GNN Online Newspaper - Dec 11, 2015

Friday December 11, 2015

Mrs Sita Nagamootoo, wife of the Hon Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo attended the Dharam Shala Children’s Party and took part in carol singing (GINA Photo)

LAND REPOSSESSED FROM ED AHMAD SINCE 2009 GUYSUCO/GAWU CONCILIATION ENDS WITHOUT SETTLEMENT -PAGE 4

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Benn and Alexander continue to spar over election petition

Robeson Benn

Peoples National Congress (PNC) Commissioner at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Vincent Alexander, has urged that Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) Commissioner Robeson Benn rethink his position which he deems “conflict of interest” on the matter of the withdrawal of the application to the courts to strike out the Ganga Persaud

Vincent Alexander

Elections Petition.

Benn noted that Alexander’s response has, in the main, been predictable in his patently obvious attempts to distract the public’s focus from the pivotal issues raised by the Motion at GECOM.

“I wish to point out that at no time during the formal tabling and debate on the Motion, inclusive of a week’s “cogitation” by Chairman

Surujbally, was the question of the arising of a conflict of interest noted or discussed. Least of all by Commissioner Alexander,” he said.

It should be of some interest as to why Alexander is now raising this issue, post facto, when he had the fullest opportunity to enter it into the debate if he considered it material and fatal at the time.

According to Commissioner Benn, it could not have been that Mr Alexander was assuredly and supremely confident in an expectation of the direction Chairman Surujbally’s casting vote in the obvious presence of a division at the meetings.

One can

And, secondly, would it not be of immense benefit to GECOM, and for our evolving electoral democracy, if a full, and dispassionate, court review helps to, significantly, improve public perceptions of its systems, conduct and practices with respect to its mandate, Benn further questioned.

“It is not my interest to engage in “last lick” in the media but to await the determination of the matter in the courts and, especially, in the court of informed public opinion, Commissioner Benn said.

The war of words between the two GECOM Commissioner surfaced after a motion

was tabled at GECOM’s Statutory Meeting on Tuesday, December 1, 2015, to instruct the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, to withdraw the application to the Courts to strike out the Elections Petition was negativized after equal division by the casting vote of the Commission’s Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally.

T h e announcement was made

by PPP Commissioners, Bibi Shaddick, Robeson Benn and Sase Gunraj.

Alexander has since deemed statements made by his colleagues “concocted, conflictual and hypocritical.”

This has prompted a response from Commissioner Benn.

at which we can come and provide information and respond queries pertaining to Local Government Elections”.

Also he stated

that schedules for the meetings were also sent to the political parties to ask them to enthused and motivate their constituents to attend these meetings.

This is in addition to flyers that are being distributed, meetings in Local Authority Areas to engage stakeholders, announcements using PA (Public Address) systems and infomercials.

Persaud stated that despite these systems being in place, the public participation has not been satisfactory but the Commission

is doing all that it can.

He disclosed that GECOM “will be publishing the times and venues for these meetings. We are taking the message to the people in the communities” from Sunday, December, 13 “with a view a view to generate a more informed public in so far as local government elections in concerned and to promote greater participation in the Local Government Elections”.

LGE will be hosted on March, 18, 2016 in 62 NDC’s and 9 Municipalities.

while its officers on the ground are ascertaining the facts, mobilization of officials from other relevant Agencies is being effected.

According to the GGMC, “this area was among those targeted for inspection during the post Mowasi Accident response, when operators/operations were educated

on safety issues, encouraged to adopt a safety culture and regulatory compliance was enforced where determined to be necessary.”

The commission said the heightened awareness that the field officers have attached to safe mining practices have been well received by all the operations/ operators visited but

only conclude that any issue of conflict was not considered material, or relevant, then, and it remains so now, Benn said.

He said the issues raised

by Mr Alexander are moot when one considers the two larger and over arching grave matters implicit out of the discussions of the failed Benn Motion, to which Mr Alexander ascribes an “ulterior” motive.

Firstly, the PPP Commissioner questioned do the electorate, stakeholders, and the public at large have any right to the fullest, or any elucidation and determination by a court process of the Ganga Persaud Elections Petition?

Response to Local Gov’t Voters Education poor -GECOM doing education but the actual all it can The People’s Progressive information getting to Party (PPP) says it has noticed during out reaches that the Voters Education for the 2016 Local Government Elections (LGE) is poor, especially in Lethem and Mabaruma which was recently declared to towns.

During a press conference on Thursday, the party Executive Member; Gail Teixeira stated that “in Lethem, in some cases, they supposed started voter

people to get them to come to it is being poorly done…and it is a new system being used so persons are not clear.”

To this Deputy Chief Elections Officer at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Vishnu Persaud stated that “our people are on the ground and in fact, we have arranged meetings in those communities and Lethem is a very small community.”

He added that the turn out to the public

Vishnu Persaud

meetings have been poor, however letters will be sent to “civil society organizations inviting them to arrange meetings with their membership

GGMC LAMENTS ANOTHER MINING DEATH The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) said they are in anguish having received a report of yet another mining fatality as it calls on all miners to be cautious and aware of the typical hazards in mining and to follow mining and safety regulations to

bring an end to these unnecessary accidents.

The mining accident is in the White Hole/Red Hole area near Mahdia was reported to have occurred at approximately 09:30hrs on December 10th, 2015.

Reports stated that 47 year old Terrence

Lobert, of Eccles, East Bank Demerara died after the walls of the pit he was working in collapsed and buried him alive. It added that it took three hours to dig him out and he was later pronounced dead on arrival at the Mahdia Hospital.

