Guyana DailyNews

Jagdeo lashes back Body of Tuschen man fished out of trench at GRA Leader of the opposition, Bharrat Jag-

The body of a Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo man was this morning

deo, has responded to statements made by

fished out of a trench not far from him home.

Fifty-four year old

Doodnauth Harripersaud, called Naresh was found face down by a

BUSINESSES LOSE MILLION$$ DUE TO FOOD & DRUGS DELAYS The Food and Drug Analyst Department continues to Provide a stumbling block to the development of the business sector and the national economy and its director Marlon Cole is at the centre of it all.

The Department has begun to come under fire from some sections of the business community for delays

in green-lighting especially food imports.

This follows closely on the heels of a very public spat between the department and Sueria Manufacturing Inc.

Now the FDD is reported to have millions of US dollars in investments held up as a consequence of what has been described as the depart-

ment’s incompetence.

Business owners say this has been an ongoing trend by the department with Cole at the helm. Cole has been accused of managing the department like a dictator, not allowing inspectors to do their work but rather, passing judgment over imports.

Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana bemoans crime wave

BUSINESSES LOSE MILLION$$ DUE TO FOOD & DRUGS DELAYS The department has also been accused of singling out business for special delays.

While Sueria Manufacturing is quoted to have said it was forced to down-size its operations and send at least ten staff members home, other businesses are crying foul and calling for the Ministry of Public Health and the administration by extension, to step in.

Business owners told DailyNews that the Government Food and Drug Analyst Department’s approach to treating with some members of the business community can be seen as nothing else but injurious to the develop-

ment of the business sector. They are also are accusing the department of giving some businesses preference over others.

Me a nw h i l e , they say irrespective of the challenges faced by the department, if any, the same enthusiasm shown in processing the approval of some companies should be across the board or likewise, the delays should be across the board.

Businesses complain about the alleged indecision by the FDD, where specific documentation is requested and when presented, requests for more documents are alleged made. Frank Sani-

chara, Sueria Manufacturing’s CEO had recently told the Kaieteur News that his company was facing months of discrimination and harassment by the Food and Drugs Department.

Other city businessmen are making similar allegations. He alleges that the FDD frequently changes its requirements on imports or pursues other unconventional ways of placing a hold on his imports.

One Businessman in conversation with DailyNews said he currently has in excess of $60M in food imports, ranging from wheaten flour to milk products sitting on a local wharf at

the behest Cole and the FDD. Currently, there are several pending Class Action cases against the FDD and numerous members of the business community are calling on the Ministries of Public Health and Business to step in the interest of national development.

Businesses have said that the role of the department is to ensure that foods are safe, sound, wholesome and are manufactured, packaged, stored and offered for sale under sanitary conditions. They say the department is also to ensure all of the above are la-

belled and packaged truthfully, informatively and not deceptively. They insist that despite this is done, the Food and Drug Analyst Department continues to provide stumbling blocks to selective businesses unimpeded.

a statement.

It says while on the surface the agreement appears as though it is intended to increase the price and quantity of rice that millers can export to the Jamaican Market, that in reality, the reverse is likely to take place.

The group says

GREMA was never consulted on this agreement and was only made aware of it after it was signed by the parties concerned. “While we have voiced our concerns about this, to date the GRDB continues to negotiate with these two Jamaican Companies without our involvement, although in the end it is not the GRDB that produces and sells the rice, but local rice millers and farmers.”

“Second, since this agreement artificially fixes our export price to Jamaica above the existing free market price, then there

is a real fear that we can lose our share of the Jamaican Market to Suriname, who can continue to offer rice to Jamaica at the existing free market price,” GREMA continued.

The group added that the agreement between the GRDB and Mussons/JRMCL can be considered an Anti-Competitive Business Agreement, which is prohibited by Article 177 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (Caricom).

In addition, GREMA says since the agreement can result in higher prices for the Jamaican consumers,

there is the possibility that Jamaica could consider removing the CET on rice to allow cheaper extra regional imports of rice into Jamaica.

It says the deal will not only negatively affect millers, but also impact negatively on the livelihoods of our local rice farmers.

“GREMA is of the opinion that this agreement should be cancelled for the good of the industry and seeks Government’s intervention in helping to resolve this situation as soon as possible,” the group highlighted.

RICE EXPORTERS GROUP WANTS JAMAICA RICE DEAL SCRAPE The Guyana Rice Exporters and Millers Association’s Board of Directors is calling for the scrapping of a controversial deal between the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) and two Jamaican companies. They are claiming that it is of no benefit to the local rice industry, in fact, it will put it in a worse financial state.

