Caribbean Star # 64 vol.4 / October 16-22, 2015

Vol.4 #64

Caribbean Star HIKE IN PAY First Interfaith Newspaper, Serving The Community

October 16–22, 2015

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AT WRONG TIME? FORMER PRESIDENTS PENSION PAY 10 SENIOR MINISTERS, 13 JUNIORS... SEE MORE PAGE 3

CORRUPTION CHARGES FOR JAGDEO? p.10

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October 16–22, 2015 Caribbean Star Newspaper HIKE IN PAY AT WRONG TIME? Former presidents pension pay 10 senior ministers, 13 Juniors

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ESPITE the 50% increase in the salaries for government ministers, the monthly pension of former Presidents, Bharrat Jagdeo, Donald Ramotar and Samuel Hinds is higher than that of any of the sitting Vice Presidents and Prime Minister. The combined salaries for the former heads of state can also pay 10 senior ministers or thirteen juniors, a senior government official said on Wednesday.

There has been public outcry over the increase in the salary for cabinet memberswith many critics saying that the hike in pay has come at a wrong time.

Though in support of Government’s move to increase wages for ministers, parliamentarians and other government officials, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) said last week that the way in which it is administered is not consistent increases for public servants.

“We believe in a wage-led economy, and we can’t believe in a wage-led economy and condemn the increase. We are not against the increase in wages or salaries. What we are concerned about in the process in which it has been applied to deliver it,” disclosed General Secretary of GTUC, Lincoln Lewis, at a press briefing. He said that Government had denied that such an increase was on its agenda. “You have said two months ago that it is not on the cards. Now it is on the cards (and) you have a responsibility to come back and tell people that it is on the cards. You have a right to come back and tell citizens,” Lewis proclaimed. $2M MONTHLY PENSION Meanwhile, speaking to the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday the senior government official explained that even after the recent increase to address what the government has described as the anomalies in the pay structure for ministers, the actual monthly take home of the Jagdeo, Leader of the Opposition remains higher than that of senior functionaries. Jagdeo has refused to take the salary attached to his office in favour of his monthly pension which is 7/8th of his last salary. Jagdeo takes home $2,100,000 per month which is more than the take home salary of Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Attorney General Basil Williams, the three Vice Presidents and all ministers.

“In effect while there has been severe criticism of the increase from the public the full extent of the salary situation needs to be shared so that persons understand that the issue of salaries is not constrained only to government officials but members of the opposition as well,” the government official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said. “In addition to Jagdeo, two former PPP presidents enjoy monthly pensions of $2.1M which amounts to a monthly expenditure for three former PPP presidents of $6.3m,” the official pointed out. “These pensions are not taxable and when examined further what Mr. Jagdeo, Ramotar and Hinds take home on a monthly basis can pay ten senior ministers or thirteen junior ministers,” the official told this publication on the issue on which the government has taken widespread criticism.

He explained that the salaries and pensions which are non-taxable are that of the President and Attorney General and the pensions of the former presidents.

“The Prime Minister, the Vice Presidents and all ministers are subject to the 30% PAYE tax,” the official said. “When you consider this, the Prime Minister takes home less than the Attorney General on a month-

ly basis,” the official explained. In addition Minister of Finance Winston Jordan recently explained that the issue of ministerial salaries required addressing to correct what was viewed as anomalies.

Finance Minister, Winston Jordan was quoted in another section of the media as saying: “we inherited a system where the President was receiving a salary of about $2M non-taxable, the Prime Minister was receiving a taxable salary of $1.5M while the Attorney General, the Chancellor and the Chief Justice were receiving $1.6M. Minister Jordan explained that there was no allocation for Vice Presidents and that senior and

junior ministers were receiving the same pay of about $579, 000, hence the reason for Cabinet regularising the pay structure. “It is clear that there were huge anomalies (in the system we inherited). The President, Prime Minister and AG are receiving massive salaries and the senior and junior ministers are at the same level,” JorFormer President Bharrat dan said.

Jagdeo

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Former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, who served briefly as President following the death of former President Dr. Cheddi Jagan in 1997

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Caribbean Star Newspaper T&T guard slain in front of 14-year-old girlfriend on beach

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October 16–22, 2015

ours before appearing before a Point Fortin magistrate for being an uncontrollable child, a 14-year-old Granville girl spent Tuesday night assisting police with their investigation into the murder of her 21-year-old boyfriend.

Jasent Clement, a security officer of South Trace, Chatham, was chopped about the head earlier that night, allegedly by one of the girl’s boyfriends. So far, police believe the murder was due to a love triangle.

Reports stated that Clement got a text message Tuesday afternoon and called his employer to take him and the girl to Belle Vue Beach, Granville, around 6 pm. While sitting at the end of the road around 7 pm, however, someone snuck up behind them and chopped him. The girl told police she ran off and hid in the bushes, while his killer threw his body into the sea.

However, she said she could not identify the person. After some time had passed, she told police she called his employer, who took her back to his home to inform his sister. Relatives called police, who joined in a search along several beaches in Point Coco and around 8 pm his sister, Marlene Singh, found his body 20 feet away from the road.

Edward Clement, the uncle of murder victim Jasent Clement (inset), chats with the T&T Guardian at the family’s home at South Trace, Chatham, yesterday. Clem-

had recently started working as a security guard offshore.

Around the same time he met the girl, who told his sisters she was 21. He said Clement had been living with his sister since his mother died five years ago and his father the following year. He added Clement was even warned about the girl. He said he believed the truth Edward Clement, the uncle of murder victim Jasent Clement (inset), was not being told by the girl, as it was chats with the T&T Guardian at the family’s home at South Trace, Chatham, yesterday. Clement was chopped to death at the Belle Vue strange that they were sitting togethBeach, Granville, while liming with his 14-year-old girlfriend. er when Clement ent was chopped to death at the Belle was chopped and the attacker did not go Vue Beach, Granville, while liming with his after her.

14-year-old girlfriend.

He added that the direction in which Edward Clement, the uncle of murder his body was found after it was allegedly victim Jasent Clement (inset), chats with thrown into the sea was also opposite to the T&T Guardian at the family’s home at the flow of the tide. “I feel she had someSouth Trace, Chatham, yesterday. Clem- thing to do with it. She set up that play ent was chopped to death at the Belle for him to get killed and when she came Vue Beach, Granville, while liming with his 14-year-old girlfriend.

Speaking at a relative’s home yesterday, his uncle Edward Clement said Jasent

Rape toll up by 19% …224 cases reported up to September this year

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back here and told us he was killed and she showed no remorse.

“How come they did not kill her and she witnessed everything? We have already got information from the people close to where she lives as to what is going on with her,” Edward said. One of Clement’s friend said his death had once again shaken the community as he was the sixth resident to be murdered for the year.

On July 8, Stephon Sinnette was shot dead at his home hours after he almost chopped his neighbour Ricardo Rodriguez to death.

One week later, Grace Toussaint, 55, her husband Peter Baptiste, 59, son Jeremy Toussaint, 24, and mother Leena Peters, 75, were gunned down at their home. It was believed that Jeremy witnessed Sinnette’s murder and had given a statement to police the day before. Police have identified a suspect who has been on the run since.

A resident said yesterday murders have almost spoilt the country life there as the community was not accustomed to violence. He said Clement was a very nice and quiet person, who never had problems with anyone.

(Trinidad Guardian)

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STAGGERING 224 reports of rape were made to the police at the end of September, representing a 19% increase in the crime, the police disclosed on Tuesday. Police here have struggled to secure convictions against rapists over the years. In its periodic crime statistics update, the Guyana Police Force said that there has been an increase of 19% in the number of reports of rape, with 224 reports at the end of September this year compared to 188 for the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the GPF stated that there has been a 10 percent increase in serious crimes. The force looks at offences such as murders, robbery under arms, robbery with violence, robbery with aggravation, larceny from the person, break and enter, larceny, burglary, rape and kidnapping.

While at the end of September last year 109 murders were recorded, 2015 saw a five percent increase with 114 murders at the end of September. In addition, police unfortunately recorded an additional three murders as of October 12, 2015. The Guyana Police’s press statement confirmed that the offence of robbery under arms had an overall increase of three percent this year compared to last year. While there was a decrease of one percent in the number of armed robberies where the use of instruments other than a firearm was the choice for perpetrators, a four percent increase was recorded for armed robberies involving the use of firearms.

It was also reported that break and enter and larceny as well as burglary has seen an overall increase of 14 percent, while at the end of September, the po-

lice have been able to recover 89 illegal firearms inclusive or 1 submachine gun, 47 pistols, 24 revolvers, 10 shotguns, 6 rifles and I pen gun. Those guns were recovered as part of the ongoing amnesty programme, which ends today. The recoveries are compared to the 60 illegal firearms which were recovered unto the corresponding period for 2014.

On the issue of traffic enforcement, police records are showing 90 fatal accident which is up from the 76 accidents recorded at the end of September 2015 compared to 101 fatalities from 93 accidents for the same period in 2014. According to the police, they have recorded a decrease in serious and minor categories of road accidents and a 6% increase in damage accidents.

Pedestrians have been the main category of road users affected in road fatalities with thirteen of them having lost their lives at the end of September 2015. Additionally, eight pedal cyclists and twenty three persons in motor vehicles, 13 motor cyclists, 11 drivers, three pillion riders and one person who were being towed on a bicycle also lost their lives. Speeding has been the major contributory factor to fatal accidents, having been the cause of 36 of the 76 fatal accidents unto September 2015. Traffic enforcement by the police has resulted in a total of 43,071 cases for this year being made against errant motorists at the end of September 2015; of this total 17,582 cases were for speeding, 1,666 for driving under the influence of alcohol, 489 for using cell phone while driving and 1,156 for failing to wear seat belt, the Guyana Police Force added.

Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 16–22, 2015

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October 16–22, 2015

Granger rewards top CSEC student

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resident David Granger was Sunday the featured speaker at the graduation of the Saraswati Vidya Niketan school, which produced the top performers in this year’s CSEC exams, including aspiring petroleum engineer Victoria Najab.Najab gained 21 grade one passes, counting her double award in Agricultural Science, while runner-up, Vamanadev Hiralal gained 19 grade ones and a grade two.

According to the Ministry of the Presidency, Granger urged more students to gravitate to the fields of Science, Technology and Mathematics in order to meet the needs of Guyana.

Speaking on the quality of laboratories at Queens College, when he was a student there, President Granger said, “A Colonial government was able to create an educated, scientific elite by putting in front of students the resources [they need]. This

Caribbean Star Newspaper Businessman found guilty of sodomising schoolboy –Judge suspends sentence to await probation report

B President David Granger hands over his award to top CSEC student Victoria Najab is something we have to do at the University of Guyana and in all secondary schools around the country, if we are to become a really developed nation.”

The President said that he would be presenting her with $100,000.00 to assist with her Caribbean Advance Proficiency Examination (CAPE) studies.

Najab, who aims to become a petroleum en-

gineer, spoke of how honoured she and fellow students are to have kept the school at the top of the academic pedestal.

“Today we are not only celebrating our own success, but we are making a great achievement for our country. We are children of this nation and our efforts are Guyana’s fortune and our accomplishments are Guyana’s triumph,” she said.

USINESSMAN Kevin Jordon went on trial on a two-count indictment for committing unnatural sex acts on a schoolboy on November 2 and November 7, 2007.

But last night, a Demerara Criminal Assizes jury found the 56-year-old Broad Street businessman not guilty of the first count on a 10 to 2 majority verdict, but guilty on the second count by a majority 11 to one verdict.

Defence counsel Mr. Neil Boston referred to the guilty verdict in the second count as ridiculous, on the grounds that the jury had disbelieved the boy’s story on the first count. Boston however supported the call for a probation report to be delivered on October 30 when sentence will be passed.

Accused, Kevin Jordon at court yesterday, where he was convicted on one of the two counts of committing unnatural sex acts on a schoolboy Jordon, called ‘Caie’, had pleaded not guilty resulting in a 12-member jury being empanelled to try his case.

State counsel Ms Orienthia Schmidt and Ms Stacy

Goodings conducted the case for the prosecution.

They urged the jury to find that the accused had offered the boy edibles as a means of committing the offence.

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 16–22, 2015

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Navaratri, the Hindu celebration of respect and Honor to our Females, who are the representation of mother Durga and her different forms

By PT Vikash Ramkissoon

T

he celebration of Navaratri in India was always the most anticipated time for me as a student. This festival is very colorful, vibrant and an inseparable part of the social as well as cultural fabric of the Hindu ethos. I felt the deep meaning, reason and significance attached to it.

I was always excited about these nine nights not because they were indications of the onset of either winter or summer nor because we had college breaks, but rather these nine nights festival I learnt the Hindu way of paying reverence to the different aspects of God in the forms of feminine. Not to forget, I began to love Guyana and the Caribbean more because we preserved these great Hindu ideals despite being away from Mother India for almost two centuries.

Commentaries in the Vedas indicate this festival is as ancient as the Hindu civilization itself, wherein worship is dedicated to the benevolent mother Goddess Durga, the eternal mother in her different forms. Durga is also considered to be a combination of the Trinity of Goddess Saraswati, Parvati and Lakshmi. One of the great legends of Navaratri is that of Mahishasura. After doing great deeds, he was granted the power of eternity.

However, he used his power to harass and kill innocent people, in his quest to become invincible and conquer the world.

Devas representing the good, combined their energies and created a formidable divine power called Durga. She fought Mahishasura for nine nights, and defeated him on the tenth, signifying Vijayadashmi – literally means the triumph of good over evil. This legend is a timely reminder, for us to use the powers vested in us for the well being of all and to foster unity within our communities in order to confront the challenges we face as a society.

The first three nights of this festival, worship is dedicated to Goddess Durga, the warrior incarnation of the supreme mother. The first night we embrace the Goddess in the form of a girl child, second night as Parvati who is the personification of a young woman and third night as mother Kali who signifies the mature stage of a woman with the power to destroy all forms of evil. In my estimation, if a society is endowed with such great ideals of adoring females as Goddesses and the feminine gender appreciates this divinity without any deviations, I am convinced that any nation and as a matter of fact, the world

in its entirety can never be plunged in moral or ethical dilemma.

It is the Hindu belief that after the inner vices of ego, anger, lust, fear, etc are vanished, one attains spiritual wealth.

The Goddess of prosperity, Mother Lakshmi is worshipped from the fourth to sixth days of the festival. Lakshmi is depicted in the Vedas as the Goddess of wealth and fortune and consort of Lord Vishnu, the preserver. When worshipped in the temple, she is shown seated on the lotus throne, with four hands, with the power to grant chatur vidha i.e the four rewards of human life; namely dharma (righteousness) artha (wealth) Kama (bodily pleasure) and Moksha (final liberation). Dharma should be the underlying principle for our every

conduct as humans. Wealth must be garnered, generated, accumulated and utilized within the parameter of righteous behavior. Bodily pleasure should be enjoyed only with marital spouse without exception. When these guidelines are adhered to final liberation is guaranteed.

It must also be brought to our attention that the females in our homes are the true representation of Mother Lakshmi.

Prosperity and fortune is guaranteed to that home, in which dignity and respect is granted to the females. If we indulge in suppression and abuse of women, our homes can never be blessed with fortune.

The abusers’ life can never be filled with happiness and prosperity.

The last three nights of the festival, Mother Saraswati is worshiped. The

Sanskrit word ‘sara’ means essence and ‘swa’ means self. Saraswati, therefore means the essence of the self. She is the consort of Lord Brahma and is the representation of his creative power.

Students, teachers, scientists and scholars, all have special interest in mother Saraswati. Saraswati represents supreme reality and knowledge by the white lotus on which she sits on. Her white sari indicates she is the embodiment of pure knowledge.

A book in her rear left hand signifies that knowledge acquired must be used with love and kindness to promote prosperity of mankind. A rosary in her rear right hand is the symbol of concentration, meditation, and contemplation leading to union with the Lord. True knowledge acquired with love and devotion melts the ego and results in liberation.

In modern context, humans must not separate education and devotion to God. Many of us seek education but fail to surrender ourselves to God. The musical instrument she plays denotes mind and intellect. A person must tune his mind and intellect to live in perfect harmony with the world, which enables him/her to use acquired knowledge for the welfare of all mankind.

Navaratri is therefore, the time when Hindus across the globe, adore the Goddess and her different forms. Our joy and festivities are because we would have lived these ideals, if not then a reminder of our Hindu ethics.

To be continued next week……

Jai Mata Diiii………..

Please send your queries and comments at vikash1925queries@gmail.com

8

October 16–22, 2015

PM: I WON'T FLY*

Caribbean Star Newspaper Woman gets four years jail after failed bid to smuggle drugs onto flight

C

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley in Parliament yesterday

P

ORT OF SPAIN - Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley slammed what he saw as the flying squandermania of former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, saying taxpayers had to pick up the $6 million tab for her helicopter travel around Trinidad and Tobago.

Speaking in the budget debate in the House of Representatives yesterday, Rowley said: “We can't be wasting in a time like this. And I think it is extremely wasteful for

House huddle: Member of Parliament for Oropouche East Dr Roodal Moonilal, left, listens to MP for Siparia Kamla Persad-Bissessar during the budget debate at Parliament, Tower D, International Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain, yesterday. this Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago to fly for 636 hours in helicopters around this country. The record shows that the last prime minister occupied helicopter time of 636 hours, 415 missions, at a cost of over US$974,000.

