September 25, 2016 by Guyana Daily News

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

Government Substituting Failed Sugar With The Failing Rice Industry Recently the government revealed that it plans to convert 485 acres of lands at the Wales Estate into rice production. Chief Executive Oﬃcer of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), Errol Hanoman had noted that this move is in an attempt to diversify the current sugar industry. into rice plantation. It is the opinion of some that the government is replacing a failed product with another failing product. The rice industry in Guyana, which provides employment for at least 100,000 persons, is in shambles. It is struggling for its own survival now that it has been straddled by many dilemmas, including debts owed by farmers and millers to banks and the closure of the lucrative Venezuelan market. The Venezuelan government has oﬃcially booted Guyana from signing another PetroCaribe deal to see the exchange of rice and fuel, as the Spanish-speaking nation has now teamed up with Suriname to pursue such an agreement. Rice farmers across the country are contemplating their move for the next crop, since they are unsure about the market for their paddy. On the campaign trail the APNU+AFC Government promised rice farmers $9000 a bag for paddy, however the farmers are getting a mere $1800 per bag. President David Granger and his government have distanced themselves from the plight of rice industry. The President recently insisted that the crisis of the rice industry was not Government’s problem and quoted as saying, “It’s a private arrangement… Farmer-millermarket… It’s not a Government arrangement.” The situation in the rice industry is so severe that rice farmers have already signaled their intention to reduce cultivation in excess of 30% in the coming crops, given the uncertainty, low prices and lack of support from the

Government. Many experts have used in animal feed. Steady demand for suggested that Guyana will be better off soybean derivatives also confirms with Soya bean cultivation. As the sustained need for food-grade soybeans, second largest producer of soybeans including specialty varieties, organic, worldwide, Brazil accounts for 30 non-GMO, and IP beans. The soybean percent of the global production of the derivatives market is segmented on the crop. The country has over 29 million basis of its applications into feed, food, hectares of land available and used for and others (biodiesel, soy-based wood farming soybean. In the four most recent adhesives, soy ink, soy crayons, soygrowing seasons up to 2014-15, based lubricants). It is also segmented soybean production has been on a on the basis of lecithin processing into steady rise, according to USDA. Annual water, acid, and enzyme. By type, the production quantities in that time span market is segmented into soybean, soy have ranged from 66.5 to 94.5 million meal, and soy oil. Soy meal is further metric tons. In 2013, soybean exports segmented into soy milk and soy protein earned the country $23 billion USD concentrate. Likewise, soy oil is further according to MIT data. Soybeans grown segmented into soy lecithin. The soy in Brazil have higher protein levels than meal segment was the largest in 2014, those grown in many other parts of the and is projected to grow as a result of the world, and thereby fetch higher prices in increasing demand from the food and international markets, according to other functional industries. According Commodity Basis. The country also to Research and Market, The market for produces a large quantity of non- soybean derivatives is estimated to be genetically modified (non-GMO) worth $176,921.05 million in 2015, and soybeans, which are also pricier than is projected to reach$254,913.10 genetically modified ones. According to million by 2020. reports. Guyana should not miss out on the opportunity to cultivate soya bean. The market for s o y b e a n derivatives has m a d e a noteworthy impact on the f o o d & beverage industry and on other industries as well. The soybean crop is processed into soy meal and vegetable oil, Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Sugar and almost all Corporation (GuySuCo), Errol Hanoman of that meal is

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS Education Ministry Launches Literacy Clinic PAGE 3

THE Ministry of Education on Sunday last launched a ‘Literacy Clinic’ at Fun City, Ramada Princess Hotel, East Bank Demerara, targeting children from nursery to secondary schools in Guyana .Acting Chief Education Officer Marcel Hutson said the initiative is one of several efforts by the Ministry to enhance literacy in Guyana. “If you can’t read, all other areas in your life will be affected,” he said, pointing out that the aim of this clinic is to “sensitise parents and sensitise the community” of the value of literacy. According to Samantha Williams, Education Officer attached to the Literacy Unit at the Ministry of Education, the Literacy Clinic is part of education month activities, noting that this is a good opportunity for the Ministry to get all the stakeholders involve. She said that it is an opportunity for parents to bring their children to be tested in Literacy and show the parents how important literacy is for the children. She also said that the activity will be taken to all the regions of the country, after it is fully established. She is of the opinion that the activity should be held on a regular basis and is hoping that it is extended to communities and the low performing schools in those areas. The official further stated said the clinic involves assessing children and “putting forward strategies to improve their literacy, to their parents”. The strategies used at the clinic, she noted, are strategies that are part of the schools’ curricula.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

Participants at yesterday's Literacy Clinic

Government Must Do More To Boost Coconut Industry to get into more international markets and export more but there

The Government of Guyana is focusing on the coconut industry, but not much eﬀort is being made to boost the industry. According to Bloomberg Commodity, the Caribbean might soon run out of coconut, the report stated that the demand for coconut and coconut products are high, however there is also limited supply. Apart from the lack of motivation from farmers to grow coconut on a large scale, Guyana lacks value added products of coconut. Some of the over 50 products that can be produced from coconut are: activated carbon ball, copra brooms, coconut biscuit, coconut chips, coconut chutney powder, coconut ﬂakes, coconut honey, coconut husk, coconut husk handicrafts, coconut jiggery, coconut jam, coconut milk, and cream coconut milk powder, coconut oil, medicated coconut oil, virgin coconut oil, solvent extracted, coconut oilcake, coconut pickles, coconut seedlings and many others. Coconut farmers have started to focus mainly on coconut water for export, thus reducing the chances of the many other value added derivatives from coconut. Goya is Guyana’s largest importer of coconut, which is then being imported back into Guyana in various forms as value added products. According to one coconut farmer, Vilma Da Silva, she is currently cultivating 35 acres of their land in the Pomeroon. She focuses mainly on coconut water for exports, and she buys from about 60 other small farms along the Pomeroon River, then bottle the water and export it, receiving approximately $1.50 per liter. “We want

aren’t enough supply available to buy from,” Da Silva said. Diversiﬁcation of coconut product may reduce importation, attracts additional revenues, and can result in the maintenance of continuous momentum of activities in the coconut sector. There are numerous areas in diversiﬁcation in which small scale farmers can add value to the coconut, such as technological advancement and market access, instead of continued beating the drum on sugar and rice.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

Administrative Works Delay Establishing PPC

The Public Procurement Commission (PPC) will soon be established and put in operation as administrative details is now being dealt with. Speaking to the State Newspaper, the Prime Minister said that “I am told that a lot of progress has been made,” and that “the process is now awaiting some administrative procedures, including finalising the remuneration packages.” The Prime Minster related to the newspaper that a building has already been identified and operations will begin when the members are sworn in by the president. After key legislation was passed in the National Assembly in August, PPC was expected to be put in place shortly after as the names of the members of the PPC had been sent to President David Granger. The members who were nominated by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly are Emily Dodson, Carol Corbin, Ivor English, Sukrishnalall Pasha, and former Labour Minister, Dr Nanda Kishore Gopaul and approved by two-thirds of the elected members of the National Assembly on August 8. Under provisions of the Constitution, the President could only appoint members of the PPC after their nomination has been approved in the House, and by a two-thirds majority. The purpose of the PPC will be to monitor public procurement and the procedure to ensure that the procurement of goods, services and execution of works are conducted in a fair, transparent competitive and cost effective manner. According the legislation, the Commission shall be

independent, impartial, and consists of five members with experience of procurement, legal, financial and administrative matters. Mr. Ivor English is the former head of the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD); Pasha served as chairman of the Small Business Council; Corbin was Programme Manager at Caricom Secretariat; and Dodson is an experienced attorney–atlaw. When the commission is established and fully functionally, it will effectively bring to an end the government cabinet’s role in the award of multi-million dollar contracts. The PPC has been a contributing factor that predated the holding of the General and regional elections in May 2015, as the then opposition had insisted that Cabinet should cease the practice of giving ‘no objection’ to contracts for state projects and services, in favour of appeals by aggrieved contractors to the PPC.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

Public Health Ministry Continues To Promote Exclusive Breastfeeding

The Ministry of Public Health continues to promote exclusive breastfeeding as Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Keren Cummings during her feature address at the launch of National Breastfeeding Week 2016 urged women to endorse exclusive breastfeeding which is the best option for the majority of infants. “Today, I urge you all to continue to promote exclusive breastfeeding in

whatever way you can so that our babies can enjoy healthy lives from birth and that you use all available channels to spread the virtues of exclusive breast feeding,” said addressing participants of a walk- athon to kick oﬀ the week’s activities.

Launched under the theme, ‘Breastfeeding: a key to sustainable development’, the week of activities seeks to further equip maternal health care workers, mothers and even fathers with the requisite knowledge and information to achieve 100% e x c l u s i v e breastfeeding across Guyana. The Public Health Ministry last month said that will be h e i g h t e n i n g promotion and awareness of the need for mothers to practice e x c l u s i v e breastfeeding. Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton noted that the breastfeeding programme will now reach out to all aspects of monitoring to foster a more eﬃcient breastfeeding rate. In an eﬀort to creating awareness of the importance of e x c l u s i v e b r e a s t f e e d i n g D r. Cummings stated that

medical and maternal care personnel would be advocate the breastfeeding programme at various hospital across the country. “Registered dieticians, nutritionists and dietetic technicians should continue eﬀorts to shift the norm of infant feeding away from the use of human milk substitute towards human milk feeds.” The minister explained. The World health Organisation (WHO) had stated that women should breastfeed their babies for six months since it reduces the risk of babies becoming infected, and it creates bonding between mother and child, and prevents ovarian cancer. As it stands Guyana current breastfeeding rate stands at only 23%, according to a United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) report. National Breastfeeding Week will continue with a number of countrywide symposiums and workshops that will further educate mothers and promote exclusive breastfeeding. (GINA)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS Statement By His Excellency President David Granger At The High-level Meeting On Large Movements Of Refugees And Migrants -19 September 2016 PAGE 6

Mr President, Excellencies, The Cooperative Republic of Guyana welcomes the convening of this High-level Meeting on Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants. The ‘Meeting’ offers the international community the opportunity to commit to a comprehensive solution to a complex and chronic problem. The refugee and migrant crises confronting the world today represent grave challenges to the international community. Images and accounts of men, women and children, who are forced to flee their homes and homelands in search of safety are transmitted daily and graphically by the mass and social media. The international community can no longer ignore the plight of these desperate refugees and migrants. Their conditions and situations demand a commitment to address both the root causes, as well as the human consequences, which accompany these refugee and migration crises. Conflicts within and among states are mainly responsible for most of the mass movements of refugees and migrants that we are witnessing in the world today. Refugees and migrants, however, are not the only ones affected. Conflicts between states, if left unattended or unresolved, can escalate into regional and even global crises, which can threaten the existence of larger numbers of persons in wider areas, even beyond their country’s borders. The root causes of conflicts around the world, which have spawned refugee and migrant crises must be addressed. Conflict-prevention and resolution must be part of the longterm response to the crisis of refugees and migrants. The international community has a responsibility to prevent these conflicts and to usher in an era of security and of the preservation of peace between states. Excellency, Natural disaster has also, been a cause of the refugee and migrant problem. The global community must not ignore the impact which catastrophic natural disasters, including those caused by climate change, has had in triggering, which produces refugees and migrants. Guyana is a member of the Caribbean Community. Six years ago, we were overwhelmed by the death, disease, dislocation and destruction inflicted on the Caribbean state of Haiti, a sister member of our Community. The earthquake left thousands of persons dead and consigned thousands of others to a life as refugees in their own country. Haiti’s agony is being compounded today by the creation of new waves of refugees from the Dominican Republic. Excellency,

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

The Political Declaration on Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants offers a path towards addressing the problem of large movements of refugees and migrants, in a more coherent and comprehensive manner. The ‘Declaration’ must be backed, however, by the determination of the United Nations, to bring an end to international terrorism, state and intra-state conflicts that are active, incipient and latent. Guyana supports the protection of the rights of all migrants. Guyana welcomes the process that this meeting will initiate for the convening, in 2018, of an intergovernmental conference on international migration with a view to the adoption of a Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. Guyana intends to play an active role in that process. We intend to ensure that the root causes of conflict are eliminated and that peace will prevail in the world. Mr. President, I thank you for your attention. MOTP Press Release

President David Granger

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

President Granger At 71st UN General Assembly Meeting President David Granger is currently attending the 71st Regular Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, USA. The President is, this morning, participating in a high-level Summit on Refugees and Migrants, which aims to address the movement of large numbers of refugees and migrants with the view of coming up with a framework for a better international response.

President David Granger with Guyana's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Rudolph Michael Ten-Pow

Govt To Join Forces To End Child Molestation

President David Granger at the High-level Summit on Refugees and Migrants

As child molestation and abuse is on the rise, Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence has once again raised her voice sounding for the nation to unite in the fight against child molestation. In a recent interview with the Government Information Agency, Minister Lawrence called the offenders of children rights "vicious and cruel" pointing out that what they are doing is morally wrong and instead of abusing the children they should nurture them and encourage them along a proper line of growth. She said that initially children should not be placed in such situations where they cannot defend themselves from their perpetrators. However the Minister stressed that the individuals of the community and society need to come together in the fight against the scourge of child abuse and molestation. The Minister reaffirmed that in order to cut down and eventually bring the unlawful activities to an end her Ministry plans to interlink with other ministries in an effort to widen the scope of officials in the rural areas by decentralizing their offices so that officers are able to carry out a more effective job. The fight against child abuse is one which has been predominantly discussed over the past few weeks stemming from major reports of underage sexual activities such as trafficking in persons in the hinterland region where the presence of government officials and police ranks are not greatly felt. In her address at the National Toshaos Conference the Minister said that in the absence of ranks the leaders of the community need to step up to the plate and stop the illegal activities.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

CAL plane Lands Safely After Glitch A CARIBBEAN AIRLINES flight between Tobago and Trinidad experienced “a technical issue” yesterday, before making a safe landing at Piarco International Airport. According to a news release from Caribbean Airlines yesterday evening, Flight BW 1527, an ATR aircraft, took off from ANR Robinson International Airport in Tobago. “The flight crew followed all standard operational procedures and as a precautionary measure requested airport services to meet and inspect the aircraft upon its arrival. The aircraft landed safely and all passengers and crew disembarked,” the

release stated. “The aircraft has been withdrawn from service and all appropriate inspections and procedures are in progress,” it added. (Trinidad Express)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

Four CARICOM Leaders At NAM Summit In Venezuela

MARGARITA ISLAND, Venezuela -- Only four Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders were among the kings, presidents and prime ministers of the 120-member Non Aligned Movement (NAM), which started its two-day summit in Margarita Island, Venezuela on Saturday -- and only two were expected to be present when the final declaration is adopted Sunday. But altogether, ten of CARICOM’s 15 member-states are represented at the third such summit to be held on a Caribbean island, which started with a meeting of officials on Tuesday and of foreign affairs ministers on Thursday. Known more for its beaches and tropical tourism fare than as a venue for meetings of world leaders, the tiny island has been home to the CARICOM delegations since the 17th NAM Summit started earlier this week. The four prime ministers -- Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda, Roosevelt Skeritt of Dominica, Dr Timothy Harris of St Kitts and Nevis and Dr Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines -- were in Margarita Island on Saturday, when the two-day summit began. But Harris and Skeritt both returned home on Saturday evening. Six other CARICOM member-states are also represented, with Senator Peter David leading the Grenada delegation, and Saint Lucia represented by non-resident ambassador to ALBA and PetroCaribe Eustace Vitalis. Other states represented by their resident ambassadors in Venezuela were Belize, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was expected to address the weekend summit on its last day. He hinted before it started on Saturday that he would propose to transform the Non-Aligned Movement into “an international organization that defiantly says no to the new colonialism”. Under the slogan "United on the Path for Peace,” Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez gave the inaugural address on Tuesday, saying that during the weekend summit her country “will also ratify the defence of the right of the people of the world to fight for peace and sovereignty”.

"Emancipation, anti-imperialism and peace are the flags that define the XVII NAM Summit Venezuela 2016," said Rodriguez. Among other ideals being promoted by the NAM, she added, are respect for independence, self-determination, sovereignty and the promotion of cooperative relations on the basis of mutual respect. The organization also strives towards preservation of world peace and strongly opposes social exclusion. It also advocates non-interference in the internal affairs of states, as well as the disarmament and the fight against all forms of manifestation of imperial domination. Venezuela has assumed NAM's rotating presidency for the next three years, after taking over from Iran. With 120 member states, NAM is the second largest international body after the United Nations. It has 53 members from Africa, 39 from Asia, 26 from Latin America and the Caribbean, 17 observer countries and 10 observer organizations. This is the third time a Caribbean island has hosted a NAM summit and the fourth time for a Latin American country. Cuba hosted the NAM summit and assumed the presidency in 1979 and 2006 and Venezuela’s neighbour, Colombia, hosted the 1995 summit. (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

New CBI Projects In Dominica To 'Transform Economy’ By Caribbean News Now contributor ROSEAU, Dominica -- Earlier this month, the government of Dominica signed agreements for three additional major developments under the citizenship by investment (CBI) programme, which it said will “transform the economy”. At a signing ceremony on Monday, September 5, 2016, agreements were signed with Bois Cotlette Development Inc for the development of Bois Cotlette Estate in Soufriere; Ay Ay Holdings Caribbean Ltd for Jungle Bay Resort in Morne Acouma, Soufriere and Oriental Developers Caribbean Ltd for the development of Silver Beach Resort and Spa in Picard, Portsmouth. These three major investments have been months in making and, along with existing approved projects, are expected to create thousands of jobs in Dominica. Following a process of vetting, prime minister and minister for finance, Roosevelt Skerrit, said he is confident that the developers will carry through with the terms and conditions of the contracts. The three new projects join the Cabrits Resort Kempinski, which is currently under construction and due for completion in 2018 [and the planned construction of 316 residential units for displaced residents of Petite Savanne following the passage of Tropical Storm Erika, to be financed by the CBI programme]. Developed by award-winning international property company Range Developments, the Cabrits Resort Kempinski was designed by Arcadia Design Architects. The building work is being carried out by contractor NH International (Caribbean) Ltd. It will be run by Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group, the Kempinski Hotels, which was founded in 1897 and manages a portfolio of 75 five-star hotels in 31 countries. On completion, the

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit (L) hands over the development agreement for Silver Beach Resort and Spa to CBI agent Alick Lawrence

resort in Douglas Bay, near Portsmouth, will boast a 160-room hotel with a spa, and a selection of swimming pools, beach bars and restaurants. It is expected to employ 400 people daily on site once up and running. “The Cabrits Resort Kempinski, currently under construction by Range Developments, is not only the first CBI approved project in Dominica, but the most advanced in the country as the only CBI approved project under construction in Dominica,” said Mohammed Asaria, vice chairman of Range Developments. “It is the company's second major development in the Caribbean and will benefit not only its investors but all the citizens of Dominica.” Meanwhile, work will commence on the Silver Beach Resort and Spa early next year and is forecast to take about two-and-a-half years. The resort, in Picard, also near Portsmouth, will feature a 200-capacity room with conference and banquet facilities, a wellness spa, swimming pools including, an infinity and lagoon pool and top end restaurants. The five-star hotel will employ 600 staff when fully operational. Alick Lawrence, CBI agent for the Silver Beach developers, promised the resort would contribute to surrounding communities, and plans to partner with government and the town of Portsmouth to construct a community centre for Zicack and Chance. “Silver Beach will not be just another resort. It will be one which represents and showcases the natural attributes of the Nature Isle,” he added. Status of current projects Two developers responded to requests for details of the latest status of their projects: 1. The Cabrits Resort Kempinski Development name: The Cabrits Resort Kempinski, Dominica Developer: Range Developments Architect: Arcadia Design Architects Contractor: NH International (Caribbean) Ltd Location: Douglas Bay, close to the town of Portsmouth in the north of Dominica Size and facilities: 160-room hotel with swimming pools, spa, beach bars and restaurants Status: Construction began in June 2016, with completion scheduled for 2018. The mockup room has been completed.

The current number of workers on the site: 100 people daily Projected number of workers on the site: 400 people daily Developer experience: Range Developments is an international property company focusing on hotel resorts in the Caribbean. This is Range Developments’ second project in the Caribbean. The Park Hyatt St Kitts, currently under construction with completion due within months, won the prestigious Best New Hotel Construction and Design in the Caribbean 2014-2015 award at The International Property Awards 2014-2015. It also won the coveted award of Best International New Hotel Construction and Design 2014-2015. The Kempinski hotel group: Created in 1897, Kempinski Hotels is Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group. Kempinski’s rich heritage of impeccable personal service and superb hospitality is complemented by the exclusivity and individuality of its properties. Kempinski now manages a portfolio of 75 five-star hotels in 31 countries and continues to add new properties in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Each one reflects the strength and success of the Kempinski brand without losing sight of its heritage. Kempinski is a founding member of the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands. 2. Silver Beach Resort and Spa Development name: Silver Beach Resort and Spa Developer: Oriental Developers (Caribbean) Ltd Architect: Arkiplan Location: Picard, Dominica Size and facilities: 200-room, luxury resort inclusive of conference/banquet facilities; wellness spa; swim up pools, infinity pool, lagoon pool; grand, master, and presidential suites; water sport activities; fine dining restaurants, and all the amenities of a fivestar resort Status: Date approved: Agreement officially signed with the government of Dominica on September 5, 2016 Construction started: To commence first quarter 2017 Completion scheduled: 30 months after the start of construction (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

PM Calls On NAM Members To Support Antigua-Barbuda In WTO Gaming Dispute

MARGARITA ISLAND, Venezuela -Prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, has called on his colleagues in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to support his country’s eﬀorts in reaching a settlement with the United States in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) internet gaming dispute. The country’s leader was speaking at the NAM Summit held in Venezuela on September 17 and 18. After chronicling the over 13-year-old dispute with the United States on the matter, Browne called on his colleagues to stand up for the founding principles of the NonAligned Movement. “I call on this great body of nations in the Non-Aligned Movement to stand up for those principles upon which it was founded, in showing active solidarity with my country as we seek justice that has been awarded to us by the competent international body – the World Trade Organization,” he stated. The country’s leader also raised the issue of “de-risking”, calling on leaders at the

summit to ventilate the issue within various fora within the international community. “I call on non-aligned members of the G20 to represent the interests of small, developing countries that have no seat at the table. This issue must be ventilated by hearing more than the side of the industrialized nations who sit at the G20. “If NAM does not represent us, we are left defenceless in a world where only the powerful rule. At this meeting here in Margarita Island, NAM should make clear its solidarity with all over developing nations, including the small and vulnerable. “The threat we face is real; the danger is imminent. NAM has a duty to

ensure that the international system works in the interest of a few, but in the interest of all. Something is broken, and I call on all of us to ﬁx it,” Browne said. (Caribbean News Now!)

Prime Minister Gaston Browne (at right) led the Antigua and Barbuda delegation

Deportations Of Haitians Commence From French Guiana PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- Overnight Thursday of last week, about 15 Haitian undocumented migrants in French Guiana were expelled and repatriated by plane to Port-au-Prince, HaitiLibre reported. The operation occurred a few weeks after the decision of the authorities in French Guiana in August to suspend asylum claims due to mass influx of illegal immigrants since the beginning of the year, mostly of Haitian origin. Nearly 4,000 asylum applications files were pending in August, according to the French Office for Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA). Recently, following a complaint from France, Suriname, a neighbouring country that unwittingly serves as a gateway to illegal Haitian migrants to enter French Guiana, was imposed a visa requirement on Haitians visitors, which came into force on September 15, 2016.

The Inter-Movements Committee Near the Evacuated (CIMADE), a French association for the defence of the rights of foreigners founded in 1939, considers the expulsions as unacceptable and illegal, noting that collective expulsions are prohibited by the European Convention on Human Rights. The CIMADE pointed out that, after these ﬁrst expulsions, there are still 27 Haitian detainees at the Administrative Retention Centre (CRA) Félix-Éboué. However, the Prefecture remaine (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

Results Of 2016 Curacao Election Independent Polling Research

By Joseﬁna Josepha Caribbean News Now Curacao correspondent WILLEMSTAD,

Curacao -- Independent polling conducted by Caribbean News Now demonstrated that, if elections were to be held today in Curacao, the Democratic Party (DP) would walk away with a greater percentage of parliamentary seats, followed by Movementu Progressivo (MP). This was contrary to the overall dominance of Korsou di Nos Tur (KDNT) placing in the 2016 Primary Selection Day (PSD-2016); however, there seemed to be an adverse effect in which they finished fifth in the preelection polling research just slightly ahead of MFK, with Pro Korsou rounding out the last spot just less than a percentage point behind the political parties that are pending judgement for entry into Curacao's 2016 general

elections. The independent poll was conducted over three days, using three modes of survey collection methods: via mobile, online form and en vivo questionnaire. It was found that a large number of voters were less hesitant to respond in person with their opinion; however, in anonymity the electorate was 2,300 percent more expressive on the disapproval of the branches of the Curacao government and the current coalition of political parties, including especially (i) Bernard Whiteman of Pueblo Soberano; and (ii) Alex Rosaria, l e a d e r o f PA I S ; b u t w e r e ( i i i ) overwhelmingly disheartened/disgusted with Gerrit Schotte. (Caribbean News Now!)

USVI-BVI Celebrate 43rd Friendship Day

ST THOMAS, USVI -- US Virgin Islands Governor Kenneth Mapp welcomed Dr Orlando Smith, the premier of the British Virgin Islands, and the BVI delegation to St Thomas on Saturday for a full day of cultural exchange, marking the 43rd anniversary of the USVIBVI Friendship Day, appropriately themed: “Ties across the water that bind us”. The day’s activities began with a local breakfast at the historic Catherineberg estate. USVI dignitaries including former Governor Charles Turnbull and members of the senate joined the BVI delegation to kick oﬀ the celebration. Policy advisor of external aﬀairs, Shelley Moorhead introduced members of the delegation and announced the day’s

activities. Breakfast was followed by an educational program on the history and culture of the Virgin Islands hosted at the Reichhold Center of the Arts. Vendors were on hand to provide samples of foods, snacks and crafts native to Virgin Islands culture.

Beautiful renditions of the Star-Spangled Banner and the Virgin Islands March were sung by the CAHS Hawks Concert Choir. BVI singers Kenrico Christoper and Kaywanna Pope offered solos of God Save the Queen and Oh Beautiful Virgin Islands respectively. AY-AY Cultural Dance company travelled from St Croix to entertain the crowd with classic quadrille dancing. One of the program highlights was the presentation of the Tale of Four Wharves written by Glen Davis, Carmen Dennis and Denise Humphery. This was highlighted by the Cultural Extravaganza performed by the Caribbean Ritual Dancers. In his remarks, Mapp thanked all for coming to the friendship celebration of the “greater Virgin Islands”, a term he says was coined by former Governor Turnbull. Mapp went on to say, “Our islands share a unique culture and a deep connection that families have shared between these islands for generations and it must be celebrated.” Mapp also indicated that efforts to make travel between the Virgin Islands are a top priority following the Inter Virgin Islands Council (IVIC) meetings earlier this month. Mapp announced that the USVI/BVI Friendship Day for 2018 would take place in St Croix for the first time since its inception. (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

St Kitts-Nevis Reports First Three Cases Of Zika

BASSETERRE, St Kitts -- The ministry of health in St Kitts and Nevis, via the office of the chief medical officer (CMO), has officially announced receipt of confirmation from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) that three serum samples tested on September 11, 2016, were positive for the zika virus. These positive results are therefore the federation's first confirmed cases of zika in the local population. The ministry further confirmed that these samples were sent to CARPHA at the end of August 2016, but that the Trinidad-based epidemiological agency submitted the results to St Kitts and Nevis on September 15, 2016 – largely due to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) laboratory's inundation with over 1,300 zika test requests within the last three weeks. The ministry has officially notified all three individuals of their test results. The ministry said that the announcement of these zika results is not cause for panic and reminded the public that the zika virus is generally considered to be a mild illness with up to 80 percent 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 newborns (children born with abnormally small heads) at a very low rate of 0.3 percent of cases. As a result of the recent confirmation of zika in the general population, the environmental health department within the ministry of health will be sustaining and, in some cases, accelerating its vector control measures such as inspection, enforcement and education; fogging; ova-trapping; and eradication of mosquito breeding sites in an effort to control the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which carries the virus. Zika is also spread by sexual contact.

As such, the ministry encouraged residents to prevent the spread of the illness via appropriate and consistent condom use, and

abstinence. 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. Care should be taken to drain flower pots, discarded tyres, tin cans and other receptacles with stagnant water in order to discourage the breeding of mosquitoes. The ministry of health noted that St Kitts and Nevis has now joined 46 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean with confirmed cases of the zika virus. These countries include Antigua and Barbuda, Martinique, Barbados, Grenada, St Barthelemy, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), Haiti, St Maarten, Jamaica, the British Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, Dominican Republic, Belize, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Anguilla and The Bahamas. (Caribbean News Now!)

Saint Lucia Encourages Open Skies Policy CMC – The St Lucia government said it is undertaking initiatives to encourage an open sky policy and introduce competition. “Our government is in discussion with Seaborne Airlines with the hope of attracting a Puerto Rico ﬂight here. We are also having discussions with Caribbean Airlines,” said Prime Minister Allen Chastanet, a critic of the cash-strapped regional airline, LIAT.

PM Allen Chastanet

Chastanet, a former tourism and aviation minister here, pointed to the need to address what he described as the Civil Aviation Authority problem in the sub-regional Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) to ensure that investors are treated fairly. “The authority needs to do what it is supposed to do and act as a regulatory agency as it pertains to the safety of the traveling public and not be involved in the commercial aspect of civil aviation,” he said. I n J u l y, C h a s t a n e t announced that St Lucia would not provide any ﬁnancial support to the regional airline until it is restructured. LIAT is owned by the

shareholder governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Last week, St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said Kingstown would not give financial support to the regional carrier until it improves its service to the island. Similar threats had been made earlier by the Dominica government, while the St Kitts-Nevis and Grenada governments have complained also at the shoddy service being offered to their territories by the Antiguabased carrier. At the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC) which ended in Barbados over the weekend, regional tourism ministers were urged to resolve the problems related to inter-regional travel. Aviation experts addressing the conference said opening the market to other carriers would benefit the entire region and help reduce the cost and increase travel across the region. (St. Lucia News Online)

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Gov’t Wants To Create Greater Agriculture–tourism Linkages

One strategy to reduce Saint Lucia’s high food import bill is to encourage the use of locally grown agricultural products by the hotel sector, something Tourism Minister Dominic Fedee said his government plans to expand. The minister said he has started discussions with his cabinet colleague, Agriculture Minister Ezechiel Joseph who understand the role that tourism sector could play to drive agriculture. “The two of us have been having tremendous discussions on where we can take agriculture-tourism linkage.

But I think this is a time for us to act and not talk too much,” Fedee told St. Lucia News Online (SNO) in a recent interview. Several studies have been done in this area and Fedee is of the opinion that the only left to do now, is to carry out several consultation to determine the future of this important partnership. The minister, a former communications professional who worked in the tourism sector, told SNO that during that time, he witnessed ﬁrst-hand how successful agriculture-tourism linkage can be. He said it takes a simple approach, which is to “get out there and do it.” “Tell the farmers what you want, sign the contract and have them deliver at the quantity and quality that you require,” he added. He continue, “I think we take for granted the genius and creativity of our people, and I think if we give the farmers the direction to say to them

that these are the crops that hoteliers are buying, these are the prices, they will deliver.” Research in Saint Lucia suggests that promoting linkages between hotels and groups of farmers such as cooperatives has the greatest potential to stimulate local agricultural production for hotel and domestic consumption. However, in recent times, there have been issues of cash ﬂow.

“That has now been taken care of, where the industry has come together and they have mobilized many credit unions and the Saint Lucia Development Bank for there to be an establishment of a funding mechanism, so that farmers could sell their produce to a hotel, but yet be paid in a convenient by a credit union or a bank.” The minister told SNO that these funding mechanisms have been well established with various farmers’ cooperatives and there is need to build more cooperatives and their capacity to deliver. “…so that the hotel will be encouraged and gain the confidence in the farming community and not see the farming community as a well fragmented project but as a project that is organised and efficient.” Fedee noted that market is huge and is worth millions of dollars and there is great potential of expanding. The government over the years have been working to create a sustainable linkage between these two key sectors and has managed to make some progress at various levels. Earlier this year, the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association through partnership with the Tourism Enhancement Fund appointed a sector liaison officer for agriculture and tourism. Agriculture continues to be a critical sector for the island although its contribution to Gross Domestic Product has been steadily declining over the last 10 years. The sector contributed approximately 3.1% to GDP in 2014. The country is a net-food importing country, with a growing trade deficit in its food bill over the last 10 years. (St. Lucia News Online)

Tourism Minister Dominic Fedee

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

New York Bombing Suspect Named As Ahmad Khan Rahami

Police released this photo of Ahmad Khan Rahami(NYPD)

US oﬃcials are looking for Ahmad Khan Rahami, a naturalised US citizen who was born in Afghanistan, for questioning over explosions in New York and New Jersey on Saturday. The FBI warned that the suspect is "armed and dangerous". Further devices exploded in Elizabeth, New Jersey, in the early hours of Monday as a police robot investigated a bag. No-one was injured. The FBI has been searching the 28-yearold suspect's family home in Elizabeth.The bomb that hit Manhattan's Chelsea district on Saturday evening injured 29, and an unexploded device was found nearby. Early on Saturday a pipe bomb exploded in a New Jersey shore town ahead of a charity race. No-one was hurt. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has

urged jittery Americans to be "vigilant but not afraid". "It is crucial that we continue to build up trust between law enforcement and Muslim American communities," she said. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said there were "certain commonalities" between the bombs. New Jersey State Police said that the FBI was linking the Manhattan explosion to that in Seaside Park, New Jersey.Millions of New York residents received a phone alert on Monday morning after the Notify NYC alert system was used to name the suspect. "Anyone who sees this individual or knows anything about him or his whereabouts needs to call it in right away," New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said on CNN. Both the bomb that went off in New York on Saturday and the unexploded device found four blocks away were shrapnel-filled pressure cookers, according to US media. Mr Cuomo said on Monday that there might be a foreign connection to the Manhattan attack. Officials had said over the weekend there were no confirmed links to international terrorist groups.President Barack Obama, who is in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, is being kept up to date with the investigation, a White House spokesman said. Early on Monday, a New Jersey police robot inspected a backpack

found in a bin near the railway station in Elizabeth, causing it to explode.The bag had been picked out of the bin by two men on Sunday evening. They thought it could contain something of value but saw wires and notiﬁed the police. "That was not a controlled explosion," said Elizabeth Mayor Christian Bollwage. Map showing New York and New Jersey explosive devices These are the attacks in the US over the weekend that caused security alerts: A pipe bomb exploded on the route of a charity race in New Jersey on Saturday, forcing the event to be cancelled but causing no injuries Also on Saturday, nine people were stabbed at a shopping mall in the US state of Minnesota, in an attack apparently carried out by a 22-year-old ethnic Somali. At least 29 people were injured in an "intentional" explosion in the Chelsea area of Manhattan at around 21:00 (01:00 GMT on Sunday) Another device was later found four blocks from the site of the blast and destroyed in a controlled explosion A backpack containing suspicious devices was found in Elizabeth, New Jersey, late on Sunday One device found in Elizabeth exploded early on Monday as a bomb disposal robot tried to deactivate it (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

Syria Conﬂict: Hopes Fade For Truce As Violence Flares

Activists said barrel bombs were dropped on a rebel-held town in Deraa province on Sunday(REUTERS) A week-old truce in Syria brokered by the US and Russia appears close to unravelling, with alleged violations by government and rebel forces mounting. A US-backed rebel group in the divided northern city of Aleppo said the initiative had "practically failed". The Syrian military said its seven-day "regime of calm" had expired and did not say if it would be renewed. US Secretary of State John Kerry, however, described the cessation of hostilities as "holding but fragile".He said US and Russian officials were meeting in Geneva on Monday to discuss developments. Earlier, Russia's defence ministry said rebel violations had made it "pointless" for Syrian forces to uphold the truce. "Considering that the conditions of the ceasefire are not being respected by the rebels, we consider it pointless for the Syrian government forces to respect it unilaterally," Lt Gen Sergei Rudskoi said in a televised statement. Syria government warplanes meanwhile bombed rebel positions in Hama province. State media reported that the strikes had killed dozens of fighters from the jihadist group Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, which was known as al-Nusra Front until it broke off formal ties with al-Qaeda in July. On Sunday, the Syrian air force reportedly targeted rebel-held areas of Aleppo for the first time since last Monday and dropped barrel bombs on a town in the south. The BBC's James Longman in Beirut says there were never high hopes for the cessation of hostilities, but after just one week it looks to be in serious trouble. "I believe that practically it has failed and has ended," Zakaria Malahifji, head of the political office of the Aleppo-based group Fastaqim, told the Reuters news agency on Monday morning. Asked whether he expected aid to be delivered to the 250,000 people living in the city's besieged rebel-held east - a key part of the truce deal - Mr Malahifji said: "There is no hope. It has been a number of days of procrastination. Every day there is a pretext." The UN's aid chief, Stephen O'Brien, said on Monday that he was "pained and disappointed" that a 20lorry aid convoy destined for eastern Aleppo was still stuck on the border with Turkey because it had not received necessary

permissions and safety guarantees from the Syrian government. A number of leading rebel factions also warned that if the government pressed ahead with its plan to evacuate more rebel fighters from the besieged Homs suburb of al-Wair, it would "have clearly ended its commitment to any proposed truce". A pro-government Lebanese TV channel reported that the rebels and their families had left on Monday, but a local official later told Reuters that the evacuation had been postponed until Tuesday. The truce was dealt another blow on Saturday when warplanes from the US-led coalition against so-called Islamic State (IS) accidentally bombed Syrian troops in the eastern city of Deir al-Zour. President Bashar al-Assad called the strikes, which officials said killed more than 60 soldiers, the "latest example of flagrant American aggression against Syrian army positions in the interests of the terrorist organisation Daesh [IS]". On Monday, the Ministry of Defence in London confirmed that the British aircraft - believed to be unmanned, remotely-piloted Reaper drones - had been involved in the strike, along with jets from Australia and Denmark.A statement said the UK was "fully cooperating with the coalition investigation" and stressed that it "would not intentionally target Syrian military units". Meanwhile, Turkishbacked Syrian rebel forces might extend their zone of control in northern Syria and seek to capture the IS stronghold of al-Bab, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said. Mr Erdogan told a news conference in Istanbul that 900 sq km (350 sq miles) of IS territory had been cleared since last month, and that he envisaged the "safe zone" eventually extending up to 5,000 sq km. (BBC)

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

Hardware Hack Defeats iPhone Passcode Security

Many people use a pin code to lock their phone when it is not in use(REUTERS) Iphone passcodes can be bypassed using just £75 ($100) of electronic components, research suggests. A Cambridge computer scientist cloned iPhone memory chips, allowing him an unlimited number of attempts to guess a passcode. The work contradicts a claim made by the FBI earlier this year that this approach would not work. The FBI made the claim as it sought access to San Bernardino gunman Syed Rizwan Farook's iPhone. Cheap trick Farook and his wife killed 14 people in the California city last December before police fatally shot them. The FBI believed his iPhone 5C contained information about collaborators, but its security system prevented easy access. The agency pressured Apple to give it a software backdoor into the phone, and, when it refused, reportedly paid $1m to a security company to retrieve data from the phone.Now, Dr Sergei Skorobogatov, from the University of

Cambridge computer laboratory, has spent four months building a testing rig to bypass iPhone 5C pin codes. In a YouTube video, Dr Skorobogatov showed how he had removed a Nand chip from an iPhone 5C - the main memory storage system used on many Apple devices. He then worked out how the memory system communicated with the phone so he could clone the chip. And the target phone was modified so its Nand chip sat on an external board and copied versions could be easily plugged in or removed. In the video, Dr Skorobogatov demonstrated locking an iPhone 5C by trying too many incorrect combinations. He then removed the Nand chip and substituted a fresh clone, which had its pin attempt counter set at zero, to allow him to keep trying different codes. "Because I can create as many clones as I want, I can repeat the process many many times until the passcode is found," he said. Known as Nand mirroring, the technique is one FBI director James Comey said would not work on Farook's phone. Finding a four-digit code took about 40 hours of work, Dr Skorobogatov said. And finding a six-digit code could potentially take hundreds of hours Using a slightly more sophisticated set-up should make it possible to clone memory chips from other iPhones, including more recent models such as the iPhone 6. However, Dr Skorobogatov said, more information was needed about the way Apple stored data in memory on more recent phones. The different techniques could make it "more challenging to analyse and copy", he added. Apple has not responded to a request for comment on Dr Skorobogatov's research. Susan Landau, on the Lawfare news blog, said the work showed law enforcement agencies should not look for software backdoors to help their investigations but should develop or cultivate hardware and computer security skills. "Skorobogatov was able to do what the FBI said was impossible," she said. (BBC)

DR Congo Election: 17 Dead In Anti-Kabila Protests

Mr Kabila took power in 2001 after his father Laurent Kabila was assassinated(GETTY IMAGES) At least 17 people have died in the Democratic Republic of Congo during protests calling for President Joseph Kabila to step down. Three of them were police oﬃcers, one of whom was burnt alive, according to the Interior Minister, Evariste Boshab. Protesters set up

barricades and torched cars on one of the main roads in Kinshasa, the country's capital.Police fired tear gas to disperse the demonstrators. One witness said police fired live ammunition into the crowd. The bodies of people who had died were seen lying in the streets after protests ended. The electoral commission was meant to announce a date for presidential elections, due in November, on Monday, but has said it will not be possible to hold them then. The opposition says Mr Kabila is trying to delay the elections in order to remain in power beyond his two-term limit, which finishes in December. Police have made at least 10 arrests, with hundreds of protesters out on the streets, reports BBC Afrique's Poly Muzalia from the capital. Most schools and shops are closed in Kinshasa, with those not involved in the protests staying inside to avoid any trouble, our reporter adds.A government-backed effort to work out a solution to the political crisis, called a "national dialogue", has been boycotted by most opposition parties. Mr Kabila's second term, the maximum allowed under the country's constitution, is due to expire on 20 December. Last year at least 12 people died in similar protests. DR Congo has never had a smooth transfer of power since independence more than 55 years ago. (BBC)

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

Google: Don’t Let 'Local' Brexit Distract UK

The most senior Google executive outside Silicon Valley has said Britain should not be distracted by Brexit and should focus on supporting the growth of global technology companies. Matt Brittin, the head of Google's Europe, Middle East and Africa business, said the conditions for success in the UK were now better than in 2010, when David Cameron said the founders of the tech giant believed they could never have built their company in Britain. "I think it is getting better all the time, the conditions for big tech success here in the UK," Mr Brittin told me. He said that although the vote to leave the European Union had caused uncertainty, it was a "local" issue and the government should concentrate on creating the right conditions for entrepreneurs to ﬂourish globally. "I think clearly there is uncertainty, and that is never helpful for investment," he told me. "But in the big scheme of things the major trend that is happening is that the internet population is doubling from 2.7bn people to over 5bn people in a four to ﬁve year period. "That is the trend entrepreneurs need to be paying attention to - and ultimately I am sure the government will sort out solutions for the local issues around Brexit. "The thing entrepreneurs need to be doing is investing in that huge change globally because we're already world leaders in Britain - we're a big net exporter [in

technology], we're creating jobs growth and opportunity through entrepreneurs today and they need to seize that opportunity now and not be distracted by short-term turmoil or uncertainty the markets are seeing." Takeovers Mr Brittin said it was vital that talent in the technology industry could move freely between diﬀerent countries and a "consistent rule book" existed for as many countries as possible.,The European Union has been criticised for not moving more quickly towards a digital single market. "It is important for every company to be able to sell their product and services around the world," Mr Brittin said. "It is easier if the rule book is consistent in m o r e countries, and the s i n g l e m a r k e t project is not complete in Europe so there is still a lot of work t o d o . " Despite concerns raised over r e c e n t takeovers by

foreign firms of British businesses - such as Japanese Softbank's takeover of Arm, which designs computer chips - Mr Brittin said it was not a good idea for the government to intervene. "I think the dynamic global economy is one where investment from all sources should be welcomed - it is for founders and decision makers to decide the best options," he said. "If you restrict financing options, investment options, in one area it makes it a less healthy market." Global ambition The Google president argued the UK had good conditions for fast-growing technology companies. "You need entrepreneurs, skills and finance," he said, when I asked him what was necessary for success. "My sense is we have amazing skills. Google employs 4,000 plus people in the UK, they are as good as anywhere in the world. "Access to finance is getting b e t t e r a n d b e t t e r. " I t h i n k t h e entrepreneurial piece is the one we can learn from Silicon Valley, and the appetite for risk and the ambition to do something big. "If you start a company in Silicon Valley five years ago you are thinking about reaching the US population - 300 million. "If you start in the UK you're reaching the national population - 60 million. "Everybody should think, when you're starting a tech company, you can reach the entire world because that's the way things are moving." (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

