Caribbean Star #62 vol. 4 / 2015

First Interfaith Newspaper, Serving The Community

October 2–8, 2015

Vol.4 #62

Caribbean Star

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GRANGER CALLS ON UN TO PROTECT SMALL STATES …CURB VENEZUELA’S EXPANSIONIST AMBITIONS PRESIDENT David Granger has urged the United Nations to curb Venezuela’s “expansionist ambitions,” saying its claim on Guyana’s territory and its use of armed force threaten the peace of the Caribbean region.

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October 2–8, 2015 3 Caribbean Star Newspaper Harmon tells GPSU confab... A robust Public Service can take Guyana places

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ROBUST Public Service can take Guyana to the next level and a Public Service Staff College, which is to be established soon, will promote an essential part of this development, says Minister of State Joseph Harmon.He was speaking yesterday at the opening ceremony of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU)’s 21st biennial delegates’ conference which commenced at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre. In attendance were Cabinet members, special invitees and stakeholders in the public service.

The biennial conference is scheduled from September 30 to October 2. Minister Harmon gave the feature address instead of President David Granger, who was engaged in meetings at the UN General Assembly.

Before moving into his remarks, Minister Harmon congratulated President Granger and his team on the tremendous work done to represent Guyana at the UN General Assembly, drawing loud applause from the audience.

Harmon noted that a government cannot function without the public service, which is one of the most important tasks of national life.

“I have already received recommendations for the Public Service Staff College as to the composition of the board, the quality of lecturers, the curriculum of the college.

I have responded and I would like engage the GPSU and have their member on the board,” Harmon disclosed.

Emphasising that services such as education, health, public security and infrastructure all depend on public servants delivery, Harmon said the quality of this delivery is the key determinant of the quality of life within the society.

Therefore, he said that the public service needs to be efficient to create an environment in which Guyanese can have a good life and a good life is not possible in Guyana without good public service.

In a frank presentation, Harmon said the administration has taken very seriously the public servant. “We have taken very seriously the morale of our public servant; we have taken seriously the benefits that are being accrued from work in the public service and what we are going to do is to indicate a new roadmap for the type of public servants we are looking for in this administration and the administration to come.”

Adding that government is focusing on a public service that is relevant, reliable and accessible, Harmon said such will be responsive to the needs of the people that are equally effective in all regions of Guyana.

Remarking that the Public Service is an institution of historical knowledge and collective experience, the Minister of State said, “you can’t have a public service that don’t remember things, loses documents, that files documents in an improper manner, that destroys documents… This knowledge and experience must be available to the political administration at any given time so that public policy can evolve in a modern, progressive and developing way.”

In order to discharge such institutional function, Harmon said the public service must comprise of men and women of integrity who are willing and able to give advice without fear, favour, partiality or prejudice

and with strict administrative neutrality.

“The Public Service is the servant of Guyana and not the servant of any individual political party. We believe that this can only be achieved if the public service is based on a system of merit and political impartiality. The public service must possess expert knowledge and high standards of academic dedication in order to discharge its functions,” Harmon stressed In seeking to articulate further on the Public Service, Harmon said government is working to ensure a different state of affairs is taken to enhance all aspects of the Public Service. In this regard, he said a Public Service Staff College will promote an essential part of this development.

Acknowledging the advancement of Singapore, Harmon said that country has moved from Third World status to First World status because it invested in its human resources and a robust Public Service.

“It is important to note that Singapore became independent one year before Guyana, and it doesn’t have half of Guyana’s natural resources… they invested very strongly in their Public Service and human resources.”

Lamenting that Guyana has been labelled on the Transparency International index as a very corrupt nation, Harmon said this can be fought by having a proper and strong Public Service which the APNU+AFC government will promote.

He said an establishment of a Commis-

sion of Inquiry (CoI) into the public service is ongoing and working. The commission has been given a mandate to determine the measures to be taken to improve the efficiency of the public service. Secondly, reviewing the methodology used in the classification of public servants. Thirdly, examine salaries and wages of public servants and what must be fixed and finally to review and examine the retirement age of public servants and to make recommendations.

In addition, Harmon said government has reaffirmed its commitment to the collective bargaining agreement as a fiscal method of settling wages and salaries and resolving disputes for the national work force.

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 2–8, 2015

Let the hunt begin

T

HE two-year hunting ban imposed in 2013 officially ended at midnight on Wednesday.

And hunters are only too anxious to grab their guns and set free those tracking dogs.

In 2013, the previous administration announced a two year moratorium in order to preserve wildlife and encourage breeding.

The last time a two-year moratorium was imposed was in 1987-89.

However, there were negative effects of the moratorium which included the loss of hunting dogs and human life, said Mohan Bholasingh, president of the South Eastern Hunters' Association.

He said the moratorium was introduced in a haste and could have worked well if it was properly strategised.

Bholasingh said: "We lost a lot of bio-diversity which people do not see.

The hunting dogs are especially bred for hunting and they were locked up without exercise for two years. A lot of hunting dogs died. We had to start over now to actually breed back good dogs for hunting. We would have some remaining but a lot of these dogs would have been compromised at this point in time. " He added: "The older hunters who were there going into the forest and having that enjoyment, they had to stay

on chairs and a lot of the old hunters in the organisation, when we looked back, they died. They would have used this thing as a form of recreation. We were communicating with them and they were really under stress as being in one place all the time and this opportunity to go out in the open and the wild that they were accustomed to all the years, they were denied that opportunity."

As a result of an increase in wildlife population, there may not be enough food for the population Bholasingh said.

He said: "Because of the hunters not being in the forest for the two years, the prey which is the agouti and the deer and so on that are born during that period of time apart from having the competition for feed and so on, they would not know the dogs and they would not know the guns. The predatory pressure, they wouldn’t be accustomed to that and in the first two or three months, the excess that was actually created by closing the season we will lose it in a quick time."

Bholasingh said: “There should be some way that when we are closing the season, the predatory pressure should have still been there to a point so that this growth of new animals would have been accustomed with the predator which is man. As a result of that, you would have had a sort of balance in the

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He said provision should have been made for dogs to be allowed to run at least once per month to assist both dogs and prey.

He has advised the membership not to overhunt at the beginning of the season because then there may be no more animals to hunt for the rest of the season.

And Tahir Ali, president of the St. Patrick's Hunting Association said: "I think all the hunters are happy, they started to sell permits from last week Wednesday. Everybody is in gear for tomorrow. There are a lot of more animals outside now because of the two -year ban. They got to breed a little bit more than before so we are expecting a good season this year with a lot more animals outside there."

Skeldon factory not sweet for private cane farmers

P

rivate cane farmers supplying the Skeldon Sugar Factory are advocating for a reduction in payments to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) for the use of equipment saying that their profits have fallen over the years due to the increasing costs.

George Baijnauth told Stabroek News that since the Skeldon factory was commissioned in 2009, the tonnes of canes needed to produce a tonne of sugar had increased drastically and, as a result, payments to private cane farmers have reduced significantly. He said that this has strained the farmers.

According to Baijnauth, private cane farmers while not contractually obligated to use equipment from the Skeldon Estate, are more or less forced to do so. He said the punt dumps belong to the estate and the farmers need these for the transport of cane and have to pay an extremely high cost for the use of the equipment.

Baijnauth told Stabroek News that for a private farmer with 800 acres, purchasing a mechanical harvester made little sense as it would cost millions with very little immediate return.

He related that used small mechanical harvesters can sell for US$250,000 or higher.

The man stated that when the factory was commissioned, GuySuCo claimed that its canes were of a higher quality. He disagreed saying, “Our husbandry maintenance in the fields is better than theirs.”

The man said that he spends over $10 million on weed control alone and private farmers are more cautious in applying fertilizer unlike GuySuCo. He said too that the number of harvesters currently being used by the estate is not enough and as a result, canes on the ground from the private cane farmers are forced into the next crop.

Baijnauth noted that the maturity tests which evaluate the quality of the cane will give an accurate assessment, but if those canes are

forced into the next crop due to GuySuCo’s inability to harvest them, there would be a disintegration in quality.

Baijnauth said that the company needs to do more and invest in harvesters that would allow for quicker reaping to preserve the cane juice.

“They need as much as four more harvesters, the more cane that is harvested and when it is on time, the better the cane juice. You aren’t losing juice, losing quality,” he said.

GuySuCo currently uses the Puerto Rican Formula which is a system used to calculate the cane per sugar ratio and also determines that private farmers are paid 70 per cent of the net profits of sugar sales. With projected profits of $62,000 (US$300) per tonne of sugar for this crop, many private cane farmers are concerned that their profits will be extremely low.

Baijnauth said that in the years since the US$110 million Skeldon Factory has been operational, many small private cane farmers have been forced to close down, lease their lands or sell.

Another farmer, David Subnauth, told Stabroek News that private cane farming was very difficult for small-scale farmers as the costs are far greater than the earning potential. He said that they cannot afford the costs of production when the private canes are the last to be harvested by GuySuCo resulting in the lowering of the quality of the cane. This leaves private cane harvesters at the mercy of the state-owned corporation.

Meanwhile, the PPP yesterday issued a statement of support for “striking private cane farmers” of the Upper Corentyne who the party stated, were protesting the removal of a 30 per cent reduction in payment for the year’s crop supplied to GuySuCo. A GuySuCo representative called the party’s statement erroneous saying that the Puerto Rican payment method was being misrepresented.

Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 2–8, 2015

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Caribbean Star Newspaper $66M cleared for new-look Umana Yana - sod turned to start reconstruction October 2–8, 2015

T

HE Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs (MoIPA) joined with key representatives of the Indigenous People’s community for the official turning of the sod for the reconstruction of the Umana Yana, a landmark national monument which went up in flames on September 9, 2013. It was significant that yesterday’s exercise, hosted by Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe was conducted on the final day of Amerindian Heritage month (observed in September), but it was also ruined by an electrical fire on September 9, 2013.

Among the distinguished invitees were designer of the plan, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, who is also Minister of Education; Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson; Minister of Tourism Cathy Hughes; Jean La Rose of the Amerindian People’s Association; Miss Indian Heritage Queen Sherico Ambrose; Isaiah Chappelle of NCN; Toshao Joel Fredericks; Master Builder Colin Issacs; and Paul Chekema and his team who travelled some 800 miles from Region 9 to be present for the ceremony.

Emcee Anil Roberts rendered an opening prayer in which he asked the Lord’s blessings and guidance on the project soon to commence and for making it a

Representatives of the indigenous community turn the sod as the four ministers of government and others look on (Photos by Asdrian Narine) reality for the indigenous peoples of this country.

Meanwhile, in her brief remarks and overview of the project, Minister Garrido-Lowe recalled that it was an historic day in 1972 when the Umana Yana, towering 55 ft above ground, was built by the highly skilled Wai-Wais, and incredibly without using nails. It was initially intended for visiting foreign delegations and a conference hall, she said.

Expressing pleasure at the imminent rebuilding of what she termed the “majestic Umana Yana”, she said it would once again “grace our city of Georgetown and be a timely reminder to all that the nine indigenous nations [tribes] are Guyana’s first peoples. That we are highly

skilled in building; that we know nature well; and that we connect with nature.”

Garrido-Lowe thanked Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson who included the expenditure in his budget and succeeded in having it passed; Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine for designing the structure; the WaiWais who will construct the new Umana Yana, ably supported by the people of Moraikobai and the people of St. Cuthbert’s Mission.

Concurring with Garrido-Lowe that the Umana Yana was indeed a ‘magnificent edifice’, Minister Patterson said it was a tremendous honour, on behalf of his ministry, to be associated with the reconstruction of the building that was burnt down over a

year ago. He thanked everyone concerned for giving the ministry a chance to be involved with the project.

Patterson said that the project is budgeted to cost $66.7M, and will be done jointly between the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and the indigenous brothers and sisters. His ministry will be doing the foundation which will be raised about 12 inches above the previous height to resist any possible flooding in the face of climate change and $9.2 million will be tendered out for the foundation, while $6M will be allocated for fire prevention systems to be put in place.

The Ministry of Public Infrastructure is bent on avoiding any mistakes made in the past, which might have been responsible for the fire of 2013. To this end, $6M will be allocated for fire-prevention systems to be installed, while another $16M will be allocated for an alternative energy source – solar panels to light and power the edifice.

The ministry has committed to lend all the technical and logistic support needed.

Patterson said it is anticipated that the construction of the edifice should take about six months. Calls for tenders for the building of the foundation should be out by October 7 and will run for about two to three

weeks, said engineer Keeraj Bisessar.

In the interim, the villages of Moraikobai and St. Cuthbert will be gathering the troolie leaves to thatch the building with WaiWai labour. Master Builder is Mr. Colin Isaacs.

The ministry anticipates that construction will be completed well in time for the nation’s 50th Independence anniversary, which will be a premier event.

Minister Hughes, dwelling on the painful loss of the facility, recalled over the years taking visitors to Guyana on tours around the city of Georgetown and invariably ending with a visit to the majestic Umana Yana.

Against this background she remarked: “Today is a celebration that we are going to put back a very, very important landmark in our city, and it is important that it goes up and it is rebuilt in the same manner and by the same experts from our indigenous communities.

“But most importantly that it stands not only as a national symbol, but as a symbol of our indigenous heritage, and I think all Guyanese identify with that,” Hughes concluded.

Guests were treated to a regaling segment of Amerindian dance by a dance troupe from St. Cuthbert’s Mission.

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 2–8, 2015

7

The Hindu debts within the context of Pitri Paksh

By PT Vikash Ramkissoon

and humility with which he served the interest of all during the era of his incarnation must never be ignored.

Everyone who came into contact with him was served selflessly. Serving the interest of others with humility, simplicity and respect is the only way to repay this fourth debt.

The last of the fifth debts of humans, the Hindu advocates is the responsibility that we have towards the plants, animals and nature.

As a Hindu many times I am bombarded with the question of Hindus worshipping ghosts and spirits during this auspicious time of Pitri Paksh. This article is the first of two in which I will attempt to give a perspective of this very important period in the Hindu calendar.

To begin with I must remind you that the Hindu Culture and ethics is built upon the concept of Duties and responsibilities. If at all a Hindu has a right he has only the right to selfless service. For a matter of fact all of our Hindu tests emphasize the importance of duty as the greatest act of worship to God. The Shrimad Bhagwat Gita further reinforces this concept because the premise of the Dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna was constructed with the understanding that Arjuna refused to perform his prescribed duty. To ensure that society is not plunged in a moral and social degeneration and as humans we perform Obligatory duties, Hinduism provides us with the concept of Debts.

Taittiriya Sanhita (6.3.10.5) states that a human is born with three debts to repay in his or her lifetime. God has created this entire universe for us to perform our duties and enjoy with a sense of renunciation, hence we become indebted to the Lord and must perform worship dedicated to God. This is the first and foremost debt Is known as Dev Rin

Secondly, over the many Centuries the ancient sages and intellectuals have dedicated their lives and generated knowledge for us to acquire and better ourselves, hence we become indebted to them for this. This we call Rishi Rin. The best way to pay hom-

age and give respects to the seers is to first study the knowledge they have uncovered and then further build on what they have constructed.

In so doing we are repaying the second debt referred as Rishi Rin.

The third debt advocated is the debt and obligation we have towards our ancestors. Our forefathers were instrumental in not just ensuring the continuation of our family lineage but they have been the cause of our birth. We learnt the art of living from them. They preserved our glorious civilization and handed it down to us.

The continuation of this great Hindu Dharma is only possible because they have kept it alive and taught it to us.

This concept is Pitri Rin. To repay this debt the Hindu has a duty to remember the ancestors for the contributions they have made in our lives.

The best possible way of remembering them is to first procreate and continue the Hindu Lineage. Secondly perform rituals in their remembrance

and thirdly live a devote Hindu Life and live by example to continue this great Hindu civilization. Pitri Paksh is one such time we dedicate to remember ancestors. (Next Article will focus on this in greater details) The Sharpath Brahman (1.7.2.1.6), another very ancient Hindu Text added two more debts to the list. This scripture says as Humans we have a duty towards Humanity as whole.

This is Manushya Rin.

Hindus have proven over the centuries that God is present in all and the greatest service to God is the service to Humanity. Humanity is served when we give respect to all and perform service (Seva) with Humility.

Our God has demonstrated this in the various incarnations. Lord Ram for example advocated through his actions, respect to every member in his immediate family despite the turbulent circumstances. The respect

Nature has provided us with so much to survive so that we walk our way towards emancipation, yet today the great ecological debates resounding worldwide, exploring the possible ramifications and solutions for this great global warming phenomenon caused due to environmental degradation. The Hindu way of life provides the solution for us to strike a balance between sustainable Economics and avoid environmental degradation.

Eating in the leaf for example in India while it might be considered as backward in some of the western intellectual minds, yet we ignore most of the times the great taught of the environment and the fertility of mother earth that was the major consideration while devising this mechanism.

The debt to protect the environment for future generations is a very important responsibility that we have as Humans.

Therefore from a bird’s eye view, we have examined that the Hindu concept of service has deep roots in the ancient traditions of the five debts as advocated. These debts generate awareness of one’s duties and responsibilities. It further provides moral and ethical direction to life, encourages family values, and helps one to organize life for individual accomplishments.

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8

Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 2–8, 2015

Man, 36, shot dead in ‘Warlock’

Temporary labour purge at Tobago Affairs

A

Dexter Griffith

36-year-old man died at the Georgetown Public Hospital after he was shot three times.

Dexter Griffith of East Ruimveldt was shot once to his left thigh, once to his face and once to his chest which exited through his back. The chest wound proved to be fatal.

His mother Loverne Griffith told Stabroek News she was surprised tolearn that her son had been shot as he had no prob-

lems with anyone.

“He ain’t got no problem with anybody,” she repeated.

The shocked woman explained that she was in her home when she heard “gunshots and when I went out I hear that it was my son who get shoot.”

Griffith’s is the latest in a recent series of murders in the East Ruimveldt community known as ‘Warlock.’.

On August 31, Kellon Hinds, 22, was shot dead in East Ruimveldt in what was believed to have been a reprisal killing. Shawn Barrow, 23, was earlier this month charged with his urder and remanded to prison.

Hinds had been held by police as a suspect in the murder of Shawn’s brother, Sherwyne Barrow, 24, who was killed in the community in May this year. The 24-year-old father of three of 50 East La Penitence was riddled with bullets when at least three gunmen opened fire on him as he sat outside a shop in ‘Warlock.’

According to reports, he had been caught up in an ongoing feud and had been lured to the area under the pretext that a peace deal was going to be made.

S

80 workers sent home

ome 80 employees attached to the Office of the Prime Minister Tobago Affairs were dismissed wednesday after being given termination letters.

The ministry, which was formerly known as the Ministry for Tobago Development, was created by the Kamla Persad-Bissessar administration in 2010.

Approximately 800 employees were hired over the last five years but the ministry was described as a tool used to undermine the Tobago House of Assembly.

Ayanna Webster-Roy, the Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, was recently reported as saying she would not be going on a firing spree and she would be guided by policy.

However, employees yesterday were given termination letters signed by deputy Permanent Secretary Vel Lewis, instructing them not to show up for duty beyond September 30.

“You are not to report for duty beyond this date without prior approval of the permanent secretary. In this regard, should this

office require your services for any period beyond September 30, 2015 you will be so notified by the Human Resource Unit,” the letters read.

Responding to the issue in a release yesterday, the Office of the Prime Minister Tobago Affairs said the members of staff who were sent home were employed on a short-term contract basis of three to six months.

The release stated that the letters were reminders to the employees that their employment ended on September 30, 2015, which represented the end of the fiscal period.

It added: “Short-term contract employment was introduced to the public service to address the dearth of qualified persons in circumstances where the organisation is in a period of transition and growth.

“These short-term contracts are, by nature, transient and are not normally expected to endure beyond a period of one year.

“In this regard, the Office of the Prime Minister, Tobago Af-

Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister Tobago Affairs Vel Lewis, left, and Minister Ayanna Webster-Roy at a recent press conference.

Lewis yesterday sent out letters notifying some 80 contract employees in the ministry, previously the Ministry for Tobago Development, that their services would no longer be required. fairs wishes to state that no letters of termination have been given to employees but according to the outlined procedure, persons received letters advising that their contracted period of short-term employment has come to an end.”