“The Guyana Rice Exporters and Millers Association’s Board of Directors would like to inform all Rice Millers, Rice Farmers and the general public that they are not in support of

the Agreement recently signed between Mussons/Jamaica Rice Milling Company Limited (JRMCL) and the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) that will effectively limit importations of rice into Jamaica to these two Jamaican Companies,” the group said in

$1B FOR GT&T SHARES ALLEGEDLY UNACCOUNTED FOR During a recent trip to the Peoples Republic of China, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon said he discovered that the US$5M owed for the Guyana Telephone &Telegraph Company (GT&T) shares is allegedly unaccounted for. DailyNews was told that the discovery was made during a meeting with the Datang Telecom Technology and Industry Group.

Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman told a media conference when bombarded with questions surrounding Harmon’s controversial trip to China. He disclosed that the Minister stumbled across documents showing that the money was indeed paid. As such, an investigation has been launched to determine who in Guyana received them money and when. “Indeed Mr. Harmon has provided a full report

of that matter….the NICIL board as far as I know is considering the findings and that will be made public shortly” Trotman continued, “What I can say is that Mr. Harmon has been able to retrieve some documents which tell a different story, that story being of course that the USD$5M was paid…we’re trying to track down to whom, how and when.” He further clarified that the money was paid before May 16, 2015.”

Former head of NICIL, Winston Brassington had said that Datang had paid

US$25 million of the US$30 million for Guyana’s 20 percent stake in GTT and that legal and diplomatic options had been under consideration to retrieve the outstanding amount.

The former head of NICIL has said that US$15 to US$20M have been spent on building a Marriott-branded hotel in Kingston, Georgetown

by Atlantic Hotels Inc; a fully-owned government company.

He defended the sale of the Guyana government’s 20 percent stake in GTT, saying that the share-offer

was advertised more than 40 times locally and close to 30 times overseas and government had written all the embassies and consulates.

He had said too that the highest offer received was US$7 million.

According to him, “We did consider the shares to be worth a lot more. The best terms we could get was US$25 million upfront and US$5 million later.

We had other options which had less money upfront and more money later and so the Board and the Cabinet accepted this. It was a good price, we believe.”

However, according to the forensic audit report that was completed on NICIL last year, the company sold the government’s investment in GT&T in 2012 for US$30 million of which the sum of US$25 million was

tion. Hesaid he is very suspicious about the timing and the sudden claim that the US$5M owed for GT&T share was paid to entities/ persons other than the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL).

The former President is therefore calling on the government to present the documents it claims to have received so that the veracity of the evidence can be test-

ed and authenticated.

“This is not true!Under my presidency, the 20% GT&T share sale transaction was executed between NICIL and Hong Kong Golden Telecom Limited for the total price of US$30m. It was never hidden that US25m was received and that the purchaser was given two years to pay the balance of US$5m. It was also publicly disclosed

by NICIL that efforts were being made to pursue legal recourse

in the UK to collect the outstanding balance (refer to Stabroek News December 18, 2015),” Ramotar noted.

According to Ramotar, the PPP/C administration never had any reason to doubt the word of NICIL’s competent technical staff when they said that the amounts were outstanding and every effort was being made to pursue.

He said claim that amounts were paid, would not be hard to prove since the only

received. It said the balance of US$5 million was to be paid within a period of two years. By disposing of them, the audit report stated government received $5.261 billion in dividends from these shares, or an average of $526.1 million per annum. “By disposing of them, the Government would have lost $1.578 billion, equivalent to US$7.616 million, in revenue during the period 2012-2014.

The purchaser would have therefore recovered the cost of his/ her investment in less than 12 years by way of dividends while at the same time retaining the investment. This calls into question the merit in the Government’s decision to dispose of GT&T shares,” the report outlined.

The report said the evidence indicates that in addition to the disposal of GT&T

entity that was and is authorized to receive any monies from the purchaser for this transaction was NICIL. “One would assume that had NICIL received this money then there would be a re-

shares, there was an acceleration of the disposal of State properties/assets in order to secure financing for the construction of the Marriott Hotel.

“In particular, of the amount of $9.788 billion representing the sale of State assets/ properties during the period 2002-2014, sums totalling $7.142 billion, or 73%, relate to the period 20112012. NICIL’s financing of the construction of the hotel during the period 2010-2013 was $5.371 billion, comprising $800 million share capital, $3.316 billion (equivalent to US$15.5 million) in interest-free loan and $1.255 billion in advances. As at 7 July 2015, NICIL’s advances increased to $4.521 billion, giving a total funding of $8.637 billion, equivalent to US$41.682 million,” the report pointed out.

RAMOTAR SAYS US$5M FOR GT&T SHARES WAS NEVER PAID -says gov’t lied Former President Donald Ramotar is disputing claims by the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) administration that the USD$5M that was owed by Telecoms for the Guyana Telephone &Telegraph Company (GT&T) shares is unaccounted for.

Ramotar, in a statement today accused the government of being untruthful to the popula-

Former Presdient Donald Ramotar

ceipt or some form of banking documentation to show its payments.

Any claim that some other entity or person received this money would also be easy to prove or disprove,” declared Ramotar.

