September 18, 2016 by Guyana Daily News

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

Squatters Refuse To Move Despite govt's Promise Despite the Government's best efforts to ensure individuals who live residents of the areas who are still squatting of the Government's on "squatting lands" that accommodations will be made for them once commitment to providing housing and house lots, with them being they are relocated, there are still some defiant persons who have given first preference once the right protocol is followed and they refused to comply with Government plans to relocate them. This is the register with the Ministry. case for certain residents in the Region 4 area of Paradise and the Source (http://gina.gov.gy/persons-defy-notice-to-remove-fromRegion 3 village of Tuschen, as reported by the Government state-reserves/) Information Agency. This became evident after a visit to the villages by Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Adams Patterson and officials of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) within the past week. According to reports these individuals are still trespassing on the Government's Reserves despite being warned before to move following complaints by other residents that those who are 'squatting" on the reserve have caused the road ways to become bad and are causing poor drainage in the areas. Minister Adams Patterson said that on previous occasions the individuals were written by the CH&PA and they had moved however they have managed to repossess the land. The Minister said that this time they will be written to for the final time in an effort to permanently rid them of the reserves. She however did mention that if after the final warning they are still resistant to move "the hammer will fall." "I believe that you can only give people a chance if they are willing. We have to bring order to this country, and if bringing order means that we have to remove some of these people, then we Minister within the Ministry of Communities Valerie have to,” the Minister said. The Minister also reaffirmed the Adams Patterson listens to a resident’s concern in Tuschen

Drugs Bond Saga: Govt Is Repaying ‘Crony’ For Political Investment – PPP Chief Whip of the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Gail Teixeira has noted that the facts surrounding the drugs bond fiasco are still unravelling and that there is still a lot more to be revealed. At a press conference on Friday, Teixeira said that it appears as though the government is incapable of doing the honourable thing and terminate the controversial contract with Linden Holdings Inc. Teixiera said that the “the saga of the drugs bond scandal ain’t over yet,” and that Cabinet is endorsing what she believes to be a cover up since it’s the same cabinet that approved the contract in the first place. According to the senior politician, “this is all about repaying a crony for a political investment in the 2015 election campaign.” It was recently revealed in the local media that the owner of Linden Holdings Inc Lawrence ‘Larry’ Singh has a longstanding relationship with the PNC, the predecessor of the PNCR which is the main component of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). APNU is also the senior partner in the governing coalition. Teixeira said that the terms of the contacts have to do with the rental of professional office space and not for a drugs bond. The PPP parliamentarian said that despite the government revealing that the contract was “undesirable,” officials appear to be unprepared to terminate it just to protect their interest. “The government is prepared to continue to use tax payer’s money on this undesirable arrangement to protect their interest and investors.” A review from the cabinet subcommittee set up to investigate the contact acknowledge that government’s Diamond, East Bank Demerara facility has the capacity to store all of the nation’s drugs but maintain that the storage bond at Sussex Street is necessary. Minister

of Public Health George Norton has since apologized for misleading the parliament on the issue of the bond but according to Teixeira, the opposition’s position to have Minister Norton brought before the Privileges Committee and face the penalties for his actions still stands.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

Reduction In Maternal Death, Child Mortality

According to Junior Minister of Health Dr. Karen Cummings, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has compiled information which shows that Maternal and Child Mortality and Morbidity have decreased by half the amount when

Junior Minister of Health, Dr. Karen Cummings

compared to the deaths recorded last year and continues to have a steady decline. Dr. Cumming speaking to one of the local newspapers was quoted saying “If we had 100 deaths by this time last year, that ﬁgure has decreased by half.” The minister related that MoPH has to improve the current maternal neonatal health facilities and capabilities throughout the country. Minister of Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton last year promised that the ministry would continue with the millennium goal set by the United Nations (UN) and bring maternity mortality rates in Guyana down to the lowest in the Caribbean. The minster said that the majority of maternal death cases were pointing directly to the negligence of health care professionals. “We have recognized that we have a real problem on our hands and we have decided to tackle it by taking a multisectoral approach,” he said, noting that the ministry plans to improve the

conditions of maternity facilities, especially at the Georgetown Public Hospital where works are being done to extend its Maternity Unit. The minister said that more needs to be done with it comes to the responses of the health care practitioners, stated that it was brought to his attention that some doctors were more concerned about their shift changes rather than tending to their patients. In 2015, Guyana failed to reach the Millennium Declaration, where Guyana and another 188 world leaders met at the UN Millennium Summit and accepted the Declarations. The goal was to improve maternal health and reduce maternal deaths by three-quarters between 1990 and 2015. The maternal mortality ratio has decreased from 270 per cent in 1990 to 86 per cent in 2012. So, in order to achieve the UN’s target, Guyana would have had to reduce its maternal mortality rate to 67.5 percent by the end of this year.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS Parents, Teachers Praise New Brickdam Secondary Location One week after the reopening of schools across Guyana students, He revealed that the cost of the construction of a new school will be PAGE 4

teachers and parents of the Brickdam Secondary School are satisfied with the new location at Freeman Street, East La Penitence. Speaking to sections of the media was Head Mistress of Brickdam Secondary, Chandrina Welcome-Lee, who praised the new location and the spaciousness of the new building. While speaking to the Government Information Agency (GINA), she noted that she along with her Deputy was provided with offices while her teaching staff was provided with two staff rooms instead of one. Not only are the staff members of the school praising the building but the parents of the students as well. In interviews with GINA two parents of students were quoted as saying, “I just did a tour of the building and the compound and the building here is definitely a big, big improvement on what they had at Brickdam. I am sorry that my daughter is on her way out of the school she should have been coming in first form now to enjoy all of the facilities that are being offered here now.” Another parent said, "My son just came for the first time this afternoon. I just brought him here. He should be in Grade Seven B. My daughter should be starting here from tomorrow; she is transferring from Central High to here....so with a better environment I think the school should do a whole lot better and I hope my kids can participate in that betterment here”. This location however maybe temporary as Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine has disclosed that the government in the upcoming year plans to begin construction of a new Brickdam Secondary Building.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

included in the upcoming budget and pending the passage of the budget, construction will begin. Teachers of the school recently staged a sit-in after complaints were raised by the students and parents about the deplorable conditions of the building. Some of the complaints coming out of the situation were about the "improper staﬀ room and inadequate washroom facilities" for teachers and students along with the insuﬃciency of recreational facilities for student uses.

New location where the Brickdam Secondary School students will be housed

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

The Signiﬁcance Of Eid Ul-Adha

Eid al- Adha is sacred commemoration of obedience and loyalty carried by the Muslim community, as one of the two most sacred festivities of Islam. This year it is celebrated on September 12 worldwide. The origins of the ‘Festival of the Sacrifice’ or ‘Bakr-Eid’ are found in biblical times. The Sacred Scriptures of the Quran and the Holy Bible talk about the noble action of a father with a blind faith in All Mighty, willing to give his son’s life as a symbol of obedience and devotion. This devoted father’s name was Ibrahim. Prophet Ibrahim or Abraham as known in the Hebrew Bible is recognized by his prominent role as an example of faith in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. According to the Sacred Scriptures, Ibrahim was tested by God countless times. His unwavering faith was an object of admiration by the All Mighty. But one last test was needed. The Quran talks about how Ibrahim had a dream in which he sacrifices his son. Even though the Quran does not mention that the dream was a divine command, the Bible mentions that it was God’s last test to Ibrahim over his obedience. Our prophet, then proceeded to take his older son Ishmael to the hill of Marwah, to proceed with the sacrifice. But every time he intended to slice the throat of his son, either the knife turned over in his hand or copper appeared on Ishmael to prevent his death. Seeing Ibrahim’s devotion, God sent an Angel to communicate that his wishes have been fulfilled, giving him a ram to sacrifice instead. From that day Ibrahim became the representation of the highest moral values essential to any person for Muslims devotees.

Eid al-Adha is celebrated in memory of the bravery of Abraham and a reminder of self-abnegation to Allah. The devotee’s prayers start in the Masjid at early hours in the morning. After Eid Namaz, the Imam or priest allows for the sacrifice to begin. The animal could be a cow, a sheep, goat or a camel. After the sacred ritual or ‘Qurbani’ is finished, the meat is distributed to the needy, loved ones and friends. Gifts are also exchanged during this festivity, as well as donations to charity by the Muslim Community. S o u r c e : h t t p : / / w w w. i s l a m i c awareness.org/Quran/Contrad/MusTrad/sacrifice.html

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS St Lucia Cabinet Rejects Bid To End Live Coverage Of Parliament PAGE 6

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

of cabinet. Cabinet is the executive branch of government, By Caribbean News Now contributor CASTRIES, St Lucia -- According to former member of whereas rules and regulations governing the conduct of the parliament Richard Frederick, an unnamed member of the House of Assembly are for the elected members of parliament to Cabinet recently brought an unsuccessful proposal to end live decide as the legislative body. “What business has the cabinet television coverage of parliamentary proceedings in Saint interfering or attempting to decide how parliament business is Lucia. This follows a widely ridiculed performance by new conducted? So now non-elected members of the House of prime minister Allen Chastanet last month, as leader of Assembly have a say in how business of the house of parliament government business, in several clumsy attempts to introduce is conducted?” the poster asked on Facebook. In the meantime, new legislation to the House, despite some sotto voce guidance the composition of parliament itself is under a constitutional by former prime minister Stephenson King. In a subsequent cloud as a result of an ongoing failure to nominate and elect a press statement, the opposition St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) deputy speaker as required by the constitution. said that Chastanet demonstrated “absolute cluelessness as to As noted by the SLP, Chastanet has “pointedly refused to how the prime minister and leader of government business is to appoint a deputy speaker of the House, a difficulty he has imposed on himself and the parliament, by appointing every execute that responsibility.” Saint Lucian political commentator Melanius Alphonse noted, elected member of his party to a ministerial position, thereby “What should have been the serious business of the Saint Lucia creating the largest Cabinet ever in this country’s history.” House of Assembly on August 16, 2016, descended into farce as Pursuant to the constitution of Saint Lucia, the office of deputy former prime minister Stephenson King tried valiantly but in speaker was automatically vacated when the initial holder of vain to guide his successor Allen Chastanet.” During his weekly that position in the current parliament, Sarah Flood-Beaubrun, television show last Thursday, Frederick revealed that was made a member of the Cabinet in July. “someone in cabinet proposed that the live coverage of However, again pursuant to the constitution, her replacement may only be an elected member of parliament and all elected parliamentary proceedings be discontinued immediately”. “Can you believe that?” he asked. Frederick noted that, members of the governing United Workers Party (UWP) now notwithstanding that there has been live coverage of have ministerial posts. The alternative might have been for an parliamentary proceedings in Saint Lucia, whether by SLP elected member of parliament to agree to stand for election television or radio, from “time immemorial”, there was a move as deputy speaker but, according to leader of the opposition, to cease the coverage with immediacy. “I want to congratulate Philip J Pierre, that is not going to happen. “The SLP is not my former colleagues, the other parliamentarians, they interested in the post of deputy speaker,” he told Caribbean vehemently opposed it and they disagreed. “At the end of the News Now by email. (Caribbean News Now!) day, this is the people’s business and the dispensation of the people’s business should take priority over everything else and I want to applaud them for taking that stand,” he said. Frederick speculated that the reason for the proposed change was that “certain people” believe that they are so prone to making mistakes and not delivering effectively that they want to settle for a later publicised edited version. Comments on social media largely supported Frederick’s position on the matter, namely, that Chastanet does not want the public “seeing him making a fool of himself” in a “mockery of the constitution and house rules”. As one poster put it, “It is denying people their rights to information and that is a very dangerous precedent with serious implications for democracy.” Another commentator noted that the Prime Minister Allen Chastanet speaking in parliament on August 16, 2016. business of parliament is not the business Image: YouTube “House of Parliament 20160816 Chastanet Malfunctions”

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS Puerto Ricans' Struggle Against US-Imposed Austerity Heats Up PAGE 7

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- August 31 is now remembered as a day of victory in the struggle against the US-imposed Fiscal Control Board in economically fraught Puerto Rico, despite that struggle having only just begun. On August 31, US President Barack Obama announced the seven members of the imposed board, as part of an extended austerity campaign Washington is pursuing in the territory amid a growing debt crisis there. But the day will be better recalled for the clash between police and protesters during the first PROMESA Conference at the Condado Plaza Hilton, which was cancelled after the violence. The conference was slated to include several panels on the island's economic development under the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA, which in Spanish means promise). Financial experts, business people, and politicians were among the guests, and the conference also included a discussion for bondholders. Given the fact that the Control Board's priority is to assure that payments are made to investors, and that its very existence represents a US imposition that bypassed democratic consultations at the local level, grassroots activists called for action to prevent the meeting from going ahead. The PROMESA bill created the Fiscal Control Board with powers that will override those of the government of Puerto Rico, including its constitution. Two members of the board, Carlos García and Jose Ramón González, were former presidents of the Development Bank under different administrations. García's appointment was of particular concern to Puerto Ricans, since he was one of the architects of Act 7, a law passed that eliminated thousands of government employees in 2010. The first PROMESA Conference was sponsored and organized by the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce, Birling Capital Advisors, LLC, Select Global Advisory Group, LLC, and local newspaper El Nuevo Día. The group Se Acabaron las Promesas (Promises are Over) used social media to encourage activists to mobilize against the conference. Tensions with authorities had begun days earlier when six activists were arrested at the headquarters of GFR Media during a civil disobedience protest. GFR Media publishes El Nuevo Día, the largest newspaper on the island that supports PROMESA and the imposition of the Fiscal Board. Activists from “Se Acabaron las Promesas” and “Campamento Contra la Junta” – the camp of activists located outside of the federal district court in San Juan – used Facebook to update followers on the arrests, including a list of those who were arrested and footage of the event. Since early August, activists of “Se Acabaron las Promesas” were protesting the PROMESA law, but the protest that took place in front of the Hotel Condado Plaza received the most media attention and also criticism from traditional news outlets in Puerto Rico.

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The plan was simple: to interrupt the conference and make their dissent clear. The avenue was blocked by protesters who arrived early in the morning to find the police riot squad lined in front of the hotel. Se Acabaron las Promesas and the youth organization Juventud Trabajadora-PPT were two of several groups publishing live videos. The protest culminated when activists met face to face with policemen on a nearby bridge. In a tremendous display of strength and unity, activists pushed the riot squad back. As officers attempted to disperse protesters, many involved were injured, but some news outlets and commentators blamed the demonstrators. Social media: An essential platform Attorney and activist Alvin R. Cuoto de Jesús filmed several videos that are now published in the digital magazine 80grados. Footage shows how protesters were trying to convince officers of their just cause, and various trade unions and other social movement organizations joined the demonstration. Musician Fernando Samalot published a video on Facebook that shows the moment at which the riot squad used pepper spray against activists. Samalot explained the clash between people and authorities: “One of the most perplexing moments of the day. When in unison fellow citizens finally pushed the strike force after they were being bombarded with blows, the officers responded by spraying pepper spray…It is a huge disappointment to see our fellow Puerto Rican policemen brothers being used as pawns to repress their own people […] On the other hand, seeing your own people rise up against oppression is a powerful feeling.” Conference Cancellation After a long hot day filled with tension, the conference's cancellation was announced. Most guests were not able to attend the event and the Centro de Periodismo Investigativo published a photograph of a nearly empty room inside the conference. “Se Acabaron las Promesas” joyfully claimed victory, as the demonstrators, reportedly around 300 people, successfully interrupted the conference. “Se Acabaron las Promesas” declared that this is only the beginning. (Caribbean News Now!)

Wallposters from the group “Se Acabaron las Promesas” placed in several cities in Puerto Rico informing citizens of the protest that took place on August 31. Photo from Jornada's Facebook Page. Used with permission

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

CARICOM Secretariat Engages Jamaica's Private Sector And Immigration Oﬃcers

KINGSTON, Jamaica -- The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat is ensuring that key stakeholders are knowledgeable about the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and how they can maximise beneﬁts under the CSME processes. On Monday, the Secretariat is convening a one-day CSME sensitization workshop for the private sector in Jamaica. Approximately 35 participants from Jamaica’s corporate community are expected to Joseph Cox, Assistant Secretary-General, Trade and Economic Integration, CARICOM Secretariat attend the event. The CARICOM team will be headed by assistant secretary-general for trade and economic integration, Joseph Cox. The activity is being facilitated via collaboration between the Secretariat and Jamaica’s ministry of foreign aﬀairs and foreign trade.

The ministry received funding from the Commonwealth Secretariat to facilitate the workshop, while the Secretariat was assisted under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and Economic Integration Programme (EIP). The workshop will cover the current status of the CSME; the CSME as a platform for private sector growth and development; and an update on the implementation of the CSME in Jamaica. Some of the private sector bodies participating include the Chamber of Commerce, the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica, the Jamaica Manufacturers Association and the Jamaica Exporters Association. Representatives of the ministry of industry, commerce and agriculture; ministry of finance and public service and the Trade Board among others will also attend. The session is an opportunity for participants to share their concerns and get clarification on issues regarding the CSME. Following the private sector workshop, the Secretariat will also be conducting training for approximately 50 immigration officers on the facilitation of travel procedures under the CSME free movement arrangements. This training will take place on Tuesday in Kingston and on Thursday in Montego Bay. This training exercise is also facilitated under the 10th EDF CSME EIP. (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

Major Gun, Ammo Haul At Claxton Bay: Police Hunt Suspect Police are hunting for man who managed to escape during what has been described as the largest seizure of illegal firearms by the South Western Division police on Saturday. Police said they went to the man’s premises, located at Southern Main Road, Claxton Bay, around 10 am. During a search they found two shotguns, five AK-47s assault rifles, one rifle, one .9mm pistol, 18 firearm magazines, one scope and in excess of 1,000 rounds of assorted ammunition. The gun find brings to 74 the number of illegal firearms seized by South Western Division, surpassing by 20 the amount discovered for the comparative period in 2015, a release stated. The exercise was spearheaded by Acting Snr Supt Inraj Balram and included Insp Brian Ramphal, Sgt Terrence Victor, Sgt Shahid Ali and officers of the South Western Division Task Force, CID. (Trinidad Guardian) These weapons were among the illegal guns found at Claxton Bay on Saturday.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

12 Homeless After Fire Guts 4 Houses

Ten-month-old Aliyah Allard cried of hunger yesterday, but there was little her mother Afesha Noel could offer to her and her 11-year-old sister Aliesha Joseph after fire destroyed their home on Saturday night. Their home was one of four destroyed along the Old Train Line, King’s Wharf, San Fernando which left 12 people with nothing but the clothes they wore. At about noon yesterday, Noel said in an interview they had not eaten and although the Disaster Management Unit provided food hampers, there was nowhere to cook. She and her children camped a neighbour’s home last night, but will have to find a new home soon. Aliesha, who is expected to write the Secondary Entrance Assessment next year, lost all her books and uniforms. The fire was believed to have started at Alexander Gibbs’ home where he stored rice, flour, oil, sugar and toilet paper for Venezuelan fishermen to take back to their country. Gibbs, 49, a watchman, said he left home around 7.30 pm to lime at a nearby bar. Within nine minutes, a boy alerted him to the fire at his home. Unable to say whether it was deliberately set, he said his house had no electricity and he lit no candles.

Nelie Ramlochan, 67, retrieves a plastic chair yesterday which was saved from a ﬁre which destroyed her home at King’s Wharf, San Fernando on Saturday. PHOTO: RISHI RAGOONATH

Jacob Mohammed, Lee Francis and their families also lost their homes. San Fernando West MP Faris Al-Rawi said constituency representatives have already met with the residents and everything is being done to bring relief. (Trinidad Guardian)

Tobago Fisherman Lost At Sea Survived On ‘Raw Fish And Rain Water’ Tobago fisherman Rennie Richardson drifted for two days in the last Sunday around 6 am on a fishing expedition but when he mighty Atlantic Ocean, travelling over 145 kilometres over two failed to return around 6 pm that same day a search party went days, ending up in Grenada. Richardson, 31, of Plymouth, a tiny looking for him. fishing village, said he survived on raw fish and rain water. He He was found by Grenadian fishermen two days later, floating in was rescued by Grenadian fishermen on Tuesday after pastor Grenadian waters. He was treated at hospital and processed by George Alexander, a Grenadian national living in Tobago, Grenadian authorities and escorted back home by two Tobago contacted his relatives to help search for Richardson. On Friday, boats led by the All Tobago Fisherfolk Association. Richardson scores of Plymouth fisherman, villagers and family members has been fishing since he was 14 years old and has been welcomed Richardson with cheers and applause on the very described as a competent fisherman. (Trinidad Guardian) shore where he left on September 4. His journey back home was made on his pirogue aptly named Stamina. “It was bad weather conditions, so when I was trying to come back home, I couldn't make it as smooth, because I wasn’t seeing land and then I come and run out of gas. I feel happy to come back home safe and I want to thank the Grenadian people and especially pastor George for helping me. They helped me out a lot. I want to thank the President of the fishing organisation, Dougie, and Mr Quashie,” he said. Brimming with emotions, Richardson said he never lost hope that he would be found and used all the survival techniques he knew during the 48 hours lost at sea. “I had to eat raw fish to survive and I drank rain water. At a time I say to myself, ‘I had to do what the best is, to save my life’ because there wasn’t nothing I could do again, but is God. I thank God too. I feel proud as a seaman that I made it back Rennie Richardson, second from left, arrives on safe,” he said. Richardson left the Plymouth beach his boat Stamina, at Plymouth, Tobago, on Friday.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

Grieving Father Killed In Rio Claro After a long and unsuccessful night searching for his 14-year- she said Shivani left school to spend the day with the man and old daughter, Rio Claro father Vishnu Persad was shot dead at they reprimanded her. She said the man never showed any his home yesterday. While investigators said they have no resentment and reported to work up to last week. A check on suspects as yet, Persad’s family blamed his murder on a former Facebook showed that Shivani changed her profile name to match the surname of the man and there was a picture of the two family friend, who they believe has the teenager. Persad, 36, his wife Rehana Singh, 39 and two daughters had hugging each other. Bricks and bags of cement laid in the shed just returned to their Mahabalsingh Trace, Navet Village home where Persad was killed. around midnight before tragedy struck. Singh said they left Singh said Persad was planning to upgrade their home. Now a Persad in a hammock and were in the house when they heard an single housewife, she does not know how she was going to explosion. On checking, she found him slumped over a bench, provide for her family. It was the second tragedy she suffered as bleeding from his nose and mouth. It appeared that the suspect her former husband was stabbed to death 16 years ago. Last December, Persad’s brother Bhimraj was murdered and his hid behind a shed and shot Persad. Rio Claro police led by Insp Doodnath Jankee responded, but on decomposing body was found in a forested area off Oudan arrival, they found Singh embracing Persad’s body. She said in Trace, Ecclesville. No one was held for that crime. (Trinidad an interview yesterday that they went to Mayaro on Saturday Guardian) night to search of their daughter Shivani Persad. She said they dropped all three children to school on Wednesday, but when they returned in that afternoon, Shivani could not be found. A report was filed with police and people have reported seeing the child with a 25year-old man in several places in Mayaro, even buying groceries. However, she said checks at his relatives’ home were unsuccessful. “A few months ago, he (the family friend) approached us, and said that he liked her. We said she is a young girl, she is going to school so she cannot study any boys right now. We told him if he wanted, he could wait or he could move on,” Singh said. Last July, Shivani Persad and Vishnu Persad

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

Guard Killed, Three Shot In Botched Grocery Robbery

A Pinto Road, Arima teen has been arrested for the brazen armed robbery at a supermarket along the Eastern Main Road, Maturita Village, on Saturday night which left the guard dead and three injured. Four unmasked bandits walked into Cantonese Superstore shortly after 8.15 pm and pretended to be customers just before closing time. After walking through the store they approached the cashier and other workers and customers and whipped out guns. Police said a mini-machine gun and pistols were used by the killers. Police said before the men began to rob the grocery, one remaining customer noticed what was about to happen and attempted to run. He was shot in the leg. The other bandits on hearing the gunshot came to the front of the store and opened ﬁre hitting 15-year-old Mark Leequay, an employee, in his hip, and a female cashier, Xiao Zhen, 26, was shot in the buttocks as she tried to run. Vijay Maharaj, 29, who was unarmed, was shot

A crime scene unit oﬃcer examines the body of security oﬃcer Vijay Maharaj for evidence after he was shot at Cantonese Superstore in Maturita, Arima on Saturday night. PHOTO: ABRAHAM DIAZ

three times to the chest and abdomen as he sat near the exit of the grocery. His murder takes the growing toll to 319 for the year. Customer 39-year-old Keith Thomas of D’Abadie was shot in the left foot. The three injured were taken to Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope where they remain warded in a stable condition. After the shooting the four bandits ran from the grocery without taking anything. Police said they have useful CCTV footage from the business which can help them solve the crime. Speaking in an interview at the family’s Gordon Miller Road, North Oropouche, Sangre Grande home, Maharaj’s sister Cindy Maharaj, said the family heard of his death while at a prayer meeting at a temple in Sangre Grande. She said that Maharaj was a single man who adopted his nephew and four nieces as his own. One niece, Sulena Maharaj, nine, said her uncle was a “very loving and kind hearted person.” Neighbours also said Maharaj was a kind man who was always respectful towards them. Some of Maharaj’s co-workers also gathered at the family’s home. Janelle John, a resident of Maturita, who lives near the supermarket, described Maharaj as a “nice man.” She said that had it not been for the tardiness of her friend, identiﬁed only as “Mud” she would have been in the grocery during the robbery. “Why shoot the man, he just have a baton? They shoot helter skelter. I will be hesitant to shop there after it re-open,” John said. John said since the beginning of the year, Maturita became “hot” with criminals targeting bars and groceries in the area. John said despite the escalating crime, there is nothing anyone can do as “these is perilous times and no government can’t stop these things because God is coming just now”. (Trinidad Guardian)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

ECTEL Managing Director Provides CWC-Columbus Post-Merger Update

Managing Director of the Eastern C a r i b b e a n Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Authority (ECTEL), Embert Charles, has given an update on the situation relating to the US$3 billion regional merger of Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) and Columbus Communications group last year, and how it relates to regulatory matters going forward. As previously reported, in March this year talks between ECTEL and the enlarged group – which trades under the Flow banner – ended without ‘amicable’ agreement. ECTEL, which was established by treaty in May 2000 to provide an overarching regulatory structure for the Eastern Caribbean states, is obviously concerned about the potential anti-competition issues presented by the tie-up and has been working diligently with CWC since the merger announcement was made in November 2014. At the time, the regional regulator said it was mindful that existing legislation does not give it enough legal powers to ‘stop or impose remedies on companies partaking in mergers and acquisitions in the telecommunications sector’. Having failed to secure agreement with

CWC-Columbus on matters such as the minimum speed and price for entry-level broadband packages, maintaining an open internet, sharing of telecommunications infrastructure for existing and new entrants to provide new services, and protection provisions to ensure customers are not disadvantaged by new services and pricing, to be implemented following the merger, it is seeking alternative ways of resolving its concerns. As such, this week Charles has disclosed that with negotiations having broken down, the watchdog has decided ‘to go to the second plan which is to declare the joint operations dominant’. The managing director says that clear procedures will be needed to Embert Charles achieve this, noting: ‘We have to do same time the policy makers will be the study, we have to do the legal thinking, if the law permits, what kind of work to ensure the evidence – if the provisions can be put in the new licences companies are operating as one, from there we apply the rule of regulating the to address the impact that we were trying to address in the negotiations which we prices, regulating these services.’ were unable to do,’ he said. (St. Lucia Further, he said that with some licences currently up for renewal, it is considering News Online) the applications now before it. ‘At the

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

PM: Major Boost To Help Solve Crime

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said last night despite grim outlook for revenue from the oil and gas sector, more than $113 million will be spent to buy new spy tools for the police service. It was one of the few announcements of expenditure, in an address which focused on new revenue generating projects and international and regional energy partnerships. During his 37-minutes address Rowley said the government believed that with proper management systems and a “can do” attitude that police oﬃcers had it within them to get the job done. The country murder rate has galloped to 319, with the majority of crimes unsolved. Rowley has faced much criticism from citizens for not getting a handle on crime and he recently summoned the divisional heads of the police service to do more. In an immediate response to Rowley address, retired oil sector employee Emmanuel Brown said he was not impressed with Rowley’s announcements. The father of three and grandfather of two, felt the Prime Minister had neglected health, agriculture, crime and housing. “I would like to see a government do and not say. Nothing was mentioned about diversifying the economy through agriculture. He made no mention of our worsening health care system,” Brown said. “What Rowley spoke about with the energy sector would not happen overnight. This was just a precursor to the budget,” he said. Brown said the country wanted to know when the homicide rates would start going down and the detection rate would improve. “We need to know how they are going to treat with crime which was not mentioned.” Brown also criticised the length of time it would take for projects to be implemented. Referring to the

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley

multi-million dollar hotel project by Gordon “Butch” Stewart to develop a Sandals resort on No Man’s Land, off Tobago, Brown was not too thrilled. “Sandals will take very long to unfold at least three years to get off the ground by then, if they don’t nip crime in the bud those rooms will remain empty because we will lose investor confidence and tourist arrivals in Tobago.” Despite his reservations about the contents of the address, he applauded Rowley’s decision to communicate with the country. “It was not a bad put together address. Rowley has to communicate with population more frequently.” While Rowley last night urged the population that they had “a golden opportunity” to capitalise on the government’s confidence and ability, he simultaneously warned of a need to further tighten their belts. The address comes ahead of the Budget for fiscal 2016-2017 which is expected to be presented in Parliament by month’s end. Other observers found that the sting will come in the tail of the budget and Rowley was just softening the blow. Rowley painted a picture of an economy that had slowed down due to low energy prices. “For the last ten years we have been sitting on a crisis in the oil production side and we have allowed it to escape us largely because the situation has been masked by relatively strong revenue stream bolstered largely by favourable prices. The situation can no longer escape our attention and sustained lower prices now and into the medium term should be a matter of great concern to all of us. “It also means that our challenges today cannot be wished away by simply waiting on the oil God, who is supposed to be a Trini, to step in and save us,” he said. (Trinidad Guardian)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

Clinton Cancels California Trip After Pneumonia Diagnosis US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has cancelled a campaign trip to California after being diagnosed with pneumonia. Mrs Clinton was taken ill on Sunday at a 9/11 memorial ceremony and was seen stumbling as she left the event early. Her doctor said she was now re-hydrated and "recovering nicely". Her Republican rival Donald Trump wished her a speedy recovery and promised to release details on his own health later this week. Mrs Clinton was due to leave for California on Monday morning for a twoday trip that included fundraisers, a s p e e c h o n t h e e c o n o m y, a n d a n appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Her personal physician, Dr Lisa Bardack, said: "Secretary Clinton has been experiencing a cough related to allergies. On Friday, during follow-up evaluation of her prolonged cough, she was diagnosed with pneumonia. She was put on antibiotics, and advised to rest and modify her schedule." The candidate's team initially said on Sunday she was "overheated", later revealing she had been diagnosed on Friday with pneumonia. On Sunday, video showed Mrs Clinton being supported by aides as she entered a van to leave the 9/11 ceremony after an hour and 30 minutes. She was taken to her daughter's flat in New York's Flatiron building and re-emerged later on Sunday, telling reporters: "I'm feeling great. It's a beautiful day in New York." She then left for her home in Chappaqua, New York. Mrs Clinton's Republican opponents have queried her physical fitness. She suffered coughing fit last week at a campaign event in Cleveland, Ohio which fuelled speculation about her condition. Last month, Dr Bardack said in a letter that the candidate was "in excellent health and fit to serve as president of the United States". She made a full recovery from surgery she underwent in 2012 for a blood clot, the doctor added. But her Republican rival Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested

she is unfit, telling supporters last month she "lacks the mental and physical stamina" to serve as president. The Clinton campaign has accused opponents of pushing a "deranged conspiracy about Clinton's health". Mrs Clinton is 68. Her Republican opponent Donald Trump is 70. So far Mr Trump has only released a note, in which his doctor declared that he would be "the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency". George HW Bush once vomited on a Japanese prime minister. His son fainted in the White House after choking on a pretzel. Franklin Roosevelt hid his serious health conditions, and John F Kennedy never spoke of his debilitating back condition. The difference between these men and Hillary Clinton, however, is that her "overheating" episode - the apparent result of a case of pneumonia - comes in the home stretch of a presidential campaign where she seeks to tie Ronald Reagan as the oldest person ever elected to a first term as president. Then there are the conspiracy theories about her health some advanced by top Trump campaign surrogates - which will become more frenzied. The campaign's decision to reveal Mrs Clinton's pneumonia diagnosis only after her very visible struggles two days later will certainly complicate matters. Donald Trump, age 70, is not clear of medical concerns of course. The only information on his health comes from a haphazardly written note from his doctor. Sunday's episode may keep Mrs Clinton off the campaign trail for a few days, then fade away. People who would otherwise have shrugged off her health rumours, however, are now watching her activity more closely. BBC Let's keep it in perspective former Clinton adviser What the US p r e s s s a i d Wr i t i n g i n t h e Washington Post, Todd C Frankel said Mrs Clinton had for years been discreet about her medical history and her discretion "made it difficult

for voters to assess her complete health picture". NBC News reporters said the incident had "sparked renewed calls for both Clinton and Trump, who are 68 and 70, respectively, to reveal more about their health". Adam Nagourney, New York Times LA Bureau Chief, tweeted: "Is this hadn't happened, would Clinton campaign have announced pneumonia? One reason why Clinton/Trump should release medical records." Vox News pointed out that the US has a rich history of presidential candidates being less than clear about their medical histories. "Looking back, we now know a number of past presidents and presidential candidates who have actually been much sicker than the public knew." BBC What is walking pneumonia? Mrs Clinton's team say she is suffering with "walking pneumonia" - a less serious type of the lung infection which leaves patients feeling unwell but doesn't usually require bed rest or hospitalisation. Pneumonia is essentially an infection of the lungs which causes inflammation in the air sacs and fills them with fluid. Symptoms can include a cough, fever, fatigue, chills and shortness of breath. Anyone can contract pneumonia, although smokers, older people, and sufferers of chronic lung diseases are at increased risk. There are two types bacterial or viral. Bacterial pneumonia is common and easily treated with antibiotics. Most people with so-called "walking pneumonia" can recover within a few days. Those with weak immune systems or existing conditions can take weeks to recover, and pneumonia can in some cases be fatal. (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 16

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

South Sudan's Kiir And Machar Profited During War - Report South Sudan's political and military elite have made themselves rich while the country has struggled under a civil war of their making, a report says. Commissioned by actor George Clooney, the document accuses President Salva Kiir, opposition leader Riek Machar, and top generals of profiteering. It follows the trail of money with links to the families of both Mr Kiir and Mr Machar. Those named have not yet responded to the allegations. The BBC is seeking comment from them. The report's authors spent two years collecting evidence and testimony on behalf of a new investigative unit - called The Sentry - which was co-founded by the US actor. 'Rival factions of kleptocratic network' Entitled War Crimes Shouldn't Pay, the report has found that "top officials ultimately responsible for mass atrocities in South Sudan have at the same time managed to accumulate fortunes, despite modest government salaries". "Some have been involved in questionable business deals while others have apparently received large payments from corporations doing business in South Sudan." A fall-out between President Kiir and former Vice-President Machar - the most powerful members of their respective Dinka and Nuer ethnic groups - led to the civil war which erupted in December 2013. Terrible atrocities have been carried out by both sides - often along ethnic lines. Mass rape has been used as a weapon of war and United Nations reports have detailed human rights abuses. Some 2.5 million people have been forced from their homes, and millions more need food aid. When a peace deal between the two men fell apart amid heavy fighting of the streets of the capital Juba in July, any chance of a quick resolution to the crisis crumbled. "This war is about rival factions of a kleptocratic network trying to gain control of the state," said JR Mailey, the author of the report by The Sentry, which is a collaboration between The Enough Project, Not On Our Watch, and C4ADS. It says President Kiir's wife and at least seven of his children were linked to a whole range of businesses, and has evidence that Mr Kiir's 12-year-old son had a 25% share in a holding company. It says a company linked to his brother-in-law, Gen Gregory Vasili Dimitry, supplied fuel to the military while he was a senior officer. It details business connections between Gen Vasili and the Kiirs, and says that the two families hold interests in almost two dozen companies. "I was mostly struck by the breadth of sectors in which these top officials are involved," said JR Mailey, the author of the report. "We're talking everything from airlines, to banks, oil companies, mining companies, casinos. “It seems that a very small number of people control a large swathe of South Sudan's economy - and many of these people are also the people that are in power," he said. Mr Machar is accused of dealing with a Ukrainian arms company through a Russian intermediary with multiple aliases. "What we found on Vice-President Machar, [he] had been engaged in negotiations

to sell the country's oil production for d e f e n c e products - for weapons in order to fuel his rebellion," s a i d M r South Sudan leaders 'profited during war’ Mailey. "We also found evidence that a nephew of his was involved in a violent and hostile takeover of a security company operating in South Sudan." New approach Among the many details outlined in the report are pictures of luxury villas, said to be owned by politicians and generals in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Australia. It says both President Kiir and Mr Machar have luxurious homes in the same upmarket neighbourhood of Nairobi. Mr Clooney and John Prendergast, a human rights activist, have taken a practical interest in Sudan and South Sudan over a number of years. Their publicity campaign helped pressure the US government to push Sudan towards the peace deal which ended decades of war, led to a referendum on self-determination, and eventually independence in 2011. Top generals are also implicated in business deals, with large amounts of money going through their bank accounts. Army chief of staff Gen Paul Malong Awan is accused of having close business connections to President Kiir and his family and having luxury villas. The report says Deputy General Malek Reuben Riak, and a general sanctioned by the US, Gabriel Jok Riak, had millions of dollars passing through their foreign bank accounts, despite salaries of less than $50,000 (£37,730). The investigative unit says it tried to get comment from each of those people named in its report - War Crimes Shouldn't Pay: Stopping the Looting and Destruction of South Sudan. "The Sentry endeavoured to contact every individual and entity… in most cases they did not respond," the report said. It recommends using a "new approach to countering mass atrocities". "That involves using the tools of financial pressure that were developed to counter nuclear proliferation and organised crime and terrorism," said Mr Mailey. “We want those tools to be deployed aggressively in South Sudan. In the past these sanctions have only been applied in a piecemeal fashion and we think sanctions need to be accompanied by robust anti-money laundering measures," he said. An expanded international peacekeeping force for South Sudan is due to help bring a peace deal back on track, but there's little confidence the crisis - affecting so many millions of people - will be resolved any time soon. (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Auschwitz medic Hubert Zafke goes on trial at fourth attempt PAGE 17

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

A 95-year-old former SS medic has gone on trial in Germany, defendants are all now in their nineties. after his mass murder trial was postponed three times for health In June, a German court sentenced former Auschwitz guard reasons. Hubert Zafke appeared in court in Neubrandenburg in Reinhold Hanning to five years in jail for being accessory to the north-eastern Germany accused of assisting in the killing of murder of at least 170,000 people. But a state court in the 3,681 people at the Auschwitz death camp. The indictment northern city of Kiel ruled on Friday that a 92-year-old woman, covers one month, from 15 August to 14 September 1944. The Helma M, was unfit to stand trial on charges of being accessory Nazis killed about 1.1m people in Auschwitz, most of them to 260,000 counts of murder. She was the SS radio operator for Jews. Shortly before the pre-trial hearing began, Hubert Zafke the commandant at Auschwitz. was given a medical check to determine under what conditions Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp Construction began in 1940 on a site that grew to 40 sq km (15 sq miles) About one million the trial could take place. On three previous occasions the trial has been postponed. His Jews were killed at the camp in Nazi-occupied Poland Other defence has argued he suffers from poor health, high blood victims included Roma (Gypsies), disabled people, pressure and suicidal thoughts. Zafke's role at Auschwitz homosexuals, dissidents, non-Jewish Poles and Soviet According to the indictment, the SS medic served for several prisoners (BBC) weeks in the summer of 1944 in the medical unit at Auschwitz during World War Two. Hubert Zafke denies the charges, arguing he treated only wounded soldiers and members of the SS. Prosecutors say that, like other SS guards at Auschwitz, Mr Zafke was well aware of the camp's function as "an industrial-scale mass murder site". According to the indictment, thousands of people died while he was there. Teenage Jewish girl Anne Frank arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau during the period covered by Hubert Zafke's indictment. She died in another camp, at Bergen-Belsen, shortly before it was liberated by the British Army in 1945. The chances of securing convictions for the last surviving Nazis have become harder as the remaining Hubert Zafke appeared in court on Monday in a wheelchair(GETTY IMAGES)

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 18

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

Australia Rugby League Player Dies After Tackle

A 28-year-old man has died in hospital after being tackled during an amateur rugby league game in rural Australia. Officials attempted to resuscitate Grant Cook after he collapsed on the field on Sunday in Murwillumbah, in New South Wales. The father-of-two was flown to Gold Coast University Hospital but died from his injuries overnight. His wife, Colleen, said that Mr Cook's sudden death has "left a huge hole" in her heart. Mr Cook - who had played rugby league all his life - received a head injury and went into cardiac arrest as a result of the tackle, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported. It said that New South Wales police were investigating the incident and were reviewing footage from the game before submitting a report to the coroner. Police say that Mr Cook was injured just before half time and collapsed shortly afterwards. The attempt to resuscitate him was made before paramedics arrived. Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League (NRRRL)'s Brian Rix was quoted by ABC News as saying that that Mr Cook required CPR on the side of the field after going "into some sort of fit or convulsion". “He had to leave the field because he didn't feel great, he sat on the bench before he started to feel even worse," Mr Rix said. "My beautiful husband Grant is now an angel watching over us," Colleen Cook wrote on Facebook. "Life can be so cruel. He has left a huge hole in my heart and I know all the family, especially his parents, are hurting trying to understand this tragedy." Social media reaction "[My husband] died doing something he loved so passionately, and I guess that's how I have to look at it." (Colleen Cook on Facebook) "Country Rugby League (CRL) send their sincere condolences to the family and friends of 28-year-old Grant Cook who tragically passed away whilst playing for the Murwillumbah Mustangs Rugby League Club. CRL will be offering

counselling to the family and both teams who participated in the Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League match." (CRL media release) "It is with a very heavy heart that we wake up today, hearing the news of the passing of Grant Cook. Grant has been a member of the Giants family since he was a Jnr Giant, playing, coaching and being a committee member. No words can describe the sadness we are feeling." (Mullumbimby Giants Rugby League on Facebook) Mr Cook, from the Gold Coast, had been playing for the Murwillumbah Mustangs in a game against the Casino Cougars. His death comes amid increasing international concern about tackling safety in rugby union and rugby league, along with evidence released earlier this year of the link between head injuries received in the sport and dementia. The last Australian to die playing the game was in June 2015, when Sunshine Coast Falcons front-row forward James Ackerman, 25, suﬀered a head injury in a tackle during a Queensland Cup match against the Norths Devils and later died in hospital. (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 19

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

Mh370 Search: New Debris In Madagascar Includes 'Burnt Parts’

family and both teams who participated in the Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League match." (CRL media release) "It is with a very heavy heart that we wake up today, hearing the news of the passing of Grant Cook. Grant has been a member of the Giants family since he was a Jnr Giant, playing, coaching and being a committee member. No words can describe the sadness we are feeling." (Mullumbimby Giants Rugby League on Facebook) Mr Cook, from the Gold Coast, had been playing for the Murwillumbah Mustangs in a game against the Casino Cougars. His death comes amid increasing international concern about tackling safety in rugby union and rugby league, along with evidence released earlier this year of the link between head injuries received in the sport and dementia. The last Australian to die playing the game was in June 2015, when Sunshine Coast Falcons front-row forward James Ackerman, 25, suﬀered a head injury in a tackle during a Queensland Cup match against the Norths Devils and later died in hospital. (BBC)

Mr Gibson says it is unclear if alleged burn marks were caused by ﬁre before or after the crash(BLAINE GIBSON)

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 20

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

N Korea Ready For Another Nuclear Test, Says South

Friday's test is believed to have been the most powerful nuclear blast by the North so far(GOOGLE)

South Korean officials have said North Korea could be ready to conduct another nuclear test at any time. The North conducted its fifth underground nuclear test on Friday, thought to be its most powerful yet. A defence ministry spokesman said there was still an unused tunnel at the Punggye-ri test site which could be used for a sixth explosion at any time. Friday's widely condemned test has ratcheted up tension and led to fierce rhetoric from South Korea. On Sunday, one South Korean military source told the Yonhap news agency that Pyongyang, North Korea's capital, could be annihilated if it showed any signs of mounting a nuclear attack. While doubts remain over North Korea's claim that it can now

mount nuclear warheads on ballistic rockets - meaning it can carry out a nuclear attack - experts say the recent progress is worrying. On Monday, Yonhap cited an unnamed government source as saying reports indicated the North had ﬁnished preparations for a further test, in previously unused tunnel at the Punggye-ri site deep underneath mountains in the north-east. “Intelligence authorities in Seoul and Washington are keeping close tabs," the unnamed government oﬃcial was quoted as saying. Moon Sang-gyun, a defence ministry spokesperson, later gave a similar statement to reporters. He would not give further details citing security reasons. The BBC's Stephen Evans in Seoul says it is unlikely to happen immediately, as Pyongyang's scientists will want to study the results of the recent test, but a sixth test could be weeks or months away. The UN Security Council has already agreed to start drawing up new sanctions against North Korea, something the North called "laughable". Pyongyang has carried out two nuclear tests this year, as well as several tests of powerful missiles. Both are banned by existing sanctions. On Monday, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported that North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yongho had arrived in Beijing. China is North Korea's main ally and trading partner, but has grown increasingly intolerant of its military actions and Kim Jong-un's aggressive rhetoric. China's support for toughened sanctions is crucial if they are to have any impact. (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 21

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

Belarus Election: Opposition Wins At Least One Seat In Rare Gain

At least one opposition candidate has won a seat in nearly 4% in 2015. parliamentary elections in Belarus, its first representation in the Belarus profile Belarus, with seven million voters, in October chamber for 12 years. The Electoral Commission said Anna 2015 held its fifth presidential election in 21 years - and each Kanopatskaya of the United Civil Party (UCP) won one of the time Alexander Lukashenko won The president has not polled 110 seats being contested in the lower house. Lawmakers loyal less than 75% in any of the five elections Of the three to hard-line President Alexander Lukashenko are expected to challengers, two were regarded as "technical" pro-Lukashenko occupy most remaining seats. Opposition candidates were able candidates The only woman among them, Tatsiana to enter more easily than earlier votes. The opposition's Karatkevich, was an activist disowned by almost all opposition participation in the election is a concession to Western calls for parties except her own Tell the Truth movement (BBC) more transparency in Belarus, correspondents say. External monitors were also given access to the vote count. Observers from the Commonwealth of Independent States - a grouping of former Soviet republics - said the elections were open and transparent. However, UCP deputy leader Lev Margolin told the BBC he did not consider the polls to be fair. During the election campaign, he said, a number of opposition candidates had faced media censorship and that, although speeches had been recorded for broadcast, they were not shown. There were also big questions about how the local electoral commission had been formed and the counting process itself, Mr Margolin added. Members of the local Of the 448 candidates competing in September's election, 200 were from opposition parties(REUTERS) electoral commission count ballots at a polling station after a parliamentary election in Minsk (11 September 2016) Relations between the West and Belarus have warmed since the president freed all remaining political prisoners after his landslide re-election in October and his move to host peace talks between Ukraine and Russia. The president, in power since 1994, has kept Belarus strategically close to Russia but the relationship became more strained following Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 - since then he has made overtures to the West. Independent candidate Elena Anisim, who has links to the opposition, was also reported to have been elected. "We've done everything so that there aren't complaints from the Western side. We accommodated their requests," President Lukashenko told reporters after casting his vote on Sunday in Minsk. The last parliamentary elections in 2012 were boycotted by the two main opposition parties. Of the 448 candidates running this time, 200 were from opposition parties. The European Union ended five years of sanctions against Belarus in February, while the US has also relaxed some of its restrictions, saying that more will be dropped if Sunday's vote is fairly handled by the authorities. An economic downturn in Russia allied to declining energy prices and sanctions have battered former Soviet countries including Belarus, where the economy retracted by

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 22

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

Shot Girl Mary Shipstone's Safe House Revealed by Solicitor Error

The address of a girl fatally shot on her doorstep by her estranged father was accidentally sent to him by her mother's solicitor, it has emerged. Mary Shipstone, aged seven, was shot as she returned to the safe house in East Sussex in 2014 with her mother. Yasser Alromisse shot her in the head and then turned the gun on himself. Mary's mother told police her solicitor had inadvertently sent her address to him in legal papers, a serious case review said. The young girl died later in hospital. The review, which was published in March but not publicised, also revealed there was evidence or strong suspicion that details of her previous addresses or identity were given to Alromisse by other organisations including a bank and the Child Support Agency. 'Covert methods' But the review concluded no-one could have predicted or prevented the killing of the young girl, referred to as Child P, in Northiam. And it said there was no evidence Alromisse found the pair through inadvertent disclosures of information. The report said: "It has not been possible to establish exactly when and how he found out where Child P was living." A spokesman for the East Sussex Local Safeguarding Children board (LSCB) said: "The father planned and carried out the killing in a secretive way, using the internet and a range of covert methods to trace the family and obtain the means to carry out the murder. "There is no evidence that any professional involved with the family prior to these tragic events was aware of this activity. "Based on the review, the LSCB concludes that no professional could have prevented him doing what he did." He said the LSCB found professionals responded diligently to reports of domestic violence, which were taken seriously and responded to appropriately, but also found areas for improvement. The report made a series of recommendations including seeking assurances from agencies that systems were in place for dealing with information about vulnerable people that should not be revealed. The report said the attack was "calculated to deprive the mother of her child while at the same time leaving her with a permanent memory of her death". It also said Ms Shipstone believed her estranged husband killed their daughter because he feared being denied contact after a new round of court hearings. At an inquest last year, East Sussex coroner Alan Craze said the act of violence had been "premeditated over a long period of time". 'No signiﬁcant failings' When oﬃcials published the report in March, they did not issue further statements on it.