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October 2–8, 2015 9 Caribbean Star Newspaper Guyanese tugboat captain, crew missing - after encounter with Hurricane Erika

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ELATIVES here have launched an investigation into the disappearance of a Guyanese tugboat captain and crew since leaving New York for Guyana close to two months ago.

The last they’d heard, relatives say, is that the vessel, the Gage Paul Thornton, had had to take shelter from hurricane Erika last month in St Kitts.

The missing captain has been identified as 67-year-old Godfrey Roberts Snr, also known as “Captain Smokey”, of 192nd Street Miami, Florida, USA. There was no information, however, on the missing crew, in terms of how many they were, nor their names.

According to Roberts’ son, Godfrey Roberts Jnr, his dad has been living in the U.S. for the past 40 years, and would visit Guyana from time to time.

He said the Gage Paul Thornton, which is owned and operated by a New Jersey company named Marine Steel Transport,

The Gage Paul Thornton left New York around the end of July, and was scheduled to arrive here in Georgetown in August.

Said he: “He was last heard from on August 27, and he said he was taking shelter in St Kitts from the hurricane; and that the next time he would make contact was when he was in the Demerara River, since he was waiting for the storm to blow over.”

SEASONED SEAMAN Reflecting on his father’s experience as a seaman, Godfrey Jnr said: “He was the first captain to bring a trawler for the Guyana Government back in the 70s, and he has a tremendous amount of experience. This is the first occasion my father has not contacted anyone after such

a long period at sea.”

After not hearing from his dad, he, too, tried making contact with him. “I contacted the US embassy, the Barbados embassy, the US embassy in Guyana… We spoke to the Coast Guard; we spoke to the State Department… We tried all over to see if any organisation may know of his whereabouts, but nothing was learnt,” young Roberts said.

Noting that the father of six may be stuck somewhere in the Caribbean Sea, he is optimistic that he will be found. “My father has sailed the seas for over 40 years,” is all he said by way of explaining his confidence.

He said his father was delivering the tug to someone here in Guyana, but had bought it in New York in his name.

“A third party was supposed to receive the tug, once he arrived in Guyana. The vessel would then be transferred to whomever the owner would be which we have not figured out

yet,” Godfrey Jnr said.

He said, too, that whenever his dad was in town, he usually spent time with his sister, who lives in Georgetown.

According to the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD), no vessel named Gage Paul Thornton was expected or scheduled to visit Guyana.

TROPICAL STORM ERIKA Tropical Storm Erika of August 2015 was reportedly the deadliest natural disaster to have occurred in Dominica since Hurricane David in 1979.

According to reports, she encountered quite a bit of wind shear from the inception, which is what may have prevented her from developing into a fullblown hurricane.

Wind shear, it is said, effectively rips apart the structure of a tropical cyclone, causing thunderstorm convection to be displaced away from the center of circulation.

Wind shear has been consistently very strong, compared to

Godfrey Roberts Snr called “Captain Smokey” average, in the Caribbean Sea throughout the 2015 hurricane season.

Additionally, land interaction with the higher terrain of the Dominican Republic, Haiti and finally eastern Cuba further contributed to the disruption of Erika.

And if that wasn’t enough, dry air in the western Caribbean Sea also infiltrated Erika’s circulation, helping to choke off any organised convection near its previous centre. All of these factors played a role in the ultimate dissipation of Erika.

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Caribbean Star Newspaper Help for medical students: $12.8m injected into GATE U.S.-based Guyanese mount protest F against Venezuela part of front page October 2–8, 2015

inance Minister Colm Imbert yesterday said $12.8 million has been injected into the Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses (GATE) funding programme to assist 67 medical students in accessing tertiary education for the 2015/2016 academic year.

Imbert also said the move was intended to increase the country’s number of medical professionals.

Since the start of the university term, GATE medical students have claimed they have not received funding.

A release from the Ministry of Finance yesterday said the Minister of Finance had considered the plight of Trinidad and Tobago medical students, who have been accepted to study at the Mona (Jamaica) and Cave Hill (Barbados) campuses of The University of the West Indies, but are without GATE funding.

It said the minister had discovered “seventy-two (72) students were accepted to study medicine at the Mona campus for the 2015/16 academic year. However, only 39 were approved for GATE by the previous administration, leaving 33 medical students unfunded”.

It added that the minister was also advised that at the Cave Hill Campus “54 medical students were accepted for the 2015/16 academic year, but only 20 were approved for funding by the previous administration, leaving a further 34 medical students unfunded. As a consequence, 67 medical students at the Mona and Cave Hill campuses are without GATE funding at this time.

“In view of the fact that it is a manifesto pledge of the People’s National Movement (PNM) Government that we do all that we can to increase the number of trained medical professionals in Trinidad and Tobago, the Minister of Finance has instructed funds be

made available to cover the tuition fees for these 67 medical students. The total cost for the 2015/16 academic year has been estima­ted at TT$12.8 million.”

The release also said affected students and/or their parents may contact the Ministry of Education for further details. The GATE programme was created in 2004.

Garcia: GATE will not be disbanded Education Minister Anthony Garcia also gave the assurance Trinidad and Tobago is prepared to fund all medical students who have been registered and accepted to enter tertiary institutions at Mona, Cave Hill and St George’s University, Grenada.

Via a telephone interview, Garcia added: “ We will be monitoring the situation. We feel as long as a person has been qualified, the person should not be denied access to GATE funding. It is clear there is a need for medical personnel and we saw no reason why a previous decision was taken on the number of people who had to access GATE funding.

“We will not disband GATE. GATE is a means whereby we can ensure students across the faculties and campuses can assess tertiary education.”

Asked about the queries and complaints from students who had not yet received scholarship funding, Garcia said: “The Minister of Public Administration (Randall Mitchell) issued a release in which he indicated every effort would be made for them to receive their scholarship funding.”

A note on TTConnect (Government at your service) read students can obtain financial assistance for tertiary-level education through GATE since the funds cover 100 per cent of tuition expenses for undergraduate students and up to 50 per cent of tuition expenses, to a maximum of TT$10,000, for postgraduate students.

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UYANESE based in the United States, mainly New York, wednesday protested what they say is Venezuela’s continued claim to this country’s territory.

Margaret Patterson Wickham, who hails from Suddie, on the Essequibo Coast, said: “I am proud to be a Guyanese; I am representing Guyana out here to tell Venezuela, ‘Not a blade of grass!’” Essequibo is a main region claimed

by Venezuela. “Guyana belongs to us. It was shaped

by God, and taking away Essequibo will ‘de-shape it’; and that can’t happen,” Wickham said. Kamla Balbacchan, also on the protest line, said: “I don’t need Venezuela to take anything.” The protest came on the heels of President David Granger’s address to the United Nations, where he called for protection for small states against aggression by the larger states.

“It’s our country! President Maduro is overstepping his bounds!” declared Charles Sugrim, another protestor.

“The border has been settled in 1899; there is absolutely no reason why

US-based Guyanese demonstrating outside of the UN headquarters in New York yesterday they should be acting up this way. I really support the government’s move to ensure that this thing is settled once and for all. Essequibo belongs to Guyana! Period!” Sugrim said. Ardita Bacchus, 48, who was born in Georgetown but went to schools on the Essequibo Coast, was also out protesting.

“I am out here to represent Guyana; to stop Venezuela,” she said. The protestors danced in the street and sang the national anthem, several national songs and Dave Martins’ iconic “Not a Blade of Grass!” Michael Pellew, 71, was working at the Ministry of Foreign

Affairs as a young messenger when Venezuela moved to occupy the island of Ankoko in 1966.

“I was young, mad, and vigorous at that time; and I am madder about it today,” said Mr Pellew, who formerly lived at Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara.

Next to him was Esther Haynes-Strauss, who lived at Mackenzie, today’s Linden. “I am out here to send a clear message to Venezuela that Essequibo is our land, and it is time we have closure; because since I was a little girl, 50 years ago, I have been hearing about this,” she said.

Trinis urged to be on lookout for human trafficking, Guyanese in custody

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he Counter Trafficking Unit (CTU) is calling on citizens of T&T to be observant for possible indicators of human trafficking.

This call was made in light on last week’s incident where police officers may have been able to crackdown on an alleged human trafficking ring in Arouca.

A businessman was subsequently arrested after two Venezuelan women were rescued.

One Guyanese national was taken into custody while the CTU is partnering with key law enforcement agencies on the investigation.

“The more citizens become aware of human trafficking, the greater the potential of this heinous crime being addressed within our shores.

“Crime in this country cannot be tackled solely by law enforcement but is dependent on the co-operation and active concern of the general public,” the CTU said in a release.

Persons are asked to look for:

• Homes or buildings which appear overly secured with frequent presence of vehicles at odd hours.

• Presence of foreign nationals, particularly young women, going to and from the premises.

• Residents of such homes typically keeping to themselves with the young women almost always escorted in and out by someone.

• Persons may live and work in the same premises with working conditions below minimum labour standards.

The CTU of the Ministry of National Security is the mandated agency responsible for addressing human trafficking in T&T. It was established and is governed by the T&T Trafficking in Persons Act 14 of 2011.

If you know of or suspect any human trafficking activities, persons are asked to contact the CTU at 800-4CTU/4288. All calls are anonymous.

(Trinidad Guardian)

Caribbean Star Newspaper

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PNM FIGHTS BACK

EAVING nothing to chance, six successful People’s National Movement (PNM) Members of Parliament are fighting back as they seek to have the United National Congress’ (UNC) election petitions against them dismissed by the appellate court.

The PNM parliamentarians who each won their respective seats in six disputed marginal constituencies of San Fernando West, La Horquetta/Talparo, Toco/Sangre Grande, Tunapuna, St Joseph and Moruga/ Tableland, are now appealing the petitions filed against them by the United National Congress.

The election petitions, presented on September 22 by the UNC, seek to have the results in the six constituencies declared null and void by the courts.

The Opposition party, on September 18, received the permission of High Court judge, Justice Mira Dean-Armorer, to file the petitions on an argument that the Elections and Boundaries Commission had no power to extend September 7 General Election voting by one hour due to rainy weather.

However, in the notices of appeal filed by attorneys representing the six MP s, the six contend that the judge was wrong to grant leave. Her “presumed finding that the UNC candidates for the six marginals had presented sufficient evidence to justify the grant of leave” is being challenged by the PNM. The six MPs — Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi (San Fernando West); Maxie

Cuffie (La Horquetta/Talparo); Glenda Jennings-Smith (Toco/Sangre Grande); Esmond Forde (Tunapuna); Terrence Deyalsingh (St Joseph) and Dr Lovell Francis (Moruga/Tableland) say the judge erred in law when she granted leave to the Opposition party, “in the absence of any evidence that anyone joined the lines to vote after 6 pm and was allowed to vote, and/ or the number of such persons, such as to suggest that the result of the election might have been materially affected by the alleged unlawful extension of polling hours to 7 pm.” The appellate court is also being asked to set aside the leave granted by Justice Dean-Armorer and have the petitions dismissed.

In the notices of appeal, the winning parliamentarians also mentioned that they were not properly served with all the documents relative to the petitions.

Their service of the notice of appeals were done by electronic means (via email) in accordance with the Civil Proceedings Rules 1998 which provides for same.

The UNC’s attorneys were given 24 hours to respond, failing which there is the assumption that service of the documents were accepted.

The issue of service of the election petitions turned ugly last week when Attorney General Faris Al- Rawi, the sitting Member of Parliament for the San Fernando West seat, was served with his election petition at the funeral service for former minister Errol Mahabir. The service was effected by a bailiff who later claimed he was verbally

October 2–8, 2015 abused by Al-Rawi.

Attorney for the UNC Wayne Sturge defended the actions of the bailiff. Relative to the petitions, the ruling PNM have repeatedly maintained that the party was not overly perturbed by the court granting leave to the UNC to contest the results of the six constituencies.

The party’s chairman, Minister Franklin Khan has said that the Opposition was free to pursue whatever course of action it wants.

“Our lawyers have indicated that they do not stand a ghost of a chance of victory but it is law and due process has to take place.

We are not overly perturbed by that,” he said at a general council meeting, one day after the leave was granted by the court.

He added then, “Obviously, once due process has started we have no comment to make. It is largely a matter between the EBC and the UNC, on whether the EBC acted within their remit and jurisdiction.” Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes and attorney Michael Quamina are also representing the PNM. EBC ALSO APPEALS Also appealing the leave granted to the UNC is the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC). A total of 12 grounds of appeal have been filed by the EBC’s lawyers Senior Counsel Russell Martineau, Deborah Peake and attorneys Ravi Heffes- Doon and Alana Bissessar. The commission is also contending that the judge was wrong to grant leave to the Opposition to question the validity of the six successfully elected members of Parliament.

The EBC’s notice of appeal further takes issue with the failure of the UNC to establish that the election of the six MPs were invalid because of the decision to extend

11

the hours of the poll by one hour. They also say the judge erred by granting leave in the absence of evidence that the extension of the polls had an effect on the results in the six constituencies.

The EBC also argues that the judge failed to consider that Section 35(3) of the Representation of the People’s Act states that no election shall be declared invalid by reason of any act by a Returning Officer if it appears to the court that the act did not materially affect the result of the election.

They also state that evidence that the election was affected was required for the granting of leave, so too verified facts as to the approximate number of votes cast between the hours of 6 pm and 7 pm and whether there was any material effect to the end results of the polls.

Also among the 12 grounds of appeal is a contention by the EBC that the election agent for the UNC, had by letter dated September 7, threatened the EBC with legal proceedings in the event it did not give notice to all presiding officers of the extended hours of the poll.

The Commission’s lawyers argue that the judge failed to consider this when she granted leave and as a result of her giving permission to present the petitions, erred in law.

The EBC is also seeking to have the judge’s order of leave set aside.

The UNC lost the election with 18 seats to the PNM’s 23 seats and is claiming that the EBC’s rules and the Constitution gave the EBC only the power to adjourn an election in instances of public violence and not the power to extend the traditional voting hours of 6 am to 6 pm.

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ISLAM Peace / submission to the will of our creator.

HIJAB

A covering of beauty and modesty.

Allah SWT has commanded us with every action that is good for us and prohibited us from performing every action that is bad for us. Allah SWT orders the Muslim woman to wear the Hijab when she steps out of the security of her home or when in the presence of strange men. To wear the Hijab is a source of great good for you the Muslim woman - for many reasons. Among them: 1. You please Allah. You are obeying the commands of your Lord when you wear the Hijab and you can expect great rewards in return.

2. It is Allah’s protection of your natural beauty. You are too precious to be “on display” for each man to see.

3. It is Allah’s preservation of your chastity.

4. Allah purifies your heart and mind through the Hijab.

5. Allah beautifies your inner and outer countenance with Hijab.

Outwardly, your Hijab reflects innocence, purity, modesty, shyness, serenity, contentment and obedience to your Lord. Inwardly you cultivate the same.

6. Allah defines your femininity through the Hijab. You are a woman who respects her womanhood.

Allah wants you to be respected by others, and for you to respect yourself.

7. Allah raises your dignity through the Hijab. When a strange man looks at you, he respects you because he sees that you respect yourself.

8. Allah protects your honor 100% through your Hijab. Men do not gaze at you in a sensual way, they do not approach you in a sensual way, and neither do they speak to you in a sensual way. Rather, a man holds you in high esteem and that is just by one glance at you!

9. Allah gives you nobility through the Hijab. You are noble not degraded because you are covered not naked.

10. Allah demonstrates your equality as a Muslim woman through the Hijab. Your Lord bestows upon you equal worth as your male counterpart, and gives you a host of

beautiful rights and liberties. You express your acceptance of these unique rights by putting on the Hijab.

11. Allah defines your role as a Muslim woman through the Hijab. You are someone with important duties.

You are a reflection of a woman of action not idle pursuits. You display your sense of direction and purpose through your Hijab. You are someone that people take seriously.

12. Allah expresses your independence through the Hijab. You are stating clearly that you are an obedient servant of the Greatest Master. You will obey no one else and follow no other way. You are not a slave to any man, nor a slave to any nation. You are free and independent from all man-made systems.

13. Allah gives you the freedom of movement and expression through the Hijab. You are able to move about and communicate without fear of harassment. Your Hijab gives you a unique confidence.

14. Allah wants others to treat you a Muslim woman - with kindness.

The Hijab brings about the best treatment of men towards you.

15. Allah wants your beauty to be preserved and saved for just one man to enjoy your husband.

16. Allah helps you to enjoy a successful marriage through wearing Hijab. Because you reserve your beauty for one man alone, your husband’s love for you increases, he cherishes you more, he respects you more and he honors you more.

Thus, your Hijab contributes to a successful and lasting marriage relationship.

17. Allah brings about peace and stability in the society through the Hijab! Yes, this is true! Men do not cause corruption by forming illegal relationships because you - the Muslim woman - calm their passions. When a man looks at you, he feels at ease, not tempted to fornicate.

So a Muslim woman in Hijab is dignified, not dishonored, noble, not degraded, liberated, not subjugated, purified, not sullied, independent, not a slave, protected, not exposed, respected, not laughed at, confident, not insecure, obedient, not a sinner, a guarded pearl, not a prostitute.

Is it obligatory to pray the missed salaats in order ? What if one has much missed salaats? When is the obligation in the order waived?

ANSWER: The person who has never missed six prayers, or the number of his Qadha prayers is less than six is termed “Saahib-ut-Tarteeb”. Whenever a prayer is missed by such a person, he has to observe sequence between the prayers. He “Their reward is with their Lord: Gardens Is bound to perform the Qadha before of Eden underneath which rivers flow the Ada’ prayers of the time. For example, wherein they will dwell forever; Allah is if he has missed the Zuhr prayer, then at pleased with them, and they are pleased the time of ASR he must perform the with Him; this is (in store) for whoever Qadha of Zuhr first, and the Ada’ of ASR fears his Lord.” [Sooratul-Bayyinah 98:8] after it. If he performed the ASR before the Qadha of Zuhr, his ASR prayer will be void and he will have to pray again.

Observance of sequence is necessary between the different Qadha prayers also. All the Qadha prayers should be performed in the same order in which they were missed. So, if a person has 1 Performing Salaah on a bus missed both Fajr and Zuhr then, at the ANSWER: If the direction of the Qiblah is known time of Asr he must perform the Qadwhile travelling In a bus and Salaah can ha of Fajr first of all, then he should be performed properly ensuring the di- perform the Qadha of Zuhr and then rection of the Qiblah throughout the he should pray Asr. If he disturbed this Salaah, then Salaah can be performed in sequence he will have to pray again this manner and it will be considered that observing the due sequence. The obthe Salaah is fulfilled. If it is not possible servance of sequence is obligatory on to perform Salaah with all the conditions a Saahib-ut-Tarteeb, but if a person is necessary while travelling in a bus then not Saahib-ut-Tarteeb i.e. the number of Nafl Salaah can be performed in any Qadha prayers due on him is six or more, manner, however it would not be correct the observance of sequence is not obligto perform Fardh Salaah in this manner, atory on him.

A person who is not Saahib-ut-Tartexcept that one fears that he might miss eeb and he has missed a lot of prayers, a Salaah so he can perform his Fardh Safor example five or six years of prayers laah in any possible manner and when he and now he does not know which prayer reaches his destination he should make he missed on which day or how many Qadhaa of that Salaah to absolve himself prayers he missed altogether then now of the responsibility of performing Sahe should make Qadha with the intention laah. that I am making Qadha of the first Fajr/ And Allah Ta’aala knows best Zuhr/Asr etc. that I have missed.

Mufti Muhammed Ashraf And Allah Ta’aala knows best 19 January 2010 / 14 Safar 1432 Talha bin Ershad Sheik Attested to as correct by: 2 Is it obligatory to pray the missed Mufti Muhammed Ashraf Salaat in order ?

23 JULY 2010 / 11 SHA’BAAN 1431 QUESTION: Dear Muslim sister! Come towards the gates of Paradise with us! Fulfil your duties towards Allah SWT, put on your adornment - put on your Hijab and race towards Jannah (Paradise) by doing all good actions. You should agree by now that wearing Hijab is extremely beneficial it must be - because Allah only commands what is good and believe me dear sister, it is good to obey the commands of your Lord.