Berlin Election: Merkel Links Migrant Crisis To CDU Defeat

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has accepted responsibility for her Christian Democratic party's "bitter defeat" in Berlin state elections. She voiced regret over mistakes that contributed to last summer's migrant crisis in Germany. More than a million migrants reached Germany - a record. "If I could, I would turn back time for many, many years, to prepare better," she told reporters. Her CDU party can no longer run Berlin with the Social Democrats (SPD). The centreright CDU won 17.6% of the vote - its worst-ever result in Berlin. Mrs Merkel conceded that her open-door policy towards migrants - embodied in her phrase "wir schaffen das" (we can manage it) - was a factor in the election. She has now distanced herself from that phrase, calling it "a sort of simplified motto". She has been widely criticised in Germany for the policy, which was a humanitarian gesture faced with the desperate plight of migrants, many of them refugees from the war in Syria. The right-wing, anti-migrant party Alternative for Germany (AfD) will enter the Berlin state parliament for the first time with 14% of the vote. The AfD is now represented in 10 of Germany's 16 regional parliaments.Earlier this month it pushed the CDU into third place in the northern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Looking back at the migrant

crisis, Ms Merkel defended her policy as "absolutely correct on balance, but ultimately it meant that for a long time we did not have enough control". "Nobody wants a repeat of that situation - including me." She said she needed to work harder to explain her migrant policies. 'Wake-up call' The SPD emerged as the strongest party with about 22%, in spite of losing almost 7% of its voters, and said it would hold talks on forming a coalition with all parties except AfD. It is expected to drop the CDU as a coalition partner in favour of the left-wing Die Linke and the Greens. Sunday's election in Berlin, a city-state of 3.5 million people, was dominated by local issues including poor public services, crumbling school buildings, late trains and a housing shortage, as well as problems in coping with the migrant inﬂux. AfD co-chairman Joerg Meuthen said the party was strongly positioned for next year's national elections and colleague Beatrix von Storch predicted that it would become the third largest political force in Germany in 2017. "We're witnessing in 2017 Angela Merkel's battle for survival," she said. It's being described as the "Merkel malaise". For the second time in a month, Angela Merkel's conservatives have suﬀered a humiliating defeat at the regional ballot box. Both votes are widely

seen as a verdict on Mrs Merkel's refugee policy. But the result also reﬂects growing disillusionment with Germany's establishment parties. The Social Democrats may have won the election here but they lost voters; their success is being described as the weakest victory of all time. Germany's political landscape is changing. The anti-migrant, anti-Muslim rhetoric of AfD resonates with the electorate. The party is now almost certain to win seats in the national parliament next year, which could complicate coalition-building. Commentators predict the start of a more complex politics. And many blame Angela Merkel. For the ﬁrst time, the chancellor's political future feels uncertain. Don't expect her to stand down any time soon. But, increasingly, her own party views her as irrevocably tainted by her refugee policy. Bavarian Finance Minister Markus Soeder, from the CDU's sister party CSU, was quick to call it the "second massive wake-up call" in two weeks. "A long-term and massive loss in trust among traditional voters threatens the conservative bloc," he told the Bild daily, adding Ms Merkel's right-left national coalition had to win back support by changing course on its immigration policy. What went wrong? Media on failings of mainstream politics "Protest election turns capital into tatters," proclaims daily tabloid Bild, which describes Berlin's SPD mayor as Germany's "weakest election winner of all time". The rise of the right-wing AfD is driven by voters who feel "forgotten and m a rg i n a l i s e d " , s a y s F r a n k f u r t e r Allgemeine Zeitung. On the fate of the chancellor, Spiegel says that while her CDU "crashed", she is likely to be able to blame local factors, rather than anger at her welcoming stance on migrants. Sueddeutsche Zeitung sees a party revolt as unlikely: "No one knows how things will carry on without her." (BBC)

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

Great Barrier Reef Disaster: Chinese Coal Ship To Pay $29m

Sydney medical student Zeynab Alshelh wanted to show solidarity with Muslim women in France(CHANNEL 7) A Muslim woman from Australia has told how she was forced to leave a beach in France for wearing a burkini. Zeynab Alshelh, a 23year-old medical student, told Australian media she had travelled to Europe to show solidarity with local Muslim women. Footage broadcast on Channel 7 showed local people saying they would call the police if she didn't leave. The ban on burkinis in several French Riviera towns was overruled in August by the top administrative court. Local mayors who brought in the laws said the full- body swimsuits were a symbol of Islam and potentially provocative after the July terror atrocity in Nice. Ms Alshelh said she and her family travelled to France to learn more about the situation and see if there was "anything that we can do to help these girls just live a normal life". She told the BBC's Newsday she "couldn't comprehend how it was illegal" to go a public beach in a burkini. She went to VilleneuveLoubet beach, where the ban had already been overturned, but "the

locals decided they didn't want us there so they told us to leave, and if we didn't leave they would call the cops". "We left because we didn't want to cause any problems The video footage aired on the Channel 7 show Sunday Night showed a man threatening to call the police if they did not leave the beach. Other beachgoers gestured at her or made disapproving comments. Ms Alshelh said she didn't feel she had been "inflammatory" by going to the beach. She said she "just went as a tourist". "I looked at the beach and you just want to swim." What is a burkini? A burkini is a full-body swimsuit that covers everything except the face, hands and feet The name is a mix of the words "burka" and "bikini" Unlike burkas, burkinis leave the face free Burkinis are marketed to Muslim women as a way for them to swim in public while adhering to strict modesty edicts The French bans have referred to religious clothing and as they were loosely phrased, came to be understood to include full-length clothing and head coverings worn on the beach - not just burkini swimsuitsPauline Hanson, the leader of the anti-immigration One Nation party, last week called for a ban on the burka saying that Australia was at risk of being "swamped by Muslims". Aheda Zanetti, the Australian woman credited with creating the burkini, said the swimwear represents freedom and healthy living, not oppression. "It is as Australian as you can get, it was born in Australia and it started off in Australia," Ms Zanetti said. "Why would they ban something when I designed a swimsuit that was part of integration within Australian lifestyle?" What French law says on secularism and religious clothing In 2010, France became the first European country to ban the full-face veil in public A 2004 law forbids the wearing of religious emblems in schools and colleges In 1905, a law was passed that aimed to separate church and state. That law of separation guaranteed freedom of religion, and built on earlier laws enshrining secularism in education. No reference was made to clothing. (BBC) t

Great Barrier Reef Disaster: Chinese Coal Ship To Pay $29m The Australian government has agreed a $29.6m (£22m) settlement with the owners of a Chinese coal carrier that caused significant damage to the Great Barrier Reef more than six years ago. The Shen Neng 1 hit a shoal in April 2010, leaking tonnes of heavy fuel oil. Conservationists have described the settlement, which is less than a third of the full clean-up cost of $105m (£80m), as "woefully inadequate".The clean-up operation will begin mid next year. The 230m (750 ft) ship had ground against a coral shoal for more than a kilometre, turning coral into dust. Shenzhen Energy Transport, the firm behind the carrier, refused to accept responsibility for the damage for six years. They argued the reef was self-healing and the company should not have to pay the bill. n Monday, the two sides reached an out-of-court settlement. The settlement showed Australia would "use every available means to pursue ship owners who are negligent in causing damage to the reef", Environment Minister Josh The Chinese company behind the carrier had argued the reef Frydenberg said. The funds will allow the Great Barrier Reef Marine was self-healing and that they should not have to pay the bill Park Authority to remove toxic anti-fouling paint and rubble, (GETTY IMAGES) allowing the reef to be restored. However, Greenpeace Australia called the settlement "disappointing". "The government has said the figure is disappointing," Greenpeace's Pacific reef campaigner Shani full clean up will cost more than $105m so to settle for such a small Tager told news agency AFP. (BBC)

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

Michael Schumacher 'Cannot Walk', German Court Hears

Schumacher suﬀered a head injury in a skiing accident in 2013(AFP)

A lawyer for Michael Schumacher has told a court in Germany that the former Formula 1 world champion "cannot walk" following his skiing

injury. Felix Damm was detailing the extent of Schumacher's injuries in a lawsuit against German magazine, Bunte. The magazine had reported last Christmas that the seven-time world champion could walk again. But Mr Damm said that Schumacher, 47, "cannot walk" more than two and a half years after the accident. Bunte had quoted a source at the end of last year as saying that Schumacher could manage some steps with the help of therapists and could raise an arm. At the time, Schumacher's agent, Sabine Kehm, released a statement denying the story, saying: "Unfortunately we are forced by a recent press report to clarify that the assertion that Michael could move again is not true. "Such speculation is irresponsible, because given the seriousness of his injuries, his privacy is very important. Unfortunately they also give false hopes to many involved people." Schumacher suﬀered a head injury in a skiing accident in France in 2013. He was placed in a medically induced coma for six months before being transferred to his home in Switzerland to continue his treatment. Very little is known of the sports icon's recovery as his family has strongly protected his privacy. In February, his former boss at Ferrari, Luca di Montezemolo, said: "I have news and unfortunately it is not good." (BBC)

Russian Election: Big Victory For Putin-Backed Party United Russia United Russia, b a c k e d b y President Vladimir Putin, has won a majority in the c o u n t r y ' s parliamentary election, far ahead of rival parties. Mr Putin (R) appeared alongside Mr Medvedev to With 93% of the congratulate United Russia party activists(REUTERS) votes counted, the party has secured 54.2% of ballots and 343 seats in the 450-member parliament, officials say. Mr Putin said his party had "achieved a very good result", however the turnout was a record low of 47.8%. The Communist Party and nationalist LDPR both secured just over 13%. The party A Just Russia gained just over 6% of the votes.All four parties are loyal to Mr Putin and dominated the last parliament, or State Duma. Mr Putin has enjoyed 17 years in power as either president or prime minister. 'Utmost regret' Voting irregularities were reported in several areas and the head of the election commission suggested that the results might be cancelled in three polling stations. Liberal opposition parties failed to get enough votes for party-list representation. "To my utmost regret, not one other party managed to get over the 5% barrier," said Central Election Commission head Ella Pamfilova. The two main opposition parties allowed to field candidates, Yabloko and Parnas, received just 1.89% and 0.7% respectively.Half the seats were also being contested in constituencies but even there the small number of opposition candidates failed to win. The result increases United Russia's majority, after it achieved 49% of the vote in the 2011 Duma elections. The party, led by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, will take more seats in parliament, up from 238. However, the turnout, based on partial figures, was the lowest in Russia's modern history and significantly down on the 60% turnout in 2011. Election commission head Ella Pamfilova - a respected human rights activist - said she was "fully confident that the elections are proceeding in a quite legitimate way".But later she warned that results at three polling stations might be cancelled because of irregularities. There were reports of serious irregularities in one Siberian region, with suggestions of "carousel" voting - people bussed around polling stations - in the city of Barnaul. In the Caucasus, youths smashed up a polling station in the Khunzakh district of Dagestan, accusing officials of stuffing ballots to favour one candidate, Ms Pamfilova said. And in the

southern region of Rostov a criminal case was opened for alleged electoral fraud, she said.Some voters unhappy with the election posted pictures of their spoiled ballots on Twitter and Instagram. Some of them mockingly voted for "Pikachu" - fictional creatures from the hugely popular Pokemon Go game. Chechen leader gets 98% For the first time, people voted in Crimea, annexed from Ukraine in 2014 in a move condemned internationally.United Russia won all the region's constituency seats, in a vote that prompted protests in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev. Chechnya's leader Ramzan Kadyrov - a firm ally of Mr Putin who runs his troubled North Caucasus republic with an iron fist - swept to victory with 98% support, with 78% of votes counted. Vote-rigging sparked big antigovernment street protests after Russia's last parliamentary election in 2011. In the system of "managed democracy" crafted by the Kremlin, it was unthinkable that President Putin's control of parliament would weaken, the BBC's Steve Rosenberg reports from Moscow. Mr Putin will be hoping that this time his personal popularity, combined with widespread apathy, will mean that Russians accept the result, he says. The independent election monitoring group Golos said that "although the level of violations in this election campaign was lower than in 2011 there were many in the run-up to the voting". It said the elections were "far from what could be called really free and fair". The number of independent observers at polling stations was lower than before, and there were cases of ballot-stuffing, carousel voting and other abuses, Golos complained. Russian papers see the result largely as a vote of confidence in President Putin - and as pretty much predictable."The election is primarily an informal referendum on trust in the person who is in charge of making all the key decisions," tabloid Moskovsky Komsomolets declares. The news website Gazeta.ru says the vote "brought no sensations", while the influential business daily Kommersant's editorial is simply headlined: "The party of power is in power again". Russian state Rossiya 24 TV mentioned allegations of election fraud, but said they were not significant and were being investigated.But business daily Vedomosti says that - despite the authorities' promises - the election "was not a model of honesty". After the vote Mr Putin visited the headquarters of United Russia with Mr Medvedev to congratulate activists on their victory. "We know that life is hard for people, there are lots of problems, lots of unresolved problems," Mr Putin said. "Nevertheless, we have this result."Despite Russia's economic malaise and tensions with the West over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, the poor turnout reflected widespread apathy among voters. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

GECOM’s Chairman To Resign – Rohee Says General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party Clement Rohee, said that the Party’s calls for the removal of Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Dr. Steve Surujbally, has ﬁnally come to realization. He told a news conference today that the chairman met with President David Granger and Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, where the issue of his resignation was discussed and all formalities have been put in place. The Party held a number of protest over the past year calling for Dr. Surujubally to demit oﬃce amidst claims of rigged elections. “We General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Clement Rohee will continue until our

demands are met…this is in keeping with a declared policy by the People’s Progressive Party and we will continue to mount the pressure on Surujbally and GECOM,” the PPP had stated. Mr. Rohee stated that from all indication, one of the party’s goal has been achieved and alluded to the Carter formula for the selection of a new chairman. According to the Constitution (Amendment) Act No. 2 of 2000, the Chairman shall be a person who holds, has held or is qualified to hold the office of Judge of the High Court or the Court of Appeal or any other fit and proper person who is appointed from a list of six persons, who are not unacceptable to the President, submitted by the Leader of the Opposition after he has meaningfully consulted with the non-governmental political parties represented in the National Assembly. If the Leader of the Opposition does not submit such a list of persons then the President shall appoint a person who holds, has held or is qualified to hold the office of Judge of the High Court or the Court of Appeal. The current Chairman of the Commission was chosen by the President from a list of six persons submitted by the Leader of the Opposition.

ILO Helping Update will Guyana's National OSH Plan Of Action this week help Guyana update a Association of Guyanese Industries

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, MOSP – Guyana’s National Plan of Action of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) will be modernised soon following the intervention this week by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Beginning Wednesday the ILO

number of key issues tied to the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) sector. At the top the list is overhauling the country’s National Plan of Action which was last revised in 1996. Tomorrow, the ILO and the Social Protection Ministry will begin a National Consultation on the global agency’s menu of support for Guyana. The discourse begins at 8:30 at the Herdmanston Lodge, Anira and Peter Rose Streets in the capital. In addition to helping bring the Guyana’s OSH Plan of Action in contemporary times, the ILO is also scheduled to help develop its national proﬁle on OSH. Minister within the Social Protection Ministry, Mr Keith Scott will give the keynote address. Other speakers include, Ms Lorene Baird, Permanent Secretary of the MOSP; General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), Mr Lincoln Lewis; Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) General Secretary, Mr Kenneth Joseph; Mr Samuel Goolsarran, Consultant/Advisor of the Consultative

(CAGI) and Ms Claudia Coenjaerts, Director, Decent Work Team and Office for the ILO’s Caribbean office. By the end of tomorrow’s OSH programme, ILO and the government should agree on a new national programme which is expected to highlight Guyana’s priorities, objectives and targets for “improving occupational safety and health within a predetermined timeframe and indicators to assess progress” according to an official event document. The OSH modernisation plan is also expected to provide data on occupational accidents and diseases, high-risk industries and occupations, and a description of the national OSH system and its current capacity. The overhauled policy will also include Guyana’s commitment to preventing occupational accidents and diseases; the overarching principles undergirding its action on OSH and the functions and responsibilities of the principal stakeholders. Ministry of Social Protection Press Release

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

Questionable Character, Ronald Jabobs Is Back At GECOM It is alleged that under Mr. Jacobs reign at Gecom, numerous

“Ronald Jacobs has been re-employed at Gecom,” General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Clement Rohee told a news conference on Monday. Rohee stated that this move by the government could be a dark side for what may f o l l o w. A c c o r d i n g t o Rohee, Mr. Jacobs was a former Chief Registration Oﬃcer at Gecom prior to the 1992 General and Regional Elections and that he was responsible for “messing up the voters list”.

names of deceased persons appeared on the voters list, while voters who were on the list up to the 1990 period, found their names deleted. It is also alleged that persons who voted in the 1989 local government elections, did not see their names reappear on the voters list and persons who were born in December were also expunged from the list. According to reports then President Desmond Hoyte, agreed that the voters list had errors and that they were too many, too serious and pervasive and announced that he will not call another elections until there was a satisfactory voters list. According to Rohee, the Carter Centre had to intervene.

Granger Peeved At Venezuela’s Slothfulness In Resolving Border Controversy President David Granger says he is satisfied with the efforts of United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon in trying to resolve the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy. He related that while his Government had hoped that the process of ending the 50-year long controversy would have been further advanced, it is not due to lack of effort on the part of the Secretary-General’s Office, but rather the slothful pace at which the Venezuelan Government is moving. “I am satisfied with what the Secretary-General has done; I am not satisfied that the Bolivarian Republic has acted in good faith. It is clear that much more needs to be done by Venezuela if this matter is to be resolved… In my experience over the last 50 years I have not seen a Secretary-General so engaged in this matter, he has done everything possible over the last year since first meeting in Bridgetown. I am convinced of his sincerity in trying to bring this matter to closure,” the President said at a press briefing held on the margins of the 71st Regular Session of the UN General Assembly currently underway in New York. The president further stated that the Secretary-General is required to choose a course for the peaceful resolution of the controversy. At this point in time however, all other courses of action have been exhausted including the Good Officer’s process, which is why Guyana has recommended that the Secretary-General refer the matter for juridical settlement, which is the only remaining option. “We waited for 50 years and Guyana’s approach now is to ask the Secretary-General to take the matter forward for a juridical settlement so that we don’t have to wait for 50 more years for a settlement…I am very hopeful that this Secretary-General, given his engagement over the last year or more, is going to do something which is going to

lead to a favourable outcome,” he said. The border controversy began when Venezuela lay claim to the county of Essequibo which sparked a border conflict for over 170 years, beginning in the year 1840 when the British Government felt it was necessary to demarcate British Guiana’s borders. The British Government then hired a German surveyor Robert Schomburgk to conduct a survey on the Western Boundary of the territory. Schomburgk’s line of demarcation was rejected by Venezuela and the the controversy continued until 1894. In 1899, an Arbitral Tribunal representing both British Guiana and Venezuela described clearly the boundary between the two countries, resulting in an agreement, which presumably put the issue to rest. Though Venezuela honored this agreement for almost half a century but in 1962 Venezuela announced that it has regarded the 1899 Award as being null and void. Foreign Minister Greenidge, who affirmed that Guyana is not prepared to accept anything other than a move to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to bring a permanent resolution to this matter. “What we will be doing is speaking to the SG for an update as regard his assessment of what has happened since the last time we met and an indication from him on how he proposes to move forward, if not between now and the future then certainly between now and when he demits office,” the Minister said. He recognised however, that though a clear pronunciation on the course of action to be taken may not come out of this meeting, Guyana fully acknowledges the work of the SecretaryGeneral’s Office in working with both parties to take steps to resolve the matter.

LOCAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Prime Minister Assures That Gov’t Does Not Interfere With The Judiciary PAGE 26

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo assured participants of the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association Conference that the Government does not interfere with the work of the judiciary. He related that Guyana’s judiciary enjoys legal financial and institutional independence, and that the judiciary, as a constitutional agency, has financial independence by ensuring that the State provides adequate resources for the performance of its functions. ”...our government, by legislative intervention, recognized the judiciary as a constitutional agency and made provision for its financial independence by ensuring that the state provides adequate resources for the judiciary to perform its functions,” Nagamootoo stated. Speaking at the Opening Ceremony, the Prime Minister assured that the current coalition led administration has “made a conscious and determined effort at giving recognition and meaning to the declaration adopted on the 24th September, 2012 by the United Nations General Assembly at the High Level Meeting on the Rule of Law, which reaffirmed that: “Human rights, the Rule of Law and democracy are interlinked and mutually reinforcing, and that they belong to the universal and indivisible core values and principles of the United Nations. Prime Minister Nagamootoo who is currently preforming the duties of the president stressed that the government is committed to and bound by the rule of law and that the law must apply to both the government and the governed. “It is on the latter that we have rested the structure of government, recognizing that constitutional limits on the exercise of governmental authority, which is a key feature of any democracy, require adherence to the Rule of Law. Indeed, the quality of governance is defined by observance of the rule of law. Good governance depends on it,” he explained. The Prime Minister highlighted that an independent judiciary is the strongest guarantee for the protection of the rights of Guyanese and the stability of Guyana. “Our government is unshaken in the belief that, in our state structure, the judiciary should be independent (to the fullest extent of the meaning that can be given to the phrase). Our recognition is that an

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

independent judiciary is the strongest guarantee for the protection of the rights of our citizens. We believe that an independent judiciary is the bedrock of the stability of our nation. We believe that only an independent judiciary could be the guarantor of the rule of law. So, within this focus and within this framework, our government has legislatively created the structure to give eﬀect to true and meaningful judicial independence.” He stated. The Prime Minister added that Guyana’s judiciary not only enjoys independence when it decides issues between citizen and citizen or between citizen and the state, but it also has independence over its administrative machinery, its registries and their personnel. The ﬁve-day conference will be facilitating discussion on several issues such as environmental law and sustainable development, domestic violence, the rights of indigenous peoples etc.

Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo

Mother Of 2 Remanded On Marijuana Charge Forty -year-old Alexis Philips today appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrate's Court charged with being in possession of illegal narcotics with intent of trafficking. The defendant was remanded and is slated to return before the court on October 4, 2016 for report by the Prosecution into the matter. Philips was represented by Attorney at Law Mark Waldron who made an application for bail, stating that the accused is the mother of two whom she provides for. However the court was made aware that Philips is also slated to be brought up on an illegal firearm and ammunition charge and as such the Chief Magistrate denied bail. It is alleged that on September 16, 2016 at Lot 436 East LaPenitence, Philips had in her possession 51.350 kg of Cannabis with the intent of trafficking the said narcotics.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

Gov't Not Paying Mind To New Human Global Order The New Global Human Order is being discussed at the United Nations General Assembly and according to General Secretary of the PPP Clement Rohee, the Government of Guyana is not recognizing this fact. The United Nations General Assembly had approved a resolution promoting a New Global Human Order at its 65th session held on December 10, 2010. According to reports, the call for a New Human Global Order, was created by the end of the Cold War, the accelerated rate of technological development, and the deepening interdependence of nations. The late President Dr Cheddi Jagan urged that States should now grasp the opportunity to build an enlightened international partnership based on mutual respect, democratic governance, popular participation and equal opportunity for all peoples to live in peace and prosperity. At the heart of the proposal is the eradication of poverty and overall human development. Essential to its success is the political will to address these challenges by identifying new and innovative ways of ďŹ nancing development and by mobilizing all actors on the domestic and international stage in support of this cause. The New Human Global Order calls for a people-centered sustainable development policy and programme aimed at the eradication of poverty and the establishment of a just and more humane system of international relations. In August 1996, the Government of Guyana organized an International Conference

to discuss the creation of the New Global Human Order. The assessment and many of the recommendations administered on the occasion of that Conference, have since appeared in various forms and fora and translated in diverse programmes for international action, though not in a coherent and comprehensive manner. As part of its strategy to advance advocacy of the initiative the Government of Guyana with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme convened a Symposium on August 26-27, 2000 in Georgetown, to increase awareness of the issues involved and to meet the challenges of the emerging New Global Human Order.

General Secretary of the PPP, Clement Rohee

LOCAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Six Months Maternity Leave On The Cards PAGE 28

Delivering an address a national symposium on the protection, promotion and support of exclusive breastfeeding which was held yesterday as part of activities in observance of National Breastfeeding Week, Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton said, “Breastfeeding is everybody’s business” and that the implementation of the six-month maternity leave is soon to be part of Guyana’s legislation. Dr. William Adu-Krow, Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) Country representative said that the organisation will continue to play its role in the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding. Dr. Adu-Krow also advocated for at least six weeks paternity leave for fathers to assist, and to further support exclusive breastfeeding. The PAHO/WHO representative supported the six-month maternity leave for mothers and said that through the strengthening of health information systems, workplaces will be able to better support this implementation. However, the announcement is already raising concerns in the public diaspora and social media. Many persons are concerned about the implications that the six month maternity can have on businesses particular in the private sector. The topic which was raised on a local early morning talk show saw mixed reaction from both males and females alike. Persons claimed that though this might sound like a good thing, one would now wonder if unemployment for young women particular those who plans to have a child/children in the future will be on the increase? Most companies might consider that it will be more beneﬁcial to have a male employee rather than a female employee who wouldn't be working for half of the year. It is notable that this wouldn’t fall under discrimination against pregnant women simply because companies aren't bound by law to hire women and may choose not to hire women solely because of the possibility of them getting pregnant while on the job. On the ﬂipside of the issues, the six month maternal leave coincide with the going promotion of exclusive breast feeding since babies need breastmilk for six months. According to a research published last month by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US, which analyzed national survey data in the US: Employed women who received 12 weeks or more of paid maternity leave were more likely to start breastfeeding their baby and continue to breastfeed for at least six months, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and The World Health Organization (WHO), than women who did not get any paid leave. WHO regards breastfeeding as the normal way

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

of providing young infants with the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development. Virtually all mothers can breastfeed, provided they have accurate information, and the support of their family, the health care system and society at large. The theme of this year’s National Breastfeeding Week is, ‘Breastfeeding: a key to sustainable development’. It speaks to breastfeeding being the key element in recreating the way people think towards valuing well-being from the start of life. The theme also shows the links among breastfeeding and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that Guyana along with other countries signed onto in 2015.

LOCAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Winslow Craig: The Reﬂection Of The Finest Amerindian Art PAGE 29

An artist is the passive architect of his legacy, the father and the mother of his creations, the shaper of his own universe. He becomes the reflection of his past, present and future. Tools can vary depending on the ‘Major’ of the artist; from paintbrush, rasps, and riffles to his own fingers. Anything can become an instrument. Colors help to transmit a feeling, while volume a motion. When elements are perfectly merged, there is harmony and beauty. Combination often denominated ‘A Master Piece’. A sculptor is often the vessel that ‘pours’ this mixtures, making three dimensions come to life. This is the case of Guyanese Artist Winslow Craig. His expertise in shaping wood has become his signature, making his name and nationality stand in international exhibitions. Craig’s work reflects his ancestral roots through the diversity of his topics. Growing up in Kappawarrie, Essequibo, to an Amerindian mother and a mixed father, he learned to appreciate the ‘good’s that nature offered. Georgetown saw his early years, and the Burrowes School of Art shaped his talent. His beginnings were in painting, but he found his true passion through the quiet but violent power of ‘volume’. This kind of art spoke to him, gave him the faculty of create inanimate figures that could express the words that he couldn’t say. A traumatic experience, a suffocating pain, happiness or sorrow anything could be carved once wood allowed it. Material that simply fell in love with his precise touch. Like an Avatar finding his element, Craig could be considered as a ‘wood bender’. Spirituality is one of the aspects that attracts his audience. The traces on his sculptures make them see as if they could come up to life at any second. Work that has been recognized mainly on the Caribbean diaspora. His most recent project is ambitious. Craig is submerged on the crafting of a 50feet Bulletwood log into a totem pole that showcases the nine Indigenous cultures in Guyana. A project expected to become national monument accompanied to the Umana Yana. Patience and dedication can be seen at his temporary atelier at Umana Yana’s patio. Chisels and drills covered by woodchips reflect the work in development, and the spirituality that dominates the spot. An artist love for his work is the ultimate muse. And his muse is passionate, sensual and dominant. Craig incites the curious viewers to pass by the venue and have a look of his work in progress giving them the unique opportunity of taking part of the birth of a remarkable showpiece. Source: http://masrepublic.blogspot.com/2010/03/he-work-ofguyanese-sculptor-win...

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

Guyanese sculptor Winslow Craig

Collage of the work in progress on the 50ft totem being crafted by Mr. Craig.

REGIONAL PAGE 30

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

Venezuela Left Out MERCOSUR Meeting

The Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR) is a subregional bloc. Their members are Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay a n d Venezuela. Its purpose is to promote free trade and the ďŹ&#x201A;uid movement of goods, people, and currency through the integration of South America. According

to a Venezuelan Newspaper, El Nacional, chancellors of MERCOSUR omitted the presence of Venezuela during a session of diplomatic discussions which took place last Thursday, in New York City. During this meeting, the chancellors addressed the topics for the General Assembly of the United Nations. Venezuela was recently rejected as temporary leader of the MECOSUR, due to alleged violation of necessary requirements to be an active member of the organization. Two of this stipulations are the promotion and protection of the Human Rights, and the fulďŹ llment of the agreements outlined by MERCOSUR as an organization. This stipulations are to be promulgated as laws by the country members. Caracas has a deadline until December 1srt to achieve those commitments. The diplomatic leadership of the sub-regional block is currently being conducted by four country members: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Source:http://www.el-nacional.com/mundo/fundadoresMercosur-adelantan-negociaci...

REGIONAL PAGE 31

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

St Lucia Prime Minister Under Siege By Caribbean News Now contributor CASTRIES, St Lucia -- Following speculation that an early cabinet reshuffle in Saint Lucia will be necessary following the appointment of all United Workers Party (UWP) elected members of parliament as ministers, leaving no scope for the election of a new deputy speaker, it now appears that a new prime minister is also under discussion. According to local sources, a meeting of six UWP parliamentarians and members of cabinet and some party stalwarts took place on Friday night in Cap Estate, Gros Islet, to discuss party interests and what is widely perceived to be a crisis of governance in the country. The hastily called meeting was reportedly to strategize in relation to a possible motion of no confidence in the current prime minister, Allen Chastanet. Dissenting and disgruntled UWP parliamentarians are apparently inclined to place their support behind former prime minister Stephenson King, who is currently in Canada on government business. There are also unconfirmed reports that an additional stand-alone ministry and minister in the person of Edmund Estephane, previously minister in the ministry for equity, social justice, empowerment, youth development, sports, culture and local government, is under consideration, entitled ministry of youth and sports development. A decision apparently intended to retain support for the current prime minister. Also over the weekend, a previously utilized regional election consultant reportedly returned to the island, presumably to consult with the government. Meanwhile, UWP senior personnel are not happy that the deputy speaker position remains vacant, thereby resulting in varying constitutional irregularities, following Sarah Flood Beaubrun’s appointment as minister in the ministry of finance, economic growth, job creation, external affairs and the public service. According to regional commentator Melanius Alphonse, “There can be little dispute that Saint Lucia’s economic and fiscal policies are generally unstable, along with the latest crisis of governance exacerbated by new Prime Minister Allen Chastanet. The first 100 days of the UWP administration have been a combination of useless and pretentious theatrics that have bordered on, if not already become a national disgrace, amid a stagnant economy and a newly elected Allen Chastanetled administration with no clue as to how to achieve improvements and near-term growth.” The competence, temperament and intelligence of Chastanet has come in for relentless assessment, ranging from reports of an unsuccessful proposal to end live television coverage of parliamentary proceedings in Saint Lucia to the questionable US$2.6 billion investment project entitled “Pearl of the Caribbean” framework agreement signed between the government and Desert Star Holdings for a horse racing track, high end hotel and residences, a casino, free trade zone, an equine disease free zone and marina in Vieux Fort. In the meantime, the Saint Lucia prime minister is said to be caught in a tangled web of his own making, with the US State Department making it clear that the allegations of extrajudicial killings committed by members of the Royal St Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) should be properly investigated, and any perpetrators should be prosecuted and, if found guilty, sentenced appropriately. Meanwhile, Chastanet has scheduled a special press conference for Monday evening Prime Minister Allen Chastanet commencing at 8:00 pm. (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

St Kitts-Nevis Government Urged To Address Moribund Christophe Harbour Project By Caribbean News Now contributor BASSETERRE, St Kitts -- A former minister in the St Kitts and Nevis government has claimed that the previous Denzil Douglas administration was misled into granting extraordinary concessions to the developer of the Christophe Harbour project and urged the current government to work out an exit plan in the best interests of the people. In a recent commentary, former national security and tourism minister Dwyer Astaphan said, “The government of the day (of which I was a member) bought collectively, wistfully and gullibly into the vision. And we gave the developers a package of concessions and powers tantamount to creating a separate principality under their rule on this island's Southeast Peninsula. A principality bigger in area than the Vatican or Monaco.” The Christophe Harbour project on the Southeast Peninsula of St Kitts measures about 6.25 square miles in area or about nine percent of the land mass of the entire island. “It is a significant part and portion of our tiny country,” Astaphan noted, describing the agreement as “disgraceful and a sellout”. In 2005, the Douglas government announced a deal with Auberge Firesky for the construction of a 250-room luxury Whispering Head Resort, plus a spa, several restaurants, a championship golf course, and 750 luxury residences. In 2007, one of the former owners of Kiawah Island in South Carolina, site of the 1991 Ryder Cup, entrepreneur Charles Pinckney 'Buddy' Darby, joined in the deal with Firesky. “We were told that they'd bring in US$600 million to build a marina, a golf course, three hotels, including a Mandarin Hotel and the same Whispering Head Resort, as well as restaurants, commercial facilities and 2,000 residences,” Astaphan recalled. In 2008, Firesky pulled out of the deal but the Darby interests said that they would carry the project to completion. In mid-2013, a US company named South Street Properties bought the Darby family’s entire property portfolio but they did not want to be involved in Christophe Harbour, so they sold it to the Darby Investment Group led by Buddy Darby after a business split between him and his family. However, according to Astaphan, a significant chunk of the financing to get Darby into this new deal came from the St Kitts and Nevis Sugar Industry Diversification Fund (SIDF), which was given shares in the project until repayment of its loan to the Darby Group. Also in mid-2013, Range Developments began construction of the high-end Park Hyatt Hotel at Banana Bay, which is part of Christophe Harbour. “Give credit where credit is due. Range Developments have done a great job with the Park Hyatt, which, I'm told, is to open its doors early in 2017. I've visited the site, it's busy, and the hotel will be impressive, God willing,” Astaphan noted. “Despite a number of silly and unnecessary obstacles that seem to have been thrown onto their path, the Range folks have developed the only hotel at the Southeast Peninsula, and theirs is the only project of note in the area that has proceeded steadily,” he added. Responding to Astaphan’s acknowledgement of more or less the only real progress made in the development of the area, Mohammed Asaria, vice chairman of Range Developments, said, "We are delighted to be completing the Park Hyatt St Kitts. It will be one of the finest hotels in the Caribbean, and is providing jobs for the locals and a prime destination for holiday makers." Returning to the issue on local radio a few days later, Astaphan pointed out that the opening of the planned marina development, financed by the SIDF, was announced in

February 2015. However, he noted that of the planned 24 berthing positions only 11 slips were constructed, one of which is occupied by Darby's luxury yacht, and little else. There is no golf course, and no more than 25 houses have been built in ten years. Despite the Christophe Harbour developers boasting of over $100 million in land sales, he reiterated that the funding for the marina came from the SIDF, describing it as taking from the poor to give to the rich, and still only constructing less than half of the planned capacity. “What happened to the SIDF money? Rat eat it? Whoever set up the arrangement should be sanctioned forever,” Astaphan said. He also drew attention to a civil action filed against Darby and related companies in South Carolina by Summitbridge National Investments IV LLC to enforce a consent arbitration award totalling some $8.8 million, part of $12.75 million borrowed to finance the acquisition of a yacht – presumably the sole occupant of the Christophe Harbour marina. Darby has been ordered to appear in court on November 18, 2016, to produce records and other details of his financial affairs in this regard, and been told not to dispose of any assets of more than $1,000 in value without the court’s permission. Astaphan also referred to another civil action against Darby in South Carolina by SunTrust Bank seeking to recover the balance of $186,205.26 plus interest on a consumer note signed in 2011 in the original sum of $399,999, as a result of Darby’s failure to make agreed monthly repayments of $4,830. “This should be a red flag for entire country. Think of the consequences, the implications of defaulting on a loan of $399,000,” Astaphan said. “When I project into the future with Darby, all I can see is inability and improbability.” Despite several requests for comment, the St Kitts and Nevis government did not respond substantively as to its position on the matter. Equally, the Christophe Harbour public relations firm, The Brandman Agency, did not respond to a request for its reaction or comment for publication on the issues raised by Astaphan. Neither did they respond to a request for clarification of the claim that appears on the agency’s website that the Christophe Harbour complex “includes a world-class super yacht marina and village, elegant turnkey homes, home sites and fractional villas and a comprehensive list of exclusive amenities including an 18-hole Tom Fazio golf course, a Pavilion Beach Club, SALT Plage beach bar” when the only amenities that actually exist are the Pavilion, SALT Plage, some home sites and houses, and 11 mooring slips at the marina. (Caribbean News Now!)

Former National Security and Tourism Minister Dwyer Astaphan

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NAM Leaders Demand Better Treatment And More Respect For Refugees And Migrants MARGARITA ISLAND, Venezuela -- While New Yorkers were on tenterhooks following the most recent discoveries of explosive devices ahead of a major United Nations meeting on Monday, Caribbean, Latin American, African, Arab, Asian and other developing country leaders welcomed the high-level forum called to discuss the world’s response to the global refugee and migration crises. And just in case the latest terror threat in New York draws attention from the main agenda item, Non Aligned Movement (NAM) leaders also called, ahead of the meeting, for nations hosting refugees to protect the migrants against undue exploitation or harm. The 102-member NAM ended its 17th Summit on Margarita Island in Venezuela late Sunday night with a 22point ten-page final declaration that addressed everything from world peace, security and disarmament to climate change, human rights and terrorism. The leaders from Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis and St Vincent and the Grenadines, along with other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) delegations from Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago, joined their other developing-country counterparts from around the world to “welcome the convening of the High Level Meeting to address large movements of refugees and migrants, to be held on 19 September 2016, in New York”. The NAM leaders didn’t name countries, but the Declaration said the UN meeting “represents an opportunity for international community to discuss responses to this growing global phenomenon that mainly affects women and children.” The refugee crisis mainly affects Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia and Australia where, in all cases, the international media exposes the vulnerability of the tens of thousands who risk their lives dodging bullets and braving rough seas in rickety boats to get mainly to Europe. Lured by human traffickers, the victims from countries ravaged by wars and internal conflicts are also frequently taken advantage of and abused in various ways that the NAM leaders don’t want the world to miss or forget. According to the Final Declaration from the leaders’ weekend summit that was officially issued to the media on Monday, “They acknowledged the acute humanitarian emergencies resulting from the high number of refugees, mainly due to the conflicts created in the territories of different member states of the movement.” It continued, “They further stressed the importance of translating political statements into tangible support to countries affected the most by this phenomenon, as well as the need to

assist the host countries and communities.” The NAM leaders, at their two-day summit on Saturday and Sunday, also “acknowledged the historical contribution of international migration to nations from an economic, political, social and cultural perspective”. In this regard, they “reaﬃrmed the responsibility of governments, at all levels, to safeguard and protect the rights of migrants, in accordance with international and domestic laws, including applying, and where needed reinforcing existing laws against all illegal or violent acts”. The NAM leaders were particularly mindful of “acts of and incitement to ethnic, racial, sex and religious discrimination, as well as crimes perpetrated with racist or xenophobic motivation, by individuals or groups, against migrants -- especially in the context of the global economic crisis that increases the vulnerability of migrants in host countries.” It is uncertain whether any of the Caribbean leaders will be present in New York on Monday, but several of the delegations from the NAM member-states, including some from the Caribbean, ﬂew directly from Margarita to New York, through Caracas, to attend the High Level UN Meeting on Refugees and Migration. (The Diplomatic Courier) (Caribbean News Now!)

With the founding fathers and earlier leaders looking down overhead, the leaders attending the 17th Summit of the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) on Margarita Island in Venezuela on Sunday night signed a Declaration calling on the United Nations to ensure refugees and migrants, most of whom are from developing countries, are treated with respect and their rights protected in the countries they go to seeking greener pastures

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Suriname Police Kill Three Robbery Suspects By Ivan Cairo Caribbean News Now contributor PARAMARIBO, Suriname -- After a failed robbery attempt on Saturday night in the north of the Surinamese capital of Paramaribo, police said they shot and killed three of the suspected robbers. A fourth suspect, who was also shot, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was arrested. The suspects were allegedly two Jamaicans, one Guyanese and one Surinamese national. Meanwhile one of the dead assailants has been identified as a Surinamese convict who escaped from the Hazard Prison in Nickerie four years ago. According to a police report, officers in the Geyersvlijt Police Bureau received information regarding an ongoing robbery at a supermarket in the Anamoestraat and dispatched a unit to investigate. The shopkeeper disclosed that four men, two wearing masks and armed with a shotgun and pistol, raided the supermarket and held him and his wife at gunpoint. While the bandits were tying the couple the man screamed for help and subsequently a neighbour came to their rescue. The suspects fled the scene with the loot and a security guard who at the time was passing by gave chase. The gunmen fired several shot at the guard who luckily remained unharmed while the windshield of his car was shattered. Eventually the robbers were cornered by police and, during a shoot-out with the lawmen, three of them sustained serious injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene. Officers recovered a shotgun with the barrel and butt cut off and part of the loot. Meanwhile, in the aftermath at least three suspects were

arrested, including two women one of whom was the partner of one of the dead men. Information indicated that the suspects were shot merely 30 yards from their home. When one of the women saw the body of her husband she became hysterical, which subsequently led police to her home, where oﬃcers recovered several items that appeared to be the loot from previous robberies. One man and two women who were present were arrested and are currently assisting police with the investigations. (Caribbean News Now!)

The four suspects on Saturday night after the deadly encounter with police. Photo: Suriname Police Corps

St Kitts-Nevis Gets Assistance From RSS In Fight Against Crime BASSETERRE, St Kitts (SKNIS) -- Law enforcement and security officials under the umbrella of the Regional Security System (RSS) are in St Kitts and Nevis to lend support to the local police “in operational engagements”. Prime minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Timothy Harris, revealed this on Monday as he addressed the nation in the traditional radio and television broadcast to mark more than three decades (33 years) of political independence from Great Britain. Noting his government’s serious commitment “to protect our country by all means necessary”, Harris, who is also the minister responsible for national security, said, “We pledged that we would leave no stone unturned to keep our country safe. We will utilize all resources, local, regional and international in our effort to uproot crime. In furtherance of this public pledge, I am pleased to advise that Cabinet, after consultation with the Royal St Christopher and Nevis Police Force, as well as with the St Kitts-Nevis Defence Force, has sought the assistance of the RSS.” According to its website, the RSS was created in 1982 and relies on “mutual cooperation, in order to maximize regional security in preserving the social and economic development of our people”. The member states are Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines. The St Kitts and Nevis public got a look at the men and women from neighbouring countries there as part of the RSS contingent during Monday’s Independence Day Parade. They were a part of the unarmed units and marched past in quick time at the parade. Harris said, “The details of the operational engagements were worked out by the RSS, our own Police High Command led by Commissioner Ian Queeley, Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Wallace of the St Kitts-Nevis Defence Force and Permanent Secretary, Osmond Petty in the ministry of national security.” He added that they will work with law enforcement to remove illegal guns, arms, ammunition and more from the hands of criminals. Harris asked “for the full support of everyone to save lives”. “A disciplined society must work to root out the destructive influences that retard our progress, besmirch our reputation and restrain the forward drive for prosperity for all,” the prime

minister said. “Crime, particularly violent crime, holds back our potential to excel. It adversely aﬀects the investment climate and destroys job opportunities.” Over the past 17 months, the government has invested heavily in the security forces. In 2016, the ministry of national security was granted $47.6 million in the Budget to carry out its recurrent activities and $15.4 million for capital projects, which was 8.7 percent more than the 2015 ﬁgure. However, Harris said extra budgetary support was provided for operations. Additionally, the number of police training was increased, the K9 Unit was expanded, the forensic capabilities were upgraded, and an enhanced telecommunication system was installed. The structure of the High Command was revamped and two strategic plans were also introduced. (Caribbean News Now!)

Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris inspects a contingent of members from the Regional Security System (RSS)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS Caribbean Pollution Experts Meet In Jamaica PAGE 35

KINGSTON, Jamaica -- At a recent regional workshop convened by the UN Environment - Caribbean Environment Programme, (UNEP CEP) in Jamaica from August 15-17, over 30 national and regional experts committed their support to the continued development of the region’s first state of marine environment report for the Caribbean Sea. The development of the report will be financed by two regional projects funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) – the Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems Project (UNDP/GEF CLME+) and the Integrating Water, Land and Ecosystem Management in Caribbean Small Island Developing States (GEF IWEco). The contributions from these two projects are expected to be in excess of US$100,000. Addressing the experts during the workshop, Christopher Corbin, UNEP CEP’s programme officer with responsibility for its pollution sub-programme, explained that many countries in the wider Caribbean region have “limited data on the levels of pollution of their marine environments and that this was being compounded by inadequate national monitoring capacity”. Corbin further highlighted that the lack of pollution data hindered the ability of governments to identify “pollution hot spots” and focus their Interventions in areas with the highest environmental and human health risks. According to recent UNEP reports, pollution continues to be one of the most significant threats to coastal and marine ecosystems and to public health in the wider Caribbean region. This assessment report is expected to support harmonized regional approaches for managing transboundary pollution and to protect fragile coastal and marine resources. The main challenges identified for developing the report included: (1) Selecting the most appropriate and cost-effective methodology; (2) Ensuring quality of data; and (3) Gaining access to existing pollution-related information.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

Improving knowledge about the state of the marine environment including identifying the major sources and impacts of pollution is one of the objectives of the Land Based Sources and Activities (LBS). Protocol The LBS Protocol, which was adopted in 1999 and became law in 2010, requires countries in the wider Caribbean region to: “take all measures to prevent reduce and control pollution” of the Caribbean Sea. The development of the region’s ﬁrst state of environment report is just one of many ongoing activities by UNEP CEP and partners to provide capacity-building support that will enable regional governments to better assess the quantities, types, sources and impacts of land-based sources of marine pollution. The ﬁrst draft of the report is expected to be presented at the third conference of parties to the LBS Protocol to be held in early 2017. (Caribbean News Now!)

Participants at the regional technical workshop held in Kingston, Jamaica

Grenada Hosts OECS Animation Training ST GEORGE’S, Grenada -- The Caribbean Regional Communications Program (CARCIP) recently launched its animation training programme at the T A Marryshow Community College in Grenada. The project, which is funded by the World Bank IDA SDR has three OECS countries: Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Saint Lucia as its immediate beneficiaries in Phase I The overall cost of the first phase is US$25 million, of which US$3 million is a grant. The funding allocation for such a project is as follows: a) Grenada’s credit is in the amount 6.5 SDR (equivalent to US$10 million); and b) St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines each 3.9 SDR (equivalent to US$6 million). The regional grant is equivalent to US$3 million targeted at the Caribbean Telecommunication s Union project. This is an IDA credit with a final maturity of 40 years and a grace period of ten years. The countries can anticipate a ten-year grace period. The CARCIP project is structured in three primary components, viz: a) regional connectivity infrastructure; b) ICT-led innovation; and c) implementation support. A fourth component is already scheduled but can only be expected post Phase 1 of the project. The fourth component will be aimed at improving government and private sector efficiency and transparency by leveraging the regional broadband infrastructure towards delivery of a wide variety of e-services. Malfinis Film and Animation Studio is expected to be in Grenada for the next five months conducting training for CARCIP and the Grenadian government at the newly retrofitted lab at the T A Marryshow Community College. The programme, which launched 6th September, seeks to train and expose 25 unemployed youth in the art of animation. In accordance with the outline of the CARCIP project, the training in animation is just a small component of the overall project within the ICT-led innovation. Following the five- month programme, which is characterized as of continuous assessment, the participants are expected to undertake an examination to fulfill the requirements of Toonboon professional certification, which represents a hallmark of the global standards and benchmark of the animation industry. The students on successful completion are expected to be prepared for the global network of the players in the industry and will get the opportunity to present themselves for consideration for internships and employment at production studios. Alice Bain, the CARCIP project coordinator, delivered remarks during the brief opening ceremony and orientation of the participants. Her focus was on the value of the course, which is free to the participants, who she said had to undergo an aptitude selection process. However, she also encouraged the commitment that they ought to make in order to derive true value and reward from the opportunity offered to them. Managing director of Malfinis Film and Animation Studio, Milton Branford, expressed his pleasure and gratitude for being selected with the progress that his company has made in being chosen to provide the 2D animation training and certification programme for CARCIP (Grenada). Branford outlined in his introduction the scope of career possibilities that exist in the industry for the participants. He provided an outline of the animation training program, schedules and expectations, and the process and value of certification – which was also reinforced by the T A Marryshow Community College and the Centre for Excellence. Malfinis has a contingent in Grenada, which comprises its senior animators – Tevine Loctar and Francis Butcher. Butcher who is the facilitator of the training for the five months is a Toonboon certified animator. The Malfinis team was accompanied by David Jordan of Giordano Associates Ltd. Giordano Associates has Classroom of participants at the T A Marryshow Community College offered and enabled the business development and advice to this initiative. (Caribbean News Now!)

