difficult challenge in 2012 when the people of Linden held numerous protests against the proposed hike in the electricity rate. The lowest point, he said, came when threats were made by persons to burn his establishment. Haynes said he questioned his reason for staying and investing in Guyana, but the desire to fulfil his dream was greater than the opposition he faced.

He expressed relief that on the third try he found his lifeline, Sunil Bhagwandass, who was able to finish the work that was started.

“Monies that were spent here over

and over to get things done, we could have had a lot more…,” he said. He urged Tourism Minister Cathy Hughes, who represented President David Granger at the opening, to have the government look into having contractors registered and made accountable. They must have licences in plumbing, electrical works and must be made liable for works that are substandard and defective, he opined.

He said, “We have to be driven by our dreams,” and Linden has lost its dreams. He counselled all to find their dreams and vision otherwise whatever they are responsible for will perish.

Minister Hughes reassured the audience that the government has already started to put measures in place to fast-track development

in Region 10 and that it envisages Linden as an economic hub.

She said Brazilian entrepreneurs would need facilities as they pass through the town to connect with the Linden/Soesdyke Highway to Georgetown. The increase of travellers will be facilitated by the collaboration between Guyana and Brazil to transform the highway into a freeway to the Takutu Bridge, she said.

She asked the people of Linden to understand, “We won’t return to economic prosperity tomorrow…

It will take some time to bring you back to a place of comfort with the facilities and systems in place to ensure your economic growth.”

She threw out the task to them to submit proposals for tourism projects because there are funding opportunities under the ministry that were not utilised under the previous administration.

She expressed appreciation to Haynes for putting “his money where his mouth is” and apologised for the struggles and challenges he faced. She also said that people need to demand excellence from contractors. Saturday’s grand opening also saw the presence of Region 10 representatives Members of Parliament Jermaine Figueira and Valerie Patterson, Region 10 Regional Chairman Renis Morian, President of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association Ivan Persaud and President of the

Guyana Lawn Tennis Association Grace McCalman along with many Lindeners.

The presidents of the two sporting fraternities in their addresses, expressed elation at the establishment of the tennis court and pool and announced their intentions to arrange competitions in Linden.

Persaud said that a swimming meet was being planned for October.

Haynes’s vision for the two facilities is to produce future Olympians from the community and provide a recreational option for young people.

His sister, Dr Esther Haynes, said that family played a major factor in the life of Dr Haynes and his parents who insisted on a firm educational foundation and played an integral role by being a positive example. They taught their 13 children lessons of entrepreneurship.

Haynes’s and eldest brother Cecil Haynes who reinforced the teaching of their parents said, “Joe was always a man of vision.” He said he was happy to make a surprise visit to assist in making his brother’s dream a success.

Haynes thanked God and his family who helped him through the herculean project that he said involved blood, sweat and tears.

He said, “The sky is not the limit but the beginning.”

The minister and the audience were later invited to take a tour of facilities.

Crackdown on illegal guns in 15 days -as amnesty programme winds down

HERE are 15 days remaining for the gun amnesty programme, and government has signalled its intention to thereafter apply the full force of the law against gun runners and holders of illegal firearms who have refused to hand in their weapons.The police have at their disposal the Firearms (Amendment) Bill 2013 which was passed in the National Assembly on January 17, 2014. The then PPP/C government had amended the antiquated law to include stricter penalties for offenders in an effort to curb trafficking and possession of illegal firearms. The law stipulates that traffickers of firearms, ammunition, explosives and/or related components must face the maximum penalty of up to five million dollars in fines and 10 years in jail upon conviction and indictment at the level of the High Court. However, a maximum penalty of $500,000 in fines and five years in prison can be meted out to offenders if the matter has been summarily tried at a magistrate’s court.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, on Monday inspected the firearms and ammunition that have so far been handed over to the Police Force. Some 1457 live rounds and over 30 firearms have thus far been surrendered by citizens.

From left are Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, and First Vice President and Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo. They are inspecting firearms and ammunition in the presence of Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud.

The gun amnesty period, which commenced on September 1, could be extended, according to its success, Minister Ramjattan told reporters during the inspection.

“Immediately after the month ends, there will be a crackdown on all illegal weapons in a harsh manner; so bring them (illegal guns) out now, because the full force of the law will be applied to all (persons) caught (with illegal arms and ammunition) after (the amnesty has ended),” Minister Ramjattan advised.