From the Dar Ul Iftaa

October 2–8, 2015 Caribbean Star Newspaper New Amsterdam mom succumbs after struck by motorbike

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halini Jewlall, 31, who was struck down along with her seven-year-old daughter while crossing Main Street, New Amsterdam on Sunday, has succumbed to her injuries.

The woman who was originally admitted to the New Amsterdam Hospital was subsequently transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she died yesterday.

Her daughter, Marlina Da Silva, was treated at the New Amsterdam Hospital and then discharged. The driver was also treated for his injuries and is now assisting the police with the investigations.

According to reports, Jewlall and her daughter were heading to her mother-inlaw’s Strand, New Amsterdam house where they also reside, when the incident occurred. They had just finished visiting their new home (also in New Amsterdam), which is under construction. “They were coming by me. They have a house behind me. They building a house and it near finish, so they does normally sleep there and come back here to cook and do other stuff,” explained a distraught Leila Da Silva.

Da Silva told Stabroek News, she had just returned home from church when she

15

received news of the incident. The woman said it was a member of the church she attends, who informed her of the tragedy. “He call me on the phone and say how he has sad news, so I said, ‘Boy I just come from church and I don’t want hear no sad news,’ but he said he got to tell me anyhow,” Da Silva recalled.

The woman was told that her daughterin-law and granddaughter had met with a serious accident. “I get so stupid that I had just taken off my clothes and couldn’t find it to put it on back,” she said, noting that

Shalini Jewlall

Marlina Da Silva

by the time she reached the hospital, “she [Jewlall] was semi-conscious and like they give her sedatives.” Da Silva said it was evident that Jewlall’s bones were badly broken. “Like how you smash tomatoes you see how her body smashed up,” she stated.

According to the woman, “they were standing up on the road waiting to cross, and I understand that a car slow down to allow them to cross, because they see her holding a little child. Where this boy [motor cyclist] came from, I don’t know. But he come and pick her up with a speed,” she said. “I believe is the impact when the motor bike hit her, propel the daughter and caused her injuries,” Da Silva speculated.

In tears, Da Silva wailed that it was unfair for her daughter-in-law to be ripped from the family in such a manner, especially given the fact everyone was excited at the prospect of them moving into their own home in two weeks’ time. “They made a lot of sacrifices to own their own home and they were so close, so close,” she lamented.

“The little girl does sleep with me because when they staying at the [new] house, they sleeping in a hammock until they fully move in because people does steal materials so they punish themselves for two months to watch the house and materials,” she revealed. “This morning [yesterday] the doctor called my son, and they told him that her heart stopped and he start crying and telling me Shalini gone, and I say no,” Da Silva disclosed. Da Silva, being a woman of faith, said she was holding out that “a miracle could happen.”

Da Silva said she is worried for her son, Vidian Da Silva, because he appears to be extremely upset over the death of his wife.

“It’s like he is not in his right mind, so I told him, remember you get Marlina to live for; don’t give up.”

Da Silva recalled Jewlall being “jovial these last couple days. She normally doesn’t find time to help me pack up what the little girl scatter up. But all of a sudden I see her packing and I say thank you God, not knowing is the last she gone help me pack.” Da Silva regrets not being able to hold Jewlall’s hands and pray for her. “I did really want to go hold her hand and pray for her. Tell her that you got to live; you got to live for your daughter. I would do everything for you, just come back. No matter if you got to walk with a stick. But I didn’t get to go pray for her,” she lamented.

Meanwhile, after being discharged from the hospital, Jewlall’s daughter Marlina was taken to her maternal relatives on the Corentyne and is yet to be told that her mother has passed away. “She is still in shock and we don’t know how to break the news to her,” Da Silva explained.

A post-mortem examination is expected to take place today.

Investigations are in progress.

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Caribbean Star Newspaper Pilot found dead in recently-acquired home Nursing home opening at Le Ressouvenir October 2–8, 2015

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A

YUBE Mazahar Ally, 46, was tuesday morning found hanging by a bag strap from the stairs of his Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara home.

The father of two had recently moved into the Lot 166 Granville Park house in which his bloated remains was found, and was reportedly in the final stages of paying for.

According to information reaching the Guyana Chronicle, Mazahar Ally was last seen late last week, but there was no sign of him all weekend, nor on Monday.

It took a security guard who works at the gated community to use his initiative and run the log book, only to find that there was no record to show that Mazahar Ally either left or entered the premises.

Realising that something was not right, the guard next called the man’s house, but got no answer. And to compound matters, he was also get-

The house that Auyube Mazahar Ally recently bought and in which he was found dead ting a strange smell from the house, which is what prompted him to call the police at the Beterverwagting Police Station.

Police sources who visited the house where the incident took place explained that the man’s body was so badly decomposed, it was partly touching the stairs.

Also, the back door was open, as was the door to the verandah, which was how a police rank was able to access the premises,

with the aid of a ladder.

Persons in the area yesterday afternoon told this publication that Mazahar Ally was not in the habit of communicating with other persons from the gated community.

Ayube Mazahar Ally worked as a pilot at several of the domestic air service providers at the Ogle Airport, but mostly with Air Services Limited, the owners of which he is related to.

(Leroy Smith)

emerara Paradise Inc., a Nursing Home and Medical Services Facility opens its doors tomorrow on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of International Day of Older Persons (IDOP), a release from the home said today.

It operates out of five two-storey properties situated in a Gated Compound at Lot 1 C Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara, Guyana. The release said that the facility boasts a collection of some of the best nurses and patient care advocates to provide 24-hour services.

The release said that Demerara Paradise Inc. has available rooms to meet the needs and desires of all patients, including pri-

A nurse tending to a patient at the facility. vate rooms, which can accommodate visiting family members. There are on site activities including a gym, library and a cinema as well.

Its Director is Dr. Vivekanand Bridgemohan. The release said that Dr. Bridgemohan is the former Chief Executive Officer of the St. Jo-

Gun amnesty extended by two weeks

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 2–8, 2015

17

Granger calls on UN to protect small states …curb Venezuela’s expansionist ambitions

PRESIDENT David Granger has urged the United Nations to curb Venezuela’s “expansionist ambitions,” saying its claim on Guyana’s territory and its use of armed force threaten the peace of the Caribbean region.

“V

enezuela’s expansionist ambitions cannot be allowed to unsettle the principle of inviolability of borders, undermine the tenets of international law and unravel borders which have been undisturbed for decades,” President Granger said yesterday, addressing the United Nations General Assembly for the first time since his election in May. “Guyana does not wish that this obnoxious territorial claim should obscure the prospects of peace and obstruct the possibility of growth for the next fifty years,” he declared.

President Granger said Guyana needs a permanent solution in order to avoid the fate of “perpetual peril and penury.” And he has urged United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to use his office to send Venezuela’s case for a final, legal settlement at the International Court of Justice.

Venezuela has claimed that the 1899 arbitral award which defined the two countries’ borders is null and void. The claim was raised 50 years ago on the eve of Guyana’s independence from Great Britain. An agreement signed in Geneva in 1966 provides for the Secretary-General to take action to bring a resolution to the contention by Venezuela.

“Guyana has the fullest confidence in the judgment and capacity of the United Nations, through the Office of the Secretary-General, to identify solutions that will validate the ‘just, perfect and final’ nature of the award,” Granger stated.

“Guyana seeks nothing more than the solidarity of this international community, the assurance of the Charter and the safety of international law,” Granger stressed. He thanked the United Nations and the Sec-

retary-General for appointing various Good Officers to help to resolve this controversy, but the President reiterated that this process has now been exhausted.

“Guyana reposes its faith and places its fate in the international system of peace that was promised by the Charter of the United Nations seventy years ago. We want to bring an end to Venezuelan aggression. We want to develop our country, all of our country, in accordance with international law,” President Granger stated.

He called on the United Nations to give real meaning to a May 1994 agreement by establishing a collective security system not merely to ‘‘monitor” but more so “maintain” the security of small states.

“The United Nations remains our best hope. The United Nations is our best prospect of peace. The United Nations is our best assurance of security for a small state. The United Nations is our strength, support and succour in our time of danger,” the President stated.

Protection from foreign aggression He said Guyana and other small states ask of the United Nations to address the questions of protection from foreign aggression, the safeguard of their territory from invasion, the preservation of peace among nations, and the continued independence of the small states.

He said that the charter of the United Nations enjoins the organisation with the responsibility “to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes.”

He said this responsibility is essential to the existence and

President David Granger addressing the United Nations General Assembly survival of small states that are threatened by powerful states.

“Small states risk being subjugated unless the international community can demonstrate the capability and commitment to provide an effective deterrent against domination by larger, stronger states,” Granger stated. He pointed out that the United Nations General Assembly, on May 9th 1994, approved a resolution which recognises that small states may be particularly vulnerable to external threats and acts of interference in their internal affairs.

Further, the said resolution stressed the vital importance for all states of the unconditional respect by all states of all the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, including the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries and the peaceful settlement of disputes and their consistent application.

In defiance of international law Granger further quoted the resolution as calling for the UN Security Council and other relevant organs of the United Nations to pay special attention to the protection and security of small states. As a result, he said Guyana rejects the threats and claims by Venezuela which are in defiance of international law. “Guyana resists Venezuela’s acts of aggression in defiance of the Charter of the United Nations which prescribes the peaceful settlement of disputes and proscribes the use of armed

force,” Granger asserted.

Guyana’s border with Venezuela was settled 116 years ago.

“The whole world, except the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, accepts our borders. The tribunal issued its award on the 3rd of October, 1899, giving Venezuela 13,000 square kilometers of our territory, an area bigger than Jamaica or Lebanon,” the President said, “and Venezuela was bound under international law to respect that award, which it did for the subsequent six decades. Venezuela, however, at the onset of Guyana’s independence resorted to various stratagems to deprive Guyana of its territory.”

Path of intimidation, aggression Granger noted that there has been a series of acts of aggression by Presidents of Venezuela against Guyana, starting with a Presidential decree of June 1968 to the time of President Nicolas Maduro Moro’s decree of May 26th 2015, which sought to extend Venezuela’s land claim to also annex the country’s maritime space.

Two years ago the Venezuelans sent a naval ship into Guyanese waters and seized a U.S.-chartered oil survey ship and escorted it to Margarita Island. This month, Guyanese authorities also said the Venezuela army was up the Cuyuni River.

“Venezuela — more than four times the size of Guyana with armed forces that are more than forty times the size of Guyana’s Defence Force — mindful of its superior wealth and military

strength, and unmindful of its obligation as a member state of the United Nations, of the Union of South American Nations and of the Organization of American States, has pursued a path of intimidation and aggression.

“Venezuela is unsettling a settled border. It is destabilising a stable region of the globe by the use of armed force against a peaceful, small state.”

Meanwhile, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has committed himself to restoring normal diplomatic relations with Guyana following a meeting with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and President Granger Sunday evening.

He said he would immediately send back his Ambassador to Georgetown and accredit Guyana’s Ambassador to Caracas.

Maduro recalled Ambassador Reina Margarita Arratia Diaz from Georgetown in July when he wanted American oil firm Exxon Mobil to halt its exploration for oil and leave the area.

At the Sunday meeting, Maduro also agreed to accept a UN team to investigate its claim that the 1899 award is null and void.

“Guyana reposes its faith and places its fate in the international system of peace that was promised by the Charter of the United Nations seventy years ago. We want to bring an end to Venezuelan aggression. We want to develop our country, all of our country, in accordance with international law.” – President Granger

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19

COME BACK TO CHURCH A

round this time each year, the Christian world sends out a call to people to return to faith and come back to church. Many have drifted and are bereft of their spiritual roots in Christ. This call is for everyone to come back home where you belong – in a loving, fulfilling relationship with Jesus Christ. How is your faith in Christ? Have you left your church for a spiritual wilderness? Whatever the cause of your wandering, I am reaching out to you with the love of Christ so you can come back to the House of your Heavenly Father and to the family of God. We must re-focus on the right object.

When your eyes are on Jesus, you can “walk on water.” When you look elsewhere, you lose faith and start to sink. Many of our brothers and sisters in Christ have lost sight of Jesus for various reasons and have drifted away. The fact is, once you have tasted of the Lord, your life will never be the same without Him. Jesus spoke of the Prodigal in Luke 15:11-24. “And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.” Some leave church because they were hurt, disappointed, abused, deceived or betrayed. Whatever the reason, Jesus is looking at the value of your soul and He is saying, “Don’t stay out there. Come back

home. I will heal and restore you.”

The Church must welcome the wandering sheep.

The Lord left an exhortation for all of us to welcome them home. Luke 15 continues in verses 25-32: “Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.” No one should be guilty of saying or doing in any way something that discourages a wanderer coming home. They may come with hurts and losses. It is not a

time to pour salt into the wounds. We must be healers and encouragers. The church must be a hospital for the wounded, a refuge for the weary one, and a comfort for the broken. Jesus loves them and we must love them, too.

It doesn’t matter, please come home.

The Sermon Central website shared the following story under the title “It Doesn’t Matter, Come Home”: Max Lucado, in No Wonder They Call Him the Savior, tells the story of Maria and her daughter Christina. Longing to leave her poor Brazilian neighborhood, Christina wanted to see the world. Discontent living at home having only a pallet on the floor, a washbasin, and a wood-burning stove, she dreamed of a better life in the city. One morning she ran away, breaking her mother’s heart.

Her mother knew what life on the streets would be like for her young, attractive daughter, so Maria quickly packed to go find her daughter. On her way to the bus stop, she went to a drugstore to get one last thing—pictures. She sat in the photograph booth, closed the curtain, and spent all the money she could on pictures of herself. With her purse full of small blackand-white photos, she got on the next bus to Rio de Janeiro. Maria knew Christina had no way of earning money. She also knew that her daughter was too stubborn to give up. Maria began her search. Bars,

hotels, nightclubs, any place with the reputation for street walkers or prostitutes.

At each place she left her picture--taped on a bathroom mirror, tacked to a hotel bulletin board, or fastened to a corner phone booth. On the back of each photo she wrote a note. It wasn’t too long before Maria’s money and pictures ran out, and Maria had to go home. The tired mother cried as the bus began its long journey back to her small village. A few weeks later, Christina was coming down the stairs in a seedy hotel. Her young face was tired. Her brown eyes no longer danced with youth but spoke of pain and fear. Her laughter was broken. Her dream had become a nightmare. A thousand times she had longed to trade all those countless beds for her secure pallet. And yet the little village seemed too far away. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, her eyes noticed a familiar face. She looked again, and there on the lobby mirror was a small picture of her mother. Christina’s eyes burned and her throat tightened as she walked across the room and removed the small photo.

Written on the back Maria had written this: “Whatever you have done, whatever you have become, it doesn’t matter. Please come home.” And Christina went home.

God is the same way. He wants us to come home. It doesn’t matter what we’ve done.

It doesn’t matter what we’ve become. We can always come home to Him. It is like Maria, reaching out for her daughter even when her daughter didn’t realize it. It is like God reaching out to us while we are living a life of sin and we are lost and yet, Christ is there... reaching.... longing... desiring to bring us home. It is prevenient grace—it has kept us, as Newton writes, “safe thus far.”

The day is far spent, the shadows are creeping long, it is time to come home before the night falls. Come back to church.

And take your family to church this weekend.

Pastor Haniff Bacchus Calvary Assembly

of God

102-07 Rockaway Blvd, Ozone Park, NY 11417 Tel. 718-659-4500 www.calvaryozone.org

20

October 2–8, 2015

Caribbean Star Newspaper

CHEC given go-ahead to restart work on CJIA P ERMISSION has been granted China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC) to re-start work on the Cheddi Jagan International Airport expansion project, at Timehri.

The project is some 25 months behind schedule.

Following a site visit by Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Simona Broomes and a team of occupational health and safety officers, it was agreed to re-commence work at the site.

“I hope I would not have to regret my decision; the request has been received, and I am given all clearance… But I am giving approval for work to commence with supervisors,” Broomes told CHEC representatives, while noting that Technical Advisor Ministry of Public Infrastructure Walter Willis will overlook the operations of the company.

The Ministry is expected to communicate the approval in writing today.

CAVE-IN The worksite was closed just over a week ago to facilitate an investigation into the death of Lui Li, and the injury of Zhang Yixun, both employees of the Chinese company. It was reported that the two were part of a team of workers testing the soil at the project site when the land caved in and trapped Li. But while Broomes granted the company its request to have the worksite reopened, she warned of the many areas to be tightened up with respect to occupational health and safety issues, as well as total compliance with the labour laws.

“Safety comes first! It is safety; then work! Put safety first!” the minister stressed. CHEC’s contract with the Ministry of Public Works, now the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, speaks in a limited way to occupational health and safety regulations.

“The contract is vague on safety,” Minister Broomes said. “The site engineer, in his brief, could only identify one safety measure; and that is not good enough… You need to set up an occupational health and safety committee.”

She noted that after operating in Guyana for more than two years, it is sur-

Minister Brooms speaks with Walter Willis in the presence of OSH officers from the Department of Labour and representatives of CHEC prising that CHEC never communicated with the Labour Department.

“I want you to maintain good practices going forward; you must have an engineer assigned to work along with you on this project… Somebody should be responsible for oversight,” she told CHEC. SITE INSPECTION During an inspection of the worksite, Minister Broomes noted that while there has been some transformation, more still needs to be done. She made the point, too, that all will seem well, now that the site is not currently active.

“The site has no one excavating at the moment, and so it will be a different picture when you have lots of people working here,” she explained.

She advised CHEC’s local manager Kevin Liu to source bigger pumps that would aid in the removal of slush from the site being used.

The death of the Chinese engineer was as a result of improper methods of removing slush from the swamp-lands, the Guyana Chronicle was told.

“The area is swampy; they have been filling it with sand, but what has happened is that the pumps used have not pushed the slush far away, so when

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the engineers were doing the soil test, the slush and everything caved in and trapped the engineer,” the minister explained.

“They need to use a bigger suction that could excavate some of the slush; this would create a drier and less slushy situation…” she advised.

Another area of concern for the ministry’s labour department is the lack of adequate lighting at the worksite. Minister Broomes noted that if the company intends to work at night, adequate lights would be needed. “Lights here are a major concern,” she said. “But not only that; you would have to provide helmets with lights, so that workers can be easily seen at nights and protected.”

The Ministry, she added, will be conducting night inspections at the project site to ensure that CHEC is compliant.

“Visits are in the best interest of all stakeholders,” she said.

She opined that there is need for greater collaboration, and as such offered the full support of her office. Additionally, the Minister has committed to facilitating a workshop on occupational health and safety to ensure that members of the company understand the rules and regulations governing the issues at hand.

“There should be no place for negligence here; we will not tolerate it… It was your negligence that resulted in the death of an employee, and we cannot afford another death; we will not accept it,” she said firmly.

Meanwhile, Liu committed to working with the Department of Labour to ensure CHEC is complaint. “I will try my best to improve site safety,” said Lui, who also committed to submitting an Occupational Health and Safety plan to the Ministry for approval, along with the compilation of monthly reports. He is expected to work with Lydia Greene, Assistant Chief Occupational Health and Safety Officer to ensure compliance.

WORK TIMES, COMPENSATION AND DOCUMENTS Following the site visit by the Minis-

ter, she requested several documents from CHEC; a list of all workers attached to the company, their hours of work and their pay sheets.

Minister Broomes made it clear that CHEC has been in violation of the Labour Laws that state that employees are required to work forty hours a week which is broken down to mean, eight hours a day for five days. Should employees work beyond the stipulated eight hours, they have to be compensated.

Ironically, CHEC’s contract with the subject ministry states clearly in subclause 6.5 that “normal working hours will be ten hours per day, seven days per week. The employer shall guarantee the contractor has no less than 10 hours available and effective work-time per day…when and where necessary, the contractor is entitled to work overtime up to twenty four hours per day and seven days per week to cope with the actual site conditions and progress.”

The sub-clause, Broomes said, is a blatant contradiction of Guyana’s laws and must be corrected immediately.

“This does not only apply to local workers, but to all persons working in Guyana. You have to comply with our laws….I am guided by the Law, and you have to comply with the law,” she said.

She said all workers who have been working beyond eight hours must be paid by CHEC. “It is pointed out here (in contract) this is a valid case, it is fact, it is written…These slip ups come at a cost… the company would have to face some costs here and pay the workers,” Broomes instructed.