“That kind of expenditure ought not to be on the backs of the people of Trinidad and Tobago,” Rowley said to desk-thumping support from the Government bench.

He gave the “long-suffering” population the assurance he would travel only on the ground and over water, and he would not be in the air, “unless it is absolutely essential and necessary”.

Rowley said he wondered if this abuse was linked to a contract to a company called Bell Helicopter, to the tune of $500 million, by the National Operations Centre (NOC).

atherine Rose, the elderly woman who was caught trying to smuggle over eight kilogrammes of cocaine and marijuana out of the country over the weekend, was sentenced to four years in jail after admitting to the crime.

Rose pleaded guilty before Magistrate Zamilla Ally, who handed down the four-year sentence and a $30,000 fine to the woman at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.

The charge against Rose, 60, of East Ruimveldt, stated that on October 11th, at the Ogle International Airport, she had in her possession 4.612 kilogrammes of cocaine and 3.826 kilogrammes of cannabis, both for trafficking.

According to the police’s case, Rose, was a passenger on a LIAT flight destined for Barbados with an onward connection to St. Kitts, when she was selected to undergo a check at the airport. A search of the woman’s baggage led to the discovery of a black haversack, where four compressed parcels wrapped in brown scotch tape were concealed. The parcels contained cannabis.

Additionally, four black plastic bags with 200 pellet-shaped parcels containing cocaine were also discovered in the suitcase.

The court heard that after being cautioned, Rose told officers that she was given the haversack by an unknown man to drop for a friend in St. Kitts.

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October 16–22, 2015 Caribbean Star Newspaper “Jamaican Marlon James second caribbean winner f worlds biggest literary award since 1971”

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t a glittering ceremony in London on Tuesday 13 October, Jamaican author Marlon James was announced as the 2015 winner of the Man Booker Prize, for his novel A Brief History of Seven Killings.

He is the first Jamaican writer to win the prestigious award, and only the second Caribbean winner in the 47-year history of the prize, after V.S. Naipaul in 1971.

James is no stranger to book-lovers in Trinidad and Tobago, as A Brief History of Seven Killings won the 2015 OCM Bocas Prize for Fiction in April, and the author has twice headlined the NGC Bocas Lit Fest, T&T’s annual festival of words, stories, and ideas. The OCM Bocas Prize is open only to writers of Caribbean citizenship or birth and is sponsored by One Caribbean Media, owners of the Express newspapers.

A vivid and sprawling narrative told through a multiplicity of voices, A Brief History of Seven Killings gives a fictional account of the attempted assassination of Bob Marley in Kingston in 1976, and follows the lives of dozens of characters connected to “The Singer.”

“It was a book we didn’t actually have any difficulty deciding on,” remarked literary scholar Michael Wood, chair of the 2015

Man Booker Prize judges. “It was a unanimous decision, a little bit to our surprise.”

James’s novel, his third, has won high praise from book reviewers around the world.

The New York Times described A Brief History of Seven Killings as “epic in every sense of that word: sweeping, mythic, over the top, colossal and dizzyingly complex.”

A Trinidadian audience first heard James read from what was then a work in progress at the inaugural NGC Bocas Lit Fest in 2011.

“Marlon read an excerpt from what would become the first section of Seven Killings,” recalls Bocas programme director Nicholas Laughlin. “Like everyone else there, I was astonished by the verve and confidence of his prose, the outrageousness of the story.

So the novel’s success since it’s publication in 2014 is no surprise.”

“Like readers around the Caribbean, I’m ecstatic to hear Marlon has won the Man Booker Prize,” Laughlin added. “It’s yet more proof — as if we needed it — that contemporary Caribbean writing is in a state of boisterous, brilliant health.”

Marina Salandy-Brown, founder of the OCM Bocas Prize and the NGC Bocas Lit Fest added, “I can hardly contain my delight that a Bocas writer commands the world

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THE BIG AWARD: Marlon James’ previous books include The Book of Night Women and John Crow’s Devil. stage. Marlon is at the top of the pile of a new generation of fiction writers in our region and his win will bring new attention to that reality It is a great day for Caribbean letters.” The Man Booker Prize, which comes with a cash award of £50,000, is one

of the highest-profile literary awards in the Anglophone world, and winning books typically see a surge in sales. In the days leading up to the prize announcement, James featured heavily in the British press, as one of the favourites on the shortlist.

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 16–22, 2015

SALE OF PRADOVILLE LANDS: CORRUPTION CHARGES COMING FOR JAGDEO …FIVE EX-MINISTERS OF PPP

T

HE State Assets Recovery Unit is recommending that Attorney General Basil Williams put systems in place so that charges of “misconduct in public office” can be laid against former President Bharrat Jagdeo and five ministers of the former administration.The five former People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government ministers at reference are: Agriculture Minister, Robert Persaud; Public Service Minister, Dr. Jennifer Westford; Education Minister, Priya Manickchand; Labour Minister, Dr Nanda Gopaul; and Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee.

The recommendations follow a probe into what sort of procedures were followed prior to the transfer and issuance of prime State lands at Sparendaam, on the lower East Coast, to former government ministers and persons perceived to be their friends and associates.

Among those who were fortunate to have secured land in up-market “Prado Ville 2” are Ghansham Singh and Kamini Parag-Singh, son and daughterin-law of former Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh; Florrie Loretta Ramnauth; Compton Bourne; Ramesh Dookhoo, former Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC); Gary Best, former Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo Force (GDF); Shalimar Ali-Hack and Moeenul Hack; Raj Singh; Shaik Baksh, former minister of housing and water; Lisaveta Valantina Ramotar, former President Donald Ramotar’s daughter; Andrew Ranji Bishop; Safraaz Khan; George Hallaq and Nada Hallaq; and Future Developers International (Guyana) Inc. AGREEMENT OF SALE The Agreement of Sale, which was signed by each of those who had received land in the afore-mentioned area, had three clauses, listed ‘A’ to ‘C’, attached to it.

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Clause ‘A’ stipulated: “The building shall be erected on the lots within six months of the signing of the transfer.”

According to Clause ‘B’: “Upon failure by the transferees to erect the building within the aforesaid six months, the transferee shall be bound to re-convey the said land to the CH&PA (Central Housing and Planning Authority) at the same price it was sold, subject to the transferee being reimbursed with a reasonable sum for any development work undertaken during such period.”

And under Clause ‘C’: “The transferee shall not be at liberty to sell, lease, transfer or part with possession of the said property within 10 years of transfer, without the written consent of the Minister responsible for housing.”

Former Ministers Manickchand and Persaud have reportedly since transferred and sold their acquisitions without the mandatory consent of the CH&PA, which, in essence, constitutes a breach of Clause ‘C’ of the Agreement.

In Manickchand’s case, she sold hers to one Dave Narine for a whopping G$100M on February 21, 2013, a mere three years after the purchase of the said land.

Robert Persaud first put his into the names of his wife, Kamini Persaud, and his two children (names provided). That transaction was done on September 18, 2014. He then sold it to a firm named ‘LRS’ for G$90M, also without written permission from the CH&PA. In a document sent by the Attorney General and seen by the Guyana Chronicle, it was pointed out that two of the six former government officials facing “misconduct in public office” charges were in clear violation of the terms and conditions of their land acquisition, which saw them raking in just under US$1M, collectively.

INFLUENCE It is said that the reason it is being recommended that they be charged is because of the way in which they went about acquiring the land; by using their

considerable clout to facilitate the transfer and sale of said lands which they themselves were able to acquire below market price, and subsequently selling them for exorbitant sums.

According to the document now with the Attorney General, “In 2010, a decision was made by the Cabinet authorising NICIL to privatise State lands, a decision which is now being considered to have been done without any authorisation and approval from the relevant bodies.”

The document goes on to say that the lands were sold to former ministers and known friends and associates of the previous regime, and that at the time the sales were facilitated, the lands were grossly undervalued and subsequently sold lower than the market value, thus depriving and denying the State of its full benefits.

It says further that the actions of the former Cabinet ministers clearly show that they wilfully neglected to perform their duties, without reasonable excuse and or justification, to such an extent that it amounted to an abuse of public trust while in office.

Not done there, the report says the ministers at reference knew what they were doing was wrong, but went ahead nevertheless, transferring State lands into their names and that of their acquaintances for undervalued market prices, reportedly at $114/per square foot at the time.

In arriving at its decision, the report states: “It is respectfully submitted that the former ministers could be held liable for misconduct in public office, and in the absence of any Sate Assets Recovery Agency legislation, the Attorney General may institute proceedings against the former ministers.

“The former ministers should not benefit from their acts of misconduct while being holders of public office. A strong message must be sent to the offenders and potential offenders.”

Post-Mortem reveals…

Pomeroon woman was stabbed

T

HE cause of death of 22-year-old Attika Sukhai, whose body was found floating in the Pomeroon River on Sunday morning was given as an incised wound to the neck, while her twoyear-old daughter Xolani Sukhai whose body was also in the river died from asphyxiation due to drowning.The Guyana Police Force yesterday released these results of the post-mortem which were performed by Government Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh.

However the police in Essequibo who have arrested a suspect as they continue their investigations are not receiving the man’s co-operation.

One police source told the Guyana Chronicle that the woman and the man might have known each other but the man so far has denied this.

Caribbean Star Newspaper Ruling looms for businessman accused of killing suspected bandit

L

awrence Wayne, who is accused of murdering a man who robbed his business, will know on Friday whether he is to face a trial in the High Court.

The police Tuesday closed its case against Wayne at the preliminary inquiry into the charge that he killed Dexter Lindo between August 24th and August 25th, 2014.

Prosecutor Neville Jeffers, in his closing arguments, argued that a prima facie case has been made out against Wayne. Jeffers stated that the witnesses’ testimonies and the evidence presented to the court proved the elements of intent and malice for murder and argued against the defence’s case of self defence.

“The facts of self defence have to do with what is reasonable force. This is for reasonable persons to determine whether the force used was in fact reasonable,” Jeffers said .

The prosecutor stated that although there may have been a few inconsistencies in the trial, those irregularities were immaterial to the facts of the case.

Magistrate Ann McLennan, who is presiding over the inquiry, is to deliver her ruling on Friday.

Lindo and another man had allegedly

Lawrence Wayne robbed Wayne’s business place prior to the fatal encounter. After the robbery, Wayne allegedly made his way to a location at Light and Sixth streets, Alberttown, where he allegedly confronted Lindo, who was fatally shot.

October 16–22, 2015

B

11

Guns surrendered not yet linked to crime - Blanhum

allistic tests conducted on 90% of the 171 guns surrendered during the ongoing amnesty programme have so far found no link to any crime, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said.

The disclosure was made during a community outreach hosted by the executive body of the police force at the Tagore Memorial Secondary School.

During a question and answer period, a resident asked how successful the programme was and if any of the weapons surrendered was linked to criminal activities in Guyana.

In response, Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud stated that it was never anticipated that criminals would surrender their weapons.

Instead, he said the programme was designed to remove guns from the hands of people who have no criminal intent but may use the weapons in a moment of anger and to ensure they do not get into the hands of persons with criminal intent. He pointed to criminal activities such as the recent murder of the Corentyne farmer who was allegedly shot dead by her husband. Persaud said another kind of programme would have to be created to target criminals who are in possession of illegal guns.

Under the amnesty, weapons can be handed in without any criminal penalty or any questions.

According to Blanhum, most spent

shells recovered from crime scenes are from 9mm-calibre guns and AK-47s, while the majority of the guns surrendered during the amnesty have been shotguns. To date, 146 shotguns, 12 pistols, seven rifles, five revolvers and one AK-47 have been surrendered.

A significant number of the shotguns were owned illegally by indigenous communities and 115 shotguns of 121 surrendered to the police by September 30th came from interior regions.

Blanhum said 1,800 live rounds of ammunition have also been surrendered.

The amnesty program-me concludes today, after a two-extension was granted. It was initially scheduled to last throughout September.

Minister of Public Secu-rity Khemraj Ramjattan has hailed the initial period as a huge success. “To get 1,500 pieces of ammunition and approximately 100 guns… off the streets must be regarded as a big success,” he said. “Had we not had this thing, it would have been zero and zero. It is now 1,500 plus and 100,” he told reporters at the end of last month.

Ramjattan has stated that upon the conclusion of the amnesty, there would be a crackdown on persons found in possession of illegal weapons.

At yesterday’s meeting, Persaud made a presentation on programmes being undertaken by the Guyana Police Force to reduce the crime rate across the country.

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14

October 16–22, 2015

ISLAM Peace / submission to the will of our creator.

The new Islamic year-1437 Here comes the New Year. The new Islamic year 1437.

As we come to the end of yet another Islamic year, let us ask ourselves: what did I do for the past year? Was it a year in which my happiness was given priority? Was it a year in which we strived to please those around us? Our family, our friends, our spouses and our colleagues.

Did we give the pleasure of our lord and creator a position of paramount importance? Or did we manage to find the thin tricky line on which we managed to be happy ourselves and make those around us happy, all while earning the pleasure of our lord?

As the standards of our society and the world at large, digress further and further away from true modesty and morality, it is becoming increasingly difficult to walk that thin line of compromise.

Reflecting on the past year to identify our errors and shortcoming, isn’t the proverbial “crying over spilled milk”, rather it is the beauty of the teachings of Islaam In trusting the innate wisdom of a believer to assess himself and plan for a better tomorrow, thus following the advice of the Prophet (Sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) when he instructed us to let it not be that our days are similar in spiritual progress, rather we should constantly seek to better ourselves and gain closeness to our creator through obedience. Hence, we are required to spend the year ahead, not only correcting the mistakes made before, but with a desire to enhance

every aspect of our lives. Our actions, our beliefs, our character and our relationships with parents, children and spouses.

Let us make it a year in which our lives were revolutionized. A year in which our spirituality increased and our belief soared thus manifesting in the form of total obedience and pure actions. Let us polish that tarnished character with the beauty of kindness. And that broken relationship with the healing powers of forgiveness.

Let us work to be better servants to our creator, children to our parents, parents to our children, husbands to our wives, wives to our husbands and better individuals in whatever role we occupy.

When we realize that our main purpose in this world is to serve our creator, and not our jobs or own desires, we will become submissive to the commands of Allah. Islaam doesn’t object to have a job and enjoying life, but Islaam teaches us to strike that balance where we live our lives to please our creator.

A man asked the prophet (Sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) who is most deserving of my kind companionship O messenger of Allah? The prophet (Sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) replied: your mother.

He asked: then who? And the prophet replied: your mother. Even when he asked for a third time, the prophet (Sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said: your mother.

When he asked again the prophet (Sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said: your father.

Among the great blessings of Allah to

Caribbean Star Newspaper

mankind one is the blessing of parents.

It is very unfortunate that for many this reality dawns upon them very late and for some only after their parent’s death. Very often we take our parents for granted and sadly some children even go beyond that causing them emotional and sometimes even physical pain. Our parents, especially our mothers are our doorways to paradise and with their death that door closes. Very often in pursuit of worldly success we neglect our parents, this couldn’t be a more misguided act.

When we ignore our parents, we ignore our paradise thus we are only selling the happiness of our everlasting life for the temporary life of this world.

As parents we have to realize that our children are a gift and a trust from our lord. A trust which if we fail to take care of, we will be held accountable. Answerable in the court of Allah on the day when nothing but the reality of every situation will come to light. Being a good parent is more than providing for the physical wellbeing of the child. Parenthood includes the responsibility of providing our children with sound spiritual upbringing.

To lead them onto a path of obedience to Allah. This can only be achieved when parents themselves genuinely display those very qualities.

Being a husband is a great privilege and responsibility. A position where a man accepts responsibility for a family, both their material needs and their spiritual wellbeing. The husband, as the head of a household will be accountable on the Day of Judgment for the actions of those under his care. Along with that he will be questioned about his duty towards them; did he fulfil them of was he negligent towards them? A man who instilled proper values and a sense of duty towards the creator, in his family and himself will stand tall on that day while occupying an enviable position. Our prophet (Sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) has encouraged to follow his lead in treating our families correctly: The best among you are those best to their families and I am the best of you to his family.

On the Day of Judgment: Allah will ask men if they fulfilled their obligations towards their families. They who fear Allah will do their best to direct the way his wife and children live by educating himself and his family to live according to the Sunnah of the Prophet (Sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) and the Holy Qur’an, To share food with her, to provide her with (decent) clothes as he provides himself, to refrain from hurting her, and not ignoring her. [Ahmad] One should not hate his believer wife.

If he dislikes some of her attitudes, he would (surely) like others (attitudes).

[Muslim] Woman was created from a bent rib

and will not be made straight for you on one way (that you like). If you want to enjoy her, you enjoy her while she is still bent. If you want to straighten her up, you will break her. Breaking her is divorcing her. [Al-Bukhari & Muslim] Do (voluntary) fasting (some days) and do not fast (in other days), pray at night (some nights) and sleep (in other nights).