More Beverage Companies want refund of environmental tax Relying on the judgment handed down by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in the RUDISA Beverages versus the Government of Guyana case, S.M. Jaleel & Co. Limited and Guyana Beverages Inc. are claiming a refund of environmental tax imposed on the companies during the period: January, 01, 2006 to August 2015 when the environmental tax was amended.

During a press conference today, Minister of Legal Affairs; Basil Williams said this

will cost the government billions of dollars if the companies are to be successful, however, he noted that the government is more confident in its team this time.

He explained that “in the RUDISA matter, it was noted that the Government of Guyana did not lead evidence to show that the tax was transferred.

We intend to lead such evidence in this case… we are confident that the team of persons we have assembled to be able to testify be-

fore the CCJ on this question of whether the environmental tax was transferred to the consumers…we’re very confident.”

The matter is scheduled for case management on May, 13, 2016 by the CCJ.

The AG further

disclosed that he has received letters from a number of companies, following the most recent ruling in the RUDISA case on July 2015, inquiring about the government’s decision.

The RUDISA Beverage company had claimed that the im-

position by Guyana in 1995, by section 7A of the Customs Act, of an environmental levy or tax of $10 on all imported non-returnable beverage containers imported into Guyana, was discriminatory and amounted to a violation of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (“RTC”) passed into Guyana law in 2006.

However, the then administration argued that it had taken amendments to the National Assembly to ensure that the government complies with

the Treaty, but it was refused by the then opposition who asked for time to study the implications of the measure and to consult with the business community.

The CCJ in 2014, ruled that the Surinamese beverage company be awarded a sum of US$6,047,244 and the government cease collecting the tax.

The current government was able to secure a US$1.5M reduction in a previous judgment in July, 2015.

M&CC threatens to RAMOTAR SAYS expose delinquent US$5M FOR... tax payers He however is of the view that thegovernment’s insinuation that the money was paid to someone else or some other entity other than NICIL prior to the May 2015 elections is a distraction from the real issues. “It’s belligerent claims of massive corruption under the PPP/C administration have yet to be proven by this government. This latest claim is an expected APNU/ AFC political ploy to

appeal to peoples’ emotions rather than seeking the truth,” he added.

The former Head of State believes that the government’s claim of the unaccounted monies is designed to digress from answering the people’s demands for explanations on who really paid for State Minister, Joseph Harmon’s trip to China, the naming of the ‘honorific’ advisors and party contributors, and demands

for decisive actions against the increase in crime in our country.

Minister of Natural Resources told the media yesterday that while in China Harmon discovered that the USD$5M owed by Telecoms for the Guyana Telephone &Telegraph Company (GT&T) shares was paid, and that an investigation has been launched to determine who received them money.

The Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) will soon be utilizing any means necessary to recover more than $2B in property tax outstanding for long periods.

The Council is threatening to publish the names of those delinquent companies and individuals with outstanding tax payments.

M&CC, in a statement said several businesses in Georgetown are failing to honour their civic obligation and pay their property taxes.

The Council said it “intends to pursue all legal options available to the municipality through the Municipal and District Councils Act, Chapter 28:01.”

It said it will include “parate execution,” meaning a debt

recovery process under the law.This procedure is special to banks as it allows the resale of property mortgaged to the bank. The mortgage is organised without going through court proceedings and the in-

proper valuation and re-valuations so that the sums property owners pay reflect the true value of their property.

The issue of non-payment of taxes is an old one.

M&CC last year introduced an amnesty period, offering delinquent taxpayers

stitution itself is given the power to hold an auction for the sale of the property by the appointed auctioneer.

City Council recently won some $300M in judgment against some businesses for failing to honour their responsibilities to the municipality.

The Council is also moving to have

waivers on interest for one month. During that period residential property owners received total amnesty on interest, while companies and businesses had to apply to the Council for between 50 per cent and 75 per cent amnesty on interest.

The amnesty period has since been extended.

CIOG bemoans crime wave PRESS RELEASE: The Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) is appalled at the current crime waves that have overtaken our Country, resulting in the loss of life and property of many hardworking and decent citizens of Guyana. There is a root cause that results

in the behavior pattern of people to resort to such despicable crimes, and the disregard for fellow human life. This needs to be addressed, as Government actions and Policing will not bring a cessation to the current situation.

The CIOG wishes to compliment

Twenty-six year old Clevon Hamilton who was held as the prime suspect in relation to the murder of Simone Hackette, of Sophia Georgetown, has confessed to the crime.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said the man confessed to the crime yesterday and led investigators to the murder scene

where he provided additional information.

The miner told investigators that he had planned to commit the heinous crime since he had walked with the murder weapon on the said day that he had arranged a meeting with the now dead woman.

However, during their meeting on Saturday at the Uni-

the Guyana Police Force for their prompt actions in arresting many of the suspects, especially in the case of the recent burning of the home of Mr. & Mrs. Munir that resulted in their demise. The action of the Police will certainly send a positive message to those

who are contemplating committing any crimes, that the arm of the law is long but sure.