She said there must be clear documents that speak to the times worked by workers. This publication was informed that with the recent incident that resulted in the death of the Chinese engineer, it was discovered there is no evidence of a work permit, although the deceased was living and working in Guyana for approximately two weeks before his death. The work permit issue is apparently not only limited to the dead employee but to other Chinese nationals working with CHEC. Also, there is an alleged lack of payroll information and other relevant documentation for staff.

However, Liu said there are documents but all are written in Chinese and have to be translated. The Minister insisted that the documents (English and Chinese versions) be provided forthwith to her ministry for verification.

Broomes told Guyana Chronicle that the preliminary report into the incident is out and several recommendations have been made. She did not state what the recommendations are but stressed on the need for workers to be adequately paid, and documents be available for scrutiny by the authorities.

Also present at the site visit was Technical Advisor Ministry of Public Works Walter Willis who also sought to explain some of the challenges on the project.

By Ariana Gordon

Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 2–8, 2015

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 2–8, 2015

25

Life Insurance: Can You Afford To Wait?

Critical decisions, such as buying a home, getting married, or having children, require deliberate, thoughtful consideration. Indeed, the outcome of any one of these decisions can irrevocably change your life for better or worse. But, delaying the purchase of life insurance can be a costly mistake for you and your loved ones. Waiting just a few years can have a negative impact on several key areas of a life insurance policy.

Whole Life Insurance: Financial Protection Plus Cash Value Accumulation In its simplest form, whole life insurance protects the people who depend on you for financial support — no matter what happens to you tomorrow. Aside from providing money to your beneficiaries to replace your income, whole life insurance also offers guaranteed* cash value accumulation on a tax-deferred basis, as long as the policy remains in force. If available, cash

value can be borrowed against to fund a child’s education, supplement your retirement income, or meet an emergency cash need.

Remember, policy loans accrue interest at the current variable loan interest rate and reduce the total cash value and total death benefit by the amount of the outstanding loan and accrued loan interest.

The Effects of Waiting Since a portion of the premiums paid accumulates cash val-

ue each year, over the long term, cash value accumulation can be considerable, especially since taxes on the growth are deferred. Generally speaking, the sooner you start paying policy premiums, the faster your cash value may accumulate.

A whole life policy is also eligible to receive dividends, if and when declared by the insurance issuer. Unlike cash values, dividends are not guaranteed. In addition, past dividends are not indicative of future dividends.

As a policyholder, you have several options for dividends usage.

For example, you can take dividend distributions in cash or apply dividends to add insurance coverage through the purchase of paid-up additional life insurance. Paid-up insurance is also eligible for dividends, has cash value, and requires no additional premiums. Other dividend payment options may be available.

So, waiting in this case can cost

you the opportunity to increase the benefit paid to your beneficiaries.

Let’s say you’re healthy now, but you decide to delay purchasing whole life insurance for five years. In five years, you may suffer an unexpected health condition, which may place your insurability in jeopardy. In the worst-case scenario, if you were to die in the next five years, the cost of waiting would be the death benefit your beneficiaries would not receive.

Remember, purchasing life insurance is a major decision. So, it’s important to take the time to gather all the necessary information and choose the coverage that best suits your needs. While the decision is up to you, keep in mind that postponing your decision can prove to be costly. *Guarantees backed by the claims paying ability of the issuer.

This educational third-party article is being provided as a courtesy by INDRA PURAN. For additional information on the information or topic(s) discussed, please contact INDRA PURAN at 646 266 5416.

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 2–8, 2015

FIFA bans Jack for life Political spite Wanted Trinidad police officer PITBULL KILLS GRANNY A Caribbean Star Newspaper

EqualityNews.ca

Thursday, August 29,July 201311

- 18, 2014

5 15

DISGRACED former FIFA vice-president, fornd in an immediate response, found to have committed many and Warner said he does not believe various acts of misconduct continumer Chaguanas West MP and former leader his banning will serve as an in- ously and repeatedly during his time tended distraction from other activi- as an official in different high-ranking of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP) Jack ties currently taking place in FIFA re- and influential positions at FIFA and Warner has been banned for life from par- garding allegations of corruption and Concacaf. ticipating in any FIFA footballing activity by fraud against the body’s leading man- “In his positions as a football official, agement team including FIFA Presi- he was a key player in schemes involvthe world governing football body’s ethics dent Sepp Blatter - a one-time close ing the offer, acceptance, and receipt Ramlogan said there was An 84-year-old great edgeable when it came to incident occurred. ally of Warner. of undisclosed and illegal payments, as committee afterthebeing as a “key ORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, July 9, 2014, CMC – A police officer comanAWednesday undertaking within grandmother was yesterday training ofdescribed dogs and statement from the ethics com- well as other money-making schemes.”

A former head of the now- But said that “reconsidthe Parliament that he Dr Azizul Rahaman of mauled to death by a family disagreed with the deciyesterday Warner wasonThe decision washe taken on the basis player” involvedsioninof the illegal payments. mitted suicide hours aftermittee a photo of said, his “Mr appeared a television programme defunct state-owned Guyeration never occurred; the pitbull. dog’s owner to Jones Animal Clinic exam- would accommodate cerof investigations carried out by the ana Airwayshosted Corporationbyairline was eventually sold Lillian Bunsee had never carry out the training at the ined the dog and confirmed tain amendments based a senior poinvestigatory chamber of the ethics has blamed government and within less than a year it was one of the danger- on suggestions from Indeventured close to the dogs house. committee following its report on the lice officer hein total was officials for the current the that airline was chaous dogs referred to in the pendent Senators and also as she had been attacked inquiry into the 2018/2022 FIFA World aviation woesagripping the os, ” Khan charged. in the past, but yesterday “Aggression training within Dog Control Bill which was from members of the Opfugitive from the law.

Cup bidding process.

Bloody attack oncommits 84-year-old suicide woman caused after being closure at Maraval home on ‘Wall of Shame’ placed

of local airline

P

morning one of the dogs escaped from its kennel and again attacked her, this time killing her.

Neighbours said the dog was one of approximately ten which were bred and being given aggression training in preparation for sale by two of the woman’s relatives.

Never once did the residents hear Bunsee scream for help but only noticed she was being attacked as they walked along the roadway close to her home on La Seiva Road, Maraval.

Police said it was shortly after 9 a.m. that the residents saw the woman on the ground with the dog tearing away at her body. They tried throwing boulders at the animal in an attempt to stop it but their efforts were unsuccessful, said officers.

Investigators said several police officers who were on patrol nearby went to the scene after receiving a report and was only able to have the dog stop biting the woman after opening fire on the animal, shooting it six times.

Residents in the area said the officers had no other option but to kill the dog.

The other dogs were all locked away in their kennels, they said.

“After the first two shots the dog was still biting the woman, like the shots did nothing to it. The police had to shoot it four more times before it stopped,” said one man.

CPR

Training

The resident, who asked that his name not be published, said regardless of the type, he was always opposed to people giving aggression training to dogs within their own household which is shared with other family members.

He said he was also knowl-

your own environment and training of dogs within your own household where you have ageable people or family members in your house

passed in Parliament last month but is yet to be proclaimed, police said.

Rahaman removed some of the animals and locked

position.

The Independent Senators had already forwarded their suggestions to him, but he was still awaiting the Opposition’s before the Act is proclaimed by President Anthony Carmona.

“This bill is clearly needed.

I would like those persons who argue that there should be no legislation to control these dangerous dogs, I would like them to pay a visit to the relatives of victims to explain their position and to offer some condolence. I am calling upon them to go pay them a visit and to offer them some compensation,” said Ramlogan.

country.

The chairman of the He said that investigatoprior to this, ry chamber of the ethics committee, Constable Madeira, Former GAC General Christopher the state-owned entity had Dr Cornel Borbely, who took over the who Khan had been on making suspension from Manager, Fazal is been strides. chairmanship from his predecessor the Trinidad adamant that political and Tobago Police Serin late December 2014, spite rather than financial “We had about 80 percent vice (TTPS), died after heimmediately ingested opened the investigation into Warner’s or operational problems of the market shares in a quantity of weedicide on Tuesday. activities in January 2015. forced the the country, ban is effective from Septemclosure ofHis The while receivpicture had been posted on the teleber 25, 2015, the date on which the the airlinevision programme “Beyond the ingTape” not a co cent present decision was notified.

Warner back in the from the govhosted by Inspector Roger Alexander. that Not his late nineties, claims there is no coincidence ernment. ban has been announced at the same and it is one even when post “The first time thatcarried Blatterthe andwords Michel Platini are of the ma-The we requested of the protective services to jor reasonsmember to borrow themselves under scrutiny from the thecommittee.

‘Wall of Shame” is Christopher G u y a n e s egrace only half a ethics If you see Madeira, do not apare payingMadeira. million dolWarner in an email to Press Associe x o r b i t a ntproach lars from the or confront him since he is conation Sport yesterday said, “I left the prices tosidered government FIFA inarmed April 2011 and if in September and extremely dangertravel upous…instead after running 2015 the FIFA ban me for life callwants ANYtopolice station, North. into debt that without even hearing so be it.

623-0362/ 4968a or send then an e-mail to The formerbeyondthetape@tv6tnt.com we could not “I do not believe however that this Former GAC GM Fazal if you have aviation of- will serveKhan avoid, did as the distraction the information that could help thetopoficial is con- FIFA’s present problems they give it. ” asthe thelaw”.

FIFA capture this fugitive from vinced thatlice wishes it to be.

Given what is Under hisof photograph, it happenstat-deGuyana’s current state KhanBlatter continued ing in Zurich with I wishthat to say ed that he could was wanted for two charges affairs is one spite huge expenditures, that there is no such thing as coinciof misbehaving office, have been avoided, GACin waspublic making, “three, dence.”with Warner, 72, was indicted in and failure tofourappear inmillion court. the continuance of the and five dolMay by a US grand jury on 12 charges “prosperous and devel- lars pre-tax yearly. We of wire fraud, racketeering and money oping” state-owned car- alleged had very good junioranand The charges he and laundering over an that escalating scandal rier being preserved and senior staff.

People were other police officer,s Corporal Lenat FIFA, football` world governing prized for itsnox functioning sent for university educaJohn, knowingly and wilfully body. and importance to Guyation in marketing, aviation handed over a loaded firearm14and have charged FIFA nese travelers. US authorities management and diploma a officials bullet-proof vest belonging toexecuthe and sports marketing courses.” He boasted that and Tobago Service. tives soliciting receiving more “They didn’tTrinidad knowofthey as farand asPolice he is aware Guy$150 million in bribes were makingthan a mistake ana Airways wasand thekickfirst backs tworegional decades. who was airline last stationed because theyMadeira, do notover unto offer free 23, US authorities at On the Scarborough Police Stationfor derstand aviation, ” July Khan headphones and asked alcohol on Warner, a former head of football`s Tobago, was also septold KaieteurinNews.

“They board the charged aircraft. governing in North were totallyarately clueless and body with handing over aAmerica, loadand the Caribbean had they known it wasAmerica a Hea continued thatvest.

GuyedCentral pistol and bullet-proof be extradited to face mistake, they (Concacaf) would have to ana Airways grew to the fly never done He it,charges. but by the five flights to New York, was released on TT$150,000 (One So it farwas only and three of times those tocharged time they realized, three ToronTT dollar = US$0.16 cents) bail, orare” he in said the jurisdiction New York. already too late, to, weekly, of while trips indered to surrender his passport to in a recent interview his nine creased peak sumWarnerat and otherduring defendants are and extradition report to the ScarborQueenstownthe residence. mer seasons North stillcourt fighting to with the United ough Police Station twice weekly.

American Airlines having States —six from Switzerland, where Khan believesthey that he wasarrested to be in chartered to aid the were a May swoop on Pathologist Dr Valery Alexandrov, “pushed aside” as head influx of travelers.

GAC a Zurich hotel — two from Argentina performed theable autopsy Tuesday, of the GACwho for was to increase its feet andexpressone from Uruguay. ing his reservations about ofFriday planes under his stewsaidWarner that he last found approximately 200 lost his bid to one political cubic appointment. ardship. centimetres of the substance have an extradition hearing quashed According to Khan, he Deputy Chief inafter his stomach, whichMagistrate amounted Mark to realized thatapproximately the lack of presiding Khan saidinforthe the Port-offirst time Wellington, a regular-sized glass. forward-thinking in the country’s history Spain manMagistrates’ Court threw out an agement would destroy there were local pilots who argument Warner’s lawyers the “The major by problem is that there for is no the GAC andcase he to therewere captains onWellingtin jets. be it quashed.

Further, So doesn’t matter if someone fore gave theantidote. then powers set December 2 as thea date for thereexdrinks one teaspoon bottle. some eight months to re“Thetoor first choiceThe for pastradition hearing be heard. sult is the same,” the pathologist added.

WE ALSO OFFER! 1) EKG Technician 2) Phlebotomy Technician 3) State Board exam on Premises

Section 19 of the Dog Control Act: FAMILY PHOTO: 84-year-old Lillian Bunsee who was mauled to death by a pitbull yesterday in her own home. is a no no. Aggression is not the type of training to do within that environment.

High potency dog food and aggression training in the home environment is creating a time bomb and it is just a matter of time before tragedy strikes,” he said.

them away at the clinic yesterday evening. He told the Express the dogs were being temporarily kept at the animal hospital until the other owner makes a decision “on what he is going to do with them”.

Detectives from the Port of Spain Criminal Investigations Department (CID) led by ASP Ajith Persad went to the scene and detained the man who owned the dog.

“It was not for any legal reason or anything. Relatives and so on would be going to the house to give their condolences and what have you, so we are just keeping the dogs for a little while,” he said.

Up to yesterday evening he was in custody at the CID office along St Vincent Street, Port of Spain. Officers said they would be consulting with Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard SC to determine what charges could be laid against the man.

The other owner was not arrested as he did not live on the premises where the

The other owner said residents no longer wanted the dogs in the area, so he may have to “put them to sleep”.

Contacted via phone yesterday, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan said the Dog Control Bill was passed on the last day of the parliamentary session in order to prevent it from being “lapsed”.

With the passing of the bill,

19. (1) Where a class A dog injures a person, without reasonable cause whether in a public place or on private premises, the owner or keeper of the dog commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $100,000 and to imprisonment for five years.

(2) Where a class A dog kills a person or causes the death of a person, without reasonable cause, the owner or keeper of the dog commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $200,000 and to imprisonment for ten years.

CLASS A dogs are identified in the Bill as: 1. Pitbull Terrier or any dog bred from the Pitbull Terrier.

2. Fila Brasileiro or any dog bred from the Fila Brasileiro.

3. Japanese Tosa or any dog bred from the Japanese Tosa.

consider their position of removing him.

sengers was ...contnue on page 8

Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 2–8, 2015

27

Kali Honored by USA Pandits’ Parishad

By Dr. Vishnu Bisram

A

t a packed audience at the Shri Surya Narayan Mandir, Ramesh D. Kalicharran , popularly known as ‘Kali’ among the IndoCaribbean community, was honored as the founder of the USA Pandits’ Parishad (USAPP) founded in August 1986. Kali already has several laurels and recognitions to his credit. Kali has been a stalwart Hindu sevak who has done pioneering work in Bharat Yatra, Indo-Caribbean Diaspora programs and community media, and the New York Phagwah Parade, among other activities.

Kali was born in Guyana and in 1970 migrated to New York where he has worked tirelessly and has spent a lot of his personal money towards the upliftment of the Guyanese and Caribbean people and the Indian diaspora in America. Because of his community work, he was honored by several organizations and governments.

Kali said he felt humbled by the honor bestowed upon him by the USAPP pointing out that it brought back memories of his career as a teacher in Guyana and his early days in America. In New York, he worked at Belleview Hospital in a pathology lab and later at Woolworth before starting his own business that has been successful. He has used his earnings to help improve the lives of others through the establishment of organizations including the founding of the USAPP. Kali offered praises to his family and friends who played a role in his business success. He said his family and friends believed in him and provided him moral support when he established ‘Kali group of companies” that included Arcel Driving School, R.D. Kali Realty Corp, Money Transfer and Kali Travel and Tours.

Kali used the proceeds from these businesses to give back (charities) to the people from his home country as well as the Caribbean and Indian diasporas in America and to help found several community organizations. Among his many charitable activities, he founded

Ramesh D. Kalicharran founder of the USA Panditsʼ Parishad is flanked by the Dharmacharya Beni Madho Misir and the President Pandit Pavindradat Parashram, also in photo is Chairman Naidoo Veerapan and other pandits at the award ceremony held at the Surya Narayan Mandir on August 2015. the Gyan Bhakti Satsangh now called the Prem Bhakti Mandir, USA Pandits’ Parishad (Council) , and the Phagwah Parade, one of the largest of its kind, and the Indo-Caribbean Federation.

Kali is a founding life member of global organization of people of Indian origin (GOPIO) and several Indo-Caribbean organizations, including the International Coordinator of the IndoCaribbean Council (ICC).

For his tireless undertakings, Kali received countless awards including proclamation and citations from New York City and State of New York as well as from varied politicians. In addition, in July 2011, Kalicharran was honored at the 17 th annual Hindu Sanghathan Diva, and in August of that year he was honored by the Federation of India association (FIA); the latter plaque was presented to him by Bollywood actress Rani Mukherjee. In June 2014, he received the Bhaarat Gaurav Life Time Achievement Award from

Ramesh D. Kalicharran (founder) making opening remarks at the formation of USA Panditsʼ Parishad on August 12, 1986 to the left is Pandit Arjun Dubay, who was elected as the Dharmacharya of the Parishad.

USA PANDITS’ PARISHAD, INC.

Standing from left to right: Pt. Chandrica Persuad, Pt. Deo Persaud, Pt. R.D. Upadhyaya, Pt. Amar Persaud, Pt. Anand Sukul, Shri Ramesh D. Kalicharran (Founder), Pt. Kampta Persaud, Pt. Arjun Persaud Doobay; standing in front of Kali is Pt. S. C. Shatri; Sitting left to right: Pt. Ramroop, Pt. Bisnauth Tiwari, Shri Navin Persaud, Shri Deodat Dataram; the USA Panditsʼ Parishad was formed at the office of Kali on August 12, 1986.

For the purposes of records the returning officers were Balwan Singh and Eshrie Singh both are broadcasters from Guyana.

Pandit Suresh Mishra of Rajasthan, India. Kali was also a recipient of ‘national award of Guyana’ from his President Bharrat Jagdeo of the Republic of Guyana. Kali became one of the foremost travel agents of the Caribbean promoting tourism to India which he did under his own banner ‘Kali Bharat Yatra’ earning him the recognition from the Government of India’s Ministry of Tourism as tour operator.

In his acceptance speech of the USAPP award, Kali applauded the USAPP for their progress and growth over the years. He pointed out that there was a period when the organization was stagnant and Pandits were disinterested in joining the USAPP. Kali told the august gathering of worshippers, “After all these years, I am happy to know that the aims and objectives of the organization are being carried out with great zeal and enthusiasm”. He said he is confident that under the guidance and leadership of Dharmacharya

Beni Madho Misir and the president, Pandit Ravindradat Parashram, the USAPP’s team with its new breed of Pandits the Parishad shall flourish. Kali paid tribute to the contributions made by the three founding surviving practicing pandits of USAPP – Anand Sukul, Radharaman Upadhyaya and N. Bisnauth Tiwari.

Kali was congratulated by his Bharat Yatrans and devotees from Gyan Bhakti Satsangh (GBS) now called Prem Bhakti Mandir. Rita Surujbali told him, “Kali-ji it’s about time they recognize you as the founder of the USAPP. Shayamlall Samlall remarked it was a well-deserved recognition.

Devi Boodhan said: “I am really proud of your achievements”. Fellow Essequibian Pandit Ramnauth commented: “This is quite an achievement , certainly this will go down in the history for the future generation”. Natalee and Ramoo of the Shri Krishan Movement in Briarwood echoed similar sentiment.

28

A

Caribbean Star Newspaper Black Sigatoka halts plantain exports - but farmers see hope for control of disease

October 2–8, 2015

lthough plantain and banana farms across Guyana have been perishing under the onslaught of the Black Sigatoka Disease, resulting in a complete halt in the export of plantains, farmers are now becoming hopeful again as the disease can be controlled with very little or no effect on the quality of production.