Your body has a right on you (to rest), your eye has a right on you (to sleep), and your wife has a right on you. [AlBukhari & Muslim] Fear Allah in (treating) women. [Muslim] Be advised to treat women righteously.

[Al-Bukhari & Muslim] And live with them honorably. If you dislike them, it may be that you dislike a thing that Allah brings through it a great deal of good. [4:19] The Prophet (Sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said,”A Dinar (a currency) that you spend on your family, a Dinar that you spend on a poor person and a Dinar that you spend in the sake of Allah. The one that carries the most reward is the one that you spend on your family.” [Muslim] The Prophet (Sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said to Saaid ibn Abi Waqqas,”Know that no charity that you give whether small or large, for the sake of Allah, but you will be rewarded for it, even the bite (of food) that you put in your wife’s mouth.” [Bukhari & Muslim] A wife is the strength of a good Islamic household. A pious woman’s priority is to seek the pleasure of Allah. She strives to acquire the qualities of a good wife by following the examples of the Prophet (Sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) and obeying what is commanded in the Book of Allah.

In general, it is important that we understand the obligation upon us to obey the commands of Allah that we start this new Islamic year in a way pleasing to Allah and with the intention to continue doing so.

It is time we realize, and more importantly admit, our faults and shortcoming.

Allah asked us about this over 1400 years ago when he said in his glorious book: Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth? (Surah Hadid 16-17) It is time for us to enter completely into Islaam and implement every aspect of it into our lives. Make it such that every part of our life is according to what our creator the Almighty would be pleased with. Allah has given us this command in his noble book: O you who have believed, enter into Islam completely [and perfectly] and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.

Shayk Abdullah Khan Abdullah.khan@ihsanacademy.org

October 16–22, 2015 15 Caribbean Star Newspaper Corentyne motorist succumbs following collision with horse

A

Corentyne motorcyclist succumbed at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) on Monday afternoon while receiving medical attention for injuries he sustained after being involved in an accident with a horse.

The young man has been identified as Anthony Persaud of Lot 126 No.57 Village, Corentyne, Berbice.

Following an investigation into the accident, a police statement noted that speeding may have been a contributory factor in Persaud’s death after he collided with the horse on the No.58 Village public road on

Sunday evening sometime around 9:21 PM. Stabroek News understands that following the collision the motorist was thrown off a Jailing GY motorcycle and landed several feet away. It was reported that the horse ran away moments after the collision. Residents who heard the loud crashing noise rushed to the scene and offered assistance.

According to his sister, Mariana Persaud, 22, the family was made aware of the accident after a resident came to their home and informed them. “The person came and said a horse on 58 road and he crash

into the horse with the bike and he fell off and he was unconscious.” When the family arrived on the scene Persaud was lying unresponsive on the road, while residents attempted to render assistance. An ambulance that happened to be proceeding south towards the Skeldon hospital was stopped, and Persaud was picked up and rushed to the said medical institution. He was later transferred to the New Amsterdam hospital for further attention.

The sister lamented that her brother’s condition started to deteriorate when he began to experience difficulty breathing on

Anthony Persaud his own at which point oxygen was administered to him. As his condition continued to slowly weaken he was later transferred to the GPHC. At the GPHC, she said the medical practitioners did not perform any emergency procedures but continued to administer oxygen and further disclosed that the doctors were preparing to conduct a computerized tomography (CT scan) on Monday morning to ascertain what internal injuries were sustained as a result of the accident, but did not go through with it. “They cancel it [the CT scan] and after that they kept going in and out of the room and were not telling us anything or allowed us to see him. Then around 3:30 -4 yesterday afternoon they take him off of the life support machine and not long after he died”, Mariana said sadly.

Persaud’s grieving sister lamented that the doctors told her family that it was too late for them to perform any surgery on him. Mariana disclosed that when they arrived at the Skeldon Hospital the family had to spend a few hours waiting on an ambulance to arrive to transport her brother to the New Amsterdam Hospital. However when it was time to transfer her brother, they were then informed that the ambulance had no gas. An offer was made to purchase the gas but the hospital refused, stating that they had encountered “problems” before when they accepted such offers and also that the ambulance was new. The sister said as a result they were forced to wait on the arrival of an ambulance from the Port Mourant hospital before her brother could have been transferred.

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 16–22, 2015

W

Teen pleads guilty to five counts of armed robbery : gets 12-year jail sentence

S

eventeen-year-old Anfernee Archer was this morning sentenced to 12 years imprisonment by Magistrate Alex More. He is charged with five counts of armed robbery. Archer pleaded guilty to the charge which alleged that, on August 21 this year, at West Ruimveldt, and while being armed with a gun, he robbed Jameila Messiah, Dimitris Howard, Kimberly Moore, Kimberly Billy and Jermaine Kirk.

Among the items stolen were personal documents, two handbags, two cellphones, a gold wedding band and $8,000 in cash, carrying a total value of $175,500.

Calls for gay rights discussions

ITH the issue of sexual orientation seemingly propelled onto the national stage during debate of the 2015/2016 fiscal package, at least one prominent religious leader has recommended that instead of burying its head in the sand and wishing the issue away, the State should instead begin a national discussion on the matter.

The issue gained national prominence when Sport Minister, Darryl Smith, in his Budget contribution last Saturday, had referred to Opposition MP, Barry Padarath as “princess” before addressing him as the Princes Town Member of Parliament. In a telephone interview yesterday, Presbyterian Church Moderator, the Right Reverend Annabell Lalla Ramkhelawan, described the scenario between both parliamentarians as “unethical” and “uncalled for.” “I think that the State must give everybody due respect and the scenario that took place in the Parliament was uncalled for and I think very unethical of the individuals there and it is that which started this whole thing,” Ramkhelawan said, adding, “I think the time has come where the State needs to spend some time in discussing the rights of individuals and particularly those of other sexual persuasions. They should be given their rights.”

“The State needs to begin discussing this,” she said while noting that the issue still had to be discussed by the Church’s hierarchy.

“Our society, coming from the background that we came from, I don’t think the society

itself is ready for people to come out of the closet but as the State, you need to ensure that people have their rights in spite of their sexuality,” she added. “My Church has not taken a position on this. It is something, like the State, we have to begin discussions on.

Other Churches have taken a stance but we are yet to take a stance,” she observed.

She also acknowledged that the issue had to be discussed by the Inter Religious Organisation (IRO) and pointed out that the local society often mimicked events which take place in North America.

“It is something the IRO has to talk about just as the State has to talk about. We cannot any longer be like the ostrich, hide our heads and think it will go away. No, it is not going to go away. It is something that will come because we take pattern from North America,” she said, adding, “If you live in North America, you would see on forms (documents) they would have the other listing, not only male and female.” However Secretary General of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS), Satnarine Maharaj, offered a different view saying the national budget debate should focus on the country’s economy and whether it was able to pay its international loans and not focus on “who is a he and who is a she.” “We want to know what money we have and how you going to spend it,” Maharaj said, adding, “I have stood back. I have said, we are giving them a honeymoon period until they settle down and they understand where everything is, because it

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Dr. Ravideen Ramsamooj. Phd. Trained Music Teacher.

is a difficult thing to find out where everything is, and then we wait on the Budget and then we work from there.” “But rather than talk about the Budget you talk about sexual orientation. That discussion is going on all the time. From time immemorial you have had people of different orientation, but you don’t make this into a Budget speech. It is so childish. This is a Budget debate man. What example are we setting for the population,” Maharaj said.

“All of us are focused on the Budget, whether we can service our international debt and whether we have money. We don’t want to find out who is a he and who is a she,” he added. Open Bible Pastor, Winston Mansingh also described as “disturbing” the attack on the Princes Town MP by certain members of Government.

“I find it quite disturbing statements made in the Parliament when one person is attacked based on perceived orientation.

As born-again Christians, we embrace the principle of morality and godliness and we recognise man and woman. We do not embrace anything that is against our biblical and spiritual values,” Mansingh said.

“However we do expect that as our nation’s leaders, we would show and conduct ourselves and make statements that do not attack persons for this is divisive and also corrosive to our nation,” he added. Head of the Anjuman Sunnat-Ul-Jamaat Association, (ASJA) Yacoob Ali declined comment on the issue.

Pta. Bharati Ramsamooj. B.A. Trained Hindi Teacher.

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HOW CAN A MAN BE BORN AGAIN? “There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us.

Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus.

“How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”

Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” Gospel of St. John 3:1-8 New Living Translation A religious leader had questions on spiritual matters.

John recorded the story of Jesus meeting a religious leader. As a member of the Sanhedrin council, he was educated, sophisticated and powerful. He must have been knowledgeable in the Scriptures, yet he had questions that he thought Jesus would provide answers for. Nicodemus knew all the Old Testament Laws.

He kept them, taught them and enforced them. In spite of all that, he knew religious rules and rituals could not satisfy the longings of his soul. He knew something was missing in his relationship with God. He came in the quiet evening time likely to avoid the busyness of the crowds during the day time. These issues must have been important to him. Honestly, all of us recognize there is a crying need deep within that nothing else in the world satisfies until we cry out for our God. We, too, need a private time to spend with Him. Jesus is the answer for all our needs.

He addressed the Lord saying “we all know God sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” That is quite a statement by this leader. I wish more people would recognize and admit who Jesus is. Jesus is the Word of God. He speaks the words of the Father. His words give life, healing and comfort. He is our hope for all eternity. There is no denying the fact that many broken lives have found renewal in Christ. Not everyone is willing to admit it so our souls remain restless. We need to confront this matter and admit our need of this deep fulfillment within our souls.

Which of us have not tried drinking of

the sinful things of this world and we ended up disappointed? The flesh craves for things that cannot satisfy the needs of the soul.

Jesus hit the nail on the head– you must be born again.

“Unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” Nicodemus wondered, “How can an old man be born again?” He was obviously thinking about natural things. Jesus was getting down to the real need of the human soul. When Jesus used the term born again, He explained the difference between natural birth and spiritual birth. Because of the nature of humankind, we are physical as well as spiritual. The natural man is sinful and stands condemned before a holy God. We have yielded ourselves to temptations and we all have sinned against God. He knows we are helpless in a condemned state. So, God made a plan to send His Son to become as one of us so He can pay for our sins by His death, then rise from the dead to give us eternal life.

Born again means transformation.

The enquirer, a spiritual leader of Israel, was about to confuse the term born again with the concept of reincarnation.

Jesus never intended to lead his conversation in that direction. In fact, there is no hint of reincarnation in the entire Bible. The Lord taught resurrection in word and actions. He spoke of raising the dead in John chapter 5. He spoke of His own resurrection in many places. He brought the dead back to life in several cases recorded in the Gospels. He arose from the dead after His crucifixion. He promised

to come again and He will raise the dead out of their graves.

“And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live. The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son. And he has given him authority to judge everyone because he is the Son of Man. Don’t be so surprised!

Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, and they will rise again.

Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment.” John 5:25-29 NLT The Lord Jesus Christ was talking about a changed heart, a transformed life. He further told Nicodemus that a person can experience being born again yet he or she may find it difficult to explain. It is the inner work of the Holy Spirit. It comes in response to sincere prayers of repentance. The power of God breaks the bondage of the past, changes the heart and empowers us to live for a wonderful future with Christ. People who have encountered Jesus Christ and confess He is their Savior and Lord know what it means to be born again although we find it hard to explain how this change came about so almost “magically.”

quested to come to his home. Some people had objections because a holy man should not go to the home of such an unrighteous man. That day Jesus declared salvation was come to Zacchaeus’ home. The tax collector’s heart was transformed. He admitted he robbed some folks and promised restitution.

He would now be generous to the poor.

These are the actions of one born again.

As the wind, you cannot see what the Holy Spirit does inwardly, but you can see the results of the force of the wind.

The Apostle Paul was transformed when this persecutor of the church received the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.

I came about 37 years ago and found the promise of Jesus just the same. I received His love and forgiveness. Since then, I have enjoyed living for Him. You can come too. Ask His forgiveness and you will know what it means to be born again.

Take your family to church this weekend.

It happened to others; it can happen to you, too.

When Zacchaeus, a tax collector, came to see Jesus, he climbed up a tree because he was short. As the crowd passed, Jesus looked up at the short man in the tree. The Lord called him down and re-

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October 16–22, 2015

E

DUCATION Minister Anthony Garcia disclosed that under the former People’s Partnership (PP) government, the Education Facilities Company Limited (EFCL) was another “runaway horse” with approximately $600 million today being owed by his ministry to contractors.

In addition, he revealed that contractors were allegedly told to pay their bills.

The term “runaway horse” was first used

by Tourism Minister Shamfa Cudjoe in the Budget debate in the House on Saturday with respect to the Tourism Development Company (TDC).

In his contribution to the 2016 Budget debate in the House yesterday, Garcia said the mandate of the EFCL, one of many special purpose companies established under the former Patrick Manning administration, was to undertake construction and repair of schools in the country. However he revealed, “Everywhere I have visited, I have been faced with the same theme of construction delays, inflated costs and poor quality work. We continue to be faced with the perennial problem of incomplete repairs and closure of schools.” Noting the North Government Oropouche Primary School was closed since March 17, Garcia declared, “This is nothing less than a crimi-

P

Caribbean Star Newspaper EFCL’S $600M debt

nal act to have students out of school for such an extended time. It was only with the intervention of this Minister that arrangements were made for students to attend classes at an alternative venue.”

As Government MPs thumped their desks in support of him, Garcia quipped, “Thank God for the People’s National Movement (PNM).” He further stated that under the PP, “We were also faced with the spectacle of the ceremonial opening of schools, prior to the general elections, even with students in attendance during the school vacation.” Saying a school which is opened should be ready for occupancy, Garcia lamented, “This was not so in many cases.”

Identifying the Five Rivers Secondary School as one such case, the Minister said, “The principal and staff were asked to organise to move to the new school at the beginning of this term. However this school remained closed up until a week ago, due to a long list of woes including but not limited to, no water connection, no sewer connection, no furniture and non functioning air-conditions. Yet during the vacation period, this school was opened.”

After giving the assurance that repairs to this school will be completed shortly, Garcia told Government and Opposition

MPs, “These are not isolated incidents.”

Government MPs gasped in shock when Garcia disclosed, “This arbitrary approach to construction and repairs has resulted in this administration being saddled with the sum of $600 million owed to contractors.

Every day, I am being faced with information that has convinced me the EFCL was a runaway horse, doing whatever it wanted without consulting with the Ministry of Education.”

According to Garcia, “Contractors have told me in many instances, they were told their bills were too small and they need to jack it up!” The Minister added, “I have been told that certain high officials have demanded their ‘cut’.”

While this remains to be proven, Garcia told MPs, “What I am certain of, is that contractors have been coming to my home, complaining that they have not been paid for work done.” As Opposition MPs asked Garcia how did contractors know where he lived, he replied, “This is a matter that the new board of the EFCL will have to address immediately.I am sure the duly appointed board of the EFCL will investigate and audit this company.” Recalling the PP boasted of building 100 new schools over the last five years, Garcia said he asked the EFCL

Save wisely and invest

RESIDENT of the Industrial Court, Deborah Thomas-Felix, advised secondary school students from a number of schools in East Trinidad to save wisely and invest. She told them to set financial goals for themselves and develop a budget.

Thomas-Felix gave the advice while delivering the feature address at the National Financial Reality Fair organised by the City of Portof- Spain Credit Union (COPOS) and more than a dozen other credit unions and sponsors.

It was held at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya.

As she began her address, Thomas-Felix told the students the story of Warren Buffet, perhaps the most famous investor in the world. She said he became an investor at an early age and at 14 years of age bought a small farm from the profit he had made from his neighbourhood paper route. She added that by the time he finished high school he had $90,000 in savings and is now the second richest man in the world after Bill Gates. Thomas-Felix advised the students to think about spending and saving wisely.

She said as teenagers they might get an allowance from their parents and relatives on a daily, weekly or monthly basis and, rather than spending it as quickly

as they got it, they should spend and save wisely. “Think about what you would like to acquire and how you would need to save to acquire it. One of the easiest ways to help to achieve your goal is to develop a budget.” She said when they looked at their income and expenses they would be able to decide whether the financial goal they had in mind could be achieved in a short time or over a longer period. She advised that there is a financial system called “paying yourself first” which simply meant that every time they got some money they should put aside some as savings for their future.

She advised the students that it is never too early or too late to start saving and urged them that if they do have savings accounts at the bank to be aware of what interest they should expect.

Then she asked how many of the students were investors.

No hands went up to which she expressed disappointment although, upon closer questioning, it turned out that some of the students did have mutual fund accounts with the Unit Trust Corporation or one of the banks which offer mutual funds but did not realise that this was part of investing.

Thomas-Felix said while the students didn’t fully understand what investing was about they shouldn’t feel too badly because

many adults didn’t understand either.

She added that investors who were afraid of risk could consider investing in mutual funds since these types of investments pool the funds and invest them over different types of investment products.

“Those of you willing to take risks in order to generate larger returns can look to investing in the stock market.” Recalling that she used to be Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SE C) Thomas-Felix said that organisation regulated the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange and other organisations which sold investments to the public.

She advised the students not to place all their investment eggs into one basket.

“The most important thing for you to recognise is that investing can make your money grow much faster than ordinary saving instruments,” she said, warning that investing has a risk attached to it “therefore there is no guarantee that you would not lose your money.

