Guyana chronicle 08 03 14

GUYANA No. 103761

SATURDAY MARCH 8, 2014

The Chronicle is at http://www.guyanachronicle.com

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Assurance of justice given at Wales Court commissioning Page 3

Minister Manickchand hosts luncheon for women in education

centre On Int’l Women’s Day…

From left, Ms. Donna Chapman, Deputy Chief Education Officer-Admin; Ms. Delma Nedd, Permanent Secretary; Priya Manickchand, Minister of Education; Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Ms. Leila Ramson, Chairperson Teaching Service Commission; Gail Teixeira, Chief Whip PPP/C and Ms. Elizabeth Harper, Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Gov’t flummoxed at Page 9 GHRA outburst

From the First Lady on Int’l Women’s Day…

While we celebrate, the struggle for gender equality is 2 not yet over Page

First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar

Police arrest reputed Page8 wife for death of West Bank Demerara miner -had cuffed a glass window in his rage and had bled considerably

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 8, 2014

From the First Lady on Int’l Women’s Day…

While we celebrate, the struggle for gender equality is not yet over TODAY, I wish to extend greetings to all Guyanese women on the occasion of International Women’s Day. As we observe this occasion, it is important to reflect on the advancement women have made worldwide since this day was first celebrated in the early 1900’s. Since then, the struggle undertaken by countless of ordinary women has today allowed us to live in a country and a world with greater gender equality. The sacrifice and efforts of many make it a norm today in many countries, including Guyana, for women to vote, to have access to education, to be leaders of countries and industries, just to name a few pursuits.

While these are achievements which must be celebrated and which should inspire us as we continue to strive to make our world a gender equal place, it is important that we realise that the struggle for gender equality is not yet over.

In fact, it is a sad reality that it is not yet a norm for women to get equal pay for equal work, that in some parts of the world it is believed that it is not worthwhile to educate young girls, that female infanticide still continues, and here in Guyana mental and physical abuse of women appear to be a daily occurrence.

The United Nations is observing this year’s International Women’s Day under the theme of ‘Equality for women is progress for all’. This is appropriate, since it has been proven that when women have access to employment, it is indeed progress for all, because the entire family is able to benefit since more of the

income in reinvested within the home.

In Guyana, we are quite fortunate that it is a norm for women to be attending schools – in fact a large percentage of women are graduating from the university and in fields of engineering that were once considered male only sectors – it is also a norm for women to be participating in the workforce and to hold high offices both in the private and public sectors.

Sadly, however, notwithstanding these achievements, we find that in their private lives some women are subjected to mental and physical abuse. This is a serious cancer in our society that is a fundamental violation of women’s rights, and shows that despite the advancements, women are still not seen as being equal to men. While I know that the various Ministries and NGOs have programmes that are attempting to combat violence against women, it is important that there be more education and involvement at community level to eradicate this disease.

Once more, my hope for

First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar all Guyanese women is that we reflect on our achievements as women in this society and recommit ourselves as we go forward, striving for greater equality. I wish you all the best for International Women’s Day 2014.

First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar

REMEMBERING Dr. Cheddi Jagan

“I give my solemn pledge that my Government will never discriminate against any person or persons on the ground of race, religion or political creed, that the essential freedoms will be preserved and we will respect the rights of all.

Our Party has always been and will always be, a multi-racial Party.

Within it there is room for all. Its leaders come from every racial group. I call upon the Guianese of every race and every creed to rally now behind us.”

CheddiJagan August 28, 1961

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 8, 2014

Assurance of justice given at Wales Court commissioning

By Vanessa Narine

T H E Wa l e s M a g i s t r a t e Court, at West Bank Demerara, was commissioned yesterday, in another act towards improving the justice system through infrastructural advancement.

Speaking on the occasion, Attorney-General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr. Anil Nandlall stated that, in the last seven years, Guyana has seen more advances in the process, also through legislative moves, since Guyana became independent.

“The judicial system must be positioned to be equal and accessible,” Nandlall said, as he referred to the support this country secured with a loan of

US$25M from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB for the modernisation.

According to him, by these efforts, to date, court buildings have either been rehabilitated, expanded or refurbished and, in some communities, new structures were erected.

Among the other undertakings he cited were the compilation of the revised laws of Guyana, the Guyana Law Reports from 1977 to 2007, the modernisation of the legislative landscape with the passage of more than 100 pieces of legislation to improve the administration of the justice system and the increase in the complement of High Court judges, from 12 to 20.

MUCH DEVELOPMENT “There been much development in the judiciary within such a short time,” Nandlall pointed out.

He added that Government is committed to ensuring principles of freedom, democracy and justice, all of which are inextricably linked.

“We believe there is a strong connection between economic advances and the justice system,” the AG stated.

Nandlall underscored the fact that the absence of freedoms, as are protected by the judicial system, has consequences on the economic front.

He cited comparison between developed countries and their protection of people’s freedoms and under-developed

Attorney-General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, chats with students from schools in the community who were among the first to tour the new facility yesterday

The new Wales Magistrate Court

countries where such freedoms are impeded.

He said a similar state of events will not be repeated under any People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Administration, but acknowledged that there is still much work yet to be done, while the judiciary has seen marked improvements.

Nandlall said:”The judiciary is intended to serve the people,” as he welcomed the commissioning of the new facility.

Acting Chancellor Justice Carl Singh also made remarks at the simple ceremony, bemoaning the need for proper “attitude and ethics” by all stakeholders.

He challenged the people of the community to support the dispensation of justice by reporting infractions by judicial officials.

“The architecture of the judicial administration is not built by intent and design to perpetrate wrongdoing,” he emphasised.

Justice Singh gave the as-

surance that due process will be the order of the day to ensure the fair and transparent dispensation of justice, reiterating that infractions of the system will attract as “forcible” a reprimand as is necessary.

Those in attendance at the function included other officials of the judiciary, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Parliamentarian Joseph Harmon and students from several schools in the neighbouring community.

Message from Jennifer Webster, Minister of Human Services and Social Security

We need to restore family values to bring about change in our society

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” -Mahatma Gandhi

AS we celebrate International Women’s Day, we must recognize the progress made towards securing gender equity and the empowerment of women in Guyana.

Increasingly, International Women’s Day is a time to reflect, solidify gains, charter a different course, inspire change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in our society.

In Guyana, we can proudly celebrate International Women’s Day, as there has been much progress made with respect to women’s personal and national development and their continued active participation in the affairs of the home, community and our nation.

Today, we must be proud of our accomplishment as a people, of achieving the millennium Development Goal (3) of eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary educa-

tion, and giving greater attention to the participation of women in the highest echelons of decision making in Guyana. In this context, I wish to salute Guyanese women who have led the voice of change for all women, past and present, including Guyana’s first female President – the Late Mrs. Janet Jagan, and her colleagues with whom she first entered Parliament.

Today, in our National Assembly, female representation is 32%! This is a significant achievement.

As an advocate for women’s rights, I concede that our country should be united in its recognition of the rights of our women and girls, as there is still a lot of work to be done.

Today, our women have access to improved social services and health care, and greater access to training opportunities in many fields, including Engineering, Information and Communication Technology,

Mining, Forestry and Medicine.

As a nation, we must not rest until all women in Guyana can enjoy a better quality of life, and benefit from the same opportunities as men, and where our society creates an enabling environment for women to pursue their dreams and aspirations in the same manner that a husband, brother, father, friend, boss or neighbour would. The time is now to embrace equal pay for equal work and to enforce compliance in accordance with the law. Equal opportunities as men!

I believe that this year’s theme ‘Inspiring Change’ is a welcome one as we seek to recognize and value the roles and contributions of our women in Guyana. In our homes, we must be supportive of each other in the family structure.

The family’s well being is the responsibility of parents. It is absolutely necessary that we inspire our children’s future to

enable them to achieve their full potential. The time is now to embrace equal pay for equal work and to enforce compliance in accordance with the law.

Too often, many of our women are denied their rights and are not given the recognition they deserve. As we celebrate, yet another International Women’s Day, I implore our men to treat women with greater dignity. Let us educate our boys to learn to respect women and to become upstanding gentlemen.

But most of all, I beseech all women to conduct themselves in such a manner that would inspire a positive change in behaviour and attitude towards each other. As we seek to renew our commitment towards ‘inspiring change’ for the lives of all women, I wish to highlight the fact that the family as an institution is clearly broken in too many cases. We need to restore family values to bring about change in our society.

Each and every one of us has the ability to influence change, especially in the lives of our children. Whether you are a parent or a grandparent, a relative or a friend, an elder or a contemporary, a preacher or a teacher, spending a few moments mentoring a child can have an incomparable and indelible impact on the shape of that child’s life in the future.

I challenge you to think now of the children in your lives, to make a little extra time each day, to talk with them, interact with them and utilise the opportunity to influence the state of the world to come.

In the words of Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” It is my firm belief that with dedication and commitment to supporting each woman in Guyana, we can ‘inspire change’ to benefit all

MINISTER JENNIFER WEBSTER Guyanese.

Happy International Women’s Day to all Women in Guyana and around the world!

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 8, 2014

Putin rebuffs Obama as Ukraine crisis escalates

(Reuters) – PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin rebuffed a warning from U.S. President Barack Obama over Moscow’s military intervention in Crimea, saying on Friday that Russia could not ignore calls for help from Russian speakers in Ukraine.

After an hour-long telephone call, Putin said in a statement that Moscow and Washington were still far apart on the situation in the former Soviet republic, where he said the new authorities had taken “absolutely illegitimate decisions on the eastern, southeastern and Crimea regions.

“Russia cannot ignore calls for help and it acts accordingly, in full compliance with international law,” Putin said.

Ukraine’s border guards said Moscow had poured troops into the southern peninsula where Russian forces have seized control.

Serhiy Astakhov, an aide to the border guards’ commander,

said there were now 30,000 Russian soldiers in Crimea, compared to the 11,000 permanently based with the Russian Black Sea fleet in the port of Sevastopol before the crisis.

Putin denies that the forces with no national insignia that are surrounding Ukrainian troops in their bases are under Moscow’s command, although their vehicles have Russian military plates. The West has ridiculed his assertion.

The most serious east-west confrontation since the end of the Cold War - resulting from the overthrow last month of President Viktor Yanukovich after violent protests in Kiev - escalated on Thursday when Crimea’s parliament, dominated by ethnic Russians, voted to join Russia. The region’s government set a referendum for March 16 - in just nine days’ time.

European Union leaders and Obama denounced the referendum as illegitimate, saying

it would violate Ukraine’s constitution.

The head of Russia’s upper house of parliament said after meeting visiting Crimean lawmakers on Friday that Crimea had a right to self-determination, and ruled out any risk of war between “the two brotherly nations”.

Obama announced the first sanctions against Russia on Thursday since the start of the crisis, ordering visa bans and asset freezes against so far unidentified people deemed responsible for threatening Ukraine’s sovereignty. Russia warned that it would retaliate against any sanctions.

Japan endorsed the Western position that the actions of Russia, whose forces have seized control of the Crimean peninsula, constitute “a threat to international peace and security”, after Obama spoke to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. China, often a Russian ally in blocking Western moves in the U.N. Security Council, was more cautious, saying that economic sanctions were not the best way to solve the crisis and

avoiding comment on the legality of a Crimean referendum on secession.

The EU, Russia’s biggest economic partner and energy customer, adopted a three-stage plan to try to force a negotiated solution but stopped short of immediate sanctions.

The Russian Foreign Ministry responded angrily on Friday, calling the EU decision to freeze talks on visa-free travel and on a broad new pact governing Russia-EU ties “extremely unconstructive”.

Senior Ukrainian opposition politician Yulia Tymoshenko, freed from prison after Yanukovich’s ouster, met German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Dublin and appealed for immediate EU sanctions against Russia, warning that Crimea might otherwise slide into a guerrilla war.

Brussels and Washington rushed to strengthen the new authorities in economically shattered Ukraine, announcing both political and financial assistance. The regional director of the International Monetary Fund said talks with Kiev on a loan agreement

were going well and praised the new government’s open-

ness to economic reform and transparency.

Uniformed men, believed to be Russian servicemen, walk in formation near a Ukrainian military base in the village of Perevalnoye outside Simferopol, March 7, 2014. Credit: REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

‘Everything is fine’, Pistorius told guard after shooting girlfriend (Reuters) - AROUND 10 minutes after shooting dead his model girlfriend through a locked toilet door, South African track star Oscar Pistorius told a housing estate security guard “everything is fine”, his murder trial heard on Friday.

Testifying on the fifth day of the trial at the Pretoria High Court, Pieter Baba, who was on guard duty the night Pistorius killed 29-year-old Reeva Steenkamp, said he received a call from the athlete at 3:21 a.m., around five minutes after

Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius sits in the dock during the fifth day of his trial for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, March 7, 2014. Credit: Reuters/Theana Breugem/Pool

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Steenkamp was shot.

Pistorius was too upset to say anything on the call, Baba said, speaking in Afrikaans through an interpreter.

However, when Baba concerned that something was wrong - called him back a few minutes later, Pistorius told him: “Security, everything is fine.” Baba delivered the quote in English.

The dramatic testimony from one of the first people on the scene capped a week of hearings in which several witnesses described hearing a woman’s shouts and screams before a volley of shots in the early hours of Valentine’s Day last year.

Steenkamp died after being hit by three of four rounds fired

by Pistorius from a 9 mm pistol through the door of a toilet cubicle in an upstairs bathroom in his luxury home in a Pretoria gated community. The shooting stunned South Africa and millions of Pistorius supporters around the world.

The 27-year-old - one of the most recognized men in world athletics - denies murder, saying it was a tragic accident and that he mistook her for an intruder. If found guilty, he is likely to spend at least 25 years

behind bars.

“SHOOT A ROBOT” As well as the murder charge, Pistorius is being tried for three firearms offences, part of prosecution attempts to portray him as a gun-obsessed hot-head.

Earlier on Friday, ex-girlfriend Samantha Taylor told the court how a seething Pistorius had fired his pistol out of a car’s open sun-roof after a heated argument with a police officer in September 2012.

Taylor said she, Pistorius and a friend, Darren Fresco, had been pulled over by a policeman for speeding. When he saw Pistorius’ pistol lying on the car seat, the officer picked it up and emptied its magazine onto the floor of the car, prompting an outburst from Pistorius, she said.

When they were allowed to go on their way, Pistorius and Fresco started to joke about shooting out a traffic light, known in South Africa as a robot, Taylor said.

“Oscar was very angry,” said Taylor, who was sitting in the back seat at the time of the incident. “Thereafter they were joking around and saying they wanted to shoot a robot.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 8, 2014

PM: Govt seeks $5b loan from China

(Trinidad Guardian) GOVERNMENT is seeking the assistance of China President Xi Jinping and that country’s Premier Li Keqiang to have $5 billion in loans for this country approved speedily. So said Prime Minister Kamal Persad-Bissessar during Thursday’s post-Cabinet news conference at her office in St Clair. It was the PM’s first official report to the country on her official five-day visit to China last month. She said her People’s Partnership Government had requested almost US$775 million to finance six new special economic zones and a new trans-shipment port and dry dock at La Brea to be expeditiously processed in fiscal 2014 by the Export-Import Bank of China.