The GGMC said

the sustained awareness at all levels must be observed if these types of occurrences are to be avoided.

Gov’t urges Venezuela opposition to reverse Maduro’s decisions against Guyana The coalition government is optimistic that with an oppositioncontrolled Parliament in neighbouring Venezuela some of the decisions made by President Nicolas Maduro to Guyana’s disadvantage could be reversed.

The opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable coalition won Venezuela’s parliamentary elections, taking control of the legislature from the governing United Socialist party. The party won 99 seats in the Venezuelan parliament, while the United Socialist Party won 46 at last weekend’s election.

President Maduro has admitted defeat, recognising “these adverse results”.

It is the worstever defeat for the leftist movement founded by former leader Hugo Chavez in 1999.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday at the Ministry of the Presidency, State Minister Joseph Harmon told the media that “we are analyzing these changes in the National Security Committee, which meets once a week- we analyse all of these changes-and to see what impact or effect it has on Guyana and the security of Guyana.”

“The fact that the opposition has I think two-thirds in the legislature that they can infact bring some pressure to bear on the administration,” said the Minister. He believes

firmly that with the opposition holding a two-thirds majority they can frustrate some of the programmes of the Maduro administration.

The Alliance for Change (AFC) earlier this week urged the Venezuelan Parliament to lift the trade embargo against Guyana.

In congratulating the Venezuelan oppositionDemocratic Union Coalition, which secured a majority in the Spanish speaking country’s midterm elections at the weekend, the AFC said it “believes that it is still possible for the Maduro regime to reverse its trade embargo against Guyana, in the interest of continued good neighbourly relations.”

The trade

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

embargo was enforced by President Nicolas Maduro.

The party in a statement said “these mid-term elections did not alter presidential powers, which are still in the hands of Mr. Nicolas Maduro.

The AFC renews its commitment, being part of the APNU+AFC Coalition government, to working with the people of Venezuela towards closer

cooperation on matters of mutual interest and benefit to our peoples.”

Venezuela in October refused to buy Guyana’s rice and sell fuel to the country.

This is after the border controversy with Venezuela escalated earlier this year.

On May 26, 2015, The Venezuelan President issued Decree No 1.787 declaring an area in Guyana that

Venezuela regards as its maritime space.

Venezuela is seeking to restate a false claim to five-eighths of Guyana, which includes all of the country’s forest and mineral resources as well its exclusive maritime zone.

However, the Arbitral Award of 1899 definitively established the boundary between Guyana and Venezuela.

GuySuCo/GAWU conciliation ends without any settlement The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc (GuySuCo) met with Chief Labour, Occupational Safety and Health Officer, Cde Charles Ogle today to discuss the Annual Production Incentive (API) for sugar workers for 2015, however the meeting ended without any settlement.

The conciliatory meeting which was agreed to earlier this month after API talks between the two parties did not meet an agreement.

According to a statement from GAWU, said the Corporation stuck to its position of 85,000 tonnes sugar for a

day’s pay, however the union does not feel it is sincere. As such, the Union is seeking to resolve the dispute submitted that some API payments could be paid during the course of the First Crop next year (2016) noting that the Corporation will be receiving revenue from sugar sales during the period.

It noted that “GuySuCo paid no heed to this proposal as continues to be unconcerned and contemptuous to the cause of the sugar workers. GAWU noted that the Corporation’s offer which is about 2.6 days’ pay for the year’s production defies its contention that it lacks the ability to pay.”

The Union felt that a settlement was possible with just about

[FILE PHOTO]

two additional days’ pay. It added that this is the first in nearly three decades that workers would not have been able to obtain a wage increase and obtaining a compensatory and acceptable API payment.

“Inde e d, the workers would encounter a bleak

and grim period during the end of year holidays including the commencement of the New Year” it noted.

The Chief Labour, Occupational Safety and Health Officer in concluding his intervention towards having a settlement on the dispute informed

the meeting that he would provide a brief to his Ministers Volda Lawrence and Simona Broomes. They would then have the opportunity to advise on the way forward, including to engage the parties with respect to finding a settlement.

As of today, the corporation

achieved225,424 tonnes sugar. Albion Estate is slated to operate another week, Rose Hall and East Demerara Estates until weekending December 26, 2015, and the other estates after this weekend would have concluded the harvest of their crops.

No diplomatic appointments before the end of 2015 posts include Frederick Hamley Case and Attorney Clarissa Riehl, both of whom are members of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR).

Case is tipped to be Guyana’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom while Riehl is said to be heading to Canada.

In addition, Retired Brigadier Julian “Bruce” Lovell is also tipped for posting in Brazil.

Meanwhile, former Political advisor to late President Forbes Burnham, Halim Majeed, is said to be considered as Guyana’s representative to Cuba.

Case will replace Laleshwar Singh in the UK, while Riehl will be

replacing Harry Narine Nawbatt in Canada, if approved by the President and Cabinet.

Majeed will be replacing Attorney Mitra Devi Ali, who was once the Permanent Secretary at the Legal Affairs Ministry.

The APNU+AFC government when it came into office in May of this year notified Guyanese Diplomats and Ambassadors that they were likely to be recalled and replaced.

“Notices have been served and the replacements and removals will occur by the end of October,” Harmon told the media.