However, some farmers believe that the cost of control is too inflated, and many have refused to follow the guidance being offered by the National Agricultural Research Extension Institute (NAREI), resulting in poor production in some areas. Nevertheless, those farmer who have followed the recommendations are now unaffected and are seeing bountiful harvests.

Dr Udho Homenauth, Director of NAREI, said that at the moment he is uncertain about the future of the export market for plantains.

This is because, aside from the devastation caused by the plant disease, some local businessmen have been discussing producing plantain chips and packaging to international standards which might increase the local demand for plantains.

Dr Homenauth said NAREI has been monitoring the disease and over 100 plots with plantain and banana farms across Guyana have been under close watch.

“All the farmers who have been following the recommended management standards in planting and caring for the plants have been successful,” Dr Homenauth said, adding that the smallest bunch of plantains produced will weigh between 30 to 40 pounds, while the larger bunches will carry up to 90 pounds.

Homenauth had previously told Stabroek News that a $10 million investment in various surveys, engagements with farmers and consultations with international microbiological scientists and plant pathologists had resulted in success in managing the disease and bringing it under control.

Farmers on the Essequibo Islands have been doing very well in following the guidance and as a result their yields have been bountiful, especially on the island of Hamburg, he said.

Some of the places where extensive work was done in monitoring the disease apart from Hamburg, are Wake-naam, Parika Bank Dam and Crabwood Creek amongst other places.

The price of plantain has improved, while the quality has also been significantly enhanced and as a result many farmers have ex-

tended their acreage, Homenauth stated.

The production for 2013, was 17,000 tonnes, while 2014 had a total of 30,000 tonnes and the expectation is that some 40,000 tonnes will be produced in 2015, he said.

A farmer from Hamburg, who preferred not to give his name, said he was very happy with the guidance he received from NAREI since he has been seeing a significant difference in the quality of his plantains.

The farmer said he had lost a total of 80 acres of plantains to Black Sigatoka, he first experienced its effect on his farm in 2010. When his farm initially encountered the disease, he had about ten acres of plantains.

The first attack did not deter him and he continued to farm new grounds, the farmer said, adding that while he was encouraged by the flourishing young plants, just before the suckers matured and started producing, the disease again began spreading across his field.

Some farmers in different areas, who spoke with Stabroek News, are still ignorant of the help being offered to manage the Black Sigatoka and they continue to suffer losses while others have stopped farming plantains and bananas.

Leyland Lewis of Salem, East Bank Essequibo, has been a farmer for about 40 years, said he first experienced the disease in 2010, and lost about 35 acres of plantains.

Since the disease appeared to be overwhelming, Lewis gave up on farming plantains. However, he recently attempted to regrow the crop, invested in two acres of plantains. His two acres have since been consumed by the disease, causing the farmer to permanently give up on farming plantains.

An official from NAREI visited and offered advice in managing the disease, but Lewis said the cost of the labour force and fertilizers to manage the crop will be beyond the profitability, and he has ignored the advice. “If you have to dig a hole two feet in length and two feet depth to plant one sucker, then you can’t afford to plant more than forty suckers,” Lewis reasoned, as he detailed the cost of fertilizers and labour.

Lester Wong, a farmer in Bonasika Creek, Essequibo River, has been farming cash crops and citrus. In 2010, he ventured into plantains and started with three acres. After about six months, Wong recalled, all the

A farm at Salem, East Bank Essequibo which has been battling the disease. healthy plants began to appear undernourished and as time progressed, his entire farm which was once flourishing with healthy green leaves was transformed into dying trees. He has never attempted to farm plantains ever since as he is afraid of losing his investment again.

Ratiebhan Singh, who has been farming at Larimakabra, East Bank Essequibo and Maripa, Essequibo River, said that he lost about 90 acres of plantains to the disease; he could not recall the exact year that he first experienced Black Sigatoka on his farms.

Singh is still farming plantains but he is very disappointed with his harvest, as he noted that his largest bunch of plantains weighs a total of thirty pounds.

Singh said he had heard that farmers were getting advice and help in relation to the disease, but he has not been a beneficiary.

Ramanand Mohabir, a farmer of Hubu, East Bank Essequibo, has also not been a beneficiary of any assistance, although he said he had learnt that other farmers had been helped with fertilizers and guidance on managing the disease. Mohabir said he will welcome any form of advice and help in managing the disease. He continues to farm on a small scale.

NAREI, over the years, has been receiving support in managing Black Sigatoka from the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), the government of Canada, and the United Nations (UN).

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) had announced in June that in response to the disease, two technicians from Guyana were amongst a group sent to Dominica to undergo intensive training to manage it. Other countries which were to benefit from the training included St Lucia, Grena-da, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

According to the FAO, Black Sigatoka made its way into the Caribbean in 1991 and spread

throughout the region. Guyana’s exports of plantains dropped 100% within two years of the discovery of the disease, while St Vin-cent and the Grenadines’ reduced to 90%. Barbados was the sole country to which Guyana exported plantains.

NAREI had told Stabroek News in July that the Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging (CABI) in the UK stated that the disease was present in samples sent to it.

Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8 and 10, were the areas affected, according to NAREI. Other countries affected by Black Sigatoka include Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

The FAO had said that Black Sigatoka was the most destructive disease to plantains and bananas. It affects the leaves, severely impacting the plants’ ability to produce quality fruits and causes premature ripening of the fruit.

At a regional training session which was funded by the government of Canada and held at Parika recently, farmers were educated about Black Sigatoka and its management.

According to NAREI, other similar training sessions are being held in different regions.

It was explained that the selection and treatment of planting materials were vital in the management of the disease, while sanitation and ensuring that plants are supplied with adequate nutrients also play an important role.

Other aspects which were noted included, drainage and irrigation, using the correct planting density, weed and chemical control.

A plantain tree produces 42 two leaves during its lifetime, but that is significantly reduced if the tree contracts the disease. However, Black Sigatoka, if treated at the early stages, can be controlled, resulting in very little impact on the fruit produced.

Some of the suckers in Guyana

which have been showing resistance to the disease include Red Cayenne, Sweet Fig and Dwarf.

Homenauth told Stabroek News that NAREI is currently experimenting with a variety of other suckers checking for disease resistance and the findings will be related by the end of the year.

Some of the other services which NAREI has been offering to farmers include field visits, monitoring of the crops, soil testing and guidance on the use of pesticides.

A training programme to strengthen the capacity of Black Sigatoka management teams in the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as that of banana and plantain farmers started on September 28, and will run until October 9. The programme is a collaborative effort of the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and is being facilitated by plant pathologist Dr Robert Power of Suriname.

The illegal ‘backtrack’ crossing of the Corentyne River between Guyana and Suriname was requested to be closed in August of 2009 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries of Suriname, owing to the spread of Black Sigatoka.

Identifying Black Sigatoka NAREI said tiny reddish brown dots first appear on the underside of the leaves, which later progress to scattered spots all over the leaf.

These then enlarge to form a small streak, especially on both sides of the midrib by which time the spots appear brown or dark brown, especially on the third leaf of the plant.

Large dark brown spots are then visible on the underside of the leaf and black spots are seen on the upper leaf surface.

A yellow halo then forms around the spots with a brown necrotic centre.

This advances to a state where the necrotic centre becomes gray with a black border surrounded by a yellow halo.

The leaf then becomes completely withered.

Spores multiply in a 21-day cycle which results in millions of spores reproducing on a leaf.

The effect of Black Sigatoka results in damage to leaves, yield reduction up to 50% and eventual death of the plant.

The fungal disease spreads naturally by wind, water, insects, animals and humans, however, the major form of transmission is by infected leaves and diseased suckers.

Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 2–8, 2015

29

World News Highlights

DUBAI – Loyalist Yemeni troops and Gulf Arab forces on Thursday seized control of the Arabian side of the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden from Houthi fighters, a spokesman for the Gulf-backed government said.

BEIRUT/MOSCOW – Hundreds of Iranian troops have arrived in Syria to join a major ground offensive in support of President Bashar al-Assad’s government, Lebanese sources said on Thursday, a further sign of the rapid internationalization of a civil war in which every major country in the region has a stake.

UNITED NATIONS – Iraq’s government would welcome

Russian air strikes against Islamic State and was receiving information from both Syria and Russia on the militant group, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Thursday.

MOSCOW – The aim of Russian air strikes in Syria is to help the forces of President Bashar al-Assad fight extremist groups such as Islamic State in areas where the Syrian government is struggling, the Kremlin said on Thursday.

OUAGADOUGOU – The leader of a short-lived coup in Burkina Faso, General Gilbert Diendere, was handed over to authorities on Thursday after seeking refuge in the Vatican embassy, sources in the transitional government said on Thursday.

GENEVA – Sri Lanka signaled

on Thursday it aims to establish a credible judicial process involving foreign judges and prosecutors to investigate alleged war crimes during its long conflict with Tamil rebels, in line with U.N. recommendations.

UNITED NATIONS – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at the United Nations on Thursday that Russia is coordinating with the Syrian army to target Islamic State militants.

UNITED NATIONS – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at the United Nations on Thursday that Russia did not consider the opposition Free Syrian Army a terrorist group and it should be part of a political solution in Syria.

KUNDUZ, Afghanistan – Afghan troops recaptured the

Businessman slain at bar lime

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popular businessman and money lender was gunned down in the presence of his friends while liming at a bar on Foster Road, Sangre Grande, on Tuesday night.

Christian De Craney, 43, of 84 Foster Road, Sangre Grande, died on the spot after he was shot to the back of his head by a lone gunman at the Express Bar. De Craney was one of three people killed from Tuesday night into yesterday morning as the murder rate continued to spiral out of control.

Police reported that around 10.20 pm on Tuesday, De Craney had just returned from a football match and decided to lime with friends at the Express Bar when the incident occurred.

He was reportedly sitting on a chair drinking a beer along with his friends when a man dressed in black with his face covered in bandana walked up to De Craney, whipped out a gun and fired two shots at him.

One of the shots hit him in the back of his head and the other in his lower body.

De Craney fell off the chair onto the ground and died

Christian De Craney instantly. Friends and customers who were present ran for cover, some hiding behind cases while others jumped through the windows or ran into the bushes.

Eyewitnesses later called the Sangre Grande police.

A party of officers, led

by ASP Aroon Ramkhelawan and including Insp Ken Lutchman, Sgt Ramlakhan, Cpl Mootital, PCs Hernandez, Baptiste, Cortez, Gadar and WPC Clarke, responded.

On arrival at the bar police found a crowd gathered around the dead man.

The officers immediately dispersed the crowd and cordoned off the area as investigators started searching for evidence.

District Medical Officer Dr Best later viewed the body and ordered its removal to the Sangre Grande

District Hospital mortuary, from where it was to be taken to the Forensic Science Centre, St James, for a post mortem. Investigators said they have no motive for the killing as De Craney, who owned a clothing store, was well known by all and was a friendly and helpful man.

His friends who were at the football match with him were said to be in shock on hearing of his killing.

Cpl Mootilal of Sangre Grande CID is continuing the inquiries.

In the second incident, Akeem Ramdin, 31, of Moraldo Trace, Upper Sam Boucaud, Santa Cruz, was killed near his home early yesterday morning.

Police said Ramdin’s father heard gunshots around 12.30 am but thought it was fire crackers. Ramdin’s body was later found behind his home by his father.

The autopsies for the men will take place today as the pathologist was unable to do them yesterday due to an emergency, the T&T Guardian was told.

The killings have taken the murder toll to 328 for the year, 15 more than the corresponding period last year.

center of the strategic northern city of Kunduz on Thursday amid fierce clashes with Taliban militants, three days after losing the provincial capital in a humbling defeat for Kabul and its U.S. allies.

WASHINGTON – Senator John McCain on Thursday said Russia’s initial air strikes in Syria targeted recruits in the Free Syrian Army rebel group backed by the United States.

LAGOS – President Muhammadu Buhari said on Thursday he had submitted a cabinet list to parliament for approval but asked Nigerians to be patient with his four-month search for a government to tackle the country’s worst economic crisis for decades.

BEIRUT – Russian warplanes bombed an airbase in northern Syria on Thursday in what appeared to be Russia’s first strikes on a known Islamic State-held target, as well as other areas in the west and east of the country, al-Mayadeen TV said.

BEIRUT – Hundreds of Iranian troops have arrived in Syria in the last 10 days and will soon join government forces and their Lebanese Hezbollah allies in a major ground offensive backed by Russian air strikes, two Lebanese sources told Reuters.

MOSCOW – Russian’s own data analysis carried out after it launched air strikes against targets inside Syria showed its planes had only struck Islamic State targets, an airforce official was quoted as saying by the RIA Novosti news agency on Thursday.

$265 million 505-room hotel complex to land at JFK

The TWA Flight Center will undergo renovations, with its 1960s era style remaining intact. NICHOLAS LEMERY NANTEL

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new hotel at John F. Kennedy International Airport is cleared for takeoff.

The Port Authority Thursday backed a 75-year lease to JetBlue and a developer for a $265 million 505-room hotel complex at the iconic TWA Flight Center built in 1962.

“This administration has committed to modernizing New York’s airports for the 21st century by creating gateways worthy of New York City and ensuring travelers have the services they need,” Cuomo said in announcing the lease

deal.

A 10,000-square foot observation deck, 40,000 square-feet of meeting space, restaurants and a spa will be some of the amenities at the new hotel.

The TWA Flight Center, meanwhile, will undergo renovations, with its 1960s era style remaining intact.

“It's past time for a smart use for the building and for an on-airport hotel available to millions of JFK passengers,” said Joseph Sitt, a real estate mogul who founded Global Gateway Alliance, which advocates for better airports.

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 2–8, 2015

No matter how long you’ve been on the wrong road, you can always turn around — Vp Premier

WEEKLY HOROSCOPE ARIES

(March 21-April 19) For a while there it seemed like nothing was getting done. Now, all of a sudden, you’re about to cross a bunch of things off your to-do list. Weird how sometimes everything just clicks into place at once. Your recent successes are going to motivate you to make even more ambitious plans for the future. Obviously, you are good at getting what you want. But that begs the question: What do you really want?

Where are you going? Where do you want to go?

This is going to be a week of exploration and of sharing wild ideas among friends.

LEO

(July 23-Aug. 22) You never expected this would explode into a conflict, but that seems to be what’s happening. Someone has a bruised ego. And that’s never a pretty thing to deal with. It might be a good idea (just for the sake of your own sanity) to lay low. Do your own thing. Do some research. Listen to what other people have to say. There’s no sense in bringing your own ego into the mix, and if you play it cool for a while you’ll have so much more leverage later on.

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Monday is a great day to talk to strangers. You have so much more in common with other people than you realize, and you’re a great conversationalist. So why be shy?

You’re going to spend the entire week listening and talking to other people, and you’re going to have a blast. On Saturday, someone is going to have a kind of loony idea, and the sheer lunacy of it is going to thrill you. Do whatever they have in mind. Take a risk. Have fun. It’ll make you feel like a kid again.

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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.

TAURUS

(April 20-May 20) A power struggle? Where did this come from? This is about the last thing you need right now. Some people take themselves so seriously. You don’t have the energy to compete with people’s egos, not right now. So early in the week you may find yourself giving in to someone, simply because you don’t feel like the battle is worth fighting. (And by the way, you’re right.) Share your frustrations with your friends. They’ll completely understand. And they’ll help you deal with it. Their humor is perfect for forgetting obnoxious people, and their loyalty to you is absolute.

VIRGO

GEMINI

(May 21-June 20) You’re lost in the world of ideas on Monday. You’ve been thinking philosophically lately and reading some pretty smart books, and suddenly you don’t have a lot of time for reality TV. Actual reality is a lot more interesting. Don’t forget that you have a couple of pretty smart friends who would love a little intellectual banter now and again. Toward the middle of the week, you might not feeling like getting into any big conversations (you’ll have more personal things on your mind), but this weekend you’re going to want nothing more than you see your friends and talk for hours and hours.

LIBRA

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22) You’re ready for a change. Your old system just isn’t cutting it anymore.

You’ve outgrown your old ways. And without being organized, you tend to go nuts. So, get organized. Figure out how to keep your life in order and you’ll be so much happier. The great thing about being in a self-improvement mode is that it makes you a lot more patient with other people, too, and a lot more open to having fun. Coworkers getting on your nerves? Worry not. You have some vacation time coming your way, and some pretty exciting ideas about how to spend it.

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Whoa, you have a ton of energy.

You’re in the mood to have fun, and so are the people around you. (It’s nice when everyone’s on the same page, isn’t it?) The only downside to being social, to having so much going on, is that it’s hard not to be distracted by it. There’s a lot going on at work, too, and follow-through is more important than ever right now. Still, you’re great at building relationships, and some of your coworkers are becoming pretty good friends, too. No wonder you’re doing so well. This weekend, your mood is just going to get better and better.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19) You’d love to have all the money in the world, but you’re not sure that this new money-making scheme is all it’s cracked up to be. Sounds a little risky.

Instead of shaking on it right now, maybe you should take a couple more days to think it over. Ask a friend who knows a thing or two about finance for some advice. And, in the meantime, spend some time doing something creative. Paint something. Write a song. Whatever. There are all kinds of ways to enjoy life without putting a dent in your wallet.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Monday is going to be the best day you’ve had in a long time. And, Tuesday won’t be too shabby either. Why this sudden stroke of good luck? Well, it’s not exactly luck. A lot of it has to do with your natural ability to enjoy the company of others. You are funny and persuasive, and the world responds well to those qualities in a person.

Among your friends, you are kind of a sage these days. That explains why, this weekend, people will keep coming to you for guidance and advice.

CANCER

(June 21-July 22) This kind of friction is totally normal. This is what happens when a bunch of people sit down to work on something together. Naturally, there are some differences of opinion. None of it is personal. Keep that in mind. As you all figure out what to do next, don’t be afraid to think a little outside the box.

Sometimes the craziest ideas are also the best ones. And don’t rush. You have all the time in the world. This weekend -- especially on Sunday -- do something to distract yourself. Organize a dinner party and invite a couple people you hardly know. Make things interesting.

SCORPIO

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21) What’s going on at home? The rest of your life is smooth sailing, but something at home is throwing your mood out of whack. Is a neighbor getting on your nerves? Has the heater given out?

Are you desperately in need of a plumber? As soon as you fix whatever’s going on at home, you’ll have nothing else immediate to worry about, and you can spend the latter half of the week consumed by romance. If you’re single, this might be a good time to initiate something more serious. If you’re already serious about someone, just enjoy yourself. Sunday should be particularly exciting.

PISCES

(Feb. 19-March 20) You wish you could help everyone.

You wish you could solve the world’s problems.

But you’re only one small person in a giant crowded world, and you shouldn’t beat yourself up over not being all-powerful. People adore you and admire your idealism. And the more you do things to help other people, the more you learn about yourself. (Of course, there are still some mysteries out there, some things you don’t know enough about yet, but you’re open-minded and willing to learn.) On Sunday, take the day off and relax. Make dinner. Listen to music. Let your mind wander.

West Dem, Suddie and Bartica hospitals to be developed with India loan

ollowing discussions with the Indian government, Guyana is moving to find consultants to prepare the way for the development of the West Demerara, Suddie and Bartica hospitals, which would be financed with a line of credit originally intended for the controversial speciality hospital project.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan told Stabroek News that the Indian government has made a new proposal that is in line with the administration’s desire to use the funds intended for the US$18 million project to improve primary healthcare facilities that have already been identified.

Jordan said the amount of funding made available under the loan could be increased or decreased.

In June, Minister of State Joseph Harmon had announced that the new APNU+AFC government was abandon-

ing the controversial specialty hospital project and was hoping to have the remainder of the credit—around US$14 million—be made available for primary health care.

President David Granger and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral discussions last Thursday in New York ahead of the 70th United Nations General Assembly.

Dr George Norton told Stabroek News that the line of credit was inherited from the former administration so it was imperative that the coalition speak with India on its intentions for the financing.

He said after discussions with the Indian government, Guyana is moving to hire consultants to address the concerns of the three facilities that have been identified.

Norton added that the government has identified the Suddie Hospital, the

Bartica Hospital and the West Demerara Regional Hospital for major renovations and support.

“In Suddie, a complete renovation of the operating theatre is needed… Bartica, the main concern is infrastructure, at West Demerara same,” Norton said.

He said increasing the capacity of the facilities would benefit overall healthcare development throughout the country.