Persad-Bissessar said both Chinese leaders provided their personal assurances that the loan applications would be urgently processed. The construction and completion of these projects by March next year, she said, “will bring signifPRIME MINISTER icant economic benefits, includ- KAMLA PERSAD-BISSESSAR ing new economic infrastructure to spur the diversification of the economy and accelerate the development of the maritime economy.” She said the two countries signed three memoranda of understanding and a protocol during the visit. One was on the issue of national security. The Government, she said, considered the acquisition of long-range vessels to aid in crime interdiction efforts given T&T’s insular nature and porous boundaries. “Acquisition of assets for the Coast Guard is currently one of the priorities of the Government,” she said. In response to questions, Persad-Bissessar said the decision to acquire the vessels was not taken on the spot in China but had been actively considered for about a year and a Coast Guard audit team was established to look at the feasibility of acquiring the vessels and other equipment.

She said the Government was seeking to purchase long range patrol vessels, coastal patrol vessels, interceptors and floating platforms. These platforms would be strategically located around T&T to allow for the Coast Guard to respond at the shortest possible time. She recalled that a technical team visited not only China but South Korea, the Netherlands and Colombia to search for the right vessels to serve the naval and border security needs of the country. The PM added: “If a purchase is made from China or from any other country, it will be in accordance with the agreed criteria and technical requirements as well as the professional opinions and recommendations of the team.” She said the MOU on energy co-operation seeks to foster green-energy initiatives in T&T and the Caricom region. It will facilitate co-operation on scientific, technical and policy aspects of energy efficiency and clean energy technologies through the exchange of ideas and information, the PM added.

Specifically it will seek to establish joint ventures and partnerships in the field of oil and gas exploration and production and downstream energy projects and assessment of the potential for the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to China. An MOU for co-operation in the field of sport was signed, along with one on air services and a health protocol for Chinese doctors to work in this country.

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‘They will be sent back to Canada’

(Trinidad Express) THE NINE members of the “orthodox Hasidic Jewish group” Lev Tahor who were denied travel to Guatemala when they entered Trinidad and Tobago on Monday will be sent back to Canada, a release from the Office of the Attorney General has stated.

National Security Minister Gary Griffith yesterday defended the actions of this country’s Immigration officials in dealing with the nine Lev Tahor members.

On Monday around 5 a.m., the Lev Tahor members arrived in Trinidad on board a WestJet flight in transit to Guatemala through Trinidad and Tobago from Toronto, Canada, .

Speaking to the Express on the situation on Wednesday, director of the National Operation Centre, Commander Garvin Heerah , said when group members were interviewed by Im-

migration officials, “inconsistencies in their responses” were discovered.

“As a consequence and in adherence to international immigration protocols the group was rejected and advised of their inability to travel on to Guatemala,” he said.

The action of the Immigration officials was, however, condemned by attorney Farai Hove Masaisai who represented the group.

On Wednesday, Masaisai wrote to Griffith, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the Chief Immigration Officer, the United Nations and Amnesty International on the situation.

Masaisai said when he contacted Immigration officials to determine the whereabouts of the Lev Tahor nine he was told no one was there.

“In an effort to ascertain the truth I then took the decision to personally visit the Piarco Inter-

national Airport and it was with my own eyes the conditions in which the above mentioned individuals were kept in was witnessed,” Masaisai stated in his letter.

He said he saw “weary children and adults who had not eaten or been allowed to bathe”.

“They were sitting in the cold airport and in a strange country with no one there to render any form of assistance,” he stated.

“I was told of incidents where they were threatened by Immigration officers and they were fearful for their safety here in Trinidad. The manner in which they were treated personally brought me to a fundamental low and made me heavily embarrassed and ashamed to call myself a Trinidadian,” Masaisai stated.

The matter was yesterday heard at the Port of Spain High Court before Justice Vashiest

Kokaram where an application for habeas corpus was filed and which was dismissed by the judge.

The application was filed on Wednesday and heard on an “emergency basis” yesterday.

“At present, all members of the group are under the care and custody of WestJet authorities pending their return to Canada,” the release for the Attorney General’s office stated yesterday.

Ramlogan defended the decision of the Chief Immigration Officer and his charges in this matter.

“The Central Authority Unit has been liaising with its counterpart in Canada and has been advised that the children are subject of a Child Protection Order in the province of Quebec in Canada,” the release stated.

“We examined 22 files which were referred to the VVU and found that these files were not properly maintained and stored to preserve the information regarding the research method used for price determination. Consequently, we were unable to determine the bases for nine rejections and five acceptances of transaction totalling US$222,474 and US$128,636, respectively,” she said.

She added that these weaknesses may hamper the JCA’s ability to analyse and make realistic forecasts on revenue collections.

“The JCA’s current practices do not ensure that, in all instances, documents presented by importers reflect the true value of the items and that amounts duly owed to Government are collected. Our review of 22 customs entries revealed that the JCA failed to determine the final assessments for eight entries for which it applied provisional values totalling US$716,944,” Monroe-Ellis said.

“The related files for these entries did not provide any evidence that the JCA sought

additional information to satisfy itself that the goods were not undervalued,” she said.

Opposi t i on com m i t t ee member Karl Samuda said it was a very serious indictment on the attentiveness of Customs.

Chief executive officer of the department, Major Richard Reese, told the Committee that under law the department had two years in which to revisit values. “In a number of cases it involves fraud investigations and it does take a considerable period of time with support from other jurisdictions to obtain the original invoices and generally from some jurisdictions it’s faster and from other jurisdictions slower and yet others are sometimes non-responsive,” he said.

Reese said, for example, in the case of a motor vehicle where an individual declares at a particular value, which is deemed doubtful, a value is applied provisionally. “The individual clears the vehicle, we subsequently obtain the original documentation for the transaction we can then recover the vehicle and charge the additional duties and penalties,” he said.

Watch out, tax dodgers!

(Jamaica Observer) IMPORTERS and suppliers who collude to defraud the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) of cash by supplying false documentation of deliberately undervalued goods could soon find themselves being slapped with criminal charges, outside of the monetary fines currently imposed.

The recommendation followed an examination of the 2013 Auditor General’s Report during Tuesday’s meeting of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament at Gordon House in downtown Kingston.

Auditor General Pamela Monroe Ellis said the findings of the audit highlighted operational weaknesses at the JCA (formerly Jamaica Customs Department), which impaired its ability to consistently determine appropriate and objective valuation of imports.

The JCA was also rapped for not having a uniformed research methodology for customs valuations. According to the audit, the entity did not establish formal guidelines to

ensure that research activities were conducted in a structured and transparent manner nor did it have a centralised data storage of information to facilitate research for valuation.

She said in the absence of centralised data on commodity prices customs officer compiled their own file with copies of supplier invoices, catalogues and prices from Internet sources which they use to value imports.

She said these invoices are reportedly from trustworthy importers and are maintained in files according to countries and item type.

In the meantime, the auditor general said the JCA did not maintain a valid price reference to aid valuation verification which is conducted to confirm the correctness of the price declared by the importer.

In addition, Monroe-Ellis said the JCA’s Valuation Verification Unit (VVU) should maintain appropriate records of invoices and other documentary evidence to support the basis of the valuations used to decide on customs duties.

Regional airline LIAT cutting unprofitable routes BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – The regional airline, LIAT, says it will take “decisive action” to deal with unprofitable routes as the Antigua-based airline seeks to make its operations financially variable.

“We have been trying, before going the harsh route, to persuade people to invest. We have met with a number of governments and Prime Ministers... we have expressed to them that we will have no other option but to cut the service,” LIAT chairman Jean Holder told a news conferenceThursday evening.

“I think we have reached the point, after a lot of challenges, where we need to do as we say that we will do. That may after all be more effective than the persuasion route,” Holder said after a meeting of the shareholder governments.

“We’ll have to take a very hard look at our current schedules and the profitability of our current routes. We have brought in some experts to assist us in looking more deeply into the route analysis issues, but it is clear that LIAT cannot continue to provide essential social services to 21 countries in the Caribbean on a daily basis, offering close to 1 000 flights weekly, and only four countries put any funds into this operation,” said Holder.

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EDITORIAL

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 8, 2014

GUYANA

Government’s relentless drive to achieve excellence in the education sector TODAY, the education sector in Guyana has risen like a Phoenix, like every other sector in Guyana, from the ashes of the PNC’s ruination of this land.

During the PNC’s rule of Guyana, this country’s education sector plummeted from the zenith as the academic star of the Caribbean to the extent that, despite the much-touted free education, an entire generation was lost as bread and butter issues became paramount and parents could not send their children to school because they either had to fetch water for miles, join food lines every day, or take care of siblings while parents hustled foodstuff and basic commodities, running from one outlet to another to catch whatever commodity was available.

Or they had to help augment the family income in some way or another, especially at rapidly proliferating sweetie and cigarette stands placed at strategic locations around the country – the forerunner of the lawless street vendors and the equally lawless street vendors.

Many children could not go to school because parents could not afford school uniforms or books and school supplies; and children were fainting out of hunger in schools, while the dilapidation of school buildings had reached levels of near collapse, and actual collapse in some instances.

One remembers a fateful day when a student was hit by a vehicle and her lunch lit burst open to reveal two pieces of dried coconut.

Access to education in hinterland communities was almost non-existent. And all the foregoing is touching only the tip of the iceberg as they relate to the deterioration of the education sector in Guyana; except for the elitists in society, of course.

Conversely, over the last two decades, the education system in Guyana has undergone significant transformation in response to the emerging socio-cultural, economic and political needs of the society. These have necessitated shifts in the education philosophy and policy of Guyana.

In more recent times, greater attention has been paid to quality of education. Continuing the focus on improving literacy and numeracy at the basic level to ensure a good foundation for learners therefore remains important. This is in line with the recognition of the education sector’s contribution to both the material development of the country in the form of well-educated and trained human resources and the promotion of harmony, equity and respect among citizens of all races, economic groups, religions and gender.

The Ministry of Education (MoE) is dedicated to ensuring that all citizens of Guyana, regardless of age, race, gender, creed, physical or mental disability, or socio-economic status are given the best possible opportunity to achieve their full potential. This is being achieved through equal access to quality education as defined by the standards and norms outlined by the ministry. The commitment to quality and equity in education with no barriers

in access to anyone is clear in this declaration.

The ministry defines education as “More than the instrumental activity for supporting greater national development or reducing poverty; even though it can contribute significantly to both of these objectives. It has intrinsic value. It is the main way to help each human being achieve his/her highest potential. It should be able to give the nation’s citizens the necessary knowledge, skills and values to lead happy and productive lives. On the basis of the education they receive, they should love their country and respect the diversity of its ethnic, religious and cultural traditions. They should adhere to the ideals and practice of democracy, justice, peace, diversity and accountability.

“In addition, although children are, and should be, the main focus of educational efforts, rapidly changing economic circumstances and developments in technology require that the ministry commit to a policy of providing continuing education and training opportunities to the adult population.”

Although private schools are encouraged to operate, the ministry is committed to providing free and compulsory education from the pre-primary to secondary levels. The ministry also remains committed to strengthening its partnerships with stakeholders, in particular teachers and their representative organisations, parents/guardians and communities.

The development of the 2008-2013 strategic plan was based on a participatory approach involving all stakeholders, including development partners, through a series of consultations to outline the challenges and impediments to education and to plan the way forward. The resulting strategy is the fourth in a series of education plans developed over the last two decades. It represents the priority policies and strategies that Guyana needs to pursue to make the country competitive in the global economy, as well as to realise its national development aspirations. It spells out clearly the vision and mission and provides philosophical rationales for the core values and the mandate of the Ministry of Education. It identifies and explains the major issues and constraints in the development of education and outlines the major strategic activities to be implemented to attain the desired policy objectives.

Education in Guyana is provided largely by the Government through the Ministry of Education and its arms in the 10 different regions of the country. Guyana’s education system is a legacy from its time as British Guiana, and is similar to that of the other anglophone member states of the Caribbean Community, which are affiliated to the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC). School curricula, funding, standards and other policies are set by the central government and implemented through the Ministry of Education and related agencies. The education system is divided into 11 districts, 10 of which correspond to the national administrative and geographical regions of the country, while the capital, Georgetown, is treated as a separate education district. With increasingly greater budgetary allocations by government to education, Guyana sits with Cuba,

Iceland, Denmark and Botswana as among the few countries with top spending on education.

The statutory age for beginning compulsory education is five years nine months, and students are required to attend school until age 16. However, children who do not meet the statutory age to begin school are sometimes enrolled early or generally attend some kind of pre-school institution. To meet the requirements for compulsory education, students generally attend public schools, but there are a few private schools which offer education at one or all stages of learning; home-schooling is virtually non-existent in Guyana. The academic year usually begins in September and ends in July of the following year and with the exception of President’s College students, have a five-hour school day.

Guyana has a reading literacy rate at 92% of the population.

Despite this high level of reading literacy, significant portions of the Guyanese population have functional literacy difficulties resulting in a lack of employability and other socio-economic disadvantages; this has caused government to push education as a tool in poverty reduction.

Guyana is one of the highest ranked developing countries in the Education Index of the United Nations Human Development Report.

According to DFID, Guyana has achieved the Millennium Development Goal of universal primary education.

To address core needs and ensure that each Guyanese child has equal opportunity to access education, the Government has made many interventions; such as the provision of free uniforms and school supplies; school-feeding programmes; building of new schools and renovation of existing ones; dormitories for children from hinteralnd communities; as well as scholarships to tertiary level education; establishing tech-voc, including IT training centres for school-drop-outs, among a plethora of others.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand had outlined a series of measures to improve students’ performance in English and Mathematics at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations in May / June.

Addressing hundreds of teachers, scores of parents and students in separate meetings convened at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), Leonora, Stewartville and Zeeburg secondary schools, Manickchand said every effort will be made to bolster students’ performance in the two critical subject areas, notably Mathematics.

Guyana’s children have been once again topping the charts in academic excellence in the Caribbean and the rest of the world, thanks to the GoG’s relentless efforts to improve the education sector in Guyana.

KN AVERSION IS EVOCATIVE THE recent attack on the character of the Honourable Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr. Anil Nandlall MP, was an event waiting to happen, given the modus operandi of this media entity. This is the first time this publication went after the AG by using one of their own staffers in such a direct manner.

Previous efforts relied on their Opposition cohorts and the letters to the editor. Their objective is to drag the AG into a mud fight to sully his impeccable reputation. Thankfully, and correctly so, the honourable AG did not dignify the filth with a response.

Any reader of the politics in Guyana would ponder as to why these attacks took so long, given the characteristic of Kaieteur News, The record of the publication has shown that any time a PPP and/or a Government official possesses some level of popularity with the general public, those individuals were slapped with some of the most flippant and ridiculously concocted accusations aimed at tarnishing their reputations.

A few months previously it was Minister Priya Manickchand.

KN was engineering a host of allegations against the minister, which were featured on front pages, all of which were unsubstantiated.

These accusations were premised on the fact that Ms Manickchand is held in high regard by women in society. Mr. Nandlall is held in high regard by the entire Guyanese populace, so simple logic would explain his meteoric rise in the KN hit list.