Almost two months later, there has been no movement in this regard.

still President. yearly to Ahamad, he The Guyana only paid that amount Chronicle had for one year and reported then: “the never did so again. land was leased for a However, with the brief period of time land reportedly being on May 30.” This lease repossessed by the state was subsequently in 2009, there would relinquished in not have been a need 2009,” according to for Ahmad to make the state newspaper. any other payment.

In addition, the The Minister Kaieteur Newspaper also contended that also reported: “This the deal was fastlease was subsequently tracked and completed relinquished to Guyana within one week to Lands and Surveys Ahamad, who is said Minister of State, Joseph Harmon The revelation made by promised revelation coalition government Commission in 2009.” to be a friend of the Harmon, in his former President.

Minister of State Joseph which was revealed took a decision to scrap Harmon in his Harmon yesterday that to be about a land the deal. “Government report to the media conceded that while revelation sought to the government will deal between Jagdeo has taken steps to be scrapping what it and Ahmad in 2008. have it terminated the land was lease for a validate accusations deems a “back door The State and brought back total of GYD$500,000 levelled against the arrangement” between Minister disclosed to government use,” Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo former President that the plot of land Harmon told the media.

Bharrat Jagdeo and Ed located at Thomas However, information Ahmad in relation to land and Vlissengen subsequently surfaced the lease of 3.41 acres road was leased that the said deal was of state land that was for GYD$500,000 scrapped since 2009. issued to Ahmad, of yearly to Generation According to Ozone Park, New York Complex Inc, whose the information, the may have taken a twist. head is Ahamad for contract was revoked H a r m o n , the construction of in 2009 under the at his weekly post- a 150 room Hotel, People’s Progressive cabinet media including Bars, Casino Party/Civic (PPP/C) briefing on Thursday and other amenities. a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , made known a long He said the while Jagdeo was

former President and the PPP/C administration that it has been involved in corruption while in government.

Of lately, corruption allegations against the past administration have mounted but have been rebuffed by Jagdeo and his party.

The former Head of State has since called on the David Granger-led government to present evidence with regard to the corruption it speaks of. Harmon cited yesterday’s revelation as evidence.

The A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government may not be able to appoint Ambassadors, Consul Generals and High Commissioners before the end of 2015.

When asked by the media for an update on the appointments given that 2015 will soon be over, Minister of State Joseph Harmon told a press conference on Thursday December 11 that the recommendations have not yet reached Cabinet.

Harmon told the media that despite this, changes are taking place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. When

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

the recommendations are made to the President, he deliberates on them and then forwards it to Cabinet for discussion and final decision.

The only

Ambassador that was presented before Cabinet which it has given its approval for was Ambassador Cheryl Miles, who was posted to Venezuela, Harmon

has said at a previous press conference.

Among some of the reported names recommended to President Granger for the top diplomatic

Land repossessed from Ed Ahmad since 2009

No shortage of police protective gears says Harmon

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

In light of the fact that several ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) were engaged in a shoot-out with criminals earlier in the week despite not being equipped with protective gears, Minister

of State, Joseph Harmon is contending that there is no shortage of gears in the police force.

Concerns had been raised on several occasions, regarding ranks being actively

engaged in shootouts with criminals despite not being armed appropriately.

But Harmon at his weekly post Cabinet press conference held yesterday, noted that

sometimes, in fast moving situations, it can be observed that police and military people react and respond very quickly believing that the mere presence of the ranks on the ground will affect a change in what is taking place.

As it relates to the most recent episode earlier this week, he offered that, “I don’t know if it was a tactical decision on the part of the Commander that what he sent there was sufficient to deal with that situation. I can’t second guess the Commander.”

However, he was clear in adding that what he does know is that the force is in possession of protective gears for police ranks. Whether in

fact they use it, he added, is a tactical decision made by the commander on the ground.

He continued that unless the force is of the view that they are going into a situation where there is a known threat of armed activities, then in that event, they are properly attired. “You will see them with bulletproof vests and so” he said.

But under normal circumstances, he reasoned that the administration would not expect the police to be in the streets as if they are going to war. “They are basically citizens in uniform and therefore they have to always instill that confidence in the population that they are

not an alien force; that they are not there to go to war” Minister Harmon told reporters yesterday.

In fact, he explained that this was one of the reasons why the Government felt that the army ought not to be in the streets. He reiterated that in the event of specific information about specific criminal activities, then the force’s reaction is stepped up. In normal circumstances though, it is expected that the police have a normal appealing and less combative presence.

“When we send our police ranks out there, the Police motto is service and protection to the people” he said.

Cabinet approves over $785M in contracts Government has awarded over $785,000,000 in contracts for three projects, after Cabinet gave its no objection earlier this week when they met.

Speaking at his weekly post Cabinet press conference which was held at the Ministry of the Presidency yesterday, Minister of State Joseph Harmon made the disclosure.

According to him, certain contracts within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and the Ministry of Education which were valued at $586,247,000 was awarded.

He explained that this was for the project execution phase of the water supply and sanitation improvement program of the Guyana Water Incorporated,

and this sum is for the consultants to do the work under that contract.

The contract was awarded to Hydroplan Ingenieur-Gesellschaft mbH - a German-based company, in association with E & A Consultant Incorporated.

Secondly, he revealed that Cabinet referred several contracts to a subcommittee of Cabinet for public infrastructure,

when it became clear to the Executive body that some of the award of these contracts did not seem to have actually the sort of due diligence that was required. As a result, the contracts were referred to the sub-committee for that committee to report on its findings to Cabinet.