Norton also noted that expanding the potential of the hospitals outside of Region Four decentralises care and makes for quicker service to Guyanese.

He said that he is “not impressed with the rate at which these processes are taking place” but added that “we don’t want to rush, as uncomfortable as we are with the rate, systems have be put in place and there are legalities that have to be followed.”

He also said there would be open tendering to hire the consultants.

“We are not limiting to local, but cost is a big factor and we want to limit the amount spent on the consultancy because we, our government, will have to pay for that,” he said, while noting that the funding will not cover the consultancy. Norton said he was not fully au fait with the restructuring of the loan, which was initially intended to finance Indian firm Surendra Engineering’s construction of the speciality hospital.

Norton said India’s government was also aware of the legal battle between the government of Guyana and Surendra, which the former PPP/C government sued last year to recover US$4.2 million in advance payments for the project. It had been forced to terminate the contract with the company.

Surendra no longer has a presence in Guyana.

Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 2–8, 2015

Entertainment News

31

Bhajji to tie knot with Geeta in October

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ce Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh and Bollywood actress Geeta Basra will tie the knot in Jalandhar on October 29. The wedding will be followed by a starry reception in New Delhi, two days later, according to a report in Bollywood Hungama.

The owners of Mumbai Indian, Neeta and Mukesh Ambani, have promised to attend the nuptials.

The entire Indian cricket team as well as many players from the visiting South African team will also be there to attend the bash.

Bhajji and Geeta have been going strong as a couple since 2011.

Geeta has acted in films such as 'Dil Diya Hai' and 'Second Hand Husband'.

The 31-year-old actress is in the UK busy preparing for the biggest day of her life.

Shahid Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor and other Bollywood celebs who had arranged marriage

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everal Bollywood on-screen pairs who also found their real life partners in the tinsel town, such as Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya, captured hearts with their love stories.

But there are celebs who chose to find love outside Bollywood and opted for arranged marriage.

From Shahid Kapoor to Madhuri Dixit, these successful and classy actors went for arranged marriage.

Here is a list of some such actors:

Shahid Kapoor Shahid Kapoor, who was once known as 'Casanova' in Bollywood, opted for arranged marriage. After having a serious relationship with Kareena Kapoor and a ruShahid Kapoor moured affair with – Mira Rajput Priyanka Chopra, Wedding the "Shaandaar" actor got hitched to a Delhi-based Mira Rajput this year.

Karisma Kapoor A f t e r breaking up the engagement with Abhishek Bollywood actress Karisma Bachchan, Karisma Kapoor (second from L) Kapoor tied and Indian industrialist the knot Sanjay Kapur (L) pose at with Deltheir wedding

hi-based businessman Sunjay Kapur. The two had an arranged marriage but the relationship did not last long. Karisma and Sunjay were later divorced and the custody of their two kids went to the actress.

Vivek Oberoi with wife Priyanka Alva

Vivek Oberoi After all the drama created due to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Salman Khan, Vivek Oberoi was also not doing great in Bollywood. But he found his love in Priyanka Alva with whom he had an arranged marriage in 2010.

with a US-based doctor, Shriram Nene.

After wedding, she went with her husband to the US to begin her family life.

Esha Deol Esha Deol's luck didn't work in the film industry and soon she vanished from the silver screen.

However, she came into the limelight when she married her childhood Esha Deol and Bharat friend Bharat Takhtani’s reception Takhtani. It is said the two had an arranged marriage but it seems people are reluctant to believe the fact yet.

Govinda with his family Madhuri Dixit with husband Dr. Nene Madhuri Dixit Nene The "Dhak Dhak" girl, who stole several hearts, too married outside Bollywood.

Madhuri Dixit had an arranged marriage

Govinda Superstar Govinda was too popular when he got married. His mother chose Sunita for him and the actor married his mother's choice. They are still a happy family with two kids.

Aishwarya and Abhishek clicked at Asin’s birthday party

Unseen INSIDE Pictures Of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan From Bollywood Parties Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is not only famous in India, she has a big fan following internationally also. Whenever we see her we think how she manages to look so beautiful every time. The diva loves to party, so we bring to you some unseen inside pictures of Aishwarya from the very famous Bollywood parties.

Not many people know, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was the first choice for Brad Pitt's movie Troy. Aishwarya rejected the film because she was not comfortable in doing bold love making scenes in the movie.

Talking about Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Hollywood actor Brad Pitt once said in an interview to a leading daily, "Given a chance, I would like to work with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan because she's a versatile actor.''

Brad Pitt further added,''She is one of the most popular actresses of Bollywood, who has achieved huge acclaim in the west for her style, beauty and acting skills. I think we missed an opportunity to be cast together for the movie Troy."

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan took a break from Bollywood for her little girl Aaradhya Bachchan but now she is all set to woo the audience again with her comeback film Jazbaa.

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October 2–8, 2015

Is Salman Khan ever getting married?

Here's Bajrangi Bhaijaan's answer

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alman Khan continues to be one of the most eligible bachelors in Bollywood but the actor is still not ready to settle down. The Bajrangi Bhaijaan actor, who is often grilled on his reluctance to get married, doesn't seem to be a believer in the 'happily ever after' concept.

Where many B-Town stars are busy tying the knot, the Prem Ratan Dhan Payo actor says one doesn't get married for a lifetime nowadays.

The 49-year-old actor shared his views on marriage while talking to reporters at a press event for the forthcoming reality show Bigg Boss Nau, which has a 'double trouble' theme.

When asked when will he get 'double', the actor questioned who should he get married to and for how much time.

"Marriages are not for lifetime now. Times have changed. It is about 'temporary shaadi' (wedding) now," Salman told IANS. Salman has dodged questions about his marriage for long using his humour and wit.

He might have

eluded marriage thus far, but the Kick star has made headlines for his rumoured relationships with Katrina Kaif. But his past relationship with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan still finds him in a not-so-comfortable situation at times.

In the same presser, when a certain someone from the media asked if Aishwarya will treat viewers to a special appearance on Bigg Boss Nau to promote her upcoming film Jazbaa, Salman had a tongue-in-cheek reply for her, "This had to be the last question before the PR takes away the mike. Please clap for this madam. Kya Jazbaati sawal laai ho aap (What an emotional question you have asked)!"

Aishwarya and Salman began dating on the sets of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 1999 film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.

But things went sour between the two, and they broke up in 2001.

While Aishwarya went on to marry Abhishek Bachchan in 2007, Salman has been in the news for his rumoured link-ups with Katrina and Iulia Vantur.

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Caribbean Star Newspaper Cathriona White: Jim Carrey’s Girlfriend Commits Suicide

athriona White - the on-again, off-again girlfriend of actor Jim Carrey - has reportedly committed suicide. She was 28 years old.

TMZ is reporting that White left a suicide note that mentions that she and Carrey broke up on September 24.

That same day, White deleted her Twitter account, but not before posting a final tweet that read, “Singing off Twitter, I hope I have been a light to my nearest and dearest.”

Sources say Carrey and White first met in 2012, shortly after Carrey broke up with Jenny McCarthy.

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They dated for several months and then went their separate ways.

The two rekindled their romance back in May and broke up again just last week.

White reportedly overdosed on prescription drugs. According to police, her body was discovered by two friends late last night.

It’s unclear how serious the relationship between White and Carrey was, or if there were other factors involved in her decision to take her own life.

Reps for Carrey have thus far declined to comment on the situation.

A native of Ireland, White moved to Los Angeles to work as makeup artist. Insiders say she met Carrey shortly thereafter, and the pair instantly hit it off.

Leonardo DiCaprio Drops Weight, Beard, Keeps Girlfriend Kelly Rohrbach

irected by Oscar-winner Alejandro Inarritu (Birdman), and co-starring Tom Hardy, the movie tells the tale of one man's harrowing quest for an Academy Award.

Yes, Leo is breaking his impressive streak of playing rich D-bags (The Wolf of Wall Street, The Great Gatsby, the asshat slave owner in Django Unchained) to take on the role of legendary mountain man Hugh Glass, and sources say homeboy really wants an Oscar for the year of grueling work he put in on this film.

Lots of actors physically transform for their roles but fat, bearded Dicaprio was a regular sight for 15 months, and now that he's preparing to kick off his Oscar campaign, the heartthrob has returned to form and dropped the pounds overnight, as only Hollywood folks can.

That's Leo looking trimmer than he has in quite some time at the recent Global Citizen Festival in Central Park.

As much as we'll miss t h e Great Fatsb y ,

we're sure it was a pleasure for Leo to finally lose all that extra padding. We hope he donated the beard to Locks of Guys Trying to Conceal a Second Chin.

It's long been rumored that DiCaprio was planning a crash diet, but we had no idea he would crash this hard. Someone tell this guy you don't need to have the chiseled physique of an Oscar statuette in order to win one.

Anyway, we haven't updated on Leo's love life in a while, and remarkably, it seems there's nothing to report.

Witnesses say DiCaprio is still dating Kelly Rohrbach, and the two were spotted together at Monday's festival in NYC, as well as at a handful of other events in recent weeks.

The man is taking his Oscar campaign more seriously than Donald Trump is taking his run for presidency.

Please, Academy - just give this man Best Actor so that he can get back to rocking an epic beard that constantly reeks of the previous night's eightsome.

Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 2–8, 2015

33

Kris Jenner Wants to MARRY Corey Gamble on KUWTK?!

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hey might still rule the world of celebrity gossip, but the Kardashians are not the reality TV juggernaut that they once were.

The ratings for Keeping Up With the Kardashians have been uneven at best in recent years, and the family's many spinoff series have fared even worse.

In fact, despite the tremendous hype surrounding the show I Am Cait was reportedly almost canceled in its first season.

Naturally, Kris Jenner is not ready to just sit back and watch her empire crumble.

She'll do whatever it takes to put Kim and company back on top (It's their favorite position. Jokes!), and she knows exactly what the public wants to see - weddings.

Kim's last two weddings both provided major ratings bumps unfortunately none of the Kard gals are currently close to marrying.

Kourtney just dumped Scott Disick; Kim is already locked down; Khloe only recently began dating James Harden; Kendall is single; and let's not even talk about Kylie and Tyga.

So it looks like this time, Kris

5 Celebrity Kids Who Have Us Very Concerned 1. Jaden Smith

He attends w e d d i n g s dressed as Batman. He Tweets statements such as "I Watch Twilight Every Night" and "When The First Animal Went Extinct That Should've Bin A Sign." This young man seems perpetually out to lunch.

2. Chet Hanx Chet Hanx used to go by Chet Haze.

Either way, he's the troubled son of Tom Hanks and he's known to have a pretty serious drug problem.

3. Kylie Jenner She's young and she's already rich and famous... what could be the problem?!?

Considering how much skin she's shown at such an early age, and considering the history of her family, we wake up everyday in fear of seeing the headline KYLIE JENNER SEX TAPE: RELEASED! 4. Ali Lohan We have not heard from Ali Lohan in awhile. This means she is getting her life in order away from the spotlight... or something very bad has happened. The former is always possible when your parents are Dina and Michael Lohan.

5. Indio Downey Indio Downey was busted with cocaine and charged with a felony count of possession of a controlled substance in 2014. He was later sent to rehab by his father.

may have to take matters into her own hands.

Yes, Radar Online is reporting that Kris plans to marry Corey Gamble - and naturally, the whole thing will be filmed for KUWTK. “Kris has asked her daughter how they really feel about Corey because she said that she is convinced he is the one,” an insider tells the website.

“She told them that having it as an episode of the show is an extremely lucrative idea...Kris told her kids that it is just a bonus that their wedding will make them a lot of money because she is legiti-

mately in love."

And how do Kris' daughters feel about this shameless cash-grab?

Well, apparently they're cool with it - mainly because they realize Corey is just as smarmy as their mom.

“They tell her that as long as she is happy, they are happy," says the source "The one thing they know for sure is that Corey will always treat their mother like a queen because she is the most expensive meal ticket in the world.

“The fact that she is so much older than him will mean that he is set once she is gone!”

Sounds like a match made in gold digger heaven. Is anyone else tearing up a bit?

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October 2–8, 2015

Security guard kills shooter

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security guard working for a private security company shot dead a man who attempted to kill a business man yesterday in Arima.

Around 9.50 pm an estate constable working with SWAT Estate Police was on duty guarding a business person in Fiera Vista, Arima. While they were in a road way, a white Tiida with three occupants drove by. The vehicle stopped and one of the occupants opened fire.

The security officer drew his fire arm and shot in the direction of the shooters killing one person. The officer shot Quane Rochford, who is known to be involved in criminal activities by the police.

The police also recovered a revolver near Rochford’s body. Two other separate incidents, two men were shot dead last night. In Sangre Grande around 10.20 pm, Christian De Craney, 43 of Foster Road Sangre Grande was liming in front of Express Mini Mart on the corner of Foster Road and Graeme Trace Sangre Grande.

A lone gunman, dressed in dark clothing wearing a mask on his faced walked up to him and shot him in the head.

The police are yet to determine a motive for the killing.

In another incident a 31-year-old man was shot dead at his home in Santa Cruz last night.

The police in the Northern, Eastern and North Eastern Divisions are all investigating the different cases.

More details to follow in tomorrow’s Guardian.

New York man admits involvement in Jamaican lottery scam

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EW YORK, United States, Wednesday September 30, 2015 – A 46-year-old man has admitted that he was involved in a Jamaican lottery scam that defrauded elderly victims of about US$300,000.

Charles Hanks, of Rochester, New York, pleaded guilty to mail fraud before a federal judge yesterday. He will be sentenced on January 5 and faces up to 20 years in prison and a US$250,000 fine.

Prosecutors say that Hanks worked with a Jamaican group that operated a fraudulent sweepstakes telemarketing scheme. The scam targeted the elderly, some of whom lost their life savings when they fell for the trick.

The scammers had called their intended targets, telling them they had won a lottery and other prizes, and that they needed to sends thousands of dollars in fees in order to collect the winnings.

Hanks received money from the victims which he then forwarded to Jamaica after taking a cut.

Caribbean Star Newspaper

Caribbean Connections

United Airlines reinstates winter flights to Bermuda

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AMILTON, Bermuda, Wednesday September 30, 2015 – United Airlines will resume flights to Bermuda for the winter season with a non-stop service to Newark, New Jersey starting November 20.

Last year, the carrier chose to stop flying to Bermuda during the slower winter season, opting instead to utilize its aircraft in markets that were in peak season demand.

“Having obtained feedback from the international business and tourism sectors, it was determined that convincing United to return to Bermuda this winter was essential and that having flights on Mondays and Fridays was especially important to the international business community and it ensures continued employment for local United employees”, said Minister of Tourism Development and Transport Shawn Crockwell in a statement yesterday.

General Manager of Bermuda’s LF Wade International Airport Aaron Adderley added that feedback from the tourism and business sectors was key

in determining the importance of having the United Airlines service reinstated for the winter.

“Airlines have been making winter scheduling adjustments for their Bermuda routes over the past few years in response to passenger numbers.

That’s why it’s important that this

flight and all of our winter services, improve year over year to ensure that we maintain our desired level of flight services year round,” he said.

United Airlines will operate three flights on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, flying from Newark to Bermuda and back again on each of those days.

UK to send Jamaican prisoners back home and build new jail on island

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INGSTON, Jamaica, Wednesday September 30, 2015 – More than 300 Jamaican prisoners serving time in jails in the United Kingdom (UK) will be sent back to their homeland in another five years to continue serving their sentences, under a new deal between the two countries.

The Prisoner Transfer Agreement was concluded after years of negotiations as Prime Minister David Cameron made the first visit by a UK Prime Minister to Jamaica in 14 years.

The agreement provides for the transfer of prisoners who have received sentences of four years or more and who have 18 months or more left to serve in custody. As of June 30, 2015, there were 619 Jamaican nationals in prisons in England and Wales, approximately 60 per cent of them serving sentences of four years or more, including indeterminate sentences.

The UK will also provide £25 million (US$37.8 million) from its existing aid budget to help fund the construction of a new 1,500-bed prison in Jamaica, overcoming one of the sticking points in the negotiations which had been the conditions in existing prisons in Jamaica.

The jail is expected to be built by 2020, at which time the return of Jamaican inmates will begin.

Welcoming the agreement, Cameron said: “It is absolutely right that foreign criminals who break our laws are properly punished but this shouldn’t be at the ex-

JAMAICA PRIME MINISTER PORTIA SIMPSON MILLER (RIGHT), LOOKS ON AS CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF MAJOR GENERAL ANTONY ANDERSON IS INTRODUCED TO UK PRIME MINISTER DAVID CAMERON (THIRD RIGHT), BY BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER TO JAMAICA DAVID FITTON (LEFT). (PHOTO: DAVE REID/JIS) pense of the hardworking British taxpayer.”

“That’s why this agreement is so important. It will mean Jamaican criminals are sent back home to serve their sentences, saving the British taxpayer millions of pounds but still ensuring justice is done. And it will help Jamaica, by helping to provide a new prison – strengthening their criminal justice system,” he added.

The move is expected to save British taxpayers around £10 million (US$15 million) a year, as the average annual cost of a prison place in the UK is £25,900 (US$39,246).

While the UK has Prisoner Transfer Agreements with a number of countries, the new deal with Jamaica is an important step forward as Jamaicans account for the third largest group of foreign national offenders in jail in the UK. The majority of them – 69 per cent – are serving sentences for violence and drug offences.

Cameron arrived in Jamaica yesterday on a two-day official visit. He is scheduled to leave the island after addressing a joint sitting of Parliament today and head to Grenada.

Caribbean Star Newspaper Where is Dr Rowley’s airport portrait?

Missing: An empty space where the portrait of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley should be. Source: Elizabeth Williams

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HE official portrait of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley will be put on display at the two international airports by the end of this week.

Although Dr Rowley was officially sworn in as Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago on September 8, his portrait has not yet joined those of his prede-

cessors at the airports.

The Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago sought to explain why the portraits of Rowley is not yet seen at the Piarco International Airport in Trinidad and the ANR Robinson International Airport in Tobago.

The absence of the portraits has been a source of

much debate on social media.

A press release issued by the Airports Authority yesterday stated: “It is the established protocol and policy of the Authority to display only the official portraits of the Prime Minister which are traditionally issued by the Office of the Prime Minister."

The Authority stated: “The Authority was notified of the readiness of the soft copies of the portraits on Monday 28 September 2015, by the Office of the Prime Minister. The official portraits of the Prime Minister, Dr. the Honourable Keith Christopher Rowley, will therefore be printed and framed and will be erected at the Piarco and ANR Robinson Airports by the end of this week."

I ate the snake

October 2–8, 2015

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Hollywood actor with Caribbean roots backs fundraising for Grenadian children

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T GEORGE’S, Grenada, Tuesday, September 29, 2015 – Canadian actor Brandon Jay McLaren has thrown his full support behind a reachwithin.org crowdfunding campaign, A Run For Grenada, which is raising funds to support children living in care homes across the island.

McLaren, whose father is from the Caribbean island of Grenada and mother is from Trinidad, was so enthused by the A Run For Grenada pre-campaign promotion he chose to do more than just donate. He is now a proud member of a team that will run over 20 miles, from the Islands capital St George’s to the town of Sauteurs, on Sunday, November 1, 2015.

“The older I get the more important Grenada is to me,” says McLaren, who plays Dale Jakes in USA Network hit show ‘Graceland’.

“My grandmother passed last year, and going back to Grenada for the service really had an impact. Knowing where you come from, history, lineage, tradition;

these are all themes that have been central to the human experience for centuries and, for me, Grenada is at the center of those themes.”

“The campaign, A Run For Grenada, ticks three boxes for me. I love to give back, I love to run and I love Grenada. I back this campaign because children are our future and they deserve the best start in life. At first I was going to just donate but then I decided to do a bit more. Before I knew it, and after a quick exchange with the campaign organisers, I had booked my flight to Grenada and now here I am training for a marathon run in the Caribbean. I will push my body over that finish line and when I do cross it, it will be a wonderful feeling.”

Dr. Karen Lawson, founder of reachwithin.org said she was thrilled and humbled that McLaren would take time out of his busy schedule to support and take part in our campaign.

“It’s great when Grenadians in the diaspora, and those with Grenadian roots, give back to the island although Brandon

is doing so much more.