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Caribbean Airlines Could Become Saint Lucia’s National Air Carrier Prime Minister Allen Chastanet has expressed his government’s island-hopping carrier, LIAT, which has struggled over many years to willingness to have Trinidad-owned Caribbean Airlines made Saint stay in the air. (St. Lucia News Online) Lucia’s national air carrier given the many issues facing air transport in the region. The prime minister made this announcement on Monday evening during a live press conference on the National Television Network, stating that this may be the best option right now for Saint Lucia. “This means that Caribbean Airlines would now be able to fly between Saint Lucia and Barbados and Trinidad and even go to Puerto Rico and other places,” he declared. Chastanet, a former tourism minister, noted that people are frustrated with LIAT, and explained that the regional carrier cannot resolve all of the transportation needs of the region by itself. It was also observed that the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCCAA) is a major impediment to competition in the region, simply because it has not allowed the entry of other airlines. “I am convinced that ECCAA cannot be fixed,” Chastanet told the news conference, adding that he would like to move Saint Lucia’s Civil Aviation Authority away from ECCCAA. “Moving our aviation to Trinidad will I believe, encourage other people to be able to open up an airline in Saint Lucia or in some of the other Islands,” he added. Chastanet has firmly stated Prime Minister Allen Chastanet. that Saint Lucia would not be providing any financial support to the

IMF Funds For Jamaica WASHINGTON, Sept 20, CMC – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is providing Jamaica with US$39.6 million and is commending the island for its continued commitment to reform the economy. The IMF said in a statement late Monday that its executive board concluded the 13th review of the US$932.3 million four year Extended Fund Facility (EFF) Jamaica has with the Washington-based financial institution. It said that as a result of the review, Jamaica will receive immediately 39.6 million. The IMF said Jamaica’s continued commitment to the demanding reform programme even in the fourth year of programme is commendable. “All quantitative performance criteria for end-June 2016, as well as the continuous quantitative program targets and structural benchmarks, were met. Domestic confidence indicators are at an all-time high, and there are improving signs of economic activity, including agricultural recovery, strong performance in tourism and manufacturing, increased FDI (foreign direct investment) inflow, and stronger private sector credit growth.”. The IMF said that real gross domestic product (GDP) growth is estimated at one per cent for the financial year 2015-16 and is projected to reach 1.7 per cent in the next fiscal year. But the Washington-based financial institution warned “important risks to the programme remain. “Higher growth dividends, more job creation, and improved living standards will be essential to maintain social support for the reform agenda. Safeguarding growth-enhancing capital spending is essential for employment and job-creation.” It said assessing

banking sector competition, improving land titling, as well as developing mobile money and agency banking services will help alleviate constraints to financial inclusion and investment. “The rebalancing from direct to indirect taxes provides an opportunity to improve compliance and increase incentives for production and effort. At the same time, protecting the poor and vulnerable is a high priority, which requires developing and implementing a well-designed plan to enhance Jamaica’s social protection framework to ensure inclusive and equitable growth. “Controlling the wage bill and reprioritizing public spending to areas where the need is highest, including by delivering public services costeffectively and efficiently, are vital to support a dynamic private sector,” the IMF said. (Antigua Observer)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS Grenada PM To Unveil Budget In November PAGE 37

ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, Sept 20, CMC – Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell will unveil his country’s 2016-17 national budget on November 25. The government is now engaged in consultations with various stakeholders including the private sector, labour movement and civil society groups. “The consultations have been very engaging and many interesting and practical suggestions have been put forward. The Government will be assessing the suggestions to determine what is practical to implement in 2017 and what may require further research and analysis,” according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance. It said discussions are also being held with other government departments and that “consultations are also being planned with other stakeholders including stakeholders in Carriacou and Petit Martinique”. Grenada’s Homegrown Structural Adjustment Programme which had the support of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and other international donor comes to an end

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

on December 31 this year and Prime Minister Mitchell, who is also the Finance Minister, has already indicated that his administration would be seeking consultations with the various interest groups on the way forward. (Antigua Observer)

Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell

Guyanese Deported Over Incident With Schoolgirl A Guyanese national was handed over to immigration officials yesterday after appearing in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on an assault charge. The 48-yearold farmer of Apartment #1 Arrindell, Government Hill, St Michael, who only goes by the name Mankad, pleaded guilty to the offence, which occurred on September 17. According to the facts read by police prosecutor Sergeant Neville Watson, Mankad was sitting on a bus next to a teenaged girl when he placed his hand on her thigh and caressed it. The teenager reportedly pushed his hand away and moved to a different section on the bus before taking a picture and alerting her mother about the situation. It was the girl’s mother who contacted police. The teen later pointed out the accused man, who was in Speightstown at the time, to police. However, Mankad, who said he only has vision in his right eye and was on his way to sell hammocks when the incident occurred, told Magistrate Douglas Frederick that he did not mean the girl any harm. He admitted to touching the young lady, but said the mistake occurred when the bus turned and he was left struggling to hold on to “three big bags”. The magistrate then called the virtual complainant to the stand, accompanied by her parents, and explained what Mankad had said before the Guyanese man offered an apology. “I am sorry . . . I just come to make

a dollar, I didn’t mean to do no harm to you,” Mankad said, to which Frederick replied: “As a young girl she did what was right and her parents took the necessary action.” Mankad was reprimanded and discharged before he was handed over to immigration. (Barbados Today)

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French MP Inquiry Calls For Abattoir Video Cameras be studying ways to improve the working conditions of abattoir employees. The commission delivered its 255-page report on Tuesday and among the 65 recommendations reported by French media were: Mandatory video monitoring at key sites within abattoirs though deputies say they are mindful of potential abuses of this tool by employers Full-time veterinary officers in abattoirs with more than 50 employees to counter "the feeling of virtual impunity with which certain abattoir employees go about their work" and make sure regulations are followed Modernisation A series of undercover videos revealed shocking conditions of abattoir equipment Mobile abattoirs to and mistreatment in some of France's 941 abattoirs(L214) reduce animal transportation times Improved employee training Setting up a Video surveillance in abattoirs is among measures proposed by national ethics committee L214 said it welcomed the inquiry, a French parliamentary inquiry into slaughterhouse conditions. The commission said it wanted to "shine a light on the 'black which it said had "given a life to hundreds of thousands of boxes'" that made up France's 941 abattoirs. The inquiry was animals that die each day behind the walls of abattoirs in launched after a series of secretly filmed videos shocked the France".It released more video on Tuesday, showing sheep French public. The videos showed animals being treated hanging from chains and struggling after their throats had been violently, while rules on hygiene and humane killing were cut as part of the ritual slaughter of thousands of animals. The ignored. Nearly 100 people were interviewed by the pressure group argued that the commission had limited itself to superficial measures rather than "immediately practicable commission over four months. solutions" such as reducing consumption of meat and animal Documentary filmmakers, veterinarians, abattoir managers products. It also claimed that slaughter without electric and owners as well as academics were among those who gave evidence to the inquiry. Mobile abattoirs Some of the 30 stunning was unambiguously backed by scientists and deputies who made up the commission also made surprise veterinarians. Stunning has been obligatory in the EU since visits to four abattoirs to see conditions for themselves. The 1979 but most countries make exceptions for religious undercover videos that prompted the inquiry were released by communities. Under halal (Islamic) and shechita (Jewish) animal ethics pressure group L214. The inquiry was also said to rules, an animal's throat must be cut quickly with a sharp knife while still conscious. (BBC)

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Donald Trump Jr Compares Syrian Refugees To Skittles

Donald Trump Jr has been supporting his father's campaign Donald Trump's eldest son has caused uproar on social media by comparing Syrian refugees to the fruit-flavoured sweets Skittles. Trying to suggest the US should not accept any refugees, Donald Trump Jr posted an image that asked: "If I had a bowl of skittles and I told you just three would kill you, would you take a handful?'' "That's our Syrian refugee problem." He added: "This image says it all. Let's end the politically correct agenda that doesn't put America first." The food analogy has been used before to imply that, if a few people in a group are bad, it would be dangerous to take a single one in. The language in Donald Jr's tweet was used in a post by conservative radio host Joe Walsh in August. But following the tweet by the Republican presidential candidate's son, the company that owns Skittles, Wrigley, stepped in. "Skittles are candy. Refugees are people," said Denise Young, vice-president of corporate affairs for Wrigley America. "We don't feel it is an appropriate analogy," she added. "We will respectfully refrain from further commentary as anything we say could be misinterpreted as marketing." There has been no reaction from Donald Trump's campaign. But Nick Merrill, Hillary Clinton's travelling press secretary, earlier tweeted that Donald Jr's post was "disgusting". Angered by Donald Jr's statement, some people posted images of child refugees on their Twitter feeds. Many of the posts both mocked the comparison and tried to highlight the plight of Syrians caught up in their country's civil war. In a tongue-in-cheek article, Washington Post journalist Philip Bump did some calculations around Donald Jr's statement, using data showing that the annual chance that an American would be murdered by a foreign-

born terrorist was 1 in 3,609,709. Based on his sums, it would take about one and a half Olympic swimming pools of Skittles in order to find three killers. Singer John Legend also pointed out that the same logic behind refusing Syrian refugees could be applied to the human race: Other people on Twitter used the meme to reflect on their feelings about the 2016 presidential race. But many supporters of Trump and right wing commentators welcomed his son's message and hit out at the criticism online, referring to recent attacks in the US. A series of bombings and stabbings in the US - deemed acts of terrorism by officials have heightened security concerns in the country. Donald Trump's hard-line stance on immigration and plans for combating Islamist extremism have drawn both cheers and condemnation ahead of November's presidential election. In August he announced that he wanted to introduce ideological tests for those entering the US, and temporarily suspend visas for people coming from countries "compromised by terrorism". The US has accepted at least 10,000 Syrian refugees so far this year, fulfilling a goal announced by President Obama in 2015. Both President Obama and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton have insisted that closing the door to refugees would be against American values and have called for more to be accepted. (BBC)

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India Stabbing: Bystanders Watch As Delhi Woman Killed Indians have reacted with outrage after passers-by watched a woman being stabbed more than 20 times on a busy street in the capital, Delhi. CCTV footage showed a man on a motorcycle approach schoolteacher Karuna, 22, who died in the attack. He is seen stabbing her repeatedly as people walk by, before hitting her on the head with a stone and kicking her. Locals did eventually intervene when he tried to escape. Police say they have charged the suspect with murder. "She was attacked as she was walking with her cousin at around 9am. It seems that the assailant started liking her Scrutiny of violence against women has increased since the when they used to be neighbours earlier, 2012 gang rape of a student, but attacks continue(AFP) but since he was married, she never paid attention," senior police official Esha Sunday evening, 28-year-old Laxmi was stabbed to death in Pandey told the BBC. Local media had quoted the victim's front of her house in full view of her neighbours by a man who brother as saying the assailant had a history of harassing his then killed himself, the Times of India newspaper reported . Her sister, and the family had filed a police complaint against him. family told reporters that she had previously filed a police Earlier deputy commissioner of police, Madhur Verma, told complaint against him for stalking. Scrutiny of violence against reporters that "the family had lodged a complaint four-five women in India has grown since the 2012 gang rape and murder months back and both the families had reached a compromise". of a student on a Delhi bus, and has led to the formulation of Images of the murder and the fact that many passers-by did not tougher laws aimed at dealing with such attacks. However, stop to help the victim have caused outrage.The stabbing in brutal attacks against women and children continue to be Burari is the second instance of a woman being fatally attacked reported from across the country. (BBC) by an alleged stalker in the Indian capital in two days. On

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

Syria Conﬂict: UN Suspends All Aid After Convoy Hit

The UN has suspended all aid convoys in Syria after a devastating attack on its lorries near Aleppo on Monday. The strikes, which witnesses say came from the air, destroyed 18 of the 31 lorries and came hours after Syria declared a weekold US-Russia brokered cessation of hostilities at an end. UN chief Ban Ki-moon said the "bar of depravity" in Syria had sunk even lower. Russia and Syria have both insisted that their forces were not involved. Diplomats are now scrambling to salvage the ceasefire deal, with US and Russian officials holding talks in New York on Tuesday. A senior local official of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent was among about 20 civilians killed in Monday's attack at Urum al-Kubra, aid officials said. Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said that after studying video taken at the scene they "did not find any signs of munitions hitting the convoy". "Everything shown in the video is the direct result of a fire which mysteriously began at the same time as a large scale rebel attack on Aleppo," he said. The Syrian military, quoted by state media, said there was "no truth" to reports that the army had targeted the convoy. A media activist who witnessed the attack told the BBC Arabic service that Russian reconnaissance planes had been spotted, apparently filming the passage of the convoy. He said the first strike came at about 19:00 local time on Monday, when a helicopter dropped several barrel bombs. This was followed by rocket and machine-gun fire from aircraft, he said. Grey line Just a day ago, aid workers in Geneva were "almost celebrating" one said, because all the necessary permits had been received, all the warring parties had been notified, and a convoy was finally going to Aleppo province. The 31 lorries were carrying supplies for 78,000 people in Urum al-Kubra. But this morning, the optimistic mood had changed. Aid workers familiar with some of the world's most brutal conflicts were in shock, some close to tears, others expressed

disgust. Vitamins and blankets, books and pencils for children, medicines to treat burns or diabetes have all been destroyed. The head of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent's office in Urum was killed, dying of his injuries as he waited hours to be evacuated. Now the UN and the Red Cross have suspended aid deliveries. Millions of Syrians who had hoped the brief ceasefire might bring some relief will, a Red Cross spokesman said, go on suffering, "and they have been for years". Grey line In unusually blunt language, UN Secretary-General Mr Ban accused the Syrian government of killing the most civilians during the five-year civil war and said "powerful patrons that keep feeding the war machine also have blood on their hands". In his final address to the UN General Assembly, he said the Syrian government "continues to barrel bomb neighbourhoods and systematically torture thousands of detainees." A UN spokesman said earlier that the convoy had received proper permits, and all warring parties - including Russia and the US - had been notified. The President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Peter Maurer, denounced the attack as a "flagrant violation of international humanitarian law". Syrian Red Crescent president Abdulrahman Attar said: "It is totally unacceptable that our staff and volunteers continue to pay such a high price because of the ongoing fighting." The US expressed "outrage" over the attack. Washington has said it will "reassess the future prospects for co-operation" with Russia - an ally of Syria's government. Aid deliveries to besieged areas had been a key part of the cessation of hostilities deal brokered last week. The convoy was being unloaded at a Red Crescent warehouse when the attack began. The aid had been due to be delivered to people in rebel-held areas around Urum al-Kubra, who were last supplied in midJuly. A health clinic near the warehouse was also badly damaged. The attack appeared to signal the collapse of the latest effort by the US, which backs the rebels, and Russia to halt the violence in Syria. "We don't know if it can be salvaged," a senior US official told journalists on condition of anonymity. Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said the chance of renewing the ceasefire was "very weak", Interfax has reported. After Monday's army announcement, activists said Aleppo and the surrounding area had been targeted by air strikes. A member of the civil defence group known as the White Helmets said there had been "heavy bombing on many neighbourhoods" of Aleppo, causing multiple casualties. The Syrian military and rebels had already accused each other of violations before the latest incidents. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

DR Congo Poll Protest: Opposition HQs, Including UPDS Oﬃce, Torched

The headquarters of three opposition parties in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been torched in the capital and two charred bodies have been found at one on of them, a BBC reporter says. The attacks followed Monday's deadly clashes between police and opposition supporters demanding that President Joseph Kabila step down by December. The oﬃce of the main opposition UPDS was among those set ablaze in Kinshasa. It has warned Mr Kabila that it will be "treasonous" to delay elections. The polls are due in November, but the opposition fears that the president wants to postpone them in a bid to cling to power. He has not yet commented on his plans. The constitution bars Mr Kabila, who took power in 2001 following the assassination of his father Laurent Kabila,

from running for office again in a country that has never had a smooth transfer of power since independence more than 55 years ago. At least 17 people were killed in Monday's clashes, including three police officers who were burnt alive, said Interior Minister Evariste Boshab. The opposition put the number of dead at 50, with one witness saying police fired live ammunition into the crowd. The BBC French service's Poly Muzalia in Kinshasa says it is unclear who was behind the subsequent arson attacks on the headquarters of the three parties. The two burnt bodies were found at the headquarters of the the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UPDS), led by veteran opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, our reporter says. Flames were dying down at the headquarters of the Forces of Union and Solidarity (Fonus) when he visited it on Tuesday morning, after it was torched overnight. The headquarters of the Lumumbist Progressive Movement (MLP) in the north of Kinshasa had also been torched. The electoral commission was meant to announce a date for presidential elections on Monday, but has said it will not be possible to hold them in November. Joseph kabila A government-backed effort to work out a solution to the political crisis, called a "national dialogue", has been boycotted by most opposition parties. Mr Kabila's second term is due to expire on 20 December. Last year at least 12 people died in similar protests. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

Teenage Cannabis Use Erises in Europe - EU Espad Survey

Rome smokers: In 2005 Italy banned smoking in enclosed public areas(GETTY IMAGES)

Cigarette and alcohol use among 15- and 16-year-olds is declining across Europe but the numbers using cannabis are growing, an EU survey shows. The Espad report for 2015 includes most EU countries, but not Germany or the UK, and data for Spain is incomplete. In 2015 "current smokers" accounted for 21% of those surveyed, and the highest total was in Italy (37%). In 1995-2015 those using alcohol in the past 30 days fell from 56% to 47%. Top in cannabis use were the Czechs (37%). That ﬁgure for Czech teenagers reporting a lifetime

experience of cannabis was higher than the level in the US 31% in comparable surveys. The average for cannabis use in the European countries surveyed was 16%. That was lower than the comparable figure for Spain - 27%. Cannabis was far more readily available than other drugs such as ecstasy or cocaine. The report found no correlation between anti-drugs legislation and the cannabis data. "Trends in cannabis use indicate an increase in both lifetime and current use between 1995 and 2015, from 11% to 17% and from 4% to 7%, respectively," Espad said. Espad is short for European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs. The results showed large differences in cannabis use among European countries, with an upward trend in Bulgaria, Greece, Poland and Romania, among others. New psychoactive substances (NPS) - not generally controlled under anti-narcotics laws - "seem to be more commonly used than amphetamine, ecstasy, cocaine or LSD," Espad says. NPS chemicals imitate the effects of illegal drugs. Students in Estonia and Poland (both 8%) were the most likely to have experiences with NPS. The European average was 4%. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

US Election 2016: George HW Bush 'To Vote For Clinton’ The Bush clan clearly isn't crazy about Donald Trump, given the way the New Yorker savaged Jeb in the Republican primaries. It's worth noting, however, that the only family member with a political future Texas Land Commissioner George P Bush - has endorsed his party's nominee. The elder Bush does have a bit of a history with the Clintons. Although he and Bill Clinton were adversaries in the 1992 presidential contest, the two formed a friendship after the Democrat left office, co-operating on various charitable efforts. It's unclear how much even an explicit Bush endorsement would help Mrs Clinton, given that most of the establishment Republicans who might break from the party have already done so. This Mr Bush and his wife Barbara have yet to endorse news might make it slightly easier for them to justify Donald Trump's campaign(GETTY IMAGES) pulling the lever for the Democrat in November, however, rather than just sitting the vote out. Neither US Republican ex-President George HW Bush will vote for has his son, Jeb Bush, who unsuccessfully competed for the Democrat Hillary Clinton in November, US news website Politico reports. Mr Bush allegedly made the pledge to Kathleen Kennedy Republican nomination, or other rivals in the race, Ted Cruz and Townsend, niece to US ex-President John F Kennedy. The former John Kasich. Ms Kennedy Townsend, a former Lieutenant president's office has not confirmed the report, with a spokesman Governor of Maryland, posted a photo on Facebook of a meeting saying he was checking. Mr Bush, who held office from 1989 until with George HW Bush, alongside the caption: "The President told 1993, has not endorsed Republican candidate Donald Trump. If me he's voting for Hillary!" Mr Bush's spokesman, however, was George HW Bush is indeed backing Hillary Clinton for president, cautious. "Those reporting how @GeorgeHWBush will vote this that puts four of the five living presidents in the former secretary of year, it's not clear anyone was there to verify KKT [Kathleen state's camp. George W Bush is the lone holdout - at least for now. Kennedy Townsend]. Still checking, keep your powder dry," Jim McGrath wrote. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

US Terror Blasts: Bar Owner Describes 'Exhausted' Suspect law enforcement. Police confronted the suspect, who pulled a handgun and shot one of them."He (the suspect) shot twice and the glass splinters almost hit my store," Mr Bains said.

Ahmad Khan Rahami underwent surgery for a gunshot wound to his leg(AP)

An Indian immigrant businessman has been describing the moment he found the New York and New Jersey bombings suspect napping in front of his bar. Harinder Bains recognised Ahmad Khan Rahami from reports after discovering him slumped against the glass of his pub doorway in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The Sikh told CNN he initially thought the 28-year-old most-wanted suspect was a drunk. Mr Rahami was subsequently arrested after a gun battle with police. Mr Bains encountered Mr Rahami dozing in the vestibule of Merdie's Tavern on Monday morning. The bar owner said he asked the stranger to move along and the suspect apologised. "He didn't seem drunk, he seemed fatigued, exhausted," said the bar owner. After watching television news from another business across the street, Mr Bains was startled to recognise Mr Rahami's face in coverage of the manhunt for the bomber. The tavern keeper alerted

Two officers were taken to local hospitals and treated for nonlife threatening injuries. But Mr Bains deflected credit from US media that he is a "hero", saying it was law enforcement that deserved praise. "I did what I think every American would have done," he said. "We will be more stronger if we do everything together." Mr Rahami, a US citizen born in Afghanistan, is charged with five counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer stemming from the shootout. Police have said his fingerprints and DNA were found at the scene of the Saturday night's bombing in Manhattan, which wounded 29 people, none seriously. Investigators also say they have evidence linking him to a pipe bomb that blew up harmlessly on Saturday morning in Seaside Park, New Jersey, before a charity race to benefit Marines. An unexploded pressure-cooker bomb was found blocks away from the New York City blast. And five explosive devices were discovered on Sunday night in a rubbish bin in Elizabeth, not far from where Mr Rahami was arrested. Mr Rahami - who lived with his Muslim family above their friedchicken restaurant in Elizabeth - is being held on $5.2m bail after undergoing surgery for a gunshot wound to his leg. Authorities have said no other suspects are at large. The blasts have fuelled the debate about US national security seven weeks before the presidential election. Republican candidate Donald Trump and his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, clashed over the terrorism issue. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

Nice Attack: French Police Arrest Men Linked To Lorry Driver

Bouhlel killed 86 people and left another 400 people wounded when he ploughed into Bastille Day crowds in Nice(GETTY IMAGES)

French police have reportedly detained eight men linked to lorry attacker Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, who murdered 86 people on the seafront at Nice. Police carried out a wave of arrests on Monday and Tuesday in and around Nice. Bouhlel drove a lorry into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day on 14 July. He was originally thought to have acted on his own, but prosecutors later said he had

accomplices. Six suspects have already been placed under formal investigation as part of the inquiry. The attack was claimed by jihadist group Islamic State (IS), and anti-terror prosecutor Francois Molins said it had been planned for months in advance. The six initial suspects have been accused of providing Bouhlel either with a pistol or with logistical support. The latest arrests involve French and Tunisian men, reports say. Ceremonies were held on Monday to remember the 229 victims of jihadist attacks in France since the start of 2015. Yasmine Bouzegan Marzouk, who lost three members of her family in the Nice attack, gave a passionate speech in Paris in which she said "these barbarians have no law, no faith, no religion". A Muslim herself, Ms Marzouk told how her 13-yearold relative Mehdi Hachadi was killed under the wheels of Bouhlel's lorry. "The life of a child who had such a promising future was snatched away. He was brought up in the Muslim faith, which says we should respect others and show tolerance," she said. Bouhlel himself was eventually shot dead when police surrounded his 19-tonne lorry. (BBC)

A Day Like Today The seventh art has always enchanted the multitude. It has the power of moving the masses that look to satisfy a common desire, get entertained with the exhibit of fictional or real stories being displayed on a big white screen. Since the successful invention of motion pictures, filmmakers and investors have looked for a way to keep their work profitable and well promoted.The first international film festival was born under an atmosphere of global conflict. This one was inaugurated in Venice, Italy in 1932, but was closed in 1938 due to being used for political propaganda. France then came on the frame and offered to host the gala in 1939, but tensions between the Fascist Germany, Great Britain and the Soviet Union exploded in World War II on that same year, postponing the festival until further notice. World War II lasted six long years.The horrible aftermath of this conflict shocked the globe. People needed to learn to ‘smile’ again. To regain hope in the future. To forget the sound of bullets and missiles. France step up once more, and the International Film Festival was finally reinaugurated in the resort city of Cannes on the French Riviera, a day like today 1946, with the representation of 18 nations.Due to economic reasons the festival was cancelled several times, and rumors of this being promoted just for commercial means stained the gala’s reputation. But the City of Cannes continued to host the yearly ceremony regardless. Today the festival has become an important showcase for European films, considered to be the most prestigious film festival in the world. Source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-cannesfilm-festival

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

Teleportation Step Toward Quantum Internet Canary Islands. But Dr Tittel says his study uses a configuration that could serve as the benchmark for useful city-based quantum networks. Both studies demonstrate that teleportation works over several kilometres of the optical fibre used in metropolitan areas. In future, theoretical devices known as repeaters could help amplify signals, enabling communications - a quantum internet, if you like - over much bigger distances. This could enable the rollout of much more secure communications offered by quantum cryptography. This would enable separate parties to produce a shared and random secret key known only to them that could be used to encrypt and decrypt messages. In the same issue of Nature Photonics, quantum information researcher Frédéric Grosshans from the Université Paris-Sud in Orsay, France, said: Physicists have set a new bar for quantum teleportation: moving "Undoubtedly many interesting quantum information information from one place to another without physically sending experiments in the future will be built on this work. "For the anything between the locations. Two separate teams managed to longer term, the two papers demonstrate that the possibility of teleport information across several kilometres of optical fibre quantum networks that span a city are a realistic proposition, network in two cities. This form of teleportation differs from that which is an exciting vision for the future." (BBC) depicted in Star Trek: it involves transferring quantum states of a light particle, not Starfleet officers. But the method offers huge promise. Teleportation over long distances and across optical fibre networks is an important step towards the ultra-secure communications promised by quantum cryptography. And the set-ups described in studies published in Nature Photonics journal could be seen as building blocks for a future "quantum internet". In one of the papers, Dr Wolfgang Tittel and colleagues describe how they teleported the quantum state of a photon, or light particle, over 8.2km in the Canadian city of Calgary. The process by which information - the quantum state of a photon - is teleported involves creating two photons at the University of Calgary (site B in the aerial photo). One of these photons is sent in a "classical" way along 11.1km of optical fibre to a building near Calgary City Hall (C in the photo), while the other remains behind at the university. Meanwhile, a photon is also sent to the City Hall site from site A (located in the neighbourhood of Manchester). This all results in the quantum state of the photon from site A being transferred to the photon which remained behind at the university (B) through quantum teleportation. This teleportation process occurs via a phenomenon known as entanglement, which describes how sub-atomic particles can be linked even if they are separated by a large distance. The details of entanglement are not well understood; it even befuddled Einstein, who famously described it as "spooky action at a distance". In the other Nature Photonics study, Qiang Zhang and Jian-Wei Pan from the University of Science and Technology of China, Shanghai, used a different set-up to achieve teleportation over a 30km optical fibre network in the Chinese city of Hefei. In 2012, Anton Zeilinger of the University of Vienna carried out quantum teleportation over 143km of free space between different

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

High Crime Rate Is An Obstacle To Guyana’s Tourism Many businesses in the tourism sector are complaining that the lack of visitors could cause the closure of their businesses. According to former Tourism Minister under the APNU+AFC government Cathy Hughes, the tourism sector’s contribution to Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has been valued at between US$64M to $220M annually or up to 8.8%. She recalled that the World Travel and Tourism Council in 2013 reported that the direct effects of traveler tourism locally amounted to some $16Billion or US$87.9M with a wider effect of $44 Billion or 8.9% of the GDP. The Ministry of Tourism has not spend 50% of the budget allocated to the agency. However, very little efforts are being made to boost the tourism sector. Currently the Ministry of Tourism does not have a policy to foster the marketing of Guyana’s tourism and as a result there is very little investment in the sector. There is also failure to implement a regulatory body to ensure compliance with standards and safety practices in the country’s tourism sector. Apart from the lack of a viable tourism marketing strategy, the government has failed to curb the ongoing crime situation in the country. Because of the perceived increase in criminal activities in Guyana, the percentage of visitors have drastically decreased. Some governments would warn their citizens against traveling to some countries when they believe it is unsafe to do so. This was the case when the Canadian government advised its citizens against travelling to Guyana due to the crime situation. A connection between tourism and crime does not tell us whether the victims are visitors or residents, but it indicates the presence of a link between tourism

and crime as a potential source of negative indication for visitors. Knowing which group of people is more affected by crime may give essential information to better understand possible solutions. For instance, criminal activity that mainly target tourists would impact on the image of a tourist destination as a whole, if on the other hand, the crime is largely committed against residents, this affects the quality of life of locals. Visitors must feel safe when travelling to a country, the government must do more to curb the crime situation in Guyana, and the resultant effect would be increased tourist travel. Business are not investing in the industry because of the lack of visitors, which is a result of poor marketing strategy by the government and the spate of criminal activities in the country.

Mother Of 5 Jailed For Stealing Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan today sentenced Malinda Beaton to 18 months in prison after she appeared before her in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court charged with stealing $280,000 from Kurt Steel. Unrepresented in court, the 31 year-old resident of "A" Field Sophia, pleaded guilty to the charge. In mitigation to the crime, the single mother of ﬁve stated that she only stole the money since she needed it to provide and buy things for her children who are still in school. It was noted that on the September 5, 2016 at Independence Boulevard, Beaton, while having a conversation with Steel inquired whether he would like to purchase her cellphone for $6,000. The virtual complainant would have responded in the negative but stated that the pair could involve themselves in sexual activities after which he would give her the $6,000. However after the two took part in the activities Steel feel asleep and it was then that Beaton stole the money from his pocket.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

High Proﬁle Prisoners To Be Moved To New Prison “Brick” Block

High profile prisoners housed at the Georgetown Prisons, Camp Street, will soon be transferred to a high security, brick prison constructed at a cost in excess of $80M. Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, speaking to media at the Cecil Kilkenny Prison Officers’ Training School, Lusignan, recently, said the “brick block” of the Georgetown Prisons, to house high profile prisoners has minor corrections to be done before being commissioned. “The brick block is completed with the exception of the doors… I didn’t want to risk putting any prisoners there (in its current state) because it was the hard core prisoners who were supposed to go there, into that brick prison,” Minister Ramjattan explained. The faulty door, the Minister said, would be fixed shortly as the contractor has to get back some of the locking system apparatus and paraphernalia from overseas. The brick prison which was built in the compound of the Camp Street jail to house more than 300 high profile prisoners was scheduled to be completed by the end of July. The decision to construct the high security prison block was made following the findings of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the March prison riots at the Georgetown prisons.

During the sitting of the COI into the prison riots, Attorney-at-law Selwyn Pieters who represented the Guyana Prison Service said Government needed to invest financially in constructing a brick prison, since the main prison is housed in the country’s capital city, which is also the country’s business capital. Further, Pieters pointed out that Superintendent Kevin Pilgrim, Officer-in-Charge of the Georgetown Prisons, in his testimony, had said the old wooden structures make it easy for inmates to hide contraband, and pose challenges for officers assigned to the living units. “Wood buildings at the Georgetown prisons…have their place, and their place now is ‘historic relics’; those are not places to house prisoners,” Pieters told the commission at that time

3 Years Jail, $25M Fine For Woman Caught With Cocaine Forty – four - year old Tricia Elizabeth Loo was today sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and ﬁned $25M by Chief

Magistrate Ann McLennan after she pleaded guilty to being in possession of 9.510 kg of cocaine with the intent of trafficking. The mother of four hails from New Amsterdam and at the time of the discovery of cocaine, she was an outgoing passenger on a Caribbean Airlines flight. It was noted by the prosecution that on September 20, 2016, Loo was preparing to depart Guyana for New York and following standard operating procedure, Loo placed her suitcase on the scanner and it was there that officers noticed the

package of the substance. Upon suspicion, Loo was questioned and she admitted ownership of the suitcase. A search was then conducted on the suitcase and it was revealed that the suitcase had false compartments in which the drugs were stowed away. She was then arrested and escorted to the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit of the Guyana Police Force where the drugs were weighed and she was charged.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

UK Backed Security Action Plan To Commence Soon Following a bilateral meeting with with Baroness Joyce Anelay, efficient police force.” He explained In reiterating the need for Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the UN, at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, President David disclosure that Guyana’s Security Sector Reform Action Plan (SSRAP) will soon be operationalized. “We are now on the brink of receiving a team; a team came to do the scoping and another team is going to come to actually do the implementation of the first phase. So I would say that in the last 16 months we have covered a lot of ground to restore the Security Sector Reform Action Plan, as fast as we could and within weeks it is going to be happening,” he said. The US$4.7 billion SSRAP, began in 2007 and was scrapped in 2009 after the British Government had requested to have oversight of the programme, citing reasons being they would like to have ‘value for money’. The former People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Administration had disagreed with the manner in which the British Government had wanted the programme to be run, and had stated that the British had sought to intrude upon Guyana’s sovereignty. However, the British Government had said that the Government of Guyana had submitted a different proposal — this one focused more on police modernization rather than employing a general approach to reform, as was originally requested. Admitting that Guyana lacks border security and that there is illegal activities currently in that hinterland region , President Granger believes that after the implementation of the SSRAP Guyana’s security sector will be strengthen. “We know that there is not only illegal migration but there is also the smuggling of narcotics; there is also contraband; there is also gun running; there is also trafficking in persons and these offences, these crimes are going to be stamped out with a more

border security the president referred to the discovery of an aircraft in at the Yupakari airport, Rupununi, Region 9, President Granger said, “Guyana still does not have the capability to protect its long borders and its vast hinterland from being penetrated by illegal aviators and this emphasises the need for security sector reform… I would like to see a better equipped police force; I’d like to see policemen better paid and I want to see police units with boats, with all-terrain vehicles and with aircraft. We are obviously losing a lot by not being able to protect our hinterland.” President Granger also participated in several other bilateral meetings, including with Fiji, Ghana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. He is expected to meet with other world leaders before returning to Guyana.

Jamaican Charged For Overstaying Time In Guyana Jamaican National, Marlon Brown today appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrate's Court charged with failing to comply with Guyana Immigration rules and regulations by overstaying his permitted time in the country. Brown however pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail in the sum of $60,000 and is slated to return before the court on October 07, 2016. The court heard from the unrepresented 35-year-old Jamaican national that he was in Guyana visiting his father who is Guyanese and who works in the interior. He further noted that whilst in Guyana he was staying with family in Linden. There was an objection to bail by the prosecution as they raised the concern of Brown ﬂeeing the jurisdiction, however upon giving the court a ﬁxed address, bail was granted. It is alleged that after entering Guyana on May 4, 2016 and between then and September 20, 2016, Brown, a mechanic, was given a period in which he was permitted to stay in the country, however the accused breached those terms and as such overstayed his time in Guyana.

LOCAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Guyana Is A Reliable Partner In The Fight Against Climate Change -President David Granger PAGE 53

New York, United States – (September 21, 2016) Guyana’s ‘green agenda’, the Venezuela border controversy and security are at the top of the agenda for a series bilateral engagements being conducted by President David Granger on the sidelines of the United Nations’ 71st General Assembly. Even as the Head of State represents Guyana’s cause with regard to the 50year-old threat to Guyana’s sovereignty, the push to transform Guyana into a ‘green’ state has also resonated in meetings with President Hage Geingob of Namibia, President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama of Fiji and Minister of State of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Baroness Anelay. “The message of Guyana has been consistent in all of these bilateral [meetings] and we feel that the visit so far to the United Nations’ General Assembly has served Guyana’s national interest and has given Guyana an image, in the international community, as a reliable partner on the entire green agenda and on the climate change agenda,” President Granger said in an invited comment. The President noted that Guyana’s ‘green agenda’ policy comes at an opportune time as the world has begun to recognise the serious nature of the effects of climate change and the signing of the historic signing of the Paris Agreement at COP 21 has created the international will to act to mitigate impact. He said, “I discussed Guyana’s ability to fulfil its obligations under the Agreement. So the [Sustainable Development Goals] SDGs are central to our development and we have extracted from the SDGs, the green elements, which in my view can satisfy Guyana’s need for economic development, for energy, for environmental protection and also for the employment of young people. It is the right time because the United Nations has thrown its weight behind that programme and the adoption by Guyana of the ‘green agenda’ coincides absolutely with what the United Nations is doing.” Guyana, the President believes, is set to receive more international support from those countries, which generate a lot of green house gases. “Because the line we have taken is that our forests actually help the earth to breathe… Guyana is an asset to Mother Earth and being part of the Guiana Shield gives us greater leverage in making that argument,” he said. Security During the meeting with Baroness Anelay, President Granger iterated the importance of the advancement of the Security Sector Reform Action Plan even as she indicated that the United Kingdom, under new Prime Minister Theresa May, even with the BREXIT vote, remains committed to Guyana and CARICOM as a whole. Following that meeting, President Granger disclosed that the implementation phase of the Action Plan is imminent. “We are now on the brink of receiving a team; a team came to do the scoping and another team is going to come to actually do the implementation of the first phase. So I would say that in the last 16 months we have covered a lot of ground to restore the Security Sector Reform Action Plan, as fast as we could and within weeks it is going to be happening,” he said. The Head of State emphasised the importance of reform in the security sector, noting that Guyana has extensive borders and hinterland areas that are difficult to police. He added that the police force needs to be well equipped and trained and this Action Plan is part of what is needed to ensure security. Referencing the discovery of an aircraft in the Rupununi, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo Region, President Granger said, “Guyana still does not have the capability to protect its long borders and its vast hinterland from being penetrated by illegal aviators and this emphasises the need for security sector reform… I would like to see a better equipped police force; I’d like to see policemen better paid and I want to see police units with boats, with all-terrain vehicles and with aircraft. We are obviously losing a lot by not being able to protect our hinterland. We know that there is not only illegal migration but there is also the smuggling of narcotics; there is also contraband; there is also gun running; there is also trafficking in persons and these offences, these crimes are going to be stamped out with a more efficient police force.” During bilateral meets,

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

President Granger also used the opportunity to update the Heads on the status of the Venezuela border controversy and iterated Guyana’s call for a juridical settlement. The President also expressed his appreciation for the level of engagement demonstrated by Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon. Meetings are expected to continue this week. MOTP Press Release

President David Granger and President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana following a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

President David Granger during a meeting with President Hage Geingob of Namibia

Minister of State of the Foreign and Commonwealth Oﬃce, Baroness Anelay met with President David Granger at the United Nations in New York, on the sidelines of the 71st General Assembly.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

ABRAHAM POOLE FINDS NO OVERT OR COVERT GENDER BIAS AT NCN COMPANY HOPES ARCHIBALD-HAWKE’S DISCIPLINE WILL RESULT IN CHANGE GEORGETOWN, 21 Sept., 2016 - The Board of Directors of the National Communications Network (NCN) last week requested Communications Practitioner, Mr. Abraham B. Poole to examine the facts surrounding Management’s interactions with two of its employees - Ms. Natasha Smith and Mrs. Jocelle Archibald-Hawke - to determine whether the charges of gender bias and accusations of discrimination are justified. Additionally, Mr. Poole was requested to convey his findings urgently together with recommendations for the correction, if necessary, and prevention of such occurrences. The Board of Directors embarked on this course of action in consideration of the mission of NCN and its role as a national entity with a responsibility to model the most enlightened policies of media management and to maintaining the trust of its audiences and the confidence of its stakeholders. Last week Mr. Poole met with the Chairman of the Board, Mr. Bish Panday, and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Lennox Cornette, and determined an approach to undertaking the task. He was granted free access to the relevant management meeting Minutes having a bearing on the issues. Earlier this week the Communications Practitioner met with the members of the NCN’s Management Team and later with the same Team and employee, Ms. Smith, and inquired and received additional details of the management decision and subsequent issues that emerged in implementing of that decision. Mr. Poole has said, “The camaraderie observed and the commitments expressed by all of the members of the management committee contradict the serious accusations and vehement condemnation that NCN Management has been subjected to in recent weeks. I am surprised that there was absolutely no split in the opinion of all the managers that the management intervention, which unfortunately led to the major misunderstanding, was designed to improve the work of NCN and that there was neither overt nor covert gender bias.” According to Mr. Poole, the immediate Supervisor of Ms Natasha Smith, who conveyed to her the management decision, affirmed that the pregnancy of Ms. Smith was not the issue of the management meeting nor was it an issue, in her discernment as a woman. “This was of deep concern to me to determine whether a potentially good management decision was unintentionally discriminatory or was being employed intentionally to the detriment of the career of the employee.” He said that while he has not completed and submitted a Report, he has already identified a number of difficulties in the communications chain and these are correctable and preventable. “The diligence of the Human Resource Manager impressed me favorably and the empathy conveyed to Ms. Smith with the assurance that neither herself nor her pregnancy was the reason for the improvement measure in the presentation of the NCN news.” On the circumstances relative to Mrs.

Jocelle Archibald-Hawke, Mr. Poole said NCN is constrained by trust and expected confidentiality from disclosing an employee's details, even if such disclosures would patently justify its managerial actions. This is a fundamental principle because, after the emotions connected to the issue recede, the employee/employer relationship continues. NCN respects that principle. "It is to the credit of NCN, notwithstanding serious and disturbing infractions, that as a good employer it has opted to be hopeful that discipline would result in change. Further, the compassion that has persuaded the Management of NCN to review and modify by attenuating the disciplinary measure must be seen as an investment in the future of the employee and must not be viewed as organisational weakness. "I am respectful of Management's decision, for, should NCN degenerate into an organisation without rules and discipline and is unregulated then it could not fulfill its mission." “I also wanted to discover whether the NCN work environment was inherently unfriendly to pregnant employees. I did not find any such indications. In fact, colleagues who have been pregnant while in the employ of NCN speak of NCN as a supportive environment.” Reacting to the preliminary disclosures, the Chairman of NCN’s Board made it clear that he was not interested in leading an organisation that was guilty in any form of any inhumane practices. He contends that NCN is an ideal platform from which to foster the rights of women and display gender equity in the workplace. “Our policy is visible daily in our programs and presenters.” The Chairman added, “I could go on to speak of a proposal in the next budget for a facility specifically intended to benefit staff with very young children. And this was all written before the unfounded accusations.” Mr. Poole has been a media practitioner and lectured at the University of Guyana. He holds qualifications in Communications and International Relations and has held several positions while employed by the Government of Guyana, the Guyana Sugar Corporation, and the United Nations Development Program – Guyana, among other organisations. National Communications Network Inc. Press Release

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

I Don't Get No Respect, Says St Lucia PM By Caribbean News Now contributor CASTRIES, St Lucia -- Saint Lucia Prime Minister Allen Chastanet called on members of the media not to disrespect him following a testy exchange on Monday with local journalist, Rehani Isidore. When pressed by Isidore on his frequent travels and a marketing promotion by a local resort run by his sister ahead of a visit to Saint Lucia by Britain’s Prince Harry, Chastanet asked the reporter if he had made any phone calls to substantiate what he was asking. When Isidore answered yes, Chastanet publicly accused the journalist of lying. Addressing the allegations of excessive and unnecessary travel, Chastanet said that, as prime minister, his travel miles are all relative and should be compared to the travels of other prime ministers. “I scrutinize every single trip that I make and if I am going off to meet investors I make sure that it is being paid by a different source… a prime minister can open doors faster, so if I send another minister it means there’s a follow up with letter, there’s a follow up meeting. When you arrive somewhere as the prime minister it says a couple of things: one it says to the people that the country is serious; secondly, it helps expedite the process because it tells you there’s a priority with the country,” he said. At a news conference a few hours later, the prime minister said journalists have a responsibility to “vet” questions and ask for relevant information. Chastanet said that he will be open and honest with journalists and members of the public, with any question being a fair question, an apparent contradiction of his earlier reaction to Isidore’s inquiries. “Prime Minister Chastanet seems to be morphing from a wannabe Donald Trump into a Rodney ‘I don’t get no respect’ Dangerfield,” said Saint Lucian commentator Melanius Alphonse. “Chastanet’s conduct towards the local journalist is indicative of his desire to curb and muzzle the media and censor the flow of information, a paradigm that defines Saint Lucia society today,” he added. The prime minister’s apparent wish to control the dissemination of information in Saint Lucia was highlighted recently in a report that the Cabinet had rejected a proposal from an unnamed minister to end live television coverage of parliamentary proceedings. This followed a widely ridiculed performance in parliament by Chastanet last month, as leader of government business, in several clumsy attempts to introduce new legislation to the House. According to Alphonse, Chastanet’s remarks may have had the desired effect of subduing the media at the subsequent press conference. “Regrettably, the assembled press appeared undermined and shackled, lacking depth in their line of questions, without supporting documents and follow-up questions. The staged ‘press conference’ was a sham,” he said. At the media briefing, Chastanet, in a 19-minute prepared statement, dealt with a number of issues:

Airlift Caribbean Airlines is to become Saint Lucia’s national carrier and the island’s Civil Aviation Authority is to be moved away from the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA). “I would like to move our Civil Aviation Authority away from ECCAA – I am convinced that ECCAA cannot be fixed,” Chastanet told the news conference, adding that he believes ECCAA is an impediment to competition in the region because it has not allowed the entry of other airlines. “Moving our aviation to Trinidad will I believe, encourage other people to be able to open up an airline in Saint Lucia or in some of the other islands,” he said. Seaborne Air services will be commencing service to Saint Lucia soon via George F. L. Charles Airport. Contracts signed by previous government The former government made it difficult for new administration, Chastanet said. There are ambassadors who have contracts with no “out clauses” and investors who were signed up two days before the general elections with no “out clauses” in the contract, he noted. “I have met with some ambassadors, some of whom have recognized that they should resign and have offered to quit, as a result, announcements will soon be made regarding changes in Saint Lucia’s embassies,” Chastanet said. Civil servants were given three-year contracts in May with no “out clauses” and the new government has had to go through a lot of details to work through the situation, he added. State Boards The prime minister said that some state boards did not want to resign, making the process of appointing new board members more extensive than usual. “I have not had the opportunity of moving quicker because obviously there are legal issues and we have to always follow the rule of law,” he said. Continued on next page...