Further, Cabinet gave its no objection the sum of $34M for the construction of stables for the mounted branch of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

Following the horrific death of twenty-three year-old Malanie Narine of Paradise Village, Essequibo, in November last, her husband, Vishu Narine

was yesterday charged with her murder.

Vishnu, 28, from Onderneeming, Esequibo Coast, allegedly stabbing his wife repeatedly

to her body in the home they shared.

Shortly after he slit his throat in an attempt to commit suicide.

He appeared before Magistrate Sunil

Scare at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court and was not required to plead to the charge.

According to reports, jealousy on his part plagued the eight-

Essequibo man charged with wife’s murder

Minister Joseph Harmon

No-objection was also given for the procurement of uniform items for the police force to the sum of $522,043 pounds and that contract

was awarded to Marva Flare Caribbean Limited.

Vishu Narine

year period he and Malanie lived together.

It was also reported, according to her family, that she was constantly

abused by Vishnu.

He is expected to appear back in Court in January, 2016.

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HIS HOLINESS SWAMI KAIVALYANANDA KAIVALYA ASHRAM INDIA CHAIRMAN, INTERNATIONAL VEDANTA UNIVERSITY TRUST DATE: 14th – 18th December, 2015 CAMP TIME: 8.00 AM - 10.00 AM (DAILY) VENUE: VALMIKI VIDYALAYA HIGH SCHOOL 169 PETER ROSE AND CROWN STREETS, QUEENSTOWN, GEORGETOWN TELEPHONE: 226-1293 or 628-1242 The five days training sessions is specially designed for your children. It focuses on the Science of Yoga, mental development of the Child as well as spiritual and cultural aspects of life. The aims and objectives of the camp are to develop and prepare Your Child for the future and provide the necessary tools for them to understand this rich culture, its traditions and human values.

We encourage ALL parents to register their children for this once in a lifetime rare opportunity to be taught by Swamiji THE HEADMASTER, STAFF AND MANAGEMENT VALMIKI VIDYALAYA HIGH

Swami Kaivalyanandaji, a renowned Yoga Guru, former Academician attached to Universities. Swamiji has been teaching Vedanta, Yoga and Sanskrit for many years in India and abroad. He hails from Kerala, the birth place of Aadi Sankaracharya in India.

IAC’s Children’s Christmas Party set for tomorrow The Indian Action (formerly Arrival) Committee (IAC) will be hosting its Annual Christmas Outreach for the less fortunate children on Saturday, December 13, 2015.

The event will which will be in the form of a Children’s Christmas party, will held at the IAC’s office

compound at 1762 Railway Embankment, Cummings Lodge East Coast Demerara.

Over the years the IAC has been holding Christmas parties for the less fortunate children at various locations within the country.

This year some one hundred and fifty

children are expected to attend. They will be afforded the opportunity to meet Santa Claus who will be distributing toys.

P e r s o n s desirous of making a contribution including toys, are invited to contact the IAC on 222-5163.

Shah Rukh Khan tops ‘2015 Forbes India Celebrity 100’ list Looking at the rise, rise and meteoric rise of this phenomenal actor named ‘Shah Rukh Khan’, one is sure that there is absolutely no stopping him now.

At the ‘young’ age of 50 years (no pun intended!), the eternal mega star has captured the prestigious top slot in the ‘Forbes India Celebrity 100 List’ this year.

In an interview to the Forbes magazine,

Shah Rukh Khan (who has said that he will be doing 3 films a year) spoke about various aspects, including his movie production company ‘Red Chillies Enter tainments’ turning distributor for the first time with Rohit Shetty’s Dilwale.

Shah Rukh Khan topped the ‘2015 Forbes India Celebrity 100’ rankings with a weighty Rs. 257.5 crore earnings. He is

closely followed by Salman Khan and Amitabh Bachchan.

Shah Rukh Khan is now all geared up for his upcoming release Dilwale that stars Kajol, Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon. The film is being directed by Rohit Shetty and is all set to release on December 18.

(Bollywoodhungama. c o m )

Nicki Minaj’s dream is to have an acting Ccreer like Meryl Streep With her big screen acting debut (2014’s The Other Woman) behind her and another role in her future (she’s in 2016’s Barbershop: The Next Cut), Nicki Minaj is aiming to keep her acting career moving even as she maintains supremacy in the hip-hop scene.

“I want to do something very serious,” Minaj tells Billboard in its latest cover story, part of the No. 1s Year In Music issue. “Meryl Streep

is one of my favorite artists of all time. She blows me away in just about everything she does. I love how she can go from The Devil Wears Prada to The Iron Lady -- she’s so incredible in that. My dream would be to have that type of acting career, where I can do both things believably.”

In addition to acting, she’s currently working with ABC on a sitcom about her childhood in Queens.

“I narrate this show,

like Chris Rock narrates Everybody Hates Chris.

It was little differences that made that show stand out. I want to have those nuances. My first day, I said to the casting director, ‘This will not be a cliched black show.’

“I am maybe too involved,” she admits. “Two days ago I was in casting. I’m going back tomorrow.

I found one girl who I’m obsessed with who might play me, and someone who could rival her. So I’ve been

coaching them both.

I do a beat, let them rap. I do little dances

with them. It has been magical. I didn’t even know I had it in

me, but I love children so much.” (Yahoo)

You need this many hours of sleep to extend your lifespan Sorry, but your chair and your bed may be cutting your life short. Investigators from the University of Sydney examined the lifestyle patterns of 231,048 participants in the 45 and Up Study — which is Australia’s largest cohort study — in order to determine the most likely risk behaviors that are contributing to premature deaths in middle-aged and older adults.