Our dream is for A Run For Grenada to become an established, annual event and with Brandon’s support maybe it can happen,” she said. The run is in its first official year and will see McLaren, who was also in the movie, ‘She’s The Man’, running alongside 10 locals including Dennis Mason who was raised in residential care and initiated A Run For Grenada. Mason, McLaren and the rest of the team are in training for their run which will take them up steep hills and down deep valleys in the scorching sun and possible driving rain in just a few short weeks.

Timely updates for #ArunForGrenada, can be found on the campaign page and social media.

INDIAN PHYSIC & HEALER PANDITH : RAJ ALL NATIONALITY WELCOME

SNAKE: Forester I Kishan Ramcharan displaying the skin and carcass of the boa constrictors.

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27-year-old gardener arrested and charged with having a dead boa constrictor snake and the skin from another, told police he had already eaten one snake and planned to eat the other.

The man said the snake “tasted like shark”.

The arrest happened a day before the two year moratorium on hunting was lifted at midnight on Wednesday.

Police reports are that around 8.30 p.m., they informed by Forester I Kishan Ramcharan that someone was in possession of the protected snake carcass. Police of-

ficers from the Rio Claro CID, Constables Naim Mohammed and Vishal Rampersad conducted a sting operation pretending to be customers interested in purchasing the snake.

The officers met the gardener near his home at Cunapo Southern Main Road Rio Claro where he had in his possession a crocus bag containing the carcass of one macajuel snake approximately 3.7 metres in length and the skin of another macajuel snake almost the same length.

The officers identified themselves and told the gardener the snakes were protected under the Wild-

life Conservation Act. Police said the man admitted that he got the snakes from someone and was using it for his personal consumption. When questioned about the skin, he said he already consumed the carcass from that snake.

He was arrested and taken to the Rio Claro Police Station. He appeared at the Rio Claro Magistrate's court on Wednesday where he pleaded guilty to two charges: possession of the carcass of a prohibited animal and possession of the skin of a prohibited animal.

He was fined $1,000 for each offence.

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 2–8, 2015

Water on Mars: What Does It Really Mean?

A new find of liquid water fuels hopes that life may yet exist on the red planet.

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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.

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t’s tempting to say that the announcement of liquid water on the surface of Mars heralds a new era in Martian exploration.

You might think that the first human explorers on Mars will park next to a salty stream and use it to manufacture fresh drinking water. Maybe they could even find life in damp Martian nooks and crannies, areas where the dusty red planet can still fuel microbes.

Reality is much more subtle. Finding evidence for flowing water is not the same as finding life. Right now, scientists don’t know where this water is coming from, or if the chemistry in these Martian seeps is even life-friendly. And unfortunately, chances are it will be a long time before we can get there to find out.

“It’s hard to get a spacecraft clean enough to send a lander or rover there right now,” says Bethany Ehlmann, a planetary geologist at Caltech, referring to concerns about hitchhiking Earth microbes contaminating the Martian surface.

But there's still reason for excitement.

These seasonal seeps, which scientists call recurring slope lineae, “are probably the best place to look for modern life,” she says.

Odds of Life Here's what scientists know. Analyses have confirmed that enigmatic streaks that appear in summertime on the planet's slopes are produced by liquid water—salty water, perhaps capable of sustaining chemical reactions and even life.

Like Mars itself, the dark watery streaks are ruggedly beautiful, as seen in photographs taken by the HiRISE camera aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. But for all their picturesque drama, these dark marks represent more of a trickle than a flow.

It’s possible they’re fed by some kind of underground aquifer, or a buried icefield that thaws in warmer weather and sends melted Mars water sliding downhill.

While not outside the realm of possibility—we do know there’s ice buried beneath the Martian surface—such scenarios aren’t as likely as the one scientists favor: The water comes from the atmosphere. If that's true, it’ll be a much tougher resource to tap into. But how could water from the atmosphere form these dark streaks? On Mars, as on Earth, salts on the surface can absorb atmospheric water vapor and trap it in their crystal structures. Then, when the soggy crystals warm up, they dissolve. The whole liquidy mix surrenders to the tug of gravity, and off it goes, tumbling downhill.

In Chile’s super-dry Atacama desert, this exact type of system—called deliquescence—is the key to supporting some rather extreme life, says NASA astrobiologist Chris McKay. But there’s no guarantee this is happening on Mars. McKay notes that the type of salts near the Martian streaks, called perchlorates, form different watery mixtures than the salts we’re most used to on Earth.

In fact, it’s possible the perchlorate streaks could behave similarly to Antarctica’s Don Juan Pond, which is the saltiest liquid water body on Earth—and totally dead.

“Such a brine is not suitable for life and

Traces of salty water have been detected in in gullies and craters on Mars, such as this impact crater with dark streaks along its inner edge. PHOTOGRAPH BY NASA is of no interest biologically,” McKay says.

“Nothing can live in the brine of Don Juan Pond.”

Follow the Water So, seeps fueled by atmospheric humidity might not make the most convenient water well for human colonists, and they might not even be ideal habitats for Martian microbes—but wouldn’t it be worth finding out?

Of course. What we know so far, based on the single example of Earth, is that life tends to show up wherever there’s water.

That’s why NASA’s search for life beyond Earth has been driven by the mantra, “Follow the water.”

The frustrating irony here is that NASA can’t follow this particular water. Not yet.

Mars Once Held an Ocean An ancient sea once covered a fifth of the planet’s surface, astronomers found by calculating how much water the planet has lost over time.

Sending a spacecraft to an area where liquid water flows is much too risky, cautions NASA’s Office of Planetary Protection. Finding water in the streaks will brand them as a "special region," an area where spacecraft can land only after thorough cleaning or sterilization, says Ernst Hauber of the German Aerospace Center.

If hitchhiking microbes were to somehow survive the journey to Mars and find themselves in a briny bath, it’s possible they could gain a foothold and contaminate the red planet. Such a scenario would not only complicate any future detection of life on Mars, but also introduce a potential disaster: Think about how great we are at hastening the spread of invasive species on Earth.

It’s certainly worth the caution, though humans walking on Mars (which some say is the next goal in solar system exploration) are much more likely to shed microbes than a sterilized robot is, and Earth microbes aren't necessarily likely to thrive in Mars brines.

If there’s one big story from the past decade of planetary exploration, it’s that water is everywhere. It’s tucked into moon dust, frozen in Mercury’s shadowed craters, streaming off the backs of comets, and sequestered inside the shells of icy moons.

Mars, finally, has joined the population of bodies where we know water flows—and that’s interesting enough on its own, without the breathless speculation.

“Modern Mars is right ‘on the edge,' ” Ehlmann says, as an active world where liquid water exists even today. “Just a slight tweak in climate could make waters even more widespread.”

Caribbean Star Newspaper

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N YET another incident of piracy in waters between Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela, a young fisherman has been killed in a violent attack by Spanish- speaking gunmen off this country’s coastline.

Christian Steve Hernandez, a 19-yearold Las Cuevas man was shot dead by the pirates early on Monday evening and one of his colleagues remains in hospital in serious condition when he was wounded in the attack. Hernandez was among five men who came face to face with death when they were intercepted by a vessel occupied by eight Spanish-speaking men. While three of the Trinidadian’s dived into the sea to escape a hail of bullets, Hernandez killed and another man, Roger Clement severely wounded, in a serious condition at hospital in Port-of- Spain.

Newsday understands that Hernandez, along with Roger Clement 26, Brandon Burnley 25, Isaiah Clement 19, and Leron Samaroo, 29 set out to sea on Monday in their 25-foot pirogue to retrieve some nets from the Hibiscus Platform, a short distance away from Staubles Bay. When they were returning, their boat was intercepted by the pirates. The survivors of

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October 2–8, 2015

KILLER PIRATES

the ordeal told police the men took them to a dark area near the platform and proceeded to rob them of items including a tool box and then opened fire on them. Hernandez and Roger Clement were shot multiple times, while Burnley, Isaiah Clement, and Samaroo jumped off the boat and hid in the water to avoid their attackers.

They emerged from the waves after the pirates sailed off and took their injured colleagues, to Staubles Bay. They arrived on land at about 6 pm on Monday where a Medical Officer declared Hernandez dead on arrival and sought to stabilise the wounded Clement who was transferred to the St James Infirmary.

The three survivors of the ordeal are now in the care of police officers, assisting with the investigation.

Relatives of Hernandez, who gathered yesterday outside the Forensic Science Centre in St James awaiting his autopsy report, told reporters that the young man was one of six children.

“I didn’t even know how to tell my mother when I found out,” a sister of the deceased said. “I called my brother and told him about it but he also didn’t know how to tell our

mother.” The man’s sister told reporters Hernandez grew up close to the water in Las Cuevas and learned to fish from a young age. He was described by his family as a quiet yet friendly person.

Yesterday’s incident was the second death at the hands of Spanish- speaking bandits in waters off Trinidad for this month. Marcus Haniff, 23, was killed during a fishing expedition in the Gulf of Paria on September 19.

Newsday understands that Haniff along with Edward Charles and Lennox Charles, all from the Erin area left the Moruga fishing port and were at sea when four armed men pulled up alongside them.

The pirates took their boat engine and all their valuables, before ordering Haniff and his fisherman friends to jump into the ocean. Shots were fired behind the group of men and Haniff, who was a non-swimmer, disappeared.

When the pirates left, the group of men searched the area for Haniff, but could not find his body.

Relatives and police presume Haniff drowned. His body has not yet been recovered.

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In another incident involving pirates, five Venezuelans were killed by members of the Guardia Nacionale a few weeks ago while they were in search of two Trinidad and Tobago fishermen, Shawn Madoo and Vishal Ramlochan, who were missing since early July.

The Venezuelan military was reported to be pursuing investigations related to the kidnapping which was reported to the Venezuelan security including the judicial police in early July.

The Trinidad and Tobago fishermen, whose ages were given as 25 and 28 respectively, were said to have been attacked by pirates near a location known as Ducks Island, off the coast of Sucre state.

A Venezuelan newspaper reported that following the kidnapping, the men’s family in Trinidad received communication demanding payment of US $10,000 for each of the men.

There has been no word from either Trinidad and Tobago police or the Venezuelan authorities on the fate of those two fishermen.

Sgt Harvey is continuing investigations into Monday’s incident.

‘Fresh start’ GPSU wants cops, soldiers unionised

fter enduring years of abuse, the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) now has a chance at a “fresh start” under the new APNU+AFC government, according to the body’s president Patrick Yarde who called for the immediate restoration of the Public Service Appellate Tribunal.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the union’s 21st Biennial Delegates’ Conference yesterday, Yarde also announced that the union is taking steps that would allow police and army ranks to join trade unions. He also called for sustained dialogue with government.

Speaking under the theme ‘Enhancing the process of the Restoration of Dignity and Professionalism in the Public Service,’ Yarde delivered a robust presentation to the delegates gathered at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, Liliendaal.

Noting that the conference is occurring in a season of change, Yarde told the delegates and special invitees that what is being sought is “an end of the days of the impoverished public servants.”

He said the union knows that things will take time to happen but wants assurance that its representation of the interests of members is taken seriously.

Yarde recalled that in the 1990s, the late president Dr Cheddi Jagan had set up a bipartisan committee to look at wages and salaries in the public service as well as the formulation of a productivity strategy and the design of a productivity improvement programme for the public service. A report was later compiled and submitted.

“This document symbolized much of the frustrations that public servants have had to en-

dure under the previous administration,” he said even as he explained that the commitment given in this document “died when Dr. Jagan died. His successors relegated the public service to misery.”

According to Yarde, the PPP failed to understand that the public service is the bedrock upon which the efficient functioning of government stands. He made it clear that while his intention is not to dwell on the past, at times in looking to the future, the past must be examined.

The GPSU president told the delegates that they must not forget the politicization of the Public Service Commission, the effects of the non–functioning of the Public Ser-vice Appellate Tribunal, and the consequential fall-outs which include denial of promotions, nonpayment of increments, unlawful imposition of salaries, denial of natural justice and due process and blatant discrimination and victimization.

His remarks were met with a loud round of applause.

Yarde spoke of the denial of land for housing for members and day-care facilities for their children for over two decades, as many of those gathered nodded in agreement.

He urged members not to forget the “blatant” attempt by the former administration to suffocate the union financially and to take away its sports complex land, which was gifted by the PNC government about 40 years ago for recreational purposes.

The union president also called for the “abuses of the past be not repeated” before voicing his disapproval of how scholarships for students and members of the public service were handed out.

He urged that the process be reviewed so that it can be just and

fair.

Yarde also spoke of the meagre retirement packages given to public servants. “Many of us retire broke, completely dependent on pension that does not come remotely close to being a fair representation to the contributions that we gave,” he said to claps and mutters of approval.

The GPSU president said too that many public servants and their families are left uncertain about their future.

“Those are the images of public servants that we see so frequently. I want that to end…,” he declared to loud applause. He added that the union would welcome any proposal put forward by government for the enhancement of the welfare for members and the public service. “We will work with government for the achievement of goals that are collectively set.” He emphasised that the union’s “strategy will be governed by our experiences.”

He said that the union welcomes and supports government’s announcement of the development of a training institute for public servants.

He also acknowledged that the public service is unable to compete with forces such as migration and better paying jobs in the private sector but the union will always advocate for loyalty from its members.

According to Yarde, members are paid salaries that cannot meet their needs and “all too frequently in hostile work environments.” Some members, he said, have gone to their graves dissatisfied and he later stressed that a revamp of the public servant has to begin now.

“We in the Guyana public service cannot accept a double standard. We want the powers that be to know that,” Yarde said during

his 30-minute presentation.

He added that it is not all about emoluments but also restoring dignity to the public service.

“Dignity that has been taken away by arrogance of power that sometimes is demonstrated by ministers of the government and senior officials. Leadership is not about intimidation. It is not about creating a bunch of intimidated and frightened public servants, it is about respecting their contributions,” he said to shouts of “yes!” and clapping.

The union head said the union is currently fashioning recommendations for the ongoing public service Commission of Inquiry (CoI) that deals with the creation of conditions which will in the long term, improve the quality of lives of members and their families as well as the quality of service provided. He said it is hoped that at the end of the CoI, “meaningful and tactful recommendations” will be given to government.

Meanwhile, Yarde used the occasion to call for the Public Service Appellate Tribunal to be restored immediately. “It is a constitutional requirement,” he said before adding that the Arbitration Tribunal award of 1999 should also become effective immediately. Yarde called too for the union’s role in collective bargaining in the relevant range of issues to be reinstated immediately.

Yarde also told the gathering that sweeper/cleaners in the Ministry of Education should be treated as full-time employees in the public service. The delegates clapped in agreement.

Turning his attention to the group of government ministers present, he said that Minister in the Minis-try of Social Protection Simona Broomes, who has

responsibility for labour, should be congratulated for the work she has been doing. He said the union is very impressed by what it has seen so far.

He expressed concern for the workers at the Guyana Revenue Autho-rity’s (GRA) complex on Camp Street. He said some workers may already be experiencing health related issues given the state of the building. He urged government to find a suitable complex for the workers urgently. Yarde also informed that the union is looking to pursue legislation to allow policemen and army ranks to be able to join trade unions. “These people are public servants in uniform and we feel that all workers should be able to get representation,” he said while adding that a resolution will be coming before the conference seeking to clean out the undesirables in the force and for ranks to be properly compensated.

He emphasised that given the risk and work that goes with policing, a rank should not be paid less than US$1,000 per month.

Yarde called for a return of dialogue between the union and the government. “This dialogue must be serious, it must be sustained… and it must be underpinned by an environment of good will,” he said.

During the opening ceremony, delegates and invitee were entertained by several cultural items and musical renditions from the Guyana Police Force band.

GPSU General Secre-tary Kempton Alexander delivered greetings from sister organizations. Among the government members present were Minister of State Joseph Harmon, Broomes, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and Minister of Social Cohesion Amna Ally.

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 2–8, 2015

CRICKET & Sports

Australia No. 1 in ICC rankings for women Rankings as of October 2015 1 Australia (134 pts) 2 England (124 pts) 3 New Zealand (109 pts) 4 India (105 pts) 5 West Indies (99 pts) 6 South Africa (92 pts) 7 Pakistan (81 pts) 8 Sri Lanka (74 pts) 9 Bangladesh (57 pts) 10 Ireland (26 pts)

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ustralia’s dominance in all three formats has resulted in them taking first place in the new ICC rankings for women’s teams. England are second with 124 points, ten behind Australia.

The women’s ranking is a combined Test, ODI and T20 ranking, whereas the men’s teams have a separate ranking for each format.

“The innovative new system treats results from Test, ODI and T20I cricket equally,” the ICC said. “This means there will be rankings points to play for in every international match, while the volume of matches will ensure the table is a credible reflection of overall performance.

“The rankings table is based on results between three and four years, but

Australia and England are the no. 1 and 2 ranked women’s teams © Getty Images with the first two years being weighted at only 50 per cent. Currently, results from October 2012 to September 2014 are weighted at 50%, while results since October 2014 are weighted at 100%.”

Australia’s standing was a result of their victory in the 2013 World Cup in India and the 2014 World T20 in Bangladesh, and their lead position in the ICC Women’s Championship.

“It’s certainly nice to be recognized as world number one. We’ve done a lot of hard work in the past few years to win the ICC Women’s World Cup and ICC Women’s World Twenty, as well as the Ashes recently,” Australia captain Meg Lanning said. “We are looking forward to staying at the top of the tree for a long time, which is going to be a big challenge but we have the players to do that.”

Pakistan defend 136 again to win series

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he second T20I between Pakistan and Zimbabwe more or less followed the same script as the first. Having chosen to bat, Pakistan scraped to 136 again, and the Zimbabwe batsmen were never on course during the chase. Umar Akmal struck a busy 38 to lend the visitors late boost after a regular fall of wickets, and the target was made to look bigger with the Pakistan bowlers dismantling the Zimbabwe top order inside five overs.

The asking rate continued to rise and the hosts eventually fell short by 15 runs.

Chamu Chibhabha was given out lbw in the third over of the chase despite the ball pitching outside leg stump, Hamilton Masakadza made room and carved Mohammad Irfan to third man, while some sharp fielding from the tag team of Shahid Afridi and Sohaib Maqsood ran out Craig Ervine. Imad Wasim then struck in his second over when Richmond Mutumbami, scoreless for seven balls, was bowled through the gate. The Pakistan fielders cranked up the intensity, cut down runs and ably backed their bowlers up.

Sean Williams and Sikandar Raza offered some resistance with a 60-

Cricket-West Indies fail to qualify for 2017 Champions Trophy

run partnership, using nudges and bunts while occasionally attempting reverse-sweeps and slogs. Just as Zimbabwe looked to find a higher gear, Raza was dismissed by a canny slower ball from Imran Khan for his maiden international wicket. At that point, the equation read 53 runs from 23 balls.

Elton Chigumbura, though, gave Zimbabwe an outside chance when he hit two sixes off Imran over longoff in the 17th over. The first one was palmed over the fence by Ahmed Shehzad, and the second cleared him comfortably. The returning Irfan, coming in for Wahab Riaz, snuffed out Zimbabwe’s slender chance by having Chigumbura caught at long-on for 17 off 8 balls. Williams and Luke Jongwe fought it out but could only reduce the margin of defeat.

While Irfan generated typical extra bounce even on a slow pitch, Imran was impressive with his assortment of slower cutters. They finished with combined figures of 8-0-60-4 as Pakistan claimed their third straight T20 series win.

The match-winning target was set up by Akmal, who came in at 72 for 4, and boosted Pakistan’s innings. He

began with a brace of fours before he launched the first six of the game off the penultimate ball of the innings. Akmal was also adept in finding gaps and Wasim managed a couple of fours as Pakistan took 14 runs off the last over.

The start too had been bright before the middle order botched it up. Mohammad Hafeez, the other change in Pakistan’s XI, did not take much time to find his bearings, playing a handsome drive and two pulls.

However, Tinashe Panyangara dismissed Shehzad for seven in the fourth over, and two overs later Hafeez was undone by the slowness of the pitch when he tamely chipped Jongwe to short midwicket.