In regard to the fact that no assault rifles

have been surrendered to the police and this is a weapon used in all major crimes, Ramjattan said it is disappointing, but there is still hope, as 15 days are still available to the amnesty period. Underscoring that the amnesty is one of a voluntary nature and is not a buy-back process, Ramjattan emphasised that government is constrained by financial arrangements and cannot offer cash incentives at this point.

Considerable success Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo has said the Firearms Amnesty Programme has already seen considerable success, which suggests that the Guyanese nation is willing to bring itself within the ambit of the law. “I pledge my support and the support of the Office of the Prime Minister to this Amnesty Programme, and encourage all persons who have illegal firearms in their possession to bring them in during this period. My colleague, Vice-President Ramjattan, made it clear recently that, once the amnesty concludes, the police will deal condignly with persons who are found with illegal weapons,” the Prime Minister stressed. “I fully support this, and urge the magistracy and the judiciary to take judicial notice of the prevalence of crimes involving the use of firearms. There should be no discretion in imposing sentences under the law for il-

legal possession of firearms.”

Adding his view as a legal mind, Prime Minister Nagamootoo said he is of the view that the courts must review the granting of bail involving repeat offenders arraigned for illegal possession of firearms, or for the use of firearms in the execution of robberies.

“The Firearms Amnesty opens the door to those with illegal firearms to come forward and surrender their weapons. In the remaining days, I hope to see the delivery of more weapons, and that family members of holders of illegal weapons would plead with them to come clean,” Nagamootoo explained.

Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud has underscored that if a weapon was used in commission of a crime, that factor would be discovered through ballistics testing, which is being done on all weapons. He has also said the Police Force will not go after the person who has surrendered the weapon, since that person is immune from prosecution for possession of an illegal firearm.

“That person has absolute immunity, so he / she would not be prosecuted for possession of firearm. Immunity is only for the possession of the firearm, not for other crimes,” the Police Commissioner said.

By Rabindra Rooplall

38

Caribbean Star Newspaper

September 18 – 24, 2015

CRICKET & Sports

Australia cruise to 3-2 series win Australia 140 for 2 (Finch 70*) beat England 138 (Stokes 42, Marsh 4-27, Hastings 3-21) by 8 wickets

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t wasn’t a dead rubber, but neither was it a particularly competitive finish to the series. Led by a strong performance from their fast bowlers, who rolled England for 138, Australia cruised to an eight-wicket victory in the final ODI Old Trafford and ended their threemonth tour of England, which featured the disappointment of another failed Ashes campaign, with a 3-2 win in the one-day series.

Mitchell Marsh and John Hastings might hardly be the most intimidating pair of fast bowlers but it was they who caused England’s collapse, between them collecting seven of the nine wickets that fell. Aaron Finch and George Bailey then steered Australia past their target with ease. In the end, the fans barely saw half the amount of overs they expected - 57.2 in total, made up of 33 in England’s innings and 24.2 in the chase.

It was not only the result that was of concern for England, though. James Taylor captained England in the field after Eoin Morgan was struck on the helmet by a short delivery from Mitchell Starc

A

and was forced to retire hurt during England’s innings. Morgan was accompanied off the field by England’s medical staff and took no further part in the game.

But there was little Taylor could do with such small total on the board. Two wickets fell before the delayed lunch break - Joe Burns slashed at a wide one and edged David Willey behind for a duck, and Steven Smith edged behind off Mark Wood for 12 - but after the resumption it was a procession towards the target. Finch and Bailey ensured there were no further wobbles.

Finch struck 11 fours and one six on his way to an unbeaten 70 from 64 balls, and Bailey ended up not out on 41 from 45 deliveries. The winning runs came with a thick edge to the third-man boundary from Bailey, and Australia had something to celebrate at last. It was their bowlers who had set the victory up in the early stages of the day.

In an eventful first over Jason Roy was twice given out lbw off Starc by umpire Joel Wilson. The first Roy reviewed and

was found to have inside-edged onto his pad; the second he chose not to review and should have - replays suggested Starc’s delivery would have swung well down leg. Roy had scored 4 and Alex Hales managed only 4 as well, before he slashed Hastings to point and was caught by a juggling Glenn Maxwell. Taylor made it 22 for 3 when he edged behind off Hastings.

The sixth ball that Morgan faced was quick and short from Starc and Morgan turned his head and ducked, and was struck flush on the side of the helmet.