The habits that were highlighted in the questionnaire included smoking, high alcohol intake, poor diet, physical inactivity, prolonged sitting, and unhealthy (short/long) sleep duration.

During the six-year follow-up period, more than 15,600 deaths were registered. And out of the 96 possible risk combinations, the 30 most commonly occurring combinations accounted for more than 90 percent of the participants.

Their findings, which were published in the journal PLOS Medicine, revealed the following: • A person who over-sleeps (more than nine hours a night), over-sits (more than seven hours a day) and under-exercises (less than 150 minutes each week) is more than four times as likely to die early compared to someone who doesn’t practice these habits.

• A person who smokes, has a high alcohol intake and lacks in the sleep department (less than seven hours a night) is also four times more likely to pass away before their time.

These two-step unhealthy actions were linked to doubling the risk of an early demise: • Being physically inactive and getting too much sleep • Being physically inactive and sitting too much • Smoking and high alcohol intake

“Evidence has increased in recent years to show that too much sitting is bad for you and there is growing understanding about the impact of sleep on our health, but this is the first study to look at how those things might act together,” said lead author Dr. Melody Ding,

“When you add a lack of exercise into the mix, you get a type of ‘triple whammy’ effect. Our study shows that we should really be taking these behaviors together as seriously as we do other risk factors such as levels of drinking and unhealthy eating patterns.” (Adapted from Yahoo Health)

Women Lie to Doctors More Than Men - Study

Whether it’s downplaying that after-work glass (or three) of red, or giving the old, “I pretty much quit smoking” excuse, most of us have told a white lie in the exam room at one point or another.

It may seem counterintuitive to lie to your physician since the stakes are so high (it is only your health, people), but in a study with over 2,000 participant from digital health platform

ZocDoc, approximately 46% of Americans admitted to lying or omitting important medical information from their doctors.

It turns out that there’s a slight gender gap

when it comes to the frequency of lies told to their doctors, with women being the worst offenders. Thirty percent of women admit to having told their doctor a white lie as opposed

to only 23 percent of men who admit the same dishonesty.

The reasoning behind their dishonesty turns out to be the fear of embarrassment or judgement from their physician.

Additional reasons found in the study included not having enough face time with their doctor (27%), and the doctor not asking any questions that specifically address what’s bothering them (32%).

But if people aren’t comfortable expressing their latest health concern with doctors, who are they being fully honest with? It turns out, pretty much anyone else.

About 47% of Americans turn to a loved one to detail their symptoms hoping for advice, while 18% of women would much rather talk to their manicurist or hairstylist about personal medical issues than with their doctor.

Don’t do this. A little

white lie may seem innocent, the outcome could be more damaging than you realize. Without the full picture, doctors aren’t always able to make the correct diagnosis, or even diagnose an illness at all. This could leave more serious conditions go undetected, which could ultimately affect the success of a patients treatment later on.

Dr. Keri Peterson, a New York City internist affiliated with ZocDoc, encourages people to write down their symptoms, no matter how embarrassing, before heading into your doctors office so you can explicitly share what’s bothering you. After all, if life has taught us anything, it’s that telling the truth when it truly matters (i.e. the exam room) is absolutely vital to our well-being!

(Adapted from Yahoo Health)

Goat and Tiger set example for togetherness A goat sent to a Russian safari park as live prey for a Siberian tiger has instead befriended the big cat and the two have become inseparable in a story that has captivated Russia.

Amur the tiger and Timur the goat now sleep in the same enclosure in the Primorsky safari park outside the Pacific port city of Vladivostok, eating and playing together in the snow. And this week they even playfully head-butted each other.

The story of the unusual friendship has touched hearts in Russia, with the safari park releasing regular updates on the pair and planning to install webcams in their enclosure.

Staff at the park say the male tiger, who has been given live animals to hunt and eat twice a week, did not touch the billy goat when it entered the enclosure last month because the goat did not show any fear. “No one had taught the goat to

be afraid of tigers,” the park said in a statement.

Zoo chief Dmitry Mezentsev, who studies tigers and leopards, described the unlikely friendship as nothing short of a miracle. “This is a sign from above,” Mezentsev told AFP on Thursday. “People, take a look at yourselves. There are wars everywhere -Ukraine, Syria. While such different animals can live together in peace.”

Mezentsev said staff realised the tiger would

not eat the goat after the two had spent three days together. Timur now sleeps inside the shelter where Amur previously rested, while the tiger spends the night on the roof.

On Wednesday, Timur challenged Amur, poking him with his horns. “The tiger accepted the goat’s challenge,” the safari park said. “He pushed his forehead against Timur’s horns, the friends butted heads for five seconds without coming to

blows, after which Amur calmly went to bask in the sun on the hill.”

The tiger has also attempted to teach the goat how to catch prey and has recently taken a great interest in a block

of salt given to Timur.

Amur is now being fed live rabbits for lunch -- “out of respect for goats,” said Mezentsev.

(Adapted from Yahoo)

run for office in the municipal elections to be held on December 12.

These will be the first polls since the 2011 decision by late Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud to grant women the right to vote and run for

office. Voter registration begins on August 22, but started a week earlier in Mecca and Medina, which Shamat and Saadi call home, respectively. Candidates will be able to register beginning on August 30.

The municipal council’s limited responsibilities include approving annual budgets, suggesting planning regulations, and overseeing urban and development projects.

