GNN Online Newspaper - Dec 16, 2015

Wednesday December 16, 2015

SPREADING HOLIDAY CHEERS...

First Lady Mrs. Sandra Granger spreading Christmas joy with the elderly. The distribution took place at the headquarters of the Salvation Army located on South Road and Alexander Streets, Georgetown.

PUBLIC SERVANTS DUPED -PAGE 08

Two killed infiery West Berbice accident -PAGE 06

Hinterland Students get 1500 pairs of shoes from First Lady First Lady,Mrs. Sandra Granger, in collaboration with the ‘Rethink’ Organisation, the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Caribbean Airlines, yesterday, presented over 1500 pairs of shoes to students from the hinterland regions, who are currently studying in Georgetown.

At a simple ceremony held on the lawns of State House, the First Lady presented the shoes to the students, in the presence of Junior Minister of Health, Dr. Karen Cummings; Junior Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie GarridoLowe and Mr.Ernie

Ross, Guyana’s Honorary Consul in Trinidad and Tobago.

The shoes were donated under the ‘Rethink Initiative-Kind Soles Project’, started by Mr. Ross, in support of the President’s initiative to ensure that all children, regardless of their location, are able to attend school.

This is the first batch of a total of 30,000 shoes, which are expected to be given to all students in the hinterland regions of Guyana over the coming months.

Minister of Social Cohesion, Mrs. Amna Ally, in brief remarks said the President has a passion for

education and seeing every child in school and the project is a supplement to his ‘Boats, Buses and Bicycles’ (‘three Bs’) initiative to realise this objective.

In explaining the genesis of the project, the First Lady said the shoes, called “the shoes that grow” is specially designed to ensure that it can still fit the children as they age since it is expandable.

“I had a discussion with Mr. Ernie Ross, after he had seen a picture of the hinterland children barefeet, and he said he wanted to provide some shoes for them. Well, I had seen a programme on BBC where

First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger (first, right) examines one of the shoes as Mr. Ernie Ross, Guyana’s Honorary Consul to Trinidad and Tobago, makes a point while Mr. Dion