He appeared in some discomfort and after several minutes of assessment by England’s medical staff on the field, he retired hurt and did not return. England were effectively 22 for 4, and as it turned out, Australia’s best bowlers of the game had not even entered the attack.

Marsh picked up three lbws through the middle overs, using his tight delivery line from close to the stumps to ensure his deliveries often pitched in line. Jonny Bairstow was given not out but found to be out on review for 10, and both Willey and Ben Stokes were lbw to balls that pitched on leg, straightened, and would have struck either leg or middle stump.

Stokes was frustrated to depart for 42; he had been the only England batsman who looked like he might push the score up to something more competitive. Stokes struck six fours and one six,

down the ground off Marsh, but his departure left England at 85 for 7 and gave Marsh his fourth wicket - Moeen Ali had earlier edged behind driving loosely for 5.

Hastings returned to claim a third wicket when Wood holed out to deep extra cover, and at 106 for 8 England were asking a lot of Adil Rashid and Reece Topley, a man who in 104 previous first-class, one-day and T20 matches combined had managed only 103 runs.

It was credit to Rashid and Topley that they put on 32, the second best partnership of the innings.

Rashid struck five boundaries and finished unbeaten on 35; Topley remarkably got off the mark with a five, a badly-judged single that was joined by four overthrows when Maxwell’s ping at the stumps from point missed. Topley was the last man out, lbw to Ashton Agar for 6, and Morgan did not return to the crease at the fall of the ninth wicket.

Hastings finished with 3 for 21 from his ten overs and Marsh picked up 4 for 27, outshining the much quicker Starc and Pat Cummins, while Agar was fortunate to even get a bowl at the end of the innings, and sent down two overs.

The strong bowling effort ensured that Australia got their hands on some sort of trophy on this tour - just not the one they most wanted.

‘I’ll regret it for the rest of my life’ - Faulkner

llrounder James Faulkner has spoken of his regret at making the decision to drink and drive in Manchester in July, which cost him his place in Australia’s limited-overs squads for the recent series in England. Faulkner has returned home to Tasmania having helped Lancashire to the county T20 title, but he is £10,000 worse off after being fined over the driving incident.

Faulkner was also banned from driving for two years after being found nearly three times over the legal limit on July 2, after choosing not to walk home in heavy rain after a night out with Tasmanian team-mate Tim Paine. His actions were described by District Judge Mark Hadfield as “foolhardy in the extreme”, and Faulkner said he would regret his decision for the rest of his life.

“It is always going to rock you, anything like that,” Faulkner told reporters in Hobart this week.

“It is always a lot bigger than you initially think. It was an error of judgment and something I definitely regret and I’ll regret it at the end of my career. I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”

The incident cost Faulkner his place in Australia’s T20 and ODI sides after he was suspended for four games, and in his absence his fellow allrounder Mitchell Marsh was named Player of the Series in Australia’s 3-2 one-day win over England.

But Faulkner, who was Player of the Match in the World Cup final in March, believes he will be able to fit into the same side as Marsh in future.

“It is always spoken about a lot, but I think we’re two different players,” he said. “I’d like to think we can both play in the same one-day team. I know we didn’t throughout the World Cup, but I’d like to think we could do that and the same with T20 cricket and Test cricket as well.

James Faulkner is recovering from a dislocated finger suffered in the T20 final in England “At the end of the day it is in both Mitch and myself’s control and that’s scoring runs and taking wickets for our states or our country. I am good mates with him and get along with him really, really well so it is not like we are competing against each

other at all, in fact it is the exact opposite. We are trying to help each other improve our own games because we are both young players.”

Faulkner was not named in Australia’s Test squad for the upcoming tour of Bangladesh

and will instead be at home playing for Tasmania in the Matador Cup, which begins in early October. He is recovering from a dislocated finger suffered in the T20 final, but he expects to be fit for the state one-day competition.

September 18 – 24, 2015 39 Caribbean Star Newspaper Gayle signs up for Pakistan Super League For A-Rod, a low-key tribute Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo are some for 3K of the prominent players who will

N

EW YORK -- The New York Yankees held a brief pregame ceremony to commemorate Alex Rodriguez’s 3,000th hit -- accomplished nearly three months ago -- and as Yankees commemorative pregame ceremonies go, this one wasn’t much.

It lasted slightly longer than 5 minutes, included none of his teammates, nor manager Joe Girardi or GM Brian Cashman. There was a brief video testimonial

by Lou Piniella, A-Rod’s first manager at Seattle. Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner and COO Lonn Trost presented A-Rod with a piece of crystal and a white gold, diamond-encrusted ring with his name and the number 3,000 engraved on it.