Prime Minister Allen Chastanet

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

I Don't Get No Respect, Says St Lucia PM (Cont’d)

The Judiciary “I knew it was bad but not as bad as it was and that is the judicial system,” Chastanet said, revealing that there is a 4,000-case backlog in the local court system. Law Enforcement The Royal St Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) needs new vehicles and other equipment. “I have a request for 30 vehicles, we are down to two motorbikes, and no computers,” Chastanet said. The forensic laboratory was apparently damaged by an earthquake and is in need of EC$300-400,000 to fix that aspect and then re-commission the lab. The appointment of a new director of public prosecutions (DPP) is to be announced soon, at the new salary scale of grade 21 on a one year contract. The DPP office is understaffed with four lawyers vs. the need for ten. The appointment for a special prosecution for the IMPACS report is coming soon. Attorney General Kim St Rose is on a three-year contract from the previous administration up to Jan 2018 with no out clause. RSM/Grynberg According to Chastanet, the legal dispute is now closed, after government spent $1 million on the case. Taxes

The promised reduction in VAT will be implemented by the end of October. “It will be replaced with other less burdensome taxes, and by ﬁnding alternate ways of taxation,” Chastanet claimed. Economy According to Chastanet, banana exports by Saint Lucia are expected to increase at the rate of 3,000 boxes a week to Martinique. A new 85-room hotel and golf course is planned and Sandals is planning the construction of four over-water suites and a 300-room expansion. As regards the Desert Star Holdings (DSH) development, there is no deal other than a framework agreement. The terms and conditions will be made known when they are available. “DSH is a very ambitious project, I admit that… but I think…. to be able to jumpstart Saint Lucia and create a buzz about Saint Lucia…that is the kind of project that we need to be able to stimulate,” he said. Healthcare The new Owen King Hospital will require EC$20-30 million in current expenditure. “The St Jude hospital is another matter – the current health care system is not sustainable, health care insurance is a necessity,” Chastanet claimed. (Caribbean Nesws Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

Court Orders St Kitts-Nevis Tourism Mnister To Pay Election Debts

By Caribbean News Now contributor BASSETERRE, St Kitts -- The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court has ordered St Kitts and Nevis tourism minister, Lindsay Grant, to pay election consulting fees owed to BuzzMaker, an international political consulting ﬁrm that has worked on hundreds of high proﬁle political campaigns across the Caribbean and the world. In 2009, as political leader of the People’s Action Movement (PAM), an unregistered political party in St Kitts and Nevis, Grant entered into an agreement with BuzzMaker to provide political consulting services in the runup to the 2010 general elections but failed to pay for the services rendered. Buzzmaker invoiced Grant for services rendered during the period July 2009 through December Tourism Minister Lindsay Grant 2009 for a total of US$28,841.20. Grant paid a total of US$18,235, the last payment being on be paid, no matter how powerful the client may be. November 14, 2011. Buzzmaker therefore sought judgment This decision paves the way for our company to not only receive against Grant in the outstanding sum of US$10,606.20 plus payment but also gives hope to anyone else that has found interest in accordance with the terms of the agreement at a rate of themselves in a similar predicament with powerful forces. 5% for every 15 calendar days the outstanding sum remains Agreements deserve to be honoured and work deserves to be unpaid. compensated, no matter how powerful the client may be." In its BuzzMaker's attorneys successfully argued that Grant was liable decision, the court considered and ruled on a number of points of for the debts incurred and the court agreed. Master Fidela Corbin law, including the enforcement of contracts with unincorporated Lincoln struck out Grant's defence, paving the way for associations; the liability of individuals who expressly or BuzzMaker to apply for a summary judgment against the former impliedly authorise such contracts; and the requirement to plead PAM leader. BuzzMaker CEO Matthew McMillan remarked, and prove foreign law. (Caribbean News Now!) "When you sign a contract and provide services, you deserve to

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

Developing Nations At Caribbean Summit Call For Greater Say In UN Reform

MARGARITA ISLAND, Venezuela -- Caribbean, Latin American and other developing nations across the world are appealing for more say in the process of reforming the United Nations (UN). And they also want more say, too, in the selection of the next top oﬃcer at the world’s most important body. Heads of state and government of the 120-member Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) met on Saturday and Sunday for their 17th summit on Margarita Island in Venezuela, where they called for more consideration of developing countries in how and when changes are made at and to the international body. In a Declaration issued to the press on Monday morning, the NAM leaders “reiterated the need to recover and strengthen the authority of the General Assembly as the most democratic,

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who is the new President of the Non Aligned Movement (NAM), delivered the closing address at the two-day NAM Summit on Margarita Island on Sunday evening, promising his nation will proudly lead the world body for the next three years

accountable, universal and representative body of the Organization.” “In this regard,” the declaration added, “they encouraged the establishment of a harmonious and balanced relationship between the main bodies of the Organization, on the basis of the prerogatives provided in the Charter of the United Nations.” It continued, “They further called for the reform of the Security Council, in order to transform it into a more democratic, effective, efficient, transparent and representative body, and in line with contemporary geo-political realities.” The NAM leaders also addressed the matter of the selection and appointment of the secretary general of the United Nations. A process has started that seems to have excluded candidates and views of developing nations that constitute the vast majority of UN member-states. The developing nations also have problems with the mechanisms being used to select the next UN chief. In this regard, according to the Declaration, “They underlined the central role that corresponds to the General Assembly in the process of selection and appointment of the secretary general of the United Nations.” However, the NAM leaders also went on to reaffirm “the need for greater transparency and inclusiveness in the current process of selection and appointment, with due regard to the principles of geographical rotation and gender equality, in the process of selection and appointment of the Secretary General of the United Nations.” The NAM leaders issued the declaration just as world leaders are also gathering in New York for a High Level meeting to discuss the Global Refugees and Migrant Crisis. (The Diplomatic Courier) (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

Suriname Mining Company Signs Multi-million Dollar Export Contract By Ivan Cairo Caribbean News Now contributor PARAMARIBO, Suriname -- Suriname’s state-owned mining company Grassalco recently secured a multi-million dollar deal to supply crushed stone for the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport in Guyana. Grassalco and Zhong Da International Engineering Company will deliver the material in partnership to the client, China Harbour Engineering Company in Guyana. The contracts were signed by Grassalco’s chief executive oﬃcer, Sergio Akiemboto; Wu Qiong, generalmanager of Zhong Da International Engineering Company; and

A barge being loaded on Tuesday in Paramaribo for the ﬁrst shipment of crushed stone to Guyana for an airport expansion project

Sun Wei, project-manager of China Harbour Engineering Company. According to Akiemboto the lucrative US$7.5 million deal comes on the heels of Grassalco’s 45th anniversary on August 30, 2016. He noted that the 300,000 tons of crushed stone is being exported over a period of 12 months. The signing was preceded by an intensive process of negotiations that started in December 2015. The first shipment of about 4,000 tons was expected to take place on Tuesday. Grassalco's CEO Akiemboto further noted that this deal will pave the way for the mining company to secure more deals in the region and Grassalco will eventually play a major role in the economic development in the Caribbean as a supplier of crushed stone. So far, the Guyana deal is the largest contract the stateowned company has signed with a foreign contractor. However, this is not the first regional contract for Grassalco. Several months earlier the company supplied boulders to Barbados for the construction of a sea wall at the Sandals hotel construction project. While Grassalco is the largest supplier of crushed stone in Suriname, the company also produces other building materials such as different types of sand and shells. In November 2014, the company also started a gold production plant where gold is being produced in a sustainable manner without the use of mercury. Grassalco also owns exploration concessions for gold and other natural resources and minerals in Suriname. (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

Venezuelan State Oil Company Will Not Renew Curacao Oil Reﬁnery Lease In 2019

WILLEMSTAD, Curacao -- Venezuelan state-owned oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, SA (PDVSA), will not renew its lease with Curacao's government to operate the 325,000 b/d Isla refinery when the current lease expires on 31 December 2019, the energy ministry said late on Monday. But PDVSA expects that Isla refinery's new operator from 2019 onward will continue to refine, blend, store and ship Venezuelan-sourced crude to the company's export clients mainly in Asia. Venezuela's energy ministry confirmed that negotiations with Curacao's government failed to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement after Curacao's Prime Minister Dr Bernhard Whiteman announced on Monday that a memorandum of understanding was signed with Guangdong Zhenrong Energy.

Under that deal, the Chinese state-controlled commodities trader would invest up to $10 billion in upgrading and modernisingizing the century-old facility. Guangdong Zhenrong would finance 100pc of the capital expenditures needed to modernize the refinery, storage facilities and shipping terminal, build a new gas terminal, and also upgrade the refinery's power and water services infrastructure. "All efforts to reach a new contract with Venezuela did not yield positive results," Whiteman said in a video posted on the Curacao government's website on Monday. "We had to look at other alternatives." PDVSA and the energy ministry "basically ignored all of the Curacao government's efforts in recent months to negotiate a deal to renew the lease under new conditions including a PdV commitment to spend up to $2 billion on environment-related technology upgrades and cleanup at Isla Refinery," said a Venezuelan energy ministry official who disagrees with energy minister Eulogio Del Pino's decision to not seek a new lease. PDVSA is giving up the Isla Refinery it has operated under lease for almost 30 years for financial reasons. "PDVSA doesn't have $2 billion it can commit to Isla's upgrade," the energy ministry official said. (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

Former Cayman Islands Football Official Seeks Separate Trial In FIFA Corruption Case GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (CNS) -- Former Cayman Islands football official Costas Takkas, who was netted in the massive FIFA corruption scandal alongside his former colleague, Jeffery Webb, and numerous other regional

football oﬃcials, is attempting to get a separate trial. According to international sports media reports, Takkas is one of eight defendants who have denied the allegations and are due to be tried together in November, but his attorneys and several of the other defendants will be applying for their cases to be severed. The case was mentioned in a Brooklyn court Monday when Assistant US Attorney Evan Norris also revealed that prosecutors are still in talks with some of the defendants over possible guilty pleas. “We are in ongoing plea discussions with several of these defendants,” Norris said. He told the court that so far, prosecutors have turned over than ten million pages of evidence gathered in the probe to the defendants and new evidence continues to come in. Just last week Swiss authorities provided another two dozen binders of documents relating to the allegations. The men are among the 42 individuals and organisations charged so far in the massive US probe involving more than $200

million in bribes and kickbacks, which were allegedly sought and received by the soccer officials and market executives in relation to promotions, tournaments and broadcast rights. To date, 16 people and two sports marketing companies have pleaded guilty to charges, including Jeffery Webb, the former president of the Cayman Islands Football Association ( C I FA ) a n d t h e r e g i o n a l b o d y, CONCACAF, as well as a former FIFA vice president. The former Cayman Islands banker, who is currently under house arrest in Atlanta on a $10 million bond, is due to be sentenced in November for the crimes he has admitted. Takkas, who was arrested in May 2015 in Zürich, is currently set to be tried with former FIFA officials and executive committee members Jose Maria Marin of Brazil, Juan Angel Napout of Paraguay, Eduardo Li of Costa Rica and Julio Rocha of Nicaragua, as well as Miami-based sports marketing executive Aaron Davidson, Hector Trujillo, a judge from Guatemala and exofficial with its soccer federation, and exVenezuelan soccer official Rafael Esquivel. (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

More Than 50,000 People Demand Solution To Crisis Of 'Ghost Citizens' In The Dominican Republic S A N TO D O M I N G O , D o m i n i c a n Republic -- An Amnesty International delegation and representatives of Dominican civil society will meet the minister of presidency, Gustavo Montalvo, at the Presidential Palace in

the Dominican Republic on 21 September to deliver more than 50,000 petitions from 134 countries urging swift action to tackle the crisis of stateless people in the country. The meeting will take place the week of the third anniversary of a judgement by the country’s Constitutional Court that stripped tens of thousands of people, mainly of Haitian descent, of their Dominican nationality. The ruling effectively made them “ghost citizens” severely limiting their chances of going to school, finding a job or even travelling freely in their country. “President Medina’s new mandate provides a unique opportunity for the Dominican government to continue to undo some of the many wrongs created with the Constitutional Court’s judgment three years ago. Following the efforts made in 2014, finding new solutions for the tens of thousands of Dominicans affected by this measure must be a top priority for the new authorities,” said Robin

Guittard, campaigner on the Caribbean at Amnesty International. Tens of thousands of Dominicans of foreign descent suﬀer the consequences of this discriminatory ruling. A month ago, taekwondo champion Luisito Pie, a Dominican of Haitian descent, won the only medal for the Dominican Republic in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. But many other athletes, including boxing champion Adonis Peguero, are not even allowed to join the national team, as they were not able to get their Dominican nationality back despite the measures implemented in 2014 to address the human drama created by the 2013 judgement. “While Adonis could give so much to his country, like Luisito does, the legal maze created by the Dominican authorities prevents him to fully participate in society and his life remains in a limbo. This injustice must end.” On Friday 23 September at 10.30 am, Amnesty International will join Dominican activists and people aﬀected by the ruling in a protest in front of the Constitutional Court in Santo Domingo. (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

Caribbean Countries Pledge To Empower Women, Girls women, girls and adolescents.. “Your social protection mechanisms for the

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 21, CMC – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries have pledged their “resolve” to achieve positive outcomes for empowering women and girls in the Caribbean as part of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon’s global-inspired movement and as a celebration of his legacy. Speaking on behalf of CARICOM at a special reception Tuesday evening, convened by Ban on the “Everyone, Every Child High-Level Initiative,” Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne praised the outgoing UN Secretary general for his “vision in identifying ‘Every Woman, Every Child’ as a ﬂagship, with its emphasis on enhancing the health and well-being of

initiative inspired the formulation of this ‘Every Caribbean Woman, Every Caribbean Child (ECWECC) Commitment; coordinated by CARICOM and UNFPA, endorsed by the July 2016 Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government and championed by Caribbean First Ladies,” he added. Browne said that the “Every Caribbean Wo m a n , E v e r y C a r i b b e a n C h i l d Commitment” places emphasis on achieving a series of goals by 2020. He said these include being the ﬁrst region in the world to eliminate mother to child transmission of HIV; reducing the number of adolescent pregnancies in each country by at least 20 per cent; achieving universal access of adolescents to age appropriate accurate information, as well as access to quality sexual and reproductive health care services and commodities; and implementing ageappropriate gender and culturally sensitive sexuality education. The commitment also Prime Minister Gaston Browne (OBSERVER media photo) seeks to adapt legal and

prevention of all forms of violence against adolescent girls, and to demonstrate that solutions to women’s health, especially with respect to cervical cancer, rest on an “eﬀective integrated health system, with emphasis on early detection, ‘test and treat’”. Following B a n ’s l e a d e r s h i p , B r o w n e s a i d Caribbean countries have adopted the “He-for-She” campaign involving boys and men as part of the solution. He said this campaign was launched by UN Women and the Jamaica government “and is championed by two famous men – in no particular order of global importance – The Prime Minister of Jamaica and Usain Bolt.” But Browne said the success of “Every Caribbean Woman, Every Caribbean Child” campaign will “obviously depend on fostering partnerships for this US$15 million commitment.” He disclosed that CARICOM countries have already gained the support of the Clinton Global Initiative and several UN agencies, such as UNPFPA, PAHO/WHO and UN WOMEN, adding that “we have overwhelming endorsement from civil society at country level”. (Antigua Observer)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

ACP Secretary General Calls For Reduced Banking Charges On Remittances

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 21, CMC – The Secretary General of the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group, Dr. Patrick Gomes has reiterated a call for reduced banking charges and acceptable correspondent banking arrangements on remittances for developing countries. The Guyana-born Secretary General, addressing a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) round table on migration, said the demands for needed skills in developed countries require well-defined strategies by cooperation between sending, transit and receiving countries. “It is generally agreed that migration has demonstrated positive effects to both sending and receiving countries. The latter receive needed skills in their services sectors. Some ACP States benefit significantly from remittances.” Gomes told the conference that last year, for example remittances to developing countries amounted to US$432 billion, more than three times the Official Development Assistance (ODA) of that year. “The ACP reiterates its call for reduced banking charges and acceptable correspondent banking arrangements on

remittances for developing countries.” He said on the issue of human trafficking and smuggling, “the strength of trafficking networks continues to be on the rise and the ACP Group remains committed to partnerships that aim at tackling trafficking in a more concrete and comprehensive way, for example by providing ACP governments and regional organisations with technical expertise to curb the scope of those networks”. In his presentation, Gomes said that the migration phenomena are a pervasive reality of a globalised century. “However, the upheavals and sheer numbers of forced movements of people, and the attendant humanitarian crises in the last two decades require measures to overcome the negative aspects while strengthening the benefits of migration,” he added. Gomes said this implies attention to multiple drivers of migration -political, economic, social and environmental. “Political drivers, for instance, stem from the prevalence of conflict, wars, persecution and violations of human rights. These contribute to dire consequences for vulnerable populations particularly women and children, the

aged and disabled. “ He said the Agenda 2030 on Sustainable Development (SDGs) underscores the imperatives of peace and security as enablers of sustainable development. “Building peaceful, cohesive and secure societies is therefore a pre-requisite to overcome structural causes of forced migration,” he said, noting that economic drivers include financial instabilities, high rates of unemployment especially youth unemployment, lack of access to health, education and other social services. Gomes warned that these give rise to growing poverty and inequality that push people to migrate, using legal or illegal networks. “From drought and floods climatic disasters give rise to climate refugees,” he said, adding that the ACP Group supports global initiatives such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction aimed at mitigating risks of disaster and the consequent displacement. But he said to address these drivers of migration requires international solidarity through common efforts for effective implementation of Agenda 2030. He said that the ACP-European Union dialogue on migration will continue to treat migration from a development perspective, recognising that it needs to be addressed in its root causes of poverty and absence of economic opportunity. “The SDGs would hopefully address some of the factors that predispose the desperate and alienated to mass migration. In the short to medium term, countries may wish to focus on the proximate causes of migration and those factors that trigger or precipitate mass movements, most of which are political in nature,” Gomes added. (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

Babies Placed In Cardboard Boxes In Venezuelan Hospital.

An image from a hospital in Venezuela showing new born babies placed in cardboard boxes instead of cradles, has gone viral after being shared on Twitter by Director of Human Rights of the

Democratic Round Table (MUD) Mr. Manuel Ferreira. According to Venezuelan Newspaper El Nacional, the photo was taken at Hospital ‘Dr. Domingo Guzman Lander’, located in the City of Barcelona, State of Anzoátegui. The raw image shows evidence the decadent state of the economy in the southern country. National Coordinator of the liberal political movement ‘Vente Venezuela’, Mrs. María Corina Machado expressed her discontent about the image, and the sad reality that this one reﬂects about the situation in the country. Director of Human Rights of the MUD, Mr. Manuel Ferreira stated that the poor conditions in which this hospital is operating is due to the lack of supplies given to the health care facility. Source: http://www.el-nacional.com/politica/MariaCorina-Machado-Venezuela-Madur...

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

Attack On Current Attorney General ‘Unnecessary,’ Says Pierre

Opposition Leader Phillip J. Pierre has called out government for its attack on the current Attorney General Kim St. Rose whose contract was renewed a few months before the June 2016 general elections. Pierre argued that the attorney general does not have to be in a cabinet meeting when political decisions are taken. “The AG is not a magistrate or a

Attorney General Kim St. Rose

judge. The AG is a lawyer what the AG gives is legal advice based on the law. The AG does not take political decisions,” the opposition leader explained. Prime Minister Allen Chastanet on the other hand said he is trying to work with St. Rose, even though he thinks she finds it extremely awkward to be able to sit in his cabinet. The AG was involved in two cases that was brought against the U n i t e d Wo r k e r s Party by the p r e v i o u s administration. One of those cases involves the S o u f r i e r e Constituency matter. Chastanet said, “She finds it difficult to give any advice and has offered no advice on that matter.” The prime minister further stated that AG is a cabinet position and he believes therefore that it needs to be

somebody who has the confidence of the PM, as well as the confidence of the cabinet. Economic Development Minister Guy Joseph recently stated that although St Rose sits in regular cabinet meetings, the government is not very confident that she will work in their best interest. “Do you think she can properly advise the government on how to proceed with legal matters that she brought against current cabinet members in the time of the previous prime minister?” Joseph questioned. The minister said it is normal for government to act on the advice of its AG, but said this is a different situation. “If we are to take advice from the present AG, well, we might as well call Kenny Anthony and ask him how to proceed to court,” Joseph stated on a recent television programme. “We are back again to an attorney general whose advice we cannot trust but who is on contract to the government whether or not we like it. But this is a problem that will be solved, one way or another.” The AG was appointed by the Public Service Commission and the government does not have the power to fire her. (St. Lucia News Online)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

Global Pledge To Stamp Outexposure Drug-Resistant Infections allows bacteria and other infections, including HIV

The 193 countries of the United Nations are to sign a landmark declaration to rid the world of drug-resistant infections or "superbugs". Six years in the making, the international commitment could prevent 700,000 deaths a year, say experts. It is the fourth time a UN declaration has been reached on a health issue - following HIV in 2001, non-communicable diseases in 2011 and Ebola in 2013. The signatories now have two years to report back with an action plan. Apocalyptic risk Experts say treatment-resistant infections pose one of the biggest known threats to humanity today. Without urgent action, it is conceivable that simple infections could soon become entirely untreatable with existing drugs. The problem has been caused by over-use of antimicrobial medicines for humans, animals and agriculture. Repeated

and malaria, to learn how to dodge these treatments by mutating and evolving. Unless new effective treatments are found, routine medical procedures such as hip operations and Caesarean sections could become too dangerous to perform. The nations have committed to: Develop surveillance and regulatory systems on the use and sales of antimicrobial medicines for humans and animals Encourage innovative ways to develop new antibiotics, and improve rapid diagnostics Educate health professionals and the public on how to prevent drug resistant infections The UK has been at the forefront of a campaign to get global action on superbugs. It has pledged £369m to international antimicrobial resistance (AMR) programmes in the past two years. Earlier this year, Lord O'Neill, who led a government review on AMR, called for a $2bn (£1.5bn) investment in global innovation funding for research by 2020. The signatories at the United Nations General Assembly in New York have agreed to pool funding, already totalling about $790m (£600m). The UK's chief medical officer, Prof Dame Sally Davies, said: "Drug-resistant infections are firmly on the global agenda, but now the real work begins. "We need governments, the pharmaceutical industry, health professionals and the agricultural sector to follow through on their commitments to save modern medicine." The UK has set its own target to reduce inappropriate prescriptions and the incidence of high risk bacterial infections in hospitals by 50% by 2020 and cut the level of antibiotic use in the agricultural sector to 50mg/kg by 2020. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

Charlotte Protests: Police Injured After Black Man Shot community deserves answers and full investigation will

Protesters took to the streets after Keith Lamont Scott was shot in a car park outside a block of ﬂats(REUTERS)

welve police officers have been injured during protests sparked by the police shooting of a black man in Charlotte, North Carolina. Demonstrators destroyed marked police cars around the block of flats where the shooting took place, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department tweeted. One officer was hit in the face with a rock, it said. Earlier on Tuesday, Keith Lamont Scott, 43, was shot by a black officer and died in hospital. Police say he was carrying a gun and posed an "imminent deadly threat", but relatives told local media he was not holding a weapon but a book. "He didn't have no gun," a woman identifying herself as his sister told local television. "He wasn't messing with nobody." Protesters outraged over the incident blocked streets and police used tear gas, local media reported. Mayor Jennifer Roberts appealed for calm, and said the shooting of Keith Lamont Scott would be looked into. "The

ensue," she tweeted. "Will be reaching out to community leaders to work together." The unrest came a day after police in the city of Tulsa, in Oklahoma, said a black man they had killed on Friday was unarmed. Hundreds of people have been protesting outside police headquarters there. Terence Crutcher was walking away with his hands in the air when he was shot by police, his family said. Video footage showed him walking with his arms raised to the door of his vehicle, but a lawyer for the officer who shot Mr Crutcher said he had ignored officers' commands. The footage at the moment of the shooting is not clear. In Charlotte, officers had been looking for a different suspect at a block of flats when Mr Scott was killed, police spokesman Keith Trietley said. They saw Mr Scott get out of a car carrying a gun before getting back in, he said. When the officers approached, Mr Scott got out of the car with the gun again and police opened fire after deeming him a threat. He was not the suspect police were originally looking for, Mr Trietley confirmed. Brentley Vinson, the officer who shot Mr Scott, has been placed on administrative leave as part of police protocol. A woman claiming to be Mr Scott's daughter has contested the police department's account in a Facebook video, the Charlotte Observer reports. She says Mr Scott was unarmed and reading while he was waiting for his son's school bus and was tasered before being shot four times. She also said he was disabled. Police have not responded to the claims but say they recovered a gun at the scene. (BBC)

Charlotte Protests: Police Injured After Black Man Shot A man wielding a knife has been shot and wounded by security organisation. No-one at the embassy was hurt, Israeli officials officials outside Israel's embassy in the Turkish capital, Ankara. Israeli officials said he had tried to storm the embassy. The office of the Ankara governor said the suspect appears to be "mentally unstable", and no links had been found to any

Riot police guarded the embassy after the attack(REUTERS)

say. Local reports said staff took refuge as the attack began. Several embassies in Ankara were closed late last week amid reports of a possible militant attack. Turkey has been caught up in a series of deadly attacks in the past year, by jihadist group Islamic State and Kurdish militant groups. How dangerous is Turkey's instability? Bomb disposal experts are examining a suspicious package at the scene. The Times of Israel reported that the assailant tried to stab a security guard, who then fired a warning shot before shooting the man in the leg. Turkey's state-run news agency, Anadolu, said the man was carrying the knife wrapped in newspaper before taking it out, brandishing it and shouting. It said he ignored warnings from staff. A spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Emmanuel Nahson, said the man was wounded in the foot. He said: "We don't know if he was attacking police officers or the embassy itself." (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

Berlin Pirate Politician Claus-Brunner In 'Murder-suicide’ said Mr Claus-Brunner would be missed.

A German politician has been found dead in his Berlin ﬂat along with the body of another man, in what police believe was a murder-suicide. Post mortem examinations indicate that Gerwald Claus-Brunner, 44, a member of the Pirate Party, killed himself. The second, younger, man, was killed a few days earlier with a blunt instrument. Prosecutors rejected rumours he had been sexually abused. The party said Mr Claus-Brunner had an incurable illness, but gave no details. In a statement (in German) the Pirate Party did not mention the second man who died, but

Gerwald Claus-Brunner's party lost all of its 15 seats in Berlin's state parliament at the weekend(EPA)

It is unclear whether the pair died before or after Sunday's regional election, in which the party lost all 15 of its seats in the Berlin state parliament. The Pirates' share of the vote plummeted from 8.9% to 1.7%. After the party alerted police to a "farewell letter" sent to their offices, firefighters broke down the door of the politician's apartment in Steglitz in south-west Berlin on Monday. They found both bodies there. The second man's identity has not yet been made public but there are reports that he was in his late 20s. Berliner Zeitung (in German) reported that he may have worked for Mr Claus-Brunner in the past and the authorities said there was evidence that the Pirate politician had been stalking him. He lived in Wedding, 12km (7.5 miles) away and reports suggested that he may have died there before his remains were transported across town to Mr Claus-Brunner's home. Mr Claus-Brunner tweeted for the last time on Friday, saying he had had a "really crap day" and hoped the weekend would be better. In June, he addressed the state parliament with the warning that they would soon have to light a candle in his memory. It is not clear whether he was speaking about his illness, his possible plans for suicide or his party's terrible showing in pre-election polls. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

Zimbabwean 'Flag Abusers' Face Jail

Zimbabweans risk imprisonment for abusing the national flag, the authorities have warned in the wake of anti-government protests. Those who bring it into disrepute face a $200 (£154) fine and/or six months in jail, the justice ministry said. Nobody is allowed to sell the flag without prior permission from the ministry, its statement added. The flag is being used as a symbol of the calls for change by protesters under the #ThisFlag movement. It was started in April by a pastor who wrapped a flag around his neck and in a video posted on Facebook calling for Zimbabweans who were fed up with the perceived mismanagement of the country to stand up for themselves.

The #ThisFlag movement began in April and is calling for change in Zimbabwe(AFP)

Evan Mawarire's social-media movement backed a stay-away campaign in July, the biggest strike action since 2005. He was accused of attempting to overthrow the government but a court dismissed the charges. At his court appearance he was draped in the flag, as were many of his supporters. He since fled the country and is currently in New York where he posted a video on Facebook on Tuesday, again wearing the flag around his neck, protesting outside the UN headquarters. President Robert Mugabe is in New York to attend the UN General Assembly. 'Total insanity' Over the last month there have been several antigovernment protests with people wrapping themselves in the Zimbabwe flag - and the police have now banned marches in the capital, Harare, until mid-October. "Members of the public who engage in any action or activity, which involves the manufacture, sale or use of the national flag in contravention of the law are therefore warned that they are liable to prosecution and are liable to imprisonment if they are found guilty by a court of law," Justice Ministry official Virginia Mabiza said in a statement. Promise Mkwananzi, the leader of young activists who protest under the banner Tajamuka, meaning "we strongly disagree", dismissed the warning. "It is total insanity that government should ban citizens from using their own flag. We are going to continue to make use of our flag. It is our identity," he told the Reuters news agency. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

Could India And Pakistan Go To War?

Could India and Pakistan really go to war? It almost seems an absurd question to ask. After all, both countries have long been nuclear powers -- a deterrent that encompasses the lives of a combined 1.4 billion people. Both nations have also seen some years of relative peace along their border, a break from the wars that pockmarked the 20th Century. And yet, hours after 18 were killed in an attack on an army base in Indian-administered Kashmir, the director-general of military operations for the Indian Army announced that the terrorists carried gear which had "Pakistani markings." An Indian army soldier takes position during an army barracks attack, near the border with Pakistan, September 18, 2016. The allegation unleashed a torrent of fury on social media. "Pakistan is a terrorist state and it should be identified and isolated as such," tweeted Rajnath Singh, India's home minister. Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's Secretary General Ram Madhav took to Facebook. "For one tooth, the complete jaw," he posted, seeming to imply a disproportionate retaliation. On India's many TV news channels, a steady drum beat calling for war gained momentum, reaching a crescendo of sorts in primetime. Arnab Goswami, the host of the country's most-watched English news hour, expressed rage at Pakistan: "We need to cripple them, we need to bring them down on their knees." One of his guests, a retired army general, went a step further: "We must be seen as inflicting punishment on Pakistan by non-terrorist means ... the nation needs a catharsis!" But what about the ready nuclear arsenals both countries possessed? Surely that would be a deterrent? The retired army man, Major General G. D. Bakshi, had a clear answer: "Pakistan is one-fifth the size of India. If we fire even a part of our arsenal, most of it will be on the Pakistani Punjab, from where the Pakistani army comes: Not a crop will grow there for 800 years!" "Let's stop self-deterring ourselves," he cried. Pakistan put together a terse response. Sartaj Aziz, the foreign affairs adviser to Pakistan's Prime Minister, issued a statement saying the country "categorically rejects the

baseless and irresponsible accusations being leveled by senior officials in Prime Minister Modi's government." Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman told CNN that India was "desperately looking for ways to deflect the world's attention from the situation in Indian-administered Kashmir," referring to the protests and unrest there. And emotions have boiled over on the Pakistani side, too. In New York on Monday, an Indian journalist was reportedly asked to leave a press briefing by the Pakistani foreign secretary. "Remove this Indian," were the words an official used in Hindi, according to NDTV, the Indian news channel whose reporter was purportedly forced to walk away. Ground realities "It's easy to get carried away by the public rhetoric we're seeing," says Ajai Shukla, a former Indian army colonel who is now the strategic affairs editor of Business Standard. Sunday's attack is not the first deadly attack on Indian soil that New Delhi has accused Pakistan of having a hand in. In January, another Indian military base was attacked in northwestern Punjab, not far from the border with Pakistan. And then there were the Mumbai attacks in 2008 in which 164 people were killed. While Indian officials continue to link those attacks to the Pakistan government, Islamabad has consistently denied any involvement. In each of these terror attacks, and others like them, there have been calls for a strong Indian response. "When it makes decisions, the (Indian) government is guided by realities, not by a public outcry," says Shukla. "They realize that if they do attack Pakistan it does not play out in India's favor." Shukla points out that India is not strategically prepared to launch an attack -- which he says is a "failure of the planning process." One also cannot ignore the fact that Pakistan has the 11th biggest army in the world, says Shukla. "We're in a symmetrical relationship," he says. "The consequences of any form of attack are far worse than people realize." Perhaps one difference with Sunday's attack, as compared with previous ones, is that some of the calls for an Indian retaliation are coming from within the government itself, which may necessitate action if only to save face. Indian activists burn an effigy of Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during a protest against Pakistan, in New Delhi September 19, 2016. Pakistan is watching the rhetoric in India very closely, says Musharraf Zaidi, an Islamabad-based commentator who has previously served as the principal adviser to the country's foreign minister. "The sentiment of hurt and anger in India is understandable," says Zaidi. "But the Indian assertion that the attackers were from Jaish-e-Mohammad, within a mere three to four hours of the attack, and the notion that the group is an extension of P a k i s t a n i p o l i c y, i s c o m p l e t e l y counterintuitive to even the worst, most cynical notions of Pakistan." Continued on next page...

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

Could India And Pakistan Go To War? (Cont’d) Zaidi says that while Islamabad may once have been supportive of groups that operated in Kashmir in the 1990s, Pakistan had long eschewed that path, with consistent and public statements from the Prime Minister and the army chief. "In 2016, that would be a suicidal policy. Pakistan is a country that is trying to stitch together an economy. It is trying to market itself as a hub of trade for countries like China," Zaidi said. India's tough rhetoric and calls for isolating Pakistan are a bonanza for hawks on both sides, says Zaidi: "It undermines the voices of reason." Global diplomacy The next steps of diplomacy -- or a war of words -- are likely to play out in New York this week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. New Delhi is expected to call for sanctions on its neighbor, for what it alleges are clear moves to support terrorism. Islamabad, meanwhile, is expected to highlight unrest in Indianadministered Kashmir, where a two-month-old curfew persists after mass demonstrations and violence. India's approach will be crucial. For decades, New Delhi has been resolutely aloof on foreign policy: It was one of the founders of the "Non-Aligned Movement," which kept the country neutral to superpower inﬂuence.

But at last week's NAM meeting in Caracas, India was not represented by its Prime Minister for the ﬁrst time since 1961. Instead, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a point of cozying up to the United States. He has met with US President Barack Obama eight times since 2014, and three times so far in 2016. Modi's foreign policy is decidedly more aligned and decisive -- perhaps one reason why his supporters expect a muscular move against Pakistan. (On Monday, for example, #MakePakPay was trending on Twitter in India.) But the overwhelming prerogative for both India and Pakistan remains growth, not war. And in the past few years, India has not heeded public calls for attacking Pakistan and that strategy has served it well. According to a survey released Monday by the Pew Research Center, 81% of Indians hold a favorable view of Modi and 61% approve of his handling of terrorism. While 73% of Indians hold an unfavorable view of Pakistan, 56% favor talks between the two countries to reduce tensions, according to the survey. Much of the world will be hoping Modi listens to the polling numbers, and not the fevered rhetoric on social media. (CNN)

INTERNATIONAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS International Day Of Peace PAGE 73

The International Day of Peace or World Peace Day, is a 24 hour period in which international organizations make an emphasis on the need of world peace, highlighting the unnecessary human cost of war. According to the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) this year’s theme is ‘The Sustainable Development Goals: Building Blocks for Peace.’ The idea to commemorate such an important date, came to life in the annual session of the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) in 1981. A Resolution was proposed by the United Kingdom and Costa Rica, latter approved by the majority of votes. The goals set since that date have seen adaptations through the years, due to the significant changes in the world order. But the principles of the resolution stays the same. The international development through peaceful means, eliminating risk factors such as poverty, hunger, diminishing natural resources, water scarcity, social inequality, environmental degradation, diseases, corruption, racism and xenophobia, that stimulate global conflict. In 2001 an ‘appendix’ to the Peace Resolution was proposed in by the original sponsors of this one. The 21st of September was also declared as day of Global Cease Fire and non-violence. The United Nations at an historic summit of the world’s leaders in New York in September 2015 adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, unanimously approved by 193 Member States of the UN. The new ambitious 2030 agenda calls on countries to begin efforts to achieve these goals over the next 15 years. It aims to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. Peaceful activities that stimulate the international organizations and community in general, are performed worldwide as the day begins. The day starts with the ringing of the United Nations Peace Bell at UN Headquarters, in New York City. This is followed by a minute of silence at noon, and festivities that include forums, prayers and reading in different religions and languages. Music, dances and meals from different cultures are also included to represent social equality. This programme is followed on an international scale. Guyana joined the celebration with a programme of activities sponsored by the

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

Universal Peace Federation in Guyana. Unifying governmental and religious organizations inciting the common civilian to join the celebration, was the main goal of the programme. The UPF's Cycle and Peace Walk 2016 was performed on September 18th at the 15:00hrs in front of the Bank of Guyana, ﬁnishing at the Seawall Bandstand. There, national and international leaders of the UPF, members of ISKOM and special guests, expressed their views, wishes and desires for the date in celebration. Highlighting the necessity for peace and harmony. The celebration will continue with the launching of the Musical Festival of Peace, sponsored by the Universal Peace Federation’s in Guyana, on September 24th. The venue to host the festival is still under consideration. Details on the new location will be given as more information is received. (For Further clariﬁcation about the event contact: Tele #: 227-5072/226-0168 Source: https://www.facebook.com/upfguyana/) S o u r c e s : h t t p : / / w w w. u p f . o r g / u n i t e d nations/international-day-of-peace/2016/7177-u...

INTERNATIONAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Clinton Needs To Stop Taking A Knife To A Gun Fight PAGE 74

If I learned one lesson from the referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union that I would like to teach Hillary Clinton, it's this: don't take a knife to a gun fight. It is a cliche that politics is a contact sport, but like most clichés, it contains a kernel of truth. Elections are brutal -- and they should be: the winner is the person who ultimately wields power. That means that you have to fight at least as hard as your opponent. Again that makes sense: if you won't fight for your own job, why should voters believe that you would fight hard for theirs? Someone seems to have sent the Clinton campaign the pro-EU Remain campaign's playbook for the Brexit referendum. Every gutter-trawling gaffe, error and insult from Donald Trump is met with a bloodless rebuttal which outlines what Clinton's campaign sees as the obvious: based on cold, hard facts, Trump is less suitable to take the office of President than Clinton. But the Presidential campaign is not some academic seminar. Nor is it a game in which a 10 point plan beats no plan by 10 points to nil. The patient accumulation of facts as the basis for rebuttal doesn't work. Facts don't matter emotion does. We learned this the hard way in the UK during the Brexit referendum. Quiet reasonableness didn't cut it. Making the true and factual case that immigration is good for the economy and that globalization has benefited everyone by increasing their wealth wasn't enough. Not nearly enough. In one sense it was simple. A three word slogan like "Take Back Control" is more compelling than a message that seems as though it has been cut and paste from the FAQs page of a website. Half-truths, as the saying goes, are like halfbricks: easier to throw. But the killer blow for those of us who wanted to stay in the EU was that the emotional content of the leave argument overwhelmed the rationality of remain. Emotion repeatedly trumped reason. The same dynamic can be observed in the Presidential campaign. The Clinton campaign -- and its supporters -- often seem to be arguing that Trump is less qualified to be President than Hillary, painstakingly measuring his statements and actions against the metrics of what makes a good Commander in Chief. And, boy does he fail by that measure. Can you trust him with the nuclear codes? Would he stand up for European allies against Putin? Do his economic plans add up? No, no, a thousand times no. Does he channel and further stimulate the ugliest and most dangerous of thoughts?

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

Yes! But that - which would be a weakness in any normal candidate - is his strength. Trump knows what he is doing when he is being outrageous - he is stirring up outrage. Anger is the energy that fuels his campaign. Anger at the elites, at the "other", at the 1%. Whatever the target, the aim is the same: generating a sense of impotent, adolescent frustration and anger among voters, leaving them with only one option : voting Trump. The Clinton campaign seeks to combat this by highlighting the risk of Trump. The problem is that they do this in a dry way when they need to fight fire with fire. The Clinton formula is that Risk = Hazard. The populist formula that Trump exploits is that Risk = Hazard x Outrage. By ranting about the risk he wins hearts and minds then follow. Clinton needs to express outrage - and she should use the forthcoming debates to do this. And she needs to get her proxies out, too. President Obama will have to express the outrage about Trump's repeated statement that Hillary's close protection officers should be disarmed. Perhaps backed up by a victim of political violence, or a relative such as George Wallace's daughter Peggy Wallace Kennedy. The basic point is clear - if Hillary does not engage with the populist politics of Trump on its own terms then she risks losing. The stakes couldn't be higher for Clinton. It's a cruel twist of fate that the most qualified person to ever stand in a Presidential election finds herself running against a populist celebrity candidate. But that's where we are. If Clinton doesn't start taking on Trump directly, she may spend the rest of her life regretting not fighting hard enough or fighting well enough. And as those of us on the wrong side of the referendum result in Britain know, regret is not much fun. (CNN)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

Egypt Migrant Boat Capsize: At Least 29 People Killed At least 29 people have drowned after a migrant boat capsized off the Egyptian coast, officials say. The boat was carrying about 600 passengers, of which about 150 have been rescued, state media reported. The capsize took place off the coast of Kafr al-Sheikh, officials say. Wednesday's incident comes as the head of the EU's border agency recently warned that increasing numbers of Europebound migrants are using Egypt as a departure point. The stricken boat was transporting Egyptian, Syrian, and African migrants, security sources told Reuters. A health ministry official quoted by the AFP news agency said that Sudanese and "other African nationalities" were among the dead. It is not clear where its final destination was, although officials say it was probably going to Italy. (BBC)

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

But who did I kill? Assuming it to be true - 1,700, who are they? Criminals. You call that genocide," he told officials in Davao. "Now the EU has the gall to condemn me." The 71-year-old who has previously called US President Barack Obama a "son of a whore" and UN chief Ban Ki-moon a "fool" - also swore repeatedly, and raised his middle finger in a gesture of defiance. Mr Duterte said on Sunday he needed to extend his crime war for another six months because the drug problem was worse than he expected, adding on Tuesday that he would shield police and soldiers from prosecution. (BBC)

President Rodrigo Duterte has previously called the US president the "son of a whore" and the UN chief "a fool"(AFP)

Philippines' Duterte In Profanityladen Attack On 'Hypocritical' EU Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte launched an expletiveladen attack on the European Union after it condemned his brutal crackdown on crime. Mr Duterte said the EU parliament was acting out of guilt after it called on him to halt "the current wave of extrajudicial executions and killings". He said "hypocritical" former colonial powers like France and Britain were trying to atone for their own sins. Since Mr Duterte took office on 30 June about 3,000 people have been killed. They have been killed either by police or vigilantes, after the new president effectively sanctioned the murder of criminals and drugs dealers. The killings have been widely condemned internationally. The European Parliament said it was concerned about the "extraordinarily high numbers killed during police operations... in the context of an intensified anti-crime and anti-drug campaign", and asked Mr Duterte to launch an "immediate" investigation. But the president hit back angrily, saying the European Parliament's colonial-era ancestors killed "thousands" of Arabs and other peoples. "They're taking the high ground to assuage their feelings of guilt.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

Syria Conflict: Air Strike Kills Five Medical Workers An air strike on a medical facility near the Syrian city of Aleppo has killed five employees of an international aid agency, the group says, including nurses. There have been heavy air raids in and around Aleppo as the United Nations prepares to discuss the failed Syrian ceasefire. The attack came a day after an aid convoy was targeted in a nearby raid. Twenty people were killed in that attack, which the US blames on Russia. The assault, on Monday, destroyed 18 lorries and has been described as a possible war crime. Russia has strongly denied involvement of its own or Syrian planes, and said the incident was caused by fire on the ground and not by an air strike. The Paris-based Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations (UOSSM) said Tuesday's strike on its facility near Aleppo appeared to be targeted. At least nine rebel fighters were also killed, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said. The two successive attacks were "not a coincidence," UOSSM's Dr Zaydoun al Zoubi told the BBC. "Somebody is trying to tell us humanitarian workers are not welcome in Syria, that we are a target, that we will be killed," he said. He called for the truce to be restored. Separately, a Syrian warplane has crashed north of Damascus, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says. The so-called Islamic State group said the plane had been bombing its positions but did not claim they shot it down. Buried under rubble It is unclear who carried out the attack on the medical centre in the rebel-held town of Khan Touman late on Tuesday night local time. The Syrian Observatory said either Syrian or Russian warplanes were responsible, Reuters news agency reports. The strike hit a medical triage point, and killed two ambulance drivers and two nurses who had arrived to transport wounded patients to a more advanced medical facility, UOSSM said in a statement (in French). A fifth medic is thought to have died later of their wounds. The triage centre was completely destroyed. More victims are feared buried under the rubble. The rebels killed were from Jaish al-Fatah, an Islamist group not officially part of the Western-

backed alliance but one that works alongside the Free Syrian Army, the BBC's James Longman in Beirut reports. Blame game Speaking about Monday's attack on the aid convoy, unnamed US officials said the strike was too sophisticated to have been carried out by the Syrian army. Later, White House spokesman Ben Rhodes said: "There only could have been two entities responsible, either the Syrian regime or the Russian government. "In any event, we hold the Russian government responsible for airstrikes in this space." Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman said the US government had "no facts" to support its claim. "There are no craters and the exterior of the vehicles do not have the kind of damage consistent with blasts caused by bombs dropped from the air," a statement from the defence ministry said. However photographs show at least one crater, in a warehouse. The UN had earlier said it was "not in a position to determine whether these were in fact air strikes". Monday's attack prompted the UN to suspend all aid convoys in Syria. The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Peter Maurer, denounced it as a "flagrant violation of international humanitarian law" and said it could amount to a war crime. It occurred hours after the Syrian military declared the end of a week-long truce agreed by the US and Russia. The UN Security Council is due to discuss efforts to salvage the truce later on Wednesday. (BBC)

The air strike came a day after an attack on an aid convoy in nearby Urum al-Kubra(AFP)

LOCAL PAGE 79

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

PPP Commissioners Hit Brick Wall At GECOM Commissioners of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), representing the interest of the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) say they are facing a “brick wall” when it comes to accessing information at the Commission. Bibi Shadick told a news conference at Freedom House today that she along with the other Commissioners have repeatedly asked Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally about the day to day functioning of the Secretariat but never received a response. Shadick further stated that the Commission is responsible for the hiring of all the staﬀ of the secretariat including

polling day staff and therefore the PPP commissioners should have privy to the names on the staff of the agency. “We meet a brick wall every time we ask a question concerning staff at Gecom,”she said. The PPP Commissioners are of the view that the nature of secrecy at GECOM is the reason why people have a high level of distrust for the Commission. Other PPP Commissioners include Robeson Benn and Sase Gunraj. APNU C o m m i s s i o n e r s i n c l u d e Vi n c e n t Alexander, Charles Corbin and Sandra Jones

PAGE 80

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

OP-ED THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

OP-ED: Government Failing Miserably At Education Sector

Parents are complaining that their children are not receiving quality education when comparing to previous years. The Ministry of Education has no plans for the development of the all-important sector. The APNU+AFC government was very critical of the PPP government policies on the education system, however, their antiquated approach to the education system such as distributing boots, bus, bicycle, boats etc. is proving to be irrelevant to the interests of the business sector, future development in oil and gas sector, beyond the borders of Guyana, parents and the students themselves. This is contributing to the increasing incidence of violence and indiscipline in schools, the high level of school drop outs and illiteracy. This leaves the parents and students to find solutions to the country’s failing education system and reflects a serious disconnect between the government’s idea of schooling and theirs. The many underprivileged students have not been able to access the schooling opportunities. Many students are underprivileged and are simply not prepared to access the schooling opportunity, and are thus doomed to failure even before they start. Therefore, the APNU+AFC government’s laidback approach to the education system may have a severe negative outcome. What policies does this government have to fix the education system? Has the Ministry of Education recognized there is a growing problem, and if so, when will they implement a plan to fix it? The Ministry of Education and the Government must realize is that this problem is like wild fire, if measures are not put in place early, the entire country will be consumed by

ignorance and corruption. The Government cannot be given any more time to come up with relevant policies to boost the education system, too late shall be the cry. The education Minister Dr. Rupert Roopnarine and those in authority must accept the fact that their approach to education in the 21st century is seriously ﬂawed. The APNU+ AFC government and the Ministry of Education is failing at the true nature and purpose of education in Guyana. There is no national developmental goals and objectives for the future of Guyana’s children in this sector. Education must be seen as the means by which each and every individual can realize their maximum potential in order to make a positive contribution to the advancement of society and a means by which they can eradicate poverty and develop the country. -By- Edward Johnson

LOCAL PAGE 81

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

Guyana Foreign Currency Shortage Failing The Economy on to the consumers adding to price inﬂation. A

The current shortage of foreign currency in the local banks is creating major problems for businesses in Guyana, especially the importing companies. Due to the lack of availability in foreign currency, many importers have not been able to make purchases from foreign suppliers, such currencies include the most widely traded currencies are the United States dollar, the British pound, and the Canadian dollar. The lack of foreign currency may drive up the prices for imported consumer goods such as food items, personal care, house hold electronics and other major imported items. Manufacturers will also ﬁnd their cost of production rising due to the increased cost of imported inputs and parts. This increased cost will ﬁnally be passed

devaluation would also cause the level of foreign debt to go up. Companies with foreign-exchange loans would be in trouble, and a larger share of the government’s expenses would have to be allocated to servicing its foreign debt. Shortage of Foreign exchange has a number of effects on the economy, which needs to be addressed now if the APNU+AFC government wants to sustain economic growth, low inflation rate, low interest rate and food affordably. Foreign exchange is lifeline to the growth of Guyana’s economy and should always be in full supply if the life of the good economy is to be sustained. A shortage of foreign exchange will also affect areas of the economy such as fuel, fuel drives the economy in many ways. No fuel means no transportation of goods, no production and manufacturing of products, no running of generators in hospital if a patient is in operation room, no long distance travel between points, etc. Fuel shortage is fueling inflation of crucial commodities and services in the country. The health sector is also one of the sectors that is highly affected by foreign exchange shortage. Procurement of drugs need huge forex since they are very expensive. Many patients complained that in most hospitals in Guyana they are only given pain killers because of the lack of drug in the country.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

PPP Commissioners Awaiting Final Report On General, Local Government Elections Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) Commissioner for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Sase Gunraj told a news conference today that the Commission has not received a report on the May 2015 General and Regional Elections. When asked by the Guyana Daily News, what action the commissioners can take in order to get the results submitted, Mr. Gunraj said that, the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) is contending that as a result of the pending elections petition in the High Court that was filed by Ganga Persaud, producing a report on the May 2015 elections will affect the evidence that is to be tabled in Court. He however noted that it is the statutory duty of

the CEO to produce the report. Mr. Gunraj further stated that Commissioners for the PPP had extensive discussion on the issue and is suggesting that the commission come to a compromise for the courts deduce the evidence of the May 2015 elections report from the case. The Commissioner further stated that the commission is also not in receipt of a ﬁnancial report from the CEO for the May 2015 General and Regional Elections nor the March 2016 Local Government Elections. He further stressed that with regards to the 2 Local Government Elections, there is absolutely no impediment with the production and release of the ﬁnal report despite several demands.