The LSCB said it was required to publish the report and "that is what we have done". In a statement, it said: "We would only consider more proactive publicity, and we have done this previously, if we felt there was a signiﬁcant issue of public interest that we wanted to make. "In this case, we have concluded professionals could not have prevented this tragic outcome, and the recommendations we have made are simply for improving professional process rather than addressing any signiﬁcant failing that the public needs to be aware of." (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 23

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

India Muslim Women 'Raped' In Fatal Attack 'Over Beefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

An Indian woman has said that she and her 14-year-old cousin were gang raped and two relatives murdered, after being accused of being Muslims who ate beef. The woman, 20, told the BBC that four men carried out the attack in northern Haryana state two weeks ago. She denied consuming beef. She said the men beat her uncle and aunt to death in their home in Mewat. Many Hindus consider cows sacred and the slaughter of the animal is banned in several states, including Haryana. The suspects have been arrested and charged with rape and murder. However police have told reporters that there is no evidence to suggest that cow protection groups were involved in the attack.

Although the alleged rape took place two weeks ago, news of the incident has only just come out. "They [the accused men] said that we ate cow meat and that is why we were being disgraced [raped]. They even threatened to kill me and my family if we ever told anybody what happened to us," the woman told BBC Urdu. Muslim-dominated Mewat district, 100km (62 miles) from the capital Delhi, recently made headlines after a senior oďŹ&#x192;cial told reporters that police would check dishes of mutton biryani to ensure they did not contain beef. The latest attack has increased tensions. Rape and gender crimes have been in the

spotlight in India in recent years after the brutal gang rape and murder of a student in 2012 in Delhi. In response, tough new anti-rape laws were introduced in the country. However, brutal sexual attacks against women and children continue to be reported across the country. (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 24

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

Syria War: Cessation Of Hostilities Due To Start At Sunset

A cessation of hostilities is due to start in Syria at sunset on Monday, after a weekend of air strikes. The 10-day truce is due to be followed by co-ordinated US-Russian air strikes against jihadist militants. Syrian state media reported that President Bashar al-Assad had welcomed the deal, which was reached late on Friday in Geneva after months of talks between Russia and the US. But it is unclear whether rebel factions will abide by it. The Free Syrian Army group has written to the United States administration saying that while it would "co-operate positively" with the ceasefire, it was concerned it would benefit the government. Another major rebel group, the hardline Islamist Ahrar al-Sham, has rejected deal. "A rebellious people who have fought and suffered for six years cannot accept half-solutions," said its second-in-command, Ali al-Omar, in a video statement. But the group's commander stopped short of explicitly saying it would not abide by its terms. And President Assad, speaking hours before the ceasefire was due to start, said the Syrian state was still "determined to recover every area from the terrorists, and to rebuild". Even before the ceasefire comes into effect there are signs of problems with the plan. Armed opposition groups have formed alliances to fight the Syrian army. They range from groups supported by the Americans and their allies to ones that have had links with al-Qaeda. The ceasefire calls on US backed groups to separate from the others. They're reluctant to do so - one saying they're in the same trench, with joint operations rooms. That is just one part of a complicated agreement that might crack open when it comes up against the realities of the Syrian war. Countdown to ceasefire Ahead of the ceasefire, the Syrian government carried out heavy air strikes in several rebel areas over the weekend, killing about 100 people. Russian warplanes have also been in action in the provinces of Idlib and Aleppo, say Syrian activists. Such intensification of violence has occurred before other, aborted, ceasefires in Syria.. "We hope there will be a ceasefire so that civilians can get a break. The shelling goes on night and day, there are targeted killings, besieged cities," said Abu Abdullah, who lives in Aleppo's rebel-held east. "Civilians have no hope anymore." Under the plan, Syrian government forces will halt combat missions in specified opposition-held areas. Russia and the US will then establish a joint centre to combat jihadist groups, including so-called Islamic State and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (known until recently as the Nusra Front).

The conflict in Syria, which began with an uprising against Mr Assad, has raged for five years and claimed the lives of more than a quarter of a million people. More than 4.8m have fled abroad, and an estimated 6.5m others have been displaced within the country, the UN says. If the truce holds... Jihadist groups like so-called Islamic State and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham face the joint might of the Russian and US air forces Moderate rebels and civilians in the areas they hold will no longer face the threat of indiscriminate air strikes such as barrel-bombing although the Syrian air force will not be grounded completely; aid deliveries will be allowed to areas currently under siege President Assad will be in a stronger position as the US and Russia engage two of his most effective military opponents while moderate rebels observe the truce with his forces February 2012: Syrian government "categorically rejects" an Arab League plan calling for a joint Arab-UN peacekeeping mission June 2012/January 2014/January 2016: Three failed UN-sponsored peace conferences in Geneva September 2013: Kerry and Lavrov negotiate a deal to strip the Syrian government of its chemical weapons in return for the US backing away from air strikes. Since then, the government has again and repeatedly been accused of using toxic chemicals against rebel-held areas February 2016: World powers agree in Munich on a nationwide "cessation of hostilities" in Syria excluding jihadist groups. There is no agreement on any joint US-Russian operations. The "pause" quickly unravels as Assad promises to regain control of the whole country March 2016: President Vladimir Putin declares "mission accomplished" in Syria and orders removal of "main part" of Russia's air army in Syria. Russian air strikes have continued ever since (BBC)

LOCAL PAGE 27

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

Rice Mill Employee Granted Bail On Armed Robbery, Escaping Custody Charges Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan today granted Rice Mill worker, Theodore King, $50,000 bail after he appeared before her in the Georgetown Magistrate's Court charged with one count of robbery underarms and one count of escaping police custody. King will make his next appearance in court on October 6, 2016. The 41 year-old La Penitence resident was not represented and initially pleaded guilty with an explanation in which he denied committing the robbery but in fact blamed it on his sister whom he said is trying to get him arrested since they have a family grievance over a piece of land. After hearing the explanation, the Magistrate entered a not guilty plea on behalf of the accused for both charges. The prosecution did not object to bail and King was placed on a bond to keep the peace. It is alleged that on August 13, 2016 at around 13:00 hrs King while armed with a knife, King attacked Angelica Seeraj and robbed her of two gold bands valued $100,000 total before making his escape. It is further alleged that on August 27, 2016 whist being in police custody at the Brickdam Police Station, charged with the oﬀence of robbery underarms, King escaped.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

The irate vendors protested the oﬃce of Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan They shouted: “We want justice! Royston King must go!” The vendors eventually returned to the location. King has come in for heavy criticism since assuming the post of Town Clerk. He is accused of acting in haste and without consulting with vendors when making decisions.

Town Clerk, Royston King

APNU Councillors Wants Town Clerk To Go! Councillors representing the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) are s calling for the removal of Town Clerk Royston King. The call was made today at the Statutory meeting of the Mayor and City Council, which is ongoing at City Hall. Mayor Patricia Chase Green told the Councillors that there must be legitimate reasons why the Councillors want the Town Clerk to be removed. She further told the Councillors that if the Town Clerk cannot manage the office then the council can manage him. She further reiterated that the council is govern by the law. Recently there were calls by vendors and members of society for the Town Clerk to demit office. Last week, without notification, King and his security team pounced upon the greens vendors of the Bourda market area along Robb Street, between Alexander and Bourda Street. He told them that “as of now” they would have to cease vending there, until further notice. According to reports, the vendors were removed because of the unsanitary condition outside of Mike’s Pharmacy, the area in which they ply their trade.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Former AG To Challenge Drug COI Visits Region Seven – 16 Schools Bond Deal In High Court P a r t i c i p a t e I n D i s c u s s i o n s Former Attorney General and executive member of the opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Anil Nandlall said there are plans to ﬁle legal action to have the controversial drug bond deal between the Ministry of Health and Linden Holdings Inc. scraped. Despite the fact that the government is preparing to cut short the “undesirable” rental of a pharmaceutical bond the company, Nandlall maintains that the contract between the Health Ministry and Lawrence “Larry” Singh, who is a member of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) is illegal on several grounds. Speaking to a local online news house, Nandlall said, “My position is that the contract is unlawful and an unlawful contract must not stand.” When asked why take legal action now even after government has already recognized that it has erred, Nandlall was quoted as saying, “there is only one remedial action that is available and that is to end the unlawful act.” “The government should terminate the contract and apologise to the public. That is the redeeming thing to do,” he said. This comes after a private citizen, Majeed Hussain [Nandlall’s client] had deliver an ultimatum to Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Trevor Thomas threatening legal action if the contract was not rescinded by September 13 (today). Nandlall said the bond deal agreement was inked outside of and in violation of the Procurement Act because the rental is above the legal threshold. “It is as if the contract never occurred so the question of breach of contract cannot arise. One cannot sue for breach of a contract that is tainted with illegality,” he said. The Attorneyat-Law argued that the building was purchased for GYD$25 million is now being rented to government for GYD$12.5 million per month. “The law will never countenance such an exercise of indiscretion. That is an abuse of power,” he said. Nandlall said the rental agreement incorrectly refers to the Ministry of Health as a statutory body corporate. Instead the contract should have been between Linden Holding and the Government of Guyana or an agency of the State that has a “corporate personality and has the capacity to contract.” The former Minister of Legal Aﬀairs said the government’s latest public position that the agreement is “undesirable” was merely a halfhearted response to public pressure and outcry. “This government is shifting its position based on public criticisms,” at one time said it would continue with the contract.”

Former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall

On September 2, 2016, head teachers, teachers, parents, officials from the Region Seven Department of Education had their say as the Inquiry into the education system continues. Representatives from several schools across the Region were present at the meeting to make their contributions to the Commission of Inquiry (COI). The consultation was held at the Kamarang Primary School. Some of the schools and communities represented included Phillipai, Kako, Jawalla, Waramadong, Quebanang Wax Creek, Paruima, and Imbaimadai. COI chairman, Ed Caesar, in his opening remarks, briefed the gathering, which also included the community’s doctor and law enforcement officers, of the significance of the COI to the strengthening of the Ministry’s Strategic Plan, also referred to as the Education Sector Plan. “We have to hear from our brothers and sisters about how the education system affects them. Nothing is too small or too big to talk about,” Mr. Caesar stated. Explaining the link between an effective education system and the role of all, Mr. Caesar said that, “we want the country to prosper but it cannot happen unless the education system so facilitates.” This is the first hinterland region’s stakeholders that the COI has engaged thus far. A number of issues affecting the delivery of education in the Region were raised with the Commission. Several speakers stated that the pupil-teacher ratio ‘was too high’ and did not allow for effective supervision. A recommendation was made for the Nursery level teacher-pupil ratio to be 1:15; Primary 1:20; and Secondary 1:30. Calls were made for the Ministry to bring secondary schools in the Region up to par with those on the coast by ensuring that the curriculum includes technical subjects such as Home Economics, Wood Working, and Information Technology. Other recommendations included the need for welfare officers to cater to the needs of both teachers and students; disbursement of benefits before retirement age; introduction of Amerindian languages in the school’s curriculum; more support to address the high cost of living in the Region; need for special education teachers; and opportunities be presented to allow persons to pursue studies at the University of Guyana via the distance mode. Meanwhile, Regional Education Officer (R.Ed.O), Mr. Charles Holmes, in highlighting a few of the successful initiatives implemented by the Ministry, said that the hot meal programme has been successful in the region. He said that 11 of 16 schools have access to computer labs and plans are ongoing to ensure that the remaining schools have access by the end of 2016. Teachers in the Region are encouraged to utilise Information and Communication Technology to aid their work especially as it relates to the timely completion of reports and lesson plans. Public consultations are scheduled to be held in Region 1-Port Kaituma, Mabaruma, and Moruca from September 14-17, 2016. The Guyana Teachers’ Union, representatives from religious organisations, private education institutions, the University of Guyana, Cyril Potter College of Education, and a number of Individuals have made recommendations to the Commission. The COI commenced in April of this year and is expected to conclude in December 2016. (GINA)

From Right Commissioners Ramesh Persaud, Jeniﬀer Dewar, Ed Caesar Clayton Hinds and R.Ed.O-Charkes Holmes

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Man, Daughter On Fraud, Fourth Annual Nereid’s Rally Assault & Other Charges Comes To Guyana Once More A man and his daughter are slated to appear at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court, West Coast Demerara to answer to the charge of obtaining money under false pretense. Arnold Gajraj also know a “Yar” and his daughter Shaliza Gajraj, whose address was given as Greenwich Park, East Bank Essequibo are accused of soliciting a large sum of money from a relative. Last week, it was reported that a person was arrested after a Laptop computer was stolen from The New York Center and was found in the person’s position. “Yar” who was a relative of the said person, approached and solicited a $1M from said person under the pretext that the money would be used to bribe the police to have the matter dismissed. Arnold Gajraj’s daughter Shaliza will also be charged with assaulting a peace oﬃcer, damage to property and other minor oﬀenses.

GRA To Impose Penalty, Interest On Taxes Owed The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has advised the general public that with immediate effect, the agency will be imposing penalties on taxes that are owed to the agency. Taxpayers shall be liable to pay a penalty of:2% (two percent) of the unpaid amount for each month or part thereof that the tax remains unpaid during the first 3 (three) months after the due date; 3% (three percent) per month or part thereof during the next 3 (three) months; 4% (four percent) per month or part thereof during the next 6 (six) months; 5% (five percent) per month or part thereof thereafter; In addition, pursuant to the provisions of the Financial Administration and Audit Act, as amended by the Fiscal Enactment (Amendment) Act 2003, interest applicable to tax arrears, will be charged at the rate of eighteen percent (18%) for the Third Quarter of 2016. The Agency further stated that Installment agreements and arrangements between Taxpayers and the Revenue Authority will be honoured to the extent that taxpayers continue to effect payments according to the terms of the said agreements.

Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin on Monday welcomed sailors from the fourth annual Nereid’s Rally to the Hurakabra River Resort on the Essequibo River, Region Seven, where 14 yachts are currently moored. “On behalf of the Government of Guyana, I am proud and honoured and delighted to welcome this fourth Nereid’s Yacht Rally to our country, to our continent, and to the Guiana’s and I hope that your time spent in Guyana is enjoyable and that you can make many precious and lasting memories in this country,” said Minister Gaskin. The event was organized by the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Business and Hurakabra Resort. At the ceremony which held at the resort to welcome the sailors, Minister Gaskin said that if the right developments are in place the rally can mushroom into something bigger. “It is still small but I think that we are on to something good and if we can make the right decisions and take the right actions over the coming years, this is something that could very well mushroom into something a lot bigger,” he said. The 30 or more tourists sailing from countries such as Italy, Britain, Russia, and Canada were encouraged to make full use of their time here in Guyana by taking in much of the history, culture and sights as they can. According to the Rally’s website, the Participants will have only eight days to explore the delights of Guyana before the rally moves on its next leg in Suriname. Region Seven Chairman, Gordon Bradford said he is pleased to see how the event has grown over the years and feels it should be nurtured for further development which can boost the county’s eco-tourism and tourism. Speaking on behalf of his fellow yatchers, Russell Alzendorff of the ‘Enterprise’, the largest yacht in the flotilla, thanked Minister Gaskin for his warm welcome and also thanked Davide Matelicani, the Italian organizer of the voyage, for their hospitality and for making their stay safe and comfortable. The Nereid's Rally which left Trinidad & Tobago on its pervious leg, is currently in Guyana then is scheduled to sail to Suriname and then onto Saint Laurent du Maroni in French Guiana where the rally will officially disbands and sailors can choose to head on the Salvation Islands, Brazil or even back to the Caribbean.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Guyana’s Health Care System Falling Apart Many patients have complained to the Guyana Daily News about long wait for medication and medical treatment at public hospitals. One Sickle cell patient said that she had to wait for medication, only be told that the hospital cannot afford her treatment because there is no medication at the hospital. The delivery of health care services is provided at five stages in the public sector in Guyana: Local Health Posts (166 in total) that provides preventive and simple curative care for common diseases. 1.Health Centres (109 in total) that provide preventive and rehabilitative care and promotion. 2. District Hospitals (with 473 beds) that provide basic in-patient and outpatient care. 3. Four Regional Hospitals (with 620 beds) that provide emergency services, routine surgery and obstetrical and gynecological care, dental services, diagnostic services and specialist services in general medicine and pediatrics. 4.The National Referral Hospital (937 beds) in Georgetown that provides a wider range of diagnostic and specialist services, on both an in-patient and out-patient basis; the Psychiatric Hospital in Canje; and the Geriatric Hospital in Georgetown. There is also one children’s rehabilitation centre. The aim of a Socialised Health Care System is to ensure that everyone can use the health services of the country without risk of financial ruin, no matter what their socio-economic situation is. The basic concept of socialized services is to provide the services that are needed for good health and wellbeing. These services range from clinical care for individual patients to the public services that protect the health of whole populations. It ensures financial protection of persons who cannot afford private hospitals. The Health Sector in Guyana plays a vital role in the economy. The health care industry determines the gross domestic product of the country. It determines

employment, capital investment among others. The Health sector provides employment opportunity for thousands of persons in both Rural and Urban parts of the country, that are directly involved or associated with this sector. The 21st Century has seen Guyana as a nation facing new health challenges, for example, Zika and Chikungunya. Others are domestic, including increased chronic disease and disability, violence, substance abuse, and mental illness. Our diverse population suffers in health, which are related to differences in race, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Advances in research have resulted in more information than ever before about the effects on health of individual behavior, socioeconomic factors, the work environment. Solving these problems require action by the Government on issues that are not commonly thought of as health problems such as the economy, education, housing, transportation, and agriculture. In Guyana this service is under sever threat of falling apart. Minister of Public Health Dr. George Norton, in his contribution to the budget 2015 debate on President Granger’s address to Parliament, gave an overview of the national health care system in Guyana, stating the urgency for a restoration and elevation of services, manned by welltrained Guyanese specialists who can offer equal primary health care, especially to the women, children and the aged. However, this promise by the Minister is not being upheld, from the drug bond controversy, drug shortages, maternal deaths, suicide among others.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Denis Williams Exhibition For Castellani House in national soil, solidifying it in Cambridge Junior and Senior

The Ministry of indigenous Peoples Aﬀairs in Homage to Painter, Author and Archeologist, Dennis Williams, has collaborated with The Castellani House to open an exhibition on September 14, at the National Gallery of Art, covering William’s prominent work. Denis Joseph Ivan Williams was born in Georgetown, Guyana in 1923. His early formation was

School in early 40s. His promising future as an artist started to take off after receiving a two-year British Council Scholarship, at the Camberwell School of Art in London in 1947. From this point, Denis’ career was ‘baptized’ for good.After graduating, he travelled to Africa, continent that became his ‘home’ for 10 years. During this decade he taught Art and Art History in universities of Nigeria, Uganda and Sudan, unconsciously cementing mixed feelings of identity. This extended and direct interaction with African culture, represented his spiritual awakening regarding the Guyanese ancestry, which he reflected through his work, not only as an educator but as an artist. He returned to Guyana in 1968. From this point his homeland became his personal project. Depicting the Caribbean urban and rural life, using a vivid representation of the landscape, was essential in Dennis’ work, highlighting our Afro- American and Amerindian Heritage. Detouring the intellectual attention from the Western doctrines, stimulating a premature feeling of nationalism in the youth. The revival of the Caribbean consciousness, not only in Guyana, but in the neighboring countries, was essential for our artist, indirectly detonating their thirst for independency. He was submerged in the necessity of knowing the ‘Who’ and the ‘How’. Our origins, the genesis of the Guyanese roots, intrigued him in a medullary way. Art History was insufficient in covering this imperative questions. Settling his house on the Mazaruni District, Region 7, gave this versatile son the opportunity to absorb the tangible and intangible traces of history that Guyana had to offer. Reflecting his archeological findings in literature and art and highlighting the landscape as animated timeline of the Caribbean evolution and the direct effect of its dynamic ecosystem in the behavior of its inhabitants. Denis became then a ‘Guyanese Atlas’. Gaining recognition of national and international scholars. His work in literature vary from publications of several articles in the African Art History, to interpretations between the environmental changes through Guyana’s history. Denis Williams combined the insights of an artist with the inquiring mind of a scientist. The extended and diverse research work of this painter, teacher, novelist and archaeologist earned a special place in the country history books. His accomplishments were recognized in several awards and honorary doctorates from the University Of West Indies in 1989, being used today as a reference point for scholars. Source: http://www.guyanagraphic.com/content/denisj-i-williams-1923-1998-painte...

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Government Of Guyana, FAO Inks Agreement To Commence Implementation Of Port State Measures. Today the Government of Guyana Minister Noel Holder revealed that in considered as one of the most cost through the Ministry of Agriculture signed a Port of State Measures Agreement (PSMA) with the United N a t i o n ’s F o o d a n d A g r i c u l t u r e Organisation (FAO), which will see Guyana benefiting from immediate implementations to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in Guyana’s waters. The project, which is funded by the FAO, includes technical assistance and a monitoring and evaluation process upon completion. The cost of the project is US $500, 000 and is expected to be completed within the next 18 months. Once these measures are implemented, Guyana will benefit tremendously as the measures will ensure that Guyana maintains its fish stock. Guyana will now be able to integrate and coordinate fisheries related port State measures with the broader system of port State controls. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture Mr. George Jervis expressed gratitude to the FAO for such a timely intervention. “It is important to note that Guyana has a series of systemic closed fishing seasons where trawlers are prohibited from fishing to allow the fish stock to mature. This is done to allow for a sustainable fishing industry. However, the fact is that it is quite common all over the world that persons do not abide by these rules and regulations. If we do not take control of this it will get out of control. They may harvest the fish stock at a time Guyana’s industry does not consider it mature” Mr. Jervis said. The fishing industry is one of the most important contributing sectors to Guyana’s revenue as the country exports more than 60% of its catch. This industry is responsible for the livelihood of approximately 15,000 persons and their families. During his 2016 budget speech, Agriculture

2015, the marine sub-sector produced effective and useful enforcement tools 35,835mt of seafood, raised revenue to for combatting illegal, unreported and the sum of G$25, 426, 250 and recorded unregulated (IUU) fishing. exports of 21, 568MT or US$ 71 M It significantly reduces the need for ( G $ 1 4 . 7 B i l l i o n ) . W i t h t h e surveillance and inspection of fishing implementation of agreement, this sub- vessels at sea in favour of inspections at sector is expected increase its financial port. To date, 33 states including the US, input to the economy. Also speaking at Canada and France have already signed the signing ceremony was the FAO on to PSMA. Also delivering brief Country Representative to Guyana, Mr. remarks, the Chief Fisheries Officer Mr. Denzil Roberts voiced similar Reuben Robertson. He indicated that the FAO will be giving sentiments as the Permanent Secretary in technical assistance to Guyana to assist saying that the fishing industry is a very in their fight against IUU fishing. important industry to Guyana. “This is a “During a capacity building workshop very important industry and it has to be which was held in April of this year, properly sustained so that it can be stakeholders recognised that there was a preserved for future generations. piece legislation regarding the fishing Signing this agreement is another step industry (Fisheries Act No. 12 of 2002) that will assist in this process.” Said Mr. that needed strengthening. It was during Roberts. With the implementation of this this workshop that participants were able agreement, the institutions directly to identify key gaps in the national involved in the project activities such as legislation and regulations of the the ministry of Agriculture, the port provisions of the PSMA.” Mr. Robertson authorities, inspection and enforcement authorities, customs, legal and said. The Port State Measures Agreement compliance officers will see staff (PSMA) was approved by the Food and benefiting from technical support in Agriculture Organization (FAO) undertaking a mapping of the current Conference at its 36th Session in Rome country context and needs as well as u n d e r A r t i c l e X I V o f t h e FA O formulating regulated strategies and Constitution in 2009. The aim of this action plans to protect and develop the agreement is to prevent IUU-caught fish industry. from entering international markets Ministry of Agriculture Press Release t h r o u g h implementation of harmonized measures by countries and through regional fisheries management organizations. Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing hinders the growth of developing countries such as Guyana. This PS of the Ministry of Agriculture Mr. George Jervis and FAO Country Rep. agreement is Mr. ... ertson accompanied by the CFO Mr. Denzil Roberts while signing the PSMA

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

North Ruimveldt Man Remanded For Discharging Firearm. Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the trialed in the Magistrate’s Court rather

Kevin Aaron today appeared before

Georgetown Magistrate's Court charged with the discharging a loaded ﬁrearm with the intent to disﬁgure or cause grievous bodily harm towards Rawle Blackman on September 8, 2016. Aaron was remanded until October 8, 2016 when he will return before Magistrate Fabayo Azore for continuation into the matter. The accused, 32, of North Ruimveldt, appeared unrepresented in court today as he chose for his matter to be

than the High Court before entering a not guilty plea. The prosecution objected to bail stating the severity of the oﬀence since it was a gun related crime. When question on whether the gun was in police possession, the prosecution answered in the negative but stated that the shells from the shots were found. It alleged that September 8, 2016 at Kaikan Street, North Ruimveldt, the accused discharged an undisclosed amount of shots at Rawle Blackman.

Pesticide Board Ramps Up Efforts To Promote Safe Handling Of Pesticides, Proper Storage The Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board today continued its campaign to educate farmers and members of communities across Guyana on the safe handling and storage of pesticides, with another well attended seminar at no.47 village, Corentyne, Berbice. Over the past two years, the Pesticide Board has been educating farmers on how to safely handle pesticides both on the farm and in domestic applications. Farmers have been exposed to training in the use of protective gear during the handling of pesticides through

One of the donated storage containers

seminars, as well as through infomercials on local television stations. Protective gear in the form of coveralls, plastic gloves and goggles have been distributed to farmers across Guyana. Just over a year ago, the board in its bid to further encourage the safe storage of pesticides, commissioned the construction of storage cabinets that are properly labelled. These cabinets have been given to farmers through a lottery system during the various community outreach seminars. At today’s seminar 10 storage cabinets were distributed to

farmers through the lottery system. Thus far, approximately 40 storage cabinets have been distributed to farmers across the country. The aim is to encourage a buy in of the idea by all farmers and householders in using the cabinets as a model for the construction of similar facilities to further ensure that all chemicals on the farm or in the home are safely stored under lock and key, away from children and those bent on improper use of these poisons. (GINA)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

India To Send Delegations Clipboard Virus Belatedly Removed To Guyana And Suriname From Cuban Government Website By Ray Chickrie Caribbean News Now contributor GEORGETOWN, Guyana -- India’s foreign ministry plans to send delegations to visit 68 countries, including Guyana and Suriname, in an effort to expand and improve India’s international presence amidst growing escalation of violence in the Valley of Kashmir, a disputed territory claimed by both India and Pakistan. The leaders of Guyana and Suriname and top diplomats from these countries have all visited India, which has become a customary practice. However, neither Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor his Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj have visited Guyana or Suriname and, in fact, for the past two decades there have not been any high level visits from India to Guyana and Suriname. The planned upcoming trips were revealed by the Indian foreign ministry in New Delhi this week. The ministry did not announce the dates of these visits, but Swaraj has named Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh to head the delegation to Suriname. The minister to visit Guyana hasn’t been identified yet. Guyana, like Suriname, has strong emotional bonds to India -- about 50% of the population in these countries is made up of ethnic East Indians who are mostly Hindus or Muslims. India has embassies in both countries and bilateral ties with Guyana and Suriname are strong. The two Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries also have embassies in New Delhi. India has funded many projects in these countries through foreign direct investment, capital and technology. Trade and investment between Guyana and Suriname and India is still modest but growing although several projects funded by India in Guyana and Suriname are still being held up. For example, an MOU between an Indian company and Suriname in 1993 to invest in the palm oil industry of Suriname still isn’t off the ground. India has offered Guyana a credit line of US$50 million to fund various roads and ferry projects. In addition, a specialty hospital in Guyana is being funded by India. India has also built Guyana’s first world class sports stadium in the capital. The Modi government has also promised to open a world class information technology (IT) centre in Georgetown, the capital of Guyana. (Caribbean News Now!)

India’s Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh will lead a delegation to Suriname

By Caribbean News Now contributor HAVANA, Cuba -- A clipboard virus that appeared to be capable of attacking vulnerable computers that had visited the Cuban government information service website (acn.cu) was belatedly removed a day after Caribbean News Now had raised the issue for the second time last week and after denials from the Cuban authorities that the problem existed in the first place. In our first report, it was noted that the unique clipboard virus acted by launching a permission pop up (on the ACN website) that seemingly gave users an option either to allow it to control their computer clipboard data or to refuse permission. However, although it was expected that most users would have instinctively clicked the “Don’t allow” option button on the pop up, researchers pointed out that even that option was encrypted with reversed coding that would in any case provoke a forced install via vulnerable browsers. The analysis of the infection was done by the Guyana-based cyber security firm and regional anti-virus producer Computer Care, with some assistance from the international cyber security community. Their analysis at the time had revealed that the virus was designed to take unauthorized control of a computer clipboard. Thereafter, it can then create a backdoor on a computer so as to allow for captured information to be sent out to a remote server, in the same way that internet traffic flows in. The research, which was headed by Guyana-born software security analyst, Dennis Adonis, who is also the lead anti-virus developer and owner of Computer Care - Guyana, had determined that the infection could have either been planted by another foreign government or rogue group as part of a cyber warfare strategy or even by Cuban cyber intelligence experts themselves. Adonis himself has previously worked with the cyber security units of several government agencies worldwide since 2012, and is said to have significant working knowledge in matters pertaining to underground cyber snooping. Hence his opinion on back-door cyber security matters is often considered by most cyber security agencies. However, officials from the Cuban government side, along with regional apologists and supporters of the Communist regime, were critical of Adonis’ findings and had claimed that he had more than likely mistaken a minor Joomla platform bug for an infection – an erroneous result factor that is known as a “falsepositive” in any sort of testing or research process. Moreover, they insisted that there was no pop up security warning in the first place, despite easily demonstrated evidence to the contrary. In fact, the browser security warning still appeared on the ACN website for several days after our first article appeared and was only removed after we pointed out in a second article that it was still evident, notwithstanding claims to the contrary. Additionally, after other news agencies, including BBC News, and the New York Times, became interested in the story, one of them indicated to us that they were still able to find digital footprints of the infection. Contacted for a further comment on the matter, Adonis’s anti-virus company reiterated that they are confident of their findings, and remained steadfast in their opinion of their original research. The company explained that though the clipboard virus itself is not unique to the ACN website, its objectives and algorithm were. In their opinion, this would have meant that someone must have altered the original clipboard virus to append Trojan functionalities and other classes of cyber-bots to it. Since the publication of the original article, Adonis’ company is said to have received more than two dozen requests from cyber security officials across 20 countries, but was only willing to share the analysis with three of them. While several media houses had also requested samples of the analysis, approval was only given to a cyber security researcher at the BBC, and another at the New York Times. Questioned on whether his company may be inclined to share his findings with the Cuban government, Adonis said that once his company considers the credibility of the request, he would definitely do so. Cyber attacks and infections on government websites has been a growing problem for cyber security experts all over the world. It is estimated that at least 100 to 200 government affiliated websites worldwide are successfully infected with some sort of malicious code d a i l y. H o w e v e r , c y b e r security engineers usually manage to recognize and remove most of the infections before they can achieve their goals. (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

St Kitts-Nevis Announces New Head Of Rebranded Citizenship-By-Investment Unit BASSETERRE, St Kitts -- Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris on Monday announced at a national conference of service providers and developers under the citizenship-by-investment (CBI) program in St Kitts and Nevis that Les Khan is the new head of the Citizenship-byInvestment Unit (CIU). Previously, Khan worked as IPSA International’s project team leader for St Kitts and Nevis. IPSA International, a regulatory risk mitigation company, completed a program review of the St Kitts and Nevis CBI program in the fourth quarter of 2014. Then, on April 30, 2015, an announcement was made that the St Kitts and Nevis government had retained the services of the company to address recommendations that would improve the country's CBI program. “IPSA, a regulatory risk mitigation firm delivering advisory and investigative services, will assist the St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Unit to increase the program's transparency and efficiency,” the press release said. Within one year of the April 30, 2015, announcement, the current Team Unity administration successfully reorganized, restructured and repositioned the St Kitts and Nevis citizenship program as the best in the world, making the oldest such program stronger and better to discharge its mandate. Harris made the improved Citizenship-byInvestment Unit a focus of his press conference on Tuesday, March 15, 2016. During the press conference, Harris affirmed that “Our CIU is now open for legitimate business. It is now administratively and legally stronger and better.” The prime minister said the reasons behind the amelioration of the CIU were the deliberate and necessary steps his administration had taken to reform, restructure and reposition the citizenship program, including the implementation of 20 recommendations by IPSA International. On Monday morning, in addressing the service providers and developers at the conference, held under the theme “St Kitts and Nevis Redefining Global Citizenship, Leading the Way Again!”, Harris said, “There are several initiatives that I am confident will reignite participation in our CBI product, positioning St Kitts and Nevis as the clear and obvious destination for global citizenship.” Harris added: “First, I am pleased to announce that after extensive consideration, the government has appointed a new head of the CIU, Mr Les Khan. You all know him as the consultant who has led the restructuring of the CIU over the last 18 months or so. The changes that the majority of you have complimented have been as a result of his guidance. The fact that the engagement model has changed within the unit for the better is further evidence of his ability to lead the program going forward.” At the first national consultation on the CBI program held o July 30, 2015, Khan said, “I am here only to talk about the way forward. There are many changes at play within the CBI [program].” Khan said the changes related to general governance and systems. “Within the last few months, staff with related skill sets has been hired [at the CIU],” Khan said in July 2015. “These individuals bring experience… and will contribute to the overall vetting of files. This addition to staff was in response to the need to address not only the vetting process, but to continue to improve the level of support in this critical business,” he added while noting that there would be continuous staff evaluations and reviews of the organizational structure of the CIU. “With the

intent of improving the management of workflow, both from a manual and system perspective, these changes will assist in providing more control in the day-to-day file processing, and these are consistent with the recommendations we made last year.” At Monday’s conference, Harris provided a clear roadmap for further success. “With the appointment of the new head of the unit, the reforms undertaken and our new marketing strategy, we are now in a position to implement our rebranding effort,” Harris said, adding, “We will now be more aggressive in our rebranding and are prepared to tell the story of change in a more interactive and personal manner. We will enter the roadshow circuit. We will participate in selective conferences to shore up market demand whilst we look to explore more market opportunities.” The prime minister continued: “Les will be leading a well-disciplined local team with a broad cross-section of skills to strengthen our resource capabilities in order to deliver a platinum service. We have people with high-level expertise in marketing, immigration, international banking, anti-money laundering and administration.” The results, so far, speak for themselves. The government inherited a backlog of over 1,500 citizenship applications, which has now been significantly reduced. Moreover, current applications to the CIU are being turned around within 45 to 75 days, while cold files are attended to on a daily basis. Also, the CIU is now using three due diligence service providers. Importantly, too, the Unit now offers a 24/7 case management system, meaning service providers can access information on the status of their applications at any given day or time. At a roundtable discussion on the economy that the government held with the St Kitts-Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce on April 28, 2016, the attorney general, Vincent Byron, Jr., told CIC president José Rosa and other Chamber officials that the cabinet secretary, Josephine Huggins, is personally responsible to the Cabinet and the prime minister for overseeing the reforms at the CIU. “The Cabinet secretary goes there on Saturday and Sunday. We are there seven days a week processing it,” the attorney general said at the time. (Caribbean News Now!)

Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris (L) with new head of the Citizenship-by-Investment Unit (CIU) Les Khan

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

St Lucia Prime Minister Proposes CARICOM Tourism Summit CASTRIES, St Lucia -- Saint Lucia Prime Minister Allen Chastanet has proposed the implementation of two initiatives that he believes will assist the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in ﬁnding solutions for surmounting some of the economic challenges confronting the regional body. In a recent meeting with CARICOM secretary general, Irwin LaRocque, Chastanet mooted the idea of a tourism summit, which he said should be convened by the Caribbean Community in the short to medium term. He also emphasized the need for the Council of Finance and Planning (COFAP), to convene an urgent round of joint discussions, noting that they must undertake a more active role in an environment where the region is confronting several critical micro- and macro-economic challenges. COFAP is also responsible for economic policy coordination, along with the ﬁnancial and monetary integration of member states. LaRocque visited Saint Lucia on September 6, 2016. (Caribbean News Now!)