The CIOG wishes to appeal to all Guyanese to end the blame game and to be more proactive in assisting the Police with relevant information that may assist

in solving the crimes.

The public should become more aware and alert, and be engaged in being their brother’s keeper, in order to deter criminal activities in our neighborhoods.

It should be the duty of every Citizen to ensure that all information is

given to the Police, and moreover be confident that there will be no repercussion for doing so.

The CIOG extends our deepest sympathies to the families of the bereaved, and pray that the Almighty will grant them patience and perseverance during their trials.

led to him committing the gruesome act.

He described to the police how he

murdered the woman.

According to him, he choked her, chopped her about the body, then slit her throat. He then fled the scene and made his way back to Mahdia, Region eight.

The two who were separated for some time had constant disagreements over custody of their son.

Hackette’s body

was found in a trench at Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara on Tuesday morning by some school boys.

She was supposed to attend her sister’s wedding as the maid of houour on Saturday last.

The man, who is said to be cooperating with the police will be charged shortly.

a consignment of plywood detected the illicit drugs.

GRA said urther examination and testing revealed an unknown quantity of cocaine concealed be-

tween the approximately 320 sheets of plywood.

Reports are that the shipper, who is one of the persons in custody, owns and operates a sawmill on the

Highway.

This is not the first shipment of plywood that was exported by the shipper to the US, who remains anonymous.

Child father confesses to murdering Sophia woman versity of Guyana access road, an argument ensued about Hackette being unfaithful, which

Three arrested for cocaine in US bound plywood

Three persons have been taken into custody following the discovery of a large quantity of

cocaine hidden in plywood that was bound for the United States (US) on Thursday.

The plywood was found in a 40-foot container that was being loaded at Yarrowkabra, Linden-Soesdyke Highway.

The bust was made when the Guyana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) Drug Enforcement and Goods Examination Unit along with the Port Control Unit (PCU) were in the process of examining

Jagdeo lashes back at GRA Leader of the opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, has responded to statements made by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) in its attempts to defend the tax write-off of billions of dollars owed by the Demrara Distillers Limited (DDL).

Jagdeo, in a strongly worded statement said he felt compelled to respond given the “many absurdities” contained in the statement and its importance of the subject matter.

The former President pointed out that the statement is not attributed to any office-holder within the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) nor its Governing Board, which he believes is deliberate. He opined that any technically trained or responsible Public Officer attached to that important institution would author such diatribe, adding that it must have come from “some political hack implanted at the GRA and who would have played an instrumental role in forging the outrageous out of Court settlement with DDL.”

He said the document “clumsily accuses me of exposing the business of a tax-payer “as well as attempt to have information on other taxpayers disclosed…”.

When it is DDL that made this matter public and other tax-payers, similarly circumstanced and who did not benefit from such largess, publicly expressed their repugnance. In any event, I

will never be muzzled if I believe that tax-payers’ monies are squandered by officials of the Government and the State. It is my duty to do that which is necessary to secure and protect public funds.”

Jagdeo contends that the matter engaged the Court since 2002 “at great costs to the national coffers and tax-payers”. It is common knowledge that litigation is expensive.

However, prudent parties do not settle cases on terms that are absolutely against their interests. The cost of this litigation can never compare with the tremendous loss which the treasury suffered as a result of the settlement.

The statement accuses the PPP government of failing to bring the matter to an end in fourteen years.

But the opposition leader said his government would have never settled any case which would have gifted to any person or company billions of tax-payers’ dollars. He clarified that it was not it was not his government, but it was the GRA itself that persevered with the litigation, noting that it strongly believed that DDL was unlawfully and unreasonably refusing to pay its just and lawful taxes when every other tax-payer

in similar circumstances were doing so.

According to him, “this is public funds and I demand that the GRA makes public, what calculations were used and what law was invoked to reduce billions of dollars in taxation to 1.5 billion with a payment plan that allows DDL to pay this massively reduced sum in installment payments.”

He went on to say “I hope that these mysterious principles will be employed to treat with other tax-payers, for example, Banks DIH Ltd., who are likely to claim a refund of billions of dollars of taxes which they have paid and which were written off for DDL.” Jagdeo said the revenue body has deliberately refused in its statement to answer the questions which he asked. “Who negotiated this settlement on behalf of GRA? Did they have the authority to do so? Was this settlement sanctioned by the board? How did a Court matter which involves the challenge of assessment of consumption tax for a period 2000 to 2006 result in a settlement that writes off excise taxes owed by DDL from 2007 to 2016?”

The public demands answers to these

questions, said Jagdeo.

He said the most bizarre assertion that GRA has made thus far is the contention that “once a debt owed exceeds one year its value must be discounted for every year it remains”. The opposition leader said he understands that the GRA’s statement has caused many tax-payers to start celebrations.