It is important that you seek professional advice from registered financial advisers who can help you to map your goals, determine your risk profile and make suggestions as to how you spend your investment among different categories.”

management for a list of those schools at his first meeting with them.

“Up to this point, that company has been unable to provide me with that list,” he added. Of 12 secondary schools being built under the former Manning administration, Garcia said five of those schools are still under construction.

He gave the assurance that concerted efforts will be made to complete construction of the Barataria North Secondary, Carapaichaima West Secondary, Mt Hope Secondary, Siparia East Secondary and St Joseph Secondary Schools in the next fiscal year.

Garcia said construction which started at the Parvati Girls’ Hindu School and the Shiva Boys Hindu School in the 2012 to 2013 period, will also be completed in fiscal 2016. He added that approximately $254 million was allocated under the PP for secondary school infrastructure.

Saying a sum of $340.9 million was allocated in the last fiscal year to address primary school infrastructure, Garcia said, “Again we see a pattern of high levels of spending but have we gotten value for money?” Government MPs thumped their desks as Garcia declared, “No longer will the prioritisation of construction of schools be done on a whim and fancy.”

‘Police’ shoot man dead

K

ILLERS, wearing dark clothing and bulletproof vests with the words ‘“POLICE” on it, stormed a house in Petit Valley during the early morning hours yesterday, forced two brothers on the floor and shot one of them dead.

The brothers’ father, who tried to fight off the intruders, was also shot and is today warded at hospital.

Speaking from his bed at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital yesterday, Elvis Noel, 57, told Newsday he will regret for the rest of his life, opening the front door of his house when he thought real police officers had come knocking on the door. The intruders later shot Noel’s son Omari Noel, 20, in the back killing him on the floor of his Simeon Road, Petit Valley home.

The elder Noel was shot twice - once in his left arm and once in the left side of his chest - and is now warded under guard at the hospital. “I keep thinking about it over and over,” said Noel.

“Up to now, I wish I didn’t open that door. I should have just grabbed my cutlass and held a corner,” the

grieving man said.

According to police, at about 3.45 am yesterday, knocking was heard outside the front door of Noel’s home. His two sons, Omari and 17-year-old Jabari were also in the house, sleeping.

When he checked out the window, the elder Noel saw men wearing dark clothes and bulletproof vests with “POLICE” on the front. He opened the door, believing they were legitimate officers of the law.

When the gunmen got inside, they made Omari and Jabari lie face down on the ground and then shot Omari in the back.

Omari died at the scene.

Officers of the Western Division Police including WP Campbell visited the scene.

Police are working on the theory that Omari was silenced permanently after liming with Selwyn Alexander, 43, when the latter was shot and killed on Saturday last at Simeon Road in Petit Valley. Omari managed to escape the shooting last Saturday in which Alexander was killed. Alexander’s relatives yesterday said he was a “hot-mouthed” man but was a nice person.

Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 16–22, 2015

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Government’s decision expands retirement flexibility

It’s not often the federal government makes a decision that nearly everyone is happy with, but that’s what happened with a regulation that was recently finalized by the U.S. Treasury Department.

C

hanges to the regulations under Internal Revenue Code section 401(a)(9) allow individuals the ability to defer the distribution of their qualified assets beyond age 70 through the purchase of a Qualifying Longevity Annuity Contract (QLAC).

Generally, the new rules provide an exception to Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)

by allowing a QLAC to start making payments as late as age 85, meaning people can defer paying taxes on money that they may not need in early retirement. This is big news for those people who have been taking RMDs because they have to, not because they want to.

A QLAC can provide more flexibility for your retirement planning by allowing you to

better match your retirement income to your needs, and the ability to control when taxes can be paid on your qualified assets.

A QLAC will also ensure that you will not outlive your money, because as an annuity it provides guaranteed income for life.

There are some limitations to QLACs that you should know.

Most importantly, there is a cap on how much of your qualified money you can put into a QLAC. Contributions are limited to the lesser of $125,000 or 25% of the owner’s qualified account balances, less previous QLAC contributions. The 25% limit applies on a plan by plan basis and to IRAs on an aggregate basis. Also, QLACs can only be established through a deferred income annuity with no liquidity features.

Other important rules you should be aware of include: • Eligible accounts include 401(a), 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457(b) or IRA, • Income payments must be-

gin no later than the first day of the month following the owner’s attained age 85.

• The contract must state from inception that it is intended to be a QLAC. • Once income starts, the payments must satisfy RMD rules.

• The contract cannot have any cash surrender value or commutation benefit A QLAC can be a powerful tool for those who want more control of how and when they start taking money out of their qualified retirement accounts. With people living longer than ever before, the government has taken an important step in allowing people to have more flexibility with regard to their retirement assets. This is an opportunity that should be a serious consideration for many people nearing, or even in, retirement. Contact your tax/legal advisor for implications to your specific situation.

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 New York Life Insurance Company at 646 266 5416.

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 16–22, 2015

Teleperformance call centre operational

fter a six-month delay, Teleperformance’s customer care facility at Robb and Camp streets is now operational. The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) company has invested over US$2 million in the nearly 50,000 square foot centre, which has a capacity to house more than 1,500 employees. It had previously announced plans to offer outsourcing services to 38 clients, including several large Fortune 500 companies, airlines, Comcast and retail giants, such as Walmart.

“I think it would advance not only Guyana as an entire country… but also hiring and making optimal jobs for persons, who can experience a different type of work site…,” Vice President of Operations Dr Dale Dan told a news conference yesterday, while noting that the company’s goal is to become the premier employer in Guyana.

“It is not just about being on top financially, which is very important for all of our businesses today, but it will be a type of organisation that is deeply felt by the communities in Guyana,” Dr Dan added.

In April, Dr Dan had expressed her hopes of having the call centre up and running by the early part of May. It was explained that the company had hoped to have 1,500 persons working at the location by August 1st, with an additional 900 being added to the team at the end of December this year.

Next week, the company will start training its first batch of employees. This week

is dedicated to training the support staff on the company’s policies and reporting format. Director of Training of Teleperformance USA Sarah Miller will be conducting sessions on the Customer Care Management System to enable the support staff to develop the employees to the Teleperformance standard. Additional training will be done in business analysis by Director of Business Services Larry Sell.

Executive Vice Presi-dent of Operations at Tele-performance USA Mike Corrigan will oversee the operations of Teleperfor-mance Guyana, since Guyana’s branch is a subsidiary of Teleperformance USA. Corrigan noted that the company prides itself on a different management culture.

He said about five years of groundwork went into the establishment of the local facility. He explained that while the company could have started operations in 30 days, it wanted to be “cautious, surgical and tactical” as it intends to set up the premier call centre in Guyana as well as the premier place of employment in the country. “No one is going to touch us,” he said, while addressing the first batch of employees.

Corrigan said Guyana was chosen because it is the only English-speaking country in South America, making it an attractive location to serve American companies.

It is also in the same time zone as the East Coast of the USA, which means that there would not be a need for an additional shift.

Additionally, he said after researching Su-

Caribbean Star Newspaper 126-14 111 Ave.

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October 16–22, 2015

From left: Vice President of Operations Dr. Dale Dan, Regional Human Resources Manager Matthew Kilmer, Director of Business Services Larry Sell, Director of Training Teleperformance USA Sarah Miller and Executive Vice President of Teleperformance USA Mike Corrigan riname and other Caribbean countries, it was found that Guyana had a top notch education, workforce and technology.

The company will be starting with 50 workers, before adding a supplementary staff of 50 in November and it anticipates having some 500 employees by February next year. Corrigan said the goal is to utilize 75% of the work stations by June/July of next year, by which time it is aiming to have about 1,000 employees.

The first set of employees are bilingual and will be trained by the head of the Language Institute Cecily Bernard. Next month, representatives of a large US communications firm are expected to visit and view tests of bilingual services in Spanish and English.

Founded in 1978 by Daniel Julien, Teleperformance specializes in customer services, technical support, call centres, debt collection and social media.

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Widow, alleged hitman now jointly charged with block maker’s murder

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everley Persaud and Oswald Junior Yaw, alleged mastermind and executer of the murder of Herstelling block maker Nathan Andrew Persaud, were charged jointly with the crime.

It is alleged that the widow had promised her co-defendant a sum of money to kill her husband, with whom she was in the midst of a property dispute.

The duo was initially charged separately; Yaw was arraigned on September 21st, while Persaud

was read the charge on September 14th. When the two made their court appearance yesterday, however, Prosecutor Neville Jeffers withdrew the two charges and instituted the joint charge. Neither defendant was required to plead to the indictable charge.

Persaud and Yaw will return to court on October 20th, when they will make an appearance before Magistrate Judy Latchman, who will announce a date for the beginning of the preliminary inquiry into

the charge.

On the morning of September 10th, Persaud was brutally murdered at his Herstelling home. His body was later discovered after a neighbour, overhearing screams coming from the residence and later seeing a strange man leave the premises, realised something may have been amiss.

Police have stated that the widow, after being held for questioning, had confessed to the role she’d played in her husband’s murder and fingered Yaw as her accomplice.

Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 16–22, 2015

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 16–22, 2015

Cabinet made giant blunder on 50% salary hike – Ram -calls for independent compensation committee

C

abinet has made a giant misstep in awarding ministers a 50% increase in salaries and political commentator Christopher Ram has urged that the National Assembly appoint an independent Compensation Committee to look into the question of compensation for political appointees.

The David Granger administration has come under severe criticism for the pay hikes for ministers. Public servants were given a small salary hike after having been promised a “significant” increase by the APNU+AFC government.

Ram pointed out that the ministers profit from millions more in benefits.

In his blog chrisram.net, Ram pointed out that the increases for the ministers take effect from July 1, less than six weeks after the officials had been on the job. He said it is astronomical when compared with what Cabinet approved in the Finance Minister’s Budget for government employees and pensioners.

“In that Budget, the minimum salary in the public service was increased from $42,703 per month to $50,000 per month, or 17.1%. But there was a catch: unlike every other year in the past thirty years, the increase was for half the year only. The effective increase then, for the people at the bottom of the scale, for 2015 over 2014, is 8.5%. For public servants receiving a salary of $100,000, the increase was 10%, or 5% over a full year, and for those receiving $200,000 and $500,000 the effective annual increase was 3.75% and 3.0% respectively,” he wrote.

“There was an additional increase of $5,000 per month for persons above the minimum wage. Note that for public servants the higher salaries attracted lower percentages and lower salaries attracted higher percentages. Cabinet clearly did not think that principle applied to them,” Ram said while pointing out that the APNU+AFC’s 100 days commitment was “Significant salary increases for government workers, including nurses, teachers in primary, secondary and tertiary education; security personnel; and civil servants on the traditional payroll.”

He also said that the 2015 pension increases were subject to no retroactivity.

T

he Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is undertaking a review of the excise tax on alcoholic beverages, which could soon be determined based on the alcoholic strength.

In a press statement issued on Monday, the GRA said its proposal for the review, which was approved by the Ministry of Finance, includes changes in the application of the ad

the increase will stop them from thieving. The merit of each of these is not only arguable, it is dubious, he said.

“The question for me is if the financial situation which confronted Cabinet when it took office was worse than they thought, and which therefore prevented them from honouring commitments they made to voters, how come they can meet commitments they did not make? That is not the integrity and transparency which many thought would be the principles on which an APNU+AFC Government would operate,” he declared.

Christopher Ram “While the Finance Minister announced a $3,875 increase in the monthly pension from September 1, 2015, the Budget withdrew the monthly subsidy of $2,500 and $990 for GPL and GWI previously enjoyed by pensioners. Net increase: $385 per month but payable from September 1, an increase in 2015 of less than 1%,” he declared.

He recalled that the APNU +AFC’s 100 days commitment was “Significant increase in Old Age Pensions.”

Egregious “It seems however, that no percentage, however egregious, can truly reflect the palpable outrage felt by citizens over the increase awarded to themselves by a Cabinet in office after less than half a year. This is not about bad optics, bad timing or bad politics as some are suggesting without any regard for the finances of the country. Unless the Government can transform the 2015 projected $50,000 million deficit into a surplus, pay its public servants a living wage, and afford its pensioners some dignity, the increase will be as bad next year as it is now,” Ram wrote.

He noted that the unprecedented increase has been justified on some unusual grounds namely that it is about wage-led growth; that Cabinet is made up of quality persons; the beneficiaries were earning more in their private practice; they deserve the increase; or

Tax returns He invited the Cabinet to make public their tax returns to show the kind of income which they now demand, because, as they claim, that is what they used to earn. “And if that is indeed the case, why did they not tell us about their plan? And is there no element of public service to their work? And can they confirm that they have all shut shop and have given up their private businesses?” he questioned.

Ram noted that many commentators argue that the increase is really about income maximisation, and that what was involved was the use of creative counting to achieve the desired result. “So take the salary of the Attorney General which in turn is the salary of the Chancellor. Now, because the Chancellor gets a tax-free salary, the thinking is that the AG’s salary should be treated as net. And since the AG cannot earn more than the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister’s net salary has to be higher than the AG’s, followed by VP’s, followed by Ministers and MPs,” he wrote.

“But the base is clearly wrong. Only three persons are statutorily permitted a tax-free salary: the President, the Chancellor and the Chief Justice. Anything else is illegal and even Cabinet cannot make it so. I respectfully recommend that they read the Income Tax Act and the Financial Administration and Audit Act,” Ram said.

He said that as the Ministers make their case for entitlement, they must not ignore the range of benefits which they receive at taxpayers’ expense

which includes 24-hour security, all expenses paid vehicle and chauffeur, taxfree gratuity for their chauffeur, free electricity, free telephone, housing or housing allowance for Senior Ministers and the Attorney General, even when they live in their own homes, entertainment allowance when everyone knows the Ministers are the ones to be entertained, free crossing on toll bridges, no airport tax, generous leave and leave benefits, access to valuable medical benefits, and perhaps as valuable as all the other allowances put together, the right to duty exemption on a vehicle every three years.

The chartered accountant pointed out that MPs are also paid an additional $20,000 per month for being a member of a Parliamentary Sessional Committee; an additional $25,000 per month as a Chairman or Deputy Chairman of such a Committee; and an allowance of $15,000 per month as a representative of a Geographic Constituency. Conservatively, these are easily worth another million per month, Ram said. He also pointed out that MPs earn a pension after four years while the average person has to work and contribute to the NIS for fifteen years.

He said that there is a way out. “Cabinet needs to admit that they have made a giant misstep. It is not too late to reverse the decision and have the National Assembly appoint an independent Compensation Committee to look into the question of compensation for Ministers, MPs and other political appointees. Indeed, this should be a permanent arrangement which prevents what is a clear conflict of interest for Cabinet members,” he said.

Ram added that the terms of reference of such a Committee should not be difficult to establish: not too high to make it a coveted job and not too low to deter suitable persons; comparability with jobs in the public sector; ability to pay; and evaluating the compensation package in its entirety, including all perks. “To the extent that there is any comparability with other countries, regard must be paid to the economic and other conditions of those countries,” he added

Excise tax on alcohol under review valorem tax (a tax based on a fixed percentage of the product value) to specific tax (a tax calculated based on the alcoholic strength.) The appraisal of the excise tax on alcoholic beverages, the GRA said, is being conducted “with the aim of streamlining the regime in accordance with regional and international best practices.”

It noted that assessments that several other Caricom

states are collecting excise taxes based on the specific tax and it believes Guyana should adopt the same regime.

The GRA has made plans to meet with the local manufacturers and importers (particularly those of whom will be subject to the tax) to discuss the impeding changes and implications of the reform process. Meanwhile, the GRA also announced plans to introduce “high-security” ex-

cise stamps as part of efforts “to curtail smuggling and establish greater control of the flow of imported tobacco, spirits and beer imports.”

With the advent of the stamps, the job of inspection by the enforcement and customs officers will be made easier in relation to concerns about public health and counterfeit products, it said. Further, the GRA noted that it is partnering with

a foreign company to facilitate the timely and successful introduction of the stamps and the accompanying legislation, software and the required support initiatives.

Excise tax, according to the GRA, is an indirect tax levied on alcoholic beverages, motor vehicles, tobacco products and petroleum products produced or sold (domestic and foreign) within Guyana.

Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 16–22, 2015

29

World News Highlights

ly Muslim neighborhood of PK-5, a community leader told Reuters.

BEIRUT/AMMAN - Syrian troops and their allies, backed

by Russian jets, attacked rebel-held towns north of the city of Homs on Thursday, targeting a long-held and strategic enclave of opposition to President Bashar al-Assad. | Video WASHINGTON - Reversing policy on Afghanistan, President Barack Obama announced on Thursday he will prolong the 14-year-old U.S. military engagement there, effectively handing off the task of pulling out troops to his successor. | Video BANGUI - Four people were wounded in the capital of Central African Republic on Thursday when a mainly Christian militia group attacked the large-

BRUSSELS - David Cameron sought to defuse fellow EU leaders’ frustration over a lack of detail in his demand for new membership terms from the bloc by promising on Thursday to send them his wish-list in writing in early November.