GPF Should Review Use Of Firearms In Crowed Area ﬁrearms, especially against children. In general, ﬁrearms

An exchange of gunfire at the Timehri bus park on Tuesday evening between an unknown suspect and a police officer has left 54 - old - year Jean Rodrigues injured. According to reports, the shootout between the police and the alleged suspect started in High Street and culminated at the bus park where Rodrigues was said to have been shot in the lower back. It is alleged that the police officer has since taken the spotlight off himself by claiming that it was the suspect who shot the woman. However, the family of the woman is contending that it was George (only name given for the officer) who shot Rodrigues. Although an investigation is currently underway into the matter, Acting Commissioner of Police, David Ramnarine today told a section of the media that he is unaware that allegations were made against the police in relation to the bus park shooting incident. He said it warrants an internal investigation. Many have questioned why an officer would open fire in a crowed area even if in pursuit of a criminal suspect. The Guyana Police Force (GPF) in the past had to deal with “trigger happy” officers and the allegations come at a time when the GPF is trying to rebuild its tarnished image. Many have questioned the behaviour and conduct of police offers and have long called for the GPF to start observing international practices such as the United Nations’ Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials The UN in its Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials of which Guyana is currently a member of states in Article 3, “Law enforcement officials may use force only when strictly necessary and to the extent required for the performance of their duty.” It explains that “the use of firearms is considered an extreme measure. Every effort should be made to exclude the use of

should not be used except when a suspected offender offers armed resistance or otherwise jeopardizes the lives of others and less extreme measures are not sufficient to restrain or apprehend the suspected offender. In every instance in which a firearm is discharged, a report should be made promptly to the competent authorities.”

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

NCN Boss Continues To Make Pregnant News Anchor Target Practice The saga continues at the state o w n e d N a t i o n a l Communications Network (NCN) Inc. involving its Chief Executive Oﬃcer (CEO) Lennox Cornette and pregnant news anchor Natasha Smith. Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo had recently instructed Cornette to apologize to Smith after he ordered her removed from anchoring the news due to her pregnancy. Smith was reinstated to read the evening news cast after several calls were made by the Guyana Press Association, Women rights bodies, the Ministry of Social Protection and Nagamootoo. But the NCN boss seems to have his mind made up about Smith and continues to make her his target practice for her appearance. Smith today vented her frustration on social media while in the hospital after delivering her baby four weeks prematurely, about the pressure she faces at the State run entity by the Management led by Cornette over her wardrobe. She indicated in her Facebook status the current state of play,

where the CEO continues to be displeased about the way she dresses for TV and the tightness of her outfit. Smith’s frustration was also vented in a month where the indigenous people are recognized for their contribution to Guyana and Smith being one such professional in the field of journalism. She also blamed the pressures from work for her premature delivery of her baby and signaled her acceptance of being fired for making such a statement out of frustration via Facebook. Smith over the last few weeks has seen support from all corners with her colleague Jocelle Archibald-Hawke who was suspended by Cornette for remarks allegedly to another colleague via facebook. Hawke was suspended for one month without pay until calls were made by the same support vein as Smith with the latest being President David Granger, who thought that there should be a more lenient way to deal with such administrative matter. Hawke remains on suspension and a

decision for her to be paid for the month was made. NCN Inc. offers no alternatives or fashion solution for on-air presenters in the form of allowances et al but keeps its position, high standards and expectations for presenters to look a certain way. Only a presenter’s allowance is paid and is insufficient for outfits to read the news or TV presentations. This was also highlighted by Smith in her Facebook status. Over the last few months, employees of NCN Inc. have been complaining of the treatment and pressures they have been receiving from Management

while carrying out their jobs in a time when jobs are difficult to secure elsewhere. The state owned company has also seen a high volume of resignations from senior managers and junior staff within the last three months. There continues to be a call for the Office of the Prime Minister to intervene in the state of affairs at NCN and for the CEO to be brought in line with what is expected from the organization through its employees. An extract of Smith’s Facebook post is inserted within this article for your information.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

Guyana Among 60 Countries To Have Ratiﬁed Paris Agreement On Climate Change

New York, United States – (September 21, 2016) President David Granger was the ﬁrst Head of State to be congratulated this morning by United Nations' Secretary-General Ban Kimoon at a special “High-Level Event on Entry into Force of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change”. The event was convened to specially recognise the deposit of the instruments of ratiﬁcation, acceptance, approval or accession to the Paris Agreement on climate change by those countries that have already completed that process.

President Granger being congratulated by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Guyana's ratiﬁcation of the Paris Agreement on climate change

As of today, 60 of the 197 parties to the Convention have ratified that Agreement, which was signed on April 22, this year. With more than 55 countries having formally joined the Paris Agreement, the first of the two required thresholds to bring it into effect has now been crossed. The second threshold will be met when countries representing a total of 55 percent of global emissions officially sign on. So far, that percentage stands at 47.5 percent. President Granger has indicated that Guyana’s ‘green agenda’ is consistent with the Paris Agreement and the country has demonstrated that it is a reliable partner in the fight against the effects of climate change. “Our forests actually help the earth to breathe and in that regard, Guyana is an asset to mother earth,” he said. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged countries that have not yet ratified the Agreement to accelerate their domestic processes. He said, “I am confident that, by the time I leave office, the Paris Agreement will have entered into force.” At COP 21 in Paris, held from November 30 to December 11, 2015, a landmark agreement to combat climate change and to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments needed for a sustainable low carbon future was reached. One hundred and seventy five countries signed on to that Agreement on April 22 at a signing ceremony in New York. MOTP Press Release

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

Guyana Press Association Statement On NCN

The Guyana Press Association (GPA) is disturbed by the continuing ludicrous, inhumane and degrading positions and actions being taken by state broadcaster NCN against its employees, particularly Ms Natasha Smith and Mrs Jocelle Archibald-Hawke. By way of review, please consider these facts: 1. At a meeting with the GPA on September 6, 2016, the Chief Executive Officer Mr Lennox Cornette, along with his Human Resources and Programme Managers, vehemently denied that Ms Smith was removed as news anchor because of her pregnancy and gave an undertaking to the GPA that Ms Smith would be reinstated as news anchor. 2. After the meeting with the GPA, the Human Resources Manager apologised to Ms Smith and she was back on air the following day as the news anchor. 3. The minutes of the August 8, 2016 management meeting showed that Ms Smith was indeed removed by the CEO because of her “present condition” and instructed a “tight shot” to “remedy the view.” That decision was communicated to Ms Smith by other managers, who all understood the CEO’s direction to be that a pregnant Natasha Smith could not continue as news anchor. 4. Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, on September 7, 2016, stated thus: “From information received and explanations given by the CEO, I am in no doubt that the removal of Ms. Smith was due to her state of pregnancy, and that the act is an attack on her as a woman and as a professional journalist.” 5. The Prime Minister, who has oversight of the state media, advised the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Communications Network (NCN) to tender an unqualified apology to Ms. Natasha Smith for using her pregnancy as reason to remove her temporarily as News Anchor. Mr Cornette issued that apology, expressing regret over the hurt and pain Ms Smith may have experienced. The GPA was satisfied that Ms Smith was returned to anchoring the news. However, the Association was appalled to learn that the management of NCN summoned Ms Smith to a meeting, in the presence of a consultant, namely Mr Abraham Poole, Monday last to again address the issue and to deny that Ms Smith was removed from anchoring the news because of her pregnancy by this time suggesting that her clothing was “too tight.” Further, callously, Ms Smith was asked if she would be willing to retract her statement given the “explanation” she was given. In addition, Ms Smith was

being asked to disclose the names of the managers who informed her of the decision of the CEO at the management. We salute Ms Smith for refusing to withdraw her statement of the events that followed the August 8, 2016 board meeting. The GPA is disgusted that Ms Smith continues to be subjected to this sort of harassment and stress over an issue we thought was over with. The matter has long been ESTABLISHED, as outlined above, that Ms Smith was removed because of her pregnancy and NCN’s latest attempt to resurrect the issue by dragging Ms Smith into the ugly episode she has been enduring for the past two months to seek to exonerate itself is most inexcusable. If NCN wants to do damage control, it would do well by NOT seeking to intimidate and harangue Ms Smith during this crucial time of her pregnancy. Regarding Mrs Archibald-Hawke, the GPA supports her decision not to attend NCN’s management meeting without a representative of the Union. NCN’s statement Wednesday that it was the company’s “compassion” that caused it to review the one-month suspension against Mrs Archibald-Hawke is most unfortunate. NCN should desist from flaunting lofty principles it is failing so miserably at by breach workers’ fundamental rights. NCN can go to the moon and back about why Mrs ArchibaldHawke was suspended; the fact remains that Mrs ArchibaldHawke was suspended SOLELY on the grounds of a post she made on social media against another colleague; NCN should therefore drop the hogwash about her past record. As far as the GPA is aware and NCN’s record could thus prove, Mrs Archibald-Hawke received an excellent performance rating just before she was suspended and received her gratuity in full; it was clear that whatever may have been management’s grouse with her in the past were never considerations for disciplinary action and by suggesting that her suspension had anything to do with her past infractions is disingenuous and an attempt to discredit her character and work, and to drag her through the mud. The GPA maintains that: 1. Mrs Archibald-Hawke was never reprimanded by the company over her comments on social media 2. NO Social Media Policy exists at NCN from which any sanction can be imposed against staff The GPA maintains that the management of NCN is instituting willy-nilly sanctions against employees that are not grounded in any stated management directive or policy. We urge that this practice be discontinued forthwith. Further, the GPA once again hereby issues a call for the intervention of the Chairman and Board of Directors of NCN and the Office of the Prime Minister to look into the operations of NCN. Guyana Press Association Press Release

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

Leaked Bahamas Corporate Data Published In Offshore Database By Will Fitzgibbon WASHINGTON, USA -- New revelations published on Wednesday by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung a n d n e w s organizations from Europe, South America, Asia and Africa reveal fresh information about offshore companies in The Bahamas. Alongside detailed reporting, ICIJ, Süddeutsche Zeitung and other media partners are making details from The Bahamas corporate registry available to the public. This creates, for the first time, a free, online and publiclysearchable database of offshore companies set up in the island nation that has sometimes been called “The Switzerland of the West.” “We see it as a service to the public to make this basic kind of information openly available,” said Gerard Ryle, the director of ICIJ. “There is much evidence to suggest that where you have secrecy in the offshore world you have the potential for wrong doing. So let's eliminate the secrecy.” The cache of documents from the island nation’s corporate registry provides names of directors and some owners of

more than 175,000 Bahamian companies, trusts and foundations registered between 1990 and early 2016. The leaked Bahamian files reveal details of the offshore activities of prime ministers, ministers, princes and convicted felons. Those whose names and offshore links are being revealed for the first time include Neelie Kroes, a former European Union commissioner for competition policy. Kroes confirmed her former directorship of the Bahamian company, Mint Holdings Limited, but said she did not declare her role because the company never became operational. In The Bahamas, company documents can be consulted in person. While the online registry is designed to serve a similar purpose, the

electronic registry information maintained by the Bahamian government is often incomplete. In addition, retrieving one company’s documents will cost at least $10, in conflict with the recommendation of the international association of company registries, which discourages search fees. Jason Sharman, who coauthored a survey of information from 40 corporate registers around the world, said the names of offshore company directors is basic information that should be easily accessible to the public. This information has been combined with data from the Panama Papers and other leaked offshore documents to add additional heft to one of the largest public databases of offshore

entities in history. The Oﬀshore Leaks Database now contains information on close to 500,000 entities linked to 200 countries and territories. The full dataset is searchable and embeddable via ICIJ's online application – visit the dedicated Oﬀshore Leaks database website for more information about the data, tips on how to search and instructions for downloading a raw copy of the database. (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

LBGT Activist Calls On UK To End Discrimination In The Cayman Islands

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (CNS) -- A representative from Colours Cayman, the only organisation in the Cayman Islands campaigning for equal rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community has called on the UK to end the inequity, discrimination and mounting hostility against them. Billie Bryan, who founded the grassroots organisation, is urging the territory’s Governor Helen Kilpatrick to help pave the way for a legal framework providing rights for LGBT people and for the registration of same-sex relationships. Given the absence of local political support, the activist is asking the British to make an order in council to legitimise same-sex unions. With the mounting hostility and the almost total political discrimination against the gay community, Bryan wants the UK to step in and protect their rights and to ensure that the “power of the church” locally is no longer allowed to fuel the discrimination, which, she said, is such that “no politician” has dared to challenge the “legally enforced discrimination that LGBTQ people suﬀer in the Cayman Islands”. Bryan pointed out that, while the current premier has asked people to be fair and stop the intolerance, he has nevertheless made it quite clear he will not be introducing any rights for the LGBT people to enjoy a family life like other members of the wider community, even though this is contrary to the Cayman Islands constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights. Premier Alden McLaughlin is also refusing to introduce any legal framework that would accommodate even the registration of samesex relationships. The LGBT community also has little hope of redress through the courts. With a lack of options, Bryan is seeking the help of the governor and Britain’s overseas territories minister. She has asked to meet Baroness Joyce Anelay, who is visiting Cayman next month and who has been open about her committed support for equity for the LGBT community everywhere in the world. However, when government released details of her visit, there was no indication that Bryan or any other Colours Cayman representative will be allowed to talk to someone who could change the unfair and inequitable treatment and stop the very public discrimination

Members of Colours Cayman in peaceful protest against discrimination of the LGBT community

currently suffered by this community. If the local LGBT community could find the money to challenge the issue in the courts, the outcome, given legal precedent elsewhere, would likely be in their favour. However, the ruling of the court would be limited to a statement of incompatibility with the constitution and would still require the legislators to act. From the 18 members currently elected to parliament, financial services minister Wayne Panton is the only MLA who has offered his support to the gay community and backed the ultimate introduction of a legal framework for same-sex unions. The recent blatant discrimination and intolerance towards the LGBT community, which is being described as an ‘alternative lifestyle’ by those who oppose their right to their own sexuality, also makes a court case very challenging. Bryan said many members of the community have “a real, legitimate fear of losing jobs and being expelled from family and society” if they were to take such public action, especially as there are no laws to protect them. Concerned that almost all legislators have committed to preventing LGBTs ever achieving equality and that the current administration has ignored requests to address the concerns highlighted by the Human Rights Commission, the only course is for the community is to petition the UK to impose some form of legal framework by an order in council. “The LGBTQ people of the Cayman Islands are a minority to which the majority has made its quest to discriminate by legally oppressing and segregating, while the Cayman Islands’ leaders have collectively said ‘no’ to its LGBTQ people. There is nothing within our power to legally change this,” Bryan has said in an open letter to the governor. “It has left no room for the UK not to take action, otherwise it will ultimately be held accountable and face consequences for failing to ensure compliance by the Cayman Islands of its obligations under the European Convention.” Bryan raises the fact that the UK has intervened in many local issues, including ones relating to fiscal prudence and the financial services sector. She said that human rights “should, at the very least, be afforded equal importance” as fiscal concerns. As the LGBT community is wholly disfranchised from the political system, without any hope of making a difference in any elections, Bryan has clearly pointed out the lack of options and asked for either the Equal Marriage Act, 2013 to be extended to the Cayman Islands or at least the Civil Partnership Act, 2004. Although the governor has appeared sympathetic to the cause and her daughter has led a number of initiatives via the local law school to elevate the debate about the rights of gay and lesbian people in the Cayman Islands, the governor has made no comment about the introduction of sanctioned same-sex unions. When Grant Shapps stood-in for the former overseas territories minister, James Dudderidge, on a visit to Cayman in 2015, he said that the issue of same-sex unions was a matter for the local government, though he pointed out that the UK does not support discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation. However, Baroness Anelay has proved to be more of an advocate for human rights than her former ministerial colleague. She has advocated to defend LGBT rights and supported civil society organisations in other parts of the Caribbean. (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

Bahamas AG Stopped Sandals Prosecution On Same Day As Controversial Redundancies

By Artesia Davis Nassau Guardian Senior Reporter NASSAU, Bahamas -- The Bahamas attorney general stopped a private prosecution against the top management of Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort on August 15, the same day the property made 600 jobs redundant, it was revealed on Tuesday. Trade Union Congress president Obie Ferguson said it’s no coincidence. “Obviously from August 15 this nolle prosequi was signed and on August 15 all 600 workers were terminated,” Ferguson told The Nassau Guardian. The dismissals came five days after Sandals general manager Gary Williams and financial controller Ronnie Mirza were arraigned on a private prosecution on allegations that they failed or refused to enter into contract negotiations with the Bahamas Hotel Maintenance and Allied Workers Union (BHMAWU) during the period of November Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson 16, 2015 through July 12, 2016. Williams and on the 15th, and these people were fired on the 15th, and if they met Mirza were accused of intimidating three workers and union officials and firing them unlawfully. BHMAWU with us and they never disclosed to us what they did, that speaks assistant treasurer Santino Higgs, assistant general secretary Latoya volumes.” Asked if the timing of both events could be merely a coincidence, Ferguson said, “It can’t be coincidence. They knew Archer and secretary general Rhonda Huyler were fired on July 20. Although Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson directed the people were going to be fired that morning.” (Caribbean News Now!) criminal case stopped more than a month ago, Ferguson said he just became aware of this on Monday. Ferguson said he remained in the dark about the AG’s position, despite holding two meetings with her subsequent to the redundancies. He said he met with Prime Minister Perry Christie on three occasions. Ferguson said he was assured that both officials were “trying to find a resolution to the matter”. “They should have mentioned to us from August 15, they had already signed off on the nolle prosequi. They should have indicated to us that they intended to discontinue that,” he said. “What is sad is that the Bahamian workers who were charged, their matter is going on. So why wouldn’t the government nolle it? On October 23 they have to be in court. Is The Bahamas for Bahamians or what?” Ferguson was referring to the obstruction case of Omar Bernard, 51; Dwayne Frazer, 44; and the three complainants in the private prosecution. They are accused of blocking access to the resort during a protest on July 15. Although attorney Murrio Ducille, who acted as the prosecutor in the criminal case, said that the matter could be refiled, Ferguson said, “It doesn’t make sense.” “The government controls prosecutions. Even if we bring it back again, we have no control of it,” he said. “We’d just be running around in circles, and as I’ve now discovered that’s what we’ve been doing since the 15th.” “The united labour movement will be taking a position on this matter to bring it to some resolution,” Ferguson said. “We have done what I think any responsible body ought to have done; that is to deal with the government up front, but it’s quite obvious that if the AG signed off

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

St Kitts-Nevis Government Updates Private Sector And Civic Partners On Presence Of RSS Troops

BASSETERRE, St Kitts (SKNIS) -- Leaders from the private sector and civil society in St Kitts and Nevis met with senior government officials headed by Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris on Tuesday to receive an update on ongoing measures to enhance public safety. Deputy Prime Minister Shawn Richards; premier of Nevis, Vance Amory and Attorney General Vincent Byron Jr.; along with the Commissioner of Police Ian Queeley and Commander of the St Kitts-Nevis Defence Force (SKNDF), Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Wallace, met Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris at the head of table (right) chaired with representatives from the the meeting between government and private partners. SKNIS Photo Chamber of Industry and in Nevis,” he stated, repeating the calls by the public to seek Commerce, the Hotel and Tourism Association, the assistance from Scotland Yard in the United Kingdom or the Evangelical Association, the Contractors’ Association and the Federal Bureau of Investigations in the United States. Institute of Chartered Accountants. The recent addition of security personnel from the Regional “Poor security is a threat to prosperity and that is something that Security System (RSS) to buttress local security operations was we cannot continue to allow to happen,” he noted. Amory added the primary topic. Harris said the request for RSS assistance to that the Cabinet had a lot of serious discussions on the decision curb crime represents a serious commitment by his government to seek RSS assistance but in the end was focused on improving to reduce antisocial activities. “We are taking a stand on behalf the security situation. He said that there is distrust by some in of the country and I feel assured that we’ll have the full backing the public, who feel that information relayed to local law of every right thinking person in the country,” he said, enforcement on criminal matters will not remain confidential. dismissing criticisms in some quarters that the move is The use of RSS personnel should therefore help increase excessive. intelligence gathering and enhance another avenue to reduce Harris, who holds the ministerial portfolio for national security, crime he stated. (Caribbean News Now!) stated that the addition of the RSS troops will provide relief for local officers who have been working extremely hard so that they can “renew their strength.” He told the business and civic leaders, “You have met with the police and each time you ask about sustainability you hear the issue of manpower. When we asked Colonel [Wallace] to put on special operations … there was a question of manpower.” To free up soldiers to carry out some of the special duties, Harris said civilians were assigned to do the chores at the SKNDF Base at Camp Springfield that are usually performed by the men and women of the ranks. Meanwhile, Amory reassured the private sector officials that the measure does not signal any emergency plans, but rather is a response to public concerns for the government to heighten its response to criminal elements. “What that is doing for us is responding to the cries of the people. I have had to deal with that

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

Poll Shows That 90pct Of Voters In Curacao Believe Their Vote Doesn't Make A Difference

By Josefina Josepha Caribbean News Now Curacao correspondent WILLEMSTAD, Curacao -- The independent polling research for the 2016 Curacao general election conducted by Caribbean News Now indicates that almost 90 percent of those surveyed believe that their vote would not make a difference, compared to nine percent who believe it would. The question of whether the voters feel that the political race is fixed, and has a fixed outcome was neither asked nor suggested. But it leads to the belief that there might be a low voter turn-out on election day 2016 in Curacao, if everything goes as predicted. The survey also showed that there is a very small percentage differential for the four leading political parties, sufficient to fall within the margin of error, which is an example of how close the 2016 election is predicted to be according to the polling research and the data gathered. The research was conducted over three days of gathering information and covered the areas of Banda Ariba, Central Curacao and Banda Abou; respectively 22.48%, 44.96% and 32.56%, and via three methods of collecting the data, namely in vivo, via mobile and mobile app, and online questionnaire forms. The results also illustrated that approximately 61 percent were in favour of allowing all parties that participated in the primary selection days of August 20 and 21 to participate in the national general election of September 30. In addition, approximately

71 percent of the sample said they did not trust the political parties that are running in the national general election, compared to 12 percent who said they did trust the political parties and 16 percent who were undecided. It is believed from trends that in the face of a low voter turn-out, a combination of KDNT-MFK-MPAS could potentially get greater than 44 percent of the votes to be cast in the general election, but that depends on: • A "quiet" Democratic Party, not bringing issues to the forefront of the public eyes; • The Movementu Progressivo political party being passive and not nullifying or putting their "Schottetje" on the backbench, the far backbench; • UKH becoming more assertive and critical of the diﬀerence between their leader and the other parliamentarians of SVC-2 and that UKH realizes that neither the LGBT nor the youth vote may be in their favour. The major concerns that the voters surveyed expressed: I. That by an overwhelmingly majority of 64 percent they wanted a number of major problems resolved in the order of (1) the economy; (2) Wiels’ death and then a virtual tie between (3.1) the national debt and (3.2) unemployment.

II. The other roughly 18 percent were "Other responses" that were individually expressed and written in by the voter. However, this seemed only to be evident when there was a completely sense of anonymity – for example, when a voter is in the voting booth. When the sample was able to answer in complete anonymity a large majority of the "Other response" were categorized accordingly: "Put Schotte in Jail" - 44% of Other Responses "Cut Parliamentarians Salary" - 17% of Other Responses "Get Rid of Alex Rosaria" - 13% of Other Responses "Get Rid of Navarro" - 13% of Other Responses "Remove Whiteman and Wiels" - 5% of Other Responses "Dishonest Parliamentarians" - 4% of Other Responses "Remove the Dutch Judges from the Curasaleno Courts" - 4% of Other Responses III. The remaining 18 percent of the concerns of the sampling were split between the following stated responses in descending order of value: - Crime - Education - Healthcare and pensions - Equal for everyone - Terrorism. (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

Broadcasting Authority To Launch Investigation Into Corrupt Directors

Chairman of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) Leonard Craig said allegations of corruption against board members Anthony Vieira and Victor Insanally will be fully investigated. In the Wednesday edition of Kaieteur News it was reported that a broadcaster in Essequibo is claiming that two members of the GNBA Board tried to force him to sell his operation to a prominent businessman. Mr. Craig via a press release said that following rounds of meetings which were held so that unregulated cable operators can arrive at a negotiated settlement only with respect to payment of fees up to the end of 2016, one Cable Broadcaster, Mr. Kenwin Charles of Northwest TV Inc. asked to meet with him to highlight several concerns. At that meeting he made a complaint essentially accusing Mr. Anthony Vieira and Mr. Victor Insanally of trying to improperly force him out of doing business on the Essequibo Coast where he had made significant capital investments. Craig said if the allegations can be substantiated, it will constitute a major blow to the integrity of the members concerned. “I will carry out a complete investigation of the facts relating to matters raised by Mr. Charles, I will review the reports of the meetings, elicit a response from the members concerned and will release an official statement in the coming days,” he said. Mr. Craig stated that Mr. Charles indicated to him that he met with the Prime Minister where a similar complaint was lodged. In the article Kaieteur News reported that the Director of Public Information, Imran Khan revealed that a broadcaster had a meeting with them and communicated that there were some issues he had with regards to the functioning of the GNBA and specifically the actions of some members of the Board and that the Prime Minister’s Office is currently reviewing the complaint. Addressing claims made by the newspaper that he and Mr. Vieira do not get along, and because of this works of the board has been hampered, Craig, while not fully denying all the claims said however, “I wish to strongly deny the statement appearing in the Kaieteur News dated Wednesday September 21, 2016 that “Craig and Anthony Vieira - the two main members who seem to despise each other…” as being very

suggestive of my unwillingness to work with Mr. Anthony Vieira.” Craig said that despite Mr. Vieira “abusive” and “obstructionists” views towards him he has always excised restraint and patience. “I have displayed extreme restraint and immeasurable patience and have continually pledged to work with him and all other members of the Board to achieve the best objectives and ensure Public Interest is served,” he said. The chairman went on to say “On the question of the slothfulness of the Board I wish to admit that our work is not as advanced as I had envisaged it should have been at this juncture. This is attributable to the fact that when we assumed oﬃce the Authority was a far cry from what a regulator of this nature should be. As much as there was a regulator in place the Broadcasting landscape remained largely unregulated, weak administrative and compliance structures existed. As such, through its various committees we set out to build an Authority literally from scratch.” Craig concluded by saying he is working hard to guide the Board in the direction of reviewing all existing licences and grant new ones in time for January 2017.

REGIONAL PAGE 92

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

Regional Stakeholders Discuss Caribbean Coastal Zone Issues

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados -- Countries Participants during the conference from left to right: Karima in the Caribbean need to find new, Degia, Baird & Associates; Elizabeth Riley, Caribbean efficient and sustainable approaches to Disaster Emergency Management Agency; Pearline George, manage their terrestrial and marine Conservation and Fisheries Department, British Virgin Islands resources. Daniel Best, director, projects at the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), made this recommendation, noting that these approaches must also prevent further degradation of these resources. He was speaking at the opening of the first Biennial Caribbean Coastal Conference held at CDB’s headquarters in Barbados on September 14-15, 2016. Best told participants that this initial dialogue on the coastal agenda in the Caribbean should lay the groundwork for galvanizing action, improving policy and guiding management of this critical resource. “More than 60% of our region’s population live in coastal areas and almost all of the region’s main urban centres, critical explored hot-button topics, including: the characteristics and infrastructure such as ports and transportation corridors, are economics of coastal resources; regulating and managing the located less than one kilometre from the coast. “Our coastal coastal zone; underused and overlooked critical tools for environments not only provide these socio-economic services sustainable coastal management; and climate change but also important ecological services to which we hardly give implications and solutions. Perspectives shared during the serious consideration: storm protection, erosion control, conference will lead to the preparation of an indicative roadmap freshwater storage and retention, nutrient recycling and for addressing critical coastal zone issues, particularly concerns regarding building resilience to climate vulnerability and atmospheric and climate control,” he said. change in the Caribbean. (Caribbean News Now!) In the Caribbean, there has been increasing conflict around the use of coastal space. Growing environmental challenges also pose a threat to the sustainable use of these resources. Best notes that while climate change and climate variability are expected to further exacerbate these already complex coastal management issues, efforts have to be made to address the situation. “This is no easy task. It requires a number of key actions: applying crosssectoral approaches to policy and management; the development of national and local plans appropriate for local conditions and circumstances to prevent damage and restore infrastructure where it occurs; the development of tools and guidance resources; and capturing, archiving and giving stakeholders access to a range of data and information needs,” he said. The two-day conference on the advancement of the coastal agenda was organized in collaboration with Caribbean coastal engineering company, Smith Warner International Ltd. Nineteen representatives from CDB’s borrowing member countries

REGIONAL PAGE 93

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

St Kitts-Nevis And Germany Ratify Agreement On Exchange Of Tax Information

BASSETERRE, St Kitts (SKNIS) -- On its 33rd anniversary of independence on September 19, 2016, St Kitts and Nevis signed the instrument of ratification with Germany on assistance in civil and criminal tax matters through exchange of information. Prime minister Dr Timothy Harris, said that St Kitts and Nevis appreciates signing the instrument of ratification because it is a responsible member of the international community that believes in accountability, transparency and good governance with other member states. He said that in an era where issues such as correspondent banking is a topical subject, putting in place this necessary instrument of ratification becomes even more significant. Signing on behalf of Germany, Ambassador Lutz H. Görgens thanked the government of St Kitts and Nevis for its cooperation in signing the instrument, while emphasizing its importance in today’s world. The agreement was negotiated between the governments of St Kitts and Nevis and Germany and laid in the National Assembly of St Kitts and Nevis on August 18, 2014. (Caribbean News Now!)

REGIONAL PAGE 94

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

Gang Leader Erects Barricade At Hell Yard

A “mystery” iron barricade has been erected across the public road at HellYard, Beetham Gardens, and senior police officers have seemingly reached a dead end in finding out who is responsible for constructing it. Once the person responsible is located,he or she will have to give answers,Snr Supt of the Porto f - S p a i n Division,McDonald Jacob, said yesterday.When the T&T Guardian went intothe area yesterday, the barricade, paintedin black and white, The illegal barricade which was erected at Hell Yard, Beetham, was fixed acrossthe road, that is engaging the attention of police. (Source: guardian.co.tt) which is located north of HellYard and parallel with aretrying to find out is who put that “No, because if the applicationwas made the Priority BusRoute. Residing beyond barricadethere because we want to get to Town and Country thenit would have to the barricade is saidto be one of itdown. That is the public road. come to the buildinginspector for the Beetham’s notorious gangleaders and We aretrying to see if anybody authorised region and he saidthat he is not aware of it rumours have it that he isthe one allegedly it,”Jacob said. Asked if the San either.” Asked if it could be a move by responsible for erectingthe barricade. Juan/LaventilleRegional Corporation residents for protection, Lambkin said A police officer assigned to the Portof- (SLRC) was contactedabout it, Jacob said that while they understand people may Spain Division said they too hadheard the yes. He saidalso contacted councillor feeling secure and would try to protect rumours and added it waspossible the Franz“Delamo” Lambkin but admitted t h e m s e l v e s , t h e y ( t h e r e l e v a n t barricade was put there totransform that thatthey were yet to get real answers.“We authorities)could not allow anyone to particular area to a“gated community” in were told that it was not thecorporation take the law of the land into their own a bid to keep“outsiders” from entering. and that it could be someonefrom Town hands, because the road was a public one. “We, the police, can pass but if astrange and Country but whenwe checked we He said anyone responsible for the road’s car enters the area those vehiclesare not were told that they arenot aware of any obstruction could be charged. (Antigua allowed to enter. “There are residents who permission beinggiven. Observer) are stationedaround to monitor people But still we are still trying to findout comingin and going out of the area,” because we cannot just go in anddemolish theofficer said. it, especially if someone A resident who lives close to wherethe gaveauthorisation. If someone did they b a r r i c a d e i s l o c a t e d t o l d t h e willhave to give some answers,” Jacob T&TGuardian, under condition of said.Lambkin yesterday confirmed anonymity,that it was erected by one thepolice had enquired about the resident(the notorious gang leader) in a barricade. He also admitted no official bid tobring control and his “own law permissionwas granted to anyone to erect andorder.” Contacted on this Jacob the barricade. He said in order for confirmedthat the T&T Police Service someone to havea closed community was currentlydoing inquiries surrounding there must beownership of the land by the thebarricade.“So far, what we were told principlesintended and an application was thatthe concrete wall that was erected must thenbe made to Town and Country wasdone so by the Government and it forapproval. wasdone by a contractor but what we Asked if that was done, Lambkinreplied:

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REGIONAL PAGE 95

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

T&T Water Supply Under Threat

Source: guardian.co.tt The water supply throughout T&T is now under threat after 75 per cent of the Water and S e w e r a g e A u t h o r i t y ’s (WASA) water treatment plants were shut down last night. The state-owned company is now being told to get its house in order. At about 9.30 last night, approximately 75 per cent of WASA’s water treatment plants were shut down by workers led by Public Services Association president Watson Duke. The workers, numbering close to 80, gathered outside WASA’s public education centre at Farm Road, St Joseph, soon after their action. Shortly after 10 pm, a “crisis talks” meeting was called with WASA chairman, Romney Thomas, chief executive oﬃcer Alan PoonKing, other executive members and members of the board of directors. That meeting lasted until 24 minutes past midnight and the workers were seen walking out of the building with Duke after its completion. Some workers complained that they were threatened by their respective supervisors that they pay for last night would be withheld as a result of their action. However, the workers said it was the least of their concern, as serious health and safety matters need to be addressed urgently by the company. Speaking with the T&T Guardian shortly after he emerged from the meeting, Duke said WASA has been

neglecting its workers for months. “Tonight (last night) the union met the management in a crisis talks in an eﬀort to work with management to keep WASA aﬂoat because of months of neglect by the management to the workers, in so far as providing requisite protective clothing and endangering the lives of the workers by neglect,” Duke said. He assured Thomas that the union is willing to work with him to “get WASA back up and running.” “WASA has shut itself down. It has nothing to do with the workers and the union, it has everything to do with the management,” Duke said. “They have failed to supply the workers with the adequate clothing and devices to protect their health. People are dying on the job and persons are being pursued on the job by strange people. This is too much for

the workers to bear.” He reiterated that “the union is here to work with the management to get WASA up and running so as to provide a r eliab le p o r tab le w at er supply to the nation and it has nothing to do with workers, everything to do with management and their neglect and incompetence.” Duke and the workers are expected to return this morning (Thursday) for further talks with WASA’s

executive to see how best the situation can be resolved in quick time. After the workers dispersed last night, WASA’s executive remained in a closed-door meeting until 1.20 am. Approached by the T&T Guardian afterwards, Poon-King only assured that the country’s water supply would not be aﬀected and added that he will make a further comment on the issue later today (Thursday) (Antigua Observer)

REGIONAL PAGE 96

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

Beware Of Emails On Motor Vehicle Auction — Ja Customs must be paid directly at the Jamaica which is not sold at that auction is put up

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Scammers are allegedly scouting for targets through an email advising of a motor vehicle auction by the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA). The perpetrators, according to JCA, are purporting that the email is from CEO/Commissioner of Customs Major (Ret’d) Richard Reese, and bears the email address reeserr4@gmail.com. “The email contains information about 2014 vehicles in showroom conditions to include payment information, deadlines for payment and processing of paperwork, and a bank account number,” JCA said in a release. Reese informed that all Public Auctions are advertised in the newspapers 30 days prior to the date of the auction sale and all payments – cash or managers’ cheque

Customs Agency Cashier on the day of the auction. All cheques must also be written in the name ‘Collector of Customs’. He further indicated that at no time should people make payments to anyone or entity, outside of these accepted payment channels. Additionally, the agency or the commissioner will at no time use an email to communicate to anyone or the public regarding auction sales, JCA added. The commissioner further advised that the JCA will not sell any item or good, outside of the guidelines that are laid out in the Customs Act and its regulations. He further informed that any item placed on auction, such as a motor vehicle,

for resale by the JCA, at a subsequent auction. “All persons wishing to participate in an auction must register through the JCA. Registration takes place at the Queen’s Warehouse - 230 Spanish Town Road; Queen’s Warehouse - Norman Manley International Airport; and Queen’s Warehouse - Sangster International Airport (SIA); Monday – Friday between the hours of 9:00 am and 3:00 pm. Registration of bidders closes at 3:00 pm on the day prior to an auction. “All motor vehicles are sold through a competitive bidding process and no individual Bidder is accorded special treatment,” JCA explained. (Jamaica Observer)

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 97

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

Syria Conﬂict: Warplanes Set Rebel-Held Aleppo Ablaze convoy on Thursday into Muadhamiya, a Mashariqa.

Rebel-held areas of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo saw the heaviest air strikes in months overnight, activists say, as a week-old truce collapsed. An AFP news agency journalist reported that his entire street in the Bustan al-Qasr district was left burning after warplanes dropped incendiary bombs. At least seven people, including three children, are believed to have died. Fighting also erupted in the southern district, where rebels are attempting to break a siege by government forces. Aleppo, once Syria's commercial and industrial hub, has been divided roughly in two since 2012, with the government controlling the west and rebels the east. Two million people are caught up in the battle for the city, and getting aid to them had been a key part of the cessation of hostilities deal brokered by the United States and Russia. However, no deliveries have taken place so far. A deadly attack on an aid convoy and Syrian Arab Red Crescent warehouse outside Aleppo on Monday, for which Washington and Moscow have blamed each other, prompted the UN to temporarily suspend deliveries across the country. But a spokesman said it was sending a

suburb of the capital, Damascus, where some 40,000 people are living under siege. A tweet from the UN's Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs for Syria later confirmed the convoy was entering the suburb. The spokesman hoped the UN could reach Aleppo "in the near future". The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Thursday that 14 air strikes had hit Aleppo's rebel-held southern Bustan alQasr district and neighbouring Kallasa, leading to "massive fires", amid clashes between rebel and troops. The UK-based monitoring group's director, Rami Abdul Rahman, described them as "the most intense strikes in months" on the two areas and said they had left seven people dead, including three women and three children. The Aleppo Media Centre said the fires were caused by "incendiary phosphorus bombs". Video footage posted by it and another pro-opposition activist group, Thiqa, showed intense blazes lighting up the night sky. The Syrian Observatory said the Amariya, Old City and Project 1070 areas also came under aerial attack, while rebel shells fell on governmentcontrolled Bustan al-Zahra and

Russia and the US, which support Syria's government and opposition respectively, are attempting to revive the cessation of hostilities and will co-chair a meeting of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) in New York later on Thursday. But the prospects for progress are thin, says the BBC's James Longman in Beirut. In an address to the UN Security Council on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that there would be "no more unilateral pauses" by Syrian government forces. US Secretary of State John Kerry meanwhile called for all military aircraft in Syria to be grounded in the wake of the aid convoy attack. US officials told the BBC on Tuesday that their information clearly indicated that it was an air strike, and that two Russian Su-24 ground attack aircraft were in the sky above the convoy at the precise moment it came under fire. Russian officials have vigorously denied the allegation and said that a US Predator drone was flying above the area at the time. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad also defended his key ally on Thursday, insisting that whatever American officials said "had no credibility" and were "just lies". In an interview with the Associated Press, he also said an air strike by the USled coalition against socalled Islamic State in the eastern city of Deir al-Zour on Saturday, which killed dozens of Syrian soldiers, was "definitely intentional". "It wasn't an accident by one airplane," he said. "It was four airplanes that kept attacking the position of the Syrian troops for nearly one hour, or a little bit more than one hour. You don't commit a mistake for more than one hour." (BBC)

Video from the pro-opposition Thiqa news agency showed a blaze lighting up the night sky(THIQA AGENCY)

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 98

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

Egypt Migrant Boat Capsize: Hundreds Feared Dead Survivors from a boat which capsized off the Egyptian coast on Wednesday have told the BBC that hundreds of people may have drowned. The boat was carrying about 550 migrants when it capsized eight miles (12km) off the coast, they say. Authorities have rescued 163 people and recovered 42 bodies so far off the port city of Rosetta. Four crew members have been arrested in connection with incident, Egyptian officials said. They are suspected of involuntary manslaughter and human trafficking, judicial officials were reported as saying. The incident came after the EU's border agency warned that increasing numbers of Europe-bound migrants are using Egypt as a departure point. The UN says that more than 10,000 people have died crossing the Mediterranean towards Europe since 2014. The boat was kept off the coast for five days as more and more migrants were brought on board, survivors told the BBC's Orla Guerin in Rosetta. Just over 100 of those rescued were Egyptians. Migrants were charged extra if they wanted to wear life jackets, she reports. The boat is said to have capsized after a final group of some 150 people were crammed on board. Authorities have been accused of failing to send help fast enough. "Anyone who was saved here, was saved by the local fishing boats,"

fisherman Abdelrahman Al-Mohamady told the Reuters news agency. The victims so far include one child, 10 women and 31 young men, an official in Rosetta told AFP. The boat was transporting Egyptian, Syrian, Sudanese, Eritrean and Somali migrants. Many survivors are now being held in police custody. Rescuers are focusing their efforts on the boat's cold storage room, where it is believed around 100 people took refuge during the capsize. Some teenage Egyptian survivors, huddled together in the basement of a police station, told the BBC they were trying to reach Italy to find work. The Egypt office of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) say high birth rates and few job opportunities are pushing young Egyptians into taking the risk of a dangerous sea voyage. Authorities say Egyptians in police custody will soon be released but foreign nationals will be held for a few days for questioning as to how they entered the country. Human rights researchers warned last month of a "devastating" lack of information for families of migrants thought to have drowned in the Mediterranean, IOM figures, released in July, suggest 2016 could become the worst year to date for migrant deaths. It said about 3,000 migrants and refugees

Rescue eﬀorts continue as migrants wait for missing relatives(REUTERS)

had lost their lives so far this year trying to cross the Mediterranean. EU border agency Frontex says more than 12,000 migrants arrived in Italy from Egypt between January and September, compared with 7,000 over the same period in 2015. It says Egypt is the "new hotspot" for people smugglers, with concerns that its population of about 80 million people may pose a major problem should it descend into chaos. Frontex director Fabrice Leggeri said that work was being done to determine whether there was a link between the drop in numbers departing from Turkey - where only about 50 people a day are trying to make the journey to reach Greece compared to thousands this time last year - and the increase in numbers from Egypt. However, oﬃcials say Libya still remains the biggest departure point with ﬂows at around the same level this year as last year. (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 99

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

US Boy Offers HomeFacebook. To Syrian Refugee In Letter To Obama "Dear President Obama, many users applauded the president's

A six-year-old American boy's letter to Barack Obama, oﬀering a place in his family to a Syrian refugee, has gone viral. Alex, from New York, wrote the letter after seeing the photograph of bloodied and dazed Omran Daqneesh, which prompted outrage around the world. Mr Obama said the letter was from a child "who hasn't learned to be cynical, or suspicious, or fearful". The video has been shared more than 60,000 times on

Six-year-old Alex wrote to Barack Obama, oﬀering a place in his family to the Syrian refugee Omran Daqneesh

remember the boy who was picked up by the ambulance in Syria?" Alex wrote in a letter published by the White House. "Can you please go get him and bring him to our home ... we'll be waiting for you guys with flags flowers and balloons. We will give him a family and he will be our brother." Mr Obama quoted Alex's words at a United Nations summit on the refugee crisis this week, before the White House recorded Alex reading them h i m s e l f . " We should all be more lik e A lex , " th e President wrote. "Imagine what the world would look like if we were. Imagine the suffering we could ease and the lives we could save." On social media,

approach - but reserved most of their praise for young Alex. "A six year old who has more humanity, love, and understanding than most adults. Kudos to his parents," a Texas woman commented on Facebook. "I heard this earlier today, as read by my president," said another. "Even with that preconditioning, made me cry while reading it just now. "Neither of these sweet little boys, someone's sons, are Skittles," she said - referencing a controversial Donald Trump campaign advert likening Syrian refugees to the popular brand of sweets. The US President has urged developed nations to do more to help refugees from the Syrian crisis. In August, the White House said it had admitted 10,000 Syrian refugees to the United States this year. It plans to to take another 110,000 in the 2017 ﬁnancial year, Mr Obama said. More on the refugee crisis A Syrian family adjusting to a life in Canada experience an emotional reunion. (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 100

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

Charlotte Shooting: State Of Emergency Amid Protests viewed by Charlotte's mayor but will not to drop his gun.