“Many who owe taxes to

GRA have informed me that they will no longer pay those taxes and just await for it to reduce to nothing by passage of time. Those who do not owe have informed me that they will stop paying taxes and by GRA’s public statement their taxes will not accumulate,” Jagdeo added.

He clarified that he is not opposed to amicable resolutions of disputes, something

he encourages, but is opposed to resolutions that are absolutely and wholly detrimental to the public good and which only benefits a few.

The President is being called upon to launch a public inquiry into the matter.

This must rank as one of the most scandalous deals known in the English speaking Caribbean, Jagdeo said.

Body of Tuschen man fished out of trench

The body of a Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo man was this morning fished out of a trench not far from him home.

Fifty-four year old Doodnauth Harripersaud, called Naresh was found face down by a passersby.

According to

the man’s father, Harripersaud, his son had gone to fetch wood.

The man described his son as an alcoholic.

He told the GUYANA DAILY NEWS that he heard a loud noise and when he looked out his son

was being beaten by a neighbor. He related that he shouted on the neighbor to leave his son alone.

The neighbour had accused the now dead man of interfering with his daughter.

The distraught father said he will now have to live alone since his son lived with him and took care of him.

The man who hailed from lot 45 First Street Tuschen, leaves to mourn his wife Anette Sookra and five children.

“PPP asked to rent Red House…gov’t not inclined” – AG The government has always expressed the view that the Cheddi Jagan Reading and Research Centre (Red House) should not only consist of materials on former President and founding member of the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C); Dr. Cheddi Jagan, but all of the former Presidents of the

Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

Upon its assumption to office, A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government had disclosed that the prime piece of land located on High Street, Kingston was leased to the Reading and Research Cen-

ter for 99 years at a rate of $12,000 per year.

As the negotiations between the government and the

opposition continue, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams stated that several

meetings were held last year on the issue.

He said several proposals were made, one of which is “they (PPP/C) want to rent it (Red House), so as to only house the former President (Cheddi Jagan)…the government is not inclined.”

In this regard, he noted that it is his hope that good sense prevail in the matter.

Red House was

bilee celebrations.

It was noted that Guyana has celebrated vaccination week in the Americas from its commencement and will this year be observing the week with activities across the 10 administrative regions of Guyana.

“During the

2016 observance, all primary health care staff involved in the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) will utilise the time to participate in catch up campaigns for their defaulters and hard to reach population. Remote regions in the Hinterland will also be a focus area of these campaigns” the Ministry said.

Health care providers will also vaccinate the general adult population and have simultaneous “in school” vaccination campaigns countrywide.

Other activities include the

engagement of schools in art, poetry and essay competitions, religious activities and walks.

G u y a n a ’ s Immunization Programme for which it was awarded third place out of 75 countries for effective vaccine management, currently administers vaccines for 17 antigens: Whooping Cough, Measles, Poliomyelitis, Tuberculosis, Yellow Fever, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Mumps, Rubella, Haemophilus Influenza Type b, Hepatitis B, Pneumococcal,

Meningococcal, Human Pappiloma Virus, Varicella, Rota Virus and Pertussis.

Va c c i n a t i o n week observances accounts for the vaccination of over 400 million people within the region over the last 12 years.

Vaccines work with our immune system to prevent diseases by causing the body to produce antibodies to fight against the germ, so when or if that germ enters the body it will not cause us to become

built with pitch-pine timber and covered in red wallaba shingles. It was acquired in 1925 by the Colony of British Guyana and between 1925 and 1953, several colonial secretaries resided there.

Dr. Cheddi Jagan also resided at the building from 1961 to 1964 while serving as Premier of British Guyana.

ill. A vaccine contains a part of the germ which is either weakened or dead.

The Ministry expressed gratitude to its primary health care providers for their contributions in making it a success given the country’s very unique terrain of at least 30% of our population living in the hinterland Regions 1, 7, 8 and 9 which poses several difficulties.

Vaccination week to focus on Remote areas

The Public Health Ministry will be focusing on remote areas to improve immunization during the Vaccination Week in the Americas from April 23-30, 2016. In a statement today, the Ministry said Guyana has chosen the theme “GO FOR THE GOLD” which goes with its ju-

‘Multiple people found dead’ at home in Ohio A number of people have been found dead at a home in Ohio, officials say.

The Ohio Attorney General’s office could not provide the number of dead or how they were killed.

More than a dozen officials from multiple state agencies

are currently en route to multiple crime scenes in Piketon, Ohio, south of Columbus.

Officials are not aware of any arrests or an “active shooter” situation, said Dan

Tierney, spokesman for the Ohio Attorney General.

Local schools Peebles Elementary and Peebles High School are on “lockout” - no-one goes in or out - due to

the ongoing situation in Piketon, a spokesperson for Adams County Ohio Valley Schools said.