A-Rod, accompanied by his two young daughters, his mother and his sister, accepted his gifts, shook hands and left the field without speaking to the sparse crowd.

And no, team president Randy Levine -- whom A-Rod’s supporters famously called “The Devil’’ while protesting outside MLB’s Park Ave. offices during the appeal of the 162-game PED suspension in 2013 -- did not take part in the ceremony.

feature in the inaugural Pakistan Super League (PSL), a franchisebased T20 tournament to be held in Doha in February 2016. The players’ interest in the tournament could stem a desire to be match-fit ahead of the World T20 which begins a month later in India.

T

he agency that manages Gayle, one of the most valuable Twenty20 players, confirmed that he had signed the pre-draft agreement on Monday. Darren Sammy and Sunil Narine along with former England batsman Owais Shah will also be part of the PSL draft pool. It is understood that the Pakistan Cricket Board, owners of PSL, are seeking at least 25 overseas players for the tournament.

“Obviously top guns like Gayle are stars who attract fans,” Najam Sethi, head of PCB Executive committee, said.

It is your place to add your special touch for any events that you are considering:

“They lend commercial value, showbiz glitz and tournament credibility. They are also sources of inspiration and emulation for our budding players.”

The first edition of PSL will feature five franchise-based teams from the provincial capitals - Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Islamabad - with prize money of $1 million. The tournament is scheduled to run from February 4 to 24 and will feature 24 matches.

This will be the first major cricket tournament hosted by the Qatar capital, which will also host the 2022 edi-

tion of the football World Cup. The PCB had originally wanted to conduct the PSL in the UAE, where Pakistan have been playing their international matches. But they were forced to look for an alternative venue after being told by the Emirates Cricket Board that it was hosting the Masters Champions league (Twenty20 tournament featuring retired cricketers) on same dates.

The PSL matches will be played at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium, with a capacity of about 13,000. Last year it was used for a women’s limited-overs tri-series involving Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka.

Last week, the PCB had roped in former captains Ramiz Raja and Wasim Akram as ambassadors for the first season. Both of them had been tied with the Masters Champions League, but Akram said, “I’m up for leaving anything for Pakistan cricket. I don’t want to earn money by playing cricket but instead want to give something back to my nation. We signed with MCL and had to work for them, but my priority is to help our country’s cause.”

The logo of the PSL will be revealed in a ceremony on September 20, but the PCB said finding stakeholders to bid for the franchises and the broadcast rights is still a work in progress.

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41

‘Holder will need to separate the politics’ - Smith Graeme Smith, the former South Africa captain who took charge of his country’s Test fortunes as a callow 22-year-old in 2003, hopes that Jason Holder can put the team politics to one side when he takes over as West Indies’ Test captain for the first time in Sri Lanka next month.

H

older, 23, was named as Denesh Ramdin’s successor for the twoTest series that gets underway in Galle on October 14 after displaying impressive leadership credentials at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand earlier this year. Coming only months after a pay dispute led to West Indies’ withdrawal from their tour of India in October 2014 - a move that landed the WICB with a multimillion dollar bill for compensation which is still being thrashed out - the team battled back from an early defeat against Ireland to reach the quarter-finals, where they eventually lost to the finalists, New Zealand.

Despite his tender years, Holder has already received the endorsement of one of the region’s greatest players, Brian Lara, who praised his “demeanour” during that

tournament and likened his stature to that of a young Clive Lloyd.

“Clive Lloyd was not the best batsman, he was not the best bowler back in the early 70s but you could tell that a lot of the players respected him,” Lara told ESPNcricinfo ahead of the Help for Heroes charity match at The Oval. “I hope that Jason gets the same respect from the players, and also the board. He finds himself in a very tough situation where there are unhappy players but if the board give him the support that he needs and he can express himself, then he can become a very successful captain.”

There are no better role models for young captains than Smith, whose tenure began against the backdrop of South Africa’s humiliating early exit as hosts of the 2003 World Cup, and with the Hansie

Cronje match-fixing scandal still an open wound for many of the country’s leading cricketers. He went on to lead South Africa for 11 years and a record 109 Tests after being appointed at an even younger age than Holder.

However, Smith recalled how he had been forced to learn on the job in the early years of his captaincy and warned that Holder would face as many challenges from outside the dressing-room as from within it.