KAMPALA - Ugandan police arrested opposition presidential candidate Kizza Besigye as he prepared to travel to a rally on Thursday, in what his supporters called an escalating crackdown before next year’s elections.

BRUSSELS - European lawmakers allied with German Chancellor Angela Merkel say they will not accept David Cameron’s renegotiation of EU membership at any price, warning on

Jai Seeta Ram, My name is Daniel Ramlal and I’m a proud member of the Naujavaan Mandalee Youth Group of the Shaanti Bhavan Mandir in Richmond Hill Queens NY. My topic today is about Nauraatri (Nau means nine & Raatri means nights).

I

BUDAPEST - Hungary will close its border with Croatia to stem the flow of thousands of migrants arriving daily unless European Union leaders agree on a joint task force to halt them at Greece’s border, Hungary’s Foreign Minister told Reuters.

UNITED NATIONS - Egypt, Japan, Senegal, Uruguay and Ukraine were elected to the United Nations Security Council on Thursday, pitting Kiev against veto-power Russia in what Ukraine’s foreign minister promised would not be a conciliatory two-year term.

HWANGE, Zimbabwe - A Zimbabwean hunter accused of failing to stop the killing of Cecil the lion said on Thursday his family and business had been

destroyed amid the outcry that followed the lion’s death and that charges against him should be dropped.

NAIROBI - U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the killings of at least 11 people, including a U.N. staff member, in shootings and grenade attacks in the Burundian capital Bujumbura this week.

GABORONE - Ten Eritrean soccer players seeking asylum in Botswana should be deported, Botswana’s security minister said on Thursday, a decision their lawyer said he would challenge in court.

tion off the island of Lesbos, the Greek coast guard said.

ATHENS - Greece must crack down on undeclared work, create more jobs, merge its pension funds and unify contribution rates to revamp its ailing pension system, a committee set up to find ways to make the system viable said on Thursday.

BEIRUT - Five members of a Lebanese family drowned and another four are missing after the boat carrying them from Turkey to Greece sank in the Mediterranean, relatives said on Thursday.

ATHENS - Seven people drowned on Thursday, among them a baby and three children, after their wooden boat and a coast guard vessel crashed during a migrant rescue opera-

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia Indonesia deployed security personnel on Thursday to calm unrest in its northern Aceh province after a mob burnt down churches and killed one person in religious violence this week.

The next form is Brahmacharini and her color is green. She has a rosary in her right hand and a water utensil in the other. She is filled with happiness and bliss, and is the way to Moksha, which is reconnection with god. The third form of the divine mother is Chandraghanta. She has a half moon on her forehead in the shape of a bell. She represents bravery and possesses great amounts of strength to fight in battles. The color you should wear is grey. This is the third form of Mother Durga.

Kushmanda is worshipped on the fourth day. She is the creator of the universe and created it by her laugh. In her seven hands she holds weapons, and in the eighth one she has a string of beads.

The color to wear is orange. The fifth form is Skand Mata, and she is known as the chief warrior for the army of Gods. When going to mandir on the fifth day of Navratri, it is recommended to wear the color white. Skand Mata has four arms and three eyes and has a lotus in one hand. The next form is Katyayani. She was born as an avatar of Mother Durga. A sage named Kata had wished to have a daughter who was a goddess and Katyayani was born. Katyayani has three eyes and four hands, and drives a lion. The color you wear

on this day is red. These are the three forms of mother Lakshmi.

The last three forms of the divine goddess are, Kalraatri, Maha Gauri, and Siddhidatri. Kalratri is known for making her devotees fearless. She is the manifestations of Durga that ensures us protection and freedom from fear and trouble. In her four hands, there is a sword, a burning torch in another, and the others are for her blessings. Maha Gauri represents calmness and shows wisdom. She will grant us intelligence and calmness. Siddhidatri rides on a lotus and is worshipped by everyone.

She has healing powers and blesses all gods, saints, and devotees.

During Navaratri, we fast for the nine days. We restrain ourselves from eating any sorts of meats, and maintaining a balanced diet. Doing this increases the levels of sattva in and cleans all our systems in our body.

Furthermore, we have to worship the divine mother to bless us with good fortune, wisdom and strength. One thing we should try to do this Navratri and any other Navratri, is to increase our amounts of enthusiasm, bliss, and joy. These three things will have a big impact on our daily lives, because they will put ourselves in a positive mood.

Navratri

Daniel Ramlal

n Hinduism, we are fortunate enough to celebrate the Navraatri season twice a year, and for nine days each. The Spring Navratri is known as Vasant Navratri, Ram Navratri, and Chaitra Navratri, and the Fall Navatri is knowns as Sharad or Maha Navratri. We retreat from the world and come together to discover greater amounts of bliss, joy, and enthusiasm in our daily lives.

During this holiday, we worship the divine goddesses Maa Durga, Maa Lakshmi, and Maa Saraswati,

Thursday that Britain has more to lose by leaving.

for three days each. We are told over and over that Maa Durga destroys all of the negative qualities that mankind has within ourselves to bring us to self-realization. Maa Lakshmi switches on that light that we have within us so we can be luminous forever. Maa Saraswati is the power house of knowledge.

Without her in our everyday lives, we cannot function properly. So my fellow Hindu brothers and sisters, we all need these three great mothers/deities in our life.

As we’ve probably all heard, Maa

Durga appears in different forms to carry out her duties to make us aware of the right and wrong.

Each form represents something different. The nine forms are Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skanda Mata, Katyayani, Kalraatri, Maha Gauri, and Siddhidatri.

The first form of Mother Durga is Shailaputri. Her name means the daughter of the mountains.

On this day, it is recommended to wear yellow Indian wear when going to mandir to perform her puja. She rides a bull and carries a trident and a lotus in her hands.

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 16–22, 2015

Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value. — Albert Einstein

WEEKLY HOROSCOPE ARIES

(March 21-April 19) You’re feeling great today. A terrific future is before you and a recent flirtation with someone special has been on your mind all day. People are just drawn to you. They like your magnetism and your intelligence.

And they like the way you laugh. This recent surge of energy is going to carry through the entire week. Even on Thursday, when work stress threatens to get the better of you, you’ll be able to get everything done with a couple hours to spare. This weekend, put all your energy into helping out a good friend.

LEO

(July 23-Aug. 22) You are basically a celebrity these days. People love being around you, and are constantly talking about you when you’re not in the room (in a good way). You’ve done more flirting with total strangers in the last week than you usually do over several months.

There’s something in the air. Everything’s going your way. This isn’t to say that you have money coming out of your ears -- in fact, you could use a little more cash these days, as you’re going to realize on Wednesday or Thursday -- but you know how to enjoy life without spending lots of cash. This weekend? Be social.

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21) If you’re traveling Monday and you find out that you’ve been, say, randomly bumped up to first class, don’t be surprised.

That’s just the kind of day you’re going to have.

(And if you aren’t traveling right now, maybe it’s time to start seriously thinking about that trip you’ve had in mind.) Good luck is going to follow you around all week. Even though you might have a minor run-in with an authority figure on Thursday, you’re going to be able to charm your way out of the situation. This weekend, out of the blue, a couple friends are going to tell you how much they enjoy your company.

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

GEMINI

(April 20-May 20) The week is going to begin with a somewhat unexpected (and possibly obnoxious) power struggle with an authority figure, most likely your boss. Instead of being stubborn, show your strength by acting casual and unflustered.

All eyes are going to be on you, and you want to demonstrate that you can keep your cool in any situation. Come Wednesday, all this stuff is going to be behind you. The rest of the week will be terrific: some romance on Thursday, a night out on the town on Friday or Saturday, and an afternoon of vegging out on Sunday.

(May 21-June 20) Monday’s going to be a great day -- just what you’ve been waiting for. The people in your life are not only great people, they’re also really fun to talk to. A light intellectual debate will help pass the time early in the week, but be sure that no one gets their feelings hurt. (You’re pretty good at debating, and sometimes people take the force of your arguments the wrong way.) Later in the week, you’re going to have a hard time communicating with your family. Talking with your friends and talking with your family is like night and day. Thank goodness for friends.

VIRGO

LIBRA

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22) There’s a whole lot happening at the beginning of this week, way too much for you to keep up with, so just keep your head down and make sure the most important stuff gets taken care of. The rest of it you just don’t have time to worry about.

You have this miraculous ability to get a lot done. Part of your secret is that you don’t do it alone. You have uniquely talented friends and you’re not afraid to ask for help when you need it. Toward the end of the week, you and a good pal are going to make a major decision together.

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Whether you realize it or not, your friends all look up to you. Mostly in subtle ways, but you certainly have an influence on them. That’s why, when you’re in a crummy mood, everyone’s in a crummy mood. When you’re in a great mood -- and this week you’ll be in a great mood most of the time -- everyone’s happy. Toward the end of the week, you and a romantic interest (or perhaps a serious romantic partner) are going to go to a concert or see some art, and the experience is going to be eye-opening.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19) The week is going to be slow to start, but soon enough things will pick up and the odds will turn in your favor. In the meantime, conserve your energy and don’t exhaust yourself trying to help everyone else out.

You’re spread thin enough as it is. Then, when a great friend calls you up on Wednesday or Thursday, you’ll have the time and the energy to carry on an hour-long phone conversation, if you feel like it. Life is a series of challenges but you’re starting to realize that most of the challenges are very easily surmountable, with some cunning and a little effort.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18) You are pretty set in your ways sometimes, not out of stubbornness but just out of the fact that you’re a creature of habit. A good exercise this week would be to see just how flexible you can be.

You have a few exciting discoveries ahead of you in the earlier part of the week, but you’re not going to get nearly as much out of them if you don’t go into everything with an open mind. Toward the end of the week, you’re going to have a great connection with someone who seems to have nothing in common with you.

CANCER

(June 21-July 22) You are not usually the kind of person to splurge recklessly, but that doesn’t mean you never ever splurge. Monday or Tuesday you’re going to make a big purchase and you shouldn’t be anything but thrilled about it -- even if you can barely afford it. You deserve the best life has to offer, and if that means being a little extravagant sometimes, so be it. Besides, you’ve been a saint lately, and you deserve a prize for all your extra efforts in the friendship department. You’re going to continue to have your sights set on the biggest and best life has to offer this weekend.

SCORPIO

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21) The week is going to begin with a challenge. Not the best opening scene to a week, but not totally terrible either.

If anything, it will give you the chance to demonstrate your grace under pressure.

You’re not going to let this get to you, right?

At least, that’s the attitude you should try to adopt. And besides, in a couple days, everything is going to be smooth sailing again. On Thursday you’re going to learn a big secret from a good friend, and on Saturday or Sunday you’re going to spend an afternoon in blissful relaxation.

PISCES

(Feb. 19-March 20) You have some pretty strong ideas.

Just because people don’t always agree with you right off the bat doesn’t mean anything about you or them -- it just means they’re looking at things from an entirely different perspective.

Which is totally valid. In fact, you’d do well to work on considering things from other peoples’ points of view. Relationships are a consistent theme in your life this week. There’s a chance this weekend that a problem is going to arise in a partnership -- with a best friend, a romantic interest or a neighbor -- and it’s going to be up to you to smooth things over.

Sand Creek headmaster sent on leave over beating of schoolchildren

T

he headmaster of Sand Creek Primary School who allegedly physically assaulted three of his students has been placed on administrative leave.

This is according to Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region 9, Carl Parker. Parker told Stabroek News that an investigation has been launched into the incident and a decision was taken to send the teacher on leave pending the results of that investigation and a decision by the Teach-ing Service Commission (TSC) He further explained that the school’s welfare officer has reported the matter to the police though no charges have yet been filed.

The teacher who took up the

post of Headmaster at the beginning of the school year after being transferred from Potarinau Primary reportedly admitted to assaulting the students because he was frustrated with his living conditions.

“He was frustrated by the fact that he was made to sleep in the school building. There is a headmaster’s house there but apparently it was not to his liking. Nobody reported it to the regional administration though. If he was dissatisfied then he should’ve reported it to his immediate supervisor,” Parker said.

Stabroek New reported that the man had allegedly hit the two girls and one boy to the head with a school bell because they were late for school.

After the alleged attack the

three students were forced to seek medical attention at the Lethem Hospital on October 8, after two of them sustained head injuries. The 10-year-old boy sustained a minor cut to his head while the cut sustained by one of the girls required four stitches.

This is the second reported instance of teachers in Education District 9 physically assaulting students.

Stabroek News reported last week that two teachers who in February of this year were involved in the brutal flogging of two teenage girls at Aware-wanau Primary School in Deep South Rupununi have been dismissed from the teaching service.

Those teachers were dismissed on two charges. The first charge notes that the teachers displayed

“lack of discipline on the part of a teacher in their failure to observe the Education Act Chapter 39:01 of the laws of Guyana,” while the second charge notes that the teachers were “involved in a possible criminal matter: physical assault and abuse.”

The administration of corporal punishment in Guyanese schools is governed by strict guidelines.

The 2002 Ministerial Guidelines allow for “corporal punishment to be administered by the head teacher, deputy head teacher or designated senior teacher for certain offences including fighting and use of indecent language.”

According to the guidelines, “boys should be punished on their hands or buttocks, girls on their hands; the punishments

should be inflicted with a cane or strap no longer than 24 inches and not in the presence of other learners, and all punishments should be recorded in the Misde-meanours Book.”

These guidelines were not followed in either case.

Asked by Stabroek News if there are any plans to sensitize teachers, parents and students on the rules governing the administering of corporal punishment, in light of these incidents, Parker noted that “teachers [in the district] meet regularly, at least once a quarter to discuss matters affecting education in the region.” While he could not say if this particular policy is discussed he opined that it would’ve been addressed with other matters.

Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 16–22, 2015

Entertainment News

31

Julianne Moore launches gun Why would Salman Khan make safety campaign for an ideal husband?

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ctress Julianne Moore feels it is her "responsibility" to create a gun safety campaign.

The Still Alice star is working with Everytown for Gun Safety and has launched Everytown Creative Council, which unites creative people who are in support of the prevention of gun violence, reported People magazine.

Recalling how her daughter, Liv, now 13, reacted to the Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012, she said, "I remember my daughter came to work with me that day. I was doing a movie in Queens and when we got into the van, I actually said to the driver, 'Turn the radio off.' She was young so the whole day, I kept the TV and the radio off.

"She had her phone with her and she said, 'Mommy, did some kids get shot?' I was like, 'I've had it.' I said to my husband 'I've got to do something. This is the one thing that I need to say some-

thing about. This is my responsibility as a parent."

The 54-year-old actress has already signed up 79 celebrities - including Steve Carrell, Reese Witherspoon and Ellen Degeneres - and hopes she can recruit even more to join the cause.

"I was going through my address book alphabetically.

That's all I did. 'Please, are you interested,' and the response has been overwhelming. I'm so, so thrilled. Everybody feels this way about this issue.

"I feel like with gun safety, there have been many people who feel threatened by saying something but I don't think I'm saying anything that's unreasonable. With all of these rights that we have in our Constitution come a great deal of responsibility, and I think the founding fathers would agree with me."

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alman Khan is the stuff that girls' dreams are made of. While he is approaching his 50s, the actor is considered to be the most eligible bachelor.

The heartthrob manages to impress not only with his films but also his off-screen personality. While he has spoken about marriage on several occasions, he has not confirmed if he will ever tie the knot.

However, whenever it happens, we are sure that Salman would make for an ideal husband. Let's take a look at the qualities that make him every wife's dream come true...

Pragmatic partner Salman Khan's on-screen and offscreen personality seems to be that of a person who keeps his relationships real and as close to life as possible. Salman's brand of romance has never been largerthan-life. So, while he might not believe in candle lit dinners and long walks, he will ensure that his wife feels like a queen with all the attention that he will show-

er her with. From his interviews, Salman seems to be the kind of man who will be by his wife's side when she needs him the most. Isn't it every girl's dream to have a man like this in her life?

- Vaibhavi Risbood

Shahid Kapoor: The fact that Mira and I are different works for us

S

hahid Kapoor comes from a film family while his wife Mira is new to the world of glamour but he feels this difference works better for them.

"I think the fact that we are different works for us. It is a nice thing that we are different from each other. But at the same time we are good at communication, we get along well," Shahid said in an interview here.

"She (Mira) makes me feel very normal. I go back to a very real atmosphere and I really like that a lot. She has no desire to get overtly 'filmi' as a person. She is very much an individual in her own right," he said.

Mira is yet to get used to the paparazzi that surrounds her actor husband all the time.

"She finds it difficult (to get used to the paparazzi) it will take sometime for her to get used to it. But she is understanding."

Shahid said he decided to settle down with Mira after spending time with her.

"We met, spend time and we really liked each other. I feel you should be with someone who you are comfortable with it doesn't matter how and where you met.

Everybody meets a certain way but after you meet how you feel is important." The 34-year-old actor did not reveal what clicked between the couple.

Eva Mendes' daughter her moral compass

E

va Mendes' 12-month-old daughter Esmeralda Amada is her "moral compass" and she finds it easier to make important decisions since becoming a mother. The 41-year-old actress, who has 12-month-old baby girl Esmeralda Amada with boyfriend Ryan Gosling, said she finds it easier to make important decisions since becoming a mother.

"I love being an example to somebody.