North Carolina's governor has declared a state of emergency in the city of Charlotte, after violence erupted during a second night of protests over the police killing of a black man. Keith Lamont Scott was shot dead by a black officer on Tuesday. One protester remains in a critical condition after a "civilian on civilian" shooting, police said. Mr Scott was the third black man killed by US police in a week. Such shootings have sparked nationwide protests. Riot police in Charlotte used tear gas as they faced hundreds of protesters. The local police department said four officers were injured. Earlier North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory said he had "initiated efforts" to deploy the national guard and highway patrol to help deal with the protests. "Any violence directed toward our citizens or police officers or destruction of property should not be tolerated," he said. The demonstrators are angry that Mr Scott, 43, was killed by police on Tuesday afternoon at a block of flats in disputed circumstances. Police were serving an arrest warrant on another person when they say they saw Mr Scott get out of a car with a handgun. Officers say he was repeatedly told to drop his handgun before he was shot but his family say he was reading a book, as he waited for his son to be dropped off by the school bus. Police video of the incident will be

be released to the public "at that time", the city said. City leader Jennifer Roberts said Mr Scott's family will also be allowed to watch the footage, local television station WBTV reported. It is legal to openly carry a handgun in North Carolina, but a special permit is required to carry a concealed weapon. Bottles and fireworks Governor McCrory declared the state of emergency as rioters clashed with police, breaking windows and setting small fires. The second night of protests had begun peacefully but the demonstration was interrupted by gunfire and a man in the crowd was injured. The city initially said he had been killed but then issued a clarification. Protesters then threw bottles and fireworks at the officers, who were lined up in riot gear. Police fired flash grenades and tear gas to repel the crowds. Several journalists were also reportedly attacked. A reporter and cameraman for Charlotte's WCNC-TV were taken to hospital and a CNN journalist was tackled on live TV, local media report. A boy, 13, shot dead in Ohio after allegedly pulling an air gun from his waistband during arrest An unarmed, stranded motorist, Terence Crutcher, was killed in Tulsa, Oklahoma Keith Lamont Scott shot in Charlotte and died in hospital Police in Charlotte defended their actions in the death of Mr Scott by insisting he had been repeatedly warned

The protest began peacefully but turned violent afterwards

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney told a news conference Mr Scott first got out of the car with a gun, then got back into his vehicle when officers told him to drop his weapon. He was shot when he emerged from his car holding his weapon. The police chief was unable to say if Mr Scott had been pointing his weapon at officers. After her father's death, Mr Scott's daughter posted a video on Facebook in which she said her father had been unarmed and reading a book. Mr Putney said no book was found. Charlotte: Facts A major banking and financial centre in the American South, with a population of 827,000 The city's population is about 35% black, compared to 13.3% across the US Police chief Kerr Putney is African-American A white police officer was charged with voluntary manslaughter in 2013 for shooting an unarmed black man reportedly looking for help after a car crash. The charge was dropped last year after a jury could not reach a decision. The case sparked protests but no violence. Mayor Roberts voiced her shock at the violent protests, which saw 16 police officers injured on Tuesday night. "Charlotte is a city that has worked very hard to build good community police relations," she told the BBC. "We have been a model of community policing. We have actually trained other police forces. This is not who we are as Charlotteans and I'm hoping we can move past these protests very quickly, move into more peaceful protests and back into dialogue." The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's North Carolina state chapter has called for the "full release of all facts available", including video. "In these days of ready video and audio recordings, we believe that reviewing these recordings can and will help both sides get to the truth," it said in a statement. The group said it supported peaceful protests but was against "unjust, random or purposeless acts of violence". (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 101

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

A Day Like Today

“Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget.” ― G. Randolf ‘Friends’ is one of the most viewed American Sitcoms of the 2000s, debuted a day like today 1994. The idea of producers David Crane and Marta Kauffman, was to show the pros and cons of friendship with a burlesque touch. The script was presented to the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), and after several changes the series was approved to be aired. The plot of the series features six friends, living in Manhattan

dealing with hilariously complex situations on the daily basics, situations that would constantly put their friendship to the test. The ingenious ways in which they always managed to keep their ‘bond’ undamaged, was the key for the huge success of the show. ‘Friendship Above All’ was the simple principle that kept the audience captivated for over 10 years. Not only the basic context that the show followed attracted the audience, the cast that brought the script to life was the ultimate

American Television Sitcom 'Friends' (1994-2004)

secret ingredient. A mixture of relatively new actors, who were ready to take Hollywood by storm with their explosive performances on TV. They were: Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer. Once the camera was on, they transformed into something more than actors, neighbors or friends, they were family. After years of sharing the same studio, seeing the same faces and sharing personal experiences camouflaged on a white paper sheet, ‘Friends’ evolved from team to nucleus. The show lasted 10 seasons. Accumulating a renowned prestige between the best Sitcoms of the decade. Its last episode was aired on May 6, 2004 watched by more than 50 million persons, making it the fifth most watched series finale in television history. The series was nominated for 62 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning the Outstanding Comedy Series award in 2002. It ranked number 21 on the TV Guides 50 Greatest Shows of All times. In 2013 ranked between one of the Best Writing TV Series of All Times, and one of the 60 Best TV Series of All Times. Source: http://www.history.com/thisday-in-history/friends-debuts

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 102

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

Afghanistan Signs Deal With Militant Hekmatyar

The Afghan government has signed a peace agreement with Hezb-e-Islami, the country's second largest militant group. Representatives of the movement and Afghan officials signed the accord in a ceremony shown live on TV. The deal grants impunity to the group's leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, an Islamist warlord accused of numerous atrocities. He was not present at the signing, which is intended to pave the way for him to return from hiding to Kabul. Mohammad Amin Karim, head of the insurgent delegation, was present at the ceremony. He said: "This is not just a peace deal between Hezb-e-Islami and the government of Afghanistan, it is a beginning of a new era of peace all around the country." Under the terms of the deal, Mr Hekmatyar agrees to accept the constitution and abandon violence. He must still sign the accord with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani for it to come into force. The two sides have still to agree when and where that will happen. Who is Gulbuddin Hekmatyar? Mr Hekmatyar is a former Afghan prime minister, warlord and one of the most controversial figures in the country's modern history. He was one of seven anti-Soviet faction chiefs who led a large number of mujahideen fighters in the war against Soviet occupation in the 1980s. He received significant Western aid and funds during the Cold War. But he is remembered mostly for his role in the bloody civil war of the 1990s, when the Hezb-e-Islami clashed violently with other mujahideen factions in the struggle for control of the capital, Kabul. The Hezb-e-Islami was blamed for much of the terrible death and destruction of that period, which led many ordinary Afghans to welcome the emergence of the Taliban. The civil war also led to Mr Hekmatyar's fall from grace - he quickly became one of the most reviled men in the country and he and his men were forced to flee Kabul when the Taliban swept into power in 1996. In 2003, the US state department designated him as a terrorist, accusing him of taking part in and supporting

The signing ceremony was carried live on television(REUTERS)

attacks by al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Will the deal change anything, and will it hold? It is still too early to tell if the deal will last. Mr Hekmatyar has a history of shifting allegiances. Hezb-e-Islami has played a minor role in the Taliban-led insurgency in recent years and so the deal is not expected to improve security in the country. The accord is highly symbolic, however. It is the first first deal done by Afghans with no UN or international mediation. And Hezb-e-Islami has supporters across the country, meaning the peace agreement could encourage some Taliban leaders to consider joining the process. BBC Afghan Service editor Waheed Massoud says Mr Hekmatyar appears to have calculated that he will be more significant as a political leader in Kabul than as the leader of a group of fighters up in the mountains who are also competing with the Taliban for influence. Afghan peace deals have failed before, and a lot remains to be worked out. Mr Hekmatyar still has to negotiate with the Afghan government over where and when he and Mr Ghani will sign the accord, and under what circumstances he will return to Kabul. There are also concerns about his future role in Afghanistan. Seen as a controversial and attention-seeking figure, he could become more of a headache for Kabul than when he was a rebel leader - potentially forming new coalitions and challenging the government. What was the reaction to the agreement? Franz-Michael Mellbin, the European Union's special representative for Afghanistan, said of the agreement "proves peace is possible". "The political space to say no to peace in Afghanistan is now virtually non-existent," he said, adding that the deal "creates a new narrative that has been missing for many, many years". Ahmad Gilani, the chairman of the Afghan High Peace Council, welcomed the agreement: "I am happy and confident on the finalising of this agreement, that it will be a good start for long lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan." But New York-based Human Rights Watch issued a statement referring to Mr Hekmatyar as "one of Afghanistan's most notorious war crimes suspects". Researcher Patricia Grossman said his return would "compound the culture of impunity that the Afghan government and its foreign donors have fostered by not pursuing... Hekmatyar and other warlords". A group of activists protested in Kabul, holding placards portraying Mr Hekmatyar with blood spilling from his mouth and a rocket piercing his nose. One placard read: "We cannot forgive the executioner of Kabul." Some ordinary Afghans welcomed the agreement. Mohammad Hanif, 62, a shopkeeper, told the Associated Press: "We are thirsty for peace and we welcome anyone who comes in peace, the past is the past." Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said it was too early to comment on the deal. (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 103

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

China Rights Lawyer Xia Lin Jailed For 12 Years

A Chinese rights lawyer has been jailed for 12 years - in a move his supporters say is designed to silence him. Xia Lin, whose clients include artist Ai Weiwei, was found guilty of fraudulently obtaining $700,000 (£550,000) to pay off gambling debts. But supporters say he is innocent and that the move is designed to intimidate human rights lawyers. Last year, China detained hundreds of rights lawyers, in what critics described as an organised crackdown. Many lawyers have since been released - but several remain in detention, with their wives and families denied access to them. 'Chill' Maya Wang, Asia researcher at Xia Lin was arrested in November 2014(AP) Human Rights Watch, said the 12 year jail term was likely to send a "chill" group called the sentence a "severe retaliation against a human through the human rights community. She told AFP: "The rights advocate who defended the rule of law". There was no sentence is shocking, not only because of its length, but also immediate comment from the court. (BBC) because it was handed down to a rights lawyer who has tried to protect himself by deliberately taking a low-profile, technical approach to his work." Xia Lin is known for defending Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei. He also represented fellow human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang, who was detained after a private seminar discussing the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, while in 2009 he successfully defended a hotel worker who killed a local government official who had tried to rape her. Xia Lin was arrested in November 2014, as he was preparing to defend Guo Yushan, a rights activist and head of a Chinese think tank. Chinese state media have not reported on the 12-year sentence for Xia Lin, so social media users have mainly been learning of the news via independent publications, or word of mouth. Luo Changping, a journalist at the independent Caijing magazine, posted a picture of Lin Ru, Xia Lin's wife, crying in someone's arms. The image has been shared widely, with hundreds of sympathetic, yet resigned comments. Many social media users refused to accept the verdict - but also acknowledged that the likelihood of a successful appeal was low. User Zhanzhan080808 wrote: "Xia Lin is innocent", while user Liu Suli said: "I curse this court, and those behind it and their strength. History will not forgive this trial." The trial against Mr Xia opened in June this year. He was originally charged with fraudulently obtaining 10m yuan ($1.5m; £1.1m), but his lawyer Dong Xikui said the court eventually accepted a lower figure of 4.8m yuan. However, friends say they loaned the lawyer the money willingly. Mr Xia's wife, Lin Ru, said: "I firmly believe that my husband is innocent. So we need to appeal." The Chinese Human Rights Defenders

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 104

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

Sierra Leone Police Free Woman Accused Of FGM

Sierra Leonean police have released a woman accused of female genital mutilation following pressure from a powerful society of circumcisers. Elsie Kondoromoh was "tentatively" released after a large number of cutters protested against her arrest, police inspector Marty Ta r a w a l l i e s a i d . S t i c k wielding cutters have also protested at a hospital where her alleged victim is being treated. Female circumcision is currently banned in Sierra Leone.The ban came in force following the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in the region in December 2013, killing some 11,000 people. But female circumcision, which traditionalists see as a passage to womanhood, has been revived in recent months, reports the BBC's Umaru Fofana from the eastern region of Kenema, where the incident happened. Many activists accuse the authorities of failing to stop it because of the enormous power circumcisers wield within their communities, he adds. On a local radio station on Wednesday, a caller said they were prepared to "die and to kill" to continue practising female circumcision. The uniform-clad cutters have a society, known as Soweis, representing them. Ms Kondoromoh is the national vicepresident of the Soweis council. 'Blindfolded' Alleged victim Khadija Balayma Allieu, 28, said that she was blindfolded and dragged into a room at a home in Kenema by up to ﬁve or six cutters. "One sat on my chest, one each held my hands. Another two held my legs and spread them open. They gagged me as I shouted. Then she [Ms Kondoromoh] started cutting," Ms Allieu told the BBC. "I felt her cut towards my vagina. She dipped her hand inside my vagina and I felt her pull something and cut it. They held my head down and continued

Activists have waged a long campaign across Africa to stamp out the practise(GETTY IMAGES)

cutting. I started bleeding profusely. I tried screaming but there was [a] cloth inside my mouth," she added. Ms Kondoromoh has denied any wrongdoing but has admitted to circumcising her. She said that Ms Allieu met her at her home saying that she was being "taunted" by her fellow women because she had not been circumcised. line Types of FGM •Clitoridectomy - partial or total removal of the clitoris •Excision removal of the clitoris and inner labia (lips), with or without the outer labia •Inﬁbulation - cutting, removing and sewing up the genitalia •Any other type of intentional damage to the female genitalia (burning, scraping et cetera) line Ms Kondoromoh added that she cared for Ms Allieu after she was circumcised. "She told me that she would be taunted and further provoked if she went back home and so wanted to spend time with me to recover," the cutter said. "I told her she could stay with me as we were only three in my house. I bought provisions for her. I woke up every morning to prepare food for her before leaving home."

Our correspondent says police rescued Ms Allieu several days later after she managed to call them, and said they found her in a "weak and hopeless state". Ms Allieu seemed to be in excruciating pain when he met her at a hospital, with medical staﬀ describing her condition as serious but stable, he adds. With fears for Ms Allieu's safety growing after a group of circumcisers went to the hospital with sticks to demand that she be handed over to them, activists are calling for her evacuation from Sierra Leone, our correspondent says. Insp Tarawallie told the BBC that investigations were continuing. She defended the decision to release Ms Kondoromoh from custody, saying that cutters "are around us". "They were singing above their voices demanding that we should release that woman," Insp Tarawallie added. (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Digital Technology Reveals Secret Of Ancient Biblical Scroll PAGE 105

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

The oldest hand-written passages from the Hebrew Bible identical to versions in use today have been identified by researchers using digital technology to read an ancient scroll. The relic, which had been too fragile to unwrap, was deciphered by Israeli and US experts using an X-ray scan. It contains passages from the Book of Leviticus dating back to at least the 3rd or 4th Century AD. The charred scroll was found in 1970 amid the remains of an ancient synagogue. Archaeologists found it buried in the ark of the synagogue near the Dead Sea, where it would have been used for prayers. Researchers were able to read the ancient scroll using three 'Amazing quality' Researchers in dimensional digital analysis of an X-ray scan(SCIENCE ADVANCES) Kentucky and Jerusalem were able read it using three dimensional digital centuries, said Dead Sea Scroll scholar will enable them to read other antique analysis of an X-ray scan, the Science Emmanuel Tov from the Hebrew parchments like some Dead Sea scrolls Advances Journal announced. "Not only University of Jerusalem, who participated and papyrus scrolls that are too brittle to were you seeing writing, but it was in the study. unwrap. "You can't imagine the joy in the readable. At that point we were absolutely This was the first time researchers had lab," said Pnina Shor, head of the Dead jubilant," said William Brent Seales of the been able to read ancient documents Sea Scrolls preservation lab at the Israel University of Kentucky's computer without physically opening them. "We Antiquities Authority. Prior to this science department. were amazed at the quality of the images," discovery, the oldest known fragments of Scholars say the text in Ein Gedi - in said Michael Segal, head of the School of standardised biblical text dated back to standard Hebrew - offer the first physical Philosophy and Religions at Hebrew the 8th Century AD. Researchers said the evidence of a long-held belief that the University of Jerusalem. "Much of the discovery held great significance for version of the Hebrew Bible used today text is as readable, or close to as readable understanding the development of the goes back 2,000 years. The text is "100 as actual unharmed Dead Sea Scrolls or Hebrew Bible. (BBC) percent identical" to the version of the high resolution photographs of them." Book of Leviticus that has been in use for Researchers hope the new technology

INTERNATIONAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Taiwan Asks Google To Blur Images From Disputed Island PAGE 106

dispute? Rival countries have wrangled over territory in the South China Sea for centuries, but tension has steadily increased in recent years. Its islets and waters are claimed in part or in whole by Taiwan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. China has backed its expansive claims with island-building and naval patrols, while the US, which has also sailed through the disputed waters, says it opposes restrictions on freedom of navigation and unlawful sovereignty claims by all sides. The frictions have sparked concern that the area is becoming a ﬂashpoint with possible global consequences. Taiwan Defence Ministry spokesman Chen Chung-chi s a i d o n We d n e s d a y that "under the precondition of protecting military secrets and security, we h a v e requested Google blur images of Some commentators have speculated the new important facilities may be for artillery(GOOGLE EARTH)

Taiwan has asked Google to blur satellite images of what appear to be new military installations on a disputed island in the South China Sea. Taiping Island, also known as Itu Aba, is part of the Spratly Island chain, embroiled in increasingly tense South China Sea territorial disputes. Although it is controlled by Taiwan, the island is also claimed by mainland China, Vietnam and the Philippines. Four new structures have appeared since Google Earth's last satellite images. The images showed four three-pronged structures in a semi-circle next to an upgraded airstrip and near a sizeable new port. What is the South China Sea

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

military facilities". The country's Coast Guard Administration also confirmed to the BBC that it was in talks with Google, which they said may not have been aware it was a military zone. The Coast Guard said it believed other countries would have similar issues with images of such restricted zones. Google has said that it is reviewing the request. "We take security concerns very seriously, and are always willing to discuss them with public agencies and officials," Google spokesman Taj Meadows told the BBC. It has not blurred imagery in response to similar requests in the past. Much of this imagery comes from third party providers, which means that it is likely to be available through a number of other commercial routes. The increasing militarisation of the South China Sea, where China is rapidly building islands to buttress its territorial claims has stoked tension in the region. An international tribunal recently ruled against China's claims, backing a case brought by the Philippines. The Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled Taiping was classified as a "rock" rather than an "island" and therefore not entitled to a 200 nautical mile exclusion zone. The verdict was rejected by both Beijing and Taipei. (BBC)

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LOCAL PAGE 109

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

GTUC Accuses Government Of Exclusion From National Agenda

General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) Lincoln Lewis in his address to the International Labour Organization (ILO) conference on Wednesday said that the labour movement in Guyana has been largely ignored by the government. Lewis expressed to the conference that governments taking office after late President Cheddi Jagan have excluded unions from decision-making though the national constitution and the ILO convention provide for their inclusion. However, Prime Minister Mosses Nagamootoo dismissed the notion of trade union exclusion. The Prime Minister said, “The labour movement should not General Secretary of the Guyana Trades in any way be excluded from the national agenda… Union Congress (GTUC), Lincoln Lewis there is no justification whatsoever that the labour movement should in any way be excluded from the national appropriate protective clothing. We can’t tell people build the agenda.” In his address to the conference, the Prime Minister building without the appropriate protective gear.” He urged said the government is dissatisfied with the improvements in government to adopt the correct principles in its move towards progress, and not to ignore ant of the pillars, since creating a programs addressing key issues in the labour force. “green economy is not painting the place green and planting He said government would continue the effort for decent pay for decent work. On this note, he made mention of the government’s trees to make it green… these three pillars, we have to respect final offer of “an additional equitable 10% (salary) increase to them. If you start wrong you’re going to end wrong. You gatto do the lowest paid employees.” Although the Guyana Public what is right,” Lewis emphasized. Service Union (GPSU) is yet to officially state whether it would take the pay dispute to arbitration, but has called on government employees to wear blue ribbons in solidarity with the call for a living wage. The GUTC General Secretary rebuked the government for shutting out the labour movement in clear violation of Articles 38, 147 and 148 of the Guyana constitution which have clearly outlined the role of the trade union as a major stakeholder in society. “Shutting labour out of what the constitution has so designated for us is not only a violation of our right as a stakeholder in society, but it undermines ILO convention 87 and 98, which 50 years ago the Government of Guyana ratified.” Lewis explained. He continued “It is labour’s concern as to efforts to sideline us and deny us of what is constitutionally designated for us.” He said the growth of the economy depends on its human capital and called on the government to “treat all equally.” Lewis said while the current government is “espousing a developmental thrust built on the green economy,” explained that a green economy is built on three vital pillars. “…Green economy speaks to labour policies, sustainable development and the environment,” he said, and added that the success of such an economy from the point of view of labour can never be realized without the implementation of the “decent work agenda” as a matter of principle and commitment. He added that, “We can’t tell people clean the gutters without the

LOCAL PAGE 110

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

Unfair Hiring Practices At Public Service College

Many commentators including members of the opposition have complained about the unfair hiring practices by the Bertram Collins College of the Public Service. This school was established during the first quarter of 2016 by President David Granger; the idea behind the establishment of the institution is to elevate the public service to be more professional with integrity, impartiality and objectivity. Sources reported to the Guyana Daily News that the Institute hired more than 15 staff members of one ethnic composition (Afro-Guyanese); the institution is also being accused of hiring mostly military personnel at the leadership position, which brings into question the true motives of the organization. Several persons who spoke to this news outfit said that this is a clear breach of the institution’s policy of “impartiality” and they believe that the entity was solely set up to indoctrinate persons on the Burnham system of belief. Persons are of the view that the Coalition Government has hijacked the functions of the Ethnic Relations Commission which

in the past had done serious work towards the creation of a united Guyana. According to several persons, the former PPP Government always worked for national unity but they are under the impression that the approach that this government is taking will not bring positive results and is more interested in giving the perception that all Guyana is behind the government. The party contended that there cannot be social harmony when the new government has unleashed a campaign of victimization and discrimination especially to people perceive to have certain political aﬃliation. The recently held Social Cohesion workshop at the International Convention Centre was clearly another talk shop similar to those organized by the Ministers of Agriculture and Communities. According to some other persons, the event was in effect a race to fulﬁll another of the Coalition Manifesto promises and to hoodwink the donor Community into believing that the Granger regime is committed to social cohesion.

LOCAL PAGE 111

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

Social Assistance Registry To Be Rolled Out In 2017 Minister of Social Protection, Volda Georgetown, once their data is captured in our system, another Lawrence revealed that her ministry will be embarking on a series of community outreaches countrywide to develop a registry, to ensure that all vulnerable individuals and families are accounted for. Speaking to the Guyana information Agency (GINA), Minister Lawrence said that this initiative is one of the major projects the Ministry will be rolling out in 2017 to ensure that every Guyanese in need beneﬁts from social assistance. The minister related the ministry will be establishing single registry in which the information from the ministry can be shared amount all department around the country. “Above all of that, one of our big projects is the single registry within the ministry so wherever persons would have approached the ministry whether it’s in the hinterland or in Regions 6, 5, 3 or

employee in another department can be able to be informed that this person is already receiving help here,” Minister Lawrence explained. Minister Lawrence explained that registry will be provide insight for agencies into the amount of assistance one would need. “for instance if someone goes to the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency (CRMA) for a job, that agency will be able to see that person’s information, whether they are already receiving public assistance or already has four children. The interviewer will then have an insight on what type of job they need to ﬁnd for that person to meet their needs.” This project will also help to strengthen the Ministry’s monitoring system of vulnerable families. Additionally, the Ministry will be enforcing a stricter monitoring mechanism for state care institutions and privately owned children’s home, so as to ensure these institutions are adhering to protocols. An inspector will be employed to carry out this process.

NCN Remains Tightlipped On Statement From Guyana Press Association

Twenty-four hours after the Guyana Press Association (GPA) issued a statement on the continuous harassment of pregnant news anchor, Natasha Smith; management of the State owned National Communications Network Inc. (NCN) is yet to come forward with a response. The Guyana Press Association had condemned in its statement all NCN’s eﬀorts to erupt what was deemed a settled matter and its continuous vie to probe and cause stress to its employee, Smith during this critical time of her pregnancy. Smith had posted on her Facebook page, the outcome of a meeting between herself and a consultant from the Ministry of the Presidency who was sent to do damage control at the entity. This reportedly had done more damage than control, since Smith was asked by the consultant to wear less tight clothes while anchoring the news, because it was not to the satisfaction of management and was asked to identify the Manager who told her about NCN’s boss, Lennox Cornette’s decision to remove her from anchoring the news due to her pregnancy. She refused and the stressful outcome had gone viral on social media. Smith remains on bed rest in the hospital to monitor her condition in preparation for a safe delivery and had blamed the stresses from her hierarchy at work for the premature arrival of her baby. Eﬀorts were made to contact NCN’s boss Lennox Conette on the matter, but proved futile. The Human

Resources Manager, Tishika DeCosta was also contacted but had indicated to the Guyana Daily News to direct all questions to the CEO, Cornette, who deals with all public releases.

LOCAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS President Granger Meets With Nigerian And Liberian Leaders New York, United States – (September 22, 2016) President David PAGE 112

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

Granger, today, pushed for the partnerships of Consulates and joint commissions to deepen alliances with Liberia and Nigeria even as Guyana looks to deepen relationships with West African States. These bilateral meetings were held on the sidelines of the ongoing 71st United Nations’ General Assembly in New York. The President met with President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria and discussed possible cooperation in the area of petroleum industry management, noting that Guyana can learn the lessons of the more than 50 year-old industry in that country. Additionally, the two Head of States agreed that there are potential areas of collaboration in education, culture, security and trade. President Granger said that he welcomes the opportunity to renew relations and looks forward to greater trade and transfer of knowledge between the two countries President Buhari agreed to have the Foreign Minister of Nigeria, Mr. Geoffrey Jideofor Kwusike Onyeama interface with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Carl Greenidge to explore how the two countries can create a pathway to strong relations. The Venezuela border controversy was also discussed at the meeting. This issue was also high on the agenda at the meeting with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, who recommended that the President scale-up efforts to win support among African nations for Guyana’s cause. Additionally, the two Heads of State discussed the possibility of exploring trade in rice and sugar. The President of Liberia said that small nations must find ways to collaborate in order to effect change and promote equity. She said that Liberia has much to learn from Guyana in areas such as the management of protected area systems and conservation. President Johnson Sirleaf said that Liberia does not have the capacity or experience that Guyana has in these areas and she looks forward to the opportunity to collaborate in these areas. President Granger, in response, indicated that the establishment of a joint commission and Consulates would help to promote regular and consistent collaboration and communication to ensure the development of areas of partnership. .MOTP Press Release

President David Granger going through a publication called State of Peace, which outlines Guyana's position on the border controversy with Minister of Foreign Aﬀairs of Liberia, Mrs. Marjon Kamara.

President David Granger and President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria

LOCAL PAGE 113

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

Police Constable Charged For Accepting Bribe Police Constable, Colin Rodney court as he heard both the charges today appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates Court where he was charged with two counts of accepting a bribe on June 1, 2016. He was granted GY$30,000 bail and is slated to return before the court on October 18, 2016. The Police Constable who hails from Joseph Polydore Street, Georgetown, was unrepresented in

read before pleading not guilty. It is alleged that on the day in question at the Georgetown Seawall, Rodney while being an agent employed by the Government of Guyana he accepted a bribe from two gentlemen.

Mother Of Two Charged With Assault of Student representation and was granted $20,000 bail and will

Employee of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Sherry Mingo today appeared in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Faith McGusty charged with unlawful assault, which occurred on September 21, 2016. Mingo did not have legal

return before the court on October 14, 2016 for continuation. The 42 year-old mother of two from Buxton, East Coast Demerara pleaded not guilty; there was no objection to bail by the prosecution but they asked that she be placed on a bond to keep the peace. It is alleged that on the day in question at St. Margaret's Primary School, Mingo unlawfully assaulted Daniel Williams with intent to cause him actual bodily harm.

Sophia Residents To Have Running Water By October Friday, September 23, 2016– Georgetown, Guyana: The distribution from the North Ruimveldt well will be Residents of Sophia can expect access to running water through their taps by the second half of October. This new development will signal the completion of the ongoing project in w h i c h transmissio n mains are b e i n g extended f r o m a n e w l y rehabilitate d well in N o r t h Ruimveldt to supply ‘C’, ‘D’ and ‘E’ Fields Sophia.

further supported by the Turkeyen well, which is situated in the University of Guyana compound. The community of Sophia is also expected to gain relief from the installation of transmission mains from the Sophia Water Treatment Plant. In the meantime, GWI will be beeﬁng up the amount of trucks sent to distribute water to Sophia, even as it continues to adjust its schedule to facilitate those who are not at home during the day. To date, four trucks ﬁlled with 3-4, 450gl black tanks of water are sent to ‘C’, ‘D’ and ‘E’ Fields, Sophia to supply residents. Each truck makes at least six trips per day. GWI is appealing to all residents to be wise in their daily consumption of water. Customers with questions can contact GWI’s Customer Services Call Centre on 227- 8701, 03, 04, email customercallcentre@gwi.gy or post via GWI’s Facebook fan-page at www.facebook.com/guyanawaterinc GWI Press Release

LOCAL PAGE 114

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

NDIA Ready For Next Rainy Season

Chief Executive Oﬃcer, acting, of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) Frederick Flatts has revealed that the authority is in now ready to deal with any eventuality which may arise in the next rainy season. Flatts revealed to the Guyana information Agency (GINA) that the authority’s capacity of equipment and tools is in a

much improved state and can respond adequately should the need arise. “We have about 90% of our pumps working all the time, available. In terms of our excavators I would say, last year July when I took over this oﬃce we had about 47% of our excavators and bulldozers working. Right now we have about 70% (working),” Flatts explained. According to Flatts, the authority’s expenditure and execution of capital and other projects for the year is on schedule, and will be completed in time for the end of the current ﬁscal year. “The budget for capital works is about $1.4 Million and we have spent about 30%, however, within weeks our expenditure will be somewhere in the region of 70%. We have a lot of works that are being done and so we hope to catch up. In terms of current budget it is about $1.7 Billion

and we are on track with that. We have spent about 75% of that,” the CEO, acting explained. Flatts added that, during the rainy period – May, June and July into August, the authority faced some problem but despite the challenges they manage to do very well. “We did very well. We had some challenges. In Region Five the residential areas there were ﬂooding. T h a t ’s r e a l l y t h e w o r k o f t h e Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), but we got into the act and we deployed some mobile pumps into the area. We deployed a pontoon with two excavators to help clean the outfall channel. We have also put things in place so there can be no occurrence. We now have both pumps at the Trafalgar pump station working.” The NDIA is the agency tasked with managing the drainage and irrigation systems countrywide. It is an agency of the Ministry of Agriculture and collaborates with all Local Democratic Organs in the execution of its mandate.(GINA)

LOCAL PAGE 115

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

Self-confessed Drug Lord, Wife On The Run

Magistrate Judy Latchman today reissued arrest warrants for self-confessed drug lord Barry Dataram and his reputed wife Anjanie Boodnarine after they failed to reappear in court for the second consecutive time today. However present in court were the other two of the four accused, Kevin Charran and Trevor Gouveia who were told to return before the court on September 27, 2016, when the matter will be recalled. It is expected in their next appearance that the Magistrate will reveal whether the defense will be required to lead a case or if the matter will be disposed. Testifying before Magistrate Latchman was Police Constable Anil Saﬃd who reiterated that upon the issuing of arrest warrants on the last court date for the two defendants, he along with a team of other ranks attached

to the Guyana Police went to the houses own by Dataram and Boodnarine but they could not be found. Constable Saﬃd continued stating that they spoke with an Aunt of the selfconfessed drug lord who told them that Dataram along with his reputed wife, left their home and has not returned since. Defense Attorney for the pair Glen Hanoman told the court that Dataram nor Boodnarine has made any contact with him and as such he is unaware of their whereabouts. Barry Dataram, Anjanie Boodnarine, Kevin Charran and Trevor Gouveia were arrested by Customs AntiNarcotic Unit Oﬃcers after a raid was carried out on a Diamond Housing Scheme property that is owned by Dataram and 129 kg of cocaine was found on April 16, 2016.

Barry Dataram(File Photo)

REGIONAL PAGE 116

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

Tropical Storm Warning Issued For Bermuda MIAMI, USA -- A tropical storm warning has been issued for during the next couple of days. These swells are likely to cause Bermuda as the centre of Tropical Storm Karl was expected to life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. (Caribbean pass near or to the east of the island on Friday night and Saturday. News Now!) According to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, at 8:00 pm AST on Thursday, the center of Karl was located about 430 miles (690 km) south of Bermuda, moving toward the northwest near 16 mph (26 km/h), and was expected to turn northward on Friday and northeastward on Saturday. Reports from a NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that the maximum sustained winds have increased to near 45 mph (70 km/h), with higher gusts. Some additional strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 km) to the north of the centre. A NOAA buoy located northeast of the centre had reported sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h). Tropical storm conditions were expected on Bermuda by Friday evening and Karl is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 1 to 3 inches over the island through Saturday and early Sunday. Swells generated by Karl were already aďŹ&#x20AC;ecting Bermuda and are expected to increase Tropical Storm Karl three-day forecast track. NHC/NOAA graphic

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

Sanitation Initiative In Southeastern Haiti Shows Promising Results, Says UNICEF

MIAMI, USA -- A tropical storm warning has been issued for Bermuda as the centre of Tropical Storm Karl was expected to pass near or to the east of the island on Friday night and Saturday. According to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, at 8:00 pm AST on Thursday, the center of Karl was located about 430 miles (690 km) south of Bermuda, moving toward the northwest near 16 mph (26 km/h), and was expected to turn northward on Friday and northeastward on Saturday. Reports from a NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that the maximum sustained winds have increased to near 45 mph (70 km/h), with higher gusts. Some additional strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 km) to the north of the centre. A NOAA buoy located northeast of the centre had reported sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h). Tropical storm conditions were expected on Bermuda by Friday evening and Karl is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 1 to 3 inches over the island through Saturday and early Sunday. Swells generated by Karl were already affecting Bermuda and are expected to increase during the next couple of days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. (Caribbean News Now!PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti -- A sanitation initiative in southeastern Haiti has shown encouraging results, with a major reduction in the number of water-borne infections for local residents, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). “Five localities in this region have been declared open defecation free (ODF), which marks progress in the prevention of cholera and other water-borne diseases in the area,” said Marc Vincent, the UNICEF representative in the country. “In the area of sanitation we have come a long way and there is still a long way to go,” he added. “For UNICEF, we are active in 120 communities and, in total, more than 20,000 people in the country now benefit from living in an ODF environment – this is a substantive change and it inspires hope.” The five localities – Nan Merlien, Fatima, Rada and three other communities in the country’s southeast – have been taking part in the UN-backed Community-Led Total

Residents in Haiti's southeast attend a community meeting on the importance of sanitation. Photo: UNICEF

Sanitation (CLTS) campaign as part of the Total Sanitation Campaign, which supports the Haitian authorities´ national plan against cholera through the promotion of zero open defecation and increased access to water and sanitation facilities in schools and health centres. The CLTS campaign supports local communities in addressing access to water, rehabilitating water systems and ensuring chlorination to combat contamination. At the same time, the initiative is also supporting communities to build toilets and to reduce the contamination of water through open defecation. CLTS has already been implemented in 67 other localities and, as a result, 1,000 selfbuilt household toilets have been constructed and 2,000 more are in progress. Six communities have been certified as ODF and 16 are in process. A community worker in the Haitian South-East department, Harry Richner, underlined that the effort to convince local residents to change their habits required persistence as many had hoped that others would construct the required latrines. “I have been engaged in this fight for a long time, and with the combined efforts of several partners we were able to end this practice in the area,” he said. “Thanks to the local CLTS committee of nine adults and two children who helped me do the work, we were able to meet the challenge.” One of the local committee members in the locality of Fatima Rada, 12-year-old Anephta Pierre-Louis, highlighted the important role that children have to play in the campaign. “I deal with monitoring in the committee – when a family leaves its toilet dirty, I ask them nicely to clean it so as to avoid catching diseases, “she said. “But I also educate children like me, in my neighborhood and at school: I ask them not to defecate on the ground and to wash their hands after leaving the toilet.” The UNICEF country representative noted that such steps provide an inspirational example for others to follow. “When you talk to people in the communities and see how proud they are of having built themselves their own toilets, and how proud they are of protecting their families and children by their own means – when you see that it gives you hope, hope to go further and beyond,” Vincent said. “Because what we want and have to do is totally eliminate cholera.” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched in 2014 with the Haitian government the Total Sanitation Campaign, which is one of the long-term key pillars to the cholera response in Haiti. This response has also other key components such as the emergency response and the epidemiological surveillance. According to UNICEF, the provision of clean drinking water, the use of safe sanitation infrastructure and good hygiene practices are crucial elements to advance the prevention of cholera and other water-borne diseases in Haiti However, despite progress made in fighting cholera in Haiti, UNICEF states much remains to be done and the engagement of the full international community, donors and partners is urgently needed. Currently, according to the country’s national agency for water supply and sanitation – the Direction Nationale de l’Eau Potable et de l’Assainissement – only 28 percent of the Haitian population has access to adequate sanitation and 42 percent does not have adequate access to safe drinking water. (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

Opposition Party Launches Policy Agenda, Gears For General Election

ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, Sept 23, CMC – The main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Thursday night launched its 2017-30 policy agenda telling supporters that the document should not be viewed a manifesto as it prepares for the next general election, constitutionally due in 2018. “I must hasten to say, that it is not our manifesto. This policy agenda defines the broad goals and objectives of our party and is intended, primarily, as a guide for decision making, although there are some specific programmatic proposal stated,” said NDC leader Nazim Burke. “Our manifesto, when it comes, will properly detail our plans, programmes and projects which we intend to implement,” he added. Burke, who was introduced to supporters by former prime minister and political leader, Tillman Thomas said that the policy agenda incorporates “our vision, our twelve core principles, our political philosophy, our belief in self-reliance and our commitment to transform Grenada”. He said that the other core principles of the policy include acknowledging the supremacy of God; demonstrating a high level of personal integrity; securing Grenada’s economic and social development; putting people first; empowering the youth as well as protecting the poor, vulnerable and disadvantaged. Burke described the policy agenda as a mixture of principles and policies intended to achieve social cohesion and economic transformation of the Grenadian society. “Altogether, in this policy agenda we have addressed 26 different areas of public policy which we believe speak to the aspirations, wishes, needs and circumstances of our people,” he said. The party used the occasion to unveil its rebranded logo and symbol. NDP chairman Vincent Roberts said that the new logo is to signal the new approach of the party as it presents itself as a credible alternative to the government. “The logo now incorporates the three national colours, Red, Gold and Green. This inclusion of the national colours is a break with the colour divide in our country and is something the people asked for.

“We have heard your call, and as our Party Leader said: “We are prepared to demonstrate, in word and deed, that there is a place for every Grenadian on this journey and that no one will be left behind,” Roberts said. He said the new branding also signals a departure from the past and the embracing of new attitudes, diﬀerent approaches, new thinking, the application of new methodologies and the indication of a new hope and a new level of tolerance among us all. The presentation of the policy comes weeks after the party admitted that three political strategist from Jamaica, who are associated with the opposition People’s National Party (PNP) there was providing guidance as part of the preparation process as the party gets ready to contest the next general election which is constitutionally due in early 2018. “We are seeking their opinion and they assessment of our systems and what they consider our level of preparedness. We have agreed to have frank dialogue with them and to give them access to our systems and process procedures, so it can assist in making that determination,” Roberts told a news conference late last month. (Antigua Observer)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

Elimination Of Aedes Aegypti Mosquito C ritical In Zika Prevention, Says Entomologist

BASSETERRE, St Kitts (SKNIS) -- Retired entomologist Dr Sam Rawlins in St Kitts and Nevis said that it is possible to reduce the prevalence of the zika-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquito if all members of the community become involved in what he termed “integrated vector management”. “I’m preaching the message of integrated vector management for disease transmission interruption,” Rawlins said. “And what I mean by that is using all the tools that we have and using them in a rational combination of all the methods. We and our partners can collaborate in reducing these habitats and using the various tools because there’s a whole range of tools that we have.” Rawlins explained that while there are approximately 13 species of mosquito on-island, the one that causes the greatest threat is the Aedes aegypti mosquito because of its disease-carrying capability.