“I think he’s got to understand the unique challenges within West Indies cricket,” Smith told ESPNcricinfo. “From my perspective I had to do that in South African cricket also. It took me three or four years to come to terms with it.”

“I think when I was 26, I had captained South Africa for four years and I only really started figuring it out then. I think that next period was probably my best period as captain, when I understood my team, the type of players I had, myself as a leader, and how I wanted the team to play.”

Smith sustained his authority in the intervening years through his sheer weight of runs, not least his extraordinary scores of 277 and 259 in the opening two Tests of the tour of England in 2003. But, by his own admission, he “bumped his head” as a leader on several occasions, not least during a feisty one-day series in 2004 when he was outmanoeuvred by New Zealand’s veteran captain, Stephen Fleming.

“The sooner [Holder] learns his own strengths and weaknesses, the better

he’ll be able to lead that team,” Smith said. “We all know West Indies has the unique challenges. I wish him all the best but we all know it’s not going to be easy.”

Smith added that the best means of sustaining his authority and escaping the pressures caused by the inter-island rivalries that have often beset cricket in the Caribbean was for Holder to foster a team environment that protects and nurtures West Indies’ competitive spirit.

“You’ve got to separate the two,” he said. “You have to understand and manage that space as well as possible outside, but if you can protect that environment, you can get those players playing for you and get the most out of them.”

“The minute the two environments leak [into each other], when there’s a lot of politics, it’s tough. He’s got to find a way of galvanizing that environment, and create a culture within that team space where the players want to play for him, want to do well, and separate the two in many ways.”

Lara praised the selectors for the appointment of Holder, but reiterated the need for the WICB to follow that move up by backing their captain. However, he also believed the new leader would be fully capable of looking after himself.

“He’s a tall, good-looking guy,” said Lara. “Nobody would have backed Clive Lloyd into a corner back in the day, looking for a fight. I don’t think anyone is going to back Jason Holder into a corner.

I think he’s going to get a lot of respect from his team-mates.”

Jayawardene, Collingwood join England set-up England have bolstered their specialist coaching staff for the Test and limited-overs series against Pakistan and the World T20, with the appointments of Mahela Jayawardene and Paul Collingwood.

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ayawardene, who ESPNcricinfo revealed had been in discussions with the ECB during this season, will work with the Test side during the warm-up period in the UAE and the first Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi which starts on October 13. He will resume his close ties with England head coach Trevor Bayliss and assistant Paul Farbrace after their days together with Sri Lanka.

Collingwood, the former England limited-overs captain, who played 197 ODIs and 35 T20s alongside his 68 Tests, will then work with the limited-overs setup during the one-day and T20 series against Pakistan, and then at the World T20 in India next year.

One of Jayawardene’s tasks will be to pass on his knowledge of playing spin after the problems England had during the

2012 series against Pakistan in the UAE. England only crossed 300 once in six innings and were bowled out for 72 in Abu Dhabi chasing 145.

Even away from subcontinental-type conditions, England have often struggled against spin. In the recent Ashes, Nathan Lyon collected 16 wickets at 28.25 while they also floundered against New Zealand at Headingley, where Mark Craig and Kane Williamson shared six second-innings wickets, and against West Indies in Barbados.

In 2012, England’s struggles came against Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman - the pair sharing 43 wickets in the three Tests - but they are no longer part of the Pakistan Test side and instead the challenges will be posed by legspinner Yasir Shah, who has 61 wickets in 10 Tests

and was the fastest Pakistan bowler to 50 Test wickets, and left-armer Zulfiqar Babar.

Andrew Strauss, the England director of cricket, said: “We are delighted that Mahela and Paul will be joining the England management team, supporting our existing specialist coaches in this area.

Both will bring a vast wealth of cricketing knowledge and expertise to the team, and in Mahela’s case, extensive experience of batting in the sub-continent which will be invaluable as part of our wider preparations for the UAE tour.”

In 2014, Collingwood was the assistant coach for the limited-overs tour of West Indies. Collingwood also worked alongside Ashley Giles during the World T20 in Bangladesh, but Giles soon lost his job

after a defeat in the tournament to Netherlands.

Collingwood was then assistant coach with Scotland during the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand earlier this year. Shortly after Strauss was named director of England cricket, Collingwood said it would be very difficult to turn down an offer to work with the team.

“I love England, England is my passion.