Prime Minister Allen Chastanet (R) meeting with CARICOM Secretary General, Irwin LaRocque These investments, in turn, help build people’s resilience to shocks and the foundation for future growth,” Clarke told the audience that included Barbados Foreign Minister Maxine McClean, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary General Irwin La Rocque and Director General of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Dr. Didacus Jules. The UNDP Administrator said that the report also underlines the importance of building resilience to shocks, not least with respect to preventing people from sliding back into poverty. “Education and employment help people move out of poverty, but good policies and investments are needed to keep them above the poverty line. These can include social protection systems operating throughout the life cycle; expansion of systems of care for children, older people, and people with disabilities; expanding access to physical and ﬁnancial assets; and continual improvements in people’s skills to improve work prospects, including for women and youth.” The report examines human development gains in the Caribbean to date, and discusses how the region’s structural and external challenges, such as high debt, low growth, a volatile global economy, and frequent natural disasters, combine to put these gains at risk. Clarke said this is an especially important perspective for the Caribbean right now. “The region is showing signs of recovery from the global ﬁnancial crisis. After a decade of low growth, however, it will be important for Caribbean countries to implement policies which protect development gains, especially for women, disabled persons, youth, and children. “Adequate investments need to be made in areas like social protection, employment generation, and building climate resilient infrastructure.” This Caribbean Human Development Report also aims to contribute to policy debates in the region at this early stage of implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call for a new generation of public policies which will build resilience and integrate the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of policy, including on peace and justice. Clarke said that following the holistic and multidimensional approach which this HDR proposes can support countries in the Caribbean to implement the SDGs, end poverty in all its forms, and leave no one behind. The report also highlights the fact that Caribbean countries‘high debt hinders the ability to access

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Report Calls For New Generation Of Public Policies To Foster Socio-Economic Growth BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Sept 12, CMC – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report (HDR) 2016 for the Caribbean was launched here on Monday with a warning to regional countries that they need to develop a new generation of public policies to increase gains made in the economic, social and environmental fronts. The 227 page report titled “Multidimensional Progress: human resilience beyond income” also urged the regional countries to adopt the new policies while boosting climate and financial resilience and protecting people throughout their life cycles. The Caribbean Human Development Report is a follow-up to the Regional Human Development report for Latin America and the Caribbean that was launched in Panama in May this year. Among the three authors of the report is the academic and former president of the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Professor Compton Bourne, who told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that the region cannot afford to pursue a model which places emphasis on investments and physical capital and ignores the need to build human resilience and human strength by reducing the poverty rates, improving housing and improving access to education among other indicators. “There is a new paradigm that is explicit in the report in which we talk about growth enablers and we have people there as a fundamental motivator,” he told CMC. Bourne said that while the recommendations contained in the report cannot be made mandatory “but there are ideas that should be implemented as quickly as possible and there are various elements in the report that are susceptible to fast track implementation, others will take a little more time. “Because one of the problems of public policy in the Caribbean is that the data is often so poor that it does not facilitate the degree of fine tuning of policies that are required and a lot of resources are wasted because of that. “I think you will find all the governments in the region attempt to provide social protection but a lot of the funds going into social protection is wasted because it goes to the wrong people,” Bourne told CMC. UNDP Administrator Janet Clarke, the former New Zealand prime minister, told the launch that the inspiration for the report comes from the desire of Caribbean leaders to have metrics for assessing development which better reflect the unique vulnerabilities and challenges faced by middle-income Small Island Developing States. “Central to this report is the concept of multidimensional progress which enlarges the idea of human development to include other important determinants of well-being. These include access to assets, social protection and care systems, and decent work – all highly relevant to the Caribbean,” she said, adding that the report also makes it clear that multidimensional progress cannot be made at the expense of people’s rights or of environmental sustainability. The report emphasizes that economic growth and multidimensional progress can be mutually reinforcing. “Growth provides the resources which can be channelled to investments in areas critical to multidimensional progress, such as building inclusive labour markets and social protection and care systems. finance for sustainable development, limiting the region’s ability to achieve the SDGs. Caribbean countries have long advocated a need for a paradigm shift in development financing and the report demonstrates how, for the most part, regional countries are ineligible for concessional finance due to their status as middle-income countries. With average national per capita income levels above the international financial eligibility benchmark, the report makes a case for a review of eligibility criteria to access concessional financing. It also underscores the extreme economic and environmental vulnerabilities in Caribbean countries that – like other Small Island Developing States (SIDS) – make the region’s countries special cases for development. The report focuses on several groups and their “vulnerabilities”, which accumulate over a life cycle hindering people’s capacity to fulfil their potential and also to leave poverty behind, the report stresses. Women are disadvantaged in the labour market, with lower level and lower paying jobs than men in the Caribbean, according to the report. Although women head nearly half of the Caribbean households, the participation of women in senior managerial jobs is still limited to less than one quarter of these jobs in all researched Caribbean countries, with the exceptions of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Barbados. In the Caribbean, women are more affected by unemployment than men, although the gap is reducing over time, the report shows. Between 2000 and 2013, the labour force participation rate of women aged 1564 increased by 2.2 per cent whilst that of men decreased by 2.5 per cent. However, gender differences are large with 59.3 per cent of women in labour force versus 78.7 per cent for men according to the report. (Antigua Observer) Professor Compton Bourne

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

Prime Minister Mitchell To Address Conference In United States ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, Sept 13, CMC – Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell has left here for the United States to attend the National Academy of Sciences, Conference to be held in Washington later this week. A government statement said it would be held under the theme “Growing the Caribbean Innovation Economy” and that Mitchell, who has lead responsibility for Science and Technology within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) quasi-cabinet, “will deliver the keynote address on Thursday, under the theme “The Grand Anse Initiative and Its Objectives.” It said he will also chair the High Level Panel geared toward moving the agenda forward. While in the United States, Mitchell will also hold several meetings with members of the Diaspora and business communities before his return home on Saturday, the statement added. (Antigua Observer)

Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

“Additionally, the Chamber is extremely worried that there has not been public information and education taking place.” The private sector group said that it “believes that the public needs to be educated and informed on credit bureaus, their role, their function and impact on the average consumer prior to introduction of wide ranging legislation. “Of grave related concern to the Chamber has been the tendency of Government, to rush legislation into enactment without proper national consultation with the general public and institutions who will be affected.” It made reference to the Banking Act, which the private sector group said may have similar impact of negatively affecting consumers, increasing the price of services and reducing choices, events that negatively affect small business ability to access credit and thus economic growth. The Chamber said it plans to “deepen and widen its discussion on this critical piece of legislation both with its members and the Government, as well as its partner private sector organizations”. (Antigua Observer)

Government And Union Oﬃcial Meet To Discuss New Security Measures At Airport

NASSAU, Bahamas, Sept 13, CMC – Security measures now in force at Private Sector Group Concerned Over the at the Lynden Pindling International Airport )LPIA) will remain in force after the Ministry of Transport and Aviation Department and Proposed Credit Reporting Legislation Bahamas Air Traﬃc Controllers Union (BATCU) failed to reach an

CASTRIES, St. Lucia, Sept 13, CMC – The private sector here is calling for substantial redrafting of the planned OECS Harmonised Credit Reporting Bill which it says could lead to reduce access to credit. Members of the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce Industry and Agriculture have been meeting here to discuss the proposed legislation that is being developed and promoted by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) with technical assistance from the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC). The private sector group has been holding talks with Sherise King of the Caribbean Credit Bureau Corporation who has been providing details of the legislation. The ECCB and IFC are reported to be recommending specific Credit Bureau legislation for the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) which the private sector says appears to be extremely stringent in many respects compared to that which obtained in other jurisdictions. The meeting noted that in Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados where credit bureaus have been in operation since 2004 and 1993 respectively, there was no Credit Bureau legislation, but rather, Data Privacy, Data Protection Laws and Electronic Transaction Laws obtains, which, as the IFC indicates, are acceptable frameworks to provide the legal underpinning for the operation of Credit Bureaus. The private sector grouping felt that the proposed legislation would lead to reduced access to credit, expressing also fears over the negative impact on small and micro business. It also felt that the effect of the legislation’s broad and unreasonable definition of “credit information” had the potential to lead to discrimination against the poorer, small and informal sectors. “The Chamber is of the view that there is need for extensive discussion and clarification on the draft legislation and that substantial redrafting will be required.

agreement over the issues that forced cancellation and delays of several flights over the last weekend. According to a joint statement issued here “all parties will await the results of the Security Risk Assessment being undertaken on LPIA, with a view to determining whether the current measures may be revised without compromising airport security. “It was therefore agreed that the current security measures will be maintained, until the Security Risk Assessment is completed and reviewed,” the statement added. Transport and Aviation Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin said air traffic controls had refused for at least two hours last Saturday to report for duty. She said that during their “unjustified industrial action, national and international commercial air traffic to the Bahamas was “negatively affected”. She said as a result two flights were cancelled and there were numerous delays. She said she had been advised that the union had taken the industrial action over concerns of a security protocol by the Airport Authority mandating the security screening of all persons accessing the security side of the airport. But BATCU contends that other measures could have been implemented and is requesting that a machine or metal detector be used when carrying out the screening rather than having its embers patted down. The union argued that as a result of this, the working conditions of its members have worsened and that it takes on average one hour for them to get through the gate to get to work. In the joint statement the two parties agreed that “the members of the Bahamas Air Traffic Controllers Union are committed to preserving the integrity of the airport security function. “It was also agreed at that meeting that the execution of that function is a matter of concern,” the brief statement added. (Antigua Observer)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Kamla: Govt Has Failed To Deliver The Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said the address to the nation by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley confirmed what many have been speculating for quite some time now, that his administration is not working, has stalled our economy and is illequipped to lead the nation forward. In a statement yesterday she said: (On Sunday) we listened in vain as the Prime Minister attempted to explain away his Government’s first year of failure and their lacklustre performance. Instead of recognising the stark reality that his Government has failed to deliver, we heard excuses, we heard shameless propaganda, we heard repeated complaints about the impact of low energy prices and the effect it has on the Rowley administration’s cash flow and we heard continued blame on the Opposition. We did not hear any vision or plan to improve the lives of our citizens, to deal with debts owed to public servants, to meaningfully diversify our economy or to boost low morale in the country. The address to the nation confirmed what many have been speculating for quite some time now, that the Rowley administration is not working, has stalled our economy and is ill-equipped to lead the nation forward. Let us look at where my Government found ourselves when we took office in 2010. We faced the collapse of Clico which resulted in a $22 billion problem. We had similar problems with debts owed to contractors and unpaid VAT refunds that the Rowley administration points to. The debt we inherited was almost three times the amount Keith Rowley says he inherited. If the revised figures quoted by the Minister of Finance in his mid-year review are to be believed, then between September 7, 2015, and today, the Rowley administration has collected more than $60 billion. Why then is PM Rowley complaining? Why hasn’t more been done to turn the economy around? Our reserves are strong with US$5.3 billion in the HSF (after they withdrew US$400 million of the money we left) and US$10 billion in foreign exchange reserves. When I took over Government, I did not sit and blame the previous Government. I rolled up my sleeves on the first day and started the process of turning this country around. Within our first year we accomplished many things, including establishment of the Ministry of the People, establishment of the Children’s Life Fund and began providing funds for life-saving surgeries, delivery of laptops to all Form One students, re-introduction of the Land for the Landless Programme and raising of the minimum wage and pension benefit and much more. We also began the long process of settling wage disputes, some of which were more than three years old at the time. Many of our initiatives were undertaken to improve the lives of the working poor and to establish a proper social safety net but the Rowley administration appears intent on ending many of these programmes. We agree there is a natural gas shortage that is impacting the economy. However, in response to the volatility in the energy sector, we took action to increase natural gas production by changing the related laws 14 times to provide incentives to companies to invest and drill. That strategy worked. That is why today we can anticipate a 30 per cent increase in natural gas supply in 2017 which will come from BP and EOG. The massive Juniper project has its origin under our Government. Last night there was a deafening silence from PM Rowley with respect to his failure to deliver manifesto promises upon which he was elected. He has failed to justify why he has taken food off tables, robbed children of educational opportunities, deprived families of a means of livelihood. What was his message to the army of unemployed? What was his

message to parents who have to take loans to buy books for their children? What was his message for the poor and the less privileged who no longer have food cards and milk money for their babies? What is his message on the commission of enquiry report into Las Alturas which indicates that high-ranking officials of his Government, Noel Garcia and Faris Al-Rawi, were culpable? What is his message on the return of Marlene Mc Donald who is still under investigation by the Integrity Commission? Why did PM Rowley not explain that the $20 billion debt facing Petrotrin is a result of decisions made by former chairman Malcolm Jones and former board member Andrew Jupiter? Under the Rowley administration Andrew Jupiter is chairman and a Chaconia Medal Gold recipient and the Rowley administration, through manoeuvring by its Attorney General, dropped a civil suit to hold Malcolm Jones accountable. PM Rowley did not justify spending $100 million for a stadium that is structurally flawed and why paintings are more important than salaries for the public servants and compensation for families of fallen protective services in these trying economic times. The PM did not explain why his Government has a policy of bringing half-baked, hurriedly prepared, poorly understood and not well-thought out legislation to Parliament and why they consistently refuse to work with the Opposition on matters of substance to improve legislation. Unlike the Rowley adminstration, my Government had a plan which we outlined in our manifesto during the 2015 election campaign. We recognised that we faced challenges and we recognised that we had to be innovative in dealing with these challenges. We recognise that there are places where adjustments have to be made but we must protect the working poor and provide opportunities to diversify and build our economy. However, the Rowley administration has no plan, no vision and no ability to get things done. I want to warn PM Rowley that all the money in the world won’t solve problems if you have no plan, initiative or imagination. We have experienced a year of broken promises and the Prime Minister offered no hope that anything would change. If the Government is not working for you, then they are working against you. (Trinidad Guardian)

Kamla Persad-Bissessar

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Caribbean Region Made Strides In Poverty Reduction –UNDP Report extreme poverty in 2002. Alongside this reduction in poverty, a number of people experienced increasing incomes at a rate that allowed them to move into the middle strata of the income pyramid.

According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Human Development Report (HDR) 2016, Latin America and the Caribbean is a very diverse region that does not follow a single pattern of change. However, one common feature among the countries of the region is that they have all undergone signiﬁcant social, economic and environmental changes in recent years. These changes are not the result of a laissez-faire approach; rather they have been caused by the implementation of public policies that have shaped not only economic growth (income) but also the population’s achievements in the social sphere, employment and education (beyond income). Some 42 percent of the population was shown to be living in income poverty in 2002, but this percentage had plummeted to a little over 24 percent a decade later in 2013.

On the one hand, the population living in economic vulnerability swelled by almost 45 million people during this period, rising from 179 million people in 2002 to 224 million people in 2013, a year in which this population accounted for some 38 percent of the region’s population as a whole. On the other hand, the size of the middle class increased by almost 94 million people, rising from 108 million people in 2002 (equivalent to 21 percent of the total population) to almost 202 million people in 2013 (equivalent to 35 percent of the total population) These changes were accompanied by a notable drop in income inequality.

In absolute terms, the number of people living in income poverty decreased steadily throughout this period, from almost 214 million to under 142 million, which indicates that some 72 million people in the region were able to escape their poverty. Of these 72 million people, 59 million were living in conditions of

Dynamic shifts in income make it possible to observe the diﬀerent processes involved in escaping or falling back into poverty. While millions of people escaped poverty through one route, a certain number of people also fell back into it through another route. Diﬀerent employment and social

processes are obscured by the net eﬀect of these changes.

For example, a reduction in poverty of 1 million people might be associated with an expanding economy during the boom (in which 1.5 million people escaped poverty while another 500,000 people fell into it) or it might be linked to an economy resisting the recession (in which 1.1 million people were lifted out of poverty and another 100,000 people fell into it). When examined overall, individual patterns of change in income over the period 2003 to 2013 suggest that between 49.6 and 65.4 percent of the region’s population experienced an improved economic situation that allowed them to move into a higher income group; for example from extreme poverty to moderate poverty or from moderate poverty into economic vulnerability. Just 0.5 to 3.6 percent of the population experienced a downward movement.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Germany Arrests Three Syrian Men 'On IS Mission’

Three Syrian men have been arrested in Germany on suspicion of being sent by so-called Islamic State (IS) to launch attacks, prosecutors say. The men - aged between 17 and 26 - were detained after a series of pre-dawn raids in the states of Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony on Tuesday. Later, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere told journalists the suspects may have had links to the men who attacked Paris in November last year. He called the three a sleeper cell. The Federal Public Prosecutor's office has said no concrete missions or orders have so far been found, despite the seizure of "extensive The arrests come less than two months after 10 people died in a string of attacks in southern German(REUTERS) material". The men - identified only as Mahir al-H, 17, Ibrahim M, 18, and the total of 130 people killed in a series of the attackers were killed. In early June, three Syrian men were arrested on Mohamed A, 26 - are said to have co-ordinated attacks that night. travelled through Turkey and Greece on These arrests come as ministers try to suspicion of plotting an IS suicide attack false passports. Investigators believe they reassure a nervous German public that the in the western city of Duesseldorf. had volunteered for the alleged mission, arrival of more than a million asylum Tuesday's arrests are likely to be and that the 17-year-old had been trained seekers has not put the country in danger. welcomed by ministers who are trying to in handling weapons and explosives in There is a febrile national debate here reassure Germans that they can keep the around integration and domestic security country safe, our correspondent adds. The Raqqa, IS's stronghold in Syria. They received fake passports, mobile which will dominate campaigning ahead government has been under pressure to phones loaded with a pre-installed of next year's general election. The reduce the number of refugees it admits communication programme and four- security services have long suspected that more than a million in 2015 - under figure cash sums in US dollars. Spate of IS is using the refugee crisis to infiltrate Chancellor Angela Merkel's "open-door" attacks The men were arrested when 200 Germany. The country's interior minister policy. (BBC) police and security officers raided six has now acknowledged that is likely. locations, including three refugee But he was at pains to point out that the shelters. Investigations so far suggest the authorities are investigating a relatively three came to Germany in November small number of suspects among the 2015 with the intention of "carrying out a hundreds of thousands of new arrivals, previously determined order [from IS] or and to emphasise that the security to await further instructions", prosecutors services investigate every intelligence lead. The German authorities are no doubt said in a statement. pleased to have broken what they are Suspicions of the men were first raised describing as a sleeper cell. But the arrests months ago, and the men had been under surveillance including phone-tapping for will most likely simply increase public weeks, reported the German news agency concern. Over one week in July, 10 DPA. At a news conference, Mr Maiziere people were killed and dozens more said they were trafficked into Europe by wounded in separate gun, bomb, axe and the same organisation that supported the machete attacks in the south of the three men who blew themselves up country. outside the Stade de France national Islamic State appeared to play a role in f o o t b a l l s t a d i u m i n P a r i s o n 1 3 two of those attacks, by asylum seekers in November. A bystander also died - one of Wuerzburgand Ansbach. In both cases,

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Harmony Of The Seas Accident: One Dead, Four Hurt In Lifeboat Crash One crew member has died and four others have been injured in an accident on the Harmony of the Seas, the world's biggest cruise liner. The 42-year-old Filipino crew member died when a lifeboat, with five crew, became detached from the fifth deck during a safety exercise. It fell 10 metres (33 feet) into the water. Two crew members are in hospital with life-threatening injuries. The accident happened during a stopover in Marseille. Details of the incident were confirmed by the deputy mayor of Marseilles, Julien Ruas. The Royal Caribbean Cruise company, which Harmony of the Seas in Southampton ahead of the maiden voyage(PA) operates the Harmony of the Seas, also confirmed the death on its Twitter account. Harmony of the can hold more than 8,000 passengers and crew. It is higher than a Seas is the world's largest cruise liner at 362 metres long, and 25-storey building, and longer than the height of the Eiffel Tower. It entered service in May this year. (BBC)

South Africa Bars Anti-Gay US Pastor invited Steven Anderson by a local church to visit this South Africa has barred controversial US longer existed in South Africa. pastor Steven Anderson from visiting the county because of his critical remarks about homosexuality. The home aﬀairs minister said he was refused a visa as the constitution prohibits hate speech. Mr Anderson runs the Faithful Word Baptist Church, which says that homosexuality is an abomination punishable by the death penalty. He said that religious freedom no

"I feel sorry for people who live in South Africa, but thank God we still have a wide open door in Botswana," Mr Anderson posted on his Facebook page after the decision to refuse him a visa. South Africa has one of the most liberal constitutions in the world which protects gay rights. The BBC's Milton Nkosi in Johannesburg says Mr Anderson was

Steven Anderson said he stood by his views about homosexuality

month. Two petitions with more than 60,000 signatures, organised by gay and human rights activists in South Africa, had called for the trip to be stopped. “I have identiﬁed Steven Anderson as an undesirable person to travel to South Africa," Home Aﬀairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said. Mr Anderson's church is based in the US state of Arizona and describes itself as an "old-fashioned, independent, fundamental, King James Bible only, soul-winning Baptist church". In a video posted on YouTube before South Africa's decision was made, he said that the trip was not going to be about homosexuality, but he stood by his views against homosexuality, which he said were endorsed by the Bible. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Syria Ceasefire: 'No Civilian Deaths On First Day’ The cessation of hostilities in Syria that came into effect at sunset on Monday is largely holding on its first full day, reports suggest. UKbased monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it had recorded no civilian deaths in the first 15 hours of the truce. Residents in the embattled northern city of Aleppo reported calm. UN officials say they are ready to deliver aid to besieged areas but need better guarantees of peace. The Syrian government says it will not allow aid, particularly "from the Turkish regime", to be delivered to Aleppo without prior coordination with it and the UN, state media report. Some 250,000 civilians are estimated to be trapped in the rebel-held eastern part of Aleppo due to a siege by government forces. 'Sporadic attacks' The fledgling truce was reportedly broken by sporadic attacks late on Monday, carried out by both government forces and rebels after the ceasefire had come into effect. The Syrian Observatory said it had seen reports of aerial bombardment of some villages in Hama province, and shelling near Damascus. The Syrian army has said the truce will be applied throughout Syria for seven days, but that it reserves the right to respond decisively to any violation by armed groups. A number of rebel factions have given a guarded welcome to the deal but expressed reservations about its implementation. Humanitarian groups are hoping to make aid deliveries to the worst-hit areas, especially Aleppo. A UN spokesman said aid convoys were ready to travel in from Turkey but officials needed to see "a laying down of weapons that satisfies us... and as I speak that has not yet been the case". Russian news agency Tass said that Russian troops had secured part of Castello Road - a key access route into Aleppo - on Tuesday, although this has not been confirmed. US Secretary of State John Kerry called on Friday for the road to be demilitarised and said the US would work with Russia to free the route for aid convoys. The deal, described by Mr Kerry as the "last chance to save a united Syria", was struck on Friday in Geneva after months of talks between Russia and the US. It requires both sides to allow unhindered access for humanitarian aid. If the truce holds for seven days, the US and Russia will carry out coordinated air strikes on militant groups - including so-called Islamic State and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (known until recently as the Nusra Front). The opposition Free Syrian Army group has said that while it

Monitors said ﬁghting had largely stopped, with no civilian deaths recorded in the ﬁrst 15 hours(AP)

will "co-operate positively" with the ceasefire, it was concerned it would benefit the government. Another major rebel group, the hardline Islamist Ahrar al-Sham, initially rejected the deal but later appeared to have softened its stance. Opposition sources quoted by Reuters said a forthcoming statement supporting the cessation "with harsh reservations" would be backed by "the largest groups", including Ahrar al-Sham. Speaking earlier, President Bashar al-Assad welcomed the deal but said the Syrian state was still "determined to recover every area from the terrorists, and to rebuild". The number of deaths recorded since the beginning of the conflict in March 2011 has now risen past 300,000, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. However, it said it estimated the full death toll to be about 430,000. The official UN estimate rests at 250,000 after the organisation stopped counting in 2014, uncertain of its ability to gather accurate data. More than 4.8 million have fled abroad, and an estimated 6.5 million others have been displaced within the country, the UN says. The strength, or otherwise, of the ceasefire is a big test of what appears to be a less sour, more workable relationship between the foreign ministers of the US and Russia. Diplomacy failed in the first, critical years of the war. A major reason for that was diplomatic deadlock between President Bashar al-Assad's ally, Russia, and the US, which demanded his immediate departure from office. Since then Russia has become the most influential outside power in Syria. The US and its Western allies have struggled to keep up. Perhaps Moscow is now ready to build on a ceasefire, if it lasts, to push President Assad towards a political transition that might end the war. Or perhaps, as enemies of President Assad and the Russians believe, the ceasefire will be a chance to regroup and rearm. Jihadist groups like so-called Islamic State and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham face the joint might of the Russian and US air forces Moderate rebels and civilians in the areas they hold will no longer face the threat of indiscriminate air strikes such as barrel-bombing although the Syrian air force will not be grounded completely; aid deliveries will be allowed to areas currently under siege President Assad will be in a stronger position as the US and Russia engage two of his most effective military opponents while moderate rebels observe the truce with his forces Syria's history of failed deals: February 2012: Syrian government "categorically rejects" an Arab League plan calling for a joint Arab-UN peacekeeping mission June 2012/January 2014/January 2016: Three failed UN-sponsored peace conferences in Geneva September 2013: Kerry and Lavrov negotiate a deal to strip the Syrian government of its chemical weapons in return for the US backing away from air strikes. Since then, the government has again and repeatedly been accused of using toxic chemicals against rebel-held areas February 2016: World powers agree in Munich on a nationwide "cessation of hostilities" in Syria excluding jihadist groups. There is no agreement on any joint US-Russian operations. The "pause" quickly unravels as Assad promises to regain control of the whole country March 2016: President Vladimir Putin declares "mission accomplished" in Syria and orders removal of "main part" of Russia's air army in Syria. Russian air strikes have continued ever since (BBC)

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Exclude Hungary From EU, Says Luxembourg's Asselborn Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Western European countries. Eventually, it strongly criticised the EU's plans to relocate Asselborn has called for Hungary to be sealed its borders with Serbia and Croatia suspended or even expelled from the and built a 175km (110-mile) razor-wire European Union because of its "massive fence to stop people crossing on their way to violation" of EU fundamental values. He Austria. Some 10,000 police and soldiers cited the Budapest government's treatment have been deployed to guard the frontier. of refugees, independence of the judiciary The head of Hungarian diplomacy described and freedom of the press. "Hungary is not far his Luxembourg counterpart as a "classic away from issuing orders to open fire on nihilist" who worked tirelessly to destroy refugees," he suggested. Hungary said Mr Europe's security and culture. By way of Asselborn "could not be taken seriously". contrast, Hungary was defending not only its EU leaders meet in Slovakia on Friday to own territory, but that of the EU as well, the discuss the union's future. Mr Asselborn's foreign minister insisted. "Only Hungarians interview with German daily Die Welt is have the right to decide who they wish to live likely to inflame passions ahead of the with." The number of migrants trying to enter Hungary has fallen dramatically in summit. T h e E U c o u l d n o t t o l e r a t e " s u c h recent weeks. At the Horgos Transit Zone on inappropriate behaviour", he said, and any the Hungary-Serbian border, only 80 were state that violated such basic values "should waiting on Monday, down from 800 on some be excluded temporarily, or if necessary for days in July. Beside the Kelebia Transit Zone ever, from the EU''. It was "the only there were about 60, mostly from Syria and possibility to protect the cohesion and values Iraq. Some had been living in atrocious of the European Union,'' he said. Hungarian conditions next to the razor wire fence for Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto hit back, more than 10 weeks. saying that his Luxembourg counterpart had Approximately 4,500 migrants are currently "long left the ranks of politicians who could in camps in Serbia. Most are now trying be taken seriously". Mr Asselborn was a alternative routes to Europe through Croatia, "frivolous character", he said, adding that he Montenegro and Bosnia. A referendum takes place on 2 October when Hungarians will be was "patronising, arrogant and frustrated". M r A s s e l b o r n ' s r e m a r k s a l s o d r e w asked to decide on an EU quota to take in condemnation from Latvia's foreign refugees. Prime Minister Viktor Orban has minister, who spoke of "megaphone diplomacy". And German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, a personal friend of the Luxembourg m i n i s t e r, s a i d w h i l e h e c o u l d understand some in Europe were "becoming impatient, it is not my personal approach to show a member state the door". Hungary joined the EU in 2004 and while the European Union can reject or delay a candidate from joining, it is not thought to have the power to expel an existing member state. When the far-right Freedom Party joined Austria's government in 2000, EU member states responded by freezing bilateral diplomatic relations with Austria. Later that year the EU ended Austria's diplomatic isolation. Hungary was caught up in an enormous influx of migrants and refugees a year ago as more than a million people headed Ten thousand police and soldiers have been through central Europe from the shores deployed along Hungary's border to keep migrants out of Greece towards Germany and other

160,000 refugees across the bloc and his government has campaigned vigorously for a No vote. Mr Asselborn, whose country is a founder member of the EU, complained that Hungary's border fence was getting higher, longer and more dangerous. His remark that Hungary was not far from ordering live ﬁre is likely to refer to a decision by police earlier this month to recruit 3,000 "border-hunters". The new force will carry pepper spray and pistols with live ammunition as part of their task to keep migrants out. What are the EU's fundamental values? In the Treaty on European Union (Article 2) EU values are spelt out as "human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities". The EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights became legally binding on national governments as well as the EU's institutions, as part of the 2009 Lisbon Treaty. Those rights and freedoms range from freedom of thought and expression to the right to asylum, a fair trial and fair working conditions. As a condition of membership of the EU, a candidate country has to fulﬁl 35 separate chapters of requirements including an independent judiciary. (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Hillary Clinton 'Kept Pneumonia Diagnosis From Most Of Team’ PAGE 44

US Democratic party presidential candidate Hillary Clinton kept her pneumonia diagnosis from most of her staff, according to reports, choosing to tell only family and close aides. Mrs Clinton was reportedly concerned that news of the illness would be exploited by her opponents. She was diagnosed on Friday and advised to rest, but continued campaigning. Her team was forced to go public with the diagnosis on Sunday when she left a 9/11 memorial early, appearing weak. Speaking to CNN late on Monday, Mrs Clinton said she was feeling "so much better". She also told the broadcaster that she had not disclosed her pneumonia diagnosis, saying: "I just didn't think it was going to be that big a deal." The US presidential candidate said she had ignored a doctor's "wise" advice to rest for five days. She said she hoped to be back on the trail in "the next couple of days". The Democratic nominee acknowledged she had lost her balance during Sunday morning's health scare, but said she did not faint. "I felt dizzy and I did lose my balance for a minute, but once I got in (the van), once I could sit down, once I could cool off, once I had some water, I immediately started feeling better," she said. Some critics questioned why this had only been revealed after Sunday's events and Mrs Clinton's communications director conceded the incident had been poorly managed. She will be releasing new medical records to help

Mrs Clinton waved to photographers after recovering brieﬂy at her daughter's home in New York(AP)

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

ease concerns about her health, a campaign spokesman said. Don Fowler, a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), urged the party on Sunday to immediately come up with a process to choose a potential successor for Mrs Clinton, in case she is forced to retire with ill health. Mr Fowler said he expected Mrs Clinton to fully recover but said taking precautions was necessary. Ed Rendell, another former DNC chair, told Politico: "There is absolutely no chance Hillary Clinton will withdraw from running for the presidency." It capped a diﬃcult weekend for Mrs Clinton, who came under attack from Mr Trump for calling half of his supporters "deplorable" people on Friday. On Monday, the Republican presidential nominee wished her a speedy recovery. He also pledged to release the results of a medical examination he took over the past week. Mr Trump has repeatedly suggested Mrs Clinton is unﬁt, telling supporters last month she "lacks the mental and physical stamina" to serve as president. BBC Other campaign developments Donald Trump accused US Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen of keeping interest rates low to boost President Barack Obama's popularity. He said she should be "ashamed" The Republican candidate also released a new ad attacking Mrs Clinton for calling half of his supporters "a basket of deplorables" last week. "You know what's deplorable? Hillary

Clinton viciously demonising hard-working people like you," a narrator says Green Party candidate Jill Stein says she would not have killed Osama Bin Laden but instead would have put him on trial Will Hillary Clinton's near collapse during Sunday's 9/11 memorial ceremonies make her health a political Achilles heel? The Trump campaign managed to hold its tongue as the news unfolded, probably sensing that the story was damaging enough on its own. At 68, Mrs Clinton is particularly susceptible to concerns about her health (as is 70-yearold Mr Trump). But if she returns to her normal campaign schedule without incident, she will go a long way towards putting health concerns to bed. Will Clinton pay for her terrible weekend? BBC What is walking pneumonia? Mrs Clinton's team said she is suffering with "walking pneumonia" - a nottoo-serious form of the lung infection which leaves patients feeling unwell but doesn't usually require bed rest or hospital care. Pneumonia is essentially an infection of the lungs which causes inflammation in the air sacs and fills them with fluid. Symptoms can include a cough, fever, fatigue, chills and shortness of breath. Anyone can contract pneumonia, although smokers, older people, and sufferers of chronic lung diseases are at increased risk. There are two types - bacterial or viral. Bacterial pneumonia is common and easily treated with antibiotics. Most people with so-called "walking pneumonia" can recover within a few days. Those with weak immune systems or existing conditions can take weeks to recover, and pneumonia can in some cases be fatal. (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Wukan: Police Move On China Protest Village To End Protests PAGE 45

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Police have launched an operation in the Chinese village of Wukan, to end protests over the jailing of the elected village chief. Police, who entered the southern village overnight and raided homes, confirmed 13 people have been arrested. Video posted online appears to show clashes in the streets with villagers throwing rocks at police who were using tear gas and rubber bullets. Wukan now appears to be in lockdown and controlled by the authorities. "Riot police are stationed at the entrance to our village. No-one can go in or out," one woman, surnamed Cai, told the BBC. "I can't see any hope in this. The villagers feel so angry." Police have accused villagers of spreading false information. 'Spreading rumours' Lin Zuluan was voted in as Wukan's village chief in 2012, in an attempt by the local government to end months of protests about illegal land grabs. He was jailed for three years last Thursday for corruption, but remains hugely popular. His supporters, who say a televised confession was Images sent to the BBC showed villagers with injuries forced and the charges are political, have been £45,000). The Global Ti m e s n e w s p a p e r, s e e n a s t h e protesting again. In the early hours of Tuesday morning, people mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party, said on Tuesday inside Wukan began sending video footage to the media that some of the seized land had been returned, but that some apparently showing police breaking into homes to arrest remained in dispute. (BBC) people. In one video a man is seen being pinned to the ground by police in body armour, while other images show bloodied villagers. The footage, which cannot be independently verified, also showed dozens of police under riot shields as protesters threw bricks and bottles. A man with the surname Huang told the BBC that the government was trying to intimidate them into ending their protests. He said those people arrested so far had assumed prominent roles in the protests or had been vocal on social media. The local public security bureau in Lufeng, Guangdong has confirmed only that 13 people had been arrested for disturbing public order. Wukan, with a population of about 13,000, had been seen as a model for possible political reform in China. In 2011 its residents rose up in protest after Party officials began seizing and selling off their land. In an attempt to stem months of protests, the government allowed them to hold elections for a new village chief, which were won by Lin Zuluan. In early 2016, he began pushing again for the villagers to receive proper compensation for their land. But in June, he was arrested and charged with taking bribes. On 8 September he was jailed for just over three years and fined 400,000 yuan ($60,000;

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

A Day Like Today Who doesn’t love the good old Mabel Simmons better known as ‘Madea’, the lady that makes us laugh with her spontaneity, sassiness and violent nourishing ways? She gets the attention of the public with her raw sense of humor, making the audience explode with her enigmatic dialogues. Madea became an instant hit after Tyler Perry made her his second skin in the late 90s. Born a day like today, 1969 in New Orleans. Perry grew up to and abusive father, who indirectly taught him the important meaning of independence and self-development. He ‘flew away’ from his roots at an early age in an attempt to escape from his painful past, not knowing that this one would hunt him as a ‘friendly Casper’ becoming the base for his indisputable fame. After years of economic struggle, he saw a breakthrough after watching an inspirational program of media proprietor, talk show host, actress and producer Oprah Winfrey. A living inspiration for the Afro-American community. This was the spark that he needed to ‘take off’, and he transformed it into a vivid flame. His life became his project, and this one needed to be developed. How? With memories. His own history and tortuous journey would be now his master piece. As a point in favor, the epoch was favorable for his audacious venture. During the 90s, the United States experienced a wave of ethnic identity. The Afro-American side of the society found different ways to express their repressed feelings. Hip hop was used as a battle field fought with chords and controversial lyrics. Street dance became popular in the neighborhoods, as a more physical but artistic way to represent a cultural movement on development. On Television and in the big screen a similar result could be seen. The AfroAmerican representation was finally taking lead, and Tyler Perry became part of that movement. The first step was writing. A diary would become his script, and a costume his play. Starting in small stages, he became the producer and director of his own performances. Reflecting his harsh past, with a mixture of crude ‘ghetto’ humor delivered by a controversial but loving lady, latter known as ‘Madea’. Perry managed to balance the

truth behind his dialogues, with his sassy approach to the audience. Giving him popularity on the stages. But fame was still far. He needed to be known, and to accomplish that he had to tour. “If the mountain won’t come to Muhammad, Muhammad must go to the mountain”- Turkish proverb. He started to travel. Showing the plays ‘I Can Do Bad All by Myself’ and ‘Diary of a Black Woman’ with Madea as a main character. The reception was so favorable, that the profit made out of the plays between 2000 and 2004, put the ‘loving sharp tongue lady’ on the big screen in 2005 with the film ‘Diary of a Black Woman’. Being this the ultimate push in Perry’s career. Proving the power of urban African American comedies. He didn’t stop there. What started as notes on a diary, evolved on the publication of best selling books. Today he is qualified as one of the most successful actor, writer, producer and director of the last decade. Reflecting the significance in the integration of Afro-American culture in the 20th century, and the importance to be proud of your roots, regardless the pain behind them. Source: http://www.biography.com/people/tyler-perry361274#synopsis

Tyler Perry & Mabel Simmons 'Madea’

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

US Flies Bombers Over SouthlightKorea In Show Of Force of the test. B-1B bombers are capable of carrying nuclear missiles and bombs that are able to destroy even underground bunkers. North Korea has further been isolated from its neighbours since it announced that it had successfully carried out its ﬁfth nuclear tests last week in deﬁance of UN resolutions. South Korea has said it has a plan to annihilate the North Korean capital if it shows any signs of mounting a nuclear attack. The North said the latest test had been of a "nuclear warhead that has been standardised to be able to be mounted on strategic ballistic rockets".

The US has flown two supersonic B-1B Lancer strategic bombers over South Korea in a show of force, just days after North Korea carried out its fifth nuclear test. The two bombers conducted a low-altitude flight over an air base located some 77km (48 miles) from the border between the two Koreas. Pyongyang's latest nuclear test is believed to be its largest ever. The US has warned the North of "serious consequences" in

Estimates of the explosive yield of the latest blast have varied. South Korea's military said it was about 10 kilotonnes, enough to make it the North's "strongest nuclear test ever". Previous nuclear tests North Korea claims it successfully conducted were in 2006, 2009, 2013 and in January. The yield of the bombs appears to have increased. Other experts say initial indications suggest 20 kilotonnes or more. The bomb dropped by the US on Hiroshima in 1945 had a yield of about 15 kilotonnes. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Man Sets Fire To UK Muslim's sparked Dress On NYC's Fifth Avenue an outpouring of grief and anger. And last week two

A British woman's traditional Muslim clothing was set on fire on Fifth Avenue, New York police have said. The woman, who had been staying in a Manhattan hotel, was returning from sightseeing when she felt a warm spot on her arm, an officer told the BBC. She turned and saw her arm on fire and a man with a cigarette lighter. She was able to pat out the fire with her hands and did not suffer any injury. The attack at the weekend is being investigated as a possible hate crime. A police source confirmed to the BBC the woman is Scottish but would not confirm local reports she is a dentist from Glasgow. The woman was left with a hole the size of a 25-cent coin (about the size of a 2p-coin) on her sleeve, police said. They have footage of a man they suspect of the crime and are appealing for witnesses. When news emerged of the attack, the Council on American-Islamic Relations called upon the mayor to add resources to the city's hate crime investigation unit. "We are clearly seeing a spike in attacks on individual Muslims and Islamic institutions in New York and around the country, which should be of concern to all Americans," said CAIR-NY Executive Director Afaf Nasher. The murder of an imam and his aide in the borough of Queens in August, both shot in the head,

women who were pushing their babies in prams in a Brooklyn neighbourhood were attacked, and told they "don't belong here". The prams were knocked over but no-one was injured. (BBC)

Brexit Deal Needed Before 2019startElections - EU's Verhofstadt the next legislative cycle without agreement over UK

The European Parliament's lead negotiator on Brexit, Guy Verhofstadt, says the EU needs to have an agreement on UK withdrawal before the next European elections in May or June 2019. In a tweet he said: "Brexit should be delivered before 2019, when EU politics enters into new cycle & the @Europarl_EN starts new mandate." He will participate in the talks along with negotiators from the European Commission and the ministerial Council. The talks are likely to start in 2017. UK Prime Minister Theresa May says she will not trigger the Brexit mechanism - the EU's Article 50 - before next year, because detailed preparations are necessary. Mr Verhofstadt, previously prime minister of Belgium, told journalists in Strasbourg that the European Parliament would "have to give consent to the agreement as stated in Article 50 so it's wise the parliament is involved from the start of this process. "I want the UK to trigger Article 50 as s o o n a s possible, so we can ﬁnalise t h e s e negotiations by 2019. I can't imagine we

withdrawal." Mr Verhofstadt is sympathetic to the Scottish government's case for keeping Scotland in the EU. Whereas 52% voted to leave the EU in the UK as a whole, in Scotland 62% voted to remain. The UK is expected to have at least two sets of negotiations on Brexit - one to deal with the technicalities of withdrawal and another to cover the UK's future relations with the EU, including all-important trade ties. The latter is expected to take longer - some say it could take a decade. The technicalities will need to address areas such as the UK's EU budget contributions and UK staﬀ in EU institutions and projects. Jump media playerMedia player help Holding European elections in 2019 without a Brexit deal would be diﬃcult, because 73 of the European Parliament's 751 MEPs represent the UK. After Brexit those seats will have to be axed or redistributed among the other 27 member states. Free movement of people is expected to be a thorny issue, as the UK government has pledged to cut immigration from the EU. Mr Verhofstadt, leader of the liberal ALDE group in Europe, said "the position of the parliament is very clear - if the UK wants to remain part of the single market, it'll have to accept the free movement of our citizens. "In the opinion of parliament the four freedoms of the Union are inseparable." The other three freedoms are: free movement of capital, services and goods. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

Gov't To Create Platform For Efficient Public Service Prime Minister Moses Nagamotoo speaking to a gathering of officials and participants at a reception hosted by the Canadian High Commissioner on Monday, including visiting and local participants in the Caribbean Leadership Programme, said that government is determined to ensure that Guyana’s public service is efficient and effective in the execution of its mandate and is working with international development partners in this regard. "This new Government, almost from day one has pledged that we would open a public service training college so that public servants can then go back to the drawing board to understand serving the public diligently, consistently of a high standard, and to be dedicated to the morals of the public service, ” he said. The Prime Minister stated that the Government is working for a better public service, by offering public servants opportunities for continuous development and training. “We want to warmly welcome you and ask that you make this endeavor important in your career and that you take away from this conference, those attributes that would help to make our public service not only here in Guyana and the Caribbean but everywhere in the Commonwealth, we believe that the public service delivery and function has to be improved and enhanced and so we want to join this new and continuing effort to build the standards of our public service,” he explained. The Canadian government is funding the implementation of the Caribbean Leadership Project. Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana Pierre Giroux expressed satisfaction with Guyana’s p a r t n e r s h i p i n t h e p r o j e c t ’s implementation “A professional and nonpartisan public service in our view is

central to our democracy, public servants are called to provide advice and allow for the implementation of government policies hence the need for strengthening the institution and the human resources capacity,” the High Commissioner stated Prime Minister Nagamootoo said that public service development is important, especially as it relates to the fundamentals of good governance and public trust. Top level managers and Permanent Secretaries are being trained in leadership development. Deputy Secretary General, CARICOM, Dr. Manorma Soeknandan said the project is critical to the development of public services across the Caribbean, and the CARICOM Secretariat fully supports its implementation. “Given the knowledge of having the capacity and using that at the national and regional level with the assistance of our IDPs can help us to excel but it can also help to bring a change not only at the national level but also at the regional level,” the Deputy Secretary General explained. The Caribbean Leadership Project was oﬃcially

launched in Barbados in 2013. Since then, 93 senior oﬃcials across the Caribbean have been trained including four from Guyana. Currently three Guyanese are being trained. The programme will conclude on September 16, 2016. (GINA)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

OP-ED WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

OP-ED: A Crying Shame! APNU+AFC Still Learning How To Govern

Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) and Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan recently revealed that the APNU+AFC coalition is still learning about government and governance. This is still the case more than a year later after the coalition would have assumed office. The AFC and APNU, while in Opposition, were highly critical of the style of governance executed by the then People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government. The AFC had always accused the PPP government of being undemocratic, lacking vision and leadership style, giving the impression that they (AFC) could do a better job. However now that the AFC is in government, they are finding it difficult to govern. The AFC along with the APNU deliberately allowed the sugar industry to fall apart. The sugar industry has always received the full attention of the PPP, given its important role in the economy and also the social implications as being the country’s largest employer. When the European Union (EU) decided to cut the preferential treatment of sugar to Guyana, the PPP government built a multi-million dollar sugar factory at Skeldon to cushion the effects of the cuts, rather than abandon the industry. Meanwhile, Ramjattan had stated in 2013 that the AFC was labeled as criminals by t h e P P P government because of their (AFC) stance on the Anti-Money Laundering a n d Countering the Financing of Te r r o r i s m legislation (AML/CFT). Ramjattan had stressed that

the PPP government was acting like criminals because they had no Public Procurement Commission. He had further stated that the Commission should be established in order to prevent the sole sourcing of contracts, however, it has been over 15 months and the same AFC, now in government, has failed to establish the Public Procurement Commission. Now Minister of Public Health, Dr Norton, while in opposition had also criticized the PPP government about the state of the health sector. He had said, “We are still in the situation where health centres are without their quota of basic drugs. We are encountering piles of expired drugs during our examinations…Patients are not getting the prescribed drugs at the public health facilities they have to purchase them from private pharmaceutical agencies.” Now in government, many health institution across the country have complained about the shortages of drugs. Several patients have complained to the Guyana Daily News that there is lack of drugs at the Georgetown hospital. Doctors at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), also conﬁrmed that there is an ongoing drug shortage at the hospital. Several medical institutions across the country have reported drug shortages as well and there are allegations that most of the essential drugs listed by the World Health Organization, are not in stock. Mr. Ramjattan must understand that every mistake the government makes, cost tax payers. Decision making is a main function of government and as it is right now, the public is questioning the decision making process within this APNU+AFC government. It now begs one to ask, who is really making the decisions for the country? Is it a small handful of people from the APNU or the entire cabinet? -By- Edward Johnson

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

40% Of Indigenous Youths Not In School

According to data shared by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Delma Nedd, more than 40 percent of indigenous youths between the ages of 12 and 17 are not in school. She made the revelation during a recent meeting with representatives of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). As such, the APNU+AFC government is conducting an ‘Out of School Children Study (OOSC)’ to determine the exact amount of drop-outs per region. Recently, President David Granger revealed that over 4000 children drop out of school every year in Guyana and that the lowest education grades in the country were in the hinterland. In some Regions 90 per cent of the children fail English and Mathematics at the National Grade Six level. The unacceptable high drop-out rate, unqualiﬁed teachers, especially in the hinterland, and riverine areas, and overall low performance of boys, are the major concerns for the Ministry of Education. The government intends to construct more schools and classrooms, along with programs that stimulate the assistance of students and to integrate indigenous languages in the curriculum. As stated in The Global out of School Children Report, despite the improvement in Guyanese children achieving universal primary education, a high percent of

included technical subjects such as Home E c o n o m i c s , Wo o d Wo r k i n g , a n d Information Technology,” the release stated. It was further noted that other recommendations included the need for welfare officers to cater to the needs of both teachers and students; disbursement of benefits before retirement age; introduction of Amerindian languages in the school’s curriculum; more support to address the high cost of living in the Region; need for special education teachers and opportunities be presented to allow persons to pursue studies at the University of Guyana via the distance mode. This is the first Hinterland Region Some of the schools and communities that the COI has engaged so far. represented included Phillipai, Kako, Jawalla, Waramadong, Quebanang Wax Creek, Paruima, and Imbamadai. It was noted that a number of issues affecting the delivery of education in the Region were raised with the Commission and several speakers stated that the pupil-teacher ratio ‘was too high’ and did not allow for effective supervision. “A recommendation was made for the Nursery level the teacher-pupil ratio should be 1:15; Primary 1:20; and Secondary 1:30. Calls were made for the Ministry to bring secondary schools in the Region up to par with those on the coast by ensuring that the curriculum drop-out students are reported among schools in the urban, rural and hinterland locations. Meanwhile, head teachers, teachers, parents and officials from the Region 7 Department of Education from several schools in the Region had their say as the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the education system continues. Representatives from several schools across the Region were present at the meeting on September 02 to make their contributions to the COI. A release from the Ministry of Education noted that the consultation was held at the Kamarang Primary School.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

President To Push For Guyana/ Venezuela Border Resolution At UN Meeting President David Granger is expected to raise the border controversy with Venezuela with several international bodies at the 71st session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly meeting. The annual meeting of 193 countries officially opened yesterday, at the UN’s headquarters in New York. Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge said President Granger is expected to raise the issue during his presentation to the General Assembly on September 20. Speaking during a round table discussion on the Foreign Policy Fact Files Programme, the minister related that “He [President Granger] will doubtless also be addressing issues pertaining to the greening of Guyana and Guyana’s controversy as regards the border with Venezuela.” Minister Greenidge also pointed out that Guyana will have marginal meetings with Heads of Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers during the General

Assembly where a sub-committee is expected to address this country’s border controversy with Venezuela. “The Commonwealth Foreign Ministers will in the course of their deliberations be looking at issues they’ve highlighted: problems of governance within the Commonwealth and also problems of borders,” Greenidge explained. The issue will then be raised again at the CARICOM's Council of Foreign and Community Relation (COFCOR). “COFCOR will also be meeting with the same view, to look at common issues and to ensure that their positions are synchronised,” Greenidge further explained. The President is also expected to highlight a number of other issues at this year's General Assembly including good governance, peace and security, agriculture and issues pertaining to gender etc. Minister Greenidge with a team from the Ministry along with Guyana's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Micheal Ten-Pow will be in attendance at the General Assembly meeting.