I have never met Ms Manickchand, but I would give her the same advice I would give to the AG; don’t settle for a second-class apology, but take the case to trial, beat them, embarrass them in the same way they intended to embarrass you, expose them at every turn, and fight fire with fire.

The questions that beg to be asked are: 1) why hasn’t KN attacked any of the previous Attorneys General in this fashion? 2) Why attack Mr. Nandlall in a fictitious column? If you have evidence then why not do a full exposure? 3) Why not go after senior PPP offi-

cials like Gail Teixeira or Roger Luncheon in a similar ad hominem manner? 4) Why attack him now if you’re claiming these (baseless) allegations have been going on for some period of time?

The simple fact of the matter is that the AG is easily the most popular PPP figure. He rose from 15th to 4th at the PPP congress in the space of three years because he is widely loved by the masses and is grounded with the people and enjoys a relationship with the grassroots that is reminiscent of Jagan’s. His impeccable character is obviously a problem for the Opposition, and mostly because he epitomizes leadership. Nandlall is the single biggest threat to the PNC/ AFC; hence their mouthpiece KN will seek to attack his character at every chance possible.

Do not be fooled, this is the first of many attacks coming the AG’s way, mark my words. I hope Mr. Nandlall heeds my advice and send a message through the courts, his forte.

STEPHEN KISSOON.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 8, 2014

7

Who is really in charge, Granger or Greenidge?

WHEN the Winston Murray ‘break away faction’ headed

by Carl Greenidge was forced to unite with his adversary to prevent the weakening of the People’s National Congress -PNC as they contest the 2011 General Election, the PNC newly elected leader, David Granger, faced the real danger of a coup d’état by the ambitious Greenidge.

There have been rumours from sources close to the party that a more radical approach is needed to sustain the pressure on the government. The more rational, statesman-like approach employed by Granger, they say, is not producing the required results. These PNC/ APNU hardliners are believed to have influenced Region 10 Chairman Sharma Solomon’s

decision to organise the recent protest action aimed at shutting down the bauxite mining town of Linden on February 3, when His Excellency President Ramotar visited Linden to officially commission the PPP/C’s office there. That building was burnt down by arsonists in July 2012 during the deadly protest led by Chairman Solomon that cost the lives of three “peaceful” protesters. Fortunately, this Inciter’s plan to create yet another violent showdown with the authorities was soundly rejected by the people of Linden, who must be commended for allowing commonsense to prevail.

The recent inconsistencies on the budget debate issue within the PNC/APNU camp, further demonstrates Greenidge’s determination to expose Granger as a

weak leader.

According to PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee, “Due to its antics, the APNU has been offering a plethora of excuses for the 2014 budget.

First they were not invited, then when the APNU leader [David] Granger directed Member of Parliament [Carl] Greenidge to engage, he said he needed more information and then finally, to save face, Granger said it was too late for consultations.

It is evident that Granger had instructed Greenidge to engage in consultations, but Greenidge chose to disobey him… a high act of indiscipline.”

A n d m o s t r e c e n t l y, Greenidge’s “no show” at the meeting of the Special Select Committee considering the Anti-Money Laundering and

Opposition wants to seize power through the backdoor SO FAR, the PNC is not getting the wink and nod from the US Ambassador to Guyana to grab power, since the US knows it can’t trust PNC with money.

With regards to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill, the PNC knows why it wants to give police tremendous powers to stop/search/seize.

You do not have to be a rocket scientist or brain surgeon to figure out why the PNC wants to give police that kind of power.

Not only Guyanese living in and out of Guyana, but the entire world knows that the police voted overwhelmingly at elections for PNC. PNC knows why they want to jack up their two million to ten million.

Based on the cries, hollering and hooting from PNC leaders, their core supporters are poor, depressed, compressed, marginalized, disenfranchised and victimized by the PPP, so they don’t have two million dollars, needless to say ten million dollars.

So who have ten million dollars to walk with? Of course, PPP core supporters. So far, as most Guyanese know, the opposition leaders declared that most villages and communities that support them are depressed.

Government officials should place spy equipment on to the streets of Georgetown and across Guyana and see which ethnic motorists are being stopped by police officers for a shakedown.

Police officers are paid to stand there with their radar guns to clock your speed limit. These police officers know most of these vehicles and which village they are coming from and going to.

They would point their radar gun to an East Indian motorist who is travelling at one km over the speed limit. If that motorist refuses to pay the towel asked for, he/she would be told to drive to a police station.

Their day would be wasted there, then another police will come and tell you, ‘Oh, that police officer long gone home already, so you can go.’ Government must see it for what it is.

PPP supporters suffered twenty-eight years of this treatment, and they are still suffering for the twenty-one years PPP has been in power, because the PPP only has executive power. Every other power is controlled by the PNC, which is now trying to usurp the executive power through the backdoor. So, not by elections, but by holding the nation ransom, they will govern this country. If the Government gives in to their blackmail they would be forfeiting the trust of the electorate, who gave them the mandate to rule.

Speaking of ruling, where were some of these following organisations when bogus elections were held to keep the Kabaka in power?

Berbice Chamber of Commerce British High Commission: British programmed Burnham to be King Ruler of British Guiana.

Consultative Association of Guyanese Industry Embassy of the United States of America: They claim they never “meddle” in the affairs of other countries, but their own; but read our history.

Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry Guyana Association of Women Lawyers Guyana Bar Association: Well, judge them by the fact that Nigel Hughes is still a practising lawyer.

Guyana Manufacturing and Service Association Guyana Trades Union Congress: A toothless poodle until Dr. Cheddi restored bargaining powers.

Lincoln Lewis is the only human that speed past a ghost car at tremendous speed to save his life.

If he had opened his mouth in PNC days he would have been taken for a plane ride over the Demerara River. Now his mouth is running like the Demerara River.

High Commission of Canada: They have to toe American and British line always.

Justice Institute Private Sector Commission Transparency Institute Guyana Inc. Big Horn Ram is ruler of these AFC opportunists Today they are enjoying real democracy under a PPP/C Government. They can write letters and speak freely without being jailed or killed. Viva PPP Government!

TED KING

Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, cast further doubt on whether Granger has any control over Greenidge. The official statement by PNC/APNU clearly states that, “APNU is committed to amending the current Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act of 2009 to ensure that it is effective.” Yet Greenidge, APNU’s Shadow Minister of Finance in clear defiance, boycotted these meetings. How can APNU be committed to amending this Act when they fail to turn up at the meetings to contribute to the discussions?

The question must now be asked, who is really in charge, Granger or Greenidge? As a highly trained professional soldier that understands the importance of having his instructions obeyed, how can Granger tolerate such behaviour from a senior member of his team? It must be very frustrating for the retired Brigadier General to have Carl

Greenidge disobey a direct command. Rohee is right...

Greenidge should be disciplined for insubordination, if only to clip his wings.

I am reminded of a statement by another former general, Alexander Haig who, in 1981, following the March 30 assassination attempt and hospitalization of US President Ronald Regan, asserted before reporters “I am in control here”. Indicating that while President Reagan had not “transferred the helm”, Haig was in fact directing White House Crisis Management until Vice President Bush arrived in Washington to assume that role.

It is time for Granger to assert his leadership position in the PNC/APNU and work to ensure that 2014 is indeed the “Year of the Workers” as he had earlier declared. If Greenidge is allowed to bully his way and undermine Granger’s authority, he will evoke painful memories of a sad era in our nation’s history under the dreaded PNC rule.

The very reason that caused

that political party to change its name to A Partnership for National Unity -APNU before contesting the 2011 polls.

No doubt, Greenidge’s stubborn refusal to even attempt budget consultations with Finance Minister Ashni Singh cannot possibly be in the best interest of the workers the PNC/APNU claims to be so concerned about. And APNU’s determination to cut the budget again in defiance of Chief Justice Ian Chang’s ruling will only take away the ability of parents to provide food, clothing and shelter for their dependants. The Government creates jobs for its citizens, and the Opposition takes them away. Every time this happens, desperate people are likely to do desperate things to survive, giving Attorney Nigel Hughes more young criminals to defend, courtesy of the obstructionist policies of the PNC/APNU.

HARRY GILL

PPP supporters convinced GHRA is facilitating ethnic dimension of Guyanese politics How can this Rodney Commission stir ethnic strife in Guyana when Burnham was a Black man and Walter Rodney was a Black man? In Canada and America, Blacks killing Blacks does not stir the race pot of other ethnic groups.

If the findings prove Black Burnham asked Black Gregory Smith to get his hands on a walkie talkie and load it with a bomb to kill Black Walter Rodney, it should not raise any big stink against other ethnic groups.

Those who took part in the slaughter of Rodney should be brought to justice.

Then when that is done, the Government should get the CoI started on the Wismar massacre.

From its methodologies,the GHRA will be silent on that one for sure, because the GHRA seemingly only represents criminals. PPP supporters are convinced that the GHRA is fostering racial division by always supporting criminals who attack them.

TED KING

8

Teixeira slams GHRA for linking the Rodney CoI to electioneering

By Telesha Ramnarine

PRESIDENTIAL Advisor on Governance, Ms Gail Teixeira, has said she finds it “unfathomable” that the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has refused to bring whatever documents, evidence, and opinions it has to the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) that was set up into the death of brilliant Guyanese historian/politician Dr. Walter Rodney.

“It is unfathomable to me. Rodney was a most outstanding leader that this country produced,” she told a post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the President in Georgetown, yesterday.

The GHRA said this week that it is unwilling to give evidence in the inquiry, noting that at a time of much speculation over general and regional elections, the proposed CoI could be read as the worst form of electioneering.

“The GHRA is of the view that the proposed CoI into the death of Dr Walter Rodney has greater potential for reviving, rather than healing, ethnic division in Guyana. Should this indeed be the outcome, it would be a travesty of Dr Rodney’s major contribution to Guyana,” the human rights body has said.

But a notably annoyed Teixeira told reporters following the conference: “Personally, I was around in that period, and I know about the marches across this country. Nothing can match what happened in that period in terms of racial unity, political unity of the opposition parties. Here is a man blown to pieces and we have to get into academic exercise of[the] GHRA talking about electioneering and racial unity? For people like me, who lived in that period, this is offensive. It is personally offensive.

“Why wouldn’t we want, as Guyanese, to be able to investigate the murder of Dr Rodney and to be able to come out with a report that finally makes a judgment on it? Maybe there are reasons why some organisations are hesitant about dealing with this issue. I don’t understand where the link with elections is, nor do I understand the issue of racial division. I cannot deduct mentally and intellectually a link between the Commission and the issues of elections and racial division.

My brain is not able to do that intellectual gymnastics right now,” she declared.

Teixeira informed that this CoI is distinct from any other because it is one in which all persons coming before it are immune. “They are granted immunity. So if someone comes and says I was the person who made the bomb and I put it there, they will be granted immunity. That was the request of the family; to bring closure to this issue. All the family wants is truth.”

The family of Rodney made it very clear what their specific requirements were, and the non-involvement of any partners other than their agreement with the Government. A number of organisations and individuals have indicated that they wish to come before the CoI, Teixeira informed.

Meanwhile, President Donald Ramotar approved the establishment of an international CoI into the assassination, 33 years ago, of Rodney. The announcement was made on the 33rd anniversary of Rodney’s death by Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr. Roger Luncheon.

Luncheon had said that the Administration had noted the inconclusive results of past inquiries into Rodney’s demise, and the fact that Rodney’s family wants the matter to be dealt with in a manner that would end all the speculation.

Rodney had been a strong critic of the former People’s National Congress (PNC) Government led by the late President Forbes Burnham. He died when a remote-controlled bomb exploded in his lap while he was sitting in a car with his brother Donald at the wheel.

Ex-Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Sergeant Gregory Smith was identified as the army’s electronics expert who gave Rodney the explosive disguised as a ‘walkie talkie’, and the latter was testing the device on specific instructions from the former.

Upon Rodney’s death, Smith fled to French Guiana, where he remained until he died several years ago.

Rodney, who campaigned against capitalism, argued for a socialist development template.

The Jamaican Government led by Prime Minister Hugh Shearer had banned Rodney from that country in October 1968, because of his advocacy for the working poor of Jamaica, and that had led to riots which eventually claimed the lives of several people and caused millions of dollars in damage.

Rodney is survived by his widow, Dr Patricia Rodney, and three children, who, in 2004, donated his papers to the Robert L. Woodruff Library at the Atlanta University Center in the United States (U.S.)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 8, 2014

AG claims judiciary better, more resourced than ever AT T O R N E Y- G E N E R A L (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr. Anil Nandlall yesterday responded to the APNU (A Partnership for National Unity) call for the Government to further fortify the judiciary, rejecting comments

by Opposition Parliamentarian, Mr. Basil Williams.

The latter, Shadow Minister of Legal Affairs, in a Kaieteur News article the day before said if President Donald Ramotar is

serious about strengthening the judiciary, then he should do all that is necessary to ensure that the Fiscal Management and Accountability (Amendment) Bills 2012 and 2013, which were passed by a majority in Parliament, are retabled and assented.

Nandlall, at the commissioning of the Wales Magistrate Court, West Bank Demerara, declared that the judiciary is better positioned and more resourced that it has ever been.

He added that the independence of the judiciary is assured, as long as the current Administration holds the reins of power.

The AG referred to the fact that as a demonstration of the People’s National Congress (PNC) dominance over State institutions, its party’s flag was flown over the Court of Appeal prior to 1992.

According to him, this practice undermined public confidence in the impartiality of the

Guyanese judiciary.

Nandlall emphasised that considerations of the success of the judicial system to date, must be considered in an historical context.

He posited that the successes of Guyana’s judicial system, as seen to date, will ensure that the country does not revert to the “unfortunate” days of the past, but maintained that the facts must not be forgotten.

Three burglary defendants on $75,000 bail each THREE men charged jointly with two counts of break and enter and larceny committed at separate homes in Fort Ordinance Housing Scheme, were each granted $75,000 bail by New Amsterdam Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus yesterday.

Byron Van Lewin, Basheer Kursattie and Adrian Rambarack, all residents of

the Fort Ordinance Scheme, are alleged to have entered the dwelling house of Colin Caesar and stolen six tablets, an internet router, an HP laptop computer, a digital scale, gold jewellery and cash all valued $1,235,000.

Police said the virtual complainant, a school bus contractor, had secured his home on December 9 and left for work.

But on returning at 10:30hrs, he observed that the premises had been broken into and the items missing.

Meanwhile, on January 9 last, 16-year-old Chandanie Panday departed her secured home, as customary, to sleep at her brother’s place three houselots away.

On her return the following morning though, she found

that the padlocks on her gate and door had been removed and her parents’ home was ransacked.

Subsequently, she missed her notebook computer, a home theatre, a Sony digital camera, gold jewellery and clothing, all worth $820,000.

The defendants have since denied the charges and are expected to return to court on June 24 for trial.

Police arrest reputed wife for death of West Bank Demerara miner -had cuffed a glass window in his rage and had bled considerably

By Michel Outridge THE reputed wife of Dennis Harris, 44, a miner of 1525 Onderneeming, La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, is in police custody assisting with investigations following his death early on Friday morning.