The experience of playing for England for so many years, that’s where you feel you belong, in that dressing room wearing the three lions,” he said. “You’re never guaranteed a job when you come out of cricket but if there was a role they wanted us to play somewhere it would be hard to turn down.”

But Collingwood will continue to combine coaching with his playing career for at least another year after he recently signed a one-year extension with Durham.

“I’ve always said I want to carry on playing as long as I possibly can while I am still enjoying it and worthy of a place in the team,” he told the Chronicle. “I’m absolutely delighted to have signed another contract and I want to carry on improving this wonderful club on the pitch.

I feel I have still got a lot to offer and I’m going to do all I can to keep playing as long as possible.”

42

Caribbean Star Newspaper Why Rahul Dravid chose cricket over hockey Mets set rotation for September 18 – 24, 2015

Yankees series; Matt Harvey starts Sunday

As a youngster, the former Indian cricketer was equally good at the stick sport.

W

ho would have thought that renowned former Indian batsman Rahul Dravid had once considered hockey as his first choice of sport in the early stages of his life! The Wall revealed that he was into playing hockey over cricket at the time when he was in school, and soon realised that he was not fit for the sport after his school coach relegated him from centre-half to right-half position.

The former Indian captain was present at the launch function of Hockey Karnataka’s Bengaluru Cup where he was one of the guests of honor along with former swimming ace Nisha Millet.

Mr. Dependable Dravid recalled his playing days with his friend and now the former Indian women’s team coach Sandeep Somesh at the time they were used to play for their school team. He recalled, “Sandeep (Somesh) and I studied in St Joseph’s and both used to play hockey together”, as Deccan Herald reports.

My hockey coach wanted me to run the

S

game: Dravid Dravid recollected his old memories and said that the then school team coach Mr. Shivprakash asked Dravid to play at the centre-half position and to control the flow of the game.

He said, “Sandeep was a year senior to me. When I was playing at the junior level, our coach Mr Shivprakash always asked me to play as a centre-half. He wanted me to control the game. He used to tell me that the team depended on me and I had to create the chances. He wanted me to run the game.”

However, the twist came when Rahul graduated to the senior level and noticed that his old friend Sandeep Somesh had taken the centre-half position and was controlling the flow of the game. The coach backed the decision to play Somesh in place of Dravid at the centre-half position. Soon the little Jimmy understood that hockey is not the sport for him and there was cricket for him to excel in.

Lucky to have got cricket: Dravid

N He added, “As I graduated from the junior to the senior level, I noticed that Sandeep was the centre-half for the senior side. Sandeep quickly relegated me to right-half where I couldn’t do much of a damage! (Shivprakash) then told me ‘Look, don’t get in the way of Sandeep.

Just let him run the game.

“So it became very clear to me, and rather quickly, that hockey was not going to be my game and I was lucky to have got cricket.”

However, we all know now what followed afterwards was not any less than a fairytale story. Dravid went on to play over 500 International matches for his nation and scored more than 24000 runs in his career spanning over 16 years.

EW YORK -- The New York Mets will do no favors to the New York Yankees this weekend as their Bronx neighbors try to maintain a playoff spot.

The Amazin’s confirmed that their rotation for this weekend’s Subway Series isSteven Matz on Friday, Noah Syndergaard on Saturday and Matt Harvey on Sunday.

The Yankees will counter with Masahiro Tanaka on Friday, Michael Pineda on Saturday and CC Sabathia on Sunday.

Harvey, who was skipped his last turn, will be pitching for the first time since Sept. 8.

The Mets have now resolved to give Harvey regular starts down the stretch, but of shorter duration -half-outings, so to speak. That way, his innings count will remain in check, but he also can remain sharp for the postseason by avoiding a layoff. Harvey currently is at 171 2/3 innings for the season.

Yankees’ reluctant youth movement paying off

T. PETERSBURG, Fla. -Understand that it was not the New York Yankees’ idea to suddenly get younger.

If Mark Teixeira hadn’t broken his own leg with a baseball, and if Michael Pinedahadn’t felt a twinge in his forearm, Greg Bird and Luis Severino would probably have just finished up their season with Triple-A Scranton and would have joined the Yankees as September call-ups.

They would have been left to languish in the clubhouse, collecting big-league meal money and presumably watching the way the big boys do it until someone in the front office deemed they were ready for prime time. Just ask Robert Refsnyder, Jose Pirela, Gary Sanchez, and even Slade Heathcott.