If I'm even like, 'Oh, what should I wear?

Or, should I do this project?'

"All I have to think about is my daugh-

ter and her face and I know the answer immediately. I guess she's my moral compass in a way. It's just beautiful to be an example for her.

Mendes is currently taking a break from Hollywood to focus on raising her daughter and her clothing line, but the Lost River star has only been apart from Esmeralda three times since she gave birth to her in September 2014. "(She's with) papa and the family.

Thank god I have my entire family 10 minutes away."

32

October 16–22, 2015

Daniel Craig: I loved flirting with Moneypenny The 47-year-old star, who is reprising the role of the secret agent for the new Sam Mendes-directed movie, revealed on a chat show it was fun doing the teasing scenes with Harris.

"There is a great working relationship, that's a big flirt. It's great to play and Naomie does it brilliantly," he said.

Craig also confessed he could not envision himself being friends with a real-life Bond, but admitted he'd be good company at a party.

"It's one of those things - he's fun at a party but don't stay too late," he added.

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Johnny Depp flashes gold teeth at London Film fest

H

ollywood superstar Johnny Depp flashed his gold and seemingly stained teeth at the Virgin Atlantic Gala screening of "Black Mass".

Caribbean Star Newspaper Rihanna among music stars suing Paris firm over clothing knockoffs

Depp, 52, stepped out during the BFI London Film Festival at Odeon's Leicester Square with wife Amber Heard and beamed with happiness, giving everyone a look at his mouth bling, reported Daily Mirror.

Depp's wife Amber Heard came out to support him at the premiere of his latest movie. While the blonde stunner looked incredible as she walked down the red carpet in a black satin dress and heels, Depp simply could not get enough of a reporter's microphone muffler.

The Hollywood hunk, wearing all black, looked to be having a whale of a time as he carefully caressed the object while chatting to journalists.

EW YORK, United States, Monday October 12, 2015 – Barbados’ pop princess Rihanna is one of several artists, including Jay Z, Beyonce, Kanye West and Pharrell Williams, who have jointly sued a Paris clothing retailer they say has been “brazenly” selling shirts, hats, backpacks, cell phone cases, and other items featuring their likenesses without permission.

The complaint, filed last week in federal court in New York, said ElevenParis has ignored the singers’ warnings to stop the sales, including in a store in Manhattan’s Soho district and on its website.

The artists accused ElevenParis and its affiliates of being “habitual, wilful intellectual property infringers that, without authorization, usurp the trademarks, copyrights and other rights of A-list celebrities.”

The challenged products include clothing bearing the singers’ faces, phrases such as “Kanye is my Homie” and “Pharrell is my Brotha,” and Rihanna and Beyonce song lyrics.

10 Pictures Explaining Why Beyonce, Rihanna, Jay Z And More Are Suing Paris Designer – https://t.co/HObvQHqtcL pic.twitter.com/vsXjlRggSy — Naij.com (@naijcom) October 9, 2015 According to the complaint, ElevenParis’ actions “have caused and are causing immediate irreparable harm” to the plaintiffs, who seek to recoup profits and triple damages over the allegations of trademark infringement and violations of their rights of publicity.

Each of the artists also has their own clothing lines or collaborations with apparel manufacturers, the complaint said, generating “hundreds of millions of dollars” in sales.

This is not the first time that Rihanna has fought a legal battle over the unauthorised use of her likeness.

In January, the “Diamonds” girl emerged on top after a two-year dispute with British high street fashion chain Topshop, which used the singer’s image on a line of T-shirts without her permission.

The Grammy Award-winner sued Topshop’s parent company Arcadia for £3.3million (about US$5million) over the garments, which featured an unauthorised photograph taken during the filming of a video for her hit song “We Found Love” in 2011.

Back in 2013, the 26-year-old superstar’s legal team successfully argued that her fans would have incorrectly assumed that she had endorsed the line of sleeveless T-shirts sold by Topshop.

(LEFT TO RIGHT) PHARRELL, JAY Z AND KANYE WEST ARE ALSO SUING. The courts consequently banned the chain from selling Rihanna tank T-shirts without her permission, but Topshop moved to overturn the ruling.

The case was finally put to rest when the Court of Appeal upheld the ban, agreeing that marketing the clothing without the Barbadian singer’s approval amounted to “passing off,” a term used to enforce unregistered trademark rights.

The star, who is perceived to be a fashion icon by many of her fans, had, moreover, signed a major deal to design a range with High Street fashion rival River Island in 2012.

In the appeal, Topshop lawyer Geoffrey Hobbs QC argued that there was a tradition of merchandising star images, including those of Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix and Prince.

Rihanna’s legal team countered that the image was from an unauthorised photograph and Topshop should be banned from exploiting it.

This view was endorsed by the final judgement, in which Lord Justice David Kitchin noted: “In the present case I am entirely satisfied that the judge did have a proper regard to the distinction between endorsement and general character merchandising.

“The judge considered the use of this image would, in all the circumstances of the case, indicate that the T-shirt had been authorised and approved by Rihanna; many of her fans regard her endorsement as important for she is their style icon, and would buy the T-shirt thinking she had approved and authorised it.

“In short the judge found that the sale of the T-shirt bearing this image amounted to a representation that Rihanna had endorsed it. In my judgement the reasoning of the judge discloses no error of principle.”

He added that although Rihanna knew she had no right in English law to prevent any use of her image, this did not rule out the judge finding Topshop had been guilty of “misrepresentation.”

“The vice in the impugned activities lay not in the use of Rihanna’s image but in using it in such a way as to cause misrepresentation,” he said.

The judge was right to find Topshop was “recognizing and seeking to take advantage” of Rihanna’s public perception as a style icon, he added.

Legal experts commented that the ruling should serve as a warning to businesses who use celebrities’ images without permission.

October 16–22, 2015 33 Caribbean Star Newspaper Leonardo DiCaprio buys rights to film about Volkswagen scandal

L How Rishi Kapoor got his nickname Chintu

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eteran actor Rishi Kapoor has revealed he was given the nickname Chintu after a poem, which his elder brother Randhir used to recite in school.

The Agneepath actor, 63, who is the son of legendary filmmaker-actor Raj Kapoor, is set to appear on 'The Anupam Kher Show : Kucch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai' where he will talk about his childhood.

"It was something created ever since infancy. When my brother Randhir Kapoor was in school, he found a poem that had the following lines: 'Chote Se Chintu Miya, Lambi Si Pooch. Jaha Jaye Chintu Miya, Waha Jaye Pooch'.

Sofia Vergara's engagement ring is 'perfection'

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ctress Sofia Vergara thinks her engagement ring is "perfection" and says fiance Joe Manganiello picked it out all by himself.

The Modern Family actress, who is set to marry Magic Mike XXL star Joe Manganiello, 38, in Miami next month after getting engaged last December, had no idea he was going to propose at the time and says he selected the seven-carat oval diamond all by himself, reports femalefirst. co.uk.

Asked about the impressive piece of jewellery, the 43-year-old star said: "It is perfection. He picked it for me, and I wouldn't change anything. He knows that I like big."

Vergara is planning to treat their wedding day like a red carpet event and while she was initially very involved in the planning, she's leaving the final details up to her wedding planner.

"The only thing I know for sure is it's going to happen, and it's going to be a big wedding because I have a big family. For me it's going to be like a red carpet appearance. I'm just going to show up," she said.

eonardo DiCaprio purchased the rights to a yet-to-be-written book about the Volkswagen emissions scandal, with an eye toward producing a film about the firm's attempt to deceive regulators, a media report said.

The production company Appian Way, which DiCaprio owns, and Paramount Pictures acquired the rights to the publishing project by New York Times journalist Jack Ewing about the business philosophy behind the scandal involving diesel emissions by vehicles of the German automaker, EFE reported on Tuesday.

In early September, US regulators revealed that VW for years had used software that hid the true emissions put out

by its diesel engines.

VW, which became the largest auto manufacturer in the first half of this year, acknowledged that it had used a computer system over the past seven years to show lesser emissions during testing of its diesel engines in its biggest markets.

The firm is facing a potential fine of up to $18 billion by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The rights to the book about the scandal, about which details are still being uncovered, were sold at the beginning of October to the Norton publishing house for several million dollars.

The book will investigate the philosophy of "more, faster and better" behind the scandal.

DiCaprio has produced successful films such as The Wolf of Wall Street, Runner Runner and Out of the Furnace.

He will next appear in front of the camera in the latest film by Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, The Revenant.

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October 16–22, 2015

Caribbean Star Newspaper

Caribbean Connections

Cruise concern about crime in Caribbean destinations

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LORIDA, United States, Tuesday October 13, 2015 – Reports of escalating crime in the Caribbean have renewed the debate about how it affects the millions of cruise ship passengers and other tourists who visit the region each year.

Some countries in particular have experienced their share of disturbing developments and, according to an email obtained by the The Nassau Guardian, an executive with Carnival Cruise Line reportedly warned a Bahamas tourism official that Carnival was so worried about crime in Nassau, it was considering issuing crime warnings to the passengers it brought there.

In a recent interview published by The St Lucia Times, meanwhile, the president of the St Lucia Vendors Association publicly accused the minister of tourism of ignoring the island’s crime problem.

Crime in St Lucia had gotten so bad, he said, that cruise lines might consider dropping it from their itineraries, as Norwegian Cruise Line had done in the 2010-2012 season because of reported crimes against passengers.

Yahoo Travel reports that while Carnival declined comment on the Nassau Guardian story, Norwegian said in a statement: “Norwegian has been calling on St Lucia for the past several years and is scheduled to call the island this year and in 2016. As with all destinations we visit, we continuously monitor any events and may make future itinerary adjustments should the need warrant.”

In the meantime, the US State Department warned of a spike in crime in the Bahamas that had affected American visitors, adding that “an apparent two-year rise in armed robberies in The Bahamas had spurred numerous warnings by foreign governments to their citizens visiting the country.”

In August, the British and Canadian governments had raised serious concerns

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about the safety of their citizens in the Bahamas.

Areas of concern included armed robberies in downtown Nassau and the cruise ship docks, “snatch-and-grab” robberies, and sexual assaults. The US Embassy in Nassau said that last year at least three Americans, including a minor, were reportedly sexually assaulted by jet-ski operators on Paradise Island.

The State Department also warned that crime in St Lucia was rising, with tourists being “targeted often” for petty crime. In one unusually brazen 2013 crime, 55 passengers from the Celebrity Eclipse were robbed at gunpoint during a St Lucia excursion. No one was hurt.

The State Department has gone a step farther with Honduras, which is under a full-fledged Travel Warning, where US officials say you should “consider very carefully whether you should go to a country at all.

“The level of crime and violence in Honduras remains critically high,” says the warning. While popular Honduran cruise destinations in the Bay Islands, such as Roatan, do have lower crime rate than mainland Honduras, the State Department warned that “thefts, break-ins, assaults, and murders do occur.”

American maritime lawyer Jim Walker, who has represented a number of former passengers in lawsuits against the cruise industry, has warned of escalating crime in many popular Caribbean cruise stops, especially in places like the Bahamas, St Lucia, and others.

“Every week we get a call of some sort from a Caribbean island,” Walker told Yahoo Travel. “There’s been a sexual assault of a minor in a place that otherwise seemed safe. Or someone’s been robbed.

Or someone’s been sexually assaulted.”

He singles out the Bahamas, which he’s named “the most dangerous cruise destination in the world” in his online publication Cruise Law News.

“If someone came to me and said, ‘I’m

NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE HAS SCRAPPED ST. LUCIA FROM ITS ITINERARY BECAUSE OF CONCERNS ABOUT GUESTS’ SAFETY IN THE CARIBBEAN ISLAND. going [on a cruise] from Spain to Italy, or a cruise from Seattle to Ketchikan [Alaska] or I’m going to go to Nassau,’ I’d say, ‘Please, don’t go to Nassau’.” he said. “I see it as a hotspot. It’s just a place that we hear about quite quite often.”

In addition to the Bahamas, St Lucia and Roatan, Walker also pointed to destinations like Antigua, St Kitts and Guatemala as problematic for cruise ship passengers.

“I don’t think the cruise industry does a very good job of warning passengers about the realities in these ports,” he said.

“Most people don’t know what they’re getting into. They think it’s better in the Bahamas. They think they’re going on a tropical getaway and they get themselves into real danger.”

Walker nevertheless admits that the vast majority of cruise passengers who visit the Caribbean do have fun, incident-free vacations.

“People are going to be able to go to any of the ports of call in the Caribbean, whether it’s Nassau or Roatan or the US

Virgin Islands or St Thomas, and chances are you’re not going to be killed or robbed or anything,” Walker said.

In fact, while Nassau has a relatively high murder overall murder rate — 30 per 100,000 people (the US homicide rate is around five per 100,000 people) — it is comparable to or better than a few US cities, including Miami and Baltimore, the home ports of numerous Caribbean-bound cruises, according to Yahoo Travel.

Walker also concedes that while he personally would tell people to avoid Nassau, there are some Caribbean locations that he likes.

“I wouldn’t write off all of the Caribbean,” he said. “But I would be very selective and I would certainly make a point of not just reading the cruise ship advertisements or the tourism images and really read about where I want to go.”

“I’m aware that most people are going to have a good time [on their Caribbean cruises],” Walker said. “I’ve just met too many people who haven’t.”

Probe into false fire alarm on Delta plane in Jamaica

INGSTON, Jamaica, Tuesday October 13, 2015 – The Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) is investigating yesterday’s fire alert on a Delta flight that triggered an evacuation and the closure of Sangster International Airport.

The airport in Montego Bay has since reopened.

The JCAA said investigators from its Flight Safety Division have been deployed to conduct a probe into the incident on Delta Flight 304 which was destined for Atlanta.

The plane was on the runway with 160 passengers and six crew members and was preparing to take off around 3:30 p.m. when a cargo fire warning light came on. The fire suppression system within the plane was activated and everyone on board was evacuated through the emergency exits.

No one was injured, and Delta later said the warning was a false alarm and there was no fire on board the plane.

However, Sangster was closed for about three hours, during which time incoming flights were rerouted to the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston.

The passengers were flown to Atlanta on another aircraft.

PASSENGERS ON THE TARMAC AFTER THE EVACUATION OF DELTA FLIGHT 304.

Caribbean Star Newspaper

a cost of $500 million.

The Prime Minister spoke of another $500 million contract in which a Chinese company was involved in a project at Knowsley, the former Ministry of Foreign Affairs building near the Queen’s Park Savannah.

He said he did not know exactly what this Chinese company was doing at the building which, “they have covered in barbed wire and chain link or chicken wire around.” The Prime Minister said he was told that this Chinese company is putting in some system which will allow us, “electronically to look on TV screens over the whole of Trinidad and Tobago.” He said he was more concerned about that development as a security breach of the country sovereignty, but he was more concerned of the country entering into a contract not properly funded, without any financing in place for it.

“These are the kinds of things that we cannot be doing in an environment where we have serious concerns about our ability to maintain where we are and to fund the quality of life that we have,” the Prime minister said. Persad-Bissessar’s helicopter

The tannia harvested from Ms Jenetta Lall’s garden at Walton Hall Village, Essequibo Coast

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WALTON Hall Village, Essequibo Coast housewife has proudly harvested a tannia which weighs in excess of eight pounds. According to Mrs Jenetta Lall,the tannia was planted in a cool place several months ago in her garden and was harvested during Agri-

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KAMLA’S $6M RIDE

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T COST six million dollars of taxpayers’ money for the helicopter rides of former Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar.

This was revealed by her successor, Dr Keith Rowley, as he contributed to the 2016 Budget debate in the House of Representatives last night. He vowed not to undertake that type of travel at such expense to the state as Prime Minister.

“I give the long suffering people of Trinidad and Tobago the assurance that I will travel on the ground and over water,” Rowley said. “I will not be in the air unless it is absolutely essential and necessary.” Prime Minister was outlining expenditure by the previous administration which he suggested should not have been undertaken in a period of falling revenues.

“We cannot be wasteful in a time like this,” Rowley told the Parliament.

“And I think it is extremely wasteful for the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago to fly for 636 hours in helicopters in this country.” Quoting from a document, Rowley said the record shows that Persad-Bissessar, as Prime Minister, occupied helicopter riding time of 636 hours, 415 missions at a cost of over six million dollars.

“I am saying that kind of expenditure ought not to be on the backs of the people of Trinidad and Tobago,” and he wondered if the use of the helicopters by the former Prime Minister was in any way linked to another project involving a contract with Bell Helicopters, for supplying this type of equipment to Trinidad and Tobago at

October 16–22, 2015

culture Month. She said that her prized tannia comes out of the government’s grow more food drive.

And Mrs Lall is encouraging all housewives to follow the government’s grow more food drive and plant in order to become self-sufficient in farm fresh food.

travels came up as a part of a “dubious” arrangement for a half a billion dollar contract which Rowley said National Helicopter Services Limited refused to sign for the procurement of helicopters for the country.

He said there was no money budgeted anywhere for those helicopters but the country was contracted by an officer of state. He said no one could tell him who authorised the procurement.