An estimated 70 women are planning to register as candidates, and an additional 80 as campaign managers, according to local

media. Neither male nor female candidates will be allowed to use pictures of themselves in campaign advertising, and on Election Day, there will be separate polling centres for men and women.

Women’s rights activists had long fought for the right to vote in the oil-rich Gulf kingdom, whose legal code applies a strict interpretation of Sunni Islam that bans females from driving and travelling without the consent

of a male guardian.

Female participation in December’s elections “is an important step towards creating greater inclusion within society”, said Nouf al-Sadiq, a Saudi citizen and graduate student in Middle East studies at George Washington University.

“It is also a vital step towards moderation, and for reaching a better understanding of our own society.”

Although the upcoming

elections will be the first in which women will vote and run for local office, Saudi women have enjoyed some political representation through the country’s Shura Council. The consultative council does not have lawmaking powers and can only make recommendations to the king. In January 2013, King Abdullah appointed 30 women to the body. (Adapted from Al Jazeera)

History made: First Saudi women register to vote

Safinaz Abu al-Shamat and Jamal al-Saadi made history last Sunday by becoming the first Saudi women to register to vote. For the first time in the kingdom’s history, women will be able to vote, register as candidates and

91-year-old man allegedly kills terminally ill wife to end her suffering A 91-year-old man was arrested for killing his wife of over 60 years in the bedroom of the Texas retirement home where they lived. He reportedly wanted to end the woman’s suffering. Nelson Harvey on Saturday allegedly shot and killed his 93-year-old wife, Evelyn, who had been suffering from a terminal illness, according to reports.

Harvey allegedly reported the death of his wife to caretakers at the Monte Vista at Coronado retirement center and gave them the firearm, El Paso police said. Harvey told a home health care worker doing a daily check on the couple around 8 a.m. Sunday that his wife “had passed away but he did not provide any details,” the El Paso Times reported.

Thinking that the woman had died from her illness in her sleep, the worker left. A supervisor who checked in on the man at 11:3 0 a.m. discovered Evelyn Harvey lying in her bed with a gunshot wound to the back of the head, according to the paper.

Harvey, who was found sleeping on the couch in the room, “informed them that the victim had died during the course of the night and made reference that he was tired of her suffering so he shot her,” the Times wrote.

He reportedly told court officers that he has no

family and that his only friends at the retirement home are in their 80s or older. Harvey was arrested by El Paso police on suspicion of murder and was jailed under a $25,000 bond. (MSN)

U.S. warns that if Venezuela ends oil subsidy for Caribbean, it cannot step in as Petrocaribe, which began under the late President Hugo Chávez.

But providing oil would be unlikely, forcing the countries that receive the subsidized petroleum from Venezuela now to find their supplies at world prices.

“They have benefited substantially from Petrocaribe,” Rhodes said. “We’re not going to be able to simply substitute American oil for Venezuelan oil. But what we have looked at is what their energy security is” Venezuela’s political

opposition won a supermajority of the National Assembly in voting Sunday, its first electoral victory since Chávez came to power 17 years ago. The overwhelming margin – winning 112 of the 167 seats in Congress – will give the opposition vast power to overturn decisions made by the government of current President Nicolás Maduro, Chávez’s handpicked successor and a frequent critic of the United States.

Whether the opposition will target the subsidy program, however, is

unclear.

Opposition leaders long have criticized the program, which estimates say has cost Venezuela $50 billion in reduced oil earnings over the last decade. Last year, the country cut oil shipments to Petrocaribe nations to 200,000 barrels per day from twice that in 2012, according to a Barclays Bank analysis.

But the program has won Venezuela wide political influence in the region. During a meeting last month of the Organization of American States, the

program was praised by the ambassadors of El Salvador, Guyana, and Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Rhodes said it was good that Maduro had accepted the outcome of

the election and that the Obama administration wanted to improve relations with the Venezuelan government.

(Adapted from Yahoo)

Counsellors from the TT Police Service’s Crime Victims Support

Unit will visit the home of a six-year-old schoolboy who earlier

this week attempted to end his life by hanging himself at his school.

Newsday was told that specially trained counsellors will visit the boy’s home to speak to him as he has been deemed a high risk case after a close male relative of his committed suicide.

The boy has indicated that he is missing his relative who committed suicide and wants to

be reunited with him.

On Tuesday, the boy was at the Carapichaima Anglican Primary School when he tied a sweater around the burglar proofing at the school’s courtyard and attached the other end around his neck as he attempted to hang himself.

Another student who saw the boy hanging, raised an alarm and the school’s Principal and a

teacher ran to the boy’s aid and freed him. He has threatened to kill himself with a knife at his home.

It is understood that the suicide attempt came after the boy was slapped by a female classmate who spurned his advances after he expressed an interest in her.

Members of the Ministry of Education’s Student Support Services are said to have visited the

school and counselled the child on Tuesday.

The incident prompted Secretary of the Psychiatrist Association of Trinidad and Tobago Dr. Varma Deyalsingh calling for immediate and sustained counselling of the child who the specialist said is clearly mentally traumatised at losing a close relative to suicide.

(Trinidad Newsday)

The leader of the ruling Unity Labour Party (ULP) Dr. Ralph Gonsalves was sworn as Prime Minister of this Caribbean C o m m u n i t y (CARICOM) country yesterday even though Opposition supporters staged demonstrations claiming that Wednesday’s general election had been rigged in his favour.