The detainee’s daughter, Samantha Wray, told this publication that she was at home with her three children including her newborn baby when her mother, Yonette Grumbs, 45, and her stepfather Dennis Harris returned home after midnight from a birthday celebration of Harris’s grandfather, held in the same village.

She explained that her stepfather was under the influence of alcohol, because, when he arrived home he began, as usual, to quarrel with her mother and behave in a loud and disorderly manner.

After a few minutes, he was locked outside the house after he picked up a scissors and pointed it at her mother, saying he would end her life.

In a fit of rage, he punched

Yonette Grumbs has been arrested for murder. one of the front glass windows of the house and sustained a gaping wound to his hand. Thereafter, he went to a relative’s house a block away from where he was

transported to the hospital.

Samantha Wray said they did not even know Harris was dead, until the police showed up at their door at about 03:01 hrs, saying they had come to arrest her mother for Harris’s murder.

Yonette Grumbs, mother of three, was transported to the La Grange Police Station and later taken to the Den Amstel Police Station, where she is currently being held pending the outcome of a post-mortem to be performed on Dennis Harris.

Wray said that had they not put Harris out of the house, he would probably have killed them all, since he had been very abusive to her mother and had often threatened them on several occasions.

She added that Harris used to ill-treat her mother, herself, and even her small children, but she abided with the situation only because her mother had loved Harris and he had returned home from the interior on December 23, 2013.

Wr a y s a i d h e r m o t h e r ‘hooked up’ with Harris seven years ago and had since changed

and would not listen to reason despite the way Harris treated her. She would frequently be subjected to violent abuse from Harris, who would often beat her in front of Wray, but Wray could not intervene because whatever Harris said was ‘gospel’ to her mother.

Wray said they had had to relocate from Beterverwagting and Sophia respectively because of the way Harris had behaved; and, in fact, it was only five months since they had moved into the new location.

She noted that even before her mother and Harris had left home on Thursday night, they had been arguing; and they had returned home arguing.

Harris is believed to have severed a main artery in his hand when he had cuffed the glass window, because he had lost a considerable amount of blood; and that was probably the cause of his death.

Harris had been totally uncontrollable at the hospital, and had even verbally abused the medical staffers who were tending to him.

C.J. grants six a total of $1.19M bail

By George Barclay ACTING Chief Justice Mr. Ian Chang yesterday granted the under- mentioned six defendants bail in the sum of $1,190,000., pending determination of their cases.

For trafficking in narcotics, Shameer Aabbiulla was granted $300,000 bail.

For unlawful & malicious wounding, Rudolph Ramnarine was granted $40,000 bail, and Colin Mansonhing was granted $250,000 bail.

For robbery with violence, Vickam Kowlessar was granted $100,000 bail.

For robbery under arms, Corwin Estwick was granted $300,000 bail, and Colin Mansonhing was granted $200,000 bail.

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 8, 2014

Old Kai: Chronicles of Guyana...

The GHRA confirms that protecting the interest of the Opposition is more important than the findings of the Walter Rodney COI OLD KAI has been monitoring the public gesticulations of the GHRA over a period of several years and I have come to the conclusion that this organization is a front for the current opposition in Guyana. No one knows who the members of this body are, it is a great mystery, and yet they proclaim to speak on behalf of ‘Guyana’.

They do not have to live in fear or be victimized by the current government because of their critical remarks as attacking the PPP/C Administration has been a popular pastime for the opposition front organizations, especially those in the media. We are not in the days of the brutal dictatorship, where your fate could have been similar to that of Father Darke or countless others.

So why remain in hiding? Is it because the Guyanese people will then be able to confirm what they have long suspected?

This aside, the GHRA has come out all guns blazing against the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry. As if by some strange coincidence, their attack against the CoI quickly followed that of the PNCR which has also indicated that they will not participate in the Inquiry.

Their concerns are also identical in nature which is further fuelling speculation of a clandestine collaboration to undermine our nation’s search for the truth regarding the death of Dr. Walter Rodney.

The confusion and panic brought on by the commencement of the COI is quite evident as according to media reports, “The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)

believes that the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the assassination of Walter Rodney is specifically targeting the period when the PNC was in government.”

Was Dr. Rodney assassinated in 1886 in some far off Asian country? Was he assassinated in Jamaica or Tanzania? Was he assassinated in 1995 right here in Guyana? Which period exactly does the PNCR expect the Commission of Inquiry to focus on other than on June 13, 1980, when, in the vicinity of the Camp Street prison, Georgetown, Guyana, South America, there was an explosion, killing Walter Anthony Rodney and injuring his brother, Donald. The PNC dictatorship was in full swing then, even our Supreme Court had to fly its party flag above our national flag. Do they want us to pretend their period in government did not exist?

The PNCR, now APNU, is clearly spooked, they sound very confused, almost desperate. Surely, they have nothing to worry about if , as they have publicly claimed all along, they were not involved in Dr. Rodney’s assassination.

There is another important equation in play here which I will discuss in the next edition; but let us return to the GHRA, as clearly they also seem equally confused.

One of their concerns in the Terms of Reference for the CoI is that it rules out the process of ethnic healing between the major races in Guyana, “That clause requires the COI to investigate the extent to which the many quasi-political military organizations existing in Guyana at the time of Rodney’s death, were tasked with surveillance against the ‘political opposition’, rather than against the WPA. In this respect, the clause provides an op-

portunity for inserting the ruling PPP into events in which it was marginal at the time, and for generating a stream of horror stories from that era into the work of the Commission, with rich potential for stirring up Indo-Guyanese resentment against the PNC.” First of all, the death of Dr. Rodney confirms that Guyanese irrespective of their race, creed or color all suffered during this period, contrary to what the Guyana Human Right Association would have us believe today. The GHRA statement is also advocating that a section of the Guyanese population must be prevented from contributing to the investigation of the Commission solely because of their ethnicity; and at the same time, it makes light in a ridiculing fashion the experiences of these people.

It then contradicts itself by, on one hand saying “the clause provides an opportunity for inserting the PPP into events in which it was marginal at the time”, but immediately after warns that it would generate “a stream of horror stories from that era”. So if, as the GHRA claims, the PPP was marginal at the time, why worry about a flood of experiences and accounts during that period?

The GHRA clearly is more concerned about protecting the interest of opposition than it is about finally getting to the truth of Dr. Rodney’s death and it is prepared to make all manner of wild and insensitive accusations in the process.

What could be so damaging and alarming about the possible findings of the Commission of Inquiry, or does the GHRA already know who killed Dr. Walter Rodney?

Gov’t flummoxed at GHRA outburst GOVERNMENT is flummoxed at an impetuous outburst from the Guyana Human Rights Association in relation to the Walter Rodney Inquiry. That great doubt exists in the minds of a wide cross-section of the Guyanese society in respect of whom now constitutes this organisation, what causes they prosecute and upon whose behalf they act, are all matters which, though germane, will be put aside on this occasion.

The mysterious facts and circumstances surrounding the death of Dr. Walter Rodney have hovered over Guyana like a dark cloud since 13th June, 1980. Over the last 34 years, calls have come from many parts of the world for a credible Commission of Inquiry to be conducted into the death of Dr. Walter Rodney. Shortly after the incident in June, 1980, the PPP, the WPA and indeed, the then newly formed vibrant and focused Guyana Human Rights Association, echoed similar requests. When the PPP assumed Government in 1992, those demands were renewed by many, including, the immediate family of Dr. Rodney and the WPA. Recently, Dr. Patricia Rodney, the wife of Dr. Rodney, and their daughter, Asha Rodney, made an appeal to President Donald Ramotar to commission such an Inquiry so that this tragic chapter in the life of their family can enjoy some closure. They specifically indicated that should the Government accede to their request, they would like to participate in settling the Terms of Reference of any such Inquiry and that these Terms of Reference and the composition of the inquiry must not be made subject of a political process.

President Ramotar acceded to the request and agreed to respect the wishes of the Rodney family.

It is against the backdrop of that historical tapestry that Terms of Reference and composition of the Rodney’s COI must be viewed. The GHRA directed their attack to the Terms of Reference which they, bewilderingly, believe may have“rich potential for stirring up Indo-Guyanese resentment against the PNC.” This belief is irrational at best and ludicrous at worst.

Like every Commission of Inquiry, this one is intended to bring forth the truth regarding the facts and circumstances surrounding the death of Dr. Rodney. The Terms of References were carefully constructed to navigate the Commission to that destination. Dr. Rodney was a politician who openly challenged the governmental regime of the day. It is a matter of public notoriety that political opponents of that regime were subjected to various forms of violence, intimidation and surveillance by

different groupings. The Terms of Reference are designed to permit, as far as possible, the Inquirers to form a clear picture of the political situation, atmosphere and environment in which Dr. Rodney operated at the time of his demise. There is nothing ulterior about them.

It appears as though the GHRA accepts as factual that Indo-Guyanese were terrorised and targeted by the PNC. Assuming that this is so, why a human rights organisation would not want such information to be made public through whatever forum, speaks volume of the credibility and agenda of such organisation.

APNU The contention advanced by APNU’s Mr. Basil Williams, in a statement made on 6th March, 2014, that because Mr. Seenath Jairam, S.C., appeared in a singular case in association with and for the Attorney-General, infects Mr. Jairam with such a bias which renders him unsuitable to act as a Commissioner on the Walter Rodney’s COI, is hereby rejected as wrong in both principle and law. That it emanated from a lawyer is even more unfortunate. The principles concerning bias in judicial and quasi- judicial tribunal are well known.

For the record, neither the Government nor Mr. Jairam, S.C., as far as I am aware, has an interest in the outcome of this Inquiry.

Mr. Seenath Jairam, S.C., has a long distinguished legal career at the Practicing Bar of many jurisdictions in the Caribbean and at the Privy Council, London, appearing for citizens, and governments alike. He has served on numerous tribunals. He acted as a High Court Judge in Trinidad and Tobago. The Government regrets this unfortunate attempt at tarnishing Mr. Jairam’s professional reputation.

Had Mr. Williams done his research, he would have learnt that Mr. K.V. Jairam, LLM, Barrister at Law, and brother of Mr. Jairam S.C., served as a Member of Parliament for the PNC when that Party was in Government. Also Mr. Williams appears to have forgotten that Mr. Keith Massiah, S.C. a former Attorney-General under the PNC administration, served as a member of a Commission of Inquiry established to investigate certain allegations made against then Home Affairs Minister, Mr. Ronald Gajraj. Is he now saying that Mr. Massiah, S.C. was biased? Over the years, I am aware that many lawyers have appeared in cases for the PNC

but who are not members of the PNC. Is he now saying that all those lawyers are unsuitable to be considered to sit on any Commission of Inquiry involving the Government or worst yet, unfit for judicial appointment? Mr. Williams himself appeared for the Attorney-General of a PPP/Civil administration during the tenure of one of my predecessors while he was a member of the PNC, representing that party in Parliament. Is he now saying that he did not act professionally in that matter?

I hope the above vividly illustrates how reckless and unfounded the APNU’s contentions are.

Anil andlall Attorney General

Dr Luncheon unwell, but still performing some duties –Ms Gail Teixeira DR ROGER Luncheon, Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS) and Cabinet Secretary (CS) is currently unwell, and his colleagues are hoping he would soon regain his strength and return to work.

Presidential Advisor on Governance, Ms Gail Teixeira, made this disclosure yesterday when she hosted the post-Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the President, in Georgetown.

“He is available, and we are working with him. He is still doing some of his work. In relation to him going overseas, if it is required, the Government will not hesitate to send him. But part of it is his own desire of whether he wishes to go overseas or not,” she said. (Telesha Ramnarine)

10

Man opts for imprisonment rather than pay fines SHAWN Smith, also known as ‘Broom Man’ opted to serve 40 days imprisonment after his request to have his fines paid over an extended period was denied by Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, at the New Amsterdam Court in Berbice, last Friday.

The 39-year-old brooms seller pleaded guilty to charges of praedial larceny and threatening language, both offences committed on his foster father, Leslie Parks, of Lochaber Village, West Canje.

Police Inspector Gail Bristol, prosecuting, said, on February 18, Smith stole a quantity of mangoes valued $2,000 from the cultivated property of Parks.

The virtual complainant is a pensioner who lives with his wife in the same village as the defendant and the latter would, frequently, visit Parks’s yard.

On the day in question, Parks heard a noise emanating from his backyard and, on looking through his window, saw Smith with the mangoes which were already picked.

Parks told the defendant to leave the yard without the fruits but, instead of doing so, Smith threatened to kill the elderly man, the Court heard.

Responding to questions by the Magistrate, Smith confessed to taking the mangoes but declared it was just a bucket full.

He said he did not mean anything when he issued the threat but admitted he was before the Court previously, having stolen a cast net and was ordered to pay the $12,000 cost of it.

An arrest warrant had been issued for him but he was never arrested and despite a restraining order against him, he still visited Parks’s yard.

However, after listening to both men, Smith was fined $10,000 on the praedial larceny charge with the alternative of 40 days imprisonment and in addition, he was fined $20,000 for the threatening language offence.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 8, 2014

With $1M grand prize…

Mousy Malt distributor launches countrywide promotion SOUTHLAND International Inc, sole distributor of ‘Mousy Malt’, last Friday, launched its countrywide ‘Colour your life’ promotion which started yesterday.

The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Irzad Zamal said they began to distribute the beverage, which comes in three different flavours, from the beginning of their operations in August 2013.

“This is the first in Guyana, where although it is a malt, it is a clear one and has only been on the market for seven months.

We, presently, serve in excess of 1,400 customers countrywide and we will, aggressively, pursue further future businesses,” he explained.

Zamal said the product can be used by the young, middle-aged or old persons and is deemed to have 40 percent less calories than the regular soft drink presently available in Guyana.

Also, it is safe for everyone, even pregnant women and those suffering from low blood pressure, due to its low sugar content, antioxidant and B Vitamin-enriched properties.

The company’s Executive Director, Arianna Pereira assured that it can be used with lunch or dinner, as a cocktail mixer or just a refreshing beverage.

From left, Irzad Zamal, Arianna Pereira, Gavin Ramsundar and Ravendra Singh There will be weekly prizes of either Apple iPads, Apple iPad Minis, Samsung S4 Smartphones, Samsung 40” Smart LED TVs, United States cash prizes and grocery vouchers.

Each week, for the next 11 weeks, the drawings will be

done on Fridays at different locations across Guyana.

The grand prize draw for which is $1,000,000 will be done at the Head Office, in Brickdam, Georgetown, on a date to be announced.

To enter the competition,

three caps from the malt along with the name, address and contact number of the entrant should be placed in the boxes provided countrywide at participating locations or the Lot 23 Brickdam, Stabroek Head Office, next to Sleep-In Hotel.

Malaria cases decreasing but early diagnosis still urged GUYANA, in 2013, recorded a significant decrease in the number of malaria cases and health authorities continue to urge early diagnosis of the vector-borne disease in a bid to reduce the mortality rate.

According to a Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) report, figures released by the Ministry of Health show that for 2013, there were 23,489 as against 31,602 in 2012.