“So the report I have,” he told Parliament, “Says the transaction regarding the loan financing was not completed

by NHSL. My understanding is not that they did not complete it. They refused to sign onto it, because it was a questionable arrangement for half a billion dollars of helicopter equipment where the state is bound by contract in some dubious way.” The Prime Minister said the Ministry of National Security is to look into this matter and report to the country “as we go forward.” Rowley also outlined some of the steps his administration was taking to improve the level of governance in the country, revealing that the Cabinet Sub Committee on Energy is functioning again, the appointment of an infra structure committee as a sub-committee of the Cabinet to oversee the whole aspect of what infrastructure the country was engaged in, adding “no policy by vaps, no ministerial edicts.” Rowley also revealed the government will put

in place an economic advisory board using the best talent available to the country and from our national diaspora to ensure that the government of Trinidad and Tobago gets the best advice in decision making. He disclosed the government has taken steps to issue new instructions about how government vehicles are used and who is to use them.

Among the instructions is that all government vehicles must carry government insignia and the Coat of Arms if possible on them, but that the public must know and identify government vehicles so that the abuse that has taken place will now end.

He excluded from those instructions vehicles of the defence force that are special, and police undercover vehicles and other specifically exempted vehicles, adding all vehicles must be so marked so as to end the multi-billion dollar abuse that is now taking place. He said government will also be putting into place a travel policy to end what he described as “every Tom Dick and Harry is up and down the country, up and down the world first class, second class, at tax payers’ expense.” “These are the things that we are going to have to do if we are going to face up to the challenges of the reduction in revenues that Trinidad and Tobago is facing,” the Prime Minister said.

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Walton Hall housewife reaps eight–pound tannia

(NEXT DOOR TO McDonald´s UPSTAIRS BRIDAL BOUTIQUE)

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 16–22, 2015

Guyana-Venezuela border controversy

Venezuelan envoy blames US for stoking fire

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ORGE Alfonzo Guerrero Veloz, the Venezuelan Ambassador to Grenada, is accusing the United States of fueling the ongoing territorial controversy between Guyana and Venezuela.

He made the ridiculous claim last Friday at a press briefing in Grenada, which was widely broadcast by Grenada’s MTV News, even on social media.

Asked to specify who the third party was he claims was responsible for fueling the controversy, Veloz said without faltering that it was the United Stetes to which he was referring.

He gave as his reason for blaming the US for the further souring of relations between the two neighbouring South American countries its declaration in March of this year that Venezuela is a threat to its national security. The declaration at reference is an executive order issued and signed by US President Barack Obama, which, in addition to calling Venezuela a national security threat, ordered sanctions against seven Venezuelan officials in what is widely believed to be “the worst bilateral diplomatic dispute” since President Nicolas Maduro took office in 2013.

Venezuelan Ambassador to Grenada, Jorge Alfonzo Guerrero Veloz.

Venezuelan Ambassador to Grenada, Jorge Alfonzo Guerrero Veloz.

Another reason for saying what he did, Veloz said, is the fact that ExxonMobil, the company currently drilling for oil in Guyanese waters and responsible for raising up all this bad blood between Guyana and Venezuela, is American.

In early May, ExxonMobil announced out of the blue that it had found significant deposits of oil in the Stabroek Bloc, located 120 miles offshore Guyana.

As if that was not bad enough, the thing that perhaps nettled Venezuela the most was the actual arrival of ExxonMobil’s Deepwater Champion oil drilling rig.

It’s an assumption that Veloz vehemently denies. As he told Grenadian reporters Friday, “Nobody can guarantee that there is oil as they [ExxonMobil] says there is.” He bases his argument on the fact that oil explorations can take a number of years to determine whether there is oil or not.

Though acknowledging that the controversy goes back to the 1800s during the Spanish and British rule of South

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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Venezuelan Ambassador to Grenada, Jorge Alfonzo Guerrero Veloz.

Newly accredited US Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway American countries, Veloz failed to reference the 1899 Tribunal Award, which granted most of the land at the centre of the controversy, what Guyanese know as the County of Essequibo, to Guyana.

Rather, he is insinuating that Guyana’s continued exploitation of the Essequibo territory is a contravention of Geneva Agreement of 1966. In so doing, he conveniently fails to say how it is that it is ExxonMobil’s activity, and not Guyana, that violates the Geneva Agreement.

“Guyana has no documents as owners of the land,” he said. “We believe that it is an aggression with a third party; that is their trans-national, ExxonMobil, that is behind the manipulating,” Veloz told reporters at the press conference Friday.

He even boasted how Guyana was able forv ten years, to benefit from the PetroCaribe deal, which, to him, is a clear indication that Venezuela bears no ill will against Guyana. “Venezuela has no intention of attacking or taking anything away from Guyana,” he said.

However, in July, following a visit to Venezuela by Finance Minister Winston Jordan, it was revealed that Venezuela had indicated, in no uncertain terms, that the country will no longer be interested in renewing the oil-for-rice barter under the PetroCaribe agreement, which comes to an end on November 16. This, too, Veloz conveniently forgot to mention during the course of his press conference.

Since the escalation of this controversy, which was revived by the Maduro administration, Guyana’s President David Granger has garnered the support of regional bodies, including the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Union of South American Nations (UNUSUR), the Commonwealth of Nations and the Organisation of American States (OAS) against the aggressions from Venezuela.

Even newly accredited U.S Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway has weighed in on the issue, saying that the two countries should push for “a peaceful resolution, continued dialogue and respect for international law.”

Prior to this official appointment, too, Holloway had told the Foreign Relations Committee of the U.S. Senate that any country making claims to territory must respect the rule of the sea and international obligations which govern same.

Holloway had further disclosed that the U.S. remains committed to encouraging both countries to reach a “peaceful resolution.”

October 16–22, 2015 37 Caribbean Star Newspaper Jamaica’s Foreign Affairs Puerto Rico schools relax uniform rules Minister urges support for CCJ for gay students

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AN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Wednesday October 14, 2015 – Boys can now wear skirts to school following changes to the uniform code announced

by Puerto Rico’s Education Minister.

Education Secretary Rafael Roman said on Monday the changes are intended to make the US island territory’s strict uniform policy more lesbian, gay and transgender (LGBT) inclusive and less restrictive.

All students are required to wear school uniforms by the Puerto Rico Department of Education, with exemptions only provided for students on medical grounds.

Prior to the implementation of the relaxed uniform rules, all girls at public schools on the island wore skirts and boys wore pants.

Under the new rules, however, students of any gender can choose to wear either a skirt or trousers to school without risk of punishment.

While the new regulation is primarily designed to be more LGBT-friendly, it applies to all students, not just those who identify as LGBT, and bans teachers from disciplining boys for wearing skirts or girls for wearing trousers.

“No student can be sanctioned for not opting to wear a particular piece of clothing … that he or she does not feel comfortable with,” Roman told reporters.

The controversial move has unleashed a hot debate in the socially conservative island territory.

Gay rights activists and some school officials praised the new regulation, which comes months after Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla signed an executive order prohibiting bullying in public schools based on a student’s sexual orientation.

Critics of the measure nevertheless accused government officials of acting like dictators and stripping parents of their power, according to the Associated Press.

“Once again, this government and the Department of Education work against what’s best for our children,” said officials with Alerta Puerto Rico, a group that says it was founded to promote family and childhood values.

Roman argues that parents have the final word on how their children dress for school since they’re the ones buying the uniform. He added that several school districts on the US mainland have adopted similar regulations.

Garcia’s administration previously approved several measures in favour of the gay community, including one that allows transgender and transsexual people to change their gender on their driver’s license and another that protects their rights when seeking medical services.

Same-sex marriage came to the US island territory this year, after the US Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right.

A subsequent court order brought weddings into effect in mid-July, with the first weddings on July 17.

Family of missing El Faro crew member filing US$100 million lawsuit

Jordan worked on the ship for 13 years.

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LORIDA, United States, Wednesday October 14, 2015 – A relative of one of the missing crew members of the cargo ship that disappeared during Hurricane Joaquin, is suing the boat’s owner.

The family of missing 33-year-old Jacksonville, Florida resident Lonnie Jordan is filing a US$100 million lawsuit against Tote Maritime, contending that the company should be held accountable for sending El Faro into the path of the Category 4 hurricane.

The ship disappeared with 33 crewmembers off the Bahamas in late August.

United States Coast Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air National Guard and tugboat crews searched more than 183,000

square nautical miles off the Bahamian coast in an effort to locate the 28 American and five Polish crew members who were on the vessel which was travelling from Jacksonville to Puerto Rico.

But after a full week of looking, they only turned up debris and one dead body and the search for the ship, which is believed to have sunk, and the crew was called off.

The US National Transportation Safety Board is conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding El Faro’s disappearance.

More than 11,000 people have signed a petition for the search to resume, as they hold out hope.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND FOREIGN TRADE MINISTER SENATOR A.J. NICHOLSON SAYS CCJ JUDGMENTS ARE OF HIGH QUALITY AND NOT OPEN TO POLITICAL MANIPULATION.

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INGSTON, Jamaica, Wednesday October 14, 2015 – Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Senator A.J. Nicholson, is urging full support for the adoption of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as Jamaica’s final appellate court.

He maintained that the judgments delivered are of high quality and not open to political manipulation.

“The argument about fixing our local justice system before taking this step (also) holds no water,” he pointed

out, noting that no other former colony of Britain that has abolished the Privy Council has established its own court of appeal.

Senator Nicholson made the comments as he addressed a recent public forum at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, entitled ‘From Debate to Implementation: Where Now and in What Direction Should We Go?’.

The Senate will on Friday begin debate on three Bills which seek to install the CCJ, and delink the country from the Judicial Committee of the United Kingdom (UK) Privy Council.

They were debated and passed on May 12 in the House of Representatives, where the Government enjoys the two-thirds majority needed to have them passed. The Opposition voted against all three Bills.

But Senator Nicholson is urging the Opposition to come on board and support the Bills now.

“There is no good reason whatsoever that can be conjured up at this stage to register a negative vote in respect of the Bills before the Senate,” he said.

As it relates to calls for a referendum on the issue, Senator Nicholson said that was not necessary.

The CCJ was established on February 12, 2001 through an agreement signed by the Heads of Government of CARICOM at their 22nd meeting in Nassau.

Speaker and delegation to visit Suriname Parliament

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14-member team from the National Assembly is slated to leave for Suriname today for four days to visit the Parliament of the Dutch-speaking nation, in an effort to build relations between the two parliamentary systems.

In a statement released

by Parliament Office last evening, it was noted that the intended purpose of the trip is to compare and contrast the two parliamentary systems to see how both parliaments could learn from each other and adopt best practices where applicable. That would, inter alia, create a structured “contact programme” between the parliaments of Guyana and Suriname; and to establish a formal relationship between the two parliaments and peoples, so that the many similar issues faced can be better understood and dealt with, among other things.

The delegation will be led by Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Barton Scotland and includes Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs; members from both the government and opposition; and supporting staff from Parliament Office.

The visit comes as a fulfilment to a commitment made by former Speaker Raphael Trotman to pay a

return visit to the Parliament of Suriname.

This visit succeeds one paid by Dr. Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, Speaker of the National Assembly of Suriname, along with a delegation of 11, who visited Guyana from the 24th to 26th October 2013, following an extended invitation by then Speaker,Raphael Trotman.

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 16–22, 2015

CRICKET

& Sports Herath keeps Sri Lanka on top WI West Indies 66 for 2 (Herath 2-14) trail Sri Lanka 484 (Karunaratne 186, Chandimal 151, Bishoo 4-143) by 418 runs

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angana Herath bowled Sri Lanka back into the dominant position achieved

by Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal’s double-century stand and squandered somewhat by a collapse that cost them their last seven wickets for 59 runs. At the end of an action-packed second day, West Indies were 66 for 2, trailing Sri Lanka by 418 runs.

The quick demolition of Sri Lanka’s lower order raised West Indies’ spirits when they came out to bat, and the openers got off to a solid start against the quicks, with three fours coming off the second over, bowled by a Nuwan Pradeep erring generously on the full side. But Herath, introduced as early as the sixth over, pulled West Indies back down to earth with his ability to beat both edges.

In his very first over, he had Kraigg Brathwaite adjudged lbw with one that turned sharply from leg to off, only for Hawkeye to rule the ball had pitched marginally outside leg stump. In his next over he sent down the arm ball, which snaked past the inside edge of Brathwaite’s defensive bat and rapped into his front pad. This time the batsman didn’t even review.

Shai Hope was next to go, bowled by a beauty. The opener came half-forward in defence, inward drift causing him to open up, and the ball turned past his outside edge to clip off stump.

Herath caused Darren Bravo problems as well, beating his outside edge on a couple of

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occasions and causing him to inside-edge sharply turning deliveries close to short leg.

Bravo survived the testing spell in the company of Marlon Samuels, but both of them will have to come out and begin all over again on the third morning.

The day began with Chandimal and Karunaratne extending their overnight stand to 238 - the highest by any third-wicket pair in Galle - after which Chandimal added a further 86 with Angelo Mathews. Sri Lanka were 425 for 3, and a 500-plus total looked like a formality. Their sights, perhaps, were set on 600, but they only managed 484.

The slide began with tea around the corner, when Chandimal slapped Jerome Taylor straight to cover, against the run of play.

In his next over, Taylor straightened one from around the wicket to produce an edge from the debutant Milinda Siriwardana.

First ball after tea, Mathews was back in the dressing room. Jason Holder banged one in short, and Mathews, getting into an awkward position while trying to fend the ball into the leg side, popped back a simple return catch. Devendra Bishoo then sent back Dhammika Prasad and Rangana Herath off successive deliveries, before Kusal Perera, looking for quick runs, played on to Shannon Gabriel. The final wicket fell to Bishoo, who finished with four wickets as Nuwan Pradeep miscued a slog to deep midwicket.

The tumble of wickets must have left West Indies wondering how good their position might have been had they held their catches. On day one, with Chandimal on 11,

Taylor had put down a relatively straightforward chance while backtracking from mid-on. In the tenth over of the second morning, Chandimal cut Shannon Gabriel to backward point, where Jermaine Blackwood spilled the ball after getting both hands to the overhead chance. Chandimal was on 82 at that point.

Bishoo had struggled on a slow pitch, the batsmen easily negotiating his legspin off the back foot, often making length balls look like short balls. In the third over after lunch, he managed to draw Mathews forward and find his edge, only for Jason Holder to put him down at slip.

Later, Hope dropped Prasad at backward point, taking West Indies’ total of spilled chances to five, including Bravo letting off Lahiru Thirimanne on the first day.

Coming in to bat at 339 for 3 - it was the first time since August 2014 that he had walked in with Sri Lanka’s score past 200 gave Mathews license to play his shots. He hit two fours off Bishoo in the first over after tea - admittedly off bad balls - and continued going after the spinners after Holder dropped him. He pulled Bishoo for another four, ran down the pitch to Marlon Samuels to launch him over wide long-on, and scored his runs at a strike rate of above 100 until he reached 32.

Chandimal was a little more sedate at the other end, but got enough scoring opportunities, with Kemar Roach and Taylor both feeding his favorite square-cut, and the latter shot getting him to 150.

In the morning session, Samuels dismissed Dimuth Karunaratne 14 short of

a double-hundred. The wicket was a result of the slowness of the pitch, which Karunaratne had dealt with expertly till then, picking the right lengths to drive and even then refusing to go hard at the ball. For once he jabbed at the ball, a short one from Samuels that stopped on him, and ended up lobbing a return catch to the offspinner.

Till then a double-hundred had seemed inevitable. The ball was only 10 overs old at start of play, but there was little of the seam movement that had been in evidence on the first morning. The runs came at a good clip, with Karunaratne pulling Taylor to the square leg boundary in the fifth over of the morning before driving him through midoff for another four to bring up his 150.

At the other end Kemar Roach, bowling without either the seam movement or the pace he generated on the first day, conceded two fours in two overs to Chandimal.

Taylor and Roach went out of the attack, and Gabriel, who replaced Roach, saw an edge from Karunaratne fly through the vacant slip area before Blackwood put down Chandimal. In his next over, Gabriel produced the only other moment of discomfort for a Sri Lankan batsman in the session when he straightened one past Chandimal’s edge.

Chandimal was not unduly deterred. Following Bishoo’s introduction, he stepped down the track and whipped him away wide of mid-on, and in the next over flat-batted Gabriel over extra cover to bring up his hundred. It was his second in a row at the venue, after his match-turning 162* against India two months ago.

‘Cairns ordered me to fix matches’ - Vincent

ou Vincent, the former New Zealand batsman, has claimed he was acting under “direct orders” from Chris Cairns, his captain at Chandigarh Lions, when he agreed to fix matches during the now-defunct Indian Cricket League (ICL) in 2008.

Vincent, who was last year banned for life from all cricket after admitting his involvement in match-fixing, claimed he was lured into the practice with offers including a cash bribe masquerading as an advance payment on a bat sponsorship, and subsequently earned US$50,000 (£32,000) for each of the games that he helped to manipulate.

“I was under direct orders from Chris Cairns to be involved in match-fixing,” Vincent alleged under examination from Sasha Wass QC at Southwark Crown Court, where Cairns is on trial for perjury and perverting the course of justice, charges that relate to his successful libel action against Lalit

Lou Vincent arrives at Southwark Crown Court with his partner Modi in 2012.