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Creative Learning Methods Showcased At 40th Year Of Nursery Education Exhibition The Ministry of Education, in celebration of the 40th year of Nursery Education in Guyana continued activities today, with an exhibition of teaching and learning materials. The exhibition at the Liana Nursery School, Vlissengen Road, East La Penitence, Georgetown, which is also part of the Education Month observances, has a two-fold purpose, Early Childhood Nursery, Specialist, Dana Whaite said. The exhibition is “not only to showcase what we (the Ministry of Education) have in our nursery schools, but also to show our teachers, across the country, some of the things (teaching aids) that they can make in their classrooms to enhance their teaching and the learning experience of our children,” Whaite explained to the media at the exhibition. “So you are going to see materials that teachers can look at, get ideas from and maybe replicate same or tweak it to suit their particular area,” Whaite added. The exhibition which saw attendance from nursery teachers across the country was put together by the Education Ministry’s nursery field officers. “These are nursery teachers and head teachers who are responsible for ensuring that the instructional time is well delivered, as well as ensuring that teachers have the support they need during the day,” the Early Childhood Nursery, Specialist, further explained. These field officers work to ensure that the nursery teachers’ “lesson plans are well written, that their classrooms are child friendly, and that the children get quality education.” The exhibition featured a literacy and a numeracy section which showcased a wide variety of books and materials that can used as part of the Ministry’s focus of enhancing literacy and numeracy. A section was also dedicated to play, in recognition of the importance of this aspect in early childhood development. Other aspects of the exhibition included a puppetry theatre, a birthday corner, and a corner showcasing parts of the home. Focus was also on indigenous culture in honour of Indigenous Heritage Month being observed this month.

The Ministry is marking 40 years of development in Early Childhood/Nursery Education in Guyana under the theme “Investing in Quality Nursery Education for Successful lifelong Learning”. The week-long celebration which commenced with a ceremonial launch at the Roxanne Burnham Nursery School, on Tuesday include the launch of the ‘Read, Play, Love’, Early Childhood Education Campaign, this evening, a parents, teachers, children and friends in concert on Thursday, September 15, at the Police Oﬃcers Mess, Eve Leary, a rally on Friday, September 16, at 8:30hrs from Stabroek Square to D’urban Park (Vlissengen Road, Mandela Avenue) and an award ceremony at the Pegasus Hotel for Nursery Educators with over 35 years of service. (GINA)

Children and teachers examining the corner displaying the indigenous culture at the exhibition to mark 40 years of development in Early Childhood/Nursery Education in Guyana

Mrs Nagamootoo Takes Her “Do Good” Mission To Region 3 Mrs Sita Nagamootoo, wife of the Honourable Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, today distributed school supplies to the children of the Vergenoegen Nursery Schoo in Region 3 (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara). Mrs Nagamootoo was accompanied by the Prime Minister’s Regional Representative for Region 3; Harry Deokinanan, District Education Officer (DEO); Ann Boston and Headmistress of the nursery school Sharon Bascom. The visit to the school coincides with Education Month 2016 which is currently being observed, and Mrs. Nagamootoo believes that the timing is appropriate. “I thought it would be a good thing to come out and meet with the teachers and move around with the children” Mrs Nagamooto said. In recent days, Mrs. Nagamootoo has been observing Literacy Day and Education Month by visiting various schools in Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo. She has brought joy to children, now starting early childhood education in Shieldstown, Albouystown, Bel Air Village, Bath, Auchlyne and now Vergenoegen. Earlier, her ‘Do Good’ mission had so far taken her to far flung villages such as Hiawa in Rupununi, Annai, Fairfield and Surama, and to Canals Polder and other West Demerara communities. With funds from the Ralph Joseph Charitable Foundation, named after a family friend, Ralph

Joseph, formerly from Whim Village, Mrs. Nagamootoo has been visiting schools and communities and distributing sport gears, books and school supplies. Oﬃce of the Prime Minister Press Release

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS Albouystown Youth Remanded For Attempting To Steal Gold Chain PAGE 56

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

Albouystown resident, Keon Thomas was remanded to prison on Wednesday after he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrate's Court charged with attempted Larceny. He is slated to return to court on September 29, 2016. He did not have legal representation and in the presence of the virtual complainant, the 20-year-old pleaded not guilty to the charge. The prosecution objected to bail, citing the severity of the oﬀence and that the defendant was unable to give his direct address to the police. It is alleged that on September 9, 2016 at Lombard Street, Georgetown, Thomas attempted to steal from Tanisha Daniels one gold chain valued at $67,000. The court heard that the item has been retrieved and is in the custody of the police.

Alleged Car Thieves Remanded Georgetown. Baptiste was also solely charged with stealing one Premio motor car on August 13, 2016 at Alexander Street, Georgetown. They both pleaded not guilty and will return to court on October 19, 2016 for continuation into the matter. Attorney Mark Waldron who represented Narine applied for bail, stating that his client is a businessman who resides at Station Street, Kitty and has no knowledge of the offence. Baptiste was however unrepresented. The Prosecution objected to bail, citing the severity of the offence and that the penalty attached to the offence might cause the two accused to flee the jurisdiction. It is alleged that on August 5, 2016 at Sherrif Street, Georgetown, the duo stole from Mahendra Ramchand one Toyota Premio Motor Car valued $2.4M and Transmission Parts valued at $2.5M. It is further alleged that on August 13, 2016 Baptiste stole from Mark Gonzalves, one Toyota Premio Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan today remanded Micheal Motor Car valued at $2.65M. The arresting officer revealed that Baptiste, 30, and Alvin Narine, 41, who were jointly charged the motor cars and parts have been recovered and are in the with stealing one Premio motor car and a quantity of custody of the police. transmission parts on August 5, 2016 on Sherrif Street,

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

Deloitte Executive Says Latin America And Caribbean Highly Vulnerable To Cyber-Attacks

BASSETERRE, St Kitts (SKNIS) -- Deloitte’s global chief information oﬃcer, Larry Quinlan, said that, despite increased improvements in technology in the Caribbean and Latin America, the regions remain highly vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Speaking at the Prime Minister’s Independence Lecture Series at the Nevis Performing Arts Center (NEPAC) on September 12 as part of the activities to celebrate the 33rd anniversary of St Kitts and Nevis’ independence from Great Britain, Quinlan said “there is a price to be paid for all the unfettered computing and it’s called cyber-security.”

“It is a concern that will continue to grow worldwide and one that threatens to engulf us in developing countries if we’re not careful,” he emphasized. Making reference to the 2016 Cybersecurity Report produced by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Organization of American States (OAS), the Deloitte executive, who is responsible for all facets of technology from strategy and applications to infrastructure and innovation at the multinational ﬁrm, said, “Four out of every ﬁve countries in the region do not have a cyber-security strategy or plans for protecting critical infrastructure.” “Two out of every three countries do not have a command and control centre for cyber-security and a large number of prosecutors lack the capacity to punish cyber criminals,” while pointing out that cybercrime has now gone well beyond the e-mail that one used to receive requesting one’s bank account details, but that it now strikes at the heart of businesses and governments, having become far more sophisticated and having the capability of destabilizing institutions. “As we mark the 33rd anniversary of independence, I am pleased to have the opportunity to share my perspective on technology as one of the levers that we can pull on our path to promoting prosperity through sustainability and national unity,” Quinlan said. (Caribbean News Now!)

BELIZE CITY, Belize -- A team lead by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) sub-regional headquarters for the Caribbean carried out a mission to hurricanestruck Belize, to provide support to the government in its effort to undertake comprehensive assessment of the impact of Hurricane Earl, which hit in early August 2016, and to assist in the formulation of recommendations for recovery and reconstruction. The team included experts from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO). Hurricane Earl hit several towns, including San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Belize City, Ladyville, Belize River Valley, Orange Walk and Belmopan, causing infrastructure and building damage, while many roads and streets were blocked due to inland and coastal flooding. Members of the team visiting some of these towns made field visits to marine areas in San Pedro and Caye Caulker, inspected housing and water works in Belize City, and assessed the damage to roads and agriculture, as well as to forested areas. To determine the most appropriate path to providing recovery assistance, the field visits were followed by discussions with official representatives from various government offices, including the agencies and ministries of agriculture, housing, transportation, education and telecommunications. Following from these meetings, ECLAC plans to conduct training in disaster assessment in Belize during 2017. An acknowledged regional leader in disaster assessment, ECLAC’s mission to Belize forms part of the Commission's ongoing effort to

strengthen the capacity of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to undertake disaster assessment, to determine their own recovery and reconstruction path, and to incorporate measures to reduce vulnerability and increase resilience. (Caribbean News Now!)

Following Hurricane Earl, ECLAC Sets The Groundwork For Disaster Assessment In Belize

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

BVI-USVI Friendship Day Set For Saturday

ST THOMAS, USVI -- A delegation of government officials and civic leaders from the British Virgin Islands will travel to St Thomas on Saturday to take part in activities celebrating BVI-USVI Friendship Day and the special relationship between the United States and British Virgin Islands. USVI Governor Kenneth Mapp urged residents to attend Saturday’s program, which will include remarks from representatives from both the USVI and BVI. This year marks the 43rd official commemoration of the friendship between the islands. “Our islands are linked by geography, history and ancestry,” Mapp said. “Few among us cannot claim a family connection in the British islands. We share many mutual interests and challenges and I’m encouraging even greater collaboration between our governments going forward.” Mapp pointed to a successful meeting on September 2 of the Inter Virgin Islands Council (IVIC), where government officials and policy makers from the USVI met with their BVI counterparts to discuss ways to enhance the relations between the territories and to improve the quality of life for residents. During the recent IVIC meeting, officials shared information on responding to the zika threat, maritime and commerce issues and Lt Governor Osbert Potter announced that US Customs and Border Protection officials have responded favourably to a request that normal visa requirements be waived for BVI entertainers invited to perform in the USVI. (Caribbean News Now!)

CXC To Accept Late Submission Of SBA Samples

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados -- In an eﬀort to ensure that the principles of natural justice and fairness are upheld, the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has taken a decision to allow schools to submit school based assessment (SBA) samples that were prepared by students, but were not submitted by the 31 July deadline. The decision was taken after appeal by some ministries of education. The Council noted that the matter is being

adjudicated based on a special circumstance consideration bearing in mind the challenges arising from operational changes implemented in 2016. CXC has requested that local registrars in affected countries submit SBA samples from the affected schools. In an effort to maintain the integrity of the examination grades and to ensure that the late submission does not provide an advantage to the candidates in question, CXC has requested that the following conditions should be met: a) That a larger sample comprising 20 additional SBAs needs to be submitted in instances where the total number of candidates from a centre is 20 or more, b) The work of the entire population is submitted where less than 25 candidates are registered at a centre. The appeal made to the Council for hardship consideration did not fit within

the speciﬁc articles of the Council’s hardship rules. Through increased stringent quality assured processes, CXC will ensure that candidates will be given the grade they justly deserve, while at the same time preserving the integrity of the Council. The samples are to be submitted to the CXC local registrars’ oﬃces by Wednesday 14 September and to reach CXC headquarters by Monday 19 September. “It must be noted that this matter has been adjudicated based on special circumstances, bearing in mind the challenges arising from operational changes and in no way sets a precedent for the future,” the CXC said in a statement. (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

SLP To Select New Political Leader In Early October

SLP General Secretary Leo Clarke

Members of the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) will elect a new political leader at the party’s conference of delegates scheduled to take place in October. General Secretary of the SLP Leo Clarke has said that nominations for all positions remain open until September 23, 2016, which will allow persons enough time to nominate their preferred candidates. Clarke said he is certain that Phillip J. Pierre, who has taken up the position following the resignation of former P r i m e M i n i s t e r D r. Kenny Anthony, will be one of the persons

contesting for the The endorsed ﬁrst deputy leadership position. political leader and Anthony had declared his L a b o r i e M e m b e r o f intention to resign as the Parliament (MP) Alva SLP leader and not to Baptiste, along with the serve as the opposition second deputy political leader following the l e a d e r a n d M P f o r announcement of the Dennery North Shawn June 6 general elections. Edwards will remain in T h e f o r m e r p r i m e their positions. The SLP’s minister managed to win conference of delegates the Vieux Fort South seat will open on Sunday, for a ﬁfth time but by October 2, 2016 and close small majority. His party on Sunday, October 9, only managed to secure 2016 The activities will six of the 11 constituency be held at the Belle Vue seats, losing to the United Combined and Leon Hess Workers Party. The SLP C o m p r e h e n s i v e general secretary noted S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l also that the party will be respectively. (St. Lucia discussing the election News Now!) lost at the conference.

St. Lucia Represented At The Gay Caribbean USA Pageant PRESS RELEASE – The Gay Caribbean USA Pageant is billed as the most exciting pageant in Brooklyn. Who can deny that when energetic Drag and Transgender

performers take to the stage, a long side other interesting acts for an explosive show. St. Lucia has won the pageant twice before with December Snow in 2012 and Monet Exchange in 2014. This year, the big question is can Nya who is of St. Lucian background capture the converted crown for St. Lucia like her predecessors. The pageant is in its eighth year and the organizers are very proud of the event’s growth and success. Especially, since the pageant made its debut at a time when Caribbean Gay themed events were typically hidden away from the mainstream and held in the underground. Bridging the gap of understanding between the Caribbean American Gay and Heterosexual Communities remains the goal of the Gay Caribbean USA Pageant. This year’s contenders are Ebonee Excell of Haiti, Cindi Woods of the USVI, Jamaica’s Kalia Caress, Nya representing St. Lucia, Martinique’s Amaree Iman Richards and Honey Davenport of Trinidad and Tobago. T hey are judged under the following categories: Swimwear, Talent, Eveningwear and Interview. Sugarcane Restaurant and the HEAT Program at SUNY Down State are the

Oﬃcial Supporters of the pageant. Tickets cost $40. and are available at Conrad’s Bakery – 299 Utica Ave, online at www.gaycaribbeanpageant2016.eventbrite. com or by calling 1-347-692-9428. (St. Lucia News Online)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

Opposition Says No SLP MP Has Ever Received $30,000 After Winning Their Seats PRESS RELEASE – The Saint Lucia by Senator Mary Isaac on Monday 12 Labour Party refers to the comments made September aired on various media outlets. In her comments Senator Isaac stated that Hon. Ernest H i l a i r e Parliamentary Representative for Castries South and all parliamentarians who won their seats automatically get $30,000. The Saint Lucia Labour Party wishes to make it abundantly clear that this is an untruth, libellous and is intended purely to mislead

the public. No Labour Party Parliamentarian has ever received $30,000 after winning their seats. The SLP would like to place on record that every elected parliamentarian whether SLP or UWP is allowed to maintain a constituency office and that the office expenses are disbursed by the Clerk of Parliament up to a maximum limit of $30,000 per year. In this regard, Hon. Isaac should answer what is the source of financing for the office and staff which she maintains at The Morne even if she did not win her seat and is not an elected Parliamentarian. The Saint Lucia Labour Party once more calls on the UWP to get on with the task of government and stop dividing and misleading the people of Saint Lucia with cheap politics. (St. Lucia News Online)

Grenada Recommits To One China Policy

ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, Sept 14, CMC – Eleven years after resuming diplomatic ties with China, Grenada Tuesday night reaffirmed its commitment to Beijing’s “One China Policy”. China has called on the international community to adopt its One China Policy even as Taiwan, which it regards as a renegade province continues to maintain diplomatic relations with a handful of Caribbean countries. “We are confident that this relationship will continue to grow and development, certain then and certainly now that this relationship will continue to bring the type of comprehensive development in our bilateral relations,” said Foreign Affairs Minister Elvin Nimrod at a ceremony to mark the 67th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Nimrod said that over the years one of the significant achievements of the St. George’s-Beijing relationship is the ever increasing number of people participating in the people exchange programmes. China’s Ambassador Ou Boqian said that

since the resumption of diplomatic ties, bilateral relations have been consolidated through dynamic exchanges and cooperation as together both nations have witness the comprehensive development of bilateral relations and fruitful cooperation in all fields. “Unprecedented practical cooperation and people to people exchanges invigorate the friendly relations,” she told the audience including Governor General Dame Cecile La Grenade and Acting Prime Minister Gregory Bowen. The diplomat said that over the past 67 years her country has embarked on significant socio-economic development programmes. “Tremendous achievements have been made by Chinese people who have overcome numerous and unbelievable difficulties with a high spirit of unity, confidence, perseverance and courage,” she said. “Since strategic policy to reform and opening up was implemented in 1978, economic miracles are made in China,” she said while highlighting that China’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2015

was nearly 52 times that of 1978. She said China’s growth increased from US$212 billion to nearly US$10.9 trillion and the share of the country’s economy within the world ehad moved from 1.8 to 15.5 per cent. (Antigua Observer)

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PM Attends CTO State Of The Industry Conference tourism gatherings, the State of the the state of tourism and work on

PRESS RELEASE – Prime Minister of Saint Lucia Honourable Allen M. Chastanet leaves the island today, Wednesday September 14th 2016, to attend one of the region’s most important

PM Allen Chastanet

Industry Conference (SOTIC). The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) is the main organizer of the September 14 -16 event in Barbados. Prime Minister Chastanet is attending the Caucus of Ministers and Commissioners of Tourism this evening where he will put forward some ideas previously expressed by Bahamas Prime Minister Honourable Perry Christie at the Caricom level. Prime Minister Allen Chastanet will take part in discussions on

providing material for Caricom stemming from the decision to make tourism an agenda item. T h e C TO S t a t e o f t h e I n d u s t r y Conference brings together tourism decision-makers, including ministers, commissioners and directors of tourism, hotel and airline executives, travel agents, students, the media and persons directly and indirectly involved in tourism. During the Prime Minister’s one-day absence, Minister for Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development Honourable Gale T.C. Rigobert will serve as Acting Prime Minister. (St. Lucia News Online)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

OAS Celebrates Anniversary Of Adoption Of Inter-American Democratic Charter

WASHINGTON, USA -- The Organization of American States (OAS) on Tuesday celebrated the 15th anniversary of the adoption of the Inter-American Democratic Charter (IADC) during a ceremony held in the Hall of the Americas of OAS headquarters in Washington, DC. OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro opened the event with welcoming remarks and the list of keynote speakers included Jean Chrétien, former prime minister of Canada; Alejandro Toledo, former president of Peru; Alvaro Colom, former president of Guatemala; and Thomas Shannon, US under secretary of state for political affairs. Dr Elliston Rahming, Bahamas ambassador and permanent representative to the OAS and current chair of the OAS Permanent Council, delivered closing remarks, during which he described the Inter-American Democratic Charter as “a unique instrument which has no comparable arm in any other international organization.” “Indeed, it is the first document of its kind that places such a high premium on the promotion, consolidation and protection of democracy in our hemisphere and, I might add, the wider international community,” Rahming said. “The OAS should therefore be proud of the adoption of the Inter-American Democratic Charter on September 11, 2001, a day which is etched in the minds of the international community for other reasons, and the leadership role the Organization has played and continues to play in the formulation of the system of international legal conventions and norms.” Rahming said the Inter-American Democratic Charter “came into being at a time when democracy was beginning to take root in the Americas following decades of dictatorial and authoritarian regimes.” “It came about because democracy was considered to be, and still is, the truest expression of the will of the people,” Rahming declared. “The enactment of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, therefore, allowed for the promotion and consolidation of democracy to become firmly established among OAS member states. The Charter, with its various provisions, is an instrument that both encourages and accompanies

member states in their quest for that system of government – democracy – which in the paraphrased words of a former British prime minister could be the most chaotic system but also one with the least imperfections.” Rahming added, “For through the Chapters on (i) Democracy and the Inter-American System (ii) Democracy and Human Rights (iii) Democracy, Integral Development, and Combating Poverty (iv) Strengthening and Preservation of Democratic Institutions and (v) Promotion of Democratic Culture, we are given the road map to make an imperfect system a bit more perfect. Through these chapters, the Charter allows for the free expression of the will of the people, the protection of human rights, and development that is fair and just. “Admittedly, the Inter-American Democratic Charter has (regrettably) had to be activated, under different provisions, in some member states facing various or special circumstances. In 2002, under Article 17 of the Charter, the Permanent Council accompanied Haiti when it established in OAS Special Mission for the Strengthening of Democracy as a means to facilitate the resolution of the political impasse in that country following ill-fated legislative elections in 2000. Also in 2002, Rahming said, the Charter “was again activated with the attempted coup d’état in Venezuela and the solidarity of member states allowed for the return of the democratic order and for President Chavez to be restored to power. It was also employed in Bolivia between 2005 and 2006 after several political crises. These accompaniment efforts were undertaken within Articles 17 and 18 of the Charter.” “We are all familiar with what took place in Honduras in 2009 which unfortunately required the invocation of articles 19 and 20 of the Charter,” Rahming said. “Although efforts to return the country swiftly to democratic normalcy failed and the ultimate punitive measure had to be resorted too, we were nevertheless pleased when two years later in 2011 Honduras was reinstated as a full member of the OAS democratic family.” He added, “We would all also remember in June 2016, when the Secretary General invoked Article 20 of the Charter,

and requested a convocation of the Permanent Council to present his assessments on our sister country, Venezuela. “The accompaniment aspect of the Charter is, in my opinion, one of its most important features. For this allows the OAS, and the Permanent Council and/or the SG specifically, to support a member state which is facing challenges to democracy. It provides for, not only political support, but for the provision of technical cooperation to help strengthen the country’s democratic system. “Through the deployment of electoral observation missions and the provision of technical support to electoral bodies (Articles 23 and 24 of the Charter), the OAS makes a significant contribution in strengthening electoral processes in the region. And in Articles 26 and 27, the OAS is mandated to support member states in the area of good governance as a way of strengthening the democratic culture in the Hemisphere.” Suggesting that the challenge “for all of us is good governance,” Rahming added, “If democracy doesn’t deliver benefits and services to the populace, good governance is affected. Lack of good and effective governance places a strain on the democratic system, which I believe we all cherish. “The Inter-American Democratic Charter is an instrument that is meant to help strengthen our democratic system of government. It should not be feared. On the other hand, it should be utilized to both accompany member states in this quest as well as to prevent slippages. “Can the Charter be improved? Certainly it can, and this is a debate that is needed. However, at this time it is the most far-reaching instrument for the preservation and consolidation of democracy we have and we must utilize it more effectively.” As he did at the start of his closing remarks, Rahming, on behalf of the Permanent Council, once again thanked “all the panelists for their participation at this event commemorating the 15th Anniversary of the Inter-American Democratic Charter and welcome very much their leadership and insights on the Charter.” (Caribbean News Now!)

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

Juncker Proposes EU Military Headquarters

The European Union needs a military headquarters to work towards a common military force, the Commission president has told MEPs in Strasbourg. JeanClaude Juncker said the lack of a "permanent structure" resulted in money being wasted on missions. Part of his annual state of the union address was devoted to the UK's unexpected vote to leave the EU. He insisted that the bloc was not at risk and urged Brexit negotiations to take place as quickly as possible. The Brexit vote has given added impetus to plans for greater defence cooperation, because the UK has always objected to the potential conflict of interest with Nato. But Mr Juncker said a common military force "should be in complement to Nato". "More defence in Europe doesn't mean less transatlantic solidarity." A European Defence Fund would stimulate military research and development, he said. All EU members have military forces; most are also members of Nato; and several have extensive experience of operations abroad, from peace-keeping to warfighting. The real question is how to organise these component parts to get greater security. Mr Juncker insists that the EU must have a role here. He wants to improve EU command and control facilities and appears to be suggesting that EU civil and military aspects of a given mission should be run out of the same headquarters. He also insists that whatever the EU does it should not detract from Nato. But defence resources are finite. His critics will say nothing should be done that duplicates existing Nato activities, as that sends a signal of disarray in Western ranks to Moscow. On Brexit, Mr Juncker warned that the UK could not expect selective "a la carte" access to the internal market without accepting free movement of people. The single market has dominated the Brexit debate in the UK. Prime Minister Theresa May distanced herself last week from

remarks by Brexit minister David Davis, when he said remaining in the single market would be "very improbable" if it meant giving up control of British borders. Jean-Claude Juncker and his team agonised over the wording of Wednesday's speech. The UK's vote to leave the EU is undoubtedly one of the biggest crises the bloc has ever faced but Mr Juncker was determined not to dwell on it. There were few words on Brexit. His main message: "The European project continues. Let's choose to look forward. Be positive." Applause resounded around the chamber of the European Parliament but how will the voters outside react? Are they even listening? The drumbeat of nationalist, Eurosceptic populism reverberates around the continent. Public trust in the establishment is low - whether traditional politicians, bankers or EU bureaucrats - and Mr Juncker is an unelected president. The Commission president's state of the union speech - introduced in 2010 - is modelled on the annual speech by the US president and aims to report on the condition of the EU and outline a future legislative agenda. Mr Juncker admitted the EU was facing an "existential crisis", but he said it had to deliver "concrete results" in response, including: Maintaining stability and sharing the burden of economic downturn, such as doubling investment in the EU to €500bn (£425bn; $560bn) in the next ﬁve years and creating an investment fund for Africa Creating solidarity in the Union such as protecting unaccompanied minors migrating to the EU - but Mr Juncker said this must "come from the heart" and could not "be forced or imposed" Promoting security including strengthening the EU's borders and promoting greater security co-operation between member states, as well as greater military centralisation. He urged a renewed focus on the EU as a "driving force that can bring about

uniﬁcation, for instance in Cyprus". Splits in the Union had left space for "galloping populism," he said, "and we cannot except that, as populism doesn't solve problems, on the contrary populism creates problems". In a blunt criticism of recent attacks on immigrants in the UK, he said he would "never accept Polish workers being beaten up, harassed or even murdered on the streets of Essex". How did MEPs react? Anti-EU MEPs lined up to criticise Mr Juncker's rallying cry: UKIP leader Nigel Farage said it was "the usual recipe: more Europe, in this particular case, more military Europe'' Peter Lundgren of the anti-migrant Sweden Democrats said his country had always been neutral militarily. "We don't want to be forced into this type of military co-operation," he said But Belgian MEP Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament's lead negotiator on Brexit, said the EU still oﬀered the "cure" for "the cancer of nationalism" EU leaders meet in Slovakia's capital Bratislava on Friday - without UK Prime Minister Theresa May. Tusk's warning Late on Tuesday, the chairman of the summit, European Council President Donald Tusk, warned that the EU should be mindful of its own ambitions in light of the Brexit vote. "The keys to a healthy balance between the priorities of member states and those of the Union lie in national capitals," Mr Tusk said. "The institutions should support the priorities as agreed among member states, and not impose their own ones." That remark contrasted with Mr Juncker's insistence on Wednesday that "too often, national interests are brought to the fore" in Europe. (BBC)

Mr Juncker said an EU military force would be a complement to Nato

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

Trump Foundation Under Investigation For Suspected 'Impropriety’ New York's attorney general says he is investigating Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's foundation over suspected "impropriety". Eric Schneiderman said his oﬃce wanted to ensure the foundation is "complying with the laws that govern charities in New York". The Trump Foundation has been hit by a number of damaging media stories. Mr Trump's team have dismissed Mr Schneiderman, a Democrat, as "a partisan hack." The attorney-general has endorsed Mr Trump's chief opponent, Hillary Clinton, for president. Mr Trump's campaign spokesman Jason Miller said Mr Schneiderman had "turned a blind eye to the Clinton Foundation for years", and called the inquiry "another left-wing hit job designed to distract from Crooked Hillary Clinton's

disastrous week". Questionable donations "We have been concerned that the Trump Foundation may have engaged in some impropriety from that point of view," Mr Schneiderman told CNN. "And we've inquired into it, and we've had correspondence with them. I didn't make a big deal out of it or hold a press conference, but we have been looking into the Trump Foundation to make sure it's complying with the laws that govern charities in New York." US media say Mr Schneiderman's office has been investigating the Donald J Trump Foundation since at least June when it formally questioned a donation made to a group backing Republican Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi in 2013. The $25,000 (£19,000, €22,000) payment was made at a time when Mrs Bondi's office was reportedly considering whether to open a fraud investigation into Trump University. The fraud investigation never happened, although Mrs Bondi denies the decision was influenced by the donation she received. Aides to Mr Trump have already admitted the donation was a mistake resulting from clerical errors, according to reports. The US Justice Department has been asked by Democrats in the House of Representatives to investigate the $25,000 donation to Pam Bondi. Other newspaper investigations allege the Trump Foundation reported donations that the supposed recipients say they never received, and also spent money on the candidate himself. (BBC)

A payment from Mr Trump to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi (pictured left) has been under investigation(AP)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

Japan's Sakurajima Volcano Due For Major Eruption Within 30 Years, Say Scientists One of Japan's most active volcanoes is due for a major eruption within the next 30 years, say scientists who have studied a buildup of magma there. The Sakurajima volcano on Japan's Kyushu island poses a "growing threat", researchers at the University of Bristol say. The volcano, located 49km (30 miles) from the Sendai nuclear plant, is also close to Kagoshima, a city of 600,000. Sakurajima's last deadly eruption was in 1914, when 58 people died. The Japanese archipelago, which sits on the Pacific "Ring of fire", has more than 100 volcanoes. Sakurajima regularly spews ash and there are many small explosions there each year, with the latest eruption being in February. It is closely monitored by Japanese authorities and one of two volcanoes at Level 3 out of 5 levels in Japan's volcanic warning system, which means that people are warned not to to approach the volcano. "The 1914 eruption measured about 1.5km cubed in volume," said the study's lead author Dr James Hickey, who has now joined the University of Exeter's Camborne School of Mines. "From our data we think it would take around 130 years for the volcano to store the same amount of magma for another eruption of a similar size - meaning we are around 25 years away." A report on the activity of the volcano was published on Tuesday and teams from Bristol University and the Sakurajima Volcano Research Centre took part. Their research showed that 14 million cubic metres of magma is accumulating each year, enough to fill London's Wembley Stadium 3.5 times over. They added that the rate at which the magma is accumulating is faster than it can be expelled in its regular smaller eruptions, which led them to infer that a major eruption is likely in the next 30 years. They made these assessments based on new ways of studying

and modelling the volcano's magma reservoir. Scientists say they hope these ﬁndings can help authorities plan for major eruptions. "We know that being forewarned means we are forearmed and providing essential information for local authorities can potentially help save lives if an eruption was imminent," said Dr Hickey. According to an associate professor at Kyoto University, new evacuation plans have already been prepared. "It is already passed by 100 years since the 1914 eruption, less than 30 years is left until a next expected big eruption," said Dr Haruhisa Nakamichi, Associate Professor at the Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University. "Kagoshima city oﬃce has prepared a new evacuation plan from Sakurajima." (BBC)

The Sakurajima volcano is believed to have accumulated huge magma reservoirs, which could be a precursor to a large eruption, say scientists(KYODO NEWS/AP)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

Gaia Space Telescope...con’t... It is this ultra-stable and supersensitive optical equipment that Gaia uses to pick out its sample of stars with extraordinary confidence. The called-for specification was to get to know the brightest objects' coordinates down to an error of just seven micro-arcseconds. This angle is equivalent to the size of a euro coin on the Moon as seen from Earth. In addition to their position and proper motion, the stars are having their physical properties analysed by Gaia. Its instruments are acquiring details such temperature and composition. These are markers needed to help determine the stars' ages. Not all of this information can be gleaned at once. It will take repeat viewing, but by the end of five years of operations the 100,000 stars fully profiled by Hipparcos should become at least a billion in the Gaia catalogue. That is a conservative estimate, however. If one thing is clear from the new data it is that Gaia is seeing many more fainter stars than anyone anticipated. Once the project is complete it could have plotted 2-3 billion light sources. Gaia - The discovery machine Gaia will make a very precise 3D map of our Milky Way Galaxy It is the successor to the Hipparcos satellite which mapped some 100,000 stars The one billion to be catalogued by Gaia is still only 1% of the Milky Way's total But the survey's quality promises a raft of discoveries beyond just the star map It will find new asteroids and planets; It will test physical constants and theories Gaia's sky map will be the reference to guide future telescopes' observations Astronomers around the world will have dived into the data the moment it went live on servers on Wednesday - and for all manner of reasons. Some of the 1.1 billion light sources will not actually be stars; they will be the very bright centres of very distant galaxies - what are known as quasars. The nature of their light can be used to calculate the mass of all the stuff between them and us - a means, in effect, to weigh the Universe. A good number of other data-users will be planet-hunters. By studying the way Gaia's stars appear to wobble on the sky, it should be possible to infer the gravitational presence of orbiting worlds. "Gaia is going to be extremely useful for exoplanets, and especially systems that have the Jupiter kind of planets," said Esa's Gaia project scientist, Timo Prusti. "The numbers are going to be impressive; we expect 20,000. The thing is, you need patience because the exoplanets are something where you have to collect five years of data to see the deviation in the movements." By way of comparison, in the past 20 years of planethunting, astronomers have confirmed 3,000 worlds beyond our Solar

System. 'Galactic movie' One eagerly anticipated measurement is the radial velocity of stars. This describes the movement they make towards or away from Gaia as they turn around the galaxy. If this measurement is combined with the stars' proper motion, it will lay bare the dynamics of the Milky Way. It should be possible, for example, to make a kind of time-lapse movie - to run forwards to see how the galaxy might evolve into the future, or to run backwards to see how our cosmic neighbourhood came to be the shape it is today. At the outset of the mission, scientists had hoped to get radial velocity data on about 150 million stars. But this was thrown into doubt when it was realised soon after Gaia's launch that unexpected stray light was getting into the telescope. This made the observation of the faintest stars and their colours far more challenging. Engineers think they understand the problem: in part it is caused by the way sunlight bends past the 10m-diameter shade that Gaia uses to keep its telescopes in shadow. And the good news according to the scientists is that they think they can work around the diﬃculties. The longer the mission runs, they believe, the closer Gaia will get to its target of 150 million radial velocity measurements - and that movie. "Clearly, with the stray light we lost sensitivity. On the other hand, it happens to be that there are more stars than were thought before. So we're still talking about 100 million radial velocities," Timo Prusti told BBC News. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS UK Ebola Nurse Pauline Cafferkey Cleared Of Misconduct A Scots nurse who survived Ebola has been cleared of misconduct charges did not set out to mislead staﬀ. He said Ms Caﬀerkey's conduct in leaving PAGE 67

by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Pauline Cafferkey, 40, was infected while working in Sierra Leone in 2014. She faced charges for allegedly allowing a wrong temperature to be recorded during the screening process at Heathrow on her arrival in the UK. The conduct and competence panel dismissed the charges after hearing she had been impaired by illness. Another charge of dishonesty was withdrawn. Afterwards, Ms Cafferkey's lawyer, Joyce Cullen, said her client was "relieved" to have been cleared of wrongdoing after "willingly" putting her life at risk to help people suffering from Ebola. She said that the medics returning from Sierra Leone had encountered "chaotic scenes" and put the focus on Public Health England for the ordeal her client had endured. "Public Health England were unprepared for the volume of people returning from countries affected by Ebola," Ms Cullen said. "There were also serious failures in communication amongst the Public Health England staff. "It is perhaps ironic that given the criticisms made about Public Health England processes, it was their complaint which led to the Nursing and Midwifery Council investigation and these proceedings being initiated against Pauline." 'Lucky to survive' Ms Cullen concluded by saying that Ms Cafferkey would "never have knowingly put anyone in danger". "Pauline was lucky to survive and since her return from Sierra Leone has continued to suffer from ill health," she said. "The NMC disciplinary process has been very upsetting and stressful for Pauline. However, she's delighted that the panel has made the decision that she has no case to answer and that she's now able to continue her nursing career in Scotland, where she will carry on looking after families in Blantyre, who've been very appreciative of her skills and dedication." Pauline Cafferkey has come out of her misconduct hearing with a clean bill of health - but the same can't be said for any of the other parties involved. The Nursing and Midwifery Council had lodged a series of charges against her, including that she had been "dishonest", but was forced to reconsider after medical evidence came to light. This saw the group's lawyer actually arguing against her own charges, in a bid to have mention of dishonesty scrapped. In fact she made such a convincing case that the remaining, watered-down charges were never likely to win over the panel. And if the NMC looked bad, it was even worse for Public Health England - ironically, given they raised the original complaint against Ms Cafferkey. The hearing was told of "chaotic" scenes at PHE's Heathrow screening centre, with patients being told to administer their own tests. There were constant miscommunications between doctors, including one who left messages at the wrong hospital. In the end, many present at the hearing were puzzled as to why it was Ms Cafferkey who was under the microscope and not one of several others who appear to have let her down. It now seems as if the case against Pauline Cafferkey had fallen apart before the hearing even began - raising questions as to why she had to go through it in the first place. After Ms Cafferkey was cleared, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "Sending my very best wishes to Pauline Cafferkey. Her bravery is an inspiration to all of us." Last month it emerged that Ms Cafferkey would face charges from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) over alleged misconduct when she returned to the UK in December 2014. When the panel hearing got under way on Tuesday, the NMC withdrew a charge of dishonesty, leaving her facing three charges. The first charge alleged that while in a Public Health England screening area, inside Terminal 4 at Heathrow, she allowed an incorrect temperature to be recorded on her screening form. The second charge alleges that she left the screening area without reporting her true temperature to medics. The third charge alleged that she did not tell a doctor she had recently taken paracetamol. After deliberating overnight, the panel ruled on Wednesday that Ms Cafferkey had not been guilty of misconduct in relation to all charges. Exhausted state' Panel chairman Timothy Cole told Ms Cafferkey that in her "exhausted and increasingly unwell state" she

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

the screening area without flagging up her elevated temperature could only be explained by illness and exhaustion. Commenting on the outcome, NMC chief executive and registrar, Jackie Smith, said: "As the independent panel recognised, the NMC has an overarching duty to protect the health and wellbeing of the public and need to ensure the maintenance of public confidence in the profession. "The referral from Public Health England showed a highly unusual set of circumstances that clearly required a thorough and proper investigation. In circumstances like this, it is right for an independent panel to hear all the evidence to decide if any action is required." The decision to clear Ms Cafferkey was based on an agreed narrative of facts which had been presented to the panel on Tuesday. These characterised the screening area at Heathrow airport as "busy, disorganised and even chaotic" when Ms Cafferkey and other medics arrived back from Sierra Leone. They showed that the nurse's temperature was recorded twice by a doctor, in the presence of another person referred to as "registrant A", at more than 38C. The doctor claimed that "registrant A" stated that she would record the temperature as 37.2C on Ms Cafferkey's screening form and then they would 'get out of there and sort it out'". Ms Cafferkey recalled the words "let's get out of here" being used but could not remember who said it or who entered the incorrect temperature on her screening form. The panel also heard that Ms Cafferkey accepted that her temperature had been measured at above 38C, yet allowed a reading of 37.2C to be recorded, after which she continued to the arrivals area. It was heard that a temperature above 37.5C "is an elevated or pyrexial (feverish) temperature that requires further assessment and should be reported to a consultant". Ms Cafferkey admitted taking paracetamol at some point but did not mention it to a doctor when she returned to the screening areas. Severe viral load That doctor found her temperature to be normal and cleared the nurse to fly back to Scotland. Hours later she was diagnosed with one of the most severe viral loads of Ebola ever recorded. Doctors' evidence to the panel stated that early symptoms of Ebola would have impaired Ms Cafferkey's judgement and that there was no evidence she had been deliberately dishonest to staff. The nurse, from Halfway, Cambuslang, contracted Ebola while working as part of a British team at the Kerry Town Ebola treatment centre in 2014. She spent almost a month in isolation at the Royal Free hospital in London at the beginning of 2015 after the virus was detected when she arrived back in the UK. Ms Cafferkey was later discharged after apparently making a full recovery, and in March 2015 returned to work as a public health nurse at Blantyre Health Centre in South Lanarkshire. In October last year it was discovered that Ebola was still present in her body, with health officials later confirming she had been diagnosed with meningitis caused by the virus. However, in the months that followed, her health suffered as she had issues with her thyroid, her hair fell out and she had headaches and pains in her joints. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS Headscarf Emoji Proposed By 15-Year-Old Saudi Girl A Saudi teenager living in Germany has proposed designing a Mr Ohanian hosted a Reddit live online discussion on Tuesday where PAGE 68

headscarf emoji. Rayouf Alhumedhi, 15, has sent a proposal to The Unicode Consortium, a non-profit corporation that reviews and develops new emojis. The idea gained the backing of the co-founder of online discussion forum Reddit, Alexis Ohanian. If approved, her emoji will be available in 2017. The proposal comes as countries across Europe wrestle with the issue of the Muslim veil - in all its forms. The debate takes in religious freedom, female equality, secular traditions and even fears of terrorism. The veil issue is part of a wider debate about multiculturalism in Europe, as many politicians argue that there needs to be a greater effort to assimilate ethnic and religious minorities. Emojis are everywhere' Rayouf Alhumedhi told the BBC it was during a group chat with her friends on social media that she had realised there was no emoji to represent her, a headscarf-wearing woman. After reading an article on emoji design, she wrote an email about her idea to Unicode. Intrigued, a member of a Unicode subcommittee replied, offering to help her draft a formal proposal. "In this day and age, representation is extremely important," she said of her reasons behind the project. "People want to be acknowledged... and recognised, especially in the tech world. This is massive. Emojis are everywhere. "There are so many Muslim women in this world who wear the headscarf. It might seem trivial... but it's different when you see yourself on the keyboard around the world. Once you experience that, it's really great." To boost support for the initiative,

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

Reddit users could ask Rayouf Alhumedhi about the new idea. Some wanted to see whether they could get involved while others questioned the need for the hijab, saying it was a tool to oppress women. The drafting committee hopes to present a ﬁnal version of the proposal to Unicode in November. (BBC)

Rayouf Alhumedhi wants an emoji to represent Muslim women who wear headscarves.