The Shoaibs - Malik and Maqsood - threatened to mount a recovery but were foiled by the spinners. Their 30run stand ended when Malik dragged Graeme Cremer to long-on. Instead of going back to rebuilding mode, Maqsood advanced down the track the following over and played an injudicious shot: skewing one into the lap of backward point. Rizwan and Afridi also failed but Akmal lifted Pakistan, despite good variations from Panyangara and Jongwe at the death.

ept 30 (Reuters) - The declining fortunes of West Indies cricket hit a new low on Wednesday when the Caribbean team failed to qualify for the 2017 Champions Trophy in England.

Restricted to the world’s top eightranked sides, the West Indies missed out on the lucrative event after slumping to ninth place on Wednesday’s cut-off date.

Their failure to qualify marks the first time the West Indies will be missing from any of cricket’s three big limited-overs events -- the 50-overs World Cup, the Champions Trophy and the Twenty20 World Cup. West Indies are one of just three teams to have captured all three titles, winning the 50-over World Cup in 1975 and 1979, the Champions Trophy in 2004 and the Twenty20 World Cup in 2012, but have fallen on hard times.

Once the most dominant force in world cricket, West Indies have struggled in recent years, plagued by chaotic mismanagement and rows over player contracts.

Last year, West Indies abandoned their planned tour of India and just two days ago, they suspended coach Phil Simmons after he criticized the selection policy for next month’s tour to Sri Lanka.

Their spot in the 2017 Champions Trophy was effectively taken by Bangladesh, whose last appearance at the tournament was in 2006, although they finished seventh in the rankings, just ahead of Pakistan.

Australia, India, South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Pakistan also qualified, along with the host-nation England, who were automatically granted a place.

The 2017 Champions Trophy will take place from June 1-18, with the eight qualified teams separated into two pools of four, and the top two from each group advancing to the knock-out phase.

Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 2–8, 2015

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Sunil Narine back as WI revamp ODI squad O ffspinner Sunil Narine has been included in the West Indies squads for the ODIs and T20Is in Sri Lanka in October, after having opted out of their 2015 World Cup campaign because of issues with his action. There were eight changes from the squad that travelled to Australia and New Zealand: Chris Gayle was out of both squads after having a back surgery, but Darren Sammy, Lendl Simmons, Sulieman Benn, Sheldon Cottrell, Nikita Miller, Kemar Roach, and Dwayne Smith were omitted from the ODI set up Allrounders Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard continued to be kept out of the ODI set-up, a decision that was revealed beforehand by Phil Simmons, who was later suspended as West Indies coach for saying there had been outside interference in the selection of the squad. Both players, however, were included in the T20I squad.

The selectors dropped a lot of the players who fared poorly in the World Cup, where West Indies struggled during the group stages and were beaten heavily by New Zealand in the quarterfinal.

Allrounder Smith made only 93 runs in six matches during the World Cup and was hardly used as a bowler, while batsman Lendl Simmons scored 173 in five innings, of which 102 came in the defeat

against Ireland. Allrounder Sammy also had an ordinary tournament - 177 runs in five innings and only one wicket in 28 overs. Simmons and Smith were also missing from the T20I squad, having been part of West Indies’ previous Twenty20 matches in South Africa before the World Cup. Fast bowler Roach and left-arm spinner Benn played three matches each in the World Cup. Roach took only one wicket and went for 6.81 runs an over, while Benn claimed two and conceded 6.34 an over. Miller, another left-arm spinner, played only the one game in the tournament, while fast bowler Cottrell had sat

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on the bench throughout the campaign.

Cottrell and Benn were also cut from the T20I squad.

Rampaul, a fast bowler, made a comeback in both formats after not even being included in the list of 30 probables for the World Cup; his last game for West Indies was during the aborted tour of India in October 2014. Legspinner Bishoo has not played an ODI or T20I for West Indies since October 2011, while wicketkeeper-batsman Fletcher has not played an ODI since May 2010. Allrounder Mohammed, who bowls part-time offspin, has played only one ODI, in December 2011.

Blackwood has not yet made his ODI debut, while Brathwaite had been left out of the World Cup squad after playing the preceding series in South Africa in January. Brathwaite, however, was dropped from the T20I squad after having been part of the tour to South Africa. Offspinner Ashley Nurse was the other player dropped from the T20I squad.

The four other players included in the T20I squad after missing the matches in South Africa were legspinner Samuel Badree, fast bowler Jerome Taylor, and batsmen Jonathan Carter and Johnson Charles.

Narine has not played international cricket since he was reported for a suspect action during the 2014 Champions

League T20 and barred from bowling for Kolkata Knight Riders in the final of that tournament. He underwent remedial work and was included in West Indies’ World Cup squad, but pulled out of the competition to give himself more time to work on his action. Narine once again ran into trouble with his action during the 2015 IPL after the World Cup, and was given a final warning, though sanctions during the CLT20 and the IPL are not applicable to international cricket.

The limited-overs leg of the tour of Sri Lanka comes after the two-Test series and begins with the first of three ODIs on November 1. West Indies will be coached by the selector and former fast bowler Eldine Baptiste, after Phil Simmons’ suspension.

ODI squad: Jason Holder (capt), Devendra Bishoo, Jermaine Blackwood, Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Jonathan Carter, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Jason Mohammed, Sunil Narine, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor T20I squad: Darren Sammy (capt), Samuel Badree, Darren Bravo, Dwayne Bravo, Jonathan Carter, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Jason Holder, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor

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October 2–8, 2015

Caribbean Star Newspaper

Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 2–8, 2015

41

Simmons asked to answer ‘breaches of confidentiality’

P 9/26/15: The Mets win their first NL East title since 2006 and members of the team discuss the clinch and going to the playoffs

Mets win first East title since ‘06 Mets clinch 2015 NL East crown2:55 INCINNATI -- Since 11:43 p.m. ET on Oct. 19, 2006, the moment that Adam Wainwright’s curveball dropped into Yadier Molina’s glove and the Cardinals advanced to the World Series, the Mets began yearning for this. Three thousand, two hundred and sixty-four days passed between champagne baths for the Mets, longer than all but three big league teams.

They lost their way at times; their photo albums depicted an historic collapse, then a more modest one, then a half-dozen consecutive losing seasons.

Now this. Lucas Duda hit a grand slam in the first inning Saturday at Great American Ball Park and the Mets never looked back, winning a 10-2 game over the Reds to clinch their first NL East title and playoff berth since 2006. Matt Harvey pitched into the seventh, David Wright iced things with a late three-run homer and the bullpen did the rest, inciting ajubilee in the visiting clubhouse.

Wright’s three-run homer 9/26/15: David Wright crushes a three-run homer to left-center field, extending the Mets’ lead to 10-2 in the 9th inning “I can’t be more excited or more proud to wear the orange and blue,” Wright said. “I bleed orange and blue. To be able to celebrate with these fans, this city, this team, is a privilege.”

The Mets are a half-game ahead of the Dodgers for home-field advantage in the NL Division Series, should L.A. clinch the NL West.

Only the Blue Jays, Mariners, Marlins and Astros had gone longer without a playoff berth.

The Mets felt it from deep within, even as their roster turned over and only Wright remained from the 2006 team.

They changed their manager and their general manager,

C

the bulk of their field staff and front office. They made signings and trades, culminating with their acquisition of Yoenis Cespeds 13 minutes before the July 31 non-waiver Deadline. Days later, they chased down the Nationals.

Now they are partying. Duda set the first streamers airborne with his grand slam off Reds starter John Lamb, belting it a few paces shy of the Ohio River. Curtis Granderson also homered, Michael Cuddyer hit a two-run double and Harvey raced past his faux season innings total of 180, delivering 6 2/3 more and allowing just two runs.

“We knew we wanted to win this game,” Harvey said.

“We didn’t want to wait until tomorrow. We didn’t want to wait until Philadelphia. This game was probably the most important game of the year.”

Along the way, the Mets moved into a virtual tie for home-field advantage with the Dodgers, their likely NL Division Series opponent. Only seven games stand between the Mets and their first postseason moments since the 2006 NL Championship Series, which ended with Wainwright’s strike-three curveball to Carlos Beltran.

“It’s gratifying to see it come together,” Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said.

“You never quite know when it’s going to happen. But you have to have faith.”

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Early on top: Duda made certain there would be no drama in this one, jacking a 91-mph Lamb fastball into the rightfield seats for his third homer and 10th RBI in two games.

Catching fire in Cincinnati, Duda has reached base safely in 11 of his last 16 plate appearances, with three homers, three doubles and five walks.

“He got all of that one,” Lamb said of Duda’s long ball.

“That’s the pitch that you have

to get the ball over the plate for a strike. I did that, and he obviously put that ball pretty far down the right-field line.”

De Jesus doubles down: It was a 5-0 game already when the Reds rallied in the second inning. Following two singles against Harvey, Ivan De Jesus Jr. went to the opposite field when he lined a two-run double into the rightfield corner that scored Jay Bruce and Todd Frazier.

A Tucker Barnhart single gave Cincinnati runners on second and third with one out, but Harvey escaped without further damage. De Jesus also hit a two-out double in the sixth inning.

The Dark Knight clinches: Blowing past 180 innings and not stopping until the seventh, Harvey gave up his only two runs on De Jesus’ second-inning double. Despite prevailing thoughts that he would match the five innings he pitched in his last start, or perhaps go even shorter, Harvey threw 6 2/3 innings to increase his season total to 183 1/3. As he walked off the field, he received a standing ovation from a sizeable pocket of Mets fans chanting his name.

“He came to me the other day and he said, ‘I’m pitching.

I want to throw at least 100 pitches,’” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “‘Whatever it takes.’”

Murphy denied: The Mets already had their two homers and Daniel Murphy seemed poised for the team’s third leading off the top of the fifth.

Murphy lifted a drive to center field, but Jason timed his leaping attempt perfectly and caught the ball above the top of the fence to take away the homer. Murphy added some memorable defense of his own in the bottom of the inning, combining on a nifty double play with shortstop Wilmer Flores, who -- it all comes full circle -- added a basket catch on Bourgeois’ popup in the

seventh as Cincinnati dropped its seventh game in a row.

“It was phenomenal,” Price said. “It’s funny what you pull out of some of these losses.

You find these moments in the game. [People say], ‘What does it matter? Your team lost.’ That’s what we have to look to at this point in time.

We have to find our moments in the games that we don’t win, where we find some sense of satisfaction in individual performance.”

QUOTABLE “I’m so happy for our fans.

I’m so proud of Sandy Alderson and the front office staff -Terry, all the coaches, the players in this room, they played their hearts out. They went out every day and worked hard.

Terry said, ‘That’s all I ever ask of you guys, go out there and work hard,’ and they worked hard for them. It’s a great accomplishment. Hopefully a lot more to go.” -- Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon Must C: Mets clinch division LAMB PULLED EARLY Saturday’s two-inning start was the shortest of Lamb’s brief career. He was lifted for a pinch-hitter while the Reds were challenging Harvey in the bottom of the second inning.

Price made the move as Lamb already had 62 pitches.

“It wasn’t getting any better,” Price said. “It’s one of the things as a young pitcher -- you have to find a way to keep yourself in the ballgame.

It was a seven-inning bullpen effort right there. … The young guys, as they will learn here, you have to find a way to keep yourself in that game for just one more inning, whatever it is, a third inning, a fourth inning or fifth inning, just to take that load off the bullpen.

We’re a work in progress, but we have to take more steps in the right direction.”

Lamb allowed five earned runs and three hits, with two walks and four strikeouts over his two innings.

hil Simmons has not been fired, but he has been asked to answer “breaches of confidentiality”, according to the WICB chief executive Michael Muirhead, after the West Indies coach was suspended because he had alleged outside interference in the selection of the ODI squad for the tour of Sri Lanka.

Muirhead said they hoped to reach a decision on Simmons’ future in the next seven days.

“What has happened with Phil Simmons is most unfortunate, rest assured he has not been fired,” he said. “Let us say he has been called to answer breaches of confidentiality and bringing the WICB into disrepute. He will be given a fair hearing by a panel and a decision will be made within the boundaries of our own HR policy.

“During the process he will continue to enjoy the full benefits of his full remuneration. The mater will be dealt with in an expeditious manner and it is our intention to have a decision within the next seven working days.”

Clive Lloyd, the West Indies chairman of selectors, also issued a statement saying such outbursts could not be excused.

Simmons had said that he and Lloyd had been in agreement about wanting Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard back in the ODI squad, but had been outvoted 3-2 by the other selectors.

“Phil has apologized to all for his recent public statements and how strongly he would have felt on certain selection matters of the team,” Lloyd said. “We agreed - at times - that we will have a difference of opinion, but we cannot condone such outbursts. Therefore, we will always seek discussion and dialogue at every stage of the selection process and work towards the best interest of West Indies cricket.”

Simmons was suspended on Monday, two days after his outburst in which he said he had not been given the best ODI squad even though the captain Jason Holder also wanted Bravo and Pollard in the team. His comments came before the squad was officially announced by the WICB. An email from Muirhead informed Simmons of his suspension with immediate effect, six months after he had taken up the job. Former fast bowler and selector Eldine Baptiste was handed the role of interim coach for the tour of Sri Lanka.

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 2–8, 2015

Sunil Narine back as WI revamp ODI squad

ffspinner Sunil Narine has been included in the West Indies squads for the ODIs and T20Is in Sri Lanka in October, after having opted out of their 2015 World Cup campaign because of issues with his action. There were eight changes from the squad that travelled to Australia and New Zealand: Chris Gayle was out of both squads after having a back surgery, but Darren Sammy, Lendl Simmons, Sulieman Benn, Sheldon Cottrell, Nikita Miller, Kemar Roach, and Dwayne Smith were omitted from the ODI set up Allrounders Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard continued to be kept out of the ODI set-up, a decision that was revealed beforehand by Phil Simmons, who was later suspended as West Indies coach for saying there had been outside interference in the selection of the squad. Both players, however, were included in the T20I squad.

The selectors dropped a lot of the players who fared poorly in the World Cup, where West Indies struggled during the group stages and were beaten heavily by New Zealand in the quarterfinal.

Allrounder Smith made only 93 runs

in six matches during the World Cup and was hardly used as a bowler, while batsman Lendl Simmons scored 173 in five innings, of which 102 came in the defeat against Ireland. Allrounder Sammy also had an ordinary tournament - 177 runs in five innings and only one wicket in 28 overs. Simmons and Smith were also missing from the T20I squad, having been part of West Indies’ previous Twenty20 matches in South Africa before the World Cup. Fast bowler Roach and left-arm spinner Benn played three matches each in the World Cup. Roach took only one wicket and went for 6.81 runs an over, while Benn claimed two and conceded 6.34 an over. Miller, another left-arm spinner, played only the one game in the tournament, while fast bowler Cottrell had sat on the bench throughout the campaign. Cottrell and Benn were also cut from the T20I squad.

Rampaul, a fast bowler, made a comeback in both formats after not even being included in the list of 30 probables for the World Cup; his last game for West Indies was during the aborted tour of India in October 2014. Legspinner

Wasim Akram has a message for Narendra Modi

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egendary paceman Wasim Akram on Thursday urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to end his country’s cricketing boycott of Pakistan saying the ongoing impasse was hurting fans across the globe.

Pakistan is awaiting New Delhi’s clearance for a full series, the first between the two countries since 2007, that was due to be played in United Arab Emirates starting December.

India called off most sporting fixtures between the rivals after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which were planned by militants in Pakistan, though they did play a limited-overs series in 2012.

Recent cross-border tensions including firing across the disputed ter-

ritory of Kashmir have put the tour in doubt, but Wasim, 49, said he was hopeful Modi would give it the green light.

“I request prime minister Modi to clear the tour,” Wasim told AFP. “I heard that he told his cabinet that he doesn’t have any problems in playing sports with Pakistan so cricket should flourish.

“What I have noticed is that PM Modi is striving to make India a superpower and they are cricketing superpower so they have a duty to look around the world and cooperate in others’ progress so I am sure he will okay the series,” he added.

Wasim, considered the best left-arm pacer in history, said India versus Pakistan fixtures were a part of cricket’s fabric and

their loss was hurting the game.

“It’s the loss for the cricketing world which has a small base. India-Pakistan is the ultimate contest and I grew up dreaming to feature in an India-Pakistan match.”

He fondly recalled Pakistan’s tour of India in 1999, where his team beat the hosts in two of their three Tests.

“We went to India under severe threats but what happened to us there is history,” said Wasim, who was captain at the time. “We were accorded a warm welcome everywhere we went and the love and affection was unbelievable.

“The same thing happened when India toured Pakistan in 2004 and even now when I tour India as a commentator people meet me with great affection and they ask me why are we not playing cricket.

“Billions enjoy Indo-Pak matches and its intensity outmatches every other rivalry as no team wants to lose and no fan wants to see his team lose, so I sincerely hope that everything is set aside and cricketing ties go on uninterrupted.”

Bishoo has not played an ODI or T20I for West Indies since October 2011, while wicketkeeper-batsman Fletcher has not played an ODI since May 2010.

Allrounder Mohammed, who bowls parttime offspin, has played only one ODI, in December 2011.

Blackwood has not yet made his ODI debut, while Brathwaite had been left out of the World Cup squad after playing the preceding series in South Africa in January. Brathwaite, however, was dropped from the T20I squad after having been part of the tour to South Africa.

Offspinner Ashley Nurse was the other player dropped from the T20I squad.

The four other players included in the T20I squad after missing the matches in South Africa were legspinner Samuel Badree, fast bowler Jerome Taylor, and batsmen Jonathan Carter and Johnson Charles.

Narine has not played international cricket since he was reported for a suspect action during the 2014 Champions League T20 and barred from bowling for Kolkata Knight Riders in the final of that tournament. He underwent remedial work and was included in West Indies’

World Cup squad, but pulled out of the competition to give himself more time to work on his action. Narine once again ran into trouble with his action during the 2015 IPL after the World Cup, and was given a final warning, though sanctions during the CLT20 and the IPL are not applicable to international cricket.

The limited-overs leg of the tour of Sri Lanka comes after the two-Test series and begins with the first of three ODIs on November 1. West Indies will be coached by the selector and former fast bowler Eldine Baptiste, after Phil Simmons’ suspension.

ODI squad: Jason Holder (capt), Devendra Bishoo, Jermaine Blackwood, Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Jonathan Carter, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Jason Mohammed, Sunil Narine, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor T20I squad: Darren Sammy (capt), Samuel Badree, Darren Bravo, Dwayne Bravo, Jonathan Carter, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Jason Holder, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor

Will Hussey influence South Africa’s fortunes in India?

M

ike HusseyFive talking points ahead of the three-match Twenty20 series between India and South Africa starting in Dharamsala on Friday: Will IPL experience help South Africa?

-- South Africa believe that having 10 players in the current squad signed up to the glitzy T20 Indian Premier League will be invaluable in coping with Indian conditions. The tourists know they must bounce back quickly however after being flattened by eight wickets in a practice match by a third-string Indian side on Tuesday.

Focus on World Twenty20 — The three-match series in the shortest format, a rarity on Indian soil, gives both sides an opportunity to launch preparations for the World Twenty20 which takes place in the country in March-April next year. South Africa are still seeking their first major world title, while India, champions in the inaugural World T20 in South Africa in 2007, reached the final of the last edition in Bangladesh in 2014.

Eyes on Dhoni as Kohli looms — Mahendra Singh Dhoni is a limited-overs great, having led India to title triumphs in the World Cup, World Twenty20 and the Champions Trophy. But the emergence of young Test captain Virat Kohli has raised speculation over whether the 34-year-old Dhoni’s reign will last long. He needs victories in both the T20 and one-day series to silence doubters after India were stunned in the shorter format in Bangladesh in June.

Pace or spin?

— South Africa have rested pace spearheads Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel for

Five talking points in India-South Africa T20 series, which begins on Friday. the T20 leg of the 10-week tour, but visiting coach Russell Domingo believes his other fast bowlers such as Kyle Abbott, Chris Morris and Kagiso Rabada are capable of stepping in. India have four spinners, including the seasoned duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Harbhajan Singh, to pick from in conditions that traditionally favour the turning ball.

Can Michael Hussey deliver for Proteas?

— South Africa have hired veteran Australian Michael Hussey for the T20 series to help their batsmen succeed in Indian conditions. The IPL regular knows India well, and his advice will be invaluable. But where does that leave former South African opener Gary Kirsten -- a World Cup-winning coach with India -who is also a batting consultant with the Proteas on a 50-day-a-year contract?

Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 2–8, 2015

43

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