Although the ministry gave no figures regarding the number of deaths, it indicated that malaria mortality rates are continually falling as increased prevention and control measures dramatically lessen its impact.

The ministry said efforts at combating the ailment, driven through its Vector Control Services (VCS), still bear fruit but that the hinterland locations remain the most vulnerable to the sickness.

The ministry said, within those regions, climatic and other conditions favour transmission that also occurs when

people with low immune systems move into those places in search of jobs and are negligent in taking protective steps, such as sleeping under mosquito nets and using insect repellents.

The health officials said one of the biggest interventions by the VCS in 2013 has been the distribution of some 42,000 insecticide-treated nets for use in beds and hammocks.

The VCS said it intends to distribute 52,000 this year and would work with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) in conducting a survey on the effectiveness of the exercise.

The Health Ministry pointed out that it has been disbursing, free of charge, the very expensive anti-malaria drug, Coartem, recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and certified by PAHO. DIFFERENT STRAINS There are three differ-

ent strains of malaria in Guyana, plasmodium falciparum, plasmodium vivax and plasmodium malaria.

More than 50 percent of them are of the most serious form, plasmodium falciparum.

“One of the major reasons why people die of falciparum malaria in Guyana is due to neglect. Persons using the Coartem tablet, sometimes, neglect to conform to the rules of use as instructed by their physician, in terms of dosage and period of treatment, with the result being a relapse and deterioration of the affected person’s health,” the Government Information News Agency (GINA) said.

GINA said that, with proper treatment, symptoms of malaria, usually, go away quickly, with a cure within two weeks.

It added that signs of malaria include chills, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 8, 2014

On the occasion of International Women’s Day…

Message from CARICOM Secretary General THE Secretariat is honoured and privileged to salute the women and girls of the Caribbean Community on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2014. This year’s United Nation’s theme ‘Equality for Women is Progress for All’, is one that we can all embrace as we examine our progress toward meeting the 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and, in particular, Goals 3 and 5 relating to gender equality and maternal health respectively.

On this Day, we unite to celebrate the empowerment of women and advancements made toward gender equality. We also reflect on the gaps to be filled to achieve our regional vision – a Caribbean Community where all citizens actively participate in and benefit equally from the economic growth and sustainable development of our countries. This achievement is very much a collective task, and effective change can only be realised when women are equal players in the governance of our Region. If we limit the potential of some, we limit the benefits to all.

The women of our Community have shown great courage and strength as catalysts for change in the pursuit of justice, equality and peace. CARICOM Member States have responded by ratifying international conventions and making national and regional commitments to fulfil their obligations. This has been most marked in the areas of legislation and policy, increased participation of women in the labour market and improved access to public resources such as tertiary education and health care.

With the upcoming conclusion of the MDG Framework in 2015, it is a critical time to increase efforts toward the achievement of gender equality and women’s empowerment. We recognise that there have been both challenges and achievements in the implementation of MDG measures, particularly for women and girls.

This is to be expected as we strive to accomplish the aims of the new international agenda to tackle the causes of poverty, exclusion and inequality to “leave no one behind”.

In our Region, economic

circumstances and, in particular, persistent and acute poverty and inequalities have continued to render women and girls vulnerable to violence. Without responsive social protection programmes, women can be trapped in violent home situations that are increasingly threatening to their personal security, and that of their children.

In addition, sexual violence magnifies their risk of early pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, and negatively impacts on their physical and emotional health.

As the Community plots a path towards economic growth and sustainable development for the Region, the eradication of poverty is viewed as a central objective. A people-centred approach has been articulated to promote the welfare and well-being of people; contribute to social inclusion, gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Special efforts need to be increased to involve young women in leadership and decision-making roles to gain experience and confidence so they can, in due course, aspire

Women Key to Peace and Security

By United States Ambassador to Guyana D. Brent Hardt

INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day is more than a moment marked on a calendar. It is a day not just to renew our determination to make the world a more peaceful and prosperous place -- but to recognize that a world where opportunities for women grow is a world where the possibilities for peace, prosperity, and stability grow even more. Countries that value and empower women to participate fully in decision-making are more stable, prosperous, and secure. The Obama Administration has made advancing the status of women and girls a central element of U.S. foreign policy, and the U.S. Embassy in Georgetown will continue to reach out to the Guyanese community to support and recognize women who are making a difference.

In its early years, International Women’s Day honored the women’s rights movement, including advocating for the right to vote and hold public office, and for ending discrimination in the workplace.

Efforts to ensure equal rights and access for women have achieved notable success. Throughout the world, more girls are in school today. More women are in the workforce. More women serve in public office. And more countries have passed laws recognizing and ensuring women’s equality.

Despite this progress, the struggle continues. Women are still more

likely to be among the world’s poorest, most prone to sickness, and most likely to be lacking in nutrition. Today, International Women’s Day is observed as a time to reflect on progress, to advocate for even more change, and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by women who have made a difference in their communities and countries. This year’s Department of State theme is “Women, Peace, and Security,” and women in Guyana, and throughout the world, have worked diligently to achieve these noble goals.

The Department of State has multiple and wide-ranging global initiatives to protect women and girls from violence, promote women’s social and economic development, and enhance women’s full participation in civic and political life. Our Embassy is dedicated to supporting the development and empowerment of women and girls in Guyana.

Through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDs Relief, pregnant HIV positive mothers are assured to know their status and receive necessary preventative care so as to prevent infecting their unborn babies.

The Embassy continues to send women and girls from Guyana to the United States for special exchange programmes so that they can network with other women and girls and develop their leadership and professional skills. Some of our exchange programmes of the past include themes such as: Women’s Leadership and Political Participation, Combating Trafficking in Persons, Women’s

Entrepreneurship, and Women’s Empowerment. To date, our Youth Ambassadors Programme has sent 15 girls to the United States for a leadership and service development programme, and we continue to send women to be active participants in our International Visitor Leadership Programme.

The U.S. Embassy has also helped to establish shelters for victims of domestic violence and our youth programmes have helped young women, and men, to develop skills that strengthen their qualifications for better economic opportunities. Last year, the Embassy hosted a Women’s History Month film series with themes focusing on women’s empowerment; many of the films were also directed by women.

Peace Corps Guyana sponsored Camp G.L.O.W. (Girls Leading Our World) in August -- a camp with activities focused on teamwork, building self-esteem, goal-setting, decision-making, and creating healthy relationships and lifestyles. It was an extraordinary event that helped to foster self-esteem and build support networks for Guyanese girls and young women.

No country can succeed unless every citizen is empowered to contribute to its future. So today, we mark the miles women have traveled around the world -- but more importantly we commit to working together with members of the Guyanese public and private sectors to continue on the journey.

to and gain political office. At present within the Community, women’s participation in Parliaments continues to be less than optimal, falling short of the target of 30 per cent.

Women have an important contribution to make not only in Parliament but as movers of skills, knowledge and capital across the Region, using the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) to expand opportunities and secure a better quality of life. But the principles of equity and access can only be achieved if the arrangements are respected and applied fairly and without favour. Particularly important for women and children is the strengthening of the legal and institution-

al environment to ensure contingent rights which will ensure unimpeded access to education, health and other social services.

This year we will be bestowing the Eleventh CARICOM Triennial Award to an outstanding CARICOM woman whose work has made a significant contribution to the socio-economic development of the Caribbean. This Award has been granted to ten exceptional recipients to date, most recently in 2011 to Professor Violet Eudine Barriteau, born in Grenada and a citizen of Barbados.

On this International Women’s Day we join others around the world to inspire change for a more just and equal society. As a Region, let

AMBASSADOR IRWIN LAROCQUE us support the Gender Equality Machineries and increase accountability as we translate the commitments by our Member States under the Millennium Development Goals and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women into meaningful change for equality, peace and sustainable development for all.

Happy International Women’s Day!

12

Message from the WPO...

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 8, 2014

Women the world over celebrate International Women’s Day today TODAY there is much to reflect on, since this day has assumed a new dimension for women throughout the world – developed and under-developed societies. It has become the focal point for the evaluation of the coordinated efforts of women to secure women’s rights and equal participation in all aspects of life.

For many women in various parts of the world, their dream of having the basic rights to make choices for themselves in a variety of ways is virtually impossible. Societal norms, traditional and religious beliefs have left millions of women without any recourse to their

basic human rights.

As we reflect and observe this day, we need to recognise that the journey has just begun for some, while others have advanced.

As we reflect on the journey of 100 years and more, it is necessary to assess the tremendous achievements made the world over for the right to vote, to be elected and to participate in the development of society. It was only two countries of the world, prior to 1902, where women had the right to vote. By the end of the 20th century, women in 66 countries won

A salute from the PPP THE People’s Progressive Party (PPP) salutes all the women of Guyana on the occasion of International Women’s Day which is being observed today.

The PPP is proud of the sterling contribution our women have made and continue to make in all facets of national life, including politics, culture, sports, administration and in the several other disciplines.

The Party has noted with great pride the fact that a woman in the person of the late Mrs. Janet Janet had risen to the highest political office of the land, that of Executive President.

The Party commends the ruling PPP/C administration for putting measures in place both at the legislative and administrative levels to protect and further advance the rights of women. Women today enjoy the same rights as their male counterparts. The adage “ a woman’s place is in the home” is no longer applicable in our context, as an increasing number of women are taking advantage of educational and training opportunities and are entering the world of work. Many of them are trail blazers in their respective areas of competence, performing with grace and distinction.

The Party has taken note also of the fact that Guyana is one of the few countries in the Region where it is constitutionally mandated that women comprise at least one-third of the list of candidates for national and regional elections. This is an indication of our evolving political maturity and our recognition of the contribution women can and do make to national development.

that right. Over that century, women had reached positions of head of state or government in 93 countries.

Even though there are remarkable strides, a serious economic and social imbalance remains. Women own only one per cent of the world’s property and earn only 10% of the world’s income; but perform 66% of the work and produce 50% of food.

A WHO study revealed that 20% of women worldwide experience sexual abuse as children. There are 5,000 honour killings per year; in South Africa one woman is killed every 6 hours by an intimate partner. In

India, 22 women are murdered each day in dowry-related incidents. 80% of the world victims of human trafficking are women; 100-140 million girls have been the victims of Female Genital Mutilation, 60 million girls per year are forced into marriage as child brides; and worldwide, 25% of pregnant women are subjected to physical or sexual abuse.

Clearly, the world needs to do much more for women based on some of the statistics presented.

We in Guyana are indeed fortunate since women activism has been on the front burner since the early forties. A vi-

Copenhagen in 1910. Since then, this day was dedicated to focus on the many questions and issues related to women across the globe.

We of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) welcome the UN’s recognition of the link, a relationship between women’s rights and international peace.

Peace has become one of the

the garment workers who led the way for better conditions in 1857 must continuously inspire and energise the women who are in the forefront of the drive for increasing women’s empowerment.

The WPO wishes to use this occasion to salute its own stalwarts, as well as those who have consistently championed the struggle for women’s equality, the foremost among them being its late President Mrs. Janet Jagan, founder member of the WPEO and the WPO. Happy International Women‘s Day to all Guyanese women

PYO salutes the gains made by Guyanese women THE Progressive Youth Organisation of Guyana wishes to salute the gains made by women here in their pursuit to create a society where gender equality is paramount and endorsed by all.

The PYO also wishes to record its full support for herculean efforts made by the Women’s Progressive Organisation in advancing the fight for equal rights and opportunities for all Guyanese women in their place of work, employment and the wider society.

The PYO believes that the WPO and the grass root women which form its membership are deserving of praise for the achievements made in affording women the basic human rights and the ability to participate in the decision-making processes of our democratic state.

We would fall into gross error were we not to recognise the stellar contributions made by Guyana’s first woman President, the late Comrade Janet Jagan, to the fight for women’s rights in this country.

Coincidently, this month is dedicated towards reflecting on her life and achievements.

The PYO recalls that Mrs Janet Jagan was at the forefront of “inspiring change” ina male-driven society which, at the time of her entrance into Guyanese politics, did not value the role of women in this process.

Additionally, the PYO remembers Jane Phillips Gay and Jessie

Message from GAWU VERY formally, the United Nations Organisation (the UN) has designated March 8 as International Women’s Day – a day which has been traditionally celebrated in Guyana and the world over.

The call for March 8 to be designated International Day of Women can be traced to the 2nd International Conference of Socialist Women held in

brant women’s movement has prompted many positive actions in propelling legislations and policies to advance the empowerment of women.

Let us all work together to reduce the incidence of violence against women and children, while ensuring at the same time that poor and single parents are given the necessary guidance and leadership to take charge of their lives positively.

We in the WPO believe that the women of Guyana have a lot to celebrate, while acknowledging, at the same time, that we have a lot more to do.

We must collectively walk the talk so that the struggle by

most urgent questions today for humanity. Unjust imperialist wars and military occupation have laid waste to homes, villages and cities and women, children and civilians are being killed by drones, bombs and bullets. In Iraq, we learn of birth defects of significant numbers of the new born which doctors put to the consequences of uranium tipped bombs used by the

aggressors.

The conscience of peace and justice-loving peoples cannot but be affected by such realities of today nor can they be silent. Thus, GAWU is pleased to support and be associated with the demand for peace, an end to all unjust wars and military violence. At this time, we reiterate our call and support the view that Latin America and the

Burnham who also worked assiduously for women’s rights in our country.

The organisation has also noted the admirable work done by several well-recognized Non-Governmental Organisations, religious bodies and civil society which, each day, champion the cause of women.

Additionally, the PYO understands the important role played by women in almost every sphere of our economy and has noted their invaluable contribution to the growth and development of Guyana.

As women across the world celebrate International Women’s Day under the theme “Inspire Change” and all of the other themes chosen by organisations such as the UN, the PYO wishes to call on all Guyanese to take a stance against the worrying trend of domestic abuse in our society.

The PYO recognizes the efforts being made by the government to address this assault on women and therefore wishes to stress the need for all stakeholders to play an integral role in the fight against domestic violence.

The PYO is proud of the trend of women’s development witnessed under the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic, and therefore salutes all female Ministers, legislators, party members and women in our society.

Caribbean be a Zone of Peace.

This year, as we observe International Women’s Day in the midst of the global crisis of capitalism, we note that the global female unemployment reaches over 81 million women.

More and more women are employed with “flexible” working arrangements, part-time jobs, etc. Today, women represent the majority of the poor and illiterate population and millions of them have no access to education, healthcare, food, clean water and other basic needs.

Millions of women lack ma-

ternity protection; thousands of women die from pregnancy and lack of medical care; millions of women are forced to emigrate; millions are victims of violence, abuse, human trafficking and sexual exploitation during armed conflicts and military interventions.

GAWU, Guyana’s leading workers bargaining agent for hundreds of Guyanese female workers, has recognised the efforts made in our country on behalf of our women, See page 13

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 8, 2014

Gov’t has organised outreaches to apprise citizens about AML/CFT Bill

By Telesha Ramnarine GOVERNMENT has reportedly organised and is carrying out outreaches to various communities so as to apprise people about, and ensure the passage of, the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Bill.