Shimon Peres: Former Israeli President 'Responsive' After Stroke Former Israeli President Shimon Peres is responsive after suffering a serious stroke, his doctor says. Mr Peres, 93, is being sedated and ventilated in a hospital near Tel Aviv to let his brain recover, his sonin-law and personal physician said. Dr Rafi Valden said Mr Peres squeezed his hand when the sedation was reduced, appearing to be "awake and listening". His condition was "critical but stable", his doctor added, and there was "no imminent threat to his life". Mr Peres was taken to hospital for examination on Tuesday after suffering from a headache. While there, he had a stroke in the right side of the brain, Dr Valden said. His neurological condition was still unknown but chances of survival were seen as "pretty good". 'Certain optimism' Doctors at the Sheba Medical Centre had "certain optimism", Dr Valden added, after seeing that Mr Peres was "reactive and responsive" following a temporary reduction of his sedation on Wednesday. "I talked to him and asked him to press my hand and he did so vigorously and we are definitely convinced that he is awake and listening and reacting," he told journalists. Doctors would try to reduce the medication again later on Wednesday to check his responsiveness, he said. His son, Chemi, earlier said the family was going through some "difficult hours". "I'm optimistic. I'm a great believer in my father. He's a unique person. And I pray with all my heart, together with my family, that things will improve from this point on," he said. In January, Mr Peres underwent successful minor surgery at the same hospital after suffering a small heart attack. After being discharged, he told reporters he was "so happy to return to work, that was the whole purpose of this operation". A veteran politician As one of Israel's most popular figures, his condition is being closely followed by the media and the public. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted: "Shimon, we love you and the entire nation is

wishing for your recovery," A veteran politician, Mr Peres has held almost every major political oﬃce since Israel was founded in 1948, and was the architect of Israel's secret nuclear programme. He twice served as prime minister and was president from 2007 to 2014. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 for his role negotiating the Oslo peace accords with the Palestinians a year earlier, a prize he shared with Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was later assassinated, and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Despite his age, Mr Peres has maintained an active public schedule, mostly through his nongovernmental Peres Centre for Peace, which promotes closer ties between Israel and the Palestinians. Hours before his hospitalisation, Peres uploaded a video to his Facebook page urging people to buy local products. (BBC)

In January, Mr Peres underwent a minor surgery following a small heart attack(REUTERS)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

Johannesburg Halts South Africa Cycle Lanes To Build Roads construction of the South African city's ambitious cycle lanes project. It was rolled out in part of the city in 2014 while the African National Congress (ANC) was still in power, to encourage people to cycle. Opposition parties had criticised the ANC, saying the money should to used to provide services for poor people. Mayor Herman Mashaba says the project would only be looked at once all the city's roads had been tarred. He is from the Democratic Alliance which won control of the city in August elections, with the support of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). The EFF had marched to former mayor Parks Tau's office, unhappy that the city had set aside 70 million rand ($4.9m; £3.7m) for cycle lanes in rich areas of the city while residents in Alexandra township still lived in squalid conditions. The news of the cycle lanes received a mixed reaction when it was announced in 2014. While some felt it was a vanity project for the city's growing elite, others welcomed the vision of encouraging more residents to get out of their cars and cycle instead. However, the move to halt the project has largely been welcomed. The decision seems to show the influence of firebrand Julius Malema, whose EFF was merciless in its criticism of the lanes during its election campaign. The EFF joined forces with the DA, which now runs Johannesburg. The debate about infrastructure v the needs of the poor is a

longstanding one here and it is a diﬃcult balancing act. Johannesburg fancies itself a world class city and meeting that ambition comes with a hefty price. But its managers also have to wrestle with the reality that many residents are still without basic services such as housing, water or proper sanitation, or proper roads. While it would take a lot more than would have been spent on the lanes to relieve poverty in the city, this gesture may help to send the message that those who live on the fringes of Johannesburg's skyscrapers have not been forgotten. (BBC)

The City of Johannesburg had introduced cycling lanes to encourage people to cycle and not drive

INTERNATIONAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Colin Powell Calls Trump 'National Disgrace' In Email Leak PAGE 70

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell has reportedly called Republican nominee Donald Trump a "national disgrace," according to leaked emails. The Republican retired four-star general's comments were revealed in a hack on his personal emails. The emails were posted on DCLeaks.com, which has reportedly been tied to other recent high-profile hacks. Mr Powell, who has been quiet during the election, said he had "no further comment" but was "not denying it". A Powell spokesman also confirmed to CBS News that Mr Powell's personal account was hacked, and that they have "no idea who did it and no further comment at this time". The remarks were part of an email sent on 17 June to Emily Miller, a journalist and Mr Powell's former aide. The former secretary of state, who served during George W. Bush's administration, also called Mr Trump an "international pariah" who "is in the process of destroying himself". "No need for Dems to attack him," the email said, according to BuzzFeed News. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who crossed party lines in 2008 to endorse Democratic Barack Obama, has tried to float above this year's tendentious presidential election. So much for that. First the government released his note to Democrat Hillary Clinton advising her on how to use personal email for back-channel communications while secretary of state. Now - in an ironic twist - his personal email has been hacked, revealing sweeping denunciations of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and some sharp criticisms of Democrat Hillary Clinton. Mr Powell is generally well liked by Americans, although some on the left hold him responsible for convincing the US public of the need to invade Iraq in 2003 and others on the right view him as a squishy Rino (Republican in name only). Although Mr Powell tried to keep his opinions private during the course of this election, he was more than happy to share them with prominent journalists. Now, he's not denying that he authored the leaked documents, which will likely give his words more punch. At this point, with Mr Trump possibly only two months away from winning the presidency, his earlier worries that speaking out

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

against Trump might "embolden him" aren't really relevant anymore. "Paul Ryan is calibrating his position again," Mr Powell reportedly said, referring to the Republican Speaker of the House. In a separate email sent on 21 August, Mr Powell also criticised Mr Trump for promoting the birther movement, which questioned whether President Barack Obama was born in the US. "Yup, the whole birther movement was racist," the email read. "That's what the 99% believe. When Trump couldn't keep that up he said he also wanted to see if the certificate noted that he was a Muslim." But the leaked emails also revealed Mr Powell's frustrations with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and her handling of her use of private email while at the State Department. "Sad thing... HRC could have killed this two years ago by merely telling everyone honestly what she had done and not tie me into it," the email read, referring to Mrs Clinton. "I told her staff three times not to try that gambit. I had to throw a mini tantrum at a Hampton's party to get their attention." Mrs Clinton has pointed to Mr Powell's use of his personal AOL account at the state department as an example of why her email use was common practice. "Everything HRC touches she kind of screws up with hubris," he said in an email last year to his business partner Jeffrey Leeds. (BBC)

Mr Powell says he has 'no further comment' but is 'not denying' the emails(AP)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

France Names Row: Politician Hits Back Over Criticism Of Daughter's Name A French politician has hit back after it was suggested her daughter was "less French" than other children because she had named her after her mother. Rachida Dati reacted angrily after journalist Eric Zemmour criticised her choice of name for seven-year-old daughter Zohra. He said it was unpatriotic because it did not come from an oﬃcial list of French Christian names. Ms Dati, a former justice minister, said the comments were "pathological". Zemmour appeared on French television channel LCI on Monday, demanding the return of a law restricting the names children are given. The law was abolished in 1993, 200 years after it was brought in by Napoleon Bonaparte. Five countries which regulate baby names Iceland: Parents can choose from an approved list of 1,853 female and 1,712 male names, with those who want to venture outside the norm facing a special committee which will approve the choice should it meet certain criteria - including not embarrassing the child in question Portugal: Those looking for inspiration can turn to an 80-page list which includes some 2,600 banned names, according to the Portuguese-American Journal Saudi Arabia: The kingdom banned 50 names in 2015, including Alice, Elaine and Lauren - all considered too Western by authorities. New Zealand: The task of approving baby names falls to the Department of Internal Aﬀairs, which releases a list of its top "most rejected" each year - with 2015's winner being "Messiah" Malaysia: As well as banning parents from calling babies names like Hitler, the National Registration Department has prohibited naming children after animals, insects, fruit, vegetables or colours since 2006 Zemmour - who also told the channel he felt

National Front leader Marine Le Pen was not far enough to the right said non-Christian names like Zohra, and that of football legend Zinedine Zidane, made their bearers "less French" than himself. He also admitted to confronting Ms Dati, who is of North African origin, over her choice of name to her face. "She called her daughter Zohra," he said. "I ﬁnd it outrageous and I told her." But Ms Dati, who was minister of justice under former President Nicolas Sarkozy, has defended her choice of name. "Do you ﬁnd it scandalous to give your mother's name to your children?" she asked the BFMTV channel. "I loved my mother. I have a little girl, and I called her after my mother. Like millions of French people do every day." (BBC)

French politician Rachida Dati was minister of justice under Nicolas Sarkozy(GETTY IMAGES)

INTERNATIONAL

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

Rayouf Alhumedhi wants an emoji to represent Muslim women who wear headscarves.

In January, Mr Peres underwent a minor surgery following a small heart attack(REUTERS)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

A Day Like Today Angela Isadora Duncan or 'Lavinia King’, was an American dancer who was strangled by her own scarf a day like today 1927. Isadora was born in San Francisco, USA in 1877 to a middle class family. Her career in classic dance started from her childhood. Fermenting her unique style during her teenage years as a free bohemian spirit, her curiosity and hunger to perform in different venues, took her to Chicago. But Chicago wasn’t ready for the imaginative and highly improvised dancing method of our diva. This took her to New York, and ultimately London, where she settled for a good part of her life. London was a more welcoming environment, but Paris became her home, the ultimate nest of the ‘Prima Ballerina’. Europe gave her the wins that she needed to debut as one of the most prominent ballet dancers of the late 19th century. Her innovating dance moves, delicate gestures on stage and visionary projection of motion, rapidly caught the eyes of the public. Isadora was deeply inspired by Greek art. She would commonly be seen dancing barefoot wrapped in togas and scarves. Her emotional performances were a showcase of selfexpression and independence, making a statement of eccentric feminism. As fame ‘kicked in’, and performances started to be profitable, she focused in a personal mission. Establish dancing schools through Europa to promote, not only ballet, but the infinite spiritual freedom that can be experienced through its moves, and how to project them. Her personal life was filled with controversies, failed loves and a bad luck with cars. She had two children of different fathers. Children that died in tragic car accident on April 19, 1913. She was victim of a next car

accident in 1924, followed by the fatal irony that took her life, on September 14, 1927. On that fatidic night, Isadora was riding a convertible Amilcar, when silk her red scarf get trapped around the axle, tightening around Duncan’s neck, breaking it on the action. She died instantly. Duncan was cremated, and her ashes were placed next to those of her children in the columbarium at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. Isadora is remembered for breaking the conventional frame of ballet. "Let them come forth with great strides, leaps and bounds, with lifted forehead and far-spread arms, to dance.” –Isadora Duncan. Source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dancerisadora-duncan-is-kill...

Angela Isadora Duncan (1877-1927)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Min. Patterson Apologizes For Constant Blackout In Bartica Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson today apologised to residents of Bartica for the spate of blackouts in the area. During a press conference, Minister Patterson said that the area has three old units, one of which was removed for repairs. One of the two generators developed mechanical issues, forcing the town to receive power from one generator, thus the constant power outages. In the interim a generator was removed from Onverwagt Berbice, to back up the one in Bartica. The Minister is optimistic that full power will be restored by this weekend. The Essequibo Coast has been plagued with power outages as of recent. When the Guyana Daily News contacted the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), an oﬃcial said that only one generator is working to service the entire region. Residents have become frustrated and have bitterly complained.

Ms. Williams, a resident of Hampton Court, said that a lot of her electrical appliances have been damaged due to sudden and frequent power outages. In June of this year, firefighters from the Anna Regina Fire S t a t i o n w e r e summoned to quench a fire at the GPL power Station. It was reported that the cables on the Caterpillar Generator was on fire.

$17M For Repairs To Supenaam Stelling Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson has revealed that works on the Supenaam stelling will commence shortly. The government has contracted the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation to carry out the works, which includes placing cluster piles, replacement of the transom, and replacing of

The Supenaam/Good Hope Stelling, Essequibo

the metal plates. The Minister said that the works are expected to last for about seven days to the tune of $17,015,444. On July 26, the MV. Sabanto, crashed into the ferry stelling causing severe damages to the anchor and rails. The Good Hope/Supenaam Ferry Stelling was built in 2007 by BK international, however since its construction, there have been many disasters surrounding the structure. Two trucks ended up into the Essequibo River while a section of the stelling deteriorated. Millions of dollars were spent to construct the stelling and millions are still being spent to eﬀect added repairs. Several truckers also vent their concerns about the length of time the repairs take.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

East Coast Road Project At A Standstill The East Coast Road expansion will not see any work being done any time soon. This is according to Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson who told a news conference today that the agreement with the China EXIM Bank is yet to be implemented and he cannot give a realistic figure for the completion of the project. He however stated that the funds from the Chinese Bank has been approved but when asked, Minister Patterson could not give a reason for the holding up of the funds. Patterson further explained that there was a query by the bank with the contractor, relating to why the estimate cost was low. The Minister however emphasized that the agreement with the contractor remains. Construction works between Better Hope and Montrose, on the East Coast Demerara Public Road four-lane expansion project, are at a standstill with a significant portion of works yet to be completed. The contractor, Dipcon Engineering Services, has not executed any works for the past two years. According to reports, Dipcon Engineering Services has to execute excavation works, reconstruct concrete drains, sand filling, and relocate water mains, poles and cables belonging to Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company and Guyana Power and Light Inc. in order to complete the project. With those works yet to be completed, several persons are questioning what the contractor has done thus far on the project, how Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson much money has been released to the contractor, and when will this project conclude.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Abandoned Aircraft At Interior Airstrip Has Bogus US Registration Number

The abandoned twin engine Cessna Aircraft which was found by a joint services patrol at the Yupukari Airstrip, Central Rupununi, Region Nine is said to bear a bogus US

registration number. This is according to Cabinet Secretary, Joseph Harmon who told a post cabinet media briefing today that the aircraft was found off the airstrip itself and was partly hidden by a camouflage net bore and had the US Registration number N676Z. However, subsequent checks by the Guyana Defense Force (GDF), Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) and the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) found that the registration number was bogus because up to as recent as yesterday another aircraft was flying under the same registration number in the United States. Although it is not clear as to what was the cargo of the aircraft, Harmon alluded to the notion that the plane might have been used in connection to drugs as he related that the

area in which the aircraft was found has be under regular and constant surveillance because in the past, an airstrip in the area would been used to by aircrafts connected to the elicited drug trade. “The members of CANU, the police force, the ranks are there. They’re checking the aircraft to determine whether in fact it had a cargo and whether the cargo has been disposed of or what,” Harmon explained. He believes that the airplane could not have being there for long because of the constant surveillance and the regular communication between the resident of the area and the patrols “We get the sense that is it would have been there a few days, I can’t be very speciﬁc about it because the investigation is take place there on the ground,” Harmon said. Investigation into the discovery is ongoing.

Cabinet Supports Operation Safeway

Cabinet has expressed its support of the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) road safety initiative “Operation Safeway” and is urging the general public to cooperate with the police to bring about a change in the current situation on Guyana’s roadways. Operation Safeway was launched yesterday by Police Commissioner (ag) David Ramnarine at the Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, which took eﬀect today. It is aimed at restoring road safety consciousness and public awareness to the general public, particular motorcar users, with the ultimate goal of minimizing the number of accidents.

The initiative is a joint operation involving ranks of the GPF, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and the National Road Safety Committee. Cabinet Secretary, Joseph Harmon told a post cabinet media brieﬁng that the police noted that these fatal accidents occur during the weekends, evening hours and the operation safeway is intended resolve the issues as well as to ensure drivers of motor vehicles adhere to the road safety rules. In a statement, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo said that the issue of increased road fatalities was raised at both this week’s National Security Committee and Cabinet meetings. As a result, he said an “urgent decision was taken” to launch Operation Safeway. “Every Guyanese needs to arrive home alive. We all need to slow down. There is no place for drunkards behind the wheel. I support sanctions against p e r s o n s c h a rg e d

with serious traffic offenses, especially when they cause injury or death while under the influence of alcohol,” the Prime Minister stated. In recent days five lives were lost in three fatal accidents while several persons were hospitalized as a result. Four year old Abeka Trotman was killed on Sherriff Street while siblings, seven year old Tina Halley and 10 month old Marvin Halley lost their lives at Blakenburg on the West Coast of Demerara on Tuesday morning. Twenty three year old Ramesh Rampat and 45 year old Richard Ramnarine also lost their lives in a fatal Corentyne, Berbice accident at the weekend. Recently release figures by the Guyana Police Force report that for the period January 1 to September 9th2016, 89 persons lost their lives on the roadways, a 10% increase on the similar period in 2015.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Carol Alexis Fraser - Miracle Hands Guyana is the mother land of many talents, either in sports, visual arts or fashion and the noble sons of this soil always manage to surprise us with their ‘spicy’ performances and colorful creations. This is the example of Ms. Carol Alexis Frazer, a Berbician native, who projects her surroundings on evocative and functional designs. Carol is a fashion designer and a trained artist who has been taking over the runways of the Caribbean. A proud mother, Carol centers her art in the necessity of a green environment, stimulating a recycling consciousness with her unique creations. Carol’s career in the fashion world started from her early ages. There was a ‘hidden’ power in the hands of this small girl, power that was the reﬂection of the admiration towards her mother’s inventive spirit. Her ‘Matriarch’ became her ultimate source of

inspiration and guide. Interior renovation became the base for Carol’s career, without her being completely conscious of it. The evolution experienced after years of innocent crafting with any resource available, became her signature mode. Her passion for fashion grew, and so did her skills. She cemented her artistry graduating from the Burrowes School of Art as the best Leather Art student in 2007. She has mastered the technique of Artisanal Handicraft. Her hands are the ‘divine’ tool for the elaboration of masks, a variety of accessories, footwear, unusual designing and innovative pieces of clothing not leaving out her recent venture into the mural creation. With her increasing success nationally, she saw a breakthrough to catch the attention of international designers with the creation of ‘Miracle Hands’, a fashion-

line that manifest her environmentally friendly line of work. ‘Miracle Hands’ recently became Guyana’s leading Natural Fiber & Organic Entrepreneurs. Through this fashion-line and environmental project, Carol encourages the use of eco-friendly & biodegradable materials in the creation of new life-style innovations and fashionable apparel. Carol is an active member of the Guyana Women Artist Association. Her latest project, “Rise Again”, was seen on the French Guiana Fashion Week, where she displayed her wide collection of clothing and accessories made out of recycled materials; a style that she denominates as “Trashion”, showing her diﬀerent and unique nuances. Source: http://miraclehandsdesigns.com/

LOCAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Increased Monitoring In Fisheries Sector To Ensure All Vessels Comply With Laws PAGE 80

The Ministry of Agriculture had requested and received assistance for support to conduct Monitoring Control and Surveillance (MCS) activities within Guyana’s marine fisheries sector to ensure that operators of all categories of fishing vessels are in compliance with the laws and regulations governing the sector. These activities will be supported by the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Marine Branch. A meeting was held on Friday, September 16, 2016 among representatives of the agencies to discuss the scope and execution of the operations. The objectives of the activities are; 1.To reduce Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing activities 2. To increase the number of vessels licenced on an annual basis 3. To ensure that the industrial fleet is in compliance with the necessary regulations and 4.To gather the information that would be useful in the fight against piracy.Guyana’s marine fisheries sector fishing fleet is divided into three main sub-categories namely the industrial, the semi-industrial and the artisanal fishing fleets.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

The industrial fishing vessels are trawler type vessels that target prawn (Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis, F. subtilis and F. notialis) and seabob shrimp (Xiphopenaeus kroyeri) as the main species and finfish as by catch. All trawler type vessels are required by regulations to have their vessels fitted with Turtle Excluder Devices and Bycatch Reduction Devices. The seabob vessels operations are limited to fishing grounds between the seven to 18 fathom depth contours while the prawn vessels are permitted to operate above the 18 fathom depth contour. Currently, the seabob fleet is engaged in its annual closed season and only vessels engaged in research are permitted to be in the fishing zone. The closed season commenced on August 31 and will reopen on October 20, 2016.The semiindustrial fleet target mainly the pelagic species such as red snapper (Lutjanus purpureus) and grouper (Epinephelus spp.) and comprise of a local fleet of 58 registered vessels that utilise traps to capture the species and 20 Venezuelan vessels that are licenced to a local company. The Venezuelan vessels utilise hook and line to capture their species. The artisanal fleet comprises of locally constructed wooden vessels and an artisanal frame (boat count) survey conducted in 2011 estimated that approximately 1,234 vessels were in operation. A perusal of the Fisheries Department records have however indicated that these numbers have since increased and it is estimated that in excess of 1,500 of these types of vessels are in operation. These types of vessels are separated into Chinese seine (a

type of fyke seine), Gillnets (nylon, cabin cruisers and inboard), Caddell and Pin and Tie seines. These vessels target mainly the ground fish species such as bangamary (Macrodon ancylodon), trout (Cynoscion virescens), grey snapper (Cynoscion acoupa), cuirass (Sciades (Arius) proops), gillbaker (Sciades parkeri) and butter fish (Nebris microps). While 100% of the industrial fleet is licenced on an annual basis, only 35 or 60% of the 58 semi-industrial vessels on the register are licenced annually. The MCS operations will seek to verify these figures and remove non-operational vessels from the register. Of the estimated 1,500 artisanal vessels in operation, approximately 450 or 30% of these vessels are licenced annually. As the stated in the objectives, the upcoming operations, personnel from the Fisheries Department, the GDF Coast Guard and the GPF Marine Branch be visiting landing sites throughout the coast, as well as conducting at sea stops and inspections to ensure that all operators of fishing vessels within the marine fisheries sector are in compliance with the laws of Guyana. Part III, section 9 (1) of the Fisheries Act “Registration of Fishing Vessels Local and Foreign” states; “After 30 days from the commencement of this Act every owner of a local fishing vessel which is used or intended to be used or intended to be used for fishing in the fisheries waters, shall, before such vessel is put to sea, be the holder of a valid certificate of registration in respect of such fishing vessel.” Part IV Section 13 (1) of the Local Fish Licence states; “No local fishing vessel shall be used for fishing or related activities in the fisheries waters without a valid licence issued under this section in respect of that vessel.” It is hoped that defaulters will make every effort to ensure that they are in compliance with the laws governing their fishing operations, failing which, they will be prosecuted for noncompliance. (GINA)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

MoH Says Zika Virus Not Officially Called An STD PRESS RELEASE – Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Sharon Belmar-George clarified, that though sexual intercourse has been proven to be a mode of transmission for the Zika Virus, the main mode of transmission is the bite of an infected female Aedes aegypti Mosquito. “The Centres for Disease Control have documented the presence of the Zika Virus in semen also in vaginal fluids and in lower levels in other fluids such as saliva and breast milk but transmission through semen and vaginal fluids are the two that have been confirmed to date. They have also confirmed transmission through male to female transmission, male to male transmission and also female to male transmission they have not documented up to this point female to female transmission.” As with other diseases which can be transmitted sexually, Dr. George indicated that Ministry of Health continues to implore the public to engage in protected sex. “In particular importance to us are women who intend to get pregnant or women who are pregnant because it has been documented that the Zika Virus can stay in the semen for up to 60 days at this point.So, It is possible that pregnant

Dr. Sharon Belmar-George

women can get Zika through unprotected sex, through her partner apart from the bite of the Aedes aegypti Mosquito. ” Sensitization sessions on the implications of Zika Virus and the possible modes of transmission are routinely provide through antenatal clinics at Wellness Centres throughout the island. The medical oﬃcer said the hope is that women and men will take the advice seriously to protect themselves and their unborn baby as well. (St. Lucia News Online)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Venezuela Hosts Third NAM Caribbean Summit This Week MARGARITA ISLAND, Venezuela -- The 17th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is under way in Venezuela, where heads of state and government from 120 countries have gathered on a Caribbean island -- for the third time -- to come to grips with the myriad problems facing the world’s second largest grouping. The September 13 to 18 summit, being held in the island of Margarita, got under way on Tuesday with a welcome address by Venezuelan foreign aﬀairs minister Nelcy Rodriguez. Hosting representatives from nations worldwide, the small Venezuelan island is home -- for the rest of this week until Sunday -- to delegations from the second largest international body after the United Nations (UN). The 55-year-old body today comprises 54 members from Africa, 39 from Asia, 26 from Latin America and the Caribbean and one from Europe. It also has 17 observer countries and 10 observer organizations.

Ahead of the meeting, the NAM’s Coordinating Committee held its last session on September 11 at the UN headquarters in New York, chaired by Iran, to make arrangements for the Margarita summit. The meeting, which was held at the level of ambassadors of NAM member states, was chaired by Iran’s UN Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo. The session produced a 194-page draft final document that includes an introduction, three chapters and 907 articles, all of which explain NAM stances on different international and regional issues. The NAM is a group of states not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. But it constantly defends its members everywhere. Ahead of the meeting, it firmly rejected the latest set of sanctions imposed by the United States against Venezuelan officials. The group issued a statement denouncing the sanctions as “an intervention” in Venezuelan affairs. It said the sanctions were “intended to undermine Venezuela's sovereignty, its political independence and its right to self-determination.” The NAM said it considers the unilateral sanctions a “violation of international law, including the United Nations Charter and the basic principles of international law of relations between states.” It also said the measure was “coercive” and expressed its solidarity with the Venezuelan people and government. Tuesday’s meeting was the start of three stages of the summit, which begins with officials, to be followed by a later meeting of foreign affairs ministers and then the summit of heads of state and government to take place this weekend. (The Diplomatic Courier) (Caribbean News Now!)

Security personnel tighten up a street in Margarita Island, Venezuela on September 12, 2016, ahead of this weekend’s actual summit to be attended by delegations from 120 nations. (Photo: minci.gob.ve)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

CDEMA Jointly Awarded Silver Medal For Collaborative Project MER capacity of the agency to lead the CDM agenda for the region. The project undertaken by IDEA started with a series of training in monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of a critical mass of key actors, both at CDEMA CU and in major national disaster offices. Twenty one participants achieved the Masters Certification Programme in M&E and Information Systems, a graduate level credited programme offered jointly by IDEA International and University Laval, Canada. Further work on the M&E system involved the revision of the strategic and operational plans, adjusting when necessary the choice of indicators in the performance measurement framework, and checking for the consistency of targets set at strategic, (L-R) Dr Frederic Martin, Co-President of IDEA and programmatic, and operational levels over the planning Ronald Jackson, Executive Director of CDEMA with other awardees horizon of the CDM strategy. The development of such a GUADALAJARA, Mexico -- The Caribbean Disaster robust system also includes efforts to strengthen M&E at the Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) is the recipient of level of the national disaster management organizations. a Silver Medal award, which is shared with the Institute for Development in Economics and Administration (IDEA And finally, the initiative was accompanied by the design and International). The award was sponsored by the International implementation of an online monitoring system, which started Development Bank (IDB) and presented during the IX with a diagnostic of needs and of relevant existing information International Seminar of the Sub-National Governments systems, and then included the adaptation of the generic IDEA Network (CoPLAC) held in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico on Solutions “Monitoring for Results” (M4R) software to the September 8, 2016. Both entities were nominated for the specific needs and characteristics of CDEMA to develop a ‘Second Competition in Management for Development Results tailor-made solution, which is currently functional as CDM (MfDR)’ and were placed second in the ‘MfDR in Sectors’ monitor. Based on the support given by IDEA, the CDEMA CU category. has seen an improvement over the last three years in its internal The executive director of CDEMA, Ronald Jackson, and the systems in terms of monitoring and reporting of results. The CU co-president of IDEA, Dr Frederic Martin, expressed their is also providing support to the participating states and to gratitude for the recognition. Martin said he was particularly stakeholders within the CDM governance mechanism in order “pleased that the CoPLAC Evaluation Committee had to improve the level of reporting on progress of implementation recognized this example of good practices in MfDR in the of the CDM strategy. (Caibbean News Now!) Caribbean region conducted with limited human and financial resources, as well as of the originality of the institutional setup based on North-South collaboration and public-private partnership”. Jackson also commended the organizers and sponsors of the award and offered assurance that “CDEMA remains committed to strengthening its accountability to stakeholders through monitoring, evaluation and reporting (MER) for both, its internal work and external partners’ work”. “Being awarded this silver medal on the occasion of celebrating our silver anniversary is highly commendable and speaks to the growth of the agency over the past 25 years in ensuring that M&E is highly featured in our efforts to be accountable to our participating states and stakeholders as we report on progress towards the achievement of the regional comprehensive disaster management (CDM) strategy 2014-2024 and the CDEMA Coordinating Unit (CU) corporate plan 2014-2017,” Jackson said. In 2013, the CDEMA CU contracted the IDEA International Institute to provide support to strengthening the

REGIONAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Cayman Islands Reports Four More Zika Cases PAGE 84

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (CNS) -- Another four women with no relevant travel history have been infected with zika as a result of local transmission, public health officials have confirmed in the latest update regarding the spread of the virus in the Cayman Islands. Another female patient, who tested positive in the latest batch of test results, had travelled to a zika outbreak area before becoming sick. To date, nine residents that have been tested have contracted the virus locally and another seven positive patients confirmed by the lab picked up the virus overseas. But officials warned that there may be many more people who caught zika at home or abroad but did not seek medical assistance. Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr Samuel Williams-Rodriguez said that none of the latest patients are related and none of them are pregnant. The senior health official stated at a media briefing recently that everyone needs to take precautions against the virus, which now includes safe sexual practices as well as protecting against mosquito bites. Williams-Rodriguez has said that detailing the communities where positive patients reside is unhelpful, even though many people want to know. On the international scene, the World Health Organization (WHO) has updated its interim guidance on the prevention of sexual transmission of zika. For regions with active transmission of zika virus, WHO recommends that sexually active men and women be correctly

counselled and oﬀered a full range of contraceptive methods to be able to make an informed choice about whether, and when, to become pregnant in order to prevent possible adverse pregnancy and foetal outcomes. For regions without active transmission of zika virus, WHO also recommends practicing safe sex or considering abstinence for a period of six months for men and women who are returning from areas of active transmission. (Caribbean News Now!)

Concern Raised Over Lack Of CXC Report For St. Kitts

St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN): The analysis of how students in St. Kitts performed at the 2016 CXC examinations remains a mystery as the annual report from the Ministry of Education has yet to be delivered. The issue was raised recently by Opposition parliamentarian Marcella Liburd. She said the lack of a report even after the new academic year had begun, smacked

of incompetence on the part of the unspeciﬁed setbacks. He said the report would likely be delivered later this Minister of Education. week. (Antigua Observer) Liburd also pointed out the fact that the Minister of Education in the NIA, Premier Vance Amory, had given a report on the performance of Nevisian students since August 2nd. “You have an incompetent government and the country is really going downhill Up to now we have seen no one come out to talk about the exam results for CXC and CAPE exams that we’ve had to date. This is unprecedented. “I think the results have been here well over ﬁve weeks and we see all the competence in Education that’s going on,” MP Liburd said. WINN FM spoke to Education Minister Deputy Prime Minister Shawn Richards who acknowledged the delay in presenting the report, citing

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Employers Owe NHT $59B Jamaica – EMPLOYERS across the island owe the National Housing Trust (NHT) $59 billion, including interest, which they collected from their employees for NHT contributions but have failed to hand over to the State-run agency. In response to questions from the Jamaica Observer, the NHT explained that from the annual returns filed by employers it has gleaned that an estimated $20 billion of the $59 billion is principal arrears and approximately $39 billion is interest accrued. According to the NHT, some employers collect money from the salaries of their workers but have kept the money instead of paying it over, others pay over only a portion of money collected, while some employers do not take any money for NHT contributions from salaries of employees, although the deduction is compulsory. The action of these delinquent employers, said the NHT, has been hampering the chances of a significant number of workers to access housing solutions from the agency. The trust is also unable to process contribution refunds to these affected workers because of their employers’ failure to pay over money collected or the decision not to deduct NHT contributions from salaries. In an effort to have employers comply, the NHT said that it is currently pursuing 1,483 cases in the court against these delinquent employers. It said that 493 of the cases are for non-submission of annual returns, and another 990 cases are to have the employers pay over contribution arrears. Outside of the more that 1,400 now before the court, the NHT said that, since April this year, 278 matters before the courts have been settled and annual returns submitted, while judgements have been received in 443 arrears cases. The NHT, when asked what assistance can be provided for an employee whose contributions have been collected by an employer and not paid over, said “The employee may inform the NHT and

provide evidence that the employer deducted NHT contributions from his/her salary.Evidence may be salary slips or a veriﬁcation letter. On receiving the employee’s statement and evidence of deductions, the NHT will audit the company’s records (especially payr oll-related records) and, if the audit proves the non-compliance, the NHT will take steps to have the company remit the deductions and submit the relevant annual returns. These steps may include moral suasion, demand notices and/or litigation.”Annual returns, which the NHT has been using to identify delinquents, are the means by which employers account for statutory contributions paid by companies and employees. These returns identify each contributing employee by name, NIS number and TRN and state the gross income, how much contribution has been deducted for each employee for the period stipulated by law, and the matching employer’s contribution. The information provided on the annual returns helps the NHT to identify who is entitled to contributions refunds and other beneﬁts. (Source: jamaicaobserver.com)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Mico Study Offers Key To Boosting Students’ Performance In Math

Take From: www.barnstable.k12.ma.us Jamaica- Apilot research on mathematics, conducted by Mico University College’s Caribbean Centre of Excellence in Mathematics Teaching (CCEMaT), has revealed that building teachers’ knowledge and developing students’ problem-solving skills will positively impact performance in the subject area. Shandelene Binns-Thompson, associate director of CCEMaT, said that the project indicated that factors which contribute to underachievement in mathematics include, but are not limited to, teachers’ inability to help students develop problem-solving skills; math teachers possessing limited subject knowledge that inhibits the effective development of mathematical concepts with students; students’ inability to decompose non-routine questions into algebraic form; employment of mostly teacher-centred approaches in the teaching and learning discourse; and students’ inability to read in the content area. The project involved 840 students and 24 teachers from four primary schools in Kingston.“It is easy to answer from recall knowledge, but students have to be trained how to systematically decompose questions into algebraic form. In order to develop mathematical concepts in students your knowledge as a teacher must go beyond the scope of what you’re teaching. Also, a good grasp of English A [language] is important in order to read and understand the questions,” she said yesterday while speaking at the press briefing held at Mico to disclose the findings of the research. Moreover, Binns-Thompson further said that statistics have shown that performance in math at the primary and secondary levels ranges from poor to average and cited the 2013 National Education Inspectorate report, which revealed that math performance in 73 per cent of the schools examined was unsatisfactory.“The Ministry of Education is fully aware of the issue of under performance in mathematics and as such, in the math and numeracy report of 2011 it was recommended that mathematics classrooms should embrace the development of analytical, reasoning and critical thinking skills as one of the central goals of teaching mathematics,” she said. “Now the ministry, being aware that these skills should be developed, they are also of the opinion that teachers’ subject knowledge should be enhanced above the scope of which they teach.” Professor Neville Ying, pro-chancellor of Mico, said understanding

and addressing the psychological needs and motivation of teachers and students are more important than the subject matter. “Effective teaching must start with the mindset that every child can learn mathematics, and the guiding principle is that the essence of mathematics is not to make simple things complicated but to make complicated things simple,” he said. “Passion and the ability of the teacher to pass on knowledge to the student is critical. Passion dismisses fear and replaces it with self confidence and excitement, which facilitates the learning of mathematics. The integration of English, drama, sports, information and communication technologies in the teaching and learning of mathematics can significantly improve students’ performance in mathematics. Integration of these subjects areas in the teaching and learning of mathematics caters effectively to multiple intelligences that exist in our classrooms,” Ying emphasised.. Meanwhile, Professor David Burghes, director of the Centre of Innovation in Mathematics teaching at the University of Plymouth in England, which partnered with Mico for the research, said a strong mathematical foundation in the primary sector is the only long-term solution to improve performance. “It is very important at the primary level that we have no child left behind. It means you have to have interventions and teachers who are well able to understand the issue and the problems in mathematics that our learners have,” he said. But, Education Minister Senator Ruel Reid said while the pilot project will help ramp up teaching and learning outcomes in mathematics, a high level of training and competency is required by professionals who teach the subject. “Out of the 1784 teachers teaching mathematics in high schools, only about 230 have a full mathematics degree so that is where we are coming from,” he said. “If we are asked to deliver in the subject areas, every single teacher must have the highest level of training and certification and must be competent, that must be the policy we are driving forward.” “What we are going to be trying to do with that initiative is make sure we validate everybody…and have defined teachers in the classroom. We will also assess whether you should remain in the teaching profession [because] if after three, four, five years there is no impact in your teaching, you’re in the wrong profession,” he added. The study employed an experimental mix- method design and investigated factors that contribute to underperformance in mathematics. It also identified how problem- solving skills are developed in mathematics. Additionally, the research found that there are several teaching strategies — such as co-operative learning strategies and humanistic methods — that may be employed when developing students’ problem solving skills. These include the use of technology, role play and poetry. The recommendations state that policymakers in the education sector should ensure that all teachers of mathematics are given an opportunity to enhance subject knowledge and that the developing of problem-solving skills in students becomes mandatory in all mathematics lessons, at all levels of the education system. (Antigua Observer)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Men Use More Lethal Methods For Suicide, Says Health Worker Although many persons are of the view that more men are committing suicide on Saint Lucia, Charge Nurse of the Mental Wellness Centre Jana Felix said this may not be the case. Felix, who appeared on News Maker Live programme with Timothy Poleon on Wednesday, said that men are more successful at suicide. “They use more lethal methods than females,” she said. The health care worker noted that most females who have committed suicide would take pills.

to diﬃculties in leading a normal life.

Such conditions can vary from a lifelong predisposition to low mood (known as dysthymia) to depressive episodes that vary in intensity from relatively mild to severe.This according to her, is one of the major risk factors for suicide. In addition to that, persons diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or personality disorder often times attempt or become successful at committing suicide. Felix said the time has And in doing so, if that person is come for a change in attitude found within a certain period, the likelihood of them dying is slim. However, someone is likely to die when it comes to how people respond to depression. faster by hanging, gunshot injury to the head and ingestion of a poisonous substance, all of which most men do when attempting “As a society we need to be less judgmental and more empathetic to suicide. “In Saint Lucia the preferred poisonous substance is those individuals. Gone are the days when we were our brothers gramoxone and more than likely, once you ingest that substance you keeper, when we looked out for each other. We have become a very will die,” Felix stated. Another factor behind men committing selfish society.” She continued, “Almost every suicide is suicide is, in many societies, expressing emotions, for example preventable. Ninety percent of suicides are preventable, so that is 9 sadness, fear, disappointment or regret, is seen as being less of 10. Those are 9 useful, fruitful lives that we can have,” she noted. acceptable for boys than girls. This cultural stereotype is very difficult to shake off, though more The media was also reminded of the important role it could play men are now opening up to others. In providing some statistics, when it comes to educating the public about the services and help Felix said there has been six recorded cases of suicide so far this they can get for themselves, their family or friends. Felix urged year, while in 2015 there were 7 cases (all males). In 2012 and 2014, media entities to be mindful of how they report on suicides, saying, Saint Lucia recorded 13 cases each, the highest in 10 years. “A successful suicide would affect other people contemplating Meanwhile, the charge nurse said the word ‘depression’ is often suicide and we must be careful.” The World Health Organisation used in everyday language to mean straightforward and says every 40 seconds someone in the world takes their own life. understandable unhappiness, but the word should be reserved for Persons are being advised to give a listening ear to anyone who those who have significant and pervasive lowering of mood leading might need it. (St. Lucia News online)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Former MP Urges Gov’t To Strengthen Democracy, Restore Local Gov’t Elections of local government, by allowing the people of the various

Jeannine Compton-Antoine

In light of recent moves to appoint persons to serve on various local government bodies including the 13 constituency councils, former Member of Parliament (MP) for Micoud North Jeannine Compton-Antoine is calling on the new government to restore local government elections to bring some fairness to the system. Compton-Antoine told St. Lucia News Online (SNO) in an interview on Wednesday that was one of the things she was campaigning for and would have implemented in Micoud North if she was successful at the June 6, 2016 election. The former MP observed that at present the government still continues to select persons to sit on various councils and the opposition has no say as to who should or should not be selected to serve. But what Compton-Antoine ﬁnds more upsetting, is that most of the time the people from the constituencies are not even familiar with the council members. “Prior to the election, in every community in Micoud North, when we discussed the council, no one knew who was representing their community on the council and what their role on council was,” she told SNO. Compton-Antoine who is passionate about this issue and had spoken extensively about the need to improve accountability and transparency on Saint Lucia said that the people should decide who gets to represent them. She said, “The government needs to allow for the strengthening

communities to elect their representatives on council and to give each constituency council a budget to do meaningful work in the constituency. The council should meet regularly with constituents to discuss and determine the projects and priorities for each community. Thus helping to create a development plan for each constituency developed through the input of the people.” The former independent MP also believes that the council should inform constituents regularly of budgetary allocations, projects approved, expenditure and contract processes and awards of contracts. She is also of the view that the council should meet with the various communities at least every three months. Further, Compton-Antoine suggested that all elected representatives should be the head of the local government and should not hold any ministerial portfolio. “Each constituency would have a mayor i.e. the elected representative and elected councils. They would submit annual budgets to central government for approval based on each constituency’s development plan and would approve legislation etc. via the Parliament,” she explained. The former Micoud North MP favours a Swiss model of governance, where each constituency has a ‘people’s parliament’ which meet often to discuss, appraise and get the input of the people as what to is happening in the constituency . This ‘people’s parliament’, according to her, would be made up of: the representative, the council, the police and ﬁre service, district education and health representatives, youth and sports councils, among others. “This would bring true accountability and allow governance to be put back in the hands of the people. Right now, Saint Lucians have no say in our governance,” Compton-Antoine told SNO. At present, most councilors are appointed not based on merit or capability but rather on their political aﬃliation. They are not subjected to public scrutiny as they do not have to face the public during the general election. Council polls were suspended in 1979 by the Saint Lucia Labour Party-led government. (St. Lucia News Online)

REGIONAL PAGE 89

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Barbados Government Concerned About Pace Of CLICO Restructuring BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (BGIS) -- The Barbados government is very concerned about the pace at which CLICO Holding’s restructuring process is taking place. Minister of finance, Christopher Sinckler, expressed those concerns while delivering an address at the Domestic Financial Institutions Conference on Tuesday. Sinckler disclosed that in December some decisions were taken, which were contingent on the courts’ acceptance of the restructuring plan for CLICO, which was placed in receivership in 2013. “We have put certain things in place, including financial resources, which we have done with the assistance of Minister of Finance, Christopher Sinckler making a point during our Central Bank and others. We Tuesday’s Domestic Financial Institutions Conference. (A. Miller/BGIS) have given full and complete support for that restructuring plan to strength and once again be a leader in the international proceed and I can say that six, seven, [or] eight months on, we currencies across the world. “So from the level of the are in fact disappointed that the pace at which that…reform has government, we are keeping eyes on it; we are sensitive to the transpired, has not been at a satisfactory level,” he stated. The issues but we are not getting overly excited and worrying about minister further revealed that he met recently with the team what will take place,” he stressed. Sinckler said Britain was one working on the restructuring from the government’s side and of Barbados’ greatest international partners and the two the judicial managers to express government’s concerns. countries had worked together in a number of areas. (Caribbean He gave the assurance that an appropriate statement on the News Now!) matter would be issued in a couple of weeks. “Hopefully, it will be done jointly with the judicial managers to indicate the timeline which we have now determined that transition should be completed in and with it, the resumption of the payment of the various awards and premiums that are due to the members of the public,” he added. Stressing that his ministry was not involved in the day-to-day execution of plans pertaining to the restructuring of CLICO, he continued: “I want to say to those Barbadians who have been ill affected continually by this process that we have not abandoned you and therefore we should apologise publicly for those delays. “But rest assured that now that the Budget is out of the way, I am going to see to it that that timetable is kept and that that transition is completed before the year is out and that the process will move into the next phase of execution.” During the conference, which is being hosted by the Central Bank and the Financial Services Commission, Sinckler said the government was keeping an eye on Britain’s exit from the European Union and urged the public not to panic. “The pound sterling is a strong, internationally-traded currency, and once the British economy settles down from this temporary shock… we expect that the pound sterling will regain its

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 90

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Hinkley Point: UK Approves Nuclear Plant Deal

The government has approved a new £18bn nuclear power station in the UK after imposing "significant new safeguards" to protect national security. The new plant at Hinkley Point in Somerset is being financed by the French and Chinese governments. However, the UK government says it will have control over foreign investment in "critical infrastructure". Ministers will be able to stop EDF, the state-controlled French energy firm, from selling its stake in Hinkley. Jean-Bernard Lévy, chief executive of EDF, which is building the plant, said: "The decision of the British Government to approve the construction of Hinkley Point C marks the relaunch of nuclear in Europe." Critics of the deal have warned of escalating costs and the implications of allowing nuclear power plants to be built in the UK by foreign governments. EDF is funding two-thirds of the project, which will create more than 25,000 jobs, with China investing the remaining £6bn. The Chinese agreed to take a stake in Hinkley, which will meet 7% of Britain's energy needs, and to develop a new nuclear power station at Sizewell in Suffolk on the understanding that the UK government would approve a Chineseled and designed project at Bradwell in

Essex. That decision has raised questions over national security. The Department for Business said: "After Hinkley, the British government will take a special share in all future nuclear new build projects. This will ensure that significant stakes cannot be sold without the government's knowledge or consent." It added: "There will be reforms to the government's approach to the ownership and control of critical infrastructure to ensure that the full implications of foreign ownership are scrutinised for the purposes of national security." It's a yes - with strings. A new agreement means that the government will be able to block the sale of EDF's controlling stake in Hinkley. The government will also take a special or "golden share" in all future new nuclear projects. This will ensure that significant stakes cannot be sold without the government's knowledge or consent. There will also be increased scrutiny of the national security implications of foreign ownership of critical infrastructure. There is no specific mention of China's plans to design and build their own reactor at Bradwell, but state-owned China General Nuclear Corporation welcomed the decision. Sources close to the company say it will

Artist's impression of Hinkley Point C building proposals(PA)

press ahead with their Bradwell ambitions under these new rules with confidence. The price of the electricity, the parties involved and the future of UK nuclear all look the same. That will prompt some to ask what the hiatus since July's surprise review has really achieved. Guarantees Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark told the House of Commons, that it was right for a new government to re-examine the Hinkley Point deal. He said: "The government is satisfied that the improved deal and the other changes announced will for the first time remedy the weaknesses of the previous regime for foreign ownership of critical infrastructure." He added that the measures will ensure foreign investment in UK infrastructure "works always in the country's best interests". The government has not altered the guaranteed payment of £92.50 per megawatt hour for electricity generated. Shadow energy minister Barry Gardiner said it was "too high a price" and it should have been renegotiated. Claire Jakobsson, head of climate and environment policy at EEF ,the manufacturers' organisation, said it was a relief to see Hinkley going ahead "after months of delays and uncertainty". "However, this project will clearly require a vast amount of support and it remains to be seen whether this deal is able to offer value for money. If new nuclear is to continue to play a major role we must see significant reductions in strike prices for future projects," she added. Josh Hardie, deputy director-general of the CBI business lobby group, called the announcement good news: "Investors are hungry for further signs from the government that the UK is open for business." The decision on investment was approved by EDF's board in July, and was agreed in principle with China during the state visit by President Xi Jinping to the UK last October. (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 91

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Philippines President Duterte 'Once Killed Man With Uzi’ "Jamisola [the justice department links to the illegal drug trade, something

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte allegedly once shot dead a justice department agent with an Uzi submachine gun while serving as mayor of Davao. The allegation was made by Edgar Matobato, a self-confessed former death squad member, before a Senate inquiry on extra-judicial killings. Mr Duterte, he alleged, ordered him and others to kill about 1,000 criminals or political rivals over a 25-year period. One government minister called the allegations "lies and fabrications" Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre said Mr Matobato was "obviously not telling the truth" while presidential spokesman Martin Andanar said investigations into the president's time as mayor had gone nowhere. Mr Matobato, 57, said he had been a member of the Davao Death Squad, a notorious vigilante group allegedly responsible for hundreds of killings. "Our job was to kill criminals like drug pushers, rapists, snatchers," he said. But he also said that Mr Duterte's opponents had been targeted too, including four bodyguards of a local rival for mayor, Prospero Nograles. In 1993, he said his group had injured a justice department agent after a confrontation at a road block. "Mayor Duterte was the one who ﬁnished him oﬀ," he said.