Why so many celebrities have died in 2016 We are only four months in, but it’s already been a dark, dark 2016.

It now seems rare for a week to pass without a significant celebrity death being reported - from David Bowie in the second week of January, to actor Alan Rickman a week later, to comedian Victoria Wood and Prince this week.

“Enough, 2016” and a more vulgar alternative are phrases people are ut-

Looking at the basic statistics, there’s a very clear upward trend. Nick prepares obituaries for BBC television, radio and online, that run once a notable person’s death is confirmed.

The number of his obituaries used across BBC outlets in recent years has leaped considerably.

It’s a jump from only five between January and late March 2012 to a staggering 24 in the same period this

tering more and more regularly. So is this wave of celebrity deaths the new normal?

The answer is yes, according to the BBC’s obituary editor Nick Serpell, who ought to know about such things.

He said that the number of significant deaths this year has been “phenomenal”.

year - an almost fivefold increase, according to research by the BBC Radio 4’s More or Less programme.

And that’s before counting some of the notable deaths in April, including American singer Merle Haggard, the former drug smuggler Howard Marks and this week’s two notable departures.

But might it just be that the BBC has increased its store of obituaries to such an extent it means plenty more are being used?

There are indeed more obituaries in the BBC’s files - some 1,500 in total - than when Nick started 10 years ago, he says. He adds a few more every week.

But look elsewhere and the picture bears out.

Here in the UK, the Daily Telegraph maintains a gallery of famous people who have died, and updates it throughout the year.

Up to this time in 2014, the number of those in the gallery was 38. By this time last year, the number of people in the gallery was 30. This year, the number is already 75.

At the beginning of every year, the (rather morbid) website deathlist.net lists 50 celebrities it believes may pass away that year. In six of the last 10 years, two or fewer of its predictions had come true by this time - this year, five names have died so far.

This all invites the question: why?

There are a few reasons, Nick Serpell says.

“People who started becoming famous in the 1960s are now entering their 70s and are starting to die,” he says.

“There are also more famous people than there used to be,” he says. “In my father or grandfather’s generation, the only famous people really were from cinema - there was no television.

“Then, if anybody wasn’t on TV, they weren’t famous.”

What makes a celebrity?

Another factor that may play into the impression that more celebrities are dying is that we have heard of more celebrities than before.

“Over the past

10 years, social media has played a big part,” Nick Serpell says.

Hours before Prince’s death was announced, tributes were paid to the American former wrestler and porn star Chyna, who died aged 45.

But the news of her death was not confined to the US close to 400,000 tweets using the word Chyna were sent worldwide on Thursday, and interest peaked in cities such as Lagos in Nigeria and Lima in Peru.

These days, it is far easier to hear news of whether anyone has died than at any time in the past.

Will this carry on?

The bad news?

Yes, probably. “Over the next 10 years, these people will get into their 80s and it is going to continue at this level,” Nick Serpell says.

“And that doesn’t count the surprise deaths, when people die that shouldn’t.”

For the time being, the normally half-hour compilation of obituaries Nick produces for BBC News at the end of every year will be extended: this year, he says he has already been given permission to make it an hour long.

Islamic State ‘forced out’ of key Libyan cit y of Derna Militants from socalled Islamic State (IS) have been pushed out of the key eastern city of Derna, a rival Islamist group has said.

IS “have all left Derna they have no presence here anymore”, Hafeth al-Dabaa, a spokesman for DernaMujahideenShura Council (DMSC), told the BBC.

The al-Qaeda linked DMSC is an umbrella group for local militias.

Derna has seen a three-way conflict between IS, DMSC and forces loyal to Libya’s eastern government.

Since 2014, Libya has had two competing governments - one in the capital Tripoli, and another in the

eastern city of Tobruk.

A new UN-brokered unity government is trying to restore peace in the country, which has been ravaged by conflict since the fall of Col Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Army raids

The DMSC’s claim has not been independently verified.

MrDabaa said that five DMSC fighters and six civilians had been killed in fighting in Derna’sFatayiah area in the past 24 hours.

Pictures on social media websites have been circulating since Wednesday, showing Derna residents celebrating in the port city.

“Things are calm today (Thursday), and life feels normal, the only real problem is there is no cash in banks,” one Derna resident told the BBC. “It was intense yesterday in Fatayiah with the DMSC battling IS, and there was also some bombardment by the air force in the city - today

the DMSC can be seen manning checkpoints throughout the city.”

The resident was referring to overnight air strikes carried out by the forces loyal to the eastern government.

MrDabaa said the city prison that held suspected IS militants had been bombed. The spokesman added that some of the inmates had managed to escape but most of them were later recaptured.

Army spokesman Abdulkarim Sabra said

the air strikes had targeted the DMSC in Derna’sSayeda Khadija neighbourhood and at Bishr prison, Reuters reports.

IS established a base in Derna in October 2015 and fully controlled the city until June that year.