Gonsalves, who won an unprecedented fourth consecutive term in office, was sworn in, even though the leader of

the main Opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), Arnhim Eustace, told reporters he had asked the Governor General not to swear in the 69-year-old Gonsalves.

Eustace, 70, told reporters that the NDP, which, according to preliminary results won seven of the 15 seats in Wednesday’s general election, “would never accept the results of the election.”

Eustace, who is heading the party supporters in the

Central Leeward constituency where calls for a recount of the ballots case is taking place, said his candidate Benjamin Exeter had won the poll even though the preliminary results gave former foreign affairs minister Sir Louis Straker victory.

The NDP supporters, clad in their yellow jerseys, claimed that several ballot boxes were missing and were demanding that either the Electoral Office do over the poll in that constituency or

If the newly elected Venezuelan National Assembly votes to cancel that country’s program of subsidized oil sales to Caribbean and Central American nations, the United States will not be able to substitute U.S. oil for Venezuelan oil, a senior U.S. official said Wednesday.

Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said that the U.S. might be able to provide some “resources” to the 17 countries that would be affected by the disappearance of the program, known

Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes

Further counselling for 6-year-old who tried to commit suicide

Gonsalves sworn as PM for fourth term announce that Exeter had won the election.

At one stage, there was a close confrontation between Sir Louis and Eustace with the police having to intervene to keep the two veteran

Dr. Ralph Gonsalves

politicians apart.

Sir Louis had criticised the decision of Eustace to bring supporters to the police station where the re-counting is taking place but Eustace insisted that

he was right since the ruling party had conspired to cheat the population of its victory. The recount is still in progress. ( Jamaica Gleaner)

Muhammad Ali responds to Trump’s call to ban Muslims from entering US Boxing legend Muhammad Ali on Wednesday criticized Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States, calling on Muslims “to stand up to those who use Islam to advance their own personal agenda.”

Ali, one of the most famous Muslims in the world, issued a statement saying, “True Muslims know that the ruthless violence of so called Islamic Jihadists goes against the very tenets of our religion.”

He added, “I believe that our political leaders should use their position to bring understanding about the religion of Islam and clarify that these misguided murderers have perverted people’s views on what Islam really is.”

Ali’s statement Wednesday, first reported by NBC News, did not identify Trump by name but was directed at “presidential candidates proposing to ban Muslim immigration to the United States.”

“They have alienated many from learning

about Islam,” Ali wrote.

President Barack Obama, in a televised address to the nation Sunday night, called on Americans to reject discrimination, saying, “Muslim Americans are our friends and our neighbors, our co-workers, our sports heroes.”

On Twitter early Monday, Trump asked, “What sport is he talking about, and who?” — even though Trump has met Ali several times, and even received an award named after the former heavyweight champion

in 2007. The 73-yearold Ali, who was born Cassius Clay, converted to Islam and changed his name in 1964.

Another Muslim sports icon, basketball Hall of Famer Kareem AbdulJabbar, weighed in Wednesday with an essay on Time.com. He described Trump as the Islamic State group’s “greatest triumph,” a candidate who “preys on the fears of the public, doing ISIS’s job for them.”

Abdul-Jabbar wrote that Trump’s claims “have elevated him to the level of a James Bond super-

villain. And like those villains, he is doomed to failure.” Also Wednesday, Detroit Lions running back Ameer Abdullah, who is Muslim, spoke with reporters about Trump’s proposal.

“When you have someone like him say some things

— he has a very large following — it’s kind of disappointing from my perspective,” Abdullah said. “I just encourage everyone to educate yourself before you take a stance on something that you may not really know about.” (Yahoo)

was arrested on Nov. 30 by campus police in Bellingham, about 90 miles north of Seattle, and suspended from the university pending the outcome of the case and an investigation by the school. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

University spokesman Paul Cocke said authorities were investigating other online messages targeting the school community. Classes were canceled for a day last month at the school after officials found numerous

racially threatening online messages.

The Seattle Times quoted Campbell’s mother, Lisa Concidine, as saying her son told her he made a post that was sarcastic and that he immediately deleted it.

Demonstrations against racism at college campuses across the United States, many linked with the Black Lives Matter civil rights movement, have gained momentum since student rallies led to the ouster of the president of the University of Missouri last month.

(Adapted from MSN)

Teen charged with hate crime over social media message

A university student in Washington state was charged on Thursday under the state’s hate crime statute

with posting a racist threat on the anonymous social media platform Yik Yak, authorities said. The arrest

came during a period of heightened tensions at U.S. colleges over allegations of racism on campus and violent threats against black students.

Tysen Campbell, a 19-yearold student at Western Washington University in Bellingham, was charged with one count of malicious harassment for writing: “Let’s lynch her,” on Yik Yak, referring to another student, the Whatcom

The first Canadian government plane carrying Syrian refugees arrived in Toronto late Thursday where they were greeted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is pushing forward with his pledge to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of February.

The arrival of the military flight carrying 163 refugees stands in stark contrast to the U.S., which plans to take in 10,000 Syrian refugees over the next year and where Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump caused a worldwide uproar with a proposal to temporarily block Muslims from entering the U.S. The flight arrived just

before midnight carrying the first of two large groups of Syrian refugees to arrive in the country by government aircraft.

Trudeau greeted the first two families to come through processing. The first family was a man, woman and 16-monthold girl. The second family was a man, woman, and three daughters, two of whom are twins. Trudeau and Ontario’s premier welcomed them to Canada and gave them winter coats. Both families said they were happy to be here.