Speaking at the usual post-Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the President, in Georgetown yesterday, Presidential Advisor on Governance, Ms Gail Teixeira, said: “We have had very good meetings in Mahaica and Lusignan, and will have more this weekend and next week. We believe that that would be a way of informing the public and allowing them to ask questions.”

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, told the Guyana Chronicle a few days ago that the meetings are intended to be a continuation of the Government’s consultative efforts with respect to the amendments which are proposed by A Partnership for

National Unity (APNU).

Nandlall said, “We believe that they (the Opposition amendments) will affect the life and welfare of the people of this country in a very significant way in terms of their (the people’s) ability to carry around cash and jewelry; and therefore they ought to be consulted and fully apprised.”

Nandlall pointed out that the people of Guyana are accustomed, in transacting their business, to have in their possession cash and jewelry in a free manner. The AG said, “There is now an attempt to deprive them of that freedom. We believe it is our duty, as a Government, to ensure that we inform the people about this denial of their freedom, as well as who is responsible for this.

“We also intend to continue to inform the citizens of our country of the importance of having this Bill passed unamended as quickly as possible, so as to insulate Guyana and its citizens from the devastating sanctions and repercussions which will follow if the Bill

is not passed; and to inform them who are obstructing the Bill from being passed, and the basis, as well as reason, for such obstruction,” Minister Nandlall said.

Already, town hall meetings have been held in Linden, Berbice and Bartica, with residents of these communities voicing their outrage at the proposals put forward by the APNU. On February 28 last, Guyana missed a deadline to submit a report to the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) showing that it has been able to correct several deficiencies. This now means that Guyana is in a position where it has not presented to CFATF anything different from what was deliberated on in November, at which forum it had been said that unless these changes are made to the legislative structure, Guyana will be recommended for subjection to a Financial Action Task Force/International Cooperation Group Review.

The Bill has been in limbo for now about 11 months, with

Officials deny bullyism, drug abuse at Tagore Memorial THE Regional Education Office in Region 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne) has denied that bullyism and drug abuse are prevalent issues at Tagore Memorial Secondary School in Number Sixty-Four Babylon.

The Regional Education Officer Ms. Volika Jaikishun told the Guyana Chronicle that on the day when the article was published in the same publication, an education officer, accompanied by the two welfare officers, visited the school and spoke to several students.

She pointed out that the headmistress, as well as teachers were questioned and the Misdemeanour Book and minutes of the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) meetings were inspected.

Jaikishun said their findings indicated that no incidence of violence was discussed at the PTA meetings and that, from September 2013 to date, only three reports of students armed with weapons at the school were documented.

She stated, further, that only a few students confessed

to being victims of minor incidents of such issues.

Additionally, Jaikishun said the headteacher reported that thus far, there has been no evidence of drugs being sold to students for consumption, nor was she aware of any of them driving to school.

Still, the REO is urging parents with complaints to contact the regional office or the schools and assured that the matters will be dealt with accordingly and in a timely manner.

Message from GAWU...

From page 12 and especially our working women. The setting of a minimum wage, women’s right to abort difficult or unwanted pregnancies, their protection from sexual offences with the law prescribing very harsh, commensurate penalties for such offences, to us, are significant measures which will impact positively on the lives and well-being of Guyanese women.

However, we also recognise that there are issues still to be addressed more comprehensively. This is the issue of domestic violence. While laudable efforts are being made

by government and various organisations and individuals, it remains as an issue in our midst, and we hold the view that its final eradication will very well require greater efforts from all of us.

On this International Women’s Day, the GAWU is pleased to salute all working women, in the sugar industry and elsewhere, all housewives, indeed all our women folk in Guyana. We recognise their contribution to Guyana’s development, in the upbringing of our present and future generations, in the political, economic and social spheres of society, and in the homes. They are invaluable to society and family.

As we celebrate Interna-

tional Women’s Day in 2014, we should rejoice and reflect on the progress made over recent times.

But we need to also recognise that there is need for our women to continue the struggle, not only around those questions peculiar to women but also see the bigger picture. We must see the need to join with progressive forces to ensure a world of peace, economic justice, equality, and an end to all forms of exploitation and for social progress.

Greetings on this International Women’s Day to all Guyanese women!

Solidarity to the women of the world!

Long live International Women’s Day!

no support from the APNU, which recently came with two proposals, not to the actual bill, but to the principal act. Those amendments are currently in

their drafting stage.

Various other stakeholders across Guyana, including the Private Sector Commission, the National Competitiveness

13

Council, and religious bodies, have been calling for the passage of the Bill, as Guyana now faces a greater risk of being blacklisted internationally.

14

National stakeholders to be updated on status of Mazaruni Hydro-Development project on March 19

By Telesha Ramnarine

PRESIDENTIAL Advisor on Governance, Ms Gail Teixeira,

informed reporters yesterday at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the President, in Georgetown,

Below rates for March 7, 2014

Currency

Buying

Selling

G$/US$ G$/GBP$ G$/CAD$ G$/EURO$ G$/BDOS$ G$/EC$ G$/TT$

205.98375 344.98158 187.35570 285.94664 101.74500 75.36667 31.91599

208.43594 349.29695 189.51717 289.55921 102.76500 76.12222 32.23595

For Saturday March 8, 2014 -09:30hrs For Sunday March 9, 2014 -10:30hrs

that Government will be briefing national stakeholders on the status of the Mazaruni Hydro Development Project on March 19.

She said Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, along with their technical people, will interact with the stakeholders.

Government will be moving towards conducting pre-feasibility and feasibility studies on the project, Minister Rodrigues-Birkett informed the National Assembly recently.

The Foreign Affairs Minister was at the time providing an update on the progress of discussions between Guyana and Brazil with regard to the Memorandum of Understanding on Infrastructural Development, which was signed between the two countries on December 5, 2013 with the aim of stimulating projects in the area of hydropower, road development, and construction of a deep-water port.

The MOU established a Guyana-Brazil Joint Technical Group with a mandate to produce proposals for concrete action, as well as timetables for implementation of four projects, to be presented to the Presidents of both states. These projects were: the construction of hydroelectric plants; construction of transmission lines, needed to distribute any energy that will be generated eventually; improvement of the Guyana-Brazil road link; and construction of a deep-water port.

Minister Rodrigues-Birkett informed the National Assembly that after four meetings of the Joint Technical Working Group, a report was submitted, in July 2013, to the presidents of the two states.

Minister Birkett told the House that among the recommendations in the report is that the pre-feasibility and feasibility studies be carried out at two sites in the Middle and Upper Mazaruni, in order to make a final determination on the way forward with respect to hydropower development.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 8, 2014

Aries March 21 - April 19

Just when you thought it was safe to come out, duty calls. That doesn’t mean you’ll have to abandon all thoughts of romance, however. If you play your cards right -- and if anyone can, it’s you -- you’ll be more than able to find enough time and energy to devote to your professional and your personal needs. Of course, at some point, a priority may emerge.

If that’s the case, you’ll have no choice but to put everything else on the back burner.

Taurus April 20 - May 20

Getting close to someone isn’t easy for anyone. It definitely becomes more difficult when you’re wise enough to know not just what closeness entails, but exactly what you’re risking when you open up. You, of course, are quite familiar with all the highs and lows of intimate relationships, so when you decide to take one on, it’s a tremendous compliment. You may have found someone who also understands all of this. Let them know how much they’re appreciated.

Gemini May 21 - June 21

When you love someone, your feelings tend to border on obsessive -- and when they ask you to do something because ‘if you loved them, you would,’ it’s not in your nature to hesitate. Just this once, though, think before you respond. Are you being manipulated?

It’s probably in your best interest not to be so available right now. Don’t answer the phone for a day -- or two.

Cancer June 22 - July 22

After days of putting absolutely all of your energy into guidance and caretaking, you’re thinking that it’s your turn for some TLC. A volunteer for that mission -- someone you’re quite fond of -- has wisely suggested that a change of scenery might get the show on the road in earnest. Well now. Since you’ve been thinking about travel, anyway, why not let them do their job to the best of their abilities? Book the tickets. You’ll feel better immediately.

Leo July 23 - August 22

Here’s something you were never expecting: the sneaking feeling that you may have been struck by love at first sight. No, it doesn’t come along that often -- and even less often in your case, since you’re oh, so realistic and objective -- but you really can’t rule it out entirely. After all, this is one of those stories we pray we’ll live long enough to tell our great-grandchildren.

Virgo August 23 - September 22

If you can hang in there a little longer, you’ll be able to take what you’ve recently learned from each other and put it to good use in your relationship. First, though, your sweetheart or best friend (whichever the case may be) will need to stop being jealous or resentful of the time and energy you’ve been devoting to your family. You, of course, can help them to lighten up and have fun, and it certainly is their turn for some attention, don’t you think?

Libra September 23 - October 22

You have every right to smile that smile for as long as your facial muscles can stand it -- especially if you happen to be in the vicinity of someone who’s wearing a matching expression. Don’t feel obligated to share your secret with anyone else, and don’t even try to tear your eyes away from the object of your affection. The rest of the world may be a bit jealous, but they’re also happy for you.

Scorpio October 23 - November 21

Put down the legal pad and relax that furrow in your brow. The ‘new you’ needs to do more than just make to-do lists. You need to do some shopping -- for clothes, cosmetics and anything else that will help you make your point. After all, if you’re working on inner change and you want the world to see your progress, there’s only one way to do it: Make equally stunning outer changes.

Sagittarius November 22 - December 21

You’re one of the friendliest signs out there. You’ve never been afraid to say what’s on your mind, and you’re quite good at saying it in a most entertaining fashion. What’s in your heart is another matter. That’s tougher for you to talk about, even if you’re in trusted company. For the next day or so, however, you’ll be more than happy to express your feelings to anyone who asks. Better warn them first, though. You know how you get when you’re on a roll.

Capricorn December 22 - January 19

Regardless of what your more serious friends have advised, you’re in the mood to take a chance and let your intuition guide you -- and that’s an approach that’s never failed to be your best bet, especially in relationship matters. So if your antennae tell you that a talkative new acquaintance will be around for a while, listen up. This person will help to point you in a whole new direction -- the one you’ve been thinking about for quite some time.

Aquarius January 20 - February 18

You’ve always been proud of your friends. You handpick them with great care, and it takes time. Anyone who makes it to your inner circle gets there because they’re intelligent, witty and entertaining -- the cream of the crop. That doesn’t mean you’re a snob, however -- only that you appreciate and insist on nothing but the best in all departments.

So when a friend surprises you, it’s an especially delightful moment. Well, pack some tissues in your lunchbox. One of those moments is en route.

Pisces February 19 - March 20

Speaking of dreams, you’re about to receive a very direct hint from the universe, telling you that you’re headed down the right path. You’re aimed directly at making one of your most cherished dreams a reality -- in record time too. A series of coincidences will bring your attention to where you are and where you want to be. Pay attention to these signs.

They’re really signposts. And when you see a new one in the distance, keep your eye on it.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 8, 2014

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Minister Priya Manickchand welcoming guests at Gravity Lounge.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 8, 2014

From left, Ms. Amna Ally, Chief Whip and Shadow Minister of Education and Ms. Delma Nedd, Permane

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 8, 2014

w Minister of Education-APNU; Priya Manickchand, ent Secretary, Ministry of Education

On Int’l Women’s Day…

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Minister Manickchand hosts luncheon for women in education IN observance of International Women’s Day yesterday, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand hosted a luncheon for women in the education sector.

The event was a lively, beautiful affair that began with entertainment from the Theatre Guild, followed by lunch at

the Gravity Lounge on Camp and Regent Streets.

The Ministry has also mounted a celebratory exhibition of the faces of the women leaders in the education sector along Brickdam. Members of the public are invited to view, note and celebrate these women.

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Warner progresses from short-form cameos to leading man

when he was almost frozen out of the side for punching England’s Joe Root in a Birmingham pub, his quick temper emphasising a reputation as a hot head off the pitch as well as on it.

Knocks of 135 and 145 in the third and decisive match in Cape Town took Warner to 1 066 runs at an average of 71.07 in his last eight Tests but the figures do not do justice to the damage he wreaked in the Ashes and in South Africa as Australia posted back-to-back series wins.

By Nick Said CAPE TOWN, South Africa (Reuters) - From bar room brawler to Test match troubadour, cricketing bad boy David Warner has made a swift transition into one of the sport’s extraordinary talents and brought a new dynamism to opening the batting in Tests.

Once seen as a flashing blade in the shorter formats of the game, Warner has gone through an extraordinary transformation and according to captain Michael Clarke was now among the world’s leading batsmen in the five-day version.

As Australia triumphed in their away series against South Africa on Wednesday with their bowlers grabbing a dramatic win, it was Warner who laid the foundations for the 245-run triumph at Newlands in Cape Town.

The opener, whose talents will be on display in a short Twenty20 series between the sides starting on Sunday, blasted two centuries in the match with a savage performance that laid

Opener David Warner has now scored 1 066 runs at an average of 71.07 in his last eight Tests. waste an attack allegedly the most formidable in Test cricket.

The quick-fire tons won him the man-of-the- match award and contributed to

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his overshadowing bowling colleague Mitchell Johnson for the man-of-the-series accolade.

It marked a remarkable metamorphosis from last June

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SCREWED ON While the 27-year-old still has his rough edges - he was fined part of his match fee from the second Test for alleging ball-tampering by the opponents - he has quickly become a lethal weapon with his confident swagger, heavy bat and quick hands.

By his own admission, Warner has not always had the right focus. “I’ve got my head screwed on for once,” he suggested when asked about the reason for his change in fortunes.

It was a similar sentiment to the one he espoused after a first Test ton in Pretoria.

“Not going out and punching blokes at a club probably sums it up,” he said of his improvement.

But finding the sweet spot on the bat and treating some of the world’s best bowlers with disdain goes deeper than that.

“He deserves a lot of credit for the work he has put in; he is batting as well as anybody in the world at the moment,” opined Clarke, while opposing coach Russell Domingo suggested Warner had tightened up his technique to attain success.

Following the attack on Root, Warner was fined A$11 500 ($10 400) and suspended for a month but spared the embarrassment of becoming the first player ever sent home from an Ashes series.

He denied having a drinking problem but was out of sorts in his three Test appearances, amassing just 128 runs as England won the series comfortably.

Warner bounced back in the follow-up Ashes series over the Australian summer with a century in the first Test in Brisbane, one more in Perth and ended as his team’s top scorer in the 5-0 whitewash of England with 523 runs at an average of 58.11.

The first of three Twenty20 internationals between South Africa and Australia will be played in Port Elizabeth.

Johnson impresses on debut as Guyana ...

From Backpage

tergoon and Assad Fudadin in the slip cordon, when the batsman was 4 and Barbados 11 for 1.

At the other end, Roston Chase got a pair of boundaries off Keon Joseph, while Brathwaite saw a thick outside edge from Barnwell, flew over the head of Tagenarine Chanderpaul at gully and made its way to the vacant third man boundary.

Spin in the form of Devendra Bishoo was introduced in the 14 th over and 10 overs later, he removed Kraigg Brathwaite who was caught at the wicket by Anthony Bramble, having faced 79 balls and hitting two fours in his 92 minutes stay at the wicket, leaving Barbados on 47 for 2.