Derna was a jihadist stronghold in the 1980s and 1990s during the insurgency against Col Gaddafi.

(BBC)

wooden posts.

Earlier, Royal gun salutes were fired from each of the UK’s capital cities as the Queen met crowds of well-wishers in Windsor.

The Queen, who was accompanied by the

Duke of Edinburgh, was presented with a birthday cake at the Guildhall by the Great British Bake Off champion NadiyaHussain, who had created an orange drizzle cake with a butter cream and marmalade filling.

The monarch also unveiled a plaque marking The Queen’s Walkway - a 6.3km trail that links 63 significant points

in Windsor.

The trail was designed to recognise the moment on 9 September 2015 that the monarch broke the record held by her great-greatgrandmother Queen Victoria, by being on the throne for 63 years and seven months.

Beacons lit for Queen’s 90th birthday The Queen has lit the first of more than 900 beacons lighting up across the UK and overseas as part of her 90th birthday celebrations.

The monarch, accompanied

by Prince Philip, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, will also attend a private dinner in Windsor Castle.

E a r l i e r, crowds of cheering people lined the streets in Windsor as the Queen took part in a walkabout.

On Twitter, the Queen thanked senders of “#HappyBirthd a y Yo u r M a j e s t y ” tweets.

In another tweet, the Queen said: “I send my best wishes to those who are celebrating their 90th birthday... on this shared occasion, I send my warm con-

gratulations to you.”

At the lighting of the beacon in Windsor, the Prince of Wales, referring to his mother, said: “I find it very hard to believe that you’ve reached your 90th year and I suddenly realised the other day that I have known you since you were 22 years old.

“But this, ladies and gentleman, is a very special occasion and this beacon that her majesty is about to light will also represent - as it lights other beacons across the nation - the love and affection with which you are held throughout this country and the Commonwealth.

“So can we wish your majesty a special and the most happiest of birthdays on this occasion.”

Members of the Army cadet force will take beacons to the top of

the highest peaks of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Some of the beacons are specially built gas-fuelled structures, while others are traditional bonfires or braziers on top of tall

Jamaica tells United Nations it’s time to get with it on ganja

NEW YORK, United States, Thursday April 20, 2016 – Jamaica not only defended its decision to decriminalize small quantities of marijuana yesterday at the United Nations, but also called on the UN to review the classification of cannabis as a dangerous drug with no medical use.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Kamina Johnson-Smith told a United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on drug policy that in developing drug policies, “one size does not fit all”.

She said that while it will adhere to

its obligations under the Drug Control Convention, Jamaica maintains that countries should be allowed the flexibility to craft appropriate laws and policies that take into account other important elements, such as different cultural perspectives and practices, as well as consideration of the health, well-being, human rights, human development and security of citizens.

Johnson-Smith pointed out, for example, that cannabis has been traditionally used as a folk medicine, as well as a religious sacrament by Jamaica’s indigenous faith, Rastafari,

and stressed that “such specific uses are not

the medical value of a substance must be de-

associated with illicit, large-scale cultivation for trade”.

“We contend that the classification of cannabis under the Single Convention is an anomaly and that

termined by science and evidence-based analysis, above other considerations,” Johnson-Smith said to some applause, referring to the existing classification that dates back to the 1961 Single

Part of a coastal cycleway in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro has collapsed, killing at least two people.

Witnesses said five people were on the path when about 50m (150ft) crumbled into the shoreline, in late morning local time.

Search operations are now under way.

The elevated

path was built ahead of the Rio Olympics this summer. The cause of the collapse is not yet known.

No events were planned for the bike lane, which opened earlier this year.

It was built on metal stilts, next to a seafront road.

An eyewitness described the waves as

“huge.”

Two bodies were recovered from the sea and laid out on the beach.

Rio de Janeiro has committed to linking up all the city’s coastal bike lanes ahead of the Olympic Games. Work started in January 2014.

This section of the project was opened in January and cost 45m reais ($13m; £8m).

Convention on Narcotic Drugs.

“Jamaica reiterates its call for the establishment of a mechanism to review the global drug control architecture and make recommendations for the consideration of member states on how best to recalibrate the world drug problem and the global response.”

The Jamaica government amended the Dangerous Drugs Act last year to give tickets for possession of less than two ounces of cannabis, instead of making it a felony offence and create a legal regime governing the sacramental use of marijuana by

Rastafarians.

It also established provisions for the medical, scientific and therapeutic uses of the plant, and set up a Cannabis Licensing Authority to regulate and monitor the allowed uses of the substance.

Johnson-Smith said government is finalizing a five-year national drug plan including programmes to reduce demand for drugs, provide for early intervention and treatment of drug users, and promote rehabilitation and social reintegration.

Two killed as cycleway inRio de Janeiro collapses

Preparation in advanced stage for May 1 horse-race meet Preparations for the Jumbo Jet Auto Sales and Racing stables one day horse race meet on Sunday May 1 are moving along with entries already past the 50 mark.