No, the Yankees’ 2015 youth movement came about of necessity, because they needed a first baseman and a pitcher, pronto. Despite the “untouchable” tag GM Brian Cashman applied to both Bird and Severino, he would be the first to admit that no one really knew if either of them would be adequate fill-ins for the players they would be asked to replace.

Well, it turns out they have been more than adequate. In fact, both have become vital to the continued success of this ball club.

Behind a pair of RBIs by Bird

-- one of them a titanic solo home run that hit the farthest of the three catwalks that ring the upper reaches of Tropicana Field, the first ball to hit it this season -- and 5⅔ strong innings by Severino, the Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 on Wednesday night to at least preserve the status quo in the American League East. (The Toronto Blue Jays, who the Yankees are chasing, beat Atlanta 9-1 and remain three games ahead in the division).

As incredible as it might seem, the Yankees no longer seem to miss Teixeira, whose 31 home runs and 79 RBIs continued to lead his team for a couple of weeks after he went on the disabled list.

In 101 at-bats, Bird now has seven home runs, or about one every 14 at-bats, which is not far behind

Texieira’s rate of about one every 13 at-bats.

As for Severino, he has secured a permanent spot in the Yankees rotation in the space of eight big-league starts and, by most assessments, is no worse than their No. 2 starter behind Masahiro Tanaka. Earlier Wednesday, Yankees manager Joe Girardi determined he needed to trim one arm from his starting rotation for the final three weeks of the season. He chose to send Ivan Nova to the bullpen. Severino, only old enough to buy a drink for seven months now, isn’t going anywhere.

And both he and the 22-yearold Bird now seem as comfortable around the Yankees’ clubhouse as any of the veterans.

Teammates use similar terms to describe both of them. Poised.

Calm. Self-contained.

And they both fit in so well now that not only they are fair game for razzing from their older teammates, but feel comfortable enough to give it back, too.

After Bird’s big game -- he drove in the first run with a second-inning double and the third with his ninth-inning home run -- he was holding court in front of his locker, which is two away from Brian McCann’s in the visitor’s clubhouse, when he suddenly turned away from his inquisitors to direct a question to the veteran catcher.

“Hey Mac, what was up with that ball you caught?” Bird said.

“Did you dive for it or did you tip over for it?”

He was referring to a fifth-inning pop fly off the bat of Evan Longoria that McCann seemed to lose in the ceiling before lurching forward to make an inning-ending catch with a runner at second.

“It’s called f--ing athleticism,” McCann shot back. “Something you wouldn’t know about.

Eighth-grade point guard over here.”

“You looked like an athlete for a minute there,” Bird said, and everyone laughed. He has become one of the guys.

So, too, has Severino, who has shed his early nervousness around the media to conduct his interviews in quite-good English.

He and Bird have become something of a mutual admiration society, ex-Scranton teammates who have come up together, succeeded at the same time, and hope to go further with their new team.

“Greg Bird is a great hitter,” said Severino, who got his fourth win. “He’s a great hitter and a great first baseman. Every time he goes out there, he puts a good at-bat together.”

“I knew he would succeed,” Bird said of Severino, “And it’s awesome to watch. I’m sure it’s as much fun for you guys as it is for me. He’s just a competitor.

You know what you’re going to get every day when he goes out there and grabs the ball. You want to play behind him and you want to do well behind him.”

To be sure, the Yankees got some huge breaks to help them win this game, and this series, from the fourth-place Rays. The first was Steven Souza Jr.’s RBI double in the sixth that looked like a routine fly ball that Jacoby Ellsbury would catch in center until he suddenly spun around in confusion. The ball hit the wall behind him and about 15 feet to his left, arousing suspicion it had also hit a catwalk, which under the Tropicana Field ground rules would have made it a game-tying home run. That wasn’t the ruling, and Souza stopped at second.

The other was a either a botched sacrifice or a botched hit-and-run that turned into an eighth-inning double play when Nick Franklin popped up a bunt to Chase Headley, who doubled off Souza, who was standing on second base.

But this one belonged to the Yankees kiddie corps, a couple of players who ordinarily would never have gotten a chance to play but now are counted on regularly to help the Yankees win.

Everyone knew the Yankees were going to have to get younger, whether they liked it or not.

In the end, they were forced to.

And so far, they like it.

Caribbean Star Newspaper

September 18 – 24, 2015

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(718) 845-7408

www.ElcockFuneralHome.com

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