They reached their 50 from 26.2 overs, with Chase on 25 and Jonathan Carter 4 before Narsingh Deonarine, who was introduced into the attack for the final over before the luncheon interval, trapped Carter lbw for 5, as Barbados took the break on 57 for 3 with Chase on 27 and Kevin Stoute yet to score.

Guyana, who lost their first round match to defending champions Jamaica by seven wickets, struck after lunch when Stoute (00) look to take a cheeky single to Joseph at mid-off and failed to beat the fielder’s throw to Bramble, 58 for 4.

Barbados got to 100 from

BARBADOS first Innings K Brathwaite c Bramble b Bishoo 19 R Boucher c Barnwell b R. Johnson 01 R Chase c wkpr Bramble b R. Johnson 55 J Carter lbw b Deonarine 05 K. Stoute run out (Joseph) 00 S. Dowrich c Permaul b Joseph 35 C Brathwaite lbw b R. Johnson 15 A Nurse not out 29 S Benn c Barnwell b Permaul 15 T Best lbw b Permaul 00 M Cummins b Permaul 00 Extras: (nb5, lb3, w2) 10 Total: (all out off 76 overs) 184 Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-47,

49.2 overs with Chase on 45 and Dowrich 26, while Chase got his 50 from 131 balls with six fours whilst batting for 163 minutes, realizing his 50 partnership with Dowrich in the process from 15.4 overs.

Guyana removed Dowrich who turned a slower delivery from Joseph, straight to the waiting hands of Permaul at mid-on, having faced 68 balls for his 35 which included five fours from 67 minutes batting, in which he posted 59 for the fifth wicket with Chase.

After a quiet period, Chase struck Deonarine square of the wicket on the offside for his eighth four, before he got a thin edge from his 166th ball through to Bramble off Johnson at 132 for 6, after batting for 203 minutes At tea, Barbados were 138 for 7 off 66 overs with Carlos Brathwaite on 13 and Ashley Nurse, who had replaced Chase, 4 and after the break, Johnson continued his dream debut by trapping Carlos Brathwaite lbw for 15 at 145 for 7.

Ashley Nurse, who had replaced Carlos Brathwaite, struck Barnwell for four and six off successive deliveries, while a triple strike

by Permaul who removed Suleiman Benn (15) and Tino Best and Miguel Cummins without scoring catapulted the Barbadian’s innings from 184 for 7, to their final score, leaving Nurse unbeaten on 29.

3-57, 4-58, 5-117, 6-132, 7-145, 8-184, 9-184, 10-184 Bowling: Joseph 13-148-1 (3nb), R. Johnson 13-2-38-3 (2nb), Barnwell 9-3-25-0 (2w), Bishoo 175-28-1, Permaul 15-3-33-3, Deonarine 9-5-9-1

GUYANA first Innings

S Chattergoon not 14 T Chanderpaul not out 11 Extras: (3nb, 4w, 3lb) 10 Total (without loss off 17 overs) 35 To B a t : C B a r n w e l l (c), A Bramble, N. Deonarine, V. Singh, A. Fudadin, K. Joseph, R. Johnson, D. Bishoo, V. Permaul Bowling: Best 5-1-5-0 Cummins 2-0-11-0 (2nb) Nurse 6-3-11-0 Stoute 2-11-0 (1nb) Benn 2-2-0-0

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 8 2014

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Wounded South Africa clinging to throne

By Ian Ransom MELBOURNE, Australia (Reuters) - The resounding thud of South Africa’s fall on home soil capped an intriguing season of Test cricket that has seen the establishment rocked and an ambitious Australia return to court with a swagger.

Starched whites dispensed, the game now descends into a morass of short form matches before the World T20, but the impact of Australia’s epic win at Newlands on Wednesday may echo long after the Bangladesh carnival wraps up.

Australia’s 2-1 series triumph, following their 5-0 whitewash of England at home, has seen Michael Clarke’s team leapfrog India into second place in the world Test rankings.

For this, they also owe thanks to their gritty neighbours New Zealand, whose triple-century scoring captain Brendon McCullum helped them secure a 1-0 series win over poor tourists India.

A wounded South Africa retain their spot at the pinnacle of Test cricket but captain Graeme Smith’s retirement has left the team rudderless and vulnerable.

“If you go back to my era, before the rankings existed, we always felt if you beat the number one in their own backyard you took over their mantle,” former Australia captain Mark Taylor said in comments published

by Fairfax Media yesterday.

“I think using the same yardstick, Australia can cer-

tainly say they are the equal of South Africa at this stage.

“And now that ... they have lost Smith you would probably have to say Australia (are top).”

While lacking the trauma of England’s 5-0 loss to Australia, which saw spinner Graeme Swann retire and batsman Kevin Pietersen sacked, South Africa’s brain-trust also face a period of soul-searching.

Few other teams have been so defined by their leader, and Smith’s retirement after a decade in charge comes hot on the heels of the exit of Jacques Kallis, arguably the game’s greatest all-rounder, and coach Gary Kirsten.

The net loss of decades of experience compounds South Africa’s more tangible problems of bedding down an opening batsman to replace the hard-bitten Smith and finding another bowling option to compensate for

Kallis ahead of a two-Test series against Sri Lanka set for July.

England, who have been dropped to fourth in Test rankings, have a chance to reel in third-ranked India when they host the team in July and August following two home Tests against Sri Lanka.

Australia, however, will have to wait until a two-Test series away to fifth-ranked Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates in October to improve their ranking points.

While Australia’s resurgence against England was largely down to their Mitchell Johnson-fired pace attack, their batting lineup shared the load in South Africa, with David Warner plundering 543 runs at an average of over 90 in the three-match series.

“In Australia it was m o re a b o u t t h e b o w l e r s bowling them out and bat-

ters probably not doing their role well enough (in) the home series but here they were outstanding,” Australia coach Darren Lehmann said in Cape Town.

A tilt at South Africa’s top spot will require sustained excellence from both batsmen and in the field, he added.

Much will rest on the creaking bones of a greying Australian side, with 34-yearold paceman Ryan Harris set for major knee surgery and captain Clarke’s aching back an ongoing lottery.

Opening batsman Chris Rogers and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin will also be pushing 38 by the time Australia make ready for next year’s Ashes series against England.

“If they’re playing well, they’ll play,” Lehmann said.

“If they’re not, they won’t. It’s pretty simple.”

Moyes grateful for support as United look to turn corner

Graeme Smith’s retirement has South Africa rudderless and vulnerable.

Sangakkara, Afridi to meet in today’s Asia Cup final RAMPAGING Shahid Afridi and prolific Kumar Sangakkara have set the stage for a rousing contest when Pakistan face Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup one-day final in Dhaka today.

Angelo Mathews’ Sri Lanka have been the dominant team in the five-nation event with four straight victories in the league, including a 12-run win over Pakistan in the tournament opener 10 days ago.

The charge was led by Sangakkara, the 36-year-old left-hander who has been in prime form during his team’s current tour of Bangladesh, which began with a bilateral series in January.

Sangakkara scored 75, 319 and 105 in two Test matches and 128 in the second one-day international to steer Sri Lanka to series wins in all three formats against the hosts.

The veteran has also played three match-winning innings in the Asia Cup, making 67 against Pakistan, 103 versus World Cup champions India and 76 against minnows Afghanistan.

He remains the leading scorer in the tournament with 248 runs despite falling cheaply for two in Thursday’s last league match against Bangladesh.

“It is great to have Sangakkara in such good form, but the others will also need to step up and rally around him if we are to win,” Mathews said.

“Pakistan have shown how tough a side they are to beat. But we have our plans and are confident of doing well if we execute them well.”

Pakistan, the defending champions, bounced back after the loss to Sri Lanka, qualifying for the final with three successive victories against Afghanistan, India and Bangladesh.

The mercurial Afridi fashioned two tense last-over wins, slamming an 18-ball 34 against India before making an astonishing 59 off 25 balls against Bangladesh.

Short boundaries at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium, where even mis-hits land over the fence, appear tailor-made for Afridi, and skipper Misbah-ul-Haq hopes for another power-packed display in the final.

“Afridi is our main player,” a grateful Misbah said.

“We just tell him to make sure he bats for at least 25-30 balls. If he does that he can score a 50.

LONDON, England (Reuters) - Manchester United’s time will come again, manager David Moyes ensured fans yesterday after writing to season-ticket holders to thank them for their support during a “difficult” season.

Last season’s Premier League champions languish in seventh place in a difficult first campaign in charge for Moyes since the Scot succeeded Alex Ferguson.

Ahead of today’s lunchtime clash at struggling West Bromwich Albion (1245), who beat United 2-1 at Old Trafford in September, Moyes said it took “stronger” fans to support the club when the going got tough.

“If you are a football supporter you would understand what loyalty is. If you are someone who follows a club passionately then you follow them whether it is doing badly or doing well,” Moyes told a news conference yesterday.

“I think at the moment the Manchester United supporters realise there are some changes taking place and they understand their time will come again.”

United have won only 13 of 27 league games and are in serious danger of missing out on Europe’s elite competition next season, sitting 12 points off the Champions League places.

Moyes said his players were working hard for each

Manchester United manager David Moyes. other.

“They know they can play better, they will play better,” he said.

“We need to get back to creating more opportunities than we have done. We’ve played quite well in games but not scored and taken our chances. Teams have maybe defended and counter-attacked and we’ve lost a goal and are having to chase the game a bit more.

“I want creativity and think the introduction of Juan Mata and his interplay with (Wayne) Rooney and Robin (van Persie) that I’ve seen recently has helped that creativity.

“I want to make sure when the creative players aren’t getting goals, or the chances aren’t coming, we keep the back door shut and don’t concede because then we have to chase the game.”

United have not played since producing an abject display in losing 2-0 to Olympiakos Piraeus in their Champions League last-16 first leg in Athens on February 25.

Moyes said the international break has been both helpful and a hindrance as he bids to turn United’s season around.

“It’s allowed some players to get games. Darren Fletcher got a game with Scotland, Chicharito (Javier Hernandez, Mexico) and Shinji Kagawa (Japan) played too - people who have not featured as much as we would have liked.

“But certainly it’s also been a hindrance on the back of a bad performance and bad result against Olympiakos. We wanted to put that right much sooner but the way the league fixtures worked out means we didn’t have a game.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 8, 2014

Participants shower praise on organisers of seminar at closing ceremony

By Calvin Roberts

LAST Thursday afternoon, the 24 participants of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Petra Organisation two-day seminar on Gender Base Violence (GBV), showered praise on the organiears at the closing ceremony.

At the seminar, which was held in the Ministry’s boardroom, the participants, who are all coaches/teachers attached to the schools currently competing in the Petra Organisation/Milo Under-20 tournament, were lectured on several subjects in relation to GBV. Lectures were given by CDC Representative Nicolette Henry,

… call for more forums

Coordinator Gender Base Unit within the Ministry of Health Joy Gravesande and Dr Ertenisia Hamilton of the Focal Point, Adolescent Health Department within the Ministry of Health.

The three objectives of the seminar were: Identifying myths and attitude used to justify GBV; exploring and identifying causes of GBV and discuss effects of GBV on women, their families, society and the perpetrators as a whole, and according to the participants all were met.

During the two-day seminar, the lecturers focused on Adolescent Development, What

is GBV, Sexual Harassment versus Flirting, The Difference between Sex and Gender, Causes of GBV, Examples of GBV and its Contributing Factors and Consequences of GBV. At the opening ceremony held the previous day, Henry said, “Men are a significant share of the victims in gender violence,” as she expressed her organisation’s pleasure at being associated with the seminar.”

“In recent times, there have been lots of national effort to highlight Gender Base Violence and to this end; the Ministry of Health has greatly increased its focus to combat Gender Base

10th Busta ‘Champion of Champions’

Exciting semifinals scheduled for today at Area ‘H’ and Port Mourant AFTER several postponements caused by the inclement weather in the Ancient County, the much anticipated semifinals of the 10th annual Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC)-organised Guyana Beverage Company/ Busta sponsored ‘Champion of Champions’ tournament bowl off today at two venues from 09:30hrs.

At the Area ‘H’ ground in Rose Hall, the home team Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets (RHTGG) will go up against a determined Young Warriors lineup, while at Port Mourant, the hosts face Albion Cricket Club in what is expected to be another pulsating encounter.

Port Mourant, who are currently competing under new management headed by cricket enthusiast Vicram Seubarran, will be spearheaded by Andrew Lyght Jr,

Joshua Ramsammy, Yudendra Harrinarine, Devindra Thakurdeen, Manoj Looknauth and Robert Moore.

On the other hand, Albion, who will be missing five senior players in Sewnarine Chattergoon, Narsingh Deonarine, Anthony Bramble, Veerasammy Permaul and Devendra Bishoo due to national duties would have Jonathan Foo, Kandasammy Surujnarine, Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai, Sharaz Ramcharran, David Latchaya and Balchan Baldeo at their disposal.

Defending champions RHTGG would have players such as national players Royston Crandon and Rajiv Ivan, former national Delbert Hicks, along with Dominic Rikhi, Jason Sinclair, Shawn Pereira, Shailendra Shameer, Troy Mathieson and Khemraj Mahadeo, to guide their charge today.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Saturday March 08, 2014) Compliments of THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL CO. LTD-83 Garnette Street, Campbellville (Tel: 225-6158; 223-6055) Answers to Thursday’s quiz: 00 & 26 (WI vs IND, Mumbai, 1983) 11 ODI centuries Today’s Quiz: Who has scored most Test runs without hitting a century?

Who is the first man to deliver a ball in an ODI at Bourda? Who faced it?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

The Young Warriors are a determined bunch of cricketers who display a fighting attitude up to the last delivery and, to this end, they would be depending heavily on West Indies Under-19 opener Shimron Hetmyer, Kevin Ramdeen, Ishwar Singh, Balram Samaroo, Shaquille Williams, Linden Austin and Suresh Dhanai to get them past the defending champions.

The winners of this year’s tournament, for which the final would be played on a date to be announced and broadcast live on NCN Radio, will pocket $100 000 and the Busta trophy.

Under-15 coaching at Enmore today

THE Enmore Community Centre Cricket Club (ECCCC) will be a hive of activity today when an Under-15 coaching session is conducted from noon.

The session, which is expected to last for about four hours, will be conducted by coaches Latchman Yadram and Orin Bailey and former West Indies fast bowler Colin Stuart.

Under-15 cricketers from schools and clubs along the East Coast of Demerara are invited to be part of the activity.

The 24 participants of the just concluded Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Petra Organisation two-day seminar on Gender Base Violence, pose with, seated from left, Joy Gravesande, Troy Mendonca and Dr Ertenisia Hamilton.

Violence. I hope our efforts would contribute significantly to dispelling hits that are primarily plaguing our society.”

Judging from the feedback given to the facilitators during the session that was set aside for same, prior to the closing ceremony, the participants certainly grasped the importance of preventing GBV within their schools, community and country at large, with some vowing to spread the word.

Some expressed pleasure at the knowledge gained on GBV over the past two days and openly vowed to go back to their schools, sharing what they would have learnt with their peers and students.