official] was still alive when he [Duterte] arrived. He emptied two Uzi magazines on him." Mosque attack Victims would be shot or strangled, he said, with some disembowelled and dumped into the sea so fish could eat them, or in one case fed to a crocodile. He told the Senate panel he had gone from a witness protection programme into hiding when Mr Duterte became president, fearing for his life. Mr Matobato also alleged Mr Duterte had ordered the bombing of a mosque in retaliation for an attack on Davao Cathedral in 1993. On this claim, Mr Duterte's spokesman, Martin Andanar, said "I don't think he is capable of giving those orders." He said the country's Commission on Human Rights had failed to even prove the existence of the Davao Death Squad. Prospero Nograles' son Karlo, a Davao city representative, challenged Mr Matobato's account relating to his father's bodyguards. "I don't know what this guy is talking about," he wrote on Facebook. "I can only suspect that this guy is being manipulated by some people to only serve their own selfish interests." Clashes at inquiry The woman leading the Senate inquiry into extra-judicial killings, Leila de Lima, is a strong critic of Mr Duterte and has been accused by him of having

she denies. At one point, she and an ally of Mr Duterte, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, clashed, with Mr Cayetano questioning Mr Matobato's credibility and accusing him of being part of a plot to unseat the Philippines' president. Mr Duterte became mayor of Davao in 1988, and his tough stance saw crime rates plummet, an approach he has vowed to replicate at national level. In June this after winning the presidency he eﬀectively sanctioned the public killing of drug suspects, telling a rally "if you destroy my country, I will kill you". Since his election more than 3,000 drug users and dealers have been killed in in police operations or by vigilantes, according to the authorities, amid international alarm over human rights violations. But Mr Duterte has dismissed concerns over his drugs policies, calling UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon "a fool" and referring to US President Barack Obama as a "son of a whore", something he later said he regretted. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

World's Oldest Man, Yisrael Kristal, 113, To Hold Bar Mitzvah Kuperstoch said it would be a "corrective experience". Mr Kristal was born in Poland in 1903 and survived being in the Auschwitz death camp during World War Two. He was recognised by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest man in March this year. Mr Kristal turned 113 on Thursday, according to the Gregorian calendar. He will mark his bar mitzvah in two weeks' time, coinciding with his birthday according to the Hebrew date. Ms Kuperstoch told the BBC her father would perform the traditional bar mitzvah rituals, including putting on phylacteries (small boxes containing biblical verses worn on the head and arm) and saying blessings over the Torah (Jewish holy book). "They will bless him and sing with him and dance with Mr Kristal will celebrate the occasion with several generations of his family(GETTY IMAGES/AFP)

The world's oďŹ&#x192;cially oldest man is to ďŹ nally have his bar mitzvah at the age of 113 - a century after he missed it due to the outbreak of World War One. Yisrael Kristal, who lives in Israel, will celebrate the Jewish coming-of-age ceremony with family and friends in a synagogue in Haifa, his daughter said. Shulamit

him and give out candies," she said. "We are excited, we're happy, it is a great honour to celebrate his bar mitzvah. He has children, grandchildren, greatgrandchildren and cousins and everyone is coming." Mr Kristal should have had his bar mitzvah in 1916, but his mother had died three years earlier and his father had been drafted into the Russian army. He was cared for by an uncle and after WW1 moved to the Polish city of Lodz to work in the family confectionery business. After the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany in 1939, Mr Kristal and his family were moved into the Lodz ghetto. His two children died there and Mr Kristal and his wife Chaja Feige Frucht were sent to Auschwitz in 1944, where his wife was murdered. Mr Kristal survived and emigrated to Israel in 1950 with his second wife and their son. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Syria Truce: Russia Accuses US Of Failing To Abide By Deal The withdrawal of government and rebel forces from Aleppo's Castello Road has been delayed(REUTERS) Russia has accused the United States of failing to fulfil its obligations under the truce agreement in Syria. A defence ministry statement said Washington was using a "verbal curtain" to hide its reluctance to rein in the rebel groups it supports. The truce has broadly held since taking effect on Monday although the Russian-backed Syrian army and rebels have accused each other of many violations. Meanwhile, the UN has warned there is a "problem" with getting aid into Syria. Special envoy Staffan de Mistura placed responsibility on the Syrian government which, he said, had not yet provided the "facilitation letters" that would allow aid convoys to pass through army checkpoints and reach besieged areas. "We cannot let days of this reduction of violence be wasted by not moving forward," he told reporters in Geneva. The Russian defence ministry insisted that, from the very beginning of the truce, Moscow had been fulfilling its obligations, which includes ensuring that the Syrian air force does not bomb areas held by mainstream rebel forces and setting up checkpoints in divided second city of Aleppo. It therefore said it found

"confusing" recent comments by US officials that expressed doubts about whether Russia would be able to deliver. "Only the Syrian army has been observing the ceasefire regime... while the US-led 'moderate opposition' has been increasing the number of shellings of residential quarters," the ministry statement said. "Moreover, it appears that the 'verbal curtain' of Washington is aimed at hiding the non-fulfilment of the US obligations." The US has not reacted to the comments from Moscow, but the state department did acknowledge some incidents "on the part of both the opposition and the Assad regime" were continuing. The US, Moscow also added, had not yet compelled rebels to separate themselves on the ground from allied fighters from Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, a jihadist group known as al-Nusra Front until it formally broke off ties with al-Qaeda in July. The move is necessary before the US and Russia can start conducting joint air strikes targeting Jabhat Fateh al-Sham and so-called Islamic State (IS). 'Procedural roadblocks' The Russian defence ministry also stressed that the Syrian army was ready to pull troops back from the Castello Road in Aleppo to ensure the safe movement of humanitarian convoys. Mr de Mistura said the creation of a demilitarised zone along the road,

The withdrawal of government and rebel forces from Aleppo's Castello Road has been delayed(REUTERS)

which runs around the north of the city into the rebel-held east, was proving complicated. Both government and rebel forces are ready to withdraw personnel and weapons at least 500m (1,640ft) away from the road, but they will not begin until they see each other doing the same, according to a monitoring group. "There is great fear because the regime exploits every opportunity," Zakaria Malahifji of the Aleppo-based rebel group Fastaqim told Reuters news agency. Mr de Mistura's humanitarian adviser, Jan Egeland, is exasperated at the situation. "Can well-fed grown men please stop putting political, bureaucratic and procedural roadblocks for brave humanitarian workers that are willing to go to serve women, children, wounded civilians in besieged and crossfire areas?" he asked. Later, Mr Egeland said a convoy of 20 lorries carrying food supplies for the estimated 250,000 people trapped in eastern Aleppo had crossed into the buffer zone between the Turkish-Syrian border and would hopefully arrive on Friday. The big fear is that if no aid gets through soon, the warring parties will grow impatient, and the fighting will begin, reports the BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Geneva. (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 94

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Brexit: No Substantive Talks For 12 Months, Herman Van Rompuy Predicts Substantive Brexit talks between the UK and the rest of the EU are unlikely to start much before the end of 2017, a former European Council president says. Speaking to the BBC, Herman Van Rompuy said negotiations were unlikely until a new German government was formed after next September's election. The talks will be tough but hopefully of mutual benefit, he said, adding the UK had to make the "first move". He described the UK's decision to leave the EU as a "political amputation". Meanwhile, leaders of every EU country, apart from the UK, are gathering in the Slovakian capital Bratislava to discuss the future of the bloc. The UK voted by 51.9% to 48.1% to end its membership of the EU in a referendum on 23 June. Prime Minister Theresa May has said that the government will not trigger Article 50 the formal start of the process of leaving the EU - before 2017. Mr Van Rompuy was president of the European Council, which defines the EU's overall political direction and priorities, from 2009 until 2014. He told BBC Radio Four's Today programme: "Before the German elections and before there is a new

German government, I think no serious negotiations will take place. "You can always start with more technical matters, but the hardcore, the difficult topics, will be tackled after the constitution of a new German government and that will be October/November." Mr Van Rompuy described the senior figures appointed to negotiate for the EU, who include Belgian ex-Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt and French finance expert Michel Barnier, as "very very tough" but also "very pragmatic". He denied leaders wanted to "punish" the UK for leaving, but said there was a desire not to encourage other countries to follow suit. "Any negotiation will be a difficult negotiation, independent of the personalities. Of course we want an agreement which represents some kind of mutual benefit. "There are huge economic interests, but there are also red lines. It is very well known that freedom of movement [of EU nationals] is a red line," he said. 'Not many friends' Mr Van Rompuy rejected suggestions that the EU should have given former Prime Minister David Cameron a better deal after he sought reform of the UK's relationship with the EU, saying the main reason for

the Brexit vote "lies in Britain". And he said EU leaders had warned former Prime Minister David Cameron it would be a "mistake" to hold a referendum on membership. He said the UK already had a "very special status" within the EU, which was illustrated by it not being a member of the eurozone or the Schengen Agreement. But this meant it was also "not fully a member of the hardcore where decisions are taken". "Britain had not many friends anymore," Mr Van Rompuy said. This had been shown during the election of Jean-Claude Juncker as President of the European Commission in 2014, when Britain was "isolated" in its opposition to him, he added. Mr Van Rompuy said despite this, European leaders still viewed Brexit as a "political amputation of the ﬁrst degree". He added: "Because Europe was for many countries still a model, a model that you can achieve peace among peoples and states that waged wars for centuries, so it was a model of cooperation and integration. "That image of a strong Europe, that is tarnished a lot after Brexit." (BBC)

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INTERNATIONAL PAGE 95

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Bali: Explosion On Tourist Boat Kills Two People

An explosion on a tourist boat oﬀ the Indonesian island of Bali has killed two people and injured at least 14 others, police say. An Austrian woman was one of the dead, according to police, while the identity of the second victim, also a foreign woman, was still unclear. A short circuit near the fuel tank may have been the cause, oﬃcials said, ruling out a bomb. Indonesia has a poor maritime safety record and fatal accidents are common. The boat was carrying at least 30 passengers, including many foreigners, and four crew, and was heading to the nearby island of

Oﬃcials say one victim was hit by debris

Gili Trawangan. There were also tourists from the UK, France, Italy, Portugal, Ireland and Spain on board, according to a passenger manifest. The explosion on the Gili Cat 2 boat happened 200m (219 yards) out of Padang Bai port in eastern Bali, according to police. 'Short circuit' "Based on the testimony [from passengers] and from what I saw on the scene, the explosion came from the fuel tank," local police chief Sugeng Sudarso said. "Above it was a battery. Maybe there was a short circuit that aﬀected the fuel tank?" The explosion, he said, shattered the boat's rear windows and upended seating. A spokesman for the British embassy in Jakarta said it was providing assistance to British nationals injured in the blast, AFP news agency reports. Last year, dozens of tourists were injured when small explosions hit a ferry crossing between Bali and the neighbouring holiday island of Lombok. The explosions were thought to have come from the fuel tank of the ferry. But Indonesia has also been targeted by Islamist militants. In January, gun and bomb attacks on the capital, Jakarta left four civilians and four attackers dead. In Bali itself, 202 people - mostly foreigners - died in 2002 when two bombs ripped through an area popular with tourists. (BBC)

Flights Cancelled As French Air Traffic Controllers Strike Thursday. Aer Lingus also said flights had been affected, European consumers and

BA and Ryanair have cancelled flights on Wednesday and Thursday as French traffic controllers start their fourteenth bout of industrial action this year. Ryanair cancelled 22 flights on Wednesday night and 72 on

a number of flights have been cancelled. Flights that normally route through French air space are affected. Passengers are advised to check the status of their flights. BA declined to say how many

saying the information goes out of date quickly. BA said: "Unfortunately, if the threatened strike does go ahead, we will have to cancel some flights, and other short haul flights may also experience some delays and disruption, given how many flights would normally use French airspace each day." It said it would use larger aircraft, where possible, to help affected customers. Ryanair warned there could be more delays. Ryanair said: "This French... strike will impact hundreds of thousands of

throw their travel plans into chaos once more. "It's high time that the European Commission takes action to prevent these repeated... strikes from continuously disrupting the travel plans of millions of Europe's citizens and their families." BA has offered customers due to fly to or from France on Thursday the opportunity to rebook. The lobby group Airlines for Europe (A4E), which represents airlines including EasyJet, Ryanair and BA's parent company IAG, has called on the European Commission and governments to take action to reduce the impact of air traffic control strikes. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Chinese Actress' Death Sparks Cancer Treatment Debate The death of a young Chinese actress from cancer has sparked a debate on social media - because she initially chose traditional Chinese medicine over c h e m o t h e r a p y. X u Ti n g , 2 6 , w a s diagnosed with lymphoma, a form of cancer that aﬀects the immune system, earlier this year. However, she chose not to undergo chemotherapy, saying she had seen friends suﬀer from the procedure, and was concerned about the cost. "I don't want to let chemotherapy torment me to the point where I look unrecognisable, and have lost all my money, and myself," she wrote on micro-blogging site Sina Weibo. Instead, Ms Xu opted for traditional Chinese medicine methods, such as cupping, acupuncture, back stretching and a method called gua sha in which the skin is scraped to produce light bruising. As her condition got worse, she did eventually

The 26-year-old was diagnosed with lymphoma, a form of cancer that aﬀects the immune system(WEIBO/@ KITTY)

resort to chemotherapy - but died of cancer on 7 September. 'Useless cure' Xu Ting ﬁrst revealed her condition to the public in July, using her oﬃcial Weibo account which has almost 300,000 fans. She documented her journey online, posting several photos of herself undergoing traditional Chinese medicine treatments. Her posts attracted the attention of tens of thousands of social media users - while many wished her well, several also urged her to undergo chemotherapy. "Listen to me, Chinese medicine is absolutely useless to cure cancer, if you don't want to listen to me at least listen to a doctor," one user commented. "Please abandon the traditional treatments, it's a fantasy. You need to rely on modern medicine to save yourself," another said. The actress, who is one of seven children, said that she had been working hard her entire life to pay for her brother's tuition, her parent's debt, and a house, but never felt comfortable spending money on herself. After learning of Ms Xu's death, there was intense debate over whether she would have survived if she had turned to chemotherapy, with t h e h a s h a t g

#XuTing'sDeathAndChineseMedicine trending on Sina Weibo. Some argued that traditional Chinese medicine should not be blamed for her death. "There are many cancer patients who pass away after receiving chemotherapy. Will these same people also say that Western medicine is a sham?" said a writer from the Beijing Evening News. "Chinese medicine is thousands of years old. Not everything Western doctors say is true," another expressed. Others argued that Ms Xu should have taken both types of treatment to complement each other, as chemotherapy would have targeted her tumour while traditional Chinese medicine could have helped alleviate her symptoms. "Both types of medicine have their own strengths and weakness. The point is you need to use them together," said one user. It is not uncommon for Chinese patients to visit Western doctors for acute illnesses, but use traditional Chinese methods to prevent sicknesses or minor ailments. Scientists are also beginning to research whether traditional Chinese medicine can treat or prevent cancer. Many fans steered clear of the debate altogether - but expressed sadness that Ms Xu had died at such a young age. "I'm sad that this is how I came to know you," one user wrote. "I hope there's no pain in heaven, and wish you well." (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Luxury Car Theft Gang Smashed In Europe-Wide Police Operation PAGE 97

Police in Europe say they have smashed an international organised crime gang that stole and traﬃcked luxury cars across Europe and North Africa. Forces from Italy, Spain and Belgium made 28 arrests and searched 29 locations in Italy and Spain, a statement said. The gang's key players were identiﬁed as Italian and

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Moroccan. They collaborated with a vast network of associates across the EU in a sophisticated operation, police say. Authorities seized some 40 cars, an estimated value of €3m (£2.54m, $3.37m), according to Italian police. Computers, fake IDs, and €25,000 (£21,200; $28,100) of counterfeit money were also recovered. Investigations into the gang began in Italy in 2015 after multiple reports from victims whose cars had been stolen. Italian authorities identiﬁed patterns in the crimes and links to incidents in other countries. Separate investigations were carried out in Belgium and Spain. How were the cars stolen? Data about the car's owner

was obtained through the Italian Public Vehicles Registry Counterfeit documents were created in Spain to match the owners The counterfeit documents were then brought to the original car dealership so that a copy of the car keys could be obtained Vehicles were then stolen and could be exported at ports After the car was stolen, forged license plates and insurance cards were created to evade police The operation was coordinated by EU law enforcement agency Europol and Eurojust, the EU body that coordinates investigations. Eurojust spokesperson, Ms Teresa Angela Camelio, said: "[The] action clearly demonstrates that the most sophisticated international criminal schemes can be dismantled thanks to excellent judicial and police cooperation at EU level." (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

A Day Like Today

Muhammad Ali (1942-2016)

Muhammad Ali, an American Olympic and the maximum ﬁgure of the professional boxing, defeated the undisputed heavyweight, Leon Spinks a day like today 1978. This wasn’t only a next victory for Muhammad, but a print on his ﬁle as the most successful boxer of his time. Cassius Clay, was born in Louisville, Kentucky on January 14, 1942. From early ages he felt drawn by sports, having a preference for boxing. He stared to train as an amateur boxer when he was 12, and his good performance made him part of the American delegation that participated on the 1960 Rome Summer Olympics.

the iconic Muhammad Ali. At the time, the Vietnamese war was taking place and all adult males were called to join the line of ﬁre. Muhammad was called but he rejected to participate according to his principles and believes.

The following years, he would focus on continuing to build his profession and prestige, using the boxing ring as a battle field. He was the undisputed heavyweight champion of the 60s, making his way up to fame with his thrilling fights during the 70s, gaining the name of ‘The Greatest’ and ‘The peoples Champion’. As a celebrity, Winning his first gold medal at the age of 18 on the light- heavy he used his weight on the media to promote racial equality, making weight division, he later won the World Boxing Association (WBA) him a successful activist. Ali was known as an inspiring, and the World Boxing Council (WBC) titles at the age of 22, making controversial, and polarizing figure both inside and outside the ring. a statement of dominance on the international rings. His success came on a decade when racial discrimination was at its peak. Ali defeated every top heavyweight in his era, which has been called Confrontations of races used to make paper headlines, stimulating the golden age of heavyweight boxing. He retired in 1981 with a record of 56 wins, five losses and 37 knockouts. His death came as a political disturbances. shocking and sad reminder of the limited time that we are all given Cassius was a successful black male in a predominantly Caucasian in this blue planet. As mortals, we come and go. He died on June 03, country. In a way to stand for African-American resistance, he 2016 due a respiratory illness, leaving his legacy as one of the most joined the Civil Rights Movement to help eradicate racial influential figures of the last century. segregation. Shortly after he turned to Islam, changing his name to

LOCAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Pharmaceutical Drugs Not Adequately Monitored In Guyana Director of the Government Analyst Food measures are taken.” On the contrary to PAGE 101

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2016

and Drug Department (GA-FDD), Marlon Cole had announced that by December 2016, the agency will set up a pharmacovigilance centre for monitoring and inspecting drugs. Pharmacovigilance is the practice of monitoring the effects of medical drugs after they have been licensed for use, especially in order to identify and evaluate adverse reactions. Currently in Guyana, there is no health facilities or hotline to report any adverse reaction to medication that have been administered to patients. There is also no tracking system that would allow for one to identify the production date, batch number and other necessary information that help the identification process. Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings, said, “Indeed all medicines, all products imported or manufactured in Guyana, are subject to a strict testing and assessment of their quality, efficacy and safety before being authorized, and once placed on the market they continue to be monitored so as to assure that any aspect which could impact the safety profile of a medicine is detected and assessed and that necessary

the Minister’s statement, the Food and Drug Department does not have an accredited testing lab for drugs entering or produce in Guyana. It is alleged that the department relies on the labeling on the packets of drugs in order to assess them. Therefore, it is fair to conclude that this is the main reason why there is no tracking system or reporting of any adverse reaction to drugs. Compounded with the absence of a testing facility in Guyana, Cole is also being accused of corruption at many levels. In an article published by the Guyana Chronicle on August 13, 2016, Cole has denied these claims, noting that he will carry out his duties without fear or favor. The Guyana Daily News has investigated Mr. Cole’s involvement in several alleged corrupt deals and is in receipt of a letter and other documents from ICPA India, the drug manufacture of Zerodol and Zerodol P. This letter was sent asking Cole and the Ministry of Health to desist from authorizing the importation of the drug, which formulation is to be sold in India and not for resale in Guyana, however, Cole is reported to have said that there is

GA-FDD, Director, Marlon Cole

no evidence to suggest that such a letter was sent to his department at any time. In subsequent articles the Guyana Daily News will publish this letter and other documents. It is alleged that Cole continues to allow his associates import the drug Zerodol despite the warning reported by ICPA.

Teenager Charged With Murder

Seventeen - year - old Marlon Garnette of Albouystown was today remanded by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after he appeared before her charged with the murder of an unidentiﬁed m a n o n S u n d a y September 11, 2016 at Robb S t r e e t , Georgetown. He is set to return before the court on

October 18, 2016 as further investigations into the matter continue. Garnette, a vendor at the Bourda Market,was unrepresented in court.

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Govt Signs $5.6B Debenture Agreement With NIS

Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan today signed a Debenture Agreement with the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) for an aggregated value of $5.6 Billion. The debenture deal was signed to assist NIS to recover its investment in the Colonial Life Insurance Company (CLICO). Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister Jordon said that because of “NIS reckless investment” $5.6B of taxpayer’s money will have to be diverted to help the situation, monies which could have been injected in other areas. The minister however said that there that there is “no use crying over spilled milk.” Last month, Minster Jordan announced that NIS would receive $5.6B from the government as compensation for the financial loss suffered as a result of an investment made in the now bankrupt CLICO. The government had consented that the payment to NIS will be through non-negotiable debenture certificates. The minister had previously stated that repayment would be made over a 20-year period at a fixed interest rate of 1.5 per cent per annum. The initial decision to repay NIS came from Resolution 82,

passed by the National Assembly on March 12, 2009, called upon the then government to take all necessary steps to ensure that there would be no financial loss to any policyholder or depositor of CLICO (Guyana); and to take all possible actions to secure the investments made in CLICO (Guyana) by the NIS on behalf of contributors and beneficiaries of the Scheme, to prevent any consequential loss in benefits to them. The National Assembly had endorsed the statement by the government of the day, guaranteeing the savings, pensions, investments, and insurance of all investors, depositors, policy holders and contributors of CLICO (Guyana).

Education Of Medical Students Boosted With PALTEX Programme The Pan- American Health Organization ( PA H O ) a n d t h e Wo r l d H e a l t h Organization (WHO) today launched the PA LT E X ( E x t e n d e d P r o g r a m o f Textbooks) in Guyana in the presence of government ministers, PAHO/WHO reps and medical students. The aim of the PALTEX PAHO/WHO programme is to contribute to the development of educational human resources in the health service of the region of America. PALTEX will accomplish such objectives

The PAHO/ WHO launches PALTEX programme in Guyana

through the provision of updated educational materials at aﬀordable prices for students and health workers. The initiative to expand the PALTEX into the English-speaking Caribbean was proposed to the Director of PAHO during the 28th Pan American Sanitary Conference in 2012. After a period of analysis the plan was set into motion, taking Guyana as one of the nations to be a pioneer in such a project. PALTEX, an accessible way to medial education Representative of the PA H O / W H O i n Guyana Dr. William A d u - K r o w , expressed his excitement about the implementation of the PALTEX, noting that 30 years of fructiferous talks between the G u y a n e s e government and the PAHO/WHO is now being reﬂected.

“We want medical education to succeed. This can only be accomplished providing a support to students and health workers. PALTEX is that so needed way,” Dr. AduKrow said. He encourage pupils to acquire the texts to reach a higher level of self-development. Deans and educators will distribute the texts in their institutions in order for them to gain relevance over obsolete material. Meanwhile, Minister within the Ministry of Public Health Dr Karen Cummings noted that the Health Service Education is expected to improve through this program, using it as a base to ‘polish’ the professionals of tomorrow. The ties that this two organizations have developed during the years with the Guyanese government is “expected to be enjoyed wide into the future,” she said. “Heath System Development in Guyana is necessary. The PALTEX is an amazing initiative, and is a step towards the right direction.” She further noted that the government is working to provide better health care centers and renovating those that are already functioning.

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Guyana Slipping Further Into Poverty Line

Several persons have complained to the Guyana Daily News about the state of the economy and the general state of their well-being. The size of a country’s economy is based on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which generally determines how rich or poor citizens of the country are. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Guyana was worth approximately 3.17 billion US dollars in 2015, and per capita GDP is $8500 annually as per the World Bank report. The poverty gap in Guyana is at USD$1.90 a day, this is according to Index Mundi. This means that

approximately 42% of Guyanese earn less than USD$2per day, especially in the hinterland areas and pensioners. The base of establishing the poverty line are: 1. Proportion of adult’s literacy, 2. percentage of adults in the work force. 3. Percenage of children not attending school, 4. Percentage of dwellings not having potable water. 5. Percentage of dwellings that do not have a link to a sanitary sewerage. 6. Percenatge of dwellings without electricity. 7. Percentage of dwellings without garbage collection service, or do not use compost, or burying. 8.

below that required to purchase a minimum low-cost meal. The World Bank report stated that, Guyana is the second poorest country in Caricom. Base on these indicators, the map below show the areas that are most affected by poverty, pink being the most affected area and blue being the least affected.

Region: 1 - BARIMA/WAINI 2 POMEROON/SUPERNAM 3 ESSEQUIBO ISLANDS/WEST DEMERARA 4 DEMERARA/MAHAICA 5 MAHAICA/BERBICE 6 EAST BERBICE/CORENTYNE 7 CUYUNI/MAZARUNI 8 POTARO/SIPARUNI 9 UPPER TAKATU/UPPER ESSEQUIBO 10 - UPPER DEMERARA/BERBICE Notes: The index is weighted by the number of households in the enumeration area. High marginality index value indicates high level of poverty. The indices were computed using selected variables from the 2002 population census, from the map shown above, some areas are subject to more poverty than others. Guyana slipping further into poverty line.

Overcrowding, most important percentage of persons making less than needed to survive monetarily. According to the last published census report in 2002, around 42 percent of the population in Guyana falls below the poverty line. With Approximately twothirds of the poor can be classiﬁed as being extremely poor, with an expenditure level

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Social Media: A Necessary Evil

Communication has always been one of the most powerful weapons in the evolution or involution of a society, a vital step for humanity to reach to the qualification of society itself. The art of communicating is intrinsic, complicated but beautiful on its matrix. This could easily be turned into an asset or a deadly weapon. Within the last two decades, the explosion of technology have provided the users with a wide scheme of opportunities to communicate ideas worldwide. Letters delivered on foot that used to take weeks or even months to reach their destination, are now delivered in milliseconds. The birth of the telegraph, followed by the underestimated project of the phone. Invention that catapulted us to a highly appreciated comfort zone led to The ‘Rise of the Machines’ with the bloom of the computers. Optic fiber allowed internet and cellular phones to come on the spotlight. In less than 30 years technology transformed the large spaces between continents, in the distance between your fingers to a click. It has spoiled us to a dangerous level. Today we can’t imagine our world without it. We became clumsy and not completely functional without a device. It is a second soul that has the power to guide us through vicious courses. The power of communication today has become so great, that it can cause the conflict between nations in hours, bring ‘James Doe’ to fame, or destroy a celebrity’s career in seconds. Updating Facebook profiles, putting a catchy status in WhatsApp, clicking a funny picture on Snapchat or posting the latest meal on Instagram have become more important chores for the common person, that the essence of the word ‘chore’ itself . The era of technology is taking over us all. The prestige of

internationally renowned personality now can, and is being judged by the amount of followers that this one gets on Twitter, and how many retweets his/her messages gets. This is the case of Cristiano Ronaldo better known as ‘Ronaldinho’, or the phenomenon of contemporary professional football. Ronaldinho has more than 238 million followers on social media, making him the most popular man on earth. Only surpassed by the American singer Taylor Swift with 247 million. Taking this number as a reflection of the evolution of social media, and its direct impact of this in today’s society. The weight that social media carries in modern life is massive. Modern life hell is described as 24 hours black-out. Not for the heat, mosquitoes or the discomfort that shortage of electricity represents, but because ‘we’ turn, in a matter of seconds, into a helpless creature that are only capable of interact with a cold and lifeless device. Verbal communication has become a second resource of interaction. Calls are made only and exclusively under cases of emergency. This behavior that we qualify as ‘normal’, would have provoke a heart attack to our ancestors. Not for the advance technology, but for the dominance of silence in a One-to-One “conversation”. Social studies have shown the increasing rate of social anxiety, anxiety, stress and depression in today’s generation. Normal children today report more anxiety levels than a psychiatric patient in the 50s. This figures are alarming. The question is –why? The answer is beneath our noses. Children, teenagers of today don’t breathe the oxygen of freedom that a good walk in a park represents or decompress their frustrations swinging on a swing while their friends play on a slide, or walk along the seawall while their parents have a chat about Halloween. Even if you can see them outside, they will have a tablet, a phone or any other device that detour their attention from the real world. Slowly dragging them into a ‘tight’ environment of High Definition (HD) graphics. Hours and hours of staring to screen can only be reflected at the moment of interacting with other children or persons in general. Intercommunication becomes a challenge, more than a natural reflect for a social being. To balance pros and cons could be tricky and frustrating. Let’s conclude that social media is a necessary evil. A necessary evil that under control, just like fire can be beneficial. If not, can become a scary Hulk that can slowly devour us with Garam Masala. Source:http://www.latercera.com/noticia/ tendencias/2016/09/659-696755-9cristia...

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FATF/CFATF Pleased With Guyana’s Progress In Short Period

Georgetown, Guyana – (September 15, 2016) President David Granger, today, met with the Financial Action Task Force and International Cooperation Review Group (FATF/ICRG), who are currently in Guyana to conduct a site visit to assess the progress made by the country to bring it into compliance with the requirements of the FATF and the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF). The team was accompanied by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Aﬀairs, Mr. Basil Williams. The visiting delegation included CFATF’s Financial Adviser, Mr. Roger Hernandez, CFATF’s Executive Director, Mr. Calvin Wilson, Americas Regional Review Group (ARRG) Assessor, Mr. Gonzalo Gonzalez de Lara, and FATF’s Senior Policy Analyst, Mr. Kevin Vandergrift. The Assessor from the ARRG, Mr. Gonzalez de Lara, said that the team is pleased with the Guyana Government’s eﬀorts and the work being done by the various law enforcement agencies. He also said that the FATF/CFATF recognises that all of these changes have been achieved in a relatively brief period of time. President David Granger reiterated his G o v e r n m e n t ’s c o m m i t m e n t t o compliance and its importance to Guyana’s security. “We welcome your coming here and the

Seated from left are FATF’s Senior Policy Analyst, Mr. Kevin Vandergrift, ARRG Assessor, Mr. Gonzalo Gonzalez de Lara, President David Granger, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Aﬀairs, Mr. Basil Williams, CFATF’s Executive Director, Mr. Calvin Wilson and CFATF’s Financial Adviser, Mr. Roger Hernandez

work you are here to do and we look forward to favourable outcomes… We are committed to ensuring that there is full compliance in every respect,” President Granger said. With regard to the political will to comply, the President explained to the visiting team that his Coalition Government is made up of six different political parties, each of which has a firm stance against financial impropriety. He also spoke of the menu of measures that his Administration has taken, in just a little over a year, in keeping with the recommendations of the FATF/CFATF, including the passage of required legislation.

He reminded that as a small country with porous borders, Guyana is vulnerable to transnational crimes such as human trafficking and contraband smuggling and as such, the country has been doing its best to tackle these problems within the limit of its resources. In addition, Minister Williams noted that while there is still some resistance to the new measures, the Government has been doing a lot of work to ensure that the population gets a better understanding of the importance of fighting money laundering the financing of terrorism. MOTP Press Release

Siblings Charged With Verbally Abusing Mother Stephon Fordice, 36, and Ianda Fordice, 31, today appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after being charged for disturbing the peace by use of

abusive language towards their mother, Florence Bailey on September 14, 2016. They both pleaded not guilty to the charge and were granted bail in the sum of $2000 each. They will return to court on September 26, 2016. The virtual complainant upon giving an explanation, related to the court that the defendants live in her home and are known users of drugs and as such when they use the drugs they

usually become verbally abusive towards her. However the defendants denied the claim, stating that their mother has been spreading rumors about them around North Ruimveldt which is the area in which they all reside. Both defendants appeared unrepresented before the court and it was noted that upon being brought back to court for an oﬀence, they are in breach of a bond to keep peace between the parties involved.

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EIB Looking For Investment Opportunities In Guyana

Georgetown, Guyana – (September 15, 2016) President David Granger said that the agenda for G u y a n a ’ s development over the next four years requires significant investment from foreign sources, particularly as it relates to developing the green economy, i m p r o v i n g infrastructure and reducing poverty by creating small and micro enterprises. As such, he said that Guyana welcomes the re-engagement From L-R: EIB Investment Officer, Mr. Floris Vermeulen, Minister within the with the European Ministry of Finance, Mr. Jaipaul Sharma, President David Granger, Vice I n v e s t m e n t B a n k President, Mr. Pin van Ballekom, Adviser to the Vice President, Ms. Malaya Zumel and Loan Officer, Mr. Angel Diez Fraile (EIB), whose officials he met with, earlier today. Minister within the there are great prospects in the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Jaipaul Sharma development of renewable energy was also present at the meeting at the sources such as hydropower, wind and solar. He also spoke of the need for Ministry of the Presidency. access to financing for for small and The delegation, led by the Bank’s Vice President, Mr. Pin van Ballekom will be medium-scale enterprises development. engaging with government officials and “We need to diversify, but we have not private sector entities over the next two been able to do so as rapidly as we need days to discuss possible areas for to… We need to have a strategy, which is partnership. “We very confident that the broad-based that deals with our existing European Investment Bank is going to be resources,” he said. an important vehicle to provide credit to Meanwhile, the Bank’s President said enable the developments we need, to take that based on the priority areas that President Granger has outlined, he is place,” President Granger said. convinced that the EIB can be of value to With regard to the ‘green’ agenda, the President informed the team that while Guyana. “We are looking into the there is an existing financial arrangement possibilities and if it’s a good quality between Guyana and Norway, the project and an interesting investment, country has tremendous eco-tourism and then we will go ahead,” he said. The biodiversity potential. Additionally, Bank’s last transaction with Guyana, a

micro-ﬁnancing facility for small and medium-scale enterprises, was in the year 2000. The EIB is the largest multilateral public bank in the world and 10% of its lending targets investments outside of the European Union. It is owned directly by the 28 European Union member states. MOTP Press Release

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First Lady Meets Women Miners To Explore Possible Partnership

Georgetown, Guyana – (September 15, 2016) First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger, today, met with representatives of the Guyana Women Miners Association (GWMA) to explore possibilities for collaboration. The meeting was held at the Oﬃce of the First Lady at State House. In an invited comment, the First Lady said she agreed to meet the group to determine how best collaboration can advance the lives of women and children. “In areas where they are interested in training or empowering women and children …if they are interested, we can collaborate and have some of their members or some of the people they serve included in some of our workshops and exercises… We discussed how we can best work with each other and hopefully [I] can assist the organisation to achieve its objective,” Mrs. Granger said. Meanwhile, President of the GWMA, Ms. Urika Primus said that the group reached

out to the First Lady as it has taken note of the work that she has done to empower marginalised groups and it is confident that collaboration with her would benefit a wider crosssection of persons. “We reached out to First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger and representatives of the the First Lady, to Guyana Women Miners Association (GWMA), today, at State House basically see ways in areas that would bring [issues] to our which we would collaborate for not only the benefit of the knowledge that we believe that we should organisation, but also the people that the share so that not only us, but other persons organisation serve; mainly women, could work collaboratively in addressing children and deprived communities,” she them.” Ms. Donna Scott, Ms. Marian Charles, Ms. Belina Charlie and Ms. said. Ms. Primus also said that though the Grace Prince, all members of the organisation has a number of outreaches GWMA, also attended the meeting. planned, “we also have other members, MOTP Press Release who are permanently placed in those

Georgetown, Guyana – (September 15, 2016) President David Granger, earlier today, met with the Chairman of the

Guyana Society for Biodiversity and Ecosystems (GSBE), Dr. Patrick Williams and Programme Specialist at

President Engages Experts On Green Agenda

President David Granger is ﬂanked by Dr. Patrick Chesney (left) and Dr. Patrick Williams at the Ministry of the Presidency

the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Dr. Patrick Chesney to discuss how the country’s ‘green’ agenda can be furthered and how the Guiana Shield can add value to the work of the Government. The meeting was held at the Ministry of the Presidency. “From every point of view, it proﬁts us to have in place a strong, coherent green strategy,” the President said. The green agenda is one of the issues which the Head of State will be discussing at bilateral meetings on the side-lines of the 71st Regular Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly next week in New York. Dr. Williams assured the President that his Government will continue to receive the necessary technical support as it advances its green policies. MOTP Press Release

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Harmon Bashes Jagdeo’s Antinational” Stance On Amaila Project

Responding to criticisms from Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, about the Amaila Falls Project, Minister of State Joseph Harmon said that he is disappointed with the action that the PPP took in writing the Norwegian government about the lack of inclusion and transparency. He told a post cabinet media brieﬁng on Thursday, “I think it is very unfortunate that they would have taken what I would call an anti-national stands on the matter.” A press release from the Oﬃce of the Leader of the Opposition stated that “since the Minister of Natural Resource’s announcement in April that such a review (of AFHP) would be

conducted and expected to be concluded in September, 2016, there has been no further information until today’s media report which stated that Norwegian company, Norconsult, hired to carry out the fact-based review had requested more time to conclude its report.”

The opposition released to the public a letter it sent on August 24 to the Norwegian government, outlining among other issues, the lack of inclusion of the Opposition and citizens in the process. However, Minister Harmon refuted this and noted that the opposition had full disclosure on all these matters. “These matters were elaborated upon in the National Assembly in a select committee where I sat and the Opposition were given full disclosure on all the matters they asked about Norway, about the Green Climate Fund, about the Amaila Falls [project] and it is clear that the decision that was taken was between the Government of Guyana and the Kingdom of Norway was that they would set up an independent assessor to determine whether in fact this is going anywhere,” Harmon clariﬁed. Harmon said that Norway is still in the process of engaging contracting an assessor and that all this information was in the public domain. “It is not that there is no transparency and all of that information is in the public domain. Sometimes, I am amused with the way in which the Opposition operates on these things, seeking to get the public’s attention,” Harmon stated. Norwegian company, Norconsult, was selected to review the ﬁnancial model of the Amaila Falls Project, after which it will be determined whether the controversial project will go ahead.

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SOCU To Remain Under Control Of Police Force Cabinet has made it clear as to who will control the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU). Speaking at a post cabinet meeting, Cabinet Secretary Joseph Harmon clariﬁed to reporters on Thursday that SOCU will remain under the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the notion that the unit will be shifted was a misconception by Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall regarding the statements made by Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan and Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Aﬀairs, Basil Williams about the AG wanting the unit to be removed from under the supervision of the GPF. “It was clear in cabinet that there was no diversion, it is clear that SOCU is a unit of the Guyana Police Force and is under the superintendents of the Guyana Police Force. What Minister Williams did say is that they will have to have a wider role in so far as the Anti-Money Laundering legislation is concerned but he never said that it (SOCU) must be under him [Williams) for his superintendents. It remains a unit of the Guyana Police

Force,” Harmon explained. At a press conference last month the AG explained that given that the unit was created under the AML/CFT legislation, it might be too burdened with police work, stressing that the unit cannot lose focus of its core functions in policing the new Anti- Minister of State, Joseph Harmon Money Laundering and crimes only. Countering the Financing of Terrorism He told reporters that while he can (AML/CFT) regime. “SOCU as you concede the reduction of responsibilities know is a creature of the AML/CFT for SOCU, he does not want the unit to be regime. It was created under the separated from the Guyana Police Force AML/CFT legislation. (GPF). He said the concerns of the public, It is important for us, and SOCU has been including the Opposition People’s very busy, very up and about, and it is Progressive Party (PPP) on the issue will very important for Guyana that SOCU be taken into consideration. Minister actually performs its core functions, the Ramjattan said if SOCU is investigating functions related to AML/CFT and that it an anti-terrorist act as a result of money is not burdened with other police work,” transfers or otherwise that leads to Minister Williams had explained. But last murder, the unit should not have to week Friday, Minister Ramjattan said that depend on the Homicide department to he is committed to trimming SOCU’s deal with that aspect of the investigation. responsibilities to deal with ﬁnancial

IT Consultant Charged With Attempting To Defraud Mother-in-Law IT Consultant, Clayton Young, today appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court charged with attempting to defraud Jennifer Lewis between August 23, 2016 and September, 2016. Young was granted GY$50,000 bail and will return to court on September

26, 2016 for continuation into the matter. Represented in court, Young, 31, of Lance Gibbs Street, entered a not guilty plea to the charge. His Attorney revealed that the virtual complainant is the reputed Mother-ofLaw of the defendant and the defendant lives in the bottom apartment of the VC's h o m e w i t h h e r d a u g h t e r. Further, the attorney revealed that his client is currently on station bail and is a businessman. There was no objection to the bail application by Police Prosecutor, Navil Jeﬀords. It is alleged that the VC left in the care of Young a quantity of home appliances, furniture and electronics valued at GY$523,500 for safe keeping when he fraudulently converted it for his own gain.

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Shared Interests Have Strengthened Ties Between Guyana And Mexico -President Granger Says At Mexico’s Independence Celebrations Georgetown, Guyana – (September 15, countries, deter investments, diminish that significant progress has been made in three key areas of bilateral relations, which were highlighted by President Granger at last year’s Independence celebration: regional security, climate change and food security. In the area of r e g i o n a l s e c u r i t y, h e n o t e d t h a t representatives from Guyana have since benefited from security-related training initiatives hosted in Mexico within the last year. Collaboration on climate change, the Ambassador said, entered a new stage when Prime Minister, Mr. Moses Nagamootoo and Minister of Natural Resources, Mr. Raphael Trotman visited the Mexican Institute for Petroleum. PTO In return, representatives from the Institute visited Guyana to begin bilateral collaboration in the areas of energy. And in the field of food security, a relevant agenda is taking shape, he said, adding that the two countries are working closely in the looking to implement improvements in Guyana’s paddy and coconut sectors. Ambassador Sierra-Medel noted that outside of these areas of interests, a number of Mexican agencies are keen on expanding cooperation with Guyana in the areas of education, sustainable development, information communication t e c h n o l o g y, a m o n g others. “As we move ahead in capacity building and the bilateral promotion of business, I would like to suggest that the concrete actions that our shared benefits have achieved lay the foundation for further collaboration,” he said. Guyana and Mexico established diplomatic ties on March 1, 1973 and the country has a permanent President David Granger cuts the cake with Ambassador Ivan Roberto Sierra-Medel as part of the Independence celebrations. They are accompanied by First Lady, embassy here. Mrs. Sandra Granger, Prime Minister, Mr. Moses Nagamootoo, Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon and the Ambassador's wife Ms. Norma Alizia de la Torre Diaz MOTP Press Release

2016) Guyana and Mexico may differ significantly in population and size, but President David Granger said that it is the shared interests that have strengthened the bilateral relations between these two countries. The Head of State made these remarks during his address, this evening, at a cocktail reception held to mark the 206th Independence of the United Mexican States at the Marriott Hotel Guyana. “We have demonstrated that a small South American State and a large North American State can find common ground and can enjoy mutual benefits in their relations,” President Granger said. The Head of State added that Guyana and Mexico Share common values such as mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, mutual noninterference in each other’s internal affairs, cooperation for mutual benefit, respect for treaties and international law and the maintenance of international peace and security. Additionally, the President said that the two countries also share a common desire for peace and security in the Caribbean basin. “The maintenance of the Caribbean as a zone of peace is vital to the economic interests of both Republics. Instability in the Region will harm the economies of the respective

economic growth and degrade development,” he said. The deepening of the integration process in the Caribbean is also high on both nations’ agenda, the President said, adding that the two states continue to cooperate at bilateral, regional and international levels in this regard. “Guyana looks forward to working in regional and hemispheric associations to ensure greater respect for the territorial integration and sovereignty of states to assert the primacy of international law and to promote the peaceful settlement of disputes,” he said. Sustainable development is also another area of shared interest, particularly in the ﬁeld of renewable energy, President Granger said. “We have observed, with keen interest, M e x i c o ’s s u c c e s s e s i n a d a p t i n g sustainable energy sources. Guyana through its green agenda has similar objectives and ambitions. We look forward to increased co-operation between Guyana and Mexico in their common quest to ensure the greater use of cleaner and renewable energy resources,” he said. Meanwhile, Mexican Ambassador to Guyana, His Excellency, Ivan Roberto Sierra-Medel, remarked

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Brazil TV Star Domingos Montagner Drowns On Set Of Soap Opera

One of Brazil's best-loved television actors, Domingos Montagner, has drowned in a river where the crew had been recording scenes for the country's most popular soap opera. Montagner played the leading role in Velho Chico, a soap opera named after the Sao Francisco river where he died. The 54year-old had gone for a swim with an actress after a day of shooting in the north-eastern state of Sergipe. She said he was dragged away by the river's strong currents. The actress, Camila Pitanga, cried for help but local people failed to act initially as they believed the drowning was a scene in the soap opera. Authorities said there was little that anyone could have done. In the soap opera, Montagner played a farmer who often fought oﬀ local gunmen. In one of those clashes, he was shot multiple times and appeared to drown in the same Sao Francisco river, but reappeared weeks later. 'Dangerous area' "They thought they had chosen a safe spot to swim, but that is one of the most dangerous areas in the town of Caninde and

Montagner had been recording an episode of the Velho Chico soap opera(DOMINGOSMONTAGNEROFFICIAL)

usually avoided by locals," police chief Antonio Francisco Filho told O Globo. One person, on average, has drowned every year in the town since 2005, reports said. Four hours after the incident, rescue teams found Montagner's body underwater, some 300 metres (984ft) from where he drowned. 'Life imitates art' Montagner was born in Sao Paulo and had a career in the circus before becoming a television actor, in 2008. This was his 12th role on TV. His first significant soap opera role was in 2011, and he had his film debut in 2012. A soap opera affair Soap operas, or novelas, are traditionally some of the most-watched TV programmes in Brazil, and are broadcast in dozens of other countries The main time slot, at 2100 on Globo TV, is watched, on average, by 50% of the viewing public In key moments that number can reach up to 80% In 2012 Globo said one of its most successful soap operas was watched by 38m people daily But viewership has declined in recent years mainly because of paid TV channels and new viewing habits Each episode reportedly costs up to 800,000 reais ($242,000; £183,000) to make And a 30-second commercial break at a final episode can cost 500,000 reais ($151,000; £114,000) Montagner had been married for 14 years to actress Luciana Lima, with whom he had three children. The news of his death has caused commotion in Brazil, where fellow actors and social media users have paid tributes to the actor. The football team he supported, Corinthians, praised him also for his success as a handball player for the club's affiliate in the 1980s. His latest film, Um Namorado Para Minha Mulher (A Boyfriend For My Wife), was released two weeks ago. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS Venezuelans Trading Guns, Ammo With Trinidadians For Food PAGE 112

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad -- Venezuelans and residents of Trinidad and Tobago are reportedly bartering on the high seas, where arms and ammunition are sold or exchanged for food and basic commodities. These trades also take place at some of Trinidad and Tobago’s remote coastal ports, according to ASP Vernly

Mainland Venezuela is only seven miles from Trinidad’s Chacachacare Island. Photo: Flickr/Nature Trekking In Trinidad & Tobago

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Gift of the Organised Crime, Narcotics and Firearms Bureau (OCNFB), speaking at a weekly press brieﬁng in Port-of-Spain, on Wednesday. He said oﬃcers operated mainly on intelligence gathering that resulted in seizures but what was needed was greater monitoring of the numerous ports of entry scattered along the coastline, the Trinidad Guardian reported. Information, he said, was that most guns and ammunition entering the country originated from the South American mainland and North America. With regard to guns and ammunition originating from North America, he said, the illegal weapons were usually concealed in shipping barrels, shipping containers, household appliances, such as washing machines, stoves, refrigerators and water heaters. “These items are cleared and received by the consignees at the legitimate ports of entry,” Gift said, adding that with the use of technology and greater co-operation from members of the public there has been an increase in the seizure of illegal guns. (Caribbean News Now!)