The integrated method includes using tools such as environmental control that involves emptying and removing containers that can hold water, as well as chemical control that involves things like dropping temephos, which has the brand name of abate, into containers that are used to store water. Not much faith was placed in fogging as houses are sometimes not open to let in the chemical, and additionally, the Aedes aegypti is so adaptable that it has developed insecticide resistance to certain chemicals that have been used previously. “Chemical control is not the end all, but I know that we do like to think that the government is on the job (carrying out fogging),” Rawlins said. “We come back again to the environmental control, we are going to have to go back and ensure that we are eliminating the habitats because that is the best tool at our disposal.” Another tool

Retired entomologist Dr Sam Rawlins

mentioned by Rawlins was personal protection such as using spray-on mosquito repellants and wearing long-pants and longsleeved garments to protect from being bitten by mosquitoes. He emphasized that eliminating the Aedes aegypti mosquito is n o t a g o v e r n m e n t a l d u t y, b u t t h e responsibility of all members of society. (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

Police Impose Curfew After Flare Of Up Of Violence

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Sept 23, CMC – Police imposed a 48 hour curfew on a section of St. James and appealed for calm in the north-west of the country following violent attacks that left at least ﬁve people dead over the past two days. Commanding Oﬃcer for St James, Senior Superintendent of Police Marlon Nesbeth said law enforcement authorities are following strong leads into the latest incidents and that detectives have already unearthed evidence which suggests that they were committed by the same perpetrators. Police said that in one incident four people were standing at a business place when armed men travelling in a vehicle drove up

and opened fire hitting them. In another incident four people were at another business establishment when another white motorcar — believed to be the same one involved in the earlier incident — drove up and the occupants again opened gunfire, hitting three men. One person has since died Additional police and military personnel were being deployed to the areas after 12 people were shot during a flare up in violence over the past two days. The authorities said that the situation worsened Thursday night with gunmen going on the rampage in some communities including Flanker. The curfew is in effect in the community of Glendevon where several

of the shootings took place. Nesbeth said the curfew, which is scheduled to end at 6 o’clock on Friday evening (local time) might be extended and urged residents who may have information in relation to the incidents to contact law enforcement authorities. (Antigua Observer)

Haste, Inexperience And The Desire To Inﬂict Pain On SLP Is Driving Govt, Says Pierre

The opposition has responded to Prime Minister Allen Chastanet’s statement about plans to meet with some ambassadors, who he thinks should resign or quit. Opposition Leader Phillip J. Pierre said haste, inexperience and the desire to inﬂict pain on the Saint Lucia Labour Party is driving the government to do these unceremonious things. Pierre told St. Lucia News Online (SNO) recently that contracts for every ambassador has an out clause but it says that the ambassador must be ﬁred with a cause. “The ambassador to the OAS has up to April,

Opposition Leader Phillip J. Pierre

the reason why the government’s five year real term ends in April. The ambassador in Miami, the contract ends in April next year,” he explained. The opposition leader is questioning what damage an ambassador can do to a government between October and April. “Ambassadors and high commissioners work on instruction from head office. So its just the prime minister wants to be vindictive,” he opined. “When we came into government, we kept ambassadors and high commissioners til their term ended in April because these people work on instructions. Ambassadors do not dictate government policy. Ambassadors are not ministers of government, they follow g o v e r n m e n t p o l i c y. ” H e continued: “So to make the point and point specifically to ambassadors that you are going to fire them and take them to court it is very unbecoming of a prime minister who speaks of bringing the country together.” Pierre told SNO that the government has two choices, they either send the ambassadors home, pay them and allow civil servants to run the embassies, or let them complete their contracts. Meanwhile, the prime minister has also stated that some

statutory boards did not want to resign, making the process of appointing new board members more extensive than usual. But again Pierre argued that the minister in charge of boards can dismiss the board at their will, with the exception of the Public Service Commission and Teaching Service Commission, which is appointed every three years. “Boards do not tie you. Most of the boards responsible to an authority that has staff,” he asserted. Pierre said in cases where a new government takes office, it would be wise if they retain the services of some of the board members, to use their institutional memory and add new persons they want. “But what this government wants to do in their whole desire to victimize and desire to look for blood, they want to dismiss everyone. And now they find themselves in a position where they do not have the institutional memory to continue the business of government…like in the case of the Castries City Council,” he said. Chastanet has said that his administration is not in a rush to appoint people ‘willy nilly,’ as his administration is using the current time scale to work on its overall plan. (St. Lucia News Online)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

SLP Wants Govt To Explain Why CDB Projects Were Stopped PRESS RELEASE – The Saint Lucia Labour Party notes that whilst WASCO has denied that the water projects in Dennery North and Vieux Fort were stopped, the Permanent Secretary in the Department of Economic Development has conﬁrmed that they were stopped for review. It is clear that not even WASCO was aware of the actions of Hon. Guy Joseph. Therefore the Saint Lucia Labour Party insists that the Government of Saint Lucia should explain what issues it has with the implementation arrangements for the Vieux Fort Water Supply and Dennery North Water Supply that required that that process be stopped. The SLP points out that the implementation processes received the approval from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB);

European Investment Bank ( E I B ) ; t h e I n t e r- A m e r i c a n Development Bank (IADB) and the Mexican Government and in the case of the Dennery North Water Supply Project would be supervised by the United Nations Oﬃce for Project Services. Therefore what was wrong with the projects and the implementation processes? The Labour Party insists that if the Government fails to provide a satisfactory answer then it must be seen that these actions are vindictive and cruel and is punishment for these communities for voting for the Opposition in the last elections. This suspicion is reinforced given that a housing project in Forestiere started by the Saint Lucia Labour Party

Government was not stopped. Groundbreaking took place earlier this week (Forestiere is in the constituency of Hon Guy Joseph). The Saint Lucia Labour Party notes the tendency of the United Workers Party Government to target Opposition Parliamentarians and the constituencies that they represent for acts of exclusion and victimisation. (St. Lucia News Online)

St. Lucians Among 15 CARICOM Nationals Set To Start Specialized Fisheries Training At Top Australian University PRESS RELEASE – Fifteen fisheries personnel, including senior fisheries officers, fisheries officers, analysts and policy officers, traveled to Australia this week to participate in a specialized

training course on “Enhancing Fisheries Management Capacity in the Caribbean Region.” The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) and the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS) partnered in developing the 4-week course, to strengthen the region’s capacity in fisheries law and fisheries management. More specifically, the training—which is being held at the Innovation Centre at ANCORS, University of Wollongong, ranked a m o n g A u s t r a l i a ’s t o p 1 0 universities—is intended to address the conservation and protection of living marine resources and biodiversity; monitoring and surveillance; as well as measures to curb illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing. “This is a great training opportunity for CRFM Member States, and we are grateful for the valued contributions which Australia continues to make to help advance

fisheries management and development across the CARICOM region. The CRFM appreciates this sustained support,” said Milton Haughton, CRFM Executive Director. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Australian Government institution which is funding the training, awarded Australian Awards Fellowship to nominees who were selected from 10 CRFM Member States. It is expected that when the training concludes on October 15, they will partner with relevant stakeholders to help improve frameworks and cooperative agreements at home and across the wider Caribbean, to achieve sustainable fisheries, which would, in turn, mean more dollars for the fishing industry and improved socio-economic conditions in beneficiary states. This training builds on two previous training workshops, successfully held in Australia in 2012 and 2014. It helps to fulfill a Memorandum of Understanding which the CRFM and ANCORS signed back in 2012. (St. Lucia News Online)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

Samuda To Promote Technology To Grow Crops In Inner-city Areas KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Karl Samuda says he intends to promote the use of hydroponic operations to grow crops such as vegetables in inner-city communities, in an effort to get them engaged in the agricultural sector as well as provide them with employment. According to a news release from the ministry, this would not only provide food for the community, but with the use of high-quality seeds, the medium could expand, providing them with enough to sell to the wider community and even for export. Samuda was speaking at a stakeholders’ seminar o rg a n i s e d b y J a m a i c a F l o r a l P r o d u c t s Limited/Evergrow Garden Center and Lambert Peat Moss Inc at the Caymanas Golf and Country Club in St Catherine on Tuesday, where he Karl Samuda (File photo) stressed the importance of using new and modern exchange that comes in through other export areas,” he said. He techniques to create wealth. The agriculture lauded the ministry’s Research and Development Division and minister described agriculture as the cornerstone that will spur significantly higher economic growth for Jamaica, and said the the Scientific Research Council for working with and educating utilisation of proper field management systems was one way of farmers on appropriate soil use and the importance of cultivating ensuring that the quality of the crops cultivated, particularly for high-quality seedlings. The seminar was held under the theme ‘High Quality Growing Media at the Root of High Quality export, meets international standards. “If we engage ourselves in a modern and constructive way, we Seedling Growth and Crop Production’, and was aimed at can really make strides. We have to get to the stage where we cut sharing technical information with farmers on preparations for our import bill of food supplies dramatically, because it is only producing high-quality seedlings. (Jamaica Observer) by doing this that we are going to be able to retain the foreign

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

Camels, Zebras, kangaroos, Arrive For Chag Safari Park Even though the Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA) has deemed the lease of the Safari Eco Park in Chaguaramas illegal, several animals continue to come into the country. Last Wednesday, four zebras came in, while in August four camels arrived on T&T’s shores. Yesterday, manager of the park, Matthew Habib, said the animals were ordered in April last year, after their lease was approved by the CDA. “We signed a contract with a foreign supplier

who has a list of animals that we requested. We paid for those animals well in advance and they are coming in small batches,” Habib said. The park sits on 40 acres of land on the northwestern peninsula and is one of 22 leases which the CDA and Planning and Development Minister Camille Robinson-Regis have deemed illegal. Habib said the park had approximately 100 safari animals, which would continue to grow. “We were oﬀered from an orphanage in Africa, two

elephants. It is our ambition to bring them in. But before we can even start that we have to work out the acreage because it’s like ﬁve acres per elephant. We would have to organise ten acres so they can walk freely. It’s a lot of money to build up the enclosures for these elephants,” Habib said. Among the animals they currently have are lemurs, llamas, kangaroos, alpacas, monkeys, macaws, mountain lions and variety of birds. “What we plan to bring in is a lot of safari a n i m a l s . We h a v e antelopes that are due to come in before the end of the year. We are looking at a few hippopotamuses and African porcupines as well. We also have scheduled some threetoed sloths. All of that is to bring in the crowds,” Habib added. (Trinidad Guardian)

One of the kangaroos at the Safari Eco Park in Chaguaramas on Tuesday. Mathew Habib feeds some of the camels that are resident at the Safari Eco Park in Chaguaramas. Photos: ROBERTO CODALLO

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

Cuban Economy On The Brink Of A Collapse United States economic and financial embargo against the island of Cuba, since early 60s have been one of the main causes for the islands economy to be at the edge of collapse during the last six decades. The blockage was a measure adopted by President F. Kennedy as a way to regain economic control over the island and fuel a civic revolution. The crisis was settled on the country, but the government managed to stay afloat thanks to strong diplomatic relations with the extinct Soviet Union. A path of ‘ups and downs’ followed the development of the island. Controversies about the way in which the stabilization of the country was being performed, gave Cuba’s government and socialist based system, the fame of communist dictatorship. But against the odds, Cuba rose as one of the fiercest islands of the Caribbean sea. Education, Culture, Health and Sports are their strong points. Solidarity above all. Reaching Cuban Flag. Violoncello player the house of those in need and give them hopes for a ‘healthier’ and more educated tomorrow, has become their witness of the yearly requests from Cuban representatives, to lift the USA embargo against the island. Request that is been adding signature move and their proud print. votes in their favor every 365 days. This became a routine But economy is everything for the straight development of a protocol, until last year. One hundred and ninety one countries country. Due to the lack of supplies from main transnationals, the island has slightly stopped ‘In time’. For many visitors, Cuba voted in favor of the islands demand. Urging the United States represents a tangible portal to the ‘Golden Era’. The impeccable government to lift the 60-years-old financial and economic colonial architecture is the first detail that calls the visitors blockage. This represented a major step for the Caribbean attention. Cubans are proud of their history and they do the Island. impossible to preserve it. Something than more than a But if steps are not taking in order, there is no progress. Promises have been made, positive bilateral relations between United conditioned effect, has become a cultural matter. Stated and Cuba have been materialized, but the embargo is still Everything can be reused, sometimes not as a hobby but a necessity. It’s not estrange that on the living room of the common a reality. The islands economy today is in a shaking state. Vital Cuban family you can find a 1990 Lynytron CRT TV industries such Agriculture are working against the clock to broadcasting the latest local news, accompanied by an Orbit Fan supply the population of the necessary goods. With Venezuela, from the same year, calming the heat of their ‘eternal summer’. Cubans main oils supplier, falling in a similar but more violent Going on the streets is not rare to see a 1955 Chevrolet fully economic crisis, the local government worries about the functional, taking a family to a trip, or simply carrying its driver immediate future of their markets. Truism, enthusiastic to buy the daily bread. Is a wistful display of antiques that remind investors and internationalist missions, today represent the us of the beneficial but destructive way of living of today’s principal pillars to keep the island afloat. But the question is: For society. A phenomenon called by many, ‘Consumerism’. But how long? Cubans didn’t chose to become the nostalgic reference of a country that stayed stocked in the mid-50s. ‘Not everything is green in paradise’. As generations take over and dominate the social and political environment of the country, it gets more difficult for government to satisfy their needs and demands. Globalization is a massive monster, which tentacles can reach the farthest shores, and Cuba has felt the ‘touch’. But what to do when every effort to lift the main barrier that is stopping your country from developing, has failed? Keep trying. And that is what the Cuban government has been doing for the last six decades. The General Assembly of the United Nations (UN), has been the

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

Court Slashes Damages To Be Paid By Ex-trader Kerviel advancing. We went from €4.9bn to €1m. It gives me energy, the

A French appeals court has slashed the amount of damages due to be paid by rogue trader Jerome Kerviel to €1m ($1.12m; £860,00). Kerviel had been ordered to pay back the €4.9bn of losses his trades amassed for his ex-employer Societe Generale. In 2010, Kerviel was sentenced to three years in prison for fraud, breach of trust and forgery over his trades. Kerviel wants a retrial, arguing that he should not have to pay anything, as his bosses knew about his activities. "Justice is

fight continues. "I hope to reach a compensation deal that goes to zero. Because I still estimate I owe nothing to Societe Generale," he said. The appeals court said that Kerviel was "partially responsible for the loss". But it acknowledged that Societe Generale had shown "deficiencies" in its oversight, which was partly to blame for the loss. Those who have watched the case say the latest decision is a sign of how much attitudes have changed. "That the sum has now been reduced to just €1m is a sign of how the view of the French courts towards the affair has evolved over the years," said Hugh Schofield, BBC Paris correspondent. "There is now an acknowledgement - more or less explicit - that the bank Societe Generale was also responsible for the losses incurred by its former trader, because of its lack of effective controls," he added. Unfair dismissal In June, in a separate civil case, Kerviel won a claim for unfair dismissal. A labour court said the bank had dismissed him not because of his actions, which it must have known of, but for their consequences. The court ordered the bank to pay Kerviel €450,000 (£350,000) in damages. (BBC)

Facebook 'Overestimated' Video Viewing Time called "average duration of video viewed", which was supposed

Facebook has overestimated how much video people have watched for the last two years, the firm has admitted. One advertiser suggested that, in some cases, video viewing statistics had been overestimated by up to 80%. Facebook's analytics are an important tool for advertisers, who use them to work out how much of their video content is being watched. The social network said the error had been fixed and had not changed how much advertisers paid the site. 'Unacceptable' behaviour The error affected a Facebook metric

to tell publishers for how long, on average, people had watched a video. However, the metric did not include viewers who had watched for less than three seconds in the count. Discounting the shorter views - including people who had ignored a video in their news feed - inflated the average viewing times for each video. In a statement, Facebook said: "We recently discovered an error in the way we calculate one of our video metrics. "This error has been fixed, it did not impact billing, and we have notified our partners both through our product dashboards and via sales and publisher outreach," it added. The video-watching metric has now been renamed to more accurately reflect what it measures, the company said. The metric is now called "average watch time" and Facebook started using this to gather statistics on video consumption late last month. The statement also said the video-viewing metric was one among many that ad firms use to work out if their content is being watched. The Wall Street Journal quoted ad-buying firm Publicis as saying that Facebook's misreporting was "unacceptable". Publicis said it showed the need for third-party verification of statistics gathered by Facebook. The social network has previously been criticised for counting a video as being Facebook was ignoring video views which were shorter than three seconds(REUTERS) "viewed" after three seconds. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

Tulsa Officer Betty Shelby Opened Fire In 'Heat Of Passion’ An Oklahoma police officer has been charged with first-degree manslaughter "in the heat of passion" over the fatal shooting of a black motorist. Tulsa officer Betty Shelby was booked into the county jail early on Friday and released minutes later on bail. Prosecutors say she "reacted unreasonably" when she killed 40-year-old Terence Crutcher on 16 September. North Carolina police, meanwhile, are under mounting pressure to release video from another fatal shooting. Tulsa has been spared the unrest seen in the city of Charlotte this week after a black Officer Betty Shelby (L) shot and killed Terence Crutcher, policeman shot a black citizen. pictured with his twin sister(AP, CRUTCHER FAMILY) The Tulsa County affidavit, filed Damario Solomon-Simmons said: "We are happy that charges with the charge against Officer Shelby, accuses her of "escalating the situation from a were brought, but let me clear - the family wants and deserves confrontation with Mr Crutcher". Mr Crutcher died from "a full justice." Dashcam and aerial footage does not offer a clear penetrating gunshot wound of chest" and his death was ruled a view of the moment Officer Shelby fired the single shot that homicide, according to the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner's killed Mr Crutcher. Her lawyer has said she opened fire when Mr Office. Officer Shelby is charged with "becoming emotionally Crutcher began to reach into his vehicle window. involved to the point that she over reacted", according to But the Crutcher family lawyers say enhanced video from a Thursday's court document. Oklahoma law defines "heat of police helicopter shows the vehicle's window was closed. passion" in manslaughter cases as a strong emotion "that would Officer Shelby encountered Mr Crutcher's vehicle on a city naturally affect the ability to reason and render the mind street, straddling the centre line, as she made her way to a domestic violence call. Police say a vial of the drug PCP was incapable of cool reflection". If convicted, she faces a minimum of four years in prison. Officer found in the vehicle. The shooting followed a long history of Shelby posted a $50,000 (£38,000) bond and was released at troubled race relations in Tulsa, dating to the city's 1921 race riot 01:31 (05:31 GMT) on Friday, minutes after arriving for a that left about 300 black residents dead. (BBC) booking photo, according to jail records. The affidavit says she told homicide investigators "she was in fear for her life and thought Mr Crutcher was going to kill her". "When she began following Mr Crutcher to the vehicle with her duty weapon drawn, she was yelling for him to stop and get on his knees repeatedly," it says. The affidavit says Mr Crutcher was not responding to Officer Shelby's verbal commands and was walking away from her with his hands held up. Prosecutors say Officer Shelby either killed the father-of-four impulsively in a fit of anger, or that she wrongly killed him as she sought to detain him. Police acknowledge that Mr Crutcher did not have a gun on him or in his vehicle. The affidavit also indicates that Officer Shelby "cleared the driver's side front" of Mr Crutcher's vehicle before she began interacting with him. This would indicate she had checked whether there was a gun on the driver's side of the vehicle. Mr Crutcher's twin sister, Tiffany Crutcher, said her family welcomed the charge. Attorney

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

Egypt Migrant Boat Sinking: Death Toll Rises To 108 The number of bodies recovered after a migrant boat capsized off the Egyptian coast on Wednesday has reached 108, with the death toll expected to rise. Egyptian authorities said 64 deaths were recorded on Friday as rescue teams searched the area. The boat was carrying between 450 and 600 migrants when it sank eight miles (12km) off the port city of Rosetta. The boat was transporting Egyptian, Syrian, Sudanese, Eritrean and Somali migrants. Authorities said at least 163 people have been rescued but survivors told the BBC that hundreds more may have drowned. Speaking to the BBC's Orla Guerin in Rosetta, survivors said smugglers forced anyone who wanted a lifejacket to pay extra. Four crew members have been arrested on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter and human trafficking, Egyptian officials said. The boat, which was kept off the coast for five days as more migrants were brought on board, is said to have capsized after a final group of some 150 people were crammed onto the vessel. The incident came as the EU's border agency warned that increasing numbers of Europe-bound migrants are using Egypt as a departure point. More than 10,000 people have died crossing the Mediterranean towards Europe since 2014, according to the UN. (BBC)

Hackers Publish Apparent Scan Of Michelle Obama's Passport The White House says it is investigating a "cyber breach" after what appeared to be a scan of Michelle Obama's passport was published online. The scan appeared to have been taken from a Gmail account belonging to a White House employee, a spokesman said. Other confidential information was published online, including travel details, names, social security numbers and birth dates of members of staff. The White House said it had not yet verified the documents. DCLeaks.com, a hacker group which last week published personal emails from an account belonging to former US

Secretary of State Colin Powell's emails, claimed responsibility for the hack. The US attorney general, Loretta Lynch, said the incident was "something that we are looking into". White House press secretary Josh Earnest said the breach "should be a wakeup call for all of us". Mr Earnest said that the employee targeted by the hackers was a contract worker and not a permanent member of staﬀ. He said: "At this point I cannot announce any sort of conclusion that's been reached about the individual or individuals that may have been responsible for the cyber breach that resulted in this information being leaked." The Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting the President and First Lady, said it was "concerned" about the apparent hacking. "The Secret Service is concerned any time unauthorised information that might pertain to one of the individuals we protect, or our operations, is allegedly disclosed," said communications director Cathy Milhoan. In July, hackers released a string of emails from the Democratic National Committee (DNC), prompting the resignation of chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. State-sponsored Russian hackers have been accused of behind the DNC leaks. And on Friday, internet giant Yahoo conﬁrmed that hackers stole information from about 500 million users in 2014, in what appears to be the largest publicly disclosed cyber-breach in history. (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Charlotte Congressman Sorry For Newsnight Race Comments PAGE 129

North Carolina congressman Robert Pittenger has apologised following remarks about the black community he made to BBC Newsnight. "The grievance in their mind is the animus, the anger," the Republican said about the protesters in the city of Charlotte in his home state. "They hate white people because white people are successful and they're not." Protests followed the fatal police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott, a black man, in Charlotte on Tuesday. Mr Pittenger, who represents the city in the US House of Representatives and has backed Donald Trump for president, apologised within hours of the interview on Thursday night. Democratic North Carolina Congressman GK Butterﬁeld, who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus, attacked his colleague's remarks on Twitter. "This is an appalling sentiment from an era

Congressman Robert Pittenger tells BBC Newsnight: 'They hate white people because white people are successful’

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

our country has left behind - and it is beneath any American, let alone a Member of Congress," Mr Butterfield tweeted. Democratic North Carolina Congressman GK Butterfield, who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus, attacked his colleague's remarks on Twitter. "This is an appalling sentiment from an era our country has left behind - and it is beneath any American, let alone a Member of Congress," Mr Butterfield tweeted. Mr Pittenger later appeared on CNN, attempting to walk back his comments, but many were unconvinced. Charlotte has seen three nights of protests since the death of Mr Scott. Thursday's was largely peaceful after violence a day earlier during which one person was fatally shot. Police say that Mr Scott was armed with a handgun but his family and neighbours claim he was holding a book. His family say they want video recording of the shooting to be released. Meanwhile, Mr Trump's campaign chair in Ohio resigned on Thursday after claiming racism did not exist before President Barack Obama was elected. Kathy Miller, who managed Mr Trump's campaign in Mahoning County, told the Guardian: "I don't think there was any racism until Obama got elected. "We never had problems like this … Now, with the people with the guns, and shooting up neighbourhoods, and not being responsible citizens, that's a big change, and I think that's the philosophy that Obama has perpetuated on America." Ms Miller resigned hours after the newspaper published her interview and apologised for her "inappropriate" comments. (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Sri Lanka Bans Schools From Imposing Dress Codes On Parents PAGE 130

A picture of this poster has generated massive debate on social media(SMRITI DANIEL)

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

American, let alone a Member of Congress," Mr Butterfield tweeted. Democratic North Carolina Congressman GK Butterfield, who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus, attacked his colleague's remarks on Twitter. "This is an appalling sentiment from an era our country has left behind - and it is beneath any American, let alone a Member of Congress," Mr Butterfield tweeted. Mr Pittenger later appeared on CNN, attempting to walk back his comments, but many were unconvinced. Charlotte has seen three nights of protests since the death of Mr Scott. Thursday's was largely peaceful after violence a day earlier during which one person was fatally shot. Police say that Mr Scott was armed with a handgun but his family and neighbours claim he was holding a book. His family say they want video recording of the shooting to be released. Meanwhile, Mr Trump's campaign chair in Ohio resigned on Thursday after claiming racism did not exist before President Barack Obama was elected. Kathy Miller, who managed Mr Trump's campaign in Mahoning County, told the Guardian: "I don't think there was any racism until Obama got elected. "We never had problems like this … Now, with the people with the guns, and shooting up neighbourhoods, and not being responsible citizens, that's a big change, and I think that's the philosophy that Obama has perpetuated on America." Ms Miller resigned hours after the newspaper published her interview and apologised for her "inappropriate" comments. (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 131

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

Yahoo 'State' Hackers Stole Data From 500 Million Users Yahoo says "state-sponsored" hackers stole data on about 500 million users in what could be the largest publicly disclosed cyber-breach in history. The breach included swathes of personal information, including names and emails, as well as “unencrypted security questions and answers”. The hack took place in 2014 but has only now been made public. In the UK it is believed data on about eight million user accounts was taken in the hack. Stolen data includes names, email addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth and encrypted passwords, but not credit card data, Yahoo said. It said the information was "stolen by what we believe is a state-sponsored actor" but did not say which country it held responsible. The FBI has confirmed it is investigating the claims. Password change urged News of a possible major attack on the technology firm emerged in August when a hacker known as "Peace" was apparently attempting to sell information on 200 million Yahoo accounts. On Thursday, Yahoo confirmed the breach was far bigger than first thought. Yahoo is recommending all users should change their passwords if they have not done so since 2014. In the UK, ISPs Sky and BT issued warnings for customers that they may be affected by the breach as Yahoo provides email services for both ISPs. Sky estimates that it had about 2.5 million Sky.com email account holders at the time of the breach. It said not all were affected but would

advise everyone with a Sky.com email account to update their password. BT said it was carrying out its own investigation but advised the "minority" of its customers who use Yahoo mail to change their passwords. The nature of the information stolen feels somewhat run-of-the-mill - no payment info, and passwords were encrypted. Good. But the chain of events leading up to this unprecedented announcement gives rise to some incredibly pressing questions for Yahoo. Why did it take so long to confirm the hack and its scale? Why did it take so long to tell users and prompt them to protect themselves? Statesponsored attacks are typically for political, not financial gain. So why were details reportedly being sold online? What evidence is there that it was state-sponsored? Verizon, which has agreed to buy Yahoo, said it had not been told until a couple of days ago why not? And why is Marissa Mayer, a chief executive who has presided over bad deals and now the biggest breach in internet history, still in charge? In July, Yahoo was sold to US telecoms giant Verizon for $4.8bn (£3.7bn). Verizon told the BBC it had learned of the hack "within the last two days" and said it had "limited information". It added: "Until then, we are not in position to further comment." Yahoo said in a statement: "Online intrusions and thefts by state-sponsored actors have become increasingly common across the technology industry." Reuters reported three unnamed US intelligence officials as saying they believed the attack was statesponsored because it was similar to previous hacks linked to Russian intelligence agencies. Nikki Parker, vice-president at security company Covata, said: "Yahoo is likely to come under intense scrutiny

from regulators, the media and public and rightly so. Corporations can't shy away from data breaches and they must hold their hands up and show that they are committed to resolving the problem." She added: "Let's hope the ink is dry on the contract with Verizon." Hack attacks Attacks on Yahoo have led to some users of the service being hit by hackers. Japanbased writer and journalist Ali Attas said he was devastated when he logged on to his email to ﬁnd that everything he had sent and received for the last 20 years had disappeared. "I've lost hundreds of contacts and a lot of very sensitive stuﬀ," said Mr Attas, who lives near Yokohama. "It's devastating." "My 20 year history has been wiped out. The damage is beyond repair." In addition to all his personal and work contact details he said the vanished emails also included educational manuscripts he had submitted to publishing houses and a book idea which had been sent to a publisher in New York. Fortunately he had back-up copies of some of his work. He said he had set up a new account and emailed Yahoo to see if they can help him recover his work but had yet to receive a reply. Questions are being asked about the length of time it took Yahoo to fully acknowledge the breach. "It is really worrying that a breach from 2014 can have gone undetected for so long," said P r o f A l a n Wo o d w a r d f r o m t h e University of Surrey. "It is also surprising the public statement took so long to appear." "I would have thought most companies had learned by now that early disclosure is better, even if you have to revise and update as you learn more." The scale of the hack eclipses other recent, major tech breaches - such as MySpace (359 million), LinkedIn (164 million) and Adobe (152 million). (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 132

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

Syria Conﬂict: New Air Strikes On Aleppo As Offensive Launched

Warplanes have carried out fresh air strikes on Aleppo, hours after Syria's government announced an offensive to retake rebelheld areas of the city. At least 27 people have been killed in the strikes, monitors say, although other reports put the death toll higher. One rescue worker described what was happened as "annihilation". The government has urged people to avoid positions held by rebels. US-Russian talks to revive a collapsed truce have broken up without progress. Activists said both Syrian and Russian warplanes were taking part in the offensive, though Russia has not confirmed its involvement. Russia supports the Syrian government, while the US backs the opposition. The two powers accuse each other of failing to rein in their respective allies on the ground. The White Helmets, a Syrian volunteer rescue group, says dozens of air strikes were carried out in Aleppo on Friday morning. The group says the centres set up to help victims of bombardments were being targeted, and three out of four had been put out of action. One White Helmet volunteer reported air strikes as he carried out an interview with the BBC World Service. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said at least 27 civilians, including three children, were killed and dozens more wounded in the latest air strikes. Ammar al-Selmo, the head of civil defence in eastern Aleppo, told Reuters news agency that the death toll was more than 70, with at least 40 buildings destroyed. The Al Jazeera news agency tweeted that its bureau in the city had been partly destroyed.

Announcing the new offensive on state television late on Thursday, the Syrian government warned Aleppo residents to "stay away" from "terrorist positions". Syrian military sources said a ground offensive would follow. One told the Agence France-Presse news agency that the bombardment "could go on for hours or days before the ground operation starts. The timing of the ground operation will depend on the results of the strikes". Army officials said there would be exit points for anyone, including rebels, who wanted to flee. Russian and Syrian commanders - always sceptical about the merits of the ceasefire - now appear to have been given a green light to sort out the Aleppo problem once and for all. Imagery of the shattered city presents a gaunt vista in which thousands of innocent people remain trapped on both sides. Targeted attacks by government forces against medical and civil defence facilities add another element of horror to the situation. The fact that this new onslaught is taking place against a backdrop of the total failure in the US and Russian brokered efforts to implement a ceasefire in Syria is also significant. In the wake of this failure there is a good degree of bitterness on all sides. This provides space for the stepping up of military action on the ground. Indeed the pause may well have enabled government forces to reposition in key areas and to improve intelligence gathering. The government's warning came after days of air strikes on Aleppo. Syria declared the week-long ceasefire over on Monday. Residents told the BBC earlier this week that barrel bombs had struck rebel-held districts, causing many fires. Dozens of civilians were reported to have been killed. Thursday night's meeting in New York brought together members of the International Syria Support Group, which includes the US, Russia and other powers. After the talks broke down without agreement, UN envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura described them as "painful and disappointing". US Secretary of State John Kerry said Washington could not be the only one trying to hold open the door to peace. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused US-backed rebels of ignoring the truce, and said a new one would amount to a "unilateral pause". Also on Thursday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad denied claims that he was responsible for the ongoing fighting. In an interview with the Associated Press news agency, he reaffirmed his government's position that a deadly strike on an aid convoy in Aleppo on Monday had not been carried out by Syrian or Russian planes. Mr Assad also ridiculed concern about the army's use of barrel bombs, saying: "What's the difference between different kinds of bombs? All bombs are to kill, but it's about how to use it. When you use armament... you kill terrorists in order to defend civilians." (BBC)

PAGE 133

Club Privilege Caribbean Cinema Schedule For This Week

HOTSPOTGY and City Sky Anniversary will be celebrated this Saturday 24th of September at Club. A Celebration of Success and joy, that expects to satisfy all senses of the audience. Join the celebration and be amused with the variety of bar and stage oﬀers. Tickets Costs $2000 GYD Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/1160979410611498/

CLUB 704 Sports Bar, Club And Sky Lounge

Club 704 Sports Bar And Club Sky Lounge

This Saturday AK Entertainment presents Kangan Night! A display of colors and dance that will delight the audience. Bring your spouse and friends to enjoy of the show, don’t miss it this Saturday Sept 24th. Source: https://www.facebook.com/704Guyana/?fref=ts

CLASSIFIEDS PAGE 134

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

VACANCY

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LOCAL PAGE 137

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2016

Gaskin Says APNU+AFC Relationship Not Fractured Alliance for Change (AFC) Treasurer and executive member Dominic Gaskin has cleared up speculation about the current relationship of his party and the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), the larger faction of the coalition government. Gaskin expressed that relationship between the coalition partners – the AFC and APNU – is not fractured and had made it clear that it is not the AFC’s role to police the actions of the APNU. Speaking at the party’s bi-weekly press conference, held on Friday at the AFC's headquarters in Kitty, Gaskin, who holds the position of Minister of Business and Tourism said “I think we have a good working relationship with our coalition partners,” in response to a question asked about the relationship between the parties appearing fractured. Questioned by a section of the media about the effectiveness of the AFC at the level of Government, and the party’s ability to influence the outcome of national issues, Gaskin responded that the “effectiveness of the AFC in the coalition can be seen.” The AFC earlier this year had expressed concerns that too many responsibilities were concentrated in the hands of Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, contending that this was the root cause of many issues that had occurred in the coalition. The disagreement at the time was the appointment by Harmon of an Advisor on Business Development. The AFC had said “…the issues surrounding this (disagreement) have their roots in the concentration of the powers of the office of the Cabinet Secretary, the Minister of State in the Ministry of the Presidency, and the effective Head of the Presidential Secretariat in a single person.” The AFC had related that it had mandated its leadership in Cabinet to have those issues raised and addressed but despite this call, Harmon was not asked to relinquish responsibility for any of the positions, and this was even defended by President David Granger. Questioned by the media about this particular incident Gaskin said he does not recall the incident involving the Minister of State. “I can’t recall the specific incident or the comments attributed to the AFC,” he stated. Gaskin additionally expressed that his party was not elected to office to serve as a watchdog for the APNU. “That’s not what we were elected to do,” he said, also stating that “we were elected on the ton the basis of a manifesto which sets out some clear priorities that we wanted to achieve.” “I think that (our performance) over the period of our term in office is how we will judge the effectiveness of the Government. If you want to sub-divide the responsibilities, you can perhaps look and decide whether the AFC component was effective. What you’re suggesting is that our role is to somehow police our coalition partner, and how effectively we do that. (That) is not what we are there for,” Gaskin said.

Delay Mars Witness Protection Bill Health and safety, without a doubt is a major worry of individuals who are required to testify in court matters in an attempt to prove an individual or individuals guilty, and programs such as the Witness Protection program have been implemented around the world so as to curb fear. However, Guyana is still awaiting its Witness Protection Bill which according to the Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, is affecting the Government’s attempt to reduce corruption in the country since witnesses are However the minister recently revealed to the Government Information Agency that the bill is being fine-tuned by Attorney General, Basil Williams and will, upon completion be presented to the cabinet and then eventually will be presented to the National Assembly. In addition the Minister spoke of the financial backings that the program will require stating that some of the persons who will be introduced into the program will have to be located to areas far away since the program may not be able to effectively do their job of protecting them in Guyana. The Minster also stated that the program is more required for individuals who have to testify in matters against serious offenders such as 'drug lords' since individuals are of the opinion that they are more likely to 'kill them" that the white collar crime offenders. Together with the serious crime offenders the Minister also cast blame of the lack of a witness protection program as the reason for the judicial system being unable to convict previously ranked high officials stating that after they could not offer them protection they chose not to testify. The idea of the bill was introduced by the APNU+AFC government in 2015.

PAGE 138

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

OP-ED SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2016

OP-ED: Government Must Tighten Up Border Security. The Borders of Guyana are very porous, a lot of smuggling occurs at these ports of entry. The Government of Guyana must do more to tighten up its border, this is important for National Security and Development. Border security is very essential for Guyana, especially since there are disputes with Venezuela and Suriname on territorial matters. There are many reports of Venezuelans working in Guyana illegally in the Eteringbang area among others. On the other hand, it is alleged that large scale smuggling of Styrofoam and other product across the border from Suriname, and the Government is seemingly turning a blind eye on the issue. Border control, otherwise known as border security, is extremely important for Guyana in controlling and examining all those who enter or leave the country, today, in a world so plagued with terrorist threats and criminal activities. Border security regulations allow a country to monitor all people, animals and goods that travel across its borders. There are several issues border security is responsible for: Controlling the movement of citizens in and out of the country Regulating legal and illegal immigration Collecting tax on goods Controlling the spread of diseases, both human and animal Preventing the smuggling of weapons, drugs, hazardous or illegal substances or

objects, as well as endangered animals Border security is one of the means through which national security is carried out. No nation is truly safe without border security, because open borders easily lure harmful people and harmful actions such as smuggling, which could severely threat the residents of the country and even result in the loss of lives. Good border security can provide both actual safety for the country as well as a mental state of safety for its people. Therefore, it is highly recommended that the government continually explore the newest and most advanced technologies that may ensure safe borders. A combination of good intelligence, tight security procedures, experienced and qualiďŹ ed personnel and regular checks and drills may ensure that a countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s borders are as safe as they could be. By Edward Johnson

LOCAL PAGE 139

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2016

No Information Technology (IT) Plan In Guyana Many persons are of the opinion that Guyana is very far behind in the Information Society, where everyone can create, access, utilize and ICT sector. According to the Global Information Technology Report (GITP) Guyana ranks 90 in Caricom region when it comes to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development. They are also of the opinion that Guyana continues to lag behind much of the Caribbean Community and the world in terms of effective implementation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) which has tremendous impact on the other sectors of the economy. According to the source, Communication is very important for businesses, connectivity, whether the Internet or mobile phones is increasingly bringing market information, financial services, health services to remote areas, and is helping to change people’s lives in unprecedented ways. New information and communications technologies (ICT), in particular high speed internet, are changing the way companies do business, transforming public service delivery, the major companies that provides these services are unreliable with their service, the sources said. Upon assuming office in May, 2015, the APNU+AFC government fired officials attached to the E-Governance Project, to date, the Government is yet to decide on the future with the laying of fibreoptic cable from Guyana to Brazil. Minister of Natural Resources Rapheal trotman had stated that the project remains under consideration. According to a UN report, In 2003, the United Nations met and declared their common desire and commitment to build an

share information and knowledge, enabling individuals, communities and peoples to achieve their full potential in promoting their sustainable development and improving their quality of life, premised on the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and respecting fully and upholding the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The creation of this society is enabled by the rapid deployment of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs). The purpose of this document is to advocate some parameters for a plan of action for Guyana to move towards an Information Society.

Guyanese Youth Ambassadors Representing G u y a n a A t Yo u t h S u m m i t I n B e l i z e (Georgetown, September 23, 2016) – Guyana’s Youth Ambassadors, Adrian Alfred and Jewel Collier-Swan will be representing Guyana at the 4 th Caribbean Youth Leaders’ Summit in Belize. The summit is being held under the theme “Agenda 2030: From Rhetoric to Action!” from Tuesday, September 27 – Friday 30 September, 2016. Prior to their departure, the two Ambassadors met with the Minister within the Ministry of Education, Hon. Nicolette Henry. This summit seeks to bring the voice of youth into the intergovernmental debate on how to make the post-2015 development agenda a reality. The summit is being convened by the Caribbean Regional Youth Council in collaboration with the strategic public, private and international development partners. The summit is a timely response stemming from dialogue out of the regional and international commitments that have been made at forums such as the Caribbean Youth Development Conference, Jamaica, Commonwealth Youth Forum, Malta 2015, Commonwealth-Caribbean Region Youth Ministers’ Meeting, Antiqua & Barbuda 2015, CARICOM 8th Directors of Youth Aﬀairs’ Meeting, Guyana 2016 and CARICOM Committee on Human & Social Development (COHSOD) – Guyana, 2015. The objectives of the 4th Caribbean Youth Leaders’ Summit are to: a) Provide a platform for young leaders to engage in a dialogue with stakeholders on concrete commitments and actions to realize the SDGs at the national, regional and global levels. c) Youth playing an active role in the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.The forum will provide a platform for young people to discuss youth-led monitoring and accountability mechanisms for the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the measurement of

youth participation throughout the SDGs This Summit is supported by the UN, UNFPA, USAID, US Embassy, PetroCaribe, Caricom, the Commonwelath, Caribbean Regional Youth Council and the Government of Belize. Ministry of Education Press Release

Minister Henry and the Caricom Youth Ambassadors

LOCAL PAGE 140

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2016

Embattled GNBA Directors Threaten To Sue Chairman

Two directors on the Board of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA), Anthony Vieira and Vic Insanally are demanding an apology and compensation from Chairman Leonard Craig for recent comments they deem defamatory. Reports are that through their attorneys at the Satram and Satram law firm, the two directors said that if Craig fails to comply with their demands legal proceedings will be instituted against him. Craig in a statement on Wednesday identified board members Vieira and Insanally and said allegations of corruption levelled against them will be fully investigated. The statement came after Kaieteur News had published that Kenwin Charles, a broadcaster in Essequibo, had alleged that two GNBA board members tried to force him to sell his operations to a prominent businessman and processed to lodge complaints to Mr. Craig and the Prime Minister. The local newspaper had also reported that the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that the broadcaster had made the complaint and even had a meeting with the Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo. In the statement, Craig had said if the allegations made against the two directors can be substantiated, it will constitute a major blow to the integrity of the members concerned. “I will carry out a complete investigation of the facts relating to matters raised by Mr. Charles, I will review the reports of the meetings, elicit a response from the members concerned and will release an official statement in the coming days,” he said. Mr. Craig

stated that Mr. Charles indicated to him that he met with the Prime Minister where a similar complaint was lodged.” Vieira and Insanally via their Lawyers stated that Charles is an unlicensed operator and a board committee had decided to meet with such operators and seek to regularize their operations and allegations raised by Charles was not brought to their attention at the last board meeting for a response. The directors had complained that no steps were taken by Craig to verify the allegations and Ms. Boyal, the Board Secretary and then acting Chief Executive Oﬃcer, was also present at the meeting with Mr. Charles and is in position to verify the truth of the allegations made by Mr. Charles. The directors stated that Craig’s repetition of the allegations made by Charles was malicious and calculated to bring them into public hatred, contempt and ridicule. Through their attorneys, they added: “There is no truth in the published allegations made by Mr Charles, who is operating illegally and is in no position to sell his operation. You are directly responsible for the circulation of these false allegations which will be deemed to have originated from you.”

LOCAL PAGE 141

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2016

GPF Receives 57 Recruits Despite Flawed Police Force The Guyana Police Force has strengthened their numbers by 57 as the recruits from the Felix Austin Police Academy have graduated. Charging the graduates at the ceremony was Assistant Commissioner and Head of the Presidential Guard, Brian Joseph who told the new officers that they are guardians of public safety and as such he reiterated to them the necessity to put justice at the forefront of their jobs. He continued charging the officers to be 'just, fair and open minded' and to remember the parameters of their job as it is relates to them being judgmental towards individuals. Further in an effort to encourage the up and coming officers Joseph, tasked them to restore the Guyana Police Force to its "Glory Days" as reported by the Government Information Agency. However, with the officers being charged with positivity there are still inefficiencies that plague the police force such as the ever present number of officers who are charged and passed through the court on a variety of charges despite the Acting Police Commissioners, David Ramnaraine, message of zero tolerance of officers caught behaving in an unprofessional manner which he relaid to them earlier this month whist addressing them. The Acting Police Commissioner in an attempt to detour his officers from straying had warned that officers that falter whist being within a certain years of service will not be offered a second chance, once they fall they will be terminated from the force. As the new officers received their charge to be leaders and build strong ties with the community, it is understandable why it is a belief that the wrong doings of the officers that were previously attached to the force that cause the distrust that citizens have for them. Therefore the force must rid itself of its thorns of bad behaved officers before they are given the opportunity to corrupt the minds of the up and coming officers.

Granger Set On Settling Border Controversy Before UN SG Demits Office Guyana’s President David Granger is determined to have the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy appeared in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) before United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon demits office. A press release from the Ministry of Presidency indicated that President Granger is scheduled to meet with the Secretary-General today. Following a meeting between CARICOM leaders and the UN Secretary-General Ban at UN Headquarters, New York, the Head of State said that given the fact that Mr. Ban with whom Guyana has been engaged over the past years on this matter, will soon be demitting office, the country is not looking to start the process all over again with his successor. “Guyana has come to the conclusion 25 years after the Good Officer’s process has been exhausted and we do not intend to go back there. Our intention is to move forward to a juridical settlement, so once the replacement for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has been identified, unless he says something very definitive, it will be our responsibility to engage the new Secretary-General to move the process forward from where it is at present, rather than to go back to where we were before,” President Granger said. He added that through the shuttle diplomacy that had started between Caracas, Georgetown and New York, Guyana is satisfied that by now the Secretary-General would have been able to arrive at an assessment of the positions taken by Guyana and Venezuela so at this point, it should just be a matter of making a decision. President Granger throughout his attendance to the UN’s General Assembly has vigorously advocated for a resolution of the border controversy, so much so that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) opposition had accused the Government of not paying attention to other matters such as The New Human Global Order. Earlier this week, PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee had said that the New Global Human Order is being discussed at the United Nations General Assembly and the Government of Guyana is not recognizing this fact. The United Nations General Assembly had approved a resolution promoting a New Global Human Order at its 65th session held on December 10, 2010. According to reports, the call for a New Human Global Order, was created by the end of the Cold War, the accelerated rate of technological development, and the deepening interdependence of nations. Although at the meeting of CARICOM heads the issues of global warming and climate change were also discussed, the president had said that the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy remains “top priority” for Guyana and added that “we will continue to engage the secretary-general as far as possible to ensure that [the] matter is brought to a juridical settlement.” President David Granger

LOCAL PAGE 142

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2016

Guyana Public Service Union At the meeting of the Executive Council of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) held today, Friday September 23, 2016 a unanimous decision was taken to communicate to the Chief Labour, Occupational Safety and Health Officer of the Ministry of Social Protection, Department of Labour, the Union’s wish to enter into conciliation in the matter of what is now a dispute between the Union and the employer in the matter of wages and salaries increases for Public Servants for 2016. In this regard, the Union takes the opportunity to restate its position that the employer’s expressed “final offer” is unreasonable and unacceptable and to state further that it considers the matter deadlocked since the September 14, 2016 between teams representing the Government of Guyana negotiators and the GPSU. Further, the Executive Council of the GPSU has expressed its serious concern over the seeming insensitivity and absence of a sense of urgency on the part of the employer in dealing with the various other outstanding associated with public servants’ emoluments including de-bunching, increments and allowances. In this latter regard the Executive Council took a decision that the Government of Guyana be written to with regard to these matters with a view to having them dealt with expeditiously. What also concerns the

Executive Council and the Union as a whole is that the Government of Guyana appears to be reneging on its commitment to have separate negotiations for wages, salaries and allowance for semi-autonomous agencies. This position is based on information reaching the Union that what is being implemented in the Public Service is also being applied in semi-autonomous agencies.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2016

CDB Economist Tutors St Lucia Government

By Caribbean News Now contributor CASTRIES, St Lucia -- At a government of Saint Lucia press conference in Castries on Thursday, Dr Justin Ram, director of economics at the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), made a presentation to the media from a report conducted jointly by the CDB and the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) entitled “Fiscal and Structural Reforms in Saint Lucia: towards a Comprehensive Agenda”. In attendance was the minister in the ministry of ﬁnance Senator Dr Ubaldus Raymond. He noted that the purpose of the news conference was to inform media and public of the latest developments regarding the thrust towards a comprehensive economic agenda for Saint Lucia and that “the government was still in the process of reviewing the document and is awaiting a further report from international auditing ﬁrm – Ernest and Young”. “The objective of the joint CDB/ECCB report was to secure a diagnosis of the state of the economy before all t h e g o v e r n m e n t ’s t a x p r o p o s a l s c a n b e f u l l y implemented.The administration’s economic plan to which it is committed, hinges on three policy directions – reducing cost of living, spurring economic growth and curtailing the high level of debt. The joint CDB/ECCB report is a guide to

achieving those goals,” he explained. Ram noted that Saint Lucia will have to undertake a wide range of ambitious fiscal and public financial management reforms to keep its economy on the right track. The local private sector needs to be the driving force that will help to bring about that change, as Saint Lucia, like many Caribbean countries, exhibits low growth, reflecting high export concentration and high indebtedness. “The government of Saint Lucia needs to look at fiscal consolidation, structural reforms to improve competitiveness and increase growth, focus on transformative infrastructure project and focus on strategic liability management to maintain debt, and also focus on growth enhancing reforms, explaining that with high levels of growth, brings down employment and spurs greater investment,” he said. Ram’s presentation provided findings on Saint Lucia’s overall economic strengths and weaknesses, a diagnosis on the fiscal standing and made recommendations expected to ensure the country’s debt profile is placed on a sustainable trajectory. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Raymond reiterated that, in the interim, the new Allen Chastanet-led administration has executed a large part of its “Five to Stay Alive” plan, including a reduction in the increase of vehicle licence fees and an increase in school transport and feeding programmes. “The amnesty in personal property tax will commence in January 2017, while a promised reduction in value added tax (VAT) will be announced next month,” he said. The CDB/ECCB report indicated an economic growth of 1.2 percent for Saint Lucia in 2015, with a preliminary forecast of a 1.1 percent growth for 2016. In the last decade average growth in the economy of Saint Lucia has been 0.9 percent. “Over the last five years the performance of Saint Lucia’s economy has been generally weak with real output averaging negative 0.4 percent,” Raymond disclosed. (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2016

Venezuela Electoral Council Obstructionist And Biased, Says OAS Secretary General

OAS Secretary General, Luis Almagro(File Photo)

ASHINGTON, USA -- The secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, said on Friday that Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE, for its initials in Spanish) is “obstructing a constitutional right and acting with a clear political bias” in announcing the rules and the timetable that will govern the process for the recall referendum sought by the opposition, and demanded that the referendum be held in 2016. “The recall referendum belongs to the people, and it is up to the CNE to ensure the guarantees for the free expression of the people, instead of curtailing and trying to annul their rights,” the secretary general stressed. Almagro said the dates announced by the CNE are “one more maneuver to delay the process and to impede the holding of the recall referendum this year. Constitutional deadlines cannot continue to be violated, the will of the voters cannot continue to be manipulated, it is completely unacceptable that there are attempts to cut civil and political rights through biased interpretations by the CNE.” For the OAS leader, moreover, the CNE “arbitrarily and with demonstrated intention changed the rules of the game” by determining that the collection of 20 percent of the signatures needed to convene the referendum must be done at the state level, rather than at the national level. "Electoral bodies do not exist to undermine democracy and act in the interests of the current government; their nature and obligation is to serve as vehicles for the strengthening of the will of the people,” he said. In eﬀect, during the recall referendum against the former President Hugo Chávez in 2004, under the same law,

the collection of 20 percent of the signatures was carried out at the national level, which makes complete sense, given that the office in question is the president of the republic, a national office. “The president of the CNE Tibisay Lucena and its rectors Sandra Oblitas, Socorro Elizabeth Hernández and Tania DÁmelio are showing a high level of undue technical incompetence regarding the responsibilities they must meet. Their role is to ensure that 100 percent of the Venezuelan electoral registry is able to sign, if they desire to do so, not to certify the elimination of the rights of the people,” Almagro added. “It is urgent that the required number of machines in all districts are present in order to meet the needs of the more than 19 million Venezuelan voters and carry out a fair and proper distribution of districts that does not blatantly favor the position of the government. This decision is unconstitutional, violates the very spirit of the recall referendum and aims to sweep away the last glimmer of democratic hope for Venezuela,” he explained. The General Secretariat of the OAS reiterated the urgent call for respect for democratic institutions and rights, while recalling once more what is established in Article 1 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter. “The peoples of the Americas have a right to democracy and their governments have an obligation to promote and defend it. The right is that of the peoples and the obligation to ensure that right is that of the government," Almagro said. (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2016

Former Prime Minister Defends CARICOM

INGSTON, Jamaica, Sept 24, CMC – Former prime minister Bruce Golding is defending the regional integration movement, saying CARICOM is not a failure having achieved successes in several areas. “I think we have done very well in terms of functional cooperation. If every country in CARICOM had to set up their own examination system, instead of having the Caribbean Examinations Council, it would be difficult for much of the Former Jamaica Prime Minister Bruce Golding smaller islands that have fewer (source: jamaicaobserver.com) resources than we do,” said Golding, who is also Chairman of the Caribbean significant amount of influence in some of the major Community (CARICOM) Review Commission. The councils of the world, simply because when we go there CARICOM Review Commission is the brainchild of we have 14 votes,” the chairman said. “I know of some Prime Minister Andrew Holness. It has been tasked to occasions where there are some contentious issues in the examine Jamaica’s role in the regional bloc and how it has Organization of American States and the United Nations, impacted the country’s development. Golding, who chairs where balance is so close that 14 votes can make a the Commission, told a youth forum here earlier this week difference, and that’s when the biggest of the big come that institutions such as the Caribbean Agricultural knocking on our doors,” Golding added. Minister of State Research and Development Institute (CARDI) and the in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency Floyd Green, encouraged the youth to submit suggestions (CDEMA) were successful areas of cooperation. “We are to the CARICOM Review Commission. On the issue of all subject to natural disasters, and the response to natural integration, Green said this is being undermined “by the disasters when they occur requires institutional building, fact that it is so expensive for us to travel among our capabilities, and it requires management. If every country CARICOM states”. He also mentioned that the University had to set up (one) for itself, then you see the difficulties of the West Indies is becoming less integrated based on the that many countries would have,” Golding said. The make-up of the population on the campuses. The 15former prime minister also argued that CARICOM is member CARICOM grouping is home to approximately important for foreign policy coordination. “There is 16 million citizens, 60 per cent of whom are under the age strength in numbers. We have, in fact, been able to exert a of 30. (Antigua Observer)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2016

Bahamas Opposition Calls On Attorney General To Resign B y P a i g e McCartney Nassau Guardian Staff Reporter N A S S A U , Bahamas -- The B a h a m a s opposition Free N a t i o n a l Movement (FNM) on Thursday called for Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson to resign after she stopped a private prosecution against the top management of FNM Chairman Sidney Collie Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort. The attorney general signed a nolle prosequi on August 15, the same day around 600 jobs were being made redundant at the Cable Beach resort. FNM chairman Sidney Collie said in a statement that the power of the attorney general to issue such a dismissal is “prone to potential misuse, abuse and favoritism” under her tenure in office. “We cannot have that and continue to be a nation of laws. It is time for Attorney General Maynard-Gibson to answer for her actions and resign as attorney general,” the statement read. The prosecution involved allegations that Sandals general manager Gary Williams and financial controller Ronnie Mirza failed or refused to enter into contract negotiations with the Bahamas Hotel Maintenance and Allied Workers Union (BHMAWU) during the period of November 16, 2015, through July 12, 2016. Williams and Mirza were accused of intimidating three workers and union officials and firing them unlawfully. They pleaded not guilty to the charge. Minister of Labour Shane Gibson said Wednesday that he was disappointed the AG did not give him the courtesy of knowing that the matter had been discontinued and had to find out about it from a union leader. Deputy Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis and Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe also said that they knew nothing about the nolle prior to this week. However, Progressive Liberal Party chairman Bradley Roberts said the party supports the AG’s action.