“I saw this as a good opportunity to speak to the men, since in most cases, men are the perpetrators of domestic violence even though women contribute at times but is not heard of for one reason or the other,” said one participant.

Anonymity was the key word used during the seminar, but according to co-coordinator within the Ministry’s GBV Unit, Joy Gravesande, it was very informative from her standpoint, since she encountered individuals who were not afraid to open up, especially on topics of concern.

“I have done many workshops of this nature at the Georgetown Public Hospital with Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) and VCT individuals, but I must say that this is the first time I have worked with so many men in attendance and it was wonderful to hear the feedbacks coming from them,” stated Gravesandee.

In his brief remarks, co-Director of Petra Organisation, Marlon Cole, thanked the Ministry of Health and CDC for facilitating the seminar and took the time to charge the participants to take back to their schools and communities

at large, what they would have learnt.

Dr Hamilton also urged the participants to take full advantage of what they have learnt, urging them to take the opportunity wisely and change lives.

“You were very informative and receptive to what you heard over the past two days, in which you took the time off to be here and we are most honoured.

“Now I urge you to use this opportunity to change lives and implore you to use it to the best of your ability. Most persons focus on women in GBV, but we do not give the men the opportunity to have their say, but you did so,” said Dr Hamilton.

She reminded her audience which also included Tory Mendonca of Petra Organisation that Domestic Violence kills and called on all to do their best to stamp it out of society. Bishops’ High School’s Brian Smith moved the vote of thanks on behalf of his colleagues.

Eight races are carded for the Kennard Memorial Phagwah Day horse race meet THE Kennard Memorial Turf Club will stage eight races for its Phagwah Day Horse Race meet which is billed for the club’s race facility at Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne, Berbice on March 23.

The feature race on the day’s card is open to horses classified `A’ and Lower over six furlongs and will see the winner receive $1M, while the second-, third- and fourth-place finishers will receive $500 000, $250 000 and $125 000 respectively. Entrance fee per horse is $100 000.

The day’s activity will get under way with a six-furlong race for horses classified `D3’ and Lower and the winner will receive $400 000, while the second-, third- and fourth-place finishers will earn $200 000, $100 000 and $50 000 respectively. Entrance fee per horse is $45 000.

Three more six-furlong races are carded for the day, one for `I’ and Lower horses, one for `J1’ and Lower horses and the other for three-year-old Guyana-bred maidens.

The winner of the `I’ and Lower race will earn $250 000, the winner of the `J1’ and Lower event will receive $200 000 and the winner of the three-year-old event will receive $250 000.

A five-furlong race for horses classified `J3’ and Lower will also be staged and the winner will earn $150 000.

There will also be two seven-furlong races for horses classified `G’ and Lower and another for three-year-old Guyana-bred maidens.

The winner of the `G’ and Lower race will draw down $300 000 while the winner of the threeyear-olds event will receive $400 000.

Entries close on March 17 and interested owners and trainers can make contact with Roopnarine Matadia (325-3192); Ivan Dipnarine (331-0316); Justice Cecil Kennard (623-7609, 225-4818 or 226-1399).

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 8 2014

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Johnson, Bobb wreck T&T on opening day PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad - The Windward Islands, led by pacer Delorn Johnson, dominated hosts Trinidad & Tobago on the opening day of their Round 2, Regional 4-Day match at the Queen’s Park Oval.

The hosts managed to get past 200 on a slow day of scoring but are merely just hanging on to this match in the first innings. They were sent in to bat first when Liam Sebastien won the toss in the morning.

Their batting was always a bit suspicious. Within the first ten overs, it was confirmed.

With just eight runs on the board, Evin Lewis’ leavealone off Delorn Johnson cost him his wicket. He had the sympathy of many watching.

He was struck outside offstump but the ball hit him above the knee-roll.

Next to follow was Darren Bravo, who has been struggling for runs. He stuck around for a little while but then nicked one to Lindon James and he was gone for just one. At the other end, though, Adrian Barath was

looking solid.

He was one of the potential walking wickets for T&T. But he batted with purpose, seeing out the first session with the help of Jason Mohammed. They batted slowly, failing to turn over the strike frequently.

Things got a little bit easier for both batsmen after lunch though. They started with a flurry of boundaries each. However, on 39, Barath went after a wide ball from Johnson and got a thin edge through to James.

Mohammed then linked up with wicketkeeper, Steven Katwaroo, as they put on 55 runs together. They too, batted quite slowly. Katwaroo batted 67 balls for his 20 before he advanced down the track looking for a single, only to miss the ball and be stumped.

Mohammed had batted well for T&T. He struck ten fours during his 164-ball stay at the crease, and looked T&T’s best batsman. However, he was the first of Alston Bobb’s four victims. He was out for 73.

Delorn Johnson

Trophy Stall/EBFA U15 League set to continue today P L AY i n t h e T r o p h y Stall-sponsored East Bank Football Association (EBFA) Under-15 League is set to continue today at the Grove Playfield with two more matches.

The clash of the day will be the Soesdyke/Grove Hi Tech showdown, both teams notching up wins in their opening encounters last Saturday at the same venue. Grove defeated Diamond United 5-1 while Soesdyke were in more devastating form, hammering Herstelling FC 10-1.

L e a d i n g S o e s d y k e ’s charge for victory will be Kevin Sobers and Tyrone Khan who netted three goals each

in their big win. Support will come from Shane Meusa, Shanon Samnauth and Raymond Khan among others.

Grove will look to Threvon Pluck and Alyne Haynes who scored a double each against Diamond. Akel Forde, Kevin Padmore and Randy Smart will look to lend support.

The opening game at 10:00hrs between Diamond United and Herstelling will be an interesting match as both teams are chasing their first win of the competition.

Herstelling, like Diamond, feature one female player in their line-up and they have both looked good in play.

Indira Amardeo stood be-

tween the uprights for Herstelling in the first half of their game but was used outside in the second stanza.

She will hope to be a formidable force along with the skilful forward Devon Winter who netted their lone goal against Soesdyke, Adrian Sattuar, Joseph Ramsarran, Narendra Ramkummar, Yadeo Kumar and Ajay Singh are her team mates.

Diamond’s lone female, Diana Angoy will hope to be on the winning side along with teammates, Jumo Geroge, Marvin Garnett, Dennis Bascomb, Delon dennis, Shamar Hicks, Godfrey Williams, Omarion Fowler and Vibert Chung who netted against Grove.

At 141-5, T&T lost two more quick wickets. Skipper Rayad Emrit and leg-spinner, Yannic Cariah, combined in a 50-run partnership to add some steel to the hosts’ innings.

Both rotated the strike much better than their colleagues.

Emrit hit three fours and a six in his knock of 28 before he was beaten for pace by Johnson.

Not long after, Cariah followed his skipper back to the pavilion, becoming Johnson’s fourth victim.

Marlon Richards played a

few shots in his knock of 15 but became Johnson’s fifth and final victim as T&T were bowled out late on Day 1 for 222. It left the visitors with just two overs to see out and it was safely negotiated by Devon Smith and Tyrone Theophile.

The Windwards finished Day one on 12-0, trailing T&T’s 1st innings score by 200 runs with all 10 wickets still in hand. Day 2 starts at 10.00hrs Eastern Caribbean Time today.

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO first innings A. Barath c James b Johnson 39 E. Lewis lbw Johnson 2 Darren Bravo c James b Pascal 1 J. Mohammed c Currency b Bobb 73 S. Katwaroo stp. James b Bobb 20 I. Khan c James b Bobb 4 A. Hosein c Lesporis b Bobb 7 Y. Cariah c James b Johnson 24 R. Emrit b Johnson 28 M. Richards c James b Johnson 15 S. Gabriel not out 2 Total:: (all out, 85.4 overs) 222 Extras:: (nb-3, w-1, lb-3) 7 Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-17, 3-85,

4-140, 5-141, 6-150, 7-153, 8-204, 9-207.

Bowling: N. Pascal 9-1-27-1, D. Johnson 17.4-5-48-5, K. Peters 16-6-34-0, A. Bobb 22-2-53-4, L. Sebastien 15-5-39-0, D. Polius 6-1-18-0.

WINDWARD ISLANDS 1st innings D. Smith not out

8 T. Theophile not out 4 Total: (no loss, 2 overs) 12 Extras: 0 Bowling: S. Gabriel 1-0-8-0, M. Richards 1-0-4-0.

Windward Islands trail T&T by 200 runs.

Slingerz/Den Amstel final postponed to March 15 … Fagus General Store and R&K Service Station on board TONIGHT’S highly anticipated clash between Slingerz FC and Den Amstel in the final Stag Beer West Side Mashramani Champions Cup has been postponed to Saturday, March 19.

The venue remains the same – Uitvlugt Community Centre – and the organisers are certain that the hype and fanfare will be the same as it was before tonight’s postponed game.

Hosted by the Slingerz Football Club, the tournament is played as the club’s one-year anniversary, com-

memorating the existence of the team that was recently crowned Champions of the West Demerara Football Association (WDFA).

The game between the two also marks a rematch of last year’s final which was won 3-0 by Slingerz and it also was the first of their three trophies (Banks Beer Cup and WDFA League are the others) that they hoisted in 2013.

Just like the previous year, $500 000 is set to be awarded to the winners, second-placers $250 000, third-placers $150

000 and fourth-placers $100 000.

Meanwhile, Fagus General Store and R&K Service Station, both hailing from Parika, are the latest businesses to come on board as sponsors, joining Double Day Hotel, Star Party Rentals, Nicola’s Bar, Two Brothers Service Station and Ansa McAl. They handed over cheques of undisclosed sums to the organisers recently and shared identical remarks with regard to being elated in not only supporting Slingerz FC but supporting sports on the West Demerara.

Sport CHRONICLE

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Johnson, Bobb wreck T&T on opening day (See Story on page 31)

REGIONAL 4DAY

Johnson impresses on debut as Guyana bowl out Barbados for 184 -Chase hits resilient half century

Guyana’s skipper Christopher Barnwell goes airborneBy toCalvin congratulate Narsingh Deonarine, who Roberts had trapped Jonathan Carter lbw before lunch. (Photo by Adrian Narine)

AN IMPRESSIVE spell of bowling from debutant fast bowler Raun Johnson, enabled host Guyana to bowl out Barbados for 184, despite a resilient half- century from Roston Chase, just before the close of play on the first day of their second round West Indies Cricket Board Regional four day contest at the Guyana National Stadium, last night.

Johnson took 3 for 38 and received valuable support from left arm orthodox spinner Veerasammy Permaul (3 for 33), as Guyana restricted the Barbadians and at the close of play, were 35 without loss in

reply, with Sewnarine Chattergoon on 14 and Tagenarine Chanderpaul 11.

The home team won the toss and chose to field first in the inaugural day/night four day match at the venue, and saw Johnson, who had earlier received his cap from Chairman of Selectors Rayon Griffith, inducing Rashidi Boucher (01) to steer one to Christopher Barnwell at slip at 6 for 1 in the fourth over.

He had the opportunity to remove Barbados’ skipper Kraigg Brathwaite (19) in his next over, but the outside edge that was found, made its way between Sewnarine Chat-

See page 28

Windies face tough T20 Two matches set for the #5 ground, title defence, says Gayle West Berbice this evening GFF/Banks Beer National Premier League

TWO matches in the Guyana Football Federation/Banks Beer National Premier League will be played at the #5 ground West Coast Berbice this evening.

In the opening game which is scheduled for a 18:00hrs start, New Amsterdam United will come up against Winners Connection, while from 20:00hrs Rosignol United will take on Milerock.

New Amsterdam United who are ninth in the points standing will be going into this evening’s game as firm favourites, not just because they have the home advantage and will surely get the support of the Berbice community, but because they have been playing a game better than their opponents who are placed 14th in the points standing.

A win for the home side will propel them higher in the standing.

To date, New Amsterdam United have played 10 matches and have won four of them while losing five, drawing one which was decided in a penalty shoot-out which they won.

The team have scored 20 goals and conceded 16 and have 14 points..

Winners Connection, on the other hand, have played 10 matches. They won two, lost six and drew two which were decided in penalty shoot-outs, but they won only one. They have so far scored 13 goals and conceded 28 and have nine points.

For the feature game, Rosignol United who are eight in the points standing will also be looking for a victory and like their Berbice counterparts New Amsterdam United, they will be at home and will welcome the home crowd’s support.

To date, they have played 10 matches. They won three, lost four and drew three, all of which they ended up winning in penalty shoot-outs.

The team have scored 16 goals, but conceded 25 and are on 15 points.

Milerock are currently placed 11th in the points standing after playing 11matches. They won four and lost six, while drawing one which they lost in the penalty shoot-out.

They scored 14 goals and conceded 13 and are on 13 points.

Heading the points standing are Alpha United with 36 points from 12 victories. They have scored 47 goals to date and conceded a mere five.

Second are BK Western Tigers with 28 points from 11 matches. They won nine, lost one and drew one. They scored 23 goals and conceded nine.

Buxton United are next with 23 points from 11 matches, seven of which they won.

They are followed closely by the Guyana Defence Force with 22 points from 10 matches. To date they have won six, lost one and drawn three, one of which they won in the resulting penalty shoot-out.

West Indies opener Chris Gayle engages in a fielding drill.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Superstar batsman Chris Gayle believes West Indies have a realistic shot at defending their World Twenty20 title but admits the regional side will face a tough challenge.

The big-hitting left-hander was a key member of the side which lifted the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka two years ago, and is expected to be at the forefront again as the side do battle in March 16 to April 6 campaign

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in Bangladesh.

“It would be nice if history could repeat itself but it’s going to be tough as the other teams are playing good cricket at this point in time, and they are actually in good form as well,” Gayle told reporters yesterday at Kensington Oval.

“It is going to be good to get (out of the first round), that’s always important. We’ll target that first and then look forward to the semis and hopefully the final.”

Since winning the T20 World Cup, West Indies have lost five of the 10 T20 Internationals they have played. More significantly, they have lost five of the last six within the last year.

The Windies also find themselves in a tough group alongside Australia, India and Pakistan.

Gayle said it was therefore important that West Indies use the three-match T20 series against England starting Sunday at the Oval, to find precious momentum ahead of the World Twenty20. “(The series) is important for both teams even though England have been playing a lot of cricket but it’s good for us to try and gain some momentum,”

Gayle pointed out.

“We haven’t been doing well in the shorter format recently. We lost a lot of games but hopefully we can build some momentum and we can be dangerous at the T20 World Cup if we get some momentum.”

Gayle will be attempting to make a comeback from injury yet again. He was ruled out of the limited over series against India, and the Test and one-day series in New Zealand late last year with a hamstring injury, and his return to action in February was curtailed by a sore back after just one T20 against Ireland.

He said he was looking forward to facing the English in the series, which also sees matches scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday.

“I’m rested for sure. I’ve been out for quite some time now. I came back for the Ireland game and then got injured again and that was unfortunate,” he said.

“I just have a bit of a stuffy nose at this point in time but I’ll be fine for Sunday hopefully and I’m looking forward to it. The good thing about it is that I’m back now.

Being out for like 13 weeks can be frustrating.”

SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 2014