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Cayman Islands Police Failure Blamed For Child Sex Abuse Acquittals GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (CNS) -- Two Cayman Islands men accused of consistently sexually abusing a child in the family home have been acquitted after the judge pointed to the “gross incompetence” of the police investigation that undermined the evidence and prejudiced the defendants so much that he had no choice but to find the men not guilty on all counts. The two male relatives, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were accused of abusing the little girl from when she was as young as six or seven years old until she was around 12, when she revealed the abuse to an adult at her after-school club. The case was heard without a jury by visiting UK judge, Justice Time Owens, who described it as a very “troubling case”. When he delivered his verdict via video link on Thursday, he made it clear that he did not think the child was lying. Although he rejected the defendants’ claims that the child had made up the allegations of abuse to escape her violent mother, he said the problems in the massive delay between the victim making the complaint and the case coming to court made it difficult for him to be sure to the required standard of the men’s guilt. Justice Owens was damning in his criticisms of the police investigation, which he described as incompetent. He made it clear it was the “inexplicable and inexcusable delays”, the failure to interview relevant potential witnesses and the loss of important notes by the police that undermined the case. In the first unexplained delay, the police simply did nothing for some 18 months after the child gave video evidence. The judge said the “truly lamentable police response” after the child gave evidence meant that no witnesses in the house where the abuse took place were ever interviewed. As a result, there was no evidence to corroborate the child’s allegations, which were inconsistent and unspecified regarding times and places. While the child lived in a small five-bed family home with 15 relatives, “cheek by jowl”, during the time period she claimed the abuse occurred, none of her other relatives there were ever questioned by the police. The two defendants were not interviewed until more than 18 months after the allegations for a brief period, and there was another delay of approximately a year before they were charged. As a result of pressures on the court timetable, the case was heard some four years after the child was first interviewed. The judge said he was left with no choice but to acquit due to those delays, as well as the missing notes, the lack of

specific times and places regarding when the abuse occurred, inconsistencies in the young girl’s evidence at court compared with her earlier interviews, and the fact that it was difficult for the accused men to properly answer the vague charges. He said that the defendants did not make an abuse of process application based on the delays in the case and the police mishandling, so no senior police witnesses ever appeared in court to explain the failures. During the case the court had heard harrowing allegations about the abuse the child suffered, not only at the hands of her male relatives but also the violence inflicted by her mother, who beat her after she made the report. The court also heard how the child and her siblings witnessed their parents having sex as they had all shared a room and beds. Despite the failures in the case, the child had been removed from the abusive home in the immediate wake of the allegations and was fostered by another relative. (Caribbean News Now!)

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In Cuba, Text Messages With Controversial Content Are Disappearing HAVANA, Cuba -- Journalists in Cuba have evidence that the Cuban government is monitoring and selectively blocking mobile SMS messages based on keywords such as “human rights”, “hunger strike”, “plebiscite” and “state security”. According to a report by journalists Yoani Sánchez and Reinaldo Escobar, who run the Havanabased media outlet 14ymedio, text messages containing a range of sensitive keywords along with the names of various high-proﬁle anti-Castro activists, are not reaching

“The Internet is shit! Let's see… whoever wants Internet, raise your hand.” Cartoon by Lázaro Saavedra, reproduced with permission

their destinations. However, the messages still appear as ‘sent’ on the sender’s telephone. According to technologist and opposition blogger Eliécer Avila, at least 30 keywords have been identified as triggers for the blocking mechanism. It is not clear how long this has been in place. The journalists have not yet shared a full list of terms tested, nor did they indicate whether they believe the blocking targets specific users. Sánchez, Escobar and Avila are all very high-profile opposition voices. The discovery comes at a moment in which Cuban bloggers and independent journalists are facing increasing scrutiny and, in some cases, public condemnation, by leading government and Cuban communist party officials. Diario de Cuba writer Maykel González Vivero, who is also a vocal advocate for LGBT rights on the island, was fired from his job with state radio station Radio Sagua two weeks ago, for collaborating with “private media”. In late August, the well-established Uruguayan blogger and former BBC journalist Fernando Ravsberg, who has lived in Cuba since the mid-1990s and has a family there, was publicly condemned on television by the vice president of Cuba’s Press Workers’ Union, charged with offending the sentiments of “decent Cubans." (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS UN Committee To Review Suriname Record On Children's Rights PAGE 115

GENEVA, Switzerland -- Children’s rights in Suriname will be reviewed by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child on 21 and 22 September. Suriname is one of the 196 States that have ratiﬁed the Convention on the Rights of the Child and so is required to be reviewed regularly by the Committee of 18 independent experts. Among the possible issues to be discussed between Committee members and a government delegation from Suriname are: • High number of child marriages; • Steps to end violence towards children, including abuse and neglect, sexual violence, and corporal

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punishment in all settings; • Discrimination against children with disabilities; • Discrimination against indigenous and Maroon children, and children in remote areas with regard to education, health services, adequate food , safe drinking water, housing and sanitation; • Measures to meet the demand for mental health services for children; • Access of children and adolescents to health care, including reproductive health, support for children infected by HIV or aﬀected by HIV/AIDS;

• Welfare of migrant children and children whose parents are migrants; • Impact of the Conditional Cash Transfers programme on children’s well-being; • Measures to tackle child traﬃcking and child labour. The discussions will take place in Geneva, Switzerland. Committee members will base their evaluation on the delegation’s report and replies, as well as information from civil society groups. The Committee will issue its ﬁndings on Suriname and the other countries being reviewed on 6 October. (Caribbean News Now!)

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IMF Staff Concludes Visit To Grenada

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada -- An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Nicole Laframboise visited Grenada from September 7–14, 2016, to conduct discussions on the fifth review of Grenada’s IMF-supported program under the extended credit facility (ECF). The ECF arrangement was approved on June 26, 2014 for an amount of SDR 14.04 million (US$19.64 million) or 120 percent of Grenada’s quota at the IMF at the time of the approval of the arrangement. The first, second, third and fourth reviews were completed on December 12, 2014, June 29 and November 25, 2015, and May 18, 2016, respectively. Total resources of SDR 10.04 million (about US$14 million) have been disbursed to Grenada under the arrangement. At the conclusion of the visit, Laframboise made the following statement: “Since the Fourth Review and the 2016 Article IV Consultation concluded in May 2016, Grenada has continued to make progress toward restoring fiscal and debt sustainability. Economic growth remains strong, debt has been further reduced, and the balance of payments position has strengthened. The government continues to build on the sound foundation developed over the past two years, in particular the strengthened fiscal framework that should lock in budget discipline for future generations. “The path to debt sustainability and sustained growth is at an important juncture. The country is looking now to test its fortified fiscal framework in the context of the 2017 budget process, important wage negotiations, and the endpoint of the Fund-supported program on the horizon . In this respect, the commitment to medium term goals will be important over time to ensure that the fiscal progress achieved so far endures, and to broaden the reach of the benefits of the Home Grown program. “After two years of strong growth, real GDP is expected to moderate to a more sustainable rate of 3 percent in 2016. Activity this year has

been driven by tourism and construction, and some pick up in domestic demand, while agriculture output is experiencing the negative impact of drought effects. Grenada experienced deflation on average during 2013-15, due largely to lower energy prices, but CPI inflation is picking up and is projected at 2 percent in 2016. The external current account deficit is forecast to narrow to 14.4 percent of GDP in 2016 due to lower oil prices and a continued recovery in tourism. The current account deficit is expected to be adequately financed by tourism-related FDI and private capital inflows. “Performance under the program remains very strong. Staff assessed that the government met four performance criteria (PC) at end-June and are awaiting further information to assess performance under the fifth PC. The government met all of the program indicative targets, including for the first time the floor on social spending under the World Bank-supported SEED program. “The government achieved a primary surplus (fiscal balance excluding interest payments) in the first half of 2016 of 3.0 percent of GDP, putting the country well on its way to meeting the target of 3.5 percent of GDP by end-2016, as stipulated in the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA). Tax revenues have performed well and expenditures are being kept under control. The Government is also following through on the performance monitoring of state owned enterprises so as to boost the efficiency and quality of their operations. “Grenada continues to work toward restructuring remaining outstanding debts. As a percentage of GDP, public debt was reduced from a peak of 108 percent in 2013 to 85 percent at end-June 2016. “More Grenadians are actively seeking work and employment has expanded slightly, but unemployment remains stubbornly high at 29 percent. Focused policies are needed to address skills gaps and improve job search tools in order to address underlying structural

unemployment. The goal is to both improve the labor supply response and strengthen incentives for employment creation. “Looking ahead, the policy resolve demonstrated so far will be needed to safeguard fiscal progress to date and achieve the country’s medium term debt reduction goals. The government agreed with staff that the 2017 budget should adhere to the parameters set in the FRA, including the ceiling on the public wage bill. In support of this goal, the authorities are undertaking discussions to prepare and implement a strategy that will keep the wage bill within the limit set by law and agreed under the Fund-supported program while ensuring fair compensation or public servants. The strategy should include a timetable for consultations with stakeholders and cover key reforms needed to ensure sustainable management of the public wage bill. Follow-through on this important reform would be critical to safeguard the progress made in recent years. “Staying the course will lead to improved economic opportunities for the people of Grenada, so we encourage Grenada to press ahead on its reform path over the medium-term. The IMF remains committed to supporting the government of Grenada in its pursuit of fiscal sustainability and stronger growth.” (Caribbean News Now!)

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Bahamas Elected Chair Of Caribbean Tourism Organization I’ve always thought that CTO is the body that provides equity and we can; and the way is to speak with the same voice. We also have to deal with the issue of inter-regional travel.” Wilchcombe succeeds Barbados’s minister of tourism and international transport Richard Sealy, and will serve a two-year term. It is his second stint as chairman, having previously been elected to the position in 2002. The Bahamas minister will shortly name his appointee for the post of chairman of the CTO board of directors, since, according to the CTO constitution, the board chairman and the chairman of the council of ministers and commissioners of tourism must come from the same member country. In addition to the election of the chairman, vice chairs were elected to serve on the executive committee of the board of directors to represent various sub-groups – Curacao, representing the Dutch Caribbean; Martinique representing the French Caribbean; Barbados and Belize, representing the Independent CARICOM countries and the Turks and Caicos Islands representing the British Overseas Territories. Each of these member countries will form the executive committee of the board of directors, which will be completed with representatives from the private sector. Thursday’s vote was in keeping with the CTO constitution, which mandates that elections must be held every two New CTO Chairman Obie Wilchcombe of The Bahamas (right) receives the gavel from his years. (Caribbean News Now!) predecessor Richard Sealy of Barbados. Also in photograph, CTO secretary general Hugh Riley (left)

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados -- The Bahamas has been elected chair of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), with the election of minister of tourism Obie Wilchcombe. The election took place on 15 September in Barbados at the organization’s annual general meeting during the CTO’s State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC). Following his election Wilchcombe stated: “I intend to build upon what [immediate predecessor Richard Sealy of Barbados] began and I also intend to build on the relationship with the private sector.

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Outspoken Lawyer Condemns Plans For Sittings Of Privilege Committee Of Parliament NASSAU, Bahamas, Sept 16, CMC – President of the Grand Bahama Human Rights Association (GBRHA), Fred Smith, says the Privileges Committee of Parliament will do serious damage to the administration of justice and the rule of law in The Bahamas is it uses hearings scheduled for later this month to air matters currently under consideration by the courts. The environmental group, Save The Bays (STB), Wednesday expressed disappointment that the Privileges Committee was set to hold hearings following the landmark Supreme Court decision vindicating its right to privacy. The group said it fears the hearings will be used to broadcast further private information belonging to its members, despite the fact that the Supreme Court has ruled such disclosures unconstitutional and fined Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald US$150,000 for an earlier breach. Smith, who serves as legal director to STB, has thanked other eminent legal minds who have come out in defense of the ‘sub judice’ rule, which says that matters under judicial consideration cannot be discussed publicly. “Every officer of the court should be grateful for Bar Association President Elsworth Johnson and the unnamed fellow QC quoted in the press for defending time-honoured legal traditions that are designed to guarantee all individuals a fair trial and, crucially, the appearance of a fair trial,” he said, adding “these include the sub judice rule and the separation of powers. “The members of this committee must keep firmly in mind that an awesome responsibility has been placed on their shoulders – for the sake of our national reputation, they must defend the principles of good governance, fair administration of justice and the rule of law. “If they seek to use these hearings to trample over the territory of the courts, The Bahamas will be branded a lawless society where laws mean nothing, where political power and brute force win

Fred Smith

the day,” Smith said, adding that the international community is watching carefully the developments here. “We simply must affirm that The Bahamas is not some repressive dictatorship or failed state where the jurisdiction of the courts is casually disregarded, the rule of law tossed aside on a whim; it is a liberal democracy whose good governance is underpinned by a constitution, the guardians of which are the courts. They must be allowed to do their work unfettered by politically motivate intrusions.” The Bahamas government has already indicated it was appealing the ruling of Justice Indra Charles who found that Fitzgerald was not legally justified when he tabled the private emails of the environmental group in Parliament and therefore could not be protected by parliamentary privilege. The judge ordered that the minister be permanently banned from disclosure and publication of any further material belonging to STB and he should delete all electronic and hard copy material within 14 days. STB said that despite the ruling it “can only imagine that they intend to use this venue to try and justify the further release of our private information in violation of the Constitution of The Bahamas and in the face of the House Speaker’s own admission that the disclosures should not happen again”. The STB said that the matters to be considered by the Privileges Committee arose from an action it brought “against an admitted major financial contributor to the governing party” and questioned “how a neutral observer could avoid the impression that the hearings and threat of imprisonment is anything other than a case of politically motivated “revenge”. It said it has invited several regional and international human rights groups, including the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR); the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); Amnesty International; Human Rights Watch; the Center for Justice and the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights to observe the sittings. Smith said he was calling for calmer heads to prevail and for all parties to await the conclusion of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and Privy Council processes before airing sensitive court matters in the public domain, as this would run the serious risk of “short-circuiting” justice and set a very dangerous precedent for the future. “Otherwise, The Bahamas will be branded as a banana republic where no one feels safe either personally or in their investments. The country, having recently been downgraded by Moody’s, can ill afford such negative international stigma,” he added. (Antigua Observer)

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PM: No Word On Release Of Trinis In Turkey

There has been no indication by Turkish authorities to release the nine people, including one child, carrying T&T passports, who have been detained in Turkey since July, Prime Minister Keith Rowley has said. Replying to these (and other) Opposition queries in Parliament, he said on Wednesday the Government had received official and unofficial information on the nine detained since July. The people carrying T&T passports were detained along with a Syrian man said to be recruiting for Isis. Rowley said due to lack of information from Turkish authorities on the situation, the Government had no information on when they would return “if in fact they are holders of bona fide T&T passports.” He said the situation required a lot of doublechecking and T&T had an honorary consul in Turkey “doing yeoman service” and international colleagues who were also not clear on the situation. Nor had there been any request for relief from anyone in T&T on missing family members, he added. A child was said to have been born to one person in the group. Rowley said the Government would have to wait to see how the situation developed. He said he was unaware some police officers have not received promised back pay, which Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar claimed was occurring. He, however, said while the Attorney General formalised legislative structures for payment of the $1 million death benefit for protective officers who died in the line of duty, the payment would be made to the estates of those who qualified for it from 2013 (when the initiative was announced). On Paralympic javelin champion Akeem Stewart, Rowley said the Government would avoid the “give-this-and-that” debate and the Sports Ministry would examine new arrangements with accountability for public monies and compensating people. He said Stewart would be honoured at the appropriate time but did not give a date. He said the Red House renovation costs would be cut from $600 million (under the PP) to $295 million since the planned companion building for the Red House would be the AG’s Cabildo Building. The AG is moving to the Legal Affairs

Prime Minister Keith Rowley

Complex. Rowley said talks on the Sandals Tobago investment were in “embryonic stages” and nowhere near talk of negotiation and concessions though it was anticipated concessions would be requested and negotiations done. Rowley conﬁrmed the promised 20 per cent increase for OJT stipends which was boasted by his party as a ﬁrst-year achievement was stymied by budgetary constraints. (GA) (Trinidad Guardian)

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Jwala Gets Ok To Challenge Refusal Of Reasons For Dismissal

Former Central Bank governor Jwala Rambarran has been given the green light to pursue his lawsuit challenging Cabinet’s decision to refuse to reveal its reasons for dismissing him last December. Delivering an oral decision in the Port-of-Spain High Court yesterday, High Court judge Nadia Kangaloo ruled that Rambarran’s attorney had “a real prospect of success” in his case over Cabinet’s refusal to accede to his requests under the Freedom of Information Act for information related to the revocation of his appointment. Rambarran was appointed to the post on July 17, 2012 and was told of his dismissal in a letter from Senate President Christine Kangaloo, who was acting President on December 23, 2015. Justice Kangaloo is the Senate president’s sister-in-law. Justice Kangaloo disclosed this fact at the start of the case but attorneys for the State and Rambarran did not oppose her continuing to preside over the case. While Rambarran received no reasons for the decision, Finance Minister Colm Imbert told the Senate in

March that it was due to misconduct and failure to perform his duties. Speaking during a debate of a private motion challenging the decision, brought by the Opposition, Imbert said that Rambarran had breached the Central Bank Act by disclosing the largest users of foreign exchange, almost two weeks prior to his dismissal. In his lawsuit, Rambarran is contending that he had written to Cabinet asking for the grounds and evidence used by it in coming to the decision but his requests were refused without giving a valid explanation as to how the information requested fell within those exempted under the legislation. He said that the information was necessary for him to consider his future legal options. “There is no issue of any damage which can result from disclosure of the reasons for the revocation of the appointment of the Governor of the Central Bank. “Indeed, the public will beneﬁt from such a disclosure as transparency and fairness require it,” Rambarran’s lawyers said. Rambarran is seeking a declaration that

Cabinet acted unreasonably and irrationally and an order reversing the decision. Rambarran has been given until September 29 to ﬁle his judicial review claim. The case has been adjourned to November 21. Rambarran’s legal team includes Anand Ramlogan, SC, Gerald Ramdeen, Jayanti Lutchmedial and Alvin Pariagsingh, while Sanjeev Lalla, Tamara Toolsie and Brent James appeared for the State.

INTERNATIONAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Bratislava EU Meeting: Merkel Says Bloc In 'Critical Situation’ PAGE 121

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (right, with Mr Tusk) has made it clear his country does not want to take a share of the migrants coming to Europe(AP) The European Union is in a "critical situation", the German chancellor has said, as leaders meet in Slovakia to discuss ways to regain trust after the UK's vote to leave the bloc. Angela Merkel said they needed to show they could improve on security, defence cooperation and the economy. But EU countries are deeply divided over how to bolster growth and respond to the influx of migrants. Meeting in Bratislava without the UK, they will not discuss Brexit talks. "We need solutions for Europe and we are in a critical situation," Mrs Merkel said as she arrived at the gathering. "You can't solve all Europe's problems in one summit. What we have to do is show in our deeds we can do things better in the realms of security and fighting terrorism, and in the field of defence." 'Brutally honest' Even though Britain's referendum result is not on the agenda, and British Prime Minister Theresa May is not attending the summit, there is little doubt that Brexit will overshadow the meeting. French President Francois Hollande said: "Either we move in the direction of disintegration, of dilution, or we work together to inject new momentum, we relaunch the European project." Donald Tusk is hoping for a public show of unity among the 27 nations of the EU following Britain's vote to leave in June. Mr Tusk wants to restore EU stability and credibility with the bloc in the face of a migrant crisis and issues with the euro currency. But European leaders are divided, their voters sceptical. Central and Eastern Europe want powers back from Brussels. Northern nations view the south as a eurozone liability. Mediterranean countries balk at German austerity edicts. So on Friday they will stick to subjects they agree on and those they feel are relevant to voters' concerns: migration, security and globalisation. The hard stuff, such as a future trade deal with Britain and how to save the single currency, will be left for another day. Earlier, Donald Tusk, the European Council President, called on EU leaders to assure citizens they had learned lessons from Brexit and were able to "bring back stability and a sense of security". He urged them to take a "sober and brutally honest" look at the bloc's problems. The EU response to the influx of migrants is one of the most contentious points among members. The summit host, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, is one of a group of central and eastern European leaders who object to the EU quota system which distributes 160,000 refugees across the EU. The scheme, for refugees from Iraq, Syria and Eritrea, is aimed at easing the burden on Italy and Greece. Mr Fico has said Slovakia will not accept "one single Muslim migrant" and has mounted a legal challenge to the scheme. On Tuesday, Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2016

called for Hungary to be suspended or even expelled from the EU because of its "massive violation" of fundamental values, specifically the government's treatment of refugees. For France, the priority is border security in the wake of a number of Islamic extremist attacks in the country. France and Germany have outlined plans to deepen European military co-operation, which were reinforced in the State of the Union address by European Commission President JeanClaude Juncker on Wednesday, in which he called for a European military headquarters. The UK's departure from the EU removes one of the biggest obstacles to stronger EU defence in tandem with Nato. The one-day Bratislava meeting is set to be the first in a number of confidence-building meetings where a "roadmap" should be set up to culminate in a summit in March in the Italian capital Rome, when the 60th anniversary of the EU's founding Treaty of Rome will be celebrated. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS Italy Ciampi: Former President Who Championed Euro Dies At 95 PAGE 122

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Former Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, who steered his country into the single currency, has died in a clinic in Rome aged 95. He was the tenth Italian president and had served previously as governor of the Bank of Italy and p r i m e m i n i s t e r. T h e current Prime Minister,

Matteo Renzi, praised him as a man who had served the country "with passion". Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni hailed him as a "great Italian statesman". (BBC)

US 'To Pay $1.2m' To Italian Family Of Drone Strike Victim The US government has agreed to pay €1.1m ($1.2m; profoundly regretted them. The White House said at the £934,00) to the family of an Italian aid worker killed by a drone strike in Pakistan, reports say. Aid worker Giovanni Lo Porto, 37, was killed while being held hostage by alQaeda in 2015. A US aid worker being held with him also died. There has been no oﬃcial conﬁrmation of the settlement from the White House. President Barack Obama admitted the deaths in April last Lo Porto was killed in a drone strike in January 2015(FACEBOOK) year, saying that he

time that the operation had targeted an al-Qaeda compound in the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan, and that they had believed there were no civilians present. But according to La Repubblica newspaper (in Italian) and the Guardian newspaper, the agreement states that Mr Lo Porto was killed inside Pakistan. The payment was considered a "donation in memory" of the Italian, La Repubblica says Mr Lo Porto had disappeared from Multan, Pakistan, in January 2012 but little is known about what happened then. He had worked for an international aid group called Welthungerhilfe. The strike killed fellow aid worker Warren Weinstein, 73, and American Ahmed Farouq, described as an al-Qaeda leader. The Guardian says this is the ﬁrst agreement reached by the US and the family of a victim of a drone strike. (BBC)

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2016

US Election: Trump Campaign Acknowledges Obama Was Born In US

The Trump campaign has acknowledged in a statement that President Obama was born in the US. But the Republican candidate, who led the "birther" movement that questioned Hawaii-born Mr Obama's citizenship, has refused to say it himself. His campaign now accuses his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton of introducing the "smear" during the 2008 Democratic nomination contest. There is no evidence to link Mrs Clinton to the birthers. In reaction she tweeted that President Obama's successor "cannot and will not be the man who led the racist birther movement". The BBC's North America reporter Anthony Zurcher says the statement signed by senior Trump advisor Jason Miller is far from an admission of error. Instead, our correspondent says, Mr Miller laid the genesis of the birther rumours wrongfully at the feet of Hillary Clinton and her 2008 presidential campaign team. When her team raised questions, Mr Miller said, it was "vicious and conniving" behaviour. By broaching the topic three years later, Mr Trump had done a "great service" to the public and president, Mr Miller said. The statement follows an interview with the Washington Post newspaper in which Mr Trump had declined to say Mr Obama had been born in the US, saying instead that he did not want to answer the question. What is the origin of the 'birther' claim? The claim is a conspiracy theory that Mr Obama was actually born in Kenya and is therefore ineligible to be president. Reports in various US publications suggest it was circulated in 2008 by die-hard supporters of Mrs Clinton as it became clear that she was not going to win the Democratic nomination. However there is no evidence that Mrs Clinton or her then campaign had anything to do with it. The claim enjoyed a revival with some supporters of Republican candidate John

McCain as he fell behind Mr Obama in polls, the Fact Check website reported. When did Mr Trump get involved? The billionaire became a vocal questioner of Mr Obama's citizenship as he was running for a second term as president. In April 2011, Mr Trump challenged Mr Obama to show his birth certificate, gaining approval from Republicans including former Alaska governor Sarah Palin. Weeks later Mr Obama released his actual birth certificate from his native state of Hawaii. At that year's White House correspondents dinner, Mr Obama made light of the allegations, mocking Donald Trump. The 2012 Republican candidate Mitt Romney referred to the discredited theory at a campaign rally in August that year, joking that no-one had asked to see his birth certificate drawing swift condemnation from the Obama campaign. The words haven't been spoken by Donald Trump yet, but a press release from his campaign represents the closest we've come to the Republican nominee formally acknowledging that President Barack Obama was born on US soil. Mr Trump's turn as the lead advocate of the so-called "birther" movement has been a drag on the Republican's standings among black voters. It was also the issue that rocketed the New Yorker to fame among many conservatives, however. There's little surprise, then, that the Trump team wants to settle the matter and shift the campaign back to more favourable terrain - but the candidate has yet to back down completely. What is the latest on the campaign? Mr Trump's doctor has said he is in excellent physical health, although Mr Trump said he was slightly overweight Mrs Clinton has returned to the campaign trail after three days off with pneumonia. In a blog she said: "I had to admit a few days rest would do me good" Donald Trump Jr said his father had declined to release his tax returns because they would only distract from his main message, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.w Mr Trump expanded his tax plan to include a reduction in the top tier income tax and corporation tax. He said he would work to boost economic growth by 4% through deregulation and trade tariffs to limit the budget deficit. Some economists have rebuffed Mr Trump, saying his plans would not reduce the deficit and that higher trade tariffs would result in negative growth On Thursday evening, Mr Trump appeared on NBC's "Tonight Show" where host Jimmy Fallon asked to ruffle the candidate's hair. Ms Clinton will appear on the show on Monday night (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2016

South Sudan Refugees Reach One Million Mark

The number of people who have fled South Sudan because of the country's civil war has passed the one million mark, the UN refugee agency says. Fighting that broke out in the capital, Juba, in July is responsible for the latest surge in those fleeing, it says. More than 1.6 million people are also displaced within South Sudan, meaning about 20% of the population have been made homeless since December 2013. A fragile peace deal signed last year is on the brink of collapse. "The violence in July came as a major setback to peace efforts in South Sudan," the UNHCR spokesman More than 185,000 people have fled since July, and more continue to leave(AFP) Leo Dobbs said in a statement. The UN says more than 185,000 people have fled South Sudan since prompting him to flee. Another member of his party has been July. "The fighting has shattered hopes for a real breakthrough appointed as vice-president, a move Mr Machar does not and triggered new waves of displacement and suffering, while recognise. humanitarian organisations are finding it very difficult for Earlier this week, a report funded by George Clooney accused logistical, security and funding reasons to provide urgent both Mr Kiir and Mr Machar, as well as their officials, of protection and assistance to the hundreds of thousands in need," personally profiting from the war. Both men have denied the allegations. The UN wants to deploy a 4,000-strong regional Mr Dobbs said. South Sudan refugees: Uganda: 373,626 - more than a third of protection force for Juba which would have a more robust these have arrived since July; 20,000 over last week. New mandate than the 12,000 UN soldiers already in the country, arrivals report fighting in south, attacks on civilians by armed however the mandate and size of the force still have to be groups, who loot, sexually assault women and girls and recruit agreed. (BBC) boys Ethiopia: 292,000 - 11,000 crossed into Gambella over the past week. New arrivals are from the Nuer group, including 500 children travelling alone, fearing renewed conflict after seeing troop movements Sudan: 247,317 - 1,800 arriving each month in White Nile state, floods preventing others Kenya: 90,000 300 a week fleeing insecurity, economic instability and drought DR Congo: 40,000 - current influx is to Ituri province. Many of the refugees arriving in Uganda, which hosts the most South Sudanese, are "exhausted after days walking in the bush and going without food or water. Many children have lost one or both of their parents", the UNHCR says. A fall-out between President Salva Kiir and former Vice-President Machar - the most powerful members of their respective Dinka and Nuer ethnic groups - led to the civil war which erupted in December 2013. They only agreed to settle their differences under intense international pressure, signing a peace deal in August 2015 and Mr Machar returned to Juba as vice-president in a unity government in April. But battles then broke out between his bodyguards and presidential guards three months later,

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2016

Syria War: Russia 'Could Resume Strikes' On Rebel Groups Russia has warned it could resume air strikes on "moderate" rebel groups in Syria unless the US does more to d is t an ce th em f r o m extremists. A top official told the BBC there were "limits" to how long Russia, a key ally of the Syrian government, would wait. Under a deal which has halted fighting in Syria, only so-called Islamic State (IS) and a group previously officially linked to al-Qaeda can be targeted. Meanwhile, the UN is At least 250,000 people are under siege in rebel-held eastern Aleppo(AP) still waiting to be able sign of separating from Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, to which they are deliver aid to besieged Aleppo. Some 20 trucks have been strategically allied in some areas. waiting for safe passage to cross from Turkey into Syria and on The US "have been promising to do the maximum possible to to rebel-held east Aleppo since the cessation of hostilities came separate the moderate opposition from the Nusra Front since into effect on Monday. The UN however says it has not yet February", when a previous cessation of hostilities deal was received permits from the Syrian government to allow the agreed, said Mr Bogdanov. Since then, the US had been saying trucks into opposition areas, where at least 250,000 people are "just hold on", he said. "We're waiting, but there are limits," the in desperate need of food and medicine. Russian official added. Mr Bogdanov said the current deal was Russia said Syrian government troops had begun to withdraw "the only plan on the table". "We have no Plan B," he said. from Castello Road on the outskirts of Aleppo - the route (BBC) through which the trucks will pass - on Thursday but this has not been independently confirmed. Syrian and rebel forces are meant to pull back from the road to allow aid convoys through as part of the US-Russian deal which led to the cessation of hostilities. A UK-based monitoring group said Russian troops were replacing Syrian government forces along the road. Rebel groups said they would not withdraw from around Castello Road until government forces did. 'No Plan B' Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told the BBC his country was confident that Syria would honour the ceasefire agreement but had "more doubts about the opposition". He said the US needed to do more to persuade "moderate" rebel groups to disassociate themselves from Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, which is the strongest jihadist rebel group and is excluded from the ceasefire. If the cessation holds for seven days, the US and Russia have agreed to jointly plan attacks on Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, which was previously known as al-Nusra, and IS. However, other rebel groups, many of them Western-backed, have shown no

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 126

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2016

US Asks Deutsche Bank For $14bn To Settle Mortgage Investigation The US Department of Justice is asking Deutsche Bank to pay $14bn (£10.6bn) to settle an investigation into mortgagebacked securities, the bank has said. Deutsche Bank said it "has no intention to settle these potential civil claims anywhere near the figure cited". The claim against Deutsche, which is likely to be the subject of negotiations for several months, was much bigger than expected. The bank's shares fell nearly 7% in early trading. "The negotiations are only just beginning. The bank expects that they will lead to an outcome similar to those of peer banks which have settled at materially lower amounts," Deutsche Bank said. The sale of residential mortgage-backed securities played a significant role in the 2008 financial crisis. Banks in the US have been subject to a number of investigations over allegations of giving mortgages to unqualified borrowers, then

repackaging those loans as safe investments and selling the risk on to others. At the current figure, the fine facing Deutsche Bank it is one of the largest penalties handed out by US authorities in the aftermath of the financial crisis. The Department of Justice sought $12bn from Citigroup in 2014 for the sale of mortgagebacked financial products. The bank ended up paying $7bn. In 2013, JP Morgan Chase was fined $13bn following allegations it overstated the quality of mortgages being sold to investors and in the following year, Bank of America paid $16.7bn to settle similar charges. Goldman Sachs settled for $5.1bn in January this year. The fine has emerged at a difficult time for Deutsche Bank. Its most recent results revealed a 20% fall in second quarter revenues and a 67% drop in profits. In July, one of Deutsche Bank's US operations failed a stress test by the Federal Reserve, which it criticised for having "broad and substantial weaknesses" in capital planning and for making insufficient progress on previous year. Neil Wilson at ETX Capital said that given the potential size of the settlement, "you have to wonder if financial regulators are starting to do more harm than good". "Given the very precarious finances of some European banks, of which Deutsche is one of the riskiest and systemically important, it's disturbing and appears myopic and needlessly punitive. "True, the final sum is unlikely to be as high as the $14bn claim, but somewhere around a third of that would seem par for the course. That would still represent a massive blow to a firm with a market cap of about €18bn." (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Yazidi Survivor Nadia Murad Becomes UN Goodwill Ambassador A young Yazidi woman who survived b e c o m e t h e U N O D C G o o d w i l l that compound. I was gang-raped." She PAGE 127

traﬃcking and gang-rape by so-called Islamic State militants is to be appointed a UN ambassador. Nadia Murad, who is also a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, will

Nadia Murad was held captive as a sex slave by so called Islamic State - she tells HARDtalk how she escaped

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2016

Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Traﬃcking. Her "appointment marks the ﬁrst time a survivor of atrocities is bestowed with this distinction," the UN said. Ms Murad was captured in Iraq in 2014. Six of her brothers were murdered. The 23-year-old told the BBC she had also been subjected to sexual and physical abuse. "Under their rule, a captured woman becomes a spoils of war if she is caught trying to escape. She is put in a cell and raped by all the men in

said she had been bought and sold several times by the militant group. She, however, managed to escape. Since her escape, she has been advocating for the end of human traﬃcking. Ms Murad's ambassadorship "will focus on advocacy initiatives and raise awareness around the plight of the countless victims of traﬃcking in persons, especially refugees, women and girls," the UN said. Her induction ceremony at the UN will be witnessed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, US Ambassador Samantha Power and attorney for Ms Murad, Amal Clooney. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2016

Myanmar Soldiers Jailed For Village Murders In Rare Case eastern Shan state. The case is a rare its own brutality, let alone prosecutes

Myanmar has sentenced a group of soldiers to five years of hard labour for the murders of five villagers. The seven soldiers - four of them officers confessed to the killings after the men's bodies were found with knife wounds in a shallow grave. They had been among a group rounded up by soldiers in June, suspected of helping rebel militia in

These women all lost relatives(REUTERS)

example of a military prosecution in Myanmar. The sentences were handed down in a military court on Thursday. Activist Sai Kaung Kham, who helped the families of the ethnic minority men in Mong Yaw village demand justice for the killings, said he was surprised the military had taken any action at all. "The fact they have been sentenced to imprisonment is better than nothing," he told Reuters. However, the military has not accepted responsibility for the deaths of two other men killed ﬂeeing the village on a motorcycle. Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, was run by a military junta until 2011. It's extremely rare that the Burmese army acknowledges

those responsible. During decades of conflict with ethnic armed groups there have been countless atrocities recorded. Villages have been burnt, men tortured and killed, porters seized. Human Rights Watch called it a "deeply entrenched culture of abuse". This court case then could be significant. Though the sentences are shockingly light the very fact that soldiers were prosecuted marks a change. Whether it's a blip, or culture change is hard to say. In the last two years, there have been two other high-profile cases in which soldiers are alleged to have murdered civilians. Despite huge public interest in the killing of two Kachin schoolteachers and a journalist the perpetrators went unpunished. (BBC)

Alleged Hacker Lauri Love To Be Extradited To US An autistic man suspected of hacking into US government computer systems is to be extradited from Britain to face trial, a court has ruled. Lauri Love, 31, who has Asperger's Syndrome, is accused of hacking into the FBI, the US central bank and the country's missile defence agency. Mr Love, from Stradishall, Suﬀolk, has previously said he feared he would die in a US prison if he was extradited. A judge at Westminster Magistrates' Court made the extradition ruling. Earlier, his lawyer said his alleged hacking had "embarrassed" US authorities. Tor Ekeland said the US government "had very, very bad security and these hacks utilised exploits that were publicly-known for months". (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2016

Vendors Relocated To Robbery Prone Area; Wants King To Be Fired Vendors at the Bourda and Starbroek markets are frustrated and angry with the Mayor and City Council for moving them to a location which is in a deplorable condition. Even though some of them were afraid to speak, the vendors vented their anger to the Guyana Daily News. The vendors at the Bourda area who were removed from the area between Cumming and Light Streets and placed in one of the section of the market said that the area in which they were relocated to, is in a deportable state. Vendors related that the area is unsafe and that customers are afraid to come into the stalls to buy their products since the area

is prone to robberies. The vendors were told that they would be temporarily moved until a suitable location can be found. Eight months later and the vendors are still housed in temporary stalls. These stalls have no drainage, no electricity and one vendor complained that the stalls are boarded off like “horse stables”. They are calling for Town Clerk Royston King to be fired. Two brothers, who have being vending in the area for years, said the new stalls are too small and cannot accommodate all their products. One of the brothers, pointing to a section of a stall where electric wires were exposed said “since they build hay, that section never had no current, that one half, they left just suh, why they put the wires, if they ain’t giving we no current.” The vendors lamented that they are cornered off by a yellow line and if they cross that line, the city constables would seize their produces and then charge them. It was pointed out also that there is no security guards at the location and according to the vendors, a woman was robbed and the city police didn’t even bother to chase the thief. The guard huts which were installed to ensure the vendors have protection is being used by vagrants to sleep at nights. The distressed vendors said that they are fed up of making complaints to the City Council and nothing is being done about the situation. The vendors are asking for a reduction in the $1000 fee they pay on a daily basis to sell their products only four days per week, while other stalls including food vendors and barbers are paying $1000 per week.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2016

The Unruly Horse STIFLING LOCAL DEMOCRACY By: Mohabir Anil Nandlall, MP.Attorney-at-Law minimal; they advocated for the newly elected local democratic organs to enjoy financial independence and functional autonomy Then came the Local Government Elections on the 18th of March, 2016. There is no doubt that its results flabbergasted the President and his Government. The APNU was devastated at those elections. That they were in Government for a year and their die hardsupporters still in a state of euphoria, after the 2015 General and Regional Elections “victory”, it was a terrible blow to their While in opposition, President Granger was political psyche and ego. The PPP won and manifestly unlawful act of Minister a passionate campaigner for local landslide victories in 48 of the 71 Local Bulkan's handpicking of chairpersons in the democracy. Both in and out of Parliament, Authority Areas. In 6 of the remaining areas, five tied NDCs and handpicking the Mayor he emphasized the need to allow local the PPP tied with the APNU. In the for the municipality of Mabaruma, in a leaders at the level of the villages to take remaining areas, the APNU was forced to shameless violation of the relevant statutory charge and manage the affairs of their local share the spoils with independent groups, provisions. The clumsy strategy of the communities. In opposition, his party including, in areas where they boast great Attorney General to delay the hearing and pressed relentlessly for the enactment of the political strength. In short, the APNU was determination of the cases filed challenging four Local Government Bills. In the Select thrashed at those elections. Since the local Bulkan's actions and the contrivance of Committees, their contributions had a government election results, one has frivolous and vexatious legal arguments, common thread. They canvassed for a witnessed an absolute change in the attempting to justify those actions, only reduction of ministerial power and approach of the Government to the newly compound this anti- democratic perversity. 2. Another example of the attempt to control influence over local democratic organs, elected local organs. The rhetoric that these local government organs, is the use of while at the same time, advocating for we heard prior to those elections about local greater financial independence and leaders taking charge of their affairs; that t h e To w n C l e r k s , i n t h e c a s e o f functional autonomy for these organs. They they must be allowed to do so without municipalities, Regional Executive Officers argued for the urgent establishment of a bi- interference from Central Government; that in the case of RDCs and Overseers at the partisan local government commission, in they must be functionally autonomous and level of the NDCs- all servants/agents of the which is to be vested, a plethora of power, financially independent- all quickly Minister, to micro-manage, frustrate and which the Minister now enjoys. They were vanished. This rhetoric was quickly torpedo the work of these elected bodies. so aggressive on these matters that it was replaced with exactly the opposite in Only recently, their own Dr. Ramaya, clear to many at the time, that they never actions. The Government has since been resigned as REO of Region 6, citing expected to be the next government. In this pursuing a policy flagrantly designed to pervasive corruption and the controlling equation, one cannot exclude their sudden denude these newly elected organs of all power of the Minister, who criticized him and emphatic advocacy for the holding of autonomy and independence and when f o r n o t a p p r o v i n g w o r k s d o n e b y l o c a l g o v e r n m e n t e l e c t i o n s , t h e there is resistance, to frustrate and stifle contractors, although according to Dr. postponement of which, they supported in these organs in the discharge of their Ramaya, these works were substandard. the National Assembly for the past 15 years, functions by withholding monies and NDC Councilors, countrywide, with whom immediately prior. After 2011, local constructing bureaucratic red tapes - all in I spoke, informed me that decisions of the government elections suddenly became a an effort to make these organs politically council are not being carried out by the major priority. While in Government, beholden to Central Government. This is Overseers unless they receive the approval during the campaign for the 2016 Local nothing short of an onslaught upon local of the Minister. I have been told that no Government Elections, the posture of the democracy and a callous flouting of the will money can be spent without the prior President and his Government remained the of the electorate as expressed at the local approval of someone authorized by the s a m e . T h e y a d v o c a t e d f o r t h e government elections. I will demonstrate Minister. I am aware that the NDCs received their statutory subventions almost four empowerment of local leaders; they argued my point with a few examples. months late and that their budgets were only that these leaders must be allowed to 1. Perhaps the most conspicuous example determine and govern their affairs at the of this Government's authoritarian attempt approved within the last two weeks level of the local democratic organs and that at thwarting local democracy is the vulgar continued on next page... Central Government's input must be

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2016

The Unruly Horse...cont... These are deliberate strategies employed by the Minister to undermine the functioning of these elected bodies. 3. Six months after the local government elections, this Government is still to submit its nominees to the Local Government Commission. As a result, this much touted Commission remains on paper only. The Government is deliberately delaying the establishment of this Commission, because once it becomes operational, the Minister and by extension the government, loses a tremendous amount of power. To the authoritarian, the loss of power is like the loss of life itself. 4. The democratic line demarcating the Georgetown City Council from the Government has become so blurred that the Council is operating almost like a department of Government. The Government gives policy directions to the Council with

seamless ease; Cabinet reviews Council's decisions without anyone batting an eyelid; the Attorney General, nonchalantly, reviews contracts entered into by Council and renders to the Council, legal advice in relation thereto. In this incestuous matrix, all seem blind to the assault being committed upon local democracy. Sadly, in the milieu, there is no proverbial one eye man to take the throne. The cumulative impact of this all is that democracy is under siege at the level of the local democratic organs, as it is in the Parliament and elsewhere. But alas, what can one expect from a Government whose leader, two weeks ago, reiterated his idolatrous admiration of and strong commitment to the politics, ideas and ideals of Forbes Burnham â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a politician whose lack of democratic credentials equals none in the English speaking Caribbean.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2016

Better Remuneration To Be Considered For Local Engineers

Engineers are the hardworking individuals on the work site who are continuously carrying out tests or calculating or thinking of ways to ﬁx any problem that has risen or may arise whether it may be day, night, sun or rain. From the beginning of the job to the end, the engineer is always present and because of this proper remuneration for hard work is necessary. However over the past few years there has been a reduction in the number of local Engineers and one of the surrounding factors is due to lack of proper payment for the job done. As the Government of Guyana plans to undertake a multitude of projects that will see the development of Hinterland areas along with some of the urban communities over the next few years there is no doubt that the Government may be a bit short handed when it comes to the Engineers who will be required to work on these projects despite the multitude of Engineering Students graduating each year from the University of Guyana.