According to reports, the event which will take place at the Bush Lot United Turf Club (BLUTC)’s Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice Venue has been moving briskly apace ahead of race day.

The six-race programme has on offer over $4M in cash, trophies and other in-

centives up for grabs.

The feature race for horses in the D1 and Lower Class over one mile will have the enticing carrot of $800,000 and a trophy while other events include the Three-yearold race for West Indies bred horses and Open Guyana Bred horses for a winning purse of $350,000 and trophy over 1400 meters.

Then there is an event for animals classified G1 and Lower over for a top purse of also $350,000 and trophy over 1200 meters.

The H3 and Lower race will be a 1400-metre affair with the animals running for a winner’s purse of

$250,000 and trophy.

The organizers have added the event for horses classified K and J and Lower over

1200 metres for a winning take of $200,000 and trophy and the final event will be for animals classified L and

Lower over 1000 meters for a pole position taking of $150,000 and trophy.

The events will be held under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority.

Interested persons can contact Chandu Ramkissoon (6249063 or 232-0633), Irshad Mohammed on 664-1650, Chattergoon Ramnauth on 337- 5311 / 697-1979, Campton Sancho on 690-0569 and Lakeram “Buddy” Sukhdeo on 672-0810 for any detail on the event.

Race time is 12:30 hrs.

BARNWELL TO PLAY FOR BOYCE/JEFFORD SELECT XI

Guyana and West Indies All-Rounder,

Christopher Barnwell will appear for Boyce/

Jefford Select XI in a Softball Match against

EDFA U-17 Finals on Tomorrow

Trophy Stall XI tomorrow at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary.

The match forms part of the Boyce/ Jefford Relay Festival and Family Fun Day.

Barnwell will join Lennox Cush, Arron Fraser, Colin Boyce, Edison Jefford, Alexander Ross, John Ramsingh, Mark Scott and others on the Boyce/Jefford Select XI that takes on one of the best Softball teams in Guyana.

The Trophy Stall team will feature players from Floodlights Masters. The two teams will play for a lien trophy in the Wellman-sponsored match.

The other softball showdown brings together the Trophy Stall Angels against Mike’s Well woman.

The female match features Guyana’s West Indies World Cup Champions, Shemaine Campbell and Tremayne Smartt.

Smartt will play for

Trophy Stall Angels while Campbell will make an appearance for Mike’s Well Woman in the humdinger game.

The winner of the female softball match will pocket $50,000 and a trophy while runner-up will cart off $25,000. In addition, there will also be prizes for the ‘Best Batter’ and ‘Best Bowler’ on both of the teams.

phy donated by Trophy Stall while the teams placing second and third will receive trophies donated by the Ministry of Education Department of Culture, Youth and Sport.

Medals donated by the GFF will be presented to the teams

finishing first to third while The MVP, highest goal scorer and best goal keeper will all also be given accolades.

The competition got on the way on May 26th and saw nine (9) teams participating, Plaisance Panthers, BV/ Triumph United, Bux-

ton Youth Developers Ann’s Grove and Mahaica Determinators and the four semi-finalists.

Teams were placed into three (3) groups with the winners and best second place finisher making it to the semi-finals.

Action in the Berbice Football Association’s (BFA) West Coast Berbice (WCB) League will continue with two matches over the weekend.

Tomorrow at 16:00hrs, Mahaicony will host Rosignol United at the Mahaicony Community Centre ground while on Sunday, Hopetown United face Paradise United from 16:00hrs at the Rosignol Community Centre ground.

Last Sunday,

Rosignol United were held to a scoreless draw

by Paradise Invaders and both teams will be seeking victories this weekend to improve their respective point standings in the League.

According to a release from the organisers, in an effort to keep senior football in the Ancient County alive and with no sponsorship, the BFA members agreed to organise self-funding activities where the teams cover the cost, and in or-

FOOTBALL ACTION RESUMES IN BERBICE

Football action climaxes in the East Coast Demerara Association (EDFA) Jubilee U17 Tournament tomorrow when Buxton Stars Football Club take on Paradise Football Club at the Golden Grove ground.

Action commences at 15:30h.

The Buxton side will rely heavily on the skilful Shemar Scott who will be supported

by Religah Quintyn, Glenford Osborne and Isaiah Lewis among others while their opponents will rely instinctively on Teshawn Stewart, Dion Austin, Charles Ingram, Colin

Hendricks and Shamar James.

Before the final kicks off the third place clash will pit arch rivals Golden Stars of Golden Grove and the mighty Victoria Kings. This game will commence at 13:30h.

The winning team will receive a tro-

der to reduce costs, there would be three leagues - the WCB League, the New Amsterdam League and the Corentyne League.

The release pointed out that the winners of the three leagues will meet in a round-robin playoff to determine the overall Berbice champion team.