“In our view, the Oﬃce of the Attorney General is correct in its judgment and the Progressive Liberal Party supports the decision,” Roberts said in a statement released on Wednesday. “When all of the PR, the political spin and posturing are said and done, it falls on the government to ensure the integrity of the country’s duly constituted public institutions.” But Collie called Roberts delusional for taking that position. “The PLP is in disarray, with Minister Gibson disappointed that the ‘nolle prosequi’ was issued,” he said. “Yet, delusional PLP chairman Roberts is defending it, while Attorney General Maynard-Gibson is refusing to comment.” The attorney general has yet to comment on the matter and is not required to explain her decision. Still, Collie accused the Christie administration of keeping secrets from Bahamians and from each other. “The PLP government has shown that they like to keep secrets from the Bahamian people and now it appears that they are keeping secrets from their own ministers. The minister of labour, Shane Gibson, has said that the attorney general never informed him that she issued the nolle prosequi direction in regards to the Sandals case even as he was meeting with the union,” he said. “This PLP government can’t even get on the same page when dealing with one resort’s issues; how can they deal with the problems they continue to create with the huge Baha Mar debacle?” The FNM chairman also questioned where Prime Minister Perry Christie stood on the matter. “Does he believe it was right for his attorney general to sidestep the courts and dismiss this case before it could be heard, or does he agree with the people who see this for what it is, an absurd and disturbing overreach of power?” he asked. Gibson said when he asked Christie about the nolle prosequi, he claimed he had no knowledge of the matter. Collie also pointed to the issue of a previous nolle prosequi issued in a matter involving the attorney general’s former clients as further reason she should resign. In December 2012, Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald entered the nolle in the case of George and Janice Hayes, who were charged with possession of an illegal ﬁrearm and ammunition. Prior to becoming attorney general, MaynardGibson represented the couple in court. Thomas Evans, QC, who represents Williams, said the nolle was issued because there was no case against his client. He said while the political directorate will engage in discourse, the attorney general is empowered by law to make the decision she made. (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2016

Barbados To Host Regional Intellectual Property Workshop

RIDGETOWN, Barbados, Sept 24, CMC – Senior oﬃcials from the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) and the European Union (EU) will meet here on Monday to discuss potential cooperation opportunities in the Caribbean region in the area of intellectual property (IP). The one-day forum, entitled “CARIFORUM-EU Workshop on Intellectual Property (IP) Tools, Networks and Cooperation

Opportunities,” is jointly organized by the CARIFORUM Directorate of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat and the European Union Intellectual Property Oﬃce (EUIPO), in partnership with the Delegation of the European Union to Barbados, the Organisation Eastern Caribbean States, OECS and CARICOM/CARIFORUM. Director-General of the CARIFORUM Directorate, Percival Marie, said “the expectation is that the workshop will foster exchange of knowledge and experience”. The workshop is being funded by EUIPO and the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) Caribbean Regional Indicative Programme (CRIP). Marie said the forum is designed to bring together a cross-section of stakeholders and will ultimately contribute to enhanced cooperation. “This cooperation is especially pertinent in the context of the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which was signed in 2008. The Agreement includes a chapter on Innovation and Intellectual Property,” according to a CARIFORUM statement. (Antigua observer)

Barbados To Defend Policies Before OECD Meeting BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Sept 24, CMC – Barbados will be vigorously defending itself when it comes before the Peer Review Donville Inniss Group of the Global F o r u m o f t h e O r g a n i z a t i o n for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris next week. International Business Minister, Donville Inniss, is leading a delegation to the meeting which begins on Monday and he is expected to defend the island’s position since being blacklisted by the European Union (EU), along with several other Caribbean countries, for being an uncooperative tax jurisdiction. Speaking at a ceremony here earlier this week, Inniss the delegation, which includes of the International Business Division and the Barbados Revenue Authority, and key European advisors, will also attend the Steering Group meeting of

which Barbados is Vice Chair, and, which he said represents the “voice of small states engaged in the international ﬁnancial services. “I expect that our meetings will be successful and will lead to an enhanced reputation for our domicile, and, by extension, more business for us.” Inniss said he has received oﬃcial notice from the EU of its intention to publish a list of uncooperative jurisdictions based on new guidelines developed by that organisation. He said Barbados has already started the consultative process to “protect Barbados’ name and reputation as a transparent and wellregulated jurisdiction”. He said that Governor of the Central Bank, Dr. Delisle Worrell, and a delegation were recently in Canada, where they continued to engage with stakeholders on the mutual advantages of doing business with Barbados. “Mexico, Colombia and Latin America continue to open up for us a market. And, next month we will host a team from Cameroon in Africa for talks of tax and investment treaties,” he said. (Antigua Observer)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2016

Nevis Geothermal Project Moving Along; Production Drill Rig Expected Shortly

Premier of Nevis, Vance Amory HARLESTOWN, Nevis (NIA) -- Residents of Nevis will soon see tangible activity related to the geothermal development project on the island. Word of that development came from premier of Nevis and minister of ﬁnance in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), Vance Amory, when he delivered an address at the tenth annual consultation on the economy hosted by the ministry of ﬁnance. The event was held on September 22, 2015. The theme was “A Revitalization of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship”. “The geothermal project, the geothermal energy, we have been advised the developers with whom we have contracted to develop the programme here in Nevis will have their drill rig in Nevis at the end of this month or at the latest by the middle of next month to carry on the exploration, to have the production wells done,” Amory said. In late 2015, the Nevis Island Administration contracted Thermal Energy Partners, LLC (TEP) to conduct the Nevis geothermal project.

In June 2016, the company announced through its affiliate NRE International (NREI) that it had begun a series of final design reviews and analysis of utility interconnection points for its Nevis geothermal power plant. During that time, a visiting team had engaged in final preparations with the Nevis Electricity Company Limited officials and toured the port facilities prior to mobilisation of drilling and construction equipment. The announcement followed well testing and monitoring exercises of the geothermal resource on Nevis in March 2016 and an announcement that Turboden was selected as the technology vendor. Amory underscored the importance of the alternative energy development for Nevis. He told attendees at the consultation that renewable energy is an important aspect of the island’s development and gave insight into the status of another related project. “We have seen some little hiccup in the matter of waste to energy. Although there has been some benefit, we still think that this is an important aspect of our renewable energy or alternate energy to the use of fossil fuel,” he said. However, the finance minister stated that the NIA was aware that there are some indefinable obstacles that could restrict delivery but gave the assurance that pre-emptive action had been undertaken on the advice of minister responsible for renewable energy and public utilities, Alexis Jeffers. “In the last month, the government has placed an order and should receive within short order, a 2.5 megawatt generating set, to ensure that during the high season, the highest consumption of electricity period, that we will not leave our people stranded. “I know we have been experiencing some difficulties and I want to compliment Mr Jeffers for his insistence that we go that route to make sure our people have adequate energy and are not left with outages our blackouts at inconvenient times,” Amory said. (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2016

The United States Inciting Public Protests In Venezuela

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Aﬀairs, Francisco Palmieri The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Aﬀairs, Francisco Palmieri insisted in the necessity of the Revocatory Referendum against President Nicolas Maduro, to be approved before year end. The United States insists that the Revocatory Referendum should be celebrated this year, despite the notice given by the National Electoral Council (CNE) announcing that in case the Revocatory Referendum needed to be implemented against

Maduro’s mandate, the validation of this document wouldn’t be oﬃcial until January 2017. According to Venezuelan Newspaper El Nacional, Palmeri addressed this matter during a press conference given in New York City, on the occasion of the 71st Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations. Taking the opportunity to emphasize the necessity of the prompt restoration of Venezuela’s sovereignty and democracy. The United States has been supporting the process of the Revocatory Referendum since this one was ‘boosted’ by the opposition earlier this year, after highlighting that the Venezuelan Constitution supports the termination of any mandate, if this one turns to be unsatisfactory for the development of the country and its inhabitants. The referendum would end Maduro's term and force new presidential elections in the country, if this one is held before January 10, 2017. If held after that date then the vice president would ﬁnish Maduro's term. Reason why the opposition insists in the necessity of the celebration of the plebiscite before this date. Palmeri reassured the support from the United States to the initiative of the Democratic Round Table (MUD) to empower the masses, and help them ‘express’ their discontent towards the decadent situation of the country.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2016

UN Human Rights Council Adopts Outcomes Of Review Of St Vincent And The Grenadines Cenio Lewis, h i g h commissioner of SVG to the U n i t e d Kingdom, noted that the government had accepted t h e recommendatio n to continue to seek the needed technical assistance to enable SVG to meet its various human rights commitments, and would continue to harmonize its legislation with international human rights standards. As a small island developing state, SVG had been ravaged in recent years by the impacts of climate change, which had rolled back decades of development gains – the government had therefore accepted the recommendations to promote strategies for the mitigation of climate change and to disseminate such information through schools and other educational means. Speakers noted SVG’s establishment of a national human rights mechanism. SVG’s vulnerable position as a small island developing state feeling the effects of climate change was noted by several delegations. Speaking were Pakistan, Sierra Leone, United Nations Children’s Fund, Venezuela, Bahamas, Cuba, Haiti, Maldives, Nicaragua, and Nigeria. The Council then adopted the universal periodic review of St Vincent and the Grenadines. Documentation The Council had before it the Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review – St Vincent and the Grenadines (A/HRC/33/5). The Council had before it an addendum to the Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review – St Vincent and the Grenadines: views on conclusions and/or recommendations, voluntary commitments and replies presented by the State under review (A/HRC/33/5/Add.1). Consideration of Outcome of Universal Periodic Review of St Vincent and the Grenadines Lewis said that during its review, SVG had received 128 recommendations, of which it had immediately accepted 75 and noted 53. With regard to recommendations on the ratification of international human rights instruments, Lewis said that SVG had already ratified and acceded to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, and would continue to work towards completing the ratification of other major international

instruments. SVG had recently established a national mechanism for reporting and follow-up, responsible for preparing all national human rights treaty bodies reports and the monitoring and follow-up of recommendations, which would expedite compliance with outstanding treaty obligations and enhance cooperation with international mechanisms. The government had accepted the recommendation to continue to seek the needed technical assistance to enable it to meet its various human rights commitments, and would continue to harmonize its legislation with international human rights standards. SVG had agreed to adopt the legislation on gender equality and amend the legislation to grant women equal rights with men in regard to citizenship to their foreign spouse. The government had progressively sought to improve human rights by strengthening its national institutional and legislative framework, and had enacted new pieces of legislation, including the Domestic Violence Act of 2015, the Child Care and Adoption Act of 2010, and the Status of Children Act 2011. In recognition of the continuing threat to children via the internet, the government had passed the Cybercrimes Act in August 2016, which also sought to protect children from sexual exploitation and carried severe penalties for child pornography. As a small island developing state, SVG had been ravaged in recent years by the impacts of climate change, which had rolled back decades of development gains – the government had therefore accepted the recommendations to promote strategies for the mitigation of climate change and to disseminate such information through schools and other educational means. Pakistan appreciated the eﬀorts of the government of SVG to progressively improve human rights by strengthening its national and legislative framework in an all-inclusive approach, including through establishing a national mechanism for reporting and follow-up, and the launch of its national child protection policy framework. Sierra Leone noted that although national legislation upheld the death penalty, there had been no executions in SVG since 1993, and it encouraged the government to continue engaging in dialogue with a view to establishing a moratorium on the death penalty. United Nations Children’s Fund commended SVG on the 2016 launch of its national child protection policy framework and the recent adoption of legislation on child care and adoption. Violence against women and children remained a serious concern and the country was commended for having passed the new Domestic Violence Act and the national action plan on gender-based violence. Venezuela noted the great progress made by SVG in the area of social justice, which was reﬂected in many welfare programmes

for the most vulnerable. The country had vaccinated almost 100 per cent of its children. Venezuela thus strongly supported the adoption of its universal periodic review. The Bahamas expressed hope that the adoption of the recommendations by SVG would serve to further enhance human rights protection efforts in the country. It commended its acceptance of the recommendations on the establishment of a national mechanism for reporting and follow-up and the establishment of a national human rights institution. Cuba commended the will of the national authorities of SVG to move ahead, calling on the international community to provide all assistance that the country might request. Cuba was committed to providing international support, showing solidarity and sharing its own modest experience.Haiti welcomed the continuance of SVG’s social sector policies and programmes and the promotion and dissemination of strategies for climate change mitigation. Maldives welcomed SVG as a fellow small island developing state. Appreciation was expressed for the country’s commitment to inclusivity toward persons with disabilities. Nicaragua underscored the progress made by SVG, and welcomed the country’s implementation of policies for women and children, as well as its drafting of a national action plan for ending gender-based violence. Nicaragua recognized efforts to improve the living conditions of the population. Nigeria commended SVG for its active participation in the universal periodic review process, and recommended that the Human Rights Council adopt the universal periodic review outcome, wishing SVG every success in the implementation of the accepted recommendations. The president said that out of 128 recommendations received, 75 were supported, while 53 were noted. Lewis, in his concluding remarks, said that although SVG had not accepted all the recommendations it had received, this should not be seen as a lack of political will or lack of commitment to human rights, but should be understood in the context of what national circumstances allowed at the moment.The government was cognizant that there was room for improvement. SVG took human rights seriously and addressed human rights issues on the basis of consultation, engagement with civil society, a best practice approach, and a frank and open debate which took into account the views of the various constituents of the society. Its general approach to legislation was that it must not be imposed from above. Those were some of the ingredients of its very active democracy. The advancement of human rights was an ongoing journey and SVG was justifiably proud of the progress made so far. (Caribbean News Now!)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2016

Syria Conﬂict: Air Strikes Leave Aleppo 'Without Water’

Intensified attacks on the Syrian city of Aleppo have left nearly two million people without water, the UN says. The UN children's agency says fierce strikes on Friday prevented repairs to a damaged pumping station supplying rebel-held districts of the city. In retaliation, Unicef says, a nearby station pumping water to the rest of Aleppo has been switched off. Fresh strikes were reported in the city on Saturday, as the Syrian army presses on with its push to retake rebel areas. The latest offensive was launched after a ceasefire collapsed on Monday. Unicef deputy director Justin Forsyth told the BBC: Many Aleppo residents will have to resort to contaminated water, Unicef says(REUTERS) "Aleppo is slowly dying, and the world is watching, and the water is being cut off and bombed - it's unilateral concessions". The pause in fighting, agreed by Russia just the latest act of inhumanity." Unicef spokesman Kieran and US earlier this month, was intended to improve aid Dwyer said the lack of running water could be "catastrophic" as deliveries and lead to joint operations against Islamic State and residents now had to resort to contaminated water and were at other militant groups. risk from waterborne diseases. He said water was being used as a Hopes that the truce would be extended collapsed as the US-led coalition apologised for killing more than 60 Syrian soldiers in weapon of war by all sides. The pumping station supplying rebel-held parts of Aleppo was one of its air strikes. And an aid convoy was attacked on Monday damaged on Thursday and subsequent strikes had made repairs hours after the ceasefire ended, killing some 20 people. Syrian impossible, Mr Dwyer told the BBC. "That pumping station and Russia deny claims that their forces were involved. In his TV pumps water to the entire population of the eastern part of city - interview, Mr Lavrov called for an investigation into the that's at least 200,000 people and then in retaliation for that incident. He is New York, where he has been holding talks with attack a nearby pumping station that pumps water to the entire US Secretary of State John Kerry. (BBC) western part of the city - upwards to 1.5 million people - was deliberately switched off," he told the BBC. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based group monitoring the conflict, said 25 people had been killed in fresh bombardments on Saturday. Activists said both Syrian and Russian warplanes are taking part in the latest offensive, though Russia has not confirmed its involvement. Russia supports the Syrian government, while the US backs the opposition. The two powers accuse each other of failing to rein in their respective allies on the ground. Medical sources say 91 people were killed in Friday's bombardment. The Syrian army has said it is preparing for a ground offensive, and told civilians to stay away from rebel positions. On Saturday government troops were reported to have captured the rebel stronghold of Handarat to the north of Aleppo, further tightening their grip on the city. Investigation call A seven-day truce brokered by the US and Russia collapsed on Monday. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday reiterated a call to revive the ceasefire "on a collective basis". He told Russian TV that a fresh truce could not be based on "Russia's

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2016

Labour Leadership: Jeremy Corbyn Defeats Owen Smith Jeremy Corbyn has been re-elected as Labour leader, comfortably defeating his challenger Owen Smith. He won 61.8% of the vote, a larger margin of victory than last year. He vowed to bring Labour back together, saying "we have much more in common than divides us", insisting the party could win the next election as the "engine of progress" in the country. More than half a million party members, trade unionists and registered supporters voted in the contest. In a result announced on the eve of Labour's party conference in Liverpool, Mr Corbyn won 313,209 votes, compared with Mr Smith's 193,229. Speaking to the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg after his victory, Mr Corbyn said the debate about who led the party was "now over" and Labour needed to take its message on the economy, education and the NHS to the country. Asked what steps he would take to reassure critical MPs, he said the return of shadow cabinet elections was "absolutely in the mix" although he declined to rule out the possible deselection of sitting MPs in the run-up to the next election. "I think you will see a lot of changes over the next few weeks," he said. "They (MPs) have no need to worry at all because it is all about democracy. We are all democratically accountable to our party and to our constituents. They have no need to worry at all. I am reaching out." Victory will be sweet - not just because it is a confirmation of his remarkable support among thousands upon thousands of members around the country. It is Mr Corbyn's second defeat of the Labour establishment, who many of his supporters believe have tried to undermine the leader consistently over the last 12 months. They talk of a "surge in the purge" as the leadership contest progressed - party officials vetting and checking new supporters who had registered to vote. There are claims that Labour HQ deliberately threw Corbyn supporters off the voting lists to reduce the size of his victory. Corbyn supporters believe many MPs have done nothing in the past year other than try to damage his leadership and today they will be shown to have failed badly in their attempt to oust him. In his acceptance speech, Mr Corbyn said he was "honoured" to have been elected in a contest that followed months of tension with many Labour MPs and urged people to "respect the democratic choice that has been made". Addressing supporters, Mr Corbyn said he and his opponents were part of the "same Labour family" and everyone needed to focus their energy "on exposing and defeating the Tories". "We have much more in common than divides us," he said. "Let us wipe that slate clean from today and get on with the work that we have to do as a party," he said. Recognising that the election had been "partisan", he condemned online abuse of Labour MPs and supporters which he said "demeaned and corroded" the party. Mr Smith, who had previously ruled out returning to the front bench, said he respected the result and the onus was on Mr Corbyn to "heal divisions and unite our movement". "Jeremy has won the contest," he said. "He now has to win the country and he will have my support in trying to do so." The result in focus Mr Corbyn was first elected Labour leader in September 2015, when he beat three other candidates and got 59.5% of the vote. Turnout was higher this time

around, with 77.6% of the 654,006 eligible party members, trade union members and registered supporters - 506,438 in total confirmed as taking part. Mr Corbyn won comfortably in each of the three categories - winning the support of 59% of party members, 70% of registered supporters and 60% of affiliated supporters. Party members - Jeremy Corbyn (168,216); Owen Smith (116,960) Registered supporters - Corbyn (84,918); Smith (36,599) Affiliated supporters - Corbyn (60,075); Smith (39,670) Despite winning the leadership in a vote of the wider membership and registered supporters last year Mr Corbyn, who spent three decades as part of a marginalised leftwing group of Labour MPs in Parliament, has never had the support of more than about 20% of Labour's MPs. And the contest came about after more than 170 MPs supported a motion of no confidence in their leader - that confidence vote came after dozens quit his shadow cabinet and other frontbench roles. There has been speculation that a number of critical Labour MPs, including some who resigned from Mr Corbyn's shadow cabinet in June over his leadership in the wake of the EU referendum, could return in an attempt to heal the divisions over the party's future direction. 'Unity and stability' The result was welcomed by leading trade unions while Momentum - the campaign group spawned by Mr Corbyn's victory last year - hailed it as a "fantastic win". Shadow health secretary Diane Abbott, a key ally of the leader, said opponents of Mr Corbyn had "thrown everything but the kitchen sink" at him. "It was a hard campaign but the membership came out for Jeremy because they realised he had not been given a chance and had been treated unfairly," she said. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said it was up to Mr Corbyn's critics to decide whether they wanted to serve under him, insisting he wanted "unity and stability" and there was a "way we can accommodate everybody". Labour MP Chuku Umunna said the "leadership issue was settled" and Mr Corbyn, through his re-election, was the party's "candidate to be prime minister". Former leader Ed Miliband said it was "time to unite and focus on the country". But Labour MP Louise Ellman said Mr Corbyn must appeal to more than his "cheering fans" and the public at large weren't "impressed with him and that needs to change". "It no good being surrounded by people who already agree with you. That is not enough." Rival parties react The Conservatives said Mr Corbyn's re-election would not end the "bitter power struggle" within the opposition. "172 Labour MPs don't think Jeremy Corbyn can lead the Labour Party - so how can he lead the country?" said party chairman Patrick McLoughlin. The Lib Dems said Mr Corbyn was an "ineffectual leader" who had failed to stand up for the national interest during the EU referendum. The Green Party was more conciliatory, offering the leader their congratulations. "We look forward to working with Jeremy to oppose the Conservatives and to bring about a progressive government at the next election," said co-leader Caroline Lucas. But UKIP leader Diane James tweeted: "The millions of Labour voters who want to see immigration cut and Brexit delivered are welcome in UKIP." (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS Obama Opens African-American Museum In Washington DC PAGE 153

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US President Barack Obama The museum is the only one of its kind in the US, the Smithsonian says(AP) has opened a new museum about the African-American experience in Washington DC. The $540m (£415m) Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture will "tell a story of America that hasn't always taken a front seat", Mr Obama said. He attended an opening event alongside former president George W Bush. Before officially opening the museum, Mr Obama rang a bell belonging to one of America's oldest black churches. Speaking on Friday, he said the new museum would educate Americans about the history of the racial tensions Adjaye, is located on Washington's National Mall - not far from the seen during protests over police killings of black men. "As a White House. It contains 36,000 items, ranging from trade goods people, we've rightfully passed on the tales of the giants who built used to buy slaves in Africa to a segregated railway car from the this country," Mr Obama said during his weekly address to the 1920s and a red Cadillac convertible belonging to rock'n'roll American people. "But too often, wilful or not, we've chosen to pioneer Chuck Berry. While some of the artefacts depict the gloss over or ignore entirely the experience of millions upon slavery era, others show how black culture has come to define millions of others." American culture, says the BBC's Nick Bryant in Washington. He added: "And so it is entirely fitting that we tell this story on our Black veterans of the US Civil War first proposed an AfricanNational Mall, the same place we tell the stories of [President American museum in 1915. However, it was not until 2003 that George] Washington and [President Thomas] Jefferson and our Congress approved its creation. Construction of the 37,200 sq m independence." The latest race protests have engulfed two US building took almost four years. The museum's opening is being cities, leading the governor of the state of North Carolina to declare celebrated with three days of festivities, including concerts by a state of emergency in the city of Charlotte. artists such as rap group Public Enemy and the Preservation Hall The bronze-coloured museum, designed by British architect David Jazz Band. (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS Washington State Attack: Manhunt After Burlington Shootings PAGE 154

Police in the north-western US state of Washington are hunting for a gunman who opened fire in a shopping mall north of Seattle, killing five people. They have released a picture of a suspect, who they say fled the scene armed with a rifle late on Friday. The shooting occurred at the Cascade Mall in the town of Burlington. Four women were killed in Macy's department store. A man later died in hospital. Police described the suspect as a "Hispanic male". His motive is unknown. Washington State Patrol spokesman Mark Francis said the gunman had left the scene before police arrived and was last seen walking towards the Interstate 5 motorway. He is in his 20s or 30s, with short hair, police say.Local officials told residents to stay inside with their doors locked, and drivers to avoid the motorway. The FBI, which is assisting in the investigation, says there is no evidence that further attacks are planned in Washington State. Burlington is about 65 miles (105km) north of Seattle. (BBC)

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Police described the suspected gunman as Hispanic(AP)

Calais Migrants: Hollande Sets Out Plan To Close Jungle Camp French President Francois Hollande has said he intends to close the "Jungle" camp in Calais and move 9,000 migrants to reception centres across France. Setting out for the ﬁrst time detailed plans to deal with the camp, Mr Hollande said migrants would be given up to four months to seek asylum. He has faced criticism over the squalid conditions in Calais, which he acknowledged were "unacceptable". His comments came as other EU leaders met in Vienna to discuss the crisis. The Jungle camp has become a powerful symbol of Europe's failure to cope with the crisis unfolding from Africa and the Middle East. Half of the camp was dismantled earlier this year, and with immigration likely to be a key issue in next year's French presidential election, Mr Hollande is keen to close the rest. Explaining his plans during a visit to a reception centre in Tours, about 150 miles (240km) south-west of Paris, he said reception centres would hold 40 to 50 people for up to four months. During that time, the migrants can apply for asylum in France. Those who are unsuccessful will be deported. About 7,000 migrants live in the remaining half of the camp, up from 4,500 in June, according to local authorities. Humanitarian groups put the number closer to 9,000. "There should be no camp in France," said Mr Hollande, who is expected to visit the site on Monday. The Jungle has played host to scenes of both squalor and of violence, as migrants attempt to board lorries bound for the UK, clashing with drivers and police in the process. Merkel meets Balkan leaders German Chancellor Angela Merkel travelled to Vienna on Saturday to discuss the migrant crisis with the leaders of countries along Europe's Balkan migrant route. Mrs Merkel, who suﬀered an election blow last week brought on in part by her controversial "opendoor" policy, met Hungary's premier Victor Orban, Alexis Tsipras of Greece, and Boyko Borisov of Bulgaria. Mr Orban

has been openly critical of Mrs Merkel's approach and taken a hard line against refugees and migrants entering Hungary. Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern said the aim of the talks was to "accelerate" a solution to the crisis. "At the moment there is a range of individual measures but no common European line," Mr Kern told the Austrian Kleine Zeitung daily. EU President Donald Tusk, arriving in Vienna, said that it was necessary "to conﬁrm, politically and in practice, that the western Balkan route of irregular migration is closed for good." More than 300,000 migrants have crossed the Mediterranean this year, the UN said on Tuesday, with 3,500 deaths recorded so far. (BBC)

Up to 9,000 migrants are stuck in Calais as they wait to reach the UK(AFP)

INTERNATIONAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Shanghai Restaurant Closes Day After Getting Michelin Star PAGE 155

A Shanghai restaurant has closed down a day after being awarded a Michelin star, reportedly because it lacked the necessary licences to operate. The Taian Table, which opened in April and served Western dishes, was described by Michelin as "graceful" and praised for its "clever recipes". But neighbours living above had complained of kitchen smoke and noise. The restaurant - one of 26 in the city to gain a star in the guide's ﬁrst China edition - said it would relocate. "Our idea and concept was to build a small place to entertain our friends and to have some foodies and chef friends around to create new and imaginative dishes," Taian Table said in a statement. It added that it had never intentionally violated any rules. The restaurant apologised to diners who had booked tables and said it was moving to bigger premises and would apply for all required licenses. Residents told AFP news agency they had petitioned to have the restaurant closed down. "The noise is always there, with the stereo subwoofer vibrating. It's so hot where we live, but we can't open our windows," said Zhang Fuzhen, who lives in the building. Taian Table oﬀered a 14-course menu and a 10-course menu, reportedly priced at 1,288 yuan ($193; £148) and 988 yuan, including dishes such as grilled endives, lobster and Wagyu beef. It was run under the direction of German chef Stefan Stiller, who has previously opened a series of restaurants in the city. (BBC)

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Michelin described the Taian Table as "graceful" (AFP/GETTY)

'Don't Shoot!' Wife Tells Charlotte Police In Video The moment North Carolina police shot a black man was captured on video by his wife, who can be heard pleading with officers: "Don't shoot him!" In the footage, Rakeyia Scott tells husband Keith Scott to get out of his car as Charlotte police surround him. The clip does not show the actual shooting, or make clear if Mr Scott was carrying a gun, as police say. Officers can be heard urging him to "drop the gun" but his wife is heard telling them he is unarmed. On Friday evening, a few hundred protesters took to the streets, but the demonstrations was smaller than on the previous three nights. They chanted "No justice, no peace" and "Release the video" - a call for the police to release their dash-cam and body-cam images of the incident. The state governor has declared a state of emergency in the city, and a midnight curfew has been imposed for a second night running, after rioters looted businesses and threw objects at police on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Unnamed police sources told local media and CNN a gun found at the scene was loaded and had Mr Scott's fingerprints and DNA on it. But the police have said nothing officially. Charlotte city leaders have been under mounting pressure to release their footage of this week's shooting. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton joined the chorus, adding: "We must ensure justice and work to bridge divides." Mrs Clinton's campaign team had said she would visit Charlotte on Sunday, but later announced the visit was being postponed until the following Sunday after discussion with community leaders "as to not impact the city's resources". In the clip, an officer is heard shouting: "Hands up!" Mrs Scott cries: "Don't shoot him. Don't shoot him. He has no weapon. He has no weapon. Don't shoot him." An officer says: "Don't shoot. Drop the gun. Drop the [expletive] gun." Mrs Scott says: "He doesn't have a gun. He has a TBI [Traumatic Brain Injury]. He just took his medicine." Family lawyers have previously said Mr Scott suffered head trauma in a car accident last year. Mrs Scott is then heard shouting "Keith, don't do it!" It is unclear what she is referring to. Seconds later shots ring out, and Mrs Scott rushes forward shouting: "Did you shoot him? He better not be [expletive] dead!" The incident occurred in the car park of an apartment complex where police who were searching for another person. The officer who fatally shot the 43-year-old father-of-seven was identified as Brently Vinson, who is also African-American. There are

conflicting accounts of his death - police say he was armed and that a pistol was recovered at the scene; his family says he was holding a book. Mr Scott's mother, Vernita Scott Walker, told South Carolina broadcaster WCSC he was probably reading the Koran. She said he read the Islamic holy book every day, often while waiting for his son to get off the bus. "That's what he was reading because he loved to read that book," said Ms Scott Walker. At a press conference on Friday, officials defended their refusal to release body-cam and dash-cam video of the shooting. Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts told reporters: "I do believe the video should be released the question is on the timing." She said the video was "inconclusive" as to whether Mr Scott was holding a gun. City Police Chief Kerr Putney said the video alone does not provide sufficient evidence of probable cause for the shooting. Releasing it without "context" could only inflame the situation, he added. Critics have accused Charlotte authorities of a lack of transparency, compared with the swift action taken after a police shooting in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where a white officer has been charged. Charlotte police said they arrested a suspect in Wednesday's fatal shooting of a protester, Justin Carr, in in the city. The alleged gunman was identified as Rayquan Borum. (BBC

Wife's video of Charlotte police shooting of Keith Scott. This video has distressing scenes and strong language.

INTERNATIONAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Three Men Charged After Thai Raid Finds Body In Freezer PAGE 156

Three men have been been charged after police raided a building in Thailand and found a body in a freezer. A police officer was injured during Friday's raid on the four-storey building in Bangkok, where guns and drugs were also found. Thai police suspected the building in the Phra Kanong district was being used as a passport-forging operation. The UK Foreign Office said it was looking into reports that one of the men could be British. "We are seeking further information from the local authorities following reports that a British national has been arrested in Thailand," a spokesman said. All three men have been charged with offences including concealment of a body, obstruction of justice and possession of fraudulent passports, the deputy police chief spokesman Colonel Kissana Phathanacharoen said. They are also charged with possession of drugs including ketamine and crystal meth. A court date is yet to be set. Speaking about the raid, Col Phathanacharoen added: "We managed to find a big freezer... the body was

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chopped into diﬀerent parts. It was concealed in many rubbish bags." He said he did not know the gender of the victim at this stage. (BBC)

Passport forgery is a big business in Thailand(GETTY IMAGES)

Pippa Middleton iCloud Hack Claims Investigated By Police Police are investigating claims an iCloud account reportedly belonging to the Duchess of Cambridge's sister Pippa Middleton has been hacked and private photographs stolen. The Sun reported that it was offered the images, which it said included shots of the duchess's children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. The paper said someone had contacted it asking for £50,000 within 48 hours. The Met Police said inquiries were ongoing and no arrests had been made. The haul from the hack is believed to include 3,000 pictures, and an anonymous person has reportedly tried to sell them via encrypted messaging service WhatsApp. 'Specialist officers' The Sun quoted a spokesman for Miss Middleton, who was maid of honour at her sister Catherine's 2011 wedding, as saying: "Thank you very much for drawing this to the family's attention. "I can confirm that not only have the lawyers been informed but the police are about to be involved as well." A Met Police spokesman said: "Police have received a report concerning the alleged hacking of a personal iCloud account. Specialist officers are now investigating." In the summer, Miss Middleton and hedge fund manager James Matthews confirmed their engagement, with a wedding planned for next year. Several high-profile figures have had images stolen from their iCloud accounts, including actress Jennifer Lawrence and singer Rihanna. In July, US man Edward Majerczyk pleaded guilty to running a phishing campaign to steal private pictures and videos from film and TV stars, in what was known as the

"celebgate" aﬀair. Four-digit code In 2014, Apple said it had expanded its use of "two-step veriﬁcation" checks to protect data stored on its iCloud servers. The process works by introducing an extra step after an account holder has typed their username and password into a device they have not used before. They are also required to enter a four-digit code that is either texted to a trusted mobile phone number or sent via Apple's Find My iPhone app. If the person does not enter the code, they are refused access to iCloud and are blocked from making an iTunes, iBooks, or App Store purchase. (BBC)

James Matthews and Pippa Middleton are due to marry next year(PA)

INTERNATIONAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Irish Abortion laws: Protests Held Across The World PAGE 157

Thousands of people have marched across Dublin and 20 other world cities to protest against Ireland's strict abortion laws. Protesters are calling for a referendum to repeal the laws in the stringently Catholic country. Across Twitter #repealthe8th hashtag was popular among supporters, referring to the 8th amendment of the Irish constitution that forbids abortion. Abortion is only legal in Ireland if the mother's life it at risk. Marching in the rain, protesters in Dublin chanted, "My body, my choice". Sal Roche, a 42-year-old dance teacher participating in the march, told Reuters news agency: "It's a woman's right to choose and it is ridiculous to say that anybody else, the state or the Church, has the right to tell that woman what happens to her body." The Irish diaspora organised support for the movement across world cities including Berlin, Melbourne, and London. Irish comedian Graham Linehan tweeted in support of the demonstrations. Abortion has been a contentious issue in Ireland with people protesting on both sides of the debate. A total ban on the practice was removed in 2013. Opponents say the 8th constitutional amendment protects a mother's and an unborn child's equal right to life.

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Next month Prime Minister Enda Kenny will hold a citizens' assembly to discuss whether a vote should take place to change the abortion laws. (BBC)

Demonstrations brought traďŹ&#x192;c to a standstill in Dublin(REUTERS)

Ugandan Police Block Gay Pride Parade Ugandan police have blocked gay pride celebrations from happening in two resorts outside the capital, Kampala. Gay rights activist Frank Mugisha said more than 100 LGBTI people tried to participate in the celebrations in Entebbe near Lake Victoria. But many were escorted by police back to Kampala in minibuses. The minister for ethics and integrity had threatened to mobilise mobs to attack participants. Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda. After being blocked from entering the Entebbe resort, several dozen participants moved on to another resort but were kicked out by oďŹ&#x192;cers. This is the second time the LGBTI [lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and/or intersex] community has tried to hold gay pride celebrations in Uganda this year. In August, the authorities broke up a beauty pageant and arrested activists. The BBC's Catherine Byaruhanga reports from Kampala that it is unclear why this event was targeted, as over the past four years celebrations have been held without much notice from the police. In 2014 a bill to

further criminalise homosexuality was overturned in court. (BBC)

Ugandan activists held celebrations in August 2015(AFP)

HEALTH TIP

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HEALTH TIP reduce the pressure and irritation to the area with the ulcer and help to speed

Diabetic Foot Ulcer

What is a Diabetic Foot Ulcer? A diabetic foot ulcer is an open sore or wound that occurs in approximately 15 percent of patients with diabetes and is commonly located on the bottom of the foot. Of those who develop a foot ulcer, 6 percent will be hospitalized due to infection or other ulcer-related complication. Diabetes is the leading cause of non-traumatic lower extremity amputations in the United States, and approximately 14-24 percent of patients with diabetes who develop a foot ulcer will require an amputation. Foot ulceration precedes 85 percent of diabetes-related amputations. Research has shown, however, that development of a foot ulcer is preventable. Causes Anyone who has diabetes can develop a foot ulcer. Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanics, and older men are more likely to develop ulcers. People who use insulin are at higher risk of developing a foot ulcer, as are patients with diabetes-related kidney, eye, and heart disease. Being overweight and using alcohol and tobacco also play a role in the development of foot ulcers. Ulcers form due to a combination of factors, such as lack of feeling in the foot, poor circulation, foot deformities, irritation (such as friction or pressure), and trauma, as well as duration of diabetes. Patients who have diabetes for many years can develop neuropathy, a reduced or complete lack of ability to feel pain in the feet due to nerve damage caused by elevated blood glucose levels over time. The nerve damage often can occur without pain, and one may not even be aware of the problem. Your podiatrist can test feet for neuropathy with a simple, painless tool called a monofilament. Vascular disease can complicate a foot ulcer, reducing the body's ability to heal and increasing the risk for an infection. Elevations in blood glucose can reduce the body's ability to fight off a potential infection and also slow healing. Symptoms Because many people who develop foot ulcers have lost the ability to feel pain, pain is not a common symptom. Many times, the first thing you may notice is some drainage on your socks. Redness and swelling may also be associated with the ulceration and, if it has progressed significantly, odor may be present. When to Visit a doctor Once an ulcer is noticed, seek medical care immediately. Foot ulcers in patients with diabetes should be treated to reduce the risk of infection and amputation, improve function and quality of life, and reduce health-care costs. Diagnosis and Treatment The primary goal in the treatment of foot ulcers is to obtain healing as soon as possible. The faster the healing, the less chance for an infection. There are several key factors in the appropriate treatment of a diabetic foot ulcer: Prevention of infection Taking the pressure off the area, called “off-loading” Removing dead skin and tissue, called “debridement” Applying medication or dressings to the ulcer Managing blood glucose and other health problems Not all ulcers are infected; however, if your doctor diagnoses an infection, a treatment program of antibiotics, wound care, and possibly hospitalization will be necessary. To keep an ulcer from becoming infected, it is important to: keep blood glucose levels under tight control; keep the ulcer clean and bandaged; cleanse the wound daily, using a wound dressing or bandage; and avoid walking barefoot. For optimum healing, ulcers, especially those on the bottom of the foot, must be “off-loaded.” You may be asked to wear special footgear, or a brace, specialized castings, or use a wheelchair or crutches. These devices will

the healing process. The science of wound care has advanced significantly over the past ten years. The old thought of “let the air get at it” is now known to be harmful to healing. We know that wounds and ulcers heal faster, with a lower risk of infection, if they are kept covered and moist. The use of fullstrength betadine, hydrogen peroxide, whirlpools, and soaking are not recommended, as these practices could lead to further complications. Appropriate wound management includes the use of dressings and topically-applied medications. Products range from normal saline to growth factors, ulcer dressings, and skin substitutes that have been shown to be highly effective in healing foot ulcers. For a wound to heal, there must be adequate circulation to the ulcerated area. Your podiatrist can determine circulation levels with noninvasive tests. Tightly controlling blood glucose is of the utmost importance during the treatment of a diabetic foot ulcer. Working closely with a medical doctor or endocrinologist to control blood glucose will enhance healing and reduce the risk of complications. Surgical Options: A majority of non-infected foot ulcers are treated without surgery; however, if this treatment method fails, surgical management may be appropriate. Examples of surgical care to remove pressure on the affected area include shaving or excision of bone(s) and the correction of various deformities, such as hammertoes, bunions, or bony “bumps.” Healing time depends on a variety of factors, such as wound size and location, pressure on the wound from walking or standing, swelling, circulation, blood glucose levels, wound care, and what is being applied to the wound. Healing may occur within weeks or require several months. Prevention The best way to treat a diabetic foot ulcer is to prevent its development in the first place. Recommended guidelines include seeing a doctor on a regular basis. Your doctor can determine if you are at high risk for developing a foot ulcer and implement strategies for prevention. You are at high risk if you have or do the following: Neuropathy Poor circulation A foot deformity (e.g., bunion, hammer toe) Wear inappropriate shoes Uncontrolled blood sugar History of a previous foot ulceration Reducing additional risk factors, such as smoking, drinking alcohol, high cholesterol, and elevated blood glucose, are important in prevention and treatment of a diabetic foot ulcer. Wearing the appropriate shoes and socks will go a long way in reducing risks. Your podiatrist can provide guidance in selecting the proper shoes. Learning how to check your feet is crucial so that you can find a potential problem as early as possible. Inspect your feet every day—especially the sole and between the toes—for cuts, bruises, cracks, blisters, redness, ulcers, and any sign of abnormality. Each time you visit a health-care provider, remove your shoes and socks so your feet can be examined. Any problems that are discovered should be reported to your podiatrist as soon as possible; no matter how simple they may seem to you. The key to successful wound healing is regular medical care to ensure the following “gold standard” of care: Lowering blood sugar Appropriate debridement of wounds Treating any infection Reducing friction and pressure Restoring adequate blood flow