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson at a recent press conference made known that the government is aware of the lack of Engineers that are required to service the region and as such it has green lighted the Ministry to create jobs for Engineers with a justiﬁable salary since currently the ones being oﬀered are "not attractive enough". This the Ministry hopes will reduce the amount of engineers that are brain drained from the country each year. There has been a lot of controversy over the years surrounding the work done by companies who have high credentials but still the work done is substandard. This the Minister said, is something that will

be up for review as it has been noticed that contracts have been awarded despite the lack of capacity to complete an eﬃcient job and that the contractors are still opting to place their bid for projects. By doing this, Patterson said that contractors are "spreading themselves thin" and missing key checkpoints as reported by the Government Information Agency. The contracts however are unable to be terminated before the appropriate end and as such a meeting will be held with the respective contractors and members of the Private Sector to discuss and eﬃcient way forward.

LOCAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Message Of Condolence From His Excellency, Brigadier David A. Granger, President Of The Cooperative Republic Of Guyana, On The Passing Of The Hon. Justice Winston Moore, Ombudsman, Cooperative Republic Of Guyana. PAGE 135

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2016

Georgetown, Guyana – (September 17, 2016) The Cooperative Republic of Guyana mourns the passing of the Honourable Justice Winston Lennox Mc Lennon Moore, Ombudsman of Guyana, who passed away on Friday September 16, 2016. Justice Moore began his legal career as an Attorney-at-Law in 1983. In 1998, he was appointed high Court Judge. In 2007 Justice Moore served as the Judge Advocate for Guyana Defence Force. On January 13, 2014 Justice Moore was sworn in as the Ombudsman of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. His Excellency Brigadier David Granger, MSS, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana extends heartfelt sympathy to his wife, Ms. Viera Moore and children; Nichole, Gary, Gavin and Kevin, as well as other family members and friends of the late Justice Winston Moore. MOTP Press Release

Works Progressing On Several Govt Projects

The late Hon. Justice Winston Moore, Ombudsman, Cooperative Republic Of Guyana.

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, in a recent press conference spoke about the progress of several projects that the Government undertook in budget 2016. In his speech, Minister Patterson updated the media on the foreign funded $1.2M East Bank Berbice Highway which is slated to begin once there are no objections from the relevant authorities and agencies. Works on the East Coast Highway Project the Minister said has not commenced but is set to commence soon. The Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion project is said to be underway with contractors moving at the scheduled pace for completion. Completion of the $150M project is important the Minister revealed since there is a December 2017 deadline which sees the loan that was obtained for the building expiring. Patterson also underlined the need for a "roundabout" at the head of the airport at which he say will see the smoother movement of traﬃc. Speaking about the proposed works at the renamed Eugene F. Correia International Airport, Minister Patterson revealed that the ﬁnal submission of the report is still outstanding since the appraisal is needed by the facilities committee. He reassured that the stakeholders of the airport will be engaged when the report returns and the report will seek the best way forward for the airport. Minister Patterson stated that as of the end of August 2016, the Government and the Ministry spent $11B on capital works, which represents 45% of the Public Sector Investment Programme. As it relates to works planned for 2017, Patterson explained that he met with his team and the development of the hinterland and urban areas are top on the agenda.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2016

City Constables Accused Of Harassing Minibus Drivers, Conductors …Hurl Expletives At Daily News staff Minibus drivers and conductors are bitterly complaining about the constant and daily harassment they receive from the city constables. Explaining to the Guyana Daily News the daily routine of the minibus, a driver of route 44 said that the City Constables have no consideration or understanding for the bus drivers and the people who work in the area for their daily income. One driver who was visibly angry explained that because of the traffic flow in the city, bus drivers would usually have to wait a few seconds before driving off when the bus is full and that usually entails spending a few seconds on a “no stopping zone.” However the city constables would lay in wait for this to happen and then charge them. “We gotta wait till this traffic clear before a bus could come out [of Parking], so you gon detain a few seconds hay [on the no stopping sign] till that bus drive out, then you gon drive in to park, but the constable doh want hear duh, they carry you to constab, they put you on 8,000 bail and put you before the magistrate,” the driver explained. The conductors were in a fury as they were just returning from paying bail at the constabulary base. One conductor said he was arrested because he wasn’t three feet away from the bus had to pay $8,000 to just to return to work. “Secondly, they seh you must stand three feet away from the bus, now ah old person or somebody you know call you to help them with dem bag, the constables snatch you and carry you constab, $8,000 bail, you can’t assist people with they bag? We are not thief man we are working people!” The conductors said that the city constables would wait and watch and as soon as they see an opportunity to arrest them they would take it. Another said that after he was fined and released, there were eight other conductors under arrest. The drivers pointed to a no parking zone where several vendors were selling and cars were parked and explained that the city constables would never move them or say anything to them but would harass the drivers about reversing into the park. The driver said that they have to pay $200 every day to use the park and they are unware of any other park incurring this fee. On arriving on the scene, Guyana Daily News tried to approach the constables to get a comment but they immediately left the area.

Some were heard hurling curse words at the cameraman when he tried to ﬁlm them.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2016

Peru Cuzco: Fire Destroys 16th Century Church

A fire has ruined the famous church of San Sebastian in the Peruvian colonial city of Cuzco. Residents watched in despair as the blaze burned the gilded altar and valuable paintings inside the 16th-century church. The fire began in the early hours of Friday. The authorities say it was probably caused by a short circuit. Firefighters said hydrants in the area were not working and were only repaired two hours later. The local priest urged residents to try to save the church. They rushed to a nearby river to collect water, but it was too late. The building is still standing but most of the church's ornate interior has been destroyed, including work by indigenous artist Diego Quispe Tito. Peruvian fashion photographer Mario Testino, who is also president of the World Monuments Fund Peru, told the Authorities say a short circuit was most likely responsible(AP) BBC it was a "tragic loss" for the country. He said the extent of the damage. The church had undergone extensive cultural ministry had pledged to restore the church. "The entire restoration work between 2008 and 2013. A local journalist, roof has been consumed by the fire," said fire chief, Jesus Javier Farje, said "it's devastating. This church represents the Valdivia. "Saint sculptures, images, paintings from the Cuzco merge of two cultures - European art, mainly the Flemish school culture have virtually disappeared, 80 percent of it inside the of painting, and the Andean school of art." The city of Cuzco was church." the capital of the Inca Empire, which was destroyed by the Cuzco Mayor Carlos Moscoso broke into tears when he saw the Spanish conquest of most of the Americas. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2016

Temporary Closure Of Suriname Consulate In Haiti PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti -- Following an increase in the flow of migrants of Haitian origin and a complaint from France, Suriname recently imposed a mandatory visa requirement on Haitians that came into effect on Thursday, September 15. However, in Port-au-Prince more than a hundred Haitians who wanted to go to Paramaribo, the capital of Suriname, were confronted with a Suriname consulate with closed door, on which was displayed a notice to the effect that: “From Tuesday 13 September, the General Consulate of Suriname in Haiti is closed until further notice. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.In case of emergency call 2818-10-00 / 28-28-20-00; Or write us on

o u r e m a i l a d d r e s s : cons.haiti@foreignaﬀairs.gov.sr” Surprised to learn that they now needed a visa to travel to Suriname, and unable to apply at a closed consulate, the Haitians gathered outside the consulate strongly criticized the diplomatic authorities of Suriname and wondered who would refund their airfare and hotel reservations, HaitiLibre reported.As the mood of the crowd became heated and the tone rising, the police ﬁnally intervened to restore order and dispersed the protesters before the situation turned violent. (Caribbean News Now!)

Caribbean To Receive A Record 30 Million Visitors For 2016 By Malissa Brathwaite BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (BGIS) -The Caribbean is poised to receive a record 30 million visitors for 2016, said Barbados tourism minister and outgoing chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), Richard Sealy, on Wednesday evening during the opening ceremony of the CTO’s State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC) 2016. Sealy stated that, even in the face of competition from other regions, including the Paciﬁc, Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, it was “very encouraging” to note that there were few sectors which have shown the type of resilience of the tourism industry.He continued: “In the face of all of this, the region saw 28.7 million visitors in 2015. That was an increase of seven percent over 2014, and in fact was a record in terms of the

number of arrivals to the region. Twentysixteen is pacing ahead of 2015 and for the ﬁrst time, we will see 30 million visitors to the region.” However, while acknowledging that the CTO could take pride in these numbers and its ability to respond appropriately to the demands of the regional sector, the tourism minister cautioned that the competition was “getting more intense” and the sector must be prepared for these actualities going forward. “As encouraged as we are by the results and far how we’ve come, we need to accept the realities that must be grasped going forward… eight and-a-half years ago when the late David Thompson invited me to be in his Cabinet, there was no such thing as Airbnb, there was no such thing as Uber; Brexit also did not exist…. “These are the realities as we deﬁne

our future and draw on our multiple strengths, and continue to recognise the power and the legacy that has led to the success of Caribbean tourism,” Sealy stated. The annual SOTIC provides an opportunity for Caribbean tourism practitioners and other strategic partners to discuss existing issues within the regional sector and identify the best courses of action for the beneﬁt of the industry. (Caribbean News Now!)

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St Kitts-Nevis Rebranded CBI Programme Is The Platinum Standard, Says PM BASSETERRE, St Kitts -- Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris noted on Monday that, for the last 18 months, the government of St Kitts and Nevis has worked hard to redeem its citizenship by investment (CBI) programme through its rebranding and vision approach, which focuses on providing service and maintaining relationships at the highest level: the ‘platinum standard’. Harris was speaking at the third in a series of conferences on the CBI programme aimed at continuing the dialogue and partnership between the government, service providers and developers and other key stakeholders in the programme.“This forum represents the third national eﬀort in engaging our stakeholders in what is happening with our CBI programme,” Harris said. “We have deliberately engaged in this consultative process because we believe in transparency, accountability and openness. Equally important, we have done this because we value constructive partnership that will take all stakeholders of which our service providers and developers are among the most important.” The previous two conferences were held on July 30 and

October 16, 2015. “We are open for redeeming the CBI programme, namely, legitimate business [and] we have been the recalibration of relationships with the moving in a deliberate and progressive European Union, the United States and manner since February 2015, carefully Canada, which he said are at an all-time looking at the Citizenship Unit in terms high; the implementation of much o f t h e i n t e r n a l o p e r a t i o n s a n d needed reforms; and the development of deficiencies,” Harris said. “We have a marketing strategy to ensure the examined our international brand sustainability and competiveness of the positioning and all relationships that programme. Harris encouraged the presently make up and contribute to the participants to offer the very best of CBI as an important driver for our service, as they seek to attract the very economy.As the pioneer of citizenship best of the client base. He noted that this by investment programmes, we hold the is what the platinum standard requires. distinction of a nation with vision (Caribbean News Now!) capable of developing e c o n o m i c programmes, which the world values and that other nations over time have come to e m u l a t e . We confidently announce that we are continuing this legacy.” Harris mentioned Participants at the National Conference of Service three steps that Providers and Developers for the CBI Programme were crucial in

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Civil Society Organisations Take Practical Climate Change Action In Trinidad And Tobago

ORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad -- As part as the “Climate ACTT: Action by Civil society in Trinidad and Tobago to build resilience to climate change” project, ﬁve civil society organisations (CSOs) are implementing practical projects to contribute to climate change adaptation and resilience building in Trinidad and Tobago. The Environmental Research Institute Charlotteville (ERIC) is working in north-east Tobago to establish a network of Climate Change Champions, who will receive training to build their climate change communication skills, as well as to conduct climate change vulnerability assessments in three communities. A coral reef climate change awareness snorkelling tour will also be launched to raise awareness on climate change impacts on coral reef ecosystems. E n v i r o n m e n t To b a g o ( E T ) i s conducting an assessment of the vulnerability of the community of Lambeau in south Tobago to climate change. Project activities will assess the vulnerability of the ecosystems and social and built infrastructure of

Lambeau and the environs. The information collected will provide a baseline for future adaptation strategies and will also contribute to developing an adaptation strategy for Tobago’s coastal communities which are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The Fondes Amandes Community Reforestation Project (FACRP) in the St Ann’s watershed in Trinidad will conduct an assessment of the vulnerability of its eco-tourism small business enterprise to climate change impacts. Using the value-chain analysis method, FACRP will assess the vulnerability of its enterprise along each step and identify specific ecosystem-based adaptation actions to build resilience and sustainability. Several communication products will also be produced to enhance the organisation’s efforts to raise awareness of climate change impacts. The Caribbean Youth Environment Network Trinidad and Tobago Chapter (CYEN-TT) will implement the Youth Climate Advocacy and Resilience Building Endeavour (Y-CARE) initiative. This will contribute to increasing youth advocacy for climate change adaptation in Trinidad and Tobago by engaging, enabling, and empowering members of the Holy Faith Convent Eco-Heroes Environment Club, the Couva community and the CYEN-TT membership. An advocacy strategy will also be developed as a way for CYEN-TT to be more targeted in its ongoing global and national climate change advocacy efforts beyond this project. The Turtle Village Trust (TVT) will develop a climate change communication plan for the organisation, as well as materials aimed

at educating the general public and its partner coastal community-based organisations on climate change, focusing on the impacts on sea turtles and what actions can be taken to reduce these impacts. These projects were developed drawing on approaches, tools and methods for communicating effectively and assessing vulnerability and building resilience to climate change which the five CSOs were exposed to during two training workshops under the Climate ACTT project. CSOs received a small grant under the Climate ACTT project to support them to apply what they learnt to develop and implement a practical climate change adaptation and resilience building project. Project activities started in August 2016 and are set to be completed by end of October 2016. The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) provided capacity building, individual coaching and technical support to CSOs with project development, and will continue to assist them as needed during project implementation, as well as with monitoring and evaluation of results. These practical adaptation projects aim to strengthen the capacity of five CSOs i n Tr i n i d a d a n d To b a g o t o internationally accepted levels of best practice in two areas: institutional (organisational) strengthening; and technical capacity to deliver programmes/projects related to climate change adaptation and resilience. CANARI is implementing and managing this project in collaboration with Conservation International (CI) and BHP Billiton Trinidad and Tobago. (Caribbean News Now!)

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OECS Early Childhood Professionals Meet In Antigua ST JOHN’S, Antigua -- Two dozen industry professionals participated in the annual meeting of early childhood coordinators, education oﬃcers, directors and leaders in Antigua and Barbuda. The three-day workshop ( Tu e s d a y 1 2 t o T h u r s d a y 1 5 September) was hosted and facilitated by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Eastern Caribbean, under the theme of Improving Access to Quality Early Childhood Development Services for All Children.During the course of the meeting, colleagues shared best practice, as well as annual reports and work plans for the next year. Updates on various initiatives were introduced by individuals and agencies, including consultant, Dr Tristi Nichols; Dr Sheron Burns of the University of the West Indies (Cave Hill); Sharon Nightingale of the Child Care Board, Barbados; Sisera Simon of the OECS Education Development

Management Unit; and Paula Trotter of the Foundation for the Development of Caribbean Children. Shelly-Ann Harper of UNICEF Eastern Caribbean presented on Protection in Early Childhood. On the ﬁnal day of the forum, industry professionals from 12 territories and four regional agencies visited a number of Antiguan early childhood centres. Established in 2012, FDCC envisions a Caribbean where children from all socio-economic backgrounds have equal

opportunities to reach their maximum potential. Towards enabling that vision, FDCC works closely with the OECS Commission, UNICEF and other regional agencies, with a principal emphasis on advocacy and education. FDCC hopes to enhance its programming and increase the level of collaboration with other stakeholders as a result of its participation in, and contribution to, this workshop. (Caribbean News Now!)

Participants at the early childhood workshop in Antigua

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St. Kitts-Nevis Records First Case Of Zika Virus

Source: reuters BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, Sept 17, CMC – St. Kitts-Nevis has recorded its first case of the mosquito-borne Zika virus joining 46 other Caribbean and Latin American countries affected by the disease. The Ministry of Health said that it had received confirmation from the Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) that three serum samples tested on September 11, have been positive for the

ZIKA virus. “These positive results are therefore the Federation’s first confirmed cases of ZIKA in the local population,” the Ministry said, noting that while the samples had been sent to CARPHA at the end of August, it only received confirmation on September 15 “largely due to the CARICOM laboratory’s inundation with over 1,300 ZIKA test requests within the last three weeks”. The Ministry of Health said it had informed

the three patients about the results and urged the public in general not to panic as a result. “The public is reminded that the ZIKA virus is generally considered to be a mild illness with up to 80 per cent of affected persons not showing any symptoms. Symptoms include fever, rash, and body aches and pains. “In rare cases, the virus has been known to cause Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) which affects the body’s peripheral nervous system. ZIKA has also been confirmed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as having causal association with microcephaly in new-borns-(children born with abnormally small heads – at a very low rate of less than 0.3 per cent % of cases,” the statement added. It said as a result of the confirmation of the cases, the Environmental Health Department within the Ministry of Health will be sustaining and, in some cases, accelerating its vector control measures. “The public is strongly encouraged to support the work of the Environmental Health Department by ensuring that every effort is made to destroy mosquito breeding sites around their homes, yards and businesses, to use safe insect repellant …when outdoors, to stay indoors whenever possible, and to wear long-sleeved clothing when outdoors.” (Antigua Observer)

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Health Minister Says Jamaica’s Implementing 10-Year Strategic Plan WASHINGTON, Sept 17, CMC – Jamaica’s Health Minister, Dr. C h r i s t o p h e r Tu f t o n , s a y s t h e Caribbean island is implementing a 10-year strategic plan to improve health and attain its vision of a healthy and stable population. Tufton made the declaration at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) headquarters here during a presentation on the country’s health situation, priority health issues and needs. Tufton said demographic changes, especially an increase in the elderly population, are likely to increase demand for medical and diagnostic services to manage acute and chronic conditions and increase the need for long-term care. Although Jamaica has high life expectancy of 73.8 years and low infant mortality, currently 19 deaths per 1,000 live births, the country faces rising rates of chronic diseases including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, “which have become the leading causes of death,” PAHO said. Tufton said physical activity levels are down, and the

percentage of Jamaicans who are overweight is up to 26.4 per cent.He said managing the consumption of sugar, salt and fats in the diet is a priority. The health minister said Jamaica’s 10-yearstrategic health plan calls for improvements in health s e r v i c e d e l i v e r y, t h e h e a l t h workforce, health information and governance. He said the challenge of ﬁnancing these and other needed improvements, including better use

of technology for such as telemedicine and electronic patient administration, is “a real one.” With the majority of Jamaica’s 318 government health facilities and 24 hospitals now being over 50 years old, the country also faces the challenge of refurbishing or rebuilding many of these facilities, Tufton said.He said that vector-borne diseases, such as chikungunya and Zika, are aﬀecting people in Jamaica, and that the country has recorded 110 cases and 10 deaths from GuillainBarré syndrome (GBS). Tufton said it costs around US$13,000 to treat each patient with GBS, which is linked to Zika virus infections. Although the country does have a vector control programme, “We need greater emphasis on mosquito control,” he said. In health ﬁnancing, Tufton said Jamaica is developing national health insurance, focusing on compassionate care and expanding charitable contributions. (Antigua Observer)

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Health Minister Says Jamaica’s Implementing 10-Year Strategic Plan

Toco/Sangre Grande MP Glenda Jennings-Smith, left, during her visit to the home of Marissa Nelson whose plight was highlighted in the Guardian earlier this week. Photo: RALPH BANWARIE

Toco/Sangre Grande MP Glenda Jennings-Smith yesterday visited 600-pound Marissa Nelson after learning about her plight in a series of T&T Guardian stories earlier this week. Nelson, 32, suffers with lymphoedema, which has left her limbs enormously swollen and overweight. For the past four years Nelson has been confined to her bed because of her medical condition and weight. Jennings-Smith said yesterday it was only after reading of Nelson’s plight in the Guardian newspaper she realised the ailing woman lives in her constituency and decided to visit her. Jennings-Smith promised Nelson immediate help to address some of her needs, as well as follow-up visits. Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh and Minister of Social Development and Family Services Cherry-Ann Crichlow-Cockburn also plan to visit Nelson at her Johnson Street, Valencia, home to see the conditions in which she lives. Deyalsingh said he would have to “arrange a date and time” to meet Nelson, while CrichlowCockburn took up Nelson’s invitation. “I am willing to visit her,” Crichlow-Cockburn wrote in response to a text message, but did not state when. Nelson, on Thursday, made an appeal to Deyalsingh and Crichlow-Cockburn for assistance. Among those who offered assistance after her story was published were DEHIX, an international charitable organisation; the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex; Pillars of

Harmony; and members of the public. “I want to see them not talk the talk, but walk the talk. It is left to be seen what will happen from here onwards,” Nelson said. Yesterday, Nelson said she had a telephone conversation with Dennis Hicks, founder of DEHIX, who is based in the United States.“Mr Hicks said he was in the process of speaking to some doctors abroad to help me get the gastric bypass surgery done. He also indicated that he would talk to some of the doctors in Trinidad to see what could be done here as well,” Nelson said. Nelson said when she heard that Deyalsingh and Crichlow-Cockburn were willing to assist, she felt a renewed hope. Deyalsingh said his ministry was ready and willing to do all it could to help Nelson, while Crichlow-Cockburn said a caregiver could be provided for Nelson. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Nelson’s story was highlighted on the front page, where she called on the Government to intervene and provide specialist medical care, urgent medication and a 24-hour caregiver. “I would like Minister Deyalsingh in particular to come and visit me at my home to see how I live and how I do everything on my bed so they can get a better idea of what I face on a daily basis.“I don’t want them to take my word for it. I want them to witness it ﬁrsthand because what I go through is hell,” Nelson said. Nelson relies on her 68-yearold mother, Sylvia, for assistance but she too is handicapped after one of her legs was amputated from complications with diabetes. Told that both ministers were interested in visiting her, Nelson said she was thrilled by the news and is awaiting their arrival. (Trinidad Guardian)

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US Election: Clinton Security Syria War: Rebels 'Regrouping' Should Be Disarmed, Says Trump U n d e r C e a s e ﬁ r e - P u t i n Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump is facing criticism after appearing to hint at the assassination of his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton for a second time. Mr Trump suggested Mrs Clinton's security detail should give up their guns and "see what happens to her". He told supporters his rival wanted to "destroy your second amendment" - referring to the right to own guns. Mrs Clinton's team has accused Mr Trump of "inciting people to violence". Speaking at a rally in Miami on Friday, the Republican candidate said, apparently sarcastically: "I think that her bodyguards should drop all weapons. They should disarm, right? "Take their guns away, she doesn't want guns. Take their guns and let's see what happens to her. Take their guns away. OK, it would be very dangerous." Robby Mook, a spokesman for Mrs Clinton, said: "Whether this is done to provoke protesters at a rally or casually or even as a joke, it is an unacceptable quality in anyone seeking the job of Commander in Chief. "This kind of talk should be out of bounds for a presidential candidate." Mrs Clinton has called for tighter gun control laws but has also stressed her support for the second amendment, telling the Democratic Party Convention in July “I'm not here to take away your guns". Mr Trump's remarks echoed a controversial speech last month which many Democrats condemned as a call for Mrs Clinton's assassination. Speaking in North Carolina, he claimed that Mrs Clinton wanted to abolish the second amendment, adding: "By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the second amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know." The Trump camp later said he was referring to action through the ballot box, not violence. The latest comments came just hours after Mr Trump was forced to reverse his long-held position that President Barack Obama was not born in the United States. Speaking at a campaign event in Washington, he said: "President Barack Obama was born in the United States, period. But he went on to accuse Mrs Clinton of starting the so-called birther controversy "Hillary Clinton and her campaign of 2008 started the birther controversy. I ﬁnished it," he said. There is no evidence to link Mrs Clinton to the birther conspiracy. What you need to know about US election (BBC)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Syrian rebel groups are exploiting the current ceasefire to regroup. He said the US, which backs some rebel groups, was more focused on retaining their military capacity than separating moderate and militant groups, a stated aim of the truce which began on Monday. Mr Putin also urged Washington to make the ceasefire agreement public. There are growing tensions between the two major powers over the rebels' role and delays in providing aid. Separately footage has emerged of Free Syrian Army rebels expelling US special forces from the town of Al-Rai in northern Syria, calling them "infidels" in Arabic. The Pentagon said on Friday that dozens of US troops had been deployed to the border with Turkey at Ankara's request, to fight so-called Islamic State (IS) militants. In televised remarks during a visit to Kyrgyzstan, Mr Putin said Moscow was keeping to its obligations under the Syrian truce, and the Syrian government was "fully abiding" by the agreement. But he said that the US seemed to be trying to keep the rebels' military capability in its conflict with the government, adding that this was a "dangerous path". "What we're seeing now is not the separation of the terrorists from the healthy part of the opposition but an attempt by these terrorists to regroup," he said. Previously Moscow has threatened to resume air strikes on "moderate" rebel groups if this separation did not happen. Mr Putin added that he could not understand why the US had not shared details of the ceasefire agreement with the UN Security Council. A meeting of the Council scheduled for Friday was cancelled at the last minute as a result. The Russian president said Moscow would disclose nothing without US consent, adding that he was "more positive than negative" about a UN resolution being agreed. The US has voiced concern about delays in providing humanitarian aid to Aleppo and other besieged areas. Breaches of the truce by Syrian troops and rebel groups have also been reported. Destroyed buildings in a government-held area of Aleppo, Syria. Photo: 16 September 2016 However, both the US and Russia have said they want to extend the ceasefire. If the cessation holds for seven days, the US and Russia have agreed to plan joint attacks on the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham group, which was previously known as the al-Nusra Front, and IS. The UN says it is still waiting to be able to deliver aid to besieged Aleppo. Some 20 trucks have been waiting for safe passage to cross from Turkey into Syria and on to rebel-held east Aleppo since Monday. However, the UN says it has not yet received permits from the Syrian government to allow the trucks into opposition areas, where at least 250,000 people are in desperate need of food and medicine. (BBC)

Donald Trump is facing criticism after appearing to hint at the assassination of Hillary Clinton

Russia accuses the US of dragging its feet on separating moderate and militant rebel groups(AP)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS Belgium Minor First To Be Granted Euthanasia PAGE 146

A terminally-ill 17-year-old has become the first minor to be helped to die in Belgium since age restrictions on euthanasia requests were removed two years ago, officials say. The head of the federal euthanasia commission said the teenager was "suffering unbearable physical pain". Belgium is the only country that allows minors of any age to choose euthanasia. They must have rational decision-making capacity and be in the final stages of a terminal illness. The parents of the under-18 year olds must also give their consent. Euthanasia commission head Wim Distelmans said the teenager was "nearly 18". He said doctors used "palliative sedation", which involves bringing patients into an induced coma, as part of the process, "Fortunately there are very few children who are considered [for euthanasia] but that does not mean we should refuse them the right to a dignified death," he told the Het Nieuwsblad newspaper. Mr Distelmans told Reuters news agency the case had been reported to his committee by a local doctor last week. The case occurred in Flemish-speaking Belgium, reports RTBF (in French), the public broadcaster for B e l g i u m ' s F r e n c h - s p e a k i n g c o m m u n i t y. T h e Netherlands also allows euthanasia for minors, but they must be aged over 12 years old. Belgium lifted the age restrictions in 2014. The law passed by parliament said the child would have to be terminally ill, face "unbearable physical suffering" and make repeated requests to die before euthanasia is considered. Many people, including church leaders and some paediatricians, questioned whether children would be able to make such a difficult choice. Senator JeanJacques De Gucht said he was proud the legislation had passed. He said having the possibility to ask about euthanasia "makes a big difference to many people". Where is assisted dying permitted? The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg permit euthanasia and assisted suicide Switzerland permits assisted suicide if the person assisting acts unselfishly Colombia permits euthanasia California last year joined the US states of Oregon, Washington, Vermont and Montana in permitting assisted dying Canada passed laws allowing doctor-assisted dying in June of this year. How old must the patient be? Only the Netherlands and Belgium permit euthanasia for patients under the age of 18. In the Netherlands, a competent patient between the ages of 16 and 18 may request euthanasia or assisted suicide. The

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parent or guardian does not have a veto, but must be consulted. Competent patients aged between 12 and 16 may also qualify, but only if their parent or guardian consents. In Belgium, a competent patient under the age of 18 may request euthanasia with parental consent. Additional scrutiny of the child's competence is required, and suffering based on a psychiatric disorder is excluded. How many people take this option? The rate of euthanasia in the Netherlands has remained fairly stable at 2.8% of all deaths (in 2010), according to Penney Lewis, Professor of Law at King's College London. The most recent survey of doctors in the UK was in 2007-08. The rate of euthanasia was reported to be 0.21% of all deaths, and a similar rate has been reported in France (in 2009), even though euthanasia remains illegal in both countries. In contrast, research carried out in Flanders, Belgium found the rate prior to legalisation was unclear, with separate surveys reporting rates of 0.3% of all deaths in the region (in 2001-02) and 1.1% (in 1998). The rate has risen steadily since legalisation in 2002 to 4.6% of all deaths in the most recent survey in 2013. What do the different terms mean? Euthanasia is an intervention undertaken with the intention of ending a life to relieve suffering, for example a lethal injection administered by a doctor Assisted suicide is any act that intentionally helps another person kill themselves, for example by providing them with the means to do so, most commonly by prescribing a lethal medication Assisted dying is usually used in the US and the UK to mean assisted suicide for the terminally ill only, as for example in the Assisted Dying Bills recently debated in the UK (BBC)

Belgium is the only country that permits euthanasia without age restrictions(AFP)

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Philippine Abu Sayyaf Militants Kashmir Protests: Boy's F r e e N o r w e g i a n H o s t a g e Funeral Draws Thousands Islamist militants in the Philippines have released a Norwegian man taken hostage along with two Canadians who the group beheaded, officials say. The Abu Sayyaf jihadists freed Kjartan Sekkingstad in southern Sulu province on Saturday. Unconfirmed reports say a large ransom was paid. The group of four hostages was seized from a resort a year ago. A Filipina woman was freed in June. Abu Sayyaf is fighting for an independent Islamic state. It often attempts to raise money from ransom payments. Mr Sekkingstad was freed in the town of Patikul on Jolo island. He was handed over to rebels of the Moro National Liberation Front group, which has signed a peace deal with the government and helped negotiate the release. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had suggested in August that a large ransom had already been paid but that the jihadists were still holding Mr Sekkingstad. The army said on Saturday Mr Sekkingstad had been freed because of its relentless attacks on the militants. The four hostages had been taken from an upmarket resort on Samal island in Davao. In April, the militants killed Canadian John Ridsdel after a ransom deadline expired, then a week later beheaded Robert Hall. Mr Hall's partner, Marites Flor, was freed in June. What is Abu Sayyaf? A fractured network of militants. Some of its factions have sworn allegiance to so-called Islamic State. It is one of the smallest but most radical of Islamist separatist groups in the southern Philippines. Its name means "bearer of the sword" in Arabic. It split from the larger Moro National Liberation Front in 1991. Membership is said to number in the low hundreds. What does it want? The group has been agitating for the creation of an independent Islamic state in predominantly Catholic Philippines, and uses tactics such as hostage-taking and bombings to pressure the government. How dangerous is it? Numerous Filipino and foreign civilians have been kidnapped in the southern Philippines and parts of neighbouring Malaysia and used as hostages to extract ransoms. Though some have been released after negotiations or attacks by Philippine forces, others have been murdered when demands were not met. Abu Sayyaf has also said it carried out bombings in cities in the south and a ferry bombing in 2004 in Manila Bay that killed more than 100 people, considered one of the worst terror attacks in the Philippines. (BBC)

Thousands of people have defied a curfew in Indianadministered Kashmir to attend the funeral of a schoolboy whose body was found riddled with pellet wounds, local media report. Police reportedly fired teargas at mourners. Kashmir is under lockdown as protests against Indian rule continue. More than 80 people, nearly all anti-government protesters, have died in more than two months of violence. Nasir Shafi was found dead after going missing on Friday in Srinagar. An almost complete curfew is now in place in Kashmir, part of the Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir state. Some reports say Nasir Shafi was 11 years old. Correspondents say restrictions on free movement and internet use are at their tightest since street demonstrations began on 9 July. They were sparked by the killing of a popular militant leader in a gunfight with the army. Security forces have continued to fire lethal shotgun pellets at protesters, despite the government saying it would use an alternative. Disputed Kashmir is claimed in its entirety by both India and Pakistan and has been a flashpoint for more than 60 years, causing two wars between the neighbours. (BBC)

Nasir Shaﬁ's funeral drew thousands to the streets and led to further clashes(AP)

Abu Sayyaf seeks ransom payments to fund its campaign for an independent Islamic state (Image copyrightABU SAYYAF)

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Florida Sinkhole Causes Huge Waste Water Leak Into Aquifer About 980 million litres of contaminated water have leaked into Florida's main underground source of drinking water, state officials say. The leak occurred after a huge sinkhole opened up under a phosphate fertiliser plant near Tampa, damaging the stack where waste water was stored. The water contained phosphogypsum, a slightly radioactive by-product from the production of fertiliser. The phosphate company Mosaic said the leak posed no risk to the public. It added the contaminated water had not reached private supplies and the firm was recovering it using pumps. "Groundwater moves very slowly," senior Mosaic official David Jellerson was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency. However, Jacki Lopez, Florida director of the Center for Biological Diversity, told Reuters news agency: "It's hard to trust them when they say 'Don't worry,' when they've been keeping it secret for three weeks." Frequent monitoring A spokeswoman for Florida's Department of Environmental Protection said the company was updating state and federal agencies on the situation. Dee Ann Miller said her agency was doing frequent site visits to safeguard public health. "While monitoring to date indicates that the process water is being successfully contained,

groundwater monitoring will continue to ensure there are no oﬀsite or long-term eﬀects," she said in an email to Associated Press. The sinkhole - about 45ft (14m) in diameter - at Mosaic's New Wales facility in the town of Mulberry was discovered by a company worker on 27 August. The sinkhole later caused the waste pond to drain, and the contaminated water has now seeped into the aquifer. Aquifers are massive underground systems of porous rocks that hold water. (BBC)

Aerial view of the sinkhole which opened up under a phosphate fertiliser ﬁrm.

Oktoberfest Security Tightened Over Terrorism Fears Police in Germany have tightened security for this year's Oktoberfest over terrorism fears. The world's biggest beer festival will be fenced oﬀ for the ﬁrst time to ensure visitors go through security checks, authorities say. About six million visitors are expected to visit Munich for the 17-day event, which runs until 3 October. Southern Germany was rocked by a series of attacks this summer, though not all were linked to political motives. "We don't see any special risk for Oktoberfest, but it's clear such an internationally known festival would naturally be a possible attack target,'' Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann told the Associated Press. He said there remains a "fundamentally high risk of terror attacks in Germany overall.'' Backpacks and large bags will be banned from the festival site and more police than usual are being deployed. Some 450 security guards will be on-site and 29 security cameras will keep watch on festivities. "The adapted safety concept adequately reacts to recent events without changing the basic character of the Oktoberfest," Munich Mayor Josef Schmid said. Ten people were killed and dozens more injured in separate gun, bomb, axe and machete attacks in Germany's south during one week in July, several of them in Bavaria. An axe attack on a train in Wuerzburg by a teenage Afghan refugee was claimed by so-called Islamic State, while a rejected Syrian asylum seeker who blew himself up in Ansbach had pledged allegiance to the group. But police ruled out a political motive for an 18-year-old gunman who killed nine people and then himself in a Munich shooting spree. These events had led authorities to "re-evaluate the Oktoberfest safety

concept," said Dr Thomas Bohle of Munich's Department of Public Order. Oktoberfest - things to know The festival mostly takes place in September, despite its name, having been moved forward to take advantage of balmy summer weather No-one is allowed to drink until the mayor of Munich taps the ﬁrst barrel of beer Entrance is free and anyone can enter the beer tents, but it can be hard to get a seat Most visitors don traditional Bavarian dress for the occasion - typical items include a dirndl (type of dress) for women and lederhosen (leather breeches) for men The ﬁrst Oktoberfest took place in 1810, to celebrate the marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen A litre-sized "stein" of beer will set punters back a minimum of €10.40 (£9) this year (BBC)

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WP Kinsella, Whose Book Became 'Field Of Dreams', Dies At 81 Canadian author WP Kinsella, whose book Shoeless Joe became the hit film Field of Dreams, has died aged 81. His agent said his death on Friday was doctor-assisted, legal practice in Canada from earlier this year. No other details about his health were given. Kinsella published more than 30 works spanning poetry, fiction and non-fiction and won the Order of Canada, one of the country's highest honours. But it is the baseball-themed fantasy Shoeless Joe that he is best known for. In it, a farmer hears a voice urging him to build a baseball field in the middle of his corn crop. When he does the spirits of great players from the past come to play. The novel was adapted into 1989 film Field of Dreams, starring Kevin Costner. After suffering a head injury in car crash, CBC reported, Kinsella said he lost interest in writing fiction and instead spent his time playing Scrabble online. Kinsella was a huge baseball fan and many However he did resume writing and his final work Russian of his works covered the game(AP) Dolls is due to be released next year. (BBC)

Theresa May Could Begin Brexit Process By February, Says Tusk UK Prime Minister Theresa May is likely to trigger the formal process of leaving the European Union early next year, according to a top EU official. European Council President Donald Tusk said Mrs May had told him the UK could be ready to begin talks by February. The BBC's Tom Bateman says this is the clearest sign yet of when the twoyear withdrawal process may start. Mrs May's office said it would not be launched this year, but did not confirm Mr Tusk's account. Formal negotiations over the withdrawal cannot begin until the UK triggers Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, the formal mechanism for leaving the union. The timing of the process has so-far been clouded by uncertainty, with no clear signal from Mrs May's government on when it would begin. There is also confusion over the nature of the the UK's future relationship with the bloc, especially whether it intends to remain a member of the single market. Mr Tusk spoke from the Slovakian capital, Bratislava, where Europe's 27 other leaders are gathered for an informal summit without the UK. Speaking about a meeting with the British PM in London last week, Mr Tusk said: "Prime Minister May was very open and honest with me. "She declared that it's almost impossible to trigger Article 50 this year but it's quite likely that they will be ready maybe in January maybe in February next year." European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker insisted that the UK could not get access to the single market without accepting the free movement of workers. Mrs May has indicated that in any negotiations, her government would insist on placing curbs on EU citizens entering the UK. 'High-wire act' Our

correspondent says invoking Article 50 early next year may be ambitious, as the prime minister has made clear she she wants time to prepare the best deal for Britain. During the Bratislava summit, the 27 remaining members states unveiled a six-month "road map" of measures designed to restore public confidence in the EU. But rifts over the record influx of refugees and migrants were on display as soon as the meeting ended. Matteo Renzi, the Italian prime minister, said: "I'm not satisfied with the conclusions on growth or on immigration. "To define as a step forward today's document on migrants would require a form of fantasy, a verbal high-wire act." (BBC)

Theresa May met European Council president Donald Tusk last week in London(EPA)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS UK Military ill-Prepared To Defend An Attack, Says Retired Chief PAGE 150

The armed forces are ill-prepared to defend the UK against a serious military attack, a senior commander has warned the defence secretary. In a memo before he retired in April as head of Joint Forces Command, Gen Sir Richard Barrons said key capabilities had been stripped out to save money. He said Whitehall was "preserving the shop window" with items like aircraft carriers, the Financial Times reports. Defence officials said Sir Richard had backed the last defence review. The FT said it had obtained the 10-page private memo, which had been sent to Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon. It followed the government's decision to raise defence spending by nearly £5bn by 2020-21 and its pledge to meet Nato's target to spend 2% of GDP on defence for the rest of the decade. Sir Richard said: "Capability that is foundational to all major armed forces has been withered by design." He said critical technical and logistical capabilities had been "iteratively stripped out". "Counter-terrorism is the limit of up-to-date plans and preparations to secure our airspace, waters and territory," he said. "Neither the UK homeland nor a deployed force could be protected from a concerted Russian air effort." Dangerously squeezed' The Army "has grown used to operating from safe bases in the middle of its operating area, against opponents who do not manoeuvre at scale", he said. Manpower in all three services was dangerously squeezed and Navy ships and RAF planes had become used to depending on US support, he said. "Key capabilities such as radars, fire control systems and missile stocks are deficient," he said. "There is a sense that modern conflict is ordained to be only as small and as short term as we want to afford, and that is absurd... "The failure to come to terms with this will not matter at all if we are lucky in the way the world happens to turn out, but it could matter a very great deal if even a few of the risks now at large conspire against the UK." Sir Richard served as head of Joint Forces Command between 2013 and 2016, a role that saw him in charge of more than 20,000 military and civilian personnel across all three services. It is not the first time a senior British military commander has spoken against defence cuts. But BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale said other criticism had not contained so much detail or been expressed as starkly. A defence source has questioned the motive

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behind the release of the memo, wondering if it was "sour grapes" as Sir Richard had been one of the candidates put forward for promotion as head of the armed forces but was turned down. Conventional fighting' Major General Tim Cross, who served in the British army for 40 years, told BBC Radio 5 live that the UK was no longer prepared to fight a "conventional war". And he said any suggestion of sour grapes on Sir Richard's behalf was "wrong and unfair", and that he was "simply highlighting a reality". Gen Cross added that in recent years the UK has "gone through a period of what's called the wars of choice - in other words, we've decided whether we want to engage or not". "The concern today, and it's not a new concern, it's been emerging over the last few years, is the re-emergence of Russia, of China, and the need to be capable of fighting a conventional war in the old style sense, as opposed to those in Iraq, Afghanistan and counter-terrorism. "There's no doubt that we need to look at the issues Richard has highlighted, because the problem is the equipment for this sort of campaign is hugely expensive." Gen Cross also told the Today programme that Sir Richard had established the "hugely important" Joint Force Command, which "looks pan-defence", examining areas such as cyber warfare, medical, logistics, information and surveillance. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "Our defence review last year put in place a plan for more ships, planes and troops at readiness, alongside greater spending on cyber and special forces. That plan was backed by a rising defence budget. "And, crucially, it was backed by all of the service chiefs, who were heavily involved putting it together." (BBC)

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Gabriele Amorth, The Modern Constantine Dies At Age 91

"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." Matthew 10:8 ‘Constantine’ was an occult detective action film launched on the big screen on 2005. The Hawaiian actor Keanu Reeves was the vessel that gave this epically Priest Gabriele Amorth (1925-2016) theological movie faith became so great, that in 1981 life. The film was such a success that most cardinal Ugo Poletti named him exorcist of the adults and teens of the decade, of the Diocese of Rome. According to placed it in the ‘watch again’ list. The Infovaticana, Amorth was the founder of fight between Good VS Evil. Darkness the International Association of Exorcists VS light. God VS Devil, have always in 1990. He was the head of this been a captivating topic for the human association until his retirement in 2000. race due to our controversial Genesis, and Now having a close up on the figures that this film captured in an enchanting way. gave him the name of the ‘Most famous But what if I told you that Constantine exorcist in the World’ or ‘the exorcist the was real. terrorized the Devil’. In October 2000 it That there was someone walking this was reported that he performed an earth until yesterday, that actually approximate of 50,000 exorcisms. This dedicated his life to fight against the dark one’s could range from minutes to hours. forces and survived over nine decades to The number rapidly increased to 70,000 tell the story. Gabriele Amorth was his in 2010 closing with an estimate of name. Mr. Amorth was a man of God, in 160,000 exorcisms by 2013. This are fact he was a priest. A renowned priest major figures. Amorth was a one man that marked the life of many for his ability band with a holy wand. Evil is real of challenging the Devil and his Amorth, as a follower and communicator mischievous allies, on Muhammad Ali of the word of God would made emphasis mode. on the deterioration of modern society, Always ready for the fight. But let’s talk and how this contributed to the about his background before submerging domination of the dark forces over ourselves into the depth of this amazing mortals. In other words. Humanity being characters lagacy. Gabriele Amorth was doomed by their lack of believes or born in Modena, Italy on May 1rts, 1925. diversity of these. He cited how the At the age of 22 he joined the San Pablo’s media was totally corrupted, and incited Society, a religious congregation founded new generations to perform wrong in Italy in 1914. He then started to practice practices. He criticized J. K. Rowling's as a priest in 1951. From that day Amorth Harry Potter novels for making false trajectory as ‘padre’, started to gain in distinctions between black and white popularity. His files were eventually filled magic. Amorth was convinced that the with successful exorcisms. Nazi Party was actively involved into A record of 30 years of hard work against satanic practices, with Adolf Hitler and demons. His performance as a man of Joseph Stalin as their main leaders.

Justifying their ‘mental’ actions due to being possessed. A theory that many of us believe up to date. His favorite movie was ‘The Exorcist’. He wrote many exemplars based on his experiences. Graphically citing the moments in which this victims lives were changed. He tried to transmit spiritual awakening through his work, posing as the living example of an ongoing battle between Good and Evil, that must of us dismiss. But on September 16 last, Amorth said his last farewell. Due to a pulmonary complication, he was declared dead this Friday at the age of 91. San Peter will make the cherubs play loud the trumpets for his arrival. S o u r c e : http://infovaticana.com/2016/09/16/ulti ma-hora-muere-padre-gabriel-amorth/

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