“This is a wonderful night, where we get to show not just a planeload of new Canadians what Canada is all about, we get to show

the world how to open our hearts and welcome in people who are fleeing extraordinarily difficult situations,” Trudeau said earlier to staff and volunteers who were waiting to process the refugees.

All 10 of Canada’s provincial premiers support taking in the refugees and members of the opposition, including the Conservative party, attended the welcoming late Thursday. Trudeau was also joined by the ministers of immigration, health and defense, as well as Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Toronto Mayor John Tory.

In the U.S., several Republican governors have tried to stop the arrival of

County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said. He will be arraigned on Friday.

Authorities have not identified the other student, but the Seattle Times reported on Thursday that university officials believe the message referred to Belina Seare, the student president, who is black.

Seare has said she was the focus of racist and sexist messages posted on Yik Yak. Campbell, who is white,

Canadian Prime Minister greets first batch of Syrian refugees

Canada welcomed 163 Syrian refugees, taking in the first of a planned 25,000 in a matter of months and promising them a better life as they flee their country’s horrific war

Syrian refugees in their states in the wake of the deadly attacks blamed on Islamic extremists in Paris and California.

Canadians eager to

show their support for the newcomers weren’t deterred by the fact that they couldn’t do so face to face as the refugees were processed in a secure area. A

handful of people gathered at the international arrivals gate at Pearson airport bearing signs and gifts.

(Adapted from Fox News)

International Footballer killed in Mall Honduras national team soccer player has been shot dead while on vacation in his home country, officials said Thursday. Peralta, 26, was shot in a shopping mall parking lot in La Ceiba, but no suspects have been identified.

“We won’t rest until those responsible for this act are identified and detained so that they can face justice,” the government said.

Authorities did not say what day Peralta was killed and have ruled out robbery as a motive, since Peralta’s belongings were not taken from him.

The 26-year-old played as a midfielder for the Honduras national team and for C.D. Olimpia, a club based in Honduras’ capital, Tegucigalpa.

Among his former club teams was Scotland’s Rangers F.C., which he left in

January after arriving in the summer of 2013.

The Glasgow club said it would observe a minute of silence for Peralta before its home match Saturday against Greenock Morton F.C. Honduras has topped the list for the world’s highest murder rate in recent years, the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime has said.

International teammate Boniek Garcia -- who

plays for Houston Dynamo in MLS -was one of the first to pay tribute. “Rest in peace brother, God will receive you in heaven,

you will stay in our hearts. Strength to the family,” he tweeted.

His club Olimpia also paid its respects. “We deeply regret the death

of our player Arnolt Peralta. The Olimpia family is in mourning,” it said on the club’s Twitter page. (CNN)

WI vs Aus: West Indies woes continue

Shaun Marsh and Adam Voges added 449 in 87.3 overs after coming together at 121-3

Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh fell two runs short of Donald Bradman and Bill Ponsford’s record stand of 451 for Australia on day two of the first Test against West Indies.

Voges made 269 not out and Marsh 182 as they added 449 - the

highest for the fourth wicket in Tests - in a total of 583-4 declared.

Nathan Lyon took three wickets to reduce West Indies to 116-6 in Hobart. However, Darren Bravo’s unbeaten 94 guided them to 207-6, trailing by 376.

Bradman and Ponsford’s

record, made against England at The Oval, as stood since 1934.

The day belonged to Voges and Marsh, who added 132 in an untroubled first session after Australia resumed on 438-3. Voges, 36 and playing only his 11th Test, made his maiden

Test double hundred from 285 balls, which included 33 fours.

Marsh also looked to be heading for a double century but an attempted slog sweep off left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican, who finished with figures of 3-158, saw him caught

by Bravo. Australia declared during lunch and reduced the visitors to 81-4 at tea.

Josh Hazlewood trapped Kraigg Braithwaite lbw for two before Lyon claimed the wickets of Rajindra Chandrika, Marlon Samuels and Jermaine

Blackwood.

Captain Steve Smith took a juggling catch at slip to dismiss Chandrika for 29, before Lyon held a brilliant return catch high to his left to remove Samuels and then had Blackwood caught at short leg by Joe Burns for a duck.

Denesh Ramdin was bowled by a Hazlewood delivery that kept low and Jason Holder was lbw to Peter Siddle - a decision that would have been overturned on height if West Indies had chosen to review the umpire’s call.

Persistent showers had the players on and off the pitch during the afternoon but Bravo maintained his focus to steady West Indies’ reply, although they still require 177 to avoid the follow-on.

(Adapted from BBC Sports)

GTTA/NSC to host Umpires workshop In its drive to promote the growth of Table Tennis, the Ministry of Education-Department of Sport/National Sports Commission will work in collaboration with the Guyana Table Tennis Association for a one day Umpire Table Tennis Work Shop this weekend Set for Saturday

December 12th2015, at the National Gymnasium Mandela Avenue Georgetown, the event will start from 09:00 hours and will conclude at 14:00hours.

Its main objectives seek to create an integrated umpiring structure that incorporates umpire

education, participation and development at the club, national and international levels as well as to develop three levels of umpires.

Those three are Regional Umpires for Clubs and Schools level, Certified National UmpiresGuyana Table Tennis

Association (GTTA) and Certified International Umpires- International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).

This work shop will see participants from Berbice, Linden, Bartica, Essequibo, West Demerara, East Coast, East Bank, Georgetown and clubs

Friday December 11, 2015

-See page 12

INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALLER KILLED IN MALL