“I looked up to Chris, he was a role model,” Vincent said. “All of a sudden I had been invited into this little world. There was talk of the tournament and how every game is going to be fixed.”

Vincent told the court that his

introduction to match-fixing had come via a bookmaker called Varun Gandhi, who offered him a bundle of cash during a meeting in a hotel room and told him that a woman who was also present was there to keep him company.

“I was aware that she was avail-

able for sex ... that was when the penny started to drop,” he said.

Vincent initially reported the approach to his agent, Leanne McGoldrick, but claimed that Cairns’ subsequent response was to recruit him to his own match-fixing operation. “’You have done the right thing’,” Vincent claimed Cairns had told him. “Right, you are working for me now, that will act as good cover’. That was how the whole introduction of being asked to match-fix for Chris Cairns happened.”

Vincent, who had been suffering from depression since being dropped from the New Zealand team the previous year, described how he received instructions “either on the bus or at breakfast” in three or four of the matches that he played in the 2008 ICL tournament. However, he claimed to have struggled to “master the art of getting out”.

“I was under instructions to fix,”

he said. “When you are underperforming you just play dead-bat shots, play more defensive, you can control your scoring tempo but the actual art of getting out is actually quite hard.

“One of the easiest ways is to get run out, hit the ball to a fielder and keep running. Try to get stumped. Miss a straight ball.

“I didn’t master the art of getting out very well. Cairns suggested if I was playing club cricket in England I practise the art of getting out.”

Vincent also alleged that, in addition to Cairns, the Indian batsman Dinesh Mongia and New Zealand fast bowler Daryl Tuffey were involved in match-fixing during their time at Chandigarh Lions.

Cairns denies charges of perjury and perverting the course of justice. His former barrister, Andrew Fitch Holland, denies a charge of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

The trial continues.

October 16–22, 2015 Caribbean Star Newspaper Dhoni sparkles as resurgent India ties series Master and pupil in celebration

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superb performance by the bowlers and a defiant 92 not out from skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni saw India outplay South Africa by 22 runs in their second One-Day International (ODI) at the Holkar Cricket Stadium here on Wednesday.

Chasing India’s modest total of 247/9, the South Africans lost wickets at regular intervals and their innings folded up for 225 in 43.4 overs. Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and left-arm spinner Axar Patel inflicted the bulk of the damage with a three-wicket hauls.

Patel claimed the crucial wickets of Hashim Amla, Faf du Plesis and J.P. Duminy to return figures of 3/39 in his 10 overs while Kumar claimed 3/41 in 8.4 overs.

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh took two wickets for 51 runs while pacers Mohit Sharma (1/21) andUmesh Yadav (1/52) picked up one each.

India, who had lost the opening match by five runs at Kanpur, have now levelled the five-match series at 1-1.

Amla and Quinton de Kock gave

the Proteas’ chase a flying start, tackling Bhuvneshwar and Yadav with ease. Dhoni’s decison to bring on the spinners made an instant impact as Patel got rid of Amla in his very first over. The South African, who had danced down the over to smash the second ball of the over to the mid-on boundary, tried a similar act off the fourth delivery only to be beaten by the spin as Dhoni calmly whipped off the bails.

After de Kock had hit a Harbhajan delivery into the hands of Mohit Sharma at long off, set about trying to repair the damage. The duo managed to bring the visitors into the match but Patel trapped Duminy leg before to bring an end to the 82-run partnership.

That seemed to trigger a mini collapse as du Plesis, David Miller and the dangerous AB de Villiers went back in quick succession which all but ended the visitors hopes.

Earlier, Dhoni led from the front with a defiant 92 not out to help India post 247/9.

Walking in to bat with India in a spot of bother at 82/3 in the 18th over, Dhoni batted right till the

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

end to notch up his 60th ODI fifty.

The Indian captain smashed seven boundaries and four sixes during his 86-ball innings.

Dhoni’s fighting knock and Ajinkya Rahane’s 51 -- his eighth half-century in ODIs -- helped India put up a decent total even though the other batsmen came up short against the disciplined South African bowlers. Besides Dhoni, Rahane was the only other Indian batsman who managed to trouble the Proteas, hitting six boundaries during his 63-run stay in the middle.

The experienced Steyn was the most successful among the Proteas bowlers with figures of 3/49 from his 10 overs. Pacer Morne Morkel (2/42) and leg-spinner Imran Tahir (2/42) also were partly successful while rookie pacer Kasigo Rabada returned figures of 1/43.

Duminy was the only South African bowler to take a bit of punishment from the Indian batsmen, giving away 59 runs in nine wicketless overs.

Electing to bat after winning the toss, India were off to a poor start

when Rabada uprooted Rohit Sharma’s leg stump with a full length delivery which beat the Mumbai lad with its pace.

Rahane and Shikhar Dhawan tried to steady the boat with a 56-run partnership from 65 balls before Dhawan was deceived by a slower delivery from Morkel. A horrible mix-up saw Virat Kohli run out before Rahane missed one from Tahir only to see the ball hit his stumps.

Patel was also unable to post a substantial contribution and was

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beaten by the pace of a Steyn delivery to be trapped leg before.

But Dhoni continued his efforts to rebuild the innings with Kumar giving him steady support from the other end. The Indian captain was initially a bit cautious, relying more on the ones and twos to keep the scoreboard ticking rather than go for the big shots. But he gradually began to open up as the innings progressed, hitting Duminy for a four and a six in the 37th over.

Bhuvneshwar was batting steadily at the other end as the duo added 43 runs between them from 60 balls. Tahir brought the partnership to an end when he sneaked one through the gap between Bhuvneshwar’s bat and pad.

That brought Harbhajan to the middle and the feisty ‘Turbanator’ helped his skipper jack up the scoring rate with a run-a-ball 22.

Harbhajan hit a couple of boundaries and a six before he lashed out a wide-ish delivery from Steyn only to see de Kock do the honors behind the stumps.

But by that time the hosts were well on their way to a decent score.

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October 16–22, 2015

Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 16–22, 2015 Caribbean Star Newspaper ICC begins Future Tours Programs review process

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he ICC has set in motion a review of the bilateral Future Tours Program at its board and committee meetings in Dubai. This was the first time the issue of bilateral arrangements was discussed since it replaced the central FTP agreements between the ICC and its members as part of the sweeping administrative reforms in the world body last year.

While this has opened up the possibility of the ICC reverting to the central FTP structure, such a development, ESPNcricinfo understands, may not be an immediate consequence of the meeting. It is learnt that the issue of the FTP was touched upon during an overarching discussion on the various aspects, problems and context of bilateral cricket.

The members of the ICC board are known to have explored what they wanted from an FTP, and what kind of FTP would suit their individual and collective

The core of the discussion was geared towards optimizing commercial possibilities, and sustaining and building on the game’s popularity. © ICC interests. The formulation of a definite structure would, however, depend on all the members agreeing upon a common approach. The core of the discussion, it is understood, was geared towards optimising commercial possibilities, and sustaining and building on the game’s popularity.

After further discussions a draft of the proposals is likely to be submitted to the board for further consideration. No change, however, is likely to be implemented anytime soon with deliberations likely to spill over into future ICC meetings.

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Finding the right context for bilateral tournaments, something that ICC CEO David Richardson had expressed concern over in an interview to ESPNcricinfo recently, was also reportedly discussed in the meeting. It is learnt that other issues like India playing more matches abroad than at home and over-reliance on the Indian market were also considered. There were also suggestions as to how tri-series could replace bilateral contests that have little context. Inputs were also sought on the formats that members most preferred to play.

According to the ICC press release, the session discussed and identified “ways to enhance the context and value of future bilateral cricket. The ICC’s management will now consult widely in respect of many of the areas that were discussed before presenting recommendations in due course under the directions of the ICC chairman.”

Lamar Odom fights for his life.

Has Brain Damage

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ormer NBA and reality TV star Lamar Odom suffered brain damage and at least one stroke and is on a ventilator after having been found unconscious at a Nevada brothel where he had been partying all weekend, according to sources close to the athlete.

The sources told E!, which is owned

by NBC Universal, that medical personnel informed them that the two-time Los Angeles Lakers champion had multiple drugs in his system when he was rushed from the Love Ranch to the hospital on Tuesday afternoon.

Nye County Sheriff Sharon Wehrly said Wednesday that investigators determined that Odom, 35, had been using cocaine on Saturday, the day he checked in to the brothel in the town of Crystal, but that it wasn’t known whether he had continued to do so during the weekend.

A sample of Odom’s blood was obtained under a search warrant, but test results hadn’t come back yet, she said.

Khloé Kardashian — whom Odom married in 2009 in a wedding featured on the E! series “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” — was at Odom’s hospital bedside, according to the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who said in a tweet that he had visited with them and “had prayer.”

Odom and Kardashian were widely reported to have filed for divorce in 2013 — but Los Angeles court records show that the paperwork from a divorce agreement filed three months ago still hasn’t been processed.

Divorce attorneys said that means Kardashian could be in a position to make decisions about Odom’s medical care and end-of-life directive. It’s not clear, however, whether she’s formally listed as his next of kin.

Dennis Hof, the brothel’s owner, told NBC News that Odom was fine at 6 a.m.

(9 a.m. ET) Tuesday but that when two of the women who work there checked on him at 3:30 p.m., they found him uncon-

scious and foaming at the mouth.

No illegal drugs were found in Odom’s VIP suite, Hof said.

“We never saw it,” he said Wednesday afternoon. “My staff told him: no drugs.”

In audio of a 911 call released Wednesday by the sheriff’s office, a woman says “there’s blood coming out of his nose” and “white stuff coming out of his mouth” before stressing, “Also, he’s not breathing.”

Asked whether the man was conscious, she replied, “No!” The caller tells a dispatcher that Odom had been using a sexual performance supplement, which Hof earlier described as “herbal Viagra” and said is sold at the ranch.

In a second 911 call, a man identified

by Wehrly as Richard Hunter, the hotel’s media director, says Odom is “breathing regularly — he’s snoring a little bit.”

Odom is “over on his side” and making sounds like “a couple of whimpers.”

“He’s got a little bit of fluid coming from his nose and his mouth,” Hunter says. “It’s kind of a pinkish color.”

Odom was rushed to a nearby hospital, where it was determined that he needed to be flown to Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas, Wehrly said. But Odom — whom National Basketball Association publicity materials list as 6 feet, 10 inches tall — was too big to fit in a helicopter, Wehrly said, so he was driven about 60 miles to Las Vegas by ambulance.

Odom didn’t arrive at Sunrise until 6:24 p.m. — almost three hours after the first ambulance arrived at the brothel.

Nye Country Fire Chief Scott Lewis said the sequence of events had no impact on Odom’s care, and the hospital didn’t release any information about his condition.

Relatives and former teammates of Odom — who won NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 and 2010 — were pulling for him to recover.

The 37–year–old will continue to play in the IPL

Zaheer Khan retires from international cricket

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UMBAI (Reuters) - India fast bowler Zaheer Khan announced his retirement from international cricket on Thursday but says he will continue to play the domestic Twenty20 form of the game.

The 37-year-old left-arm paceman, a part of India’s 50-over World Cup winning team in 2011, last played for the country in a test match in New Zealand in February last year.

“With immediate effect, I bid adieu to

my career in international cricket. I look forward to signing off my last season in domestic cricket at the conclusion of Indian Premier League season 9,” Zaheer said on his official Facebook page.

Zaheer, who played the first of his 92 tests against Bangladesh in 2000, has been saddled with injuries in the last few years.

He took 311 test wickets and 282 in one-day internationals, the fourth highest totals in both formats for India.

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Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 16–22, 2015

People wait for mistakes with open swords - Dhoni

ndore, Oct 14 (IANS) After leading his side from the front to victory against South Africa in the second One-Day International (ODI), India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Wednesday slammed his critics saying that people wait with open swords wanting him to make mistakes.

India defeated the visitors by 22 runs to level the fivematch ODI series 1-1 at the Holkar Cricket Stadium here on Wednesday. Dhoni’s defiant 92 not out and Ajinkya Rahane’s 51 took India to 247/9 in 50 overs. During the chase, South Africa kept losing wickets regularly and were bowled out for 225 in 43.4 overs.

“Not an easy game played, a lot of people wait with open swords and want you to make mistakes. We should have got more with the bats and we didn’t start well with our bowling, but our spinners did well and pacers also came into action later on,” Dhoni, who was awarded the man-of-thematch for his knock, said at the post-match presentation ceremony here.

For India, medium pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and left-arm spinner Axar Patel took three wickets each, while off-spinner Harbhajan Singh claimed two wickets.

“Axar is not a big turner of the ball and he pitched it in the right areas. Bhajji has the experience and they didn’t try too many different things and flighting or under-flighting the ball was needed and overall they did a good job,” he said.

The skipper believes the team has the capability to perform even better.

“Overall not a very convincing win but good win, we can play a lot better. We’re not playing to our capacity, not even 80 percent, in batting or bowling. As a batting unit, we didn’t perform well but we bounced back well. We knew we needed two good deliveries when Imran Tahir and Kagiso Rabada were batting,” he said.

“I won’t say the game was in our hands but we had a good chance if we bowled in the right areas and needed only two good deliveries,” the 34-year-old said.

MS Dhoni hits back after finding form in the second ODI against South Africa Speaking about his batting and the inconsistent top order, Dhoni defended his players by saying, “It doesn’t always go your way (talking about his batting), the top order has

been scoring loads of runs in the last two and a half years so lower order doesn’t get a big chance to bat.”

“Apart from Suresh Raina there’s nobody who

loves to do that kind of a job when you go out and you just have to go for the big hits. The pace was very important on this wicket and the length too,” he said.

Shoaib Malik inspired by Indian wife Sania Mirza

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akistan batsman Shoaib Malik said his sparkling double hundred against England was inspired by seeing his Indian wife Sania Mirza sweep to a series of tennis titles in 2015.

Malik hit a career-best 245 to cap a remarkable return to Test cricket after five years on the sidelines and four days after Mirza clinched the China Open in Beijing alongside Martina Hingis.

Since returning to the limited overs squad in May, Malik has been averaging 100 in ODIs, rousing performances which earned him a Test recall.

Now he is happily competing for bragging rights with his wife who this year has collected Grand Slam doubles titles with Hingis at Wimbledon and the US Open.

She has also won tour crowns at Indian Wells, Miami, Charleston, Guangzhou, Wuhan and Beijing.

“A double hundred does not come every day,” Malik told AFP. “Naturally when Sania wins in tennis, it motivates

me a lot and inspires me to do well in cricket.

“It’s healthy that both husband and wife play sports. On my double hundred, she was ecstatic much like the same way I celebrate her wins,” said Malik.

From 5-1 Malik lifted Pakistan to 523-8 in their first innings on Wednesday, adding 168 for the second wicket with Mohammad Hafeez (98) and 248 for the fifth with Asad Shafiq (107).

Malik’s 647-minute vigil ended only after he suffered cramps. He was then on a drip after the match due to dehydration.

“It was really tough but since it was my comeback innings I negotiated everything with a smile,” said Malik.

Malik’s last Test was

against England, a few months after his high-profile 2010 marriage to Mirza in the Indian city of Hyderabad Deccan.

But Malik’s career nosedived and he not only lost his place in the Test team but did not get regular chances in limited over matches.

The inspiration came from Mirza who rose to world number one in doubles in April this year, close to the couple’s fifth wedding anniversary.

In May, Malik was included in the one-day side after a gap of two years and he grabbed his chance with both hands, scoring a century against Zimbabwe in Lahore -- his first three-figure score for six years.

That prompted Mirza to tweet, “so happy for you ..

Belief does wonders.”

In July, Sania and Hingis then won their first Grand Slam title together at Wimbledon.

“I feel so proud of her,” said Malik. “I have uploaded the software on my mobile to keep updated on her matches and she always says that cricket is her favorite sport.”

Malik only returned to the Test side after regular number three Azhar Ali was ruled out of the game in Abu Dhabi with a foot injury.

The 33-year-old went into bat as early as the third over of the match on Tuesday but his resolve, confidence and motivation helped him to play a memorable knock, the third highest by a Pakistan batsman in a Test.

“It was tough,” said Malik.

“The fact that Ali has done so well in the recent past added to the pressure but it was an opportunity for me to show my worth and I am proud that I have scored a double century.

“But cricket is not an individual sport like tennis, so I will only be happy and satisfied if we win this Test match.”

In the eye of the storm - Umpire Vineet Kulkarni

India manager fined for comments against umpire

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UMBAI (Reuters) - The India team manager has been fined 40 percent of his match fee for making inappropriate comments about an umpire during the hosts’ ongoing series against South Africa, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Thursday.

Vinod Phadke told a website that the team were unhappy with Vineet Kulkarni, an ICC international panel umpire, and that he was going to complain about the Indian official in his report at the end of the series.

“Phadke pleaded not guilty to the charge and, as such, Chris Broad of the Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees conducted a formal hearing after the match,” the governing body said in a statement.

India were unhappy about decisions that went against them during the first Twenty20 match between the sides at Dharamsala and during the first one-day international in Kanpur. India lost both matches.

Caribbean Star Newspaper

October 16–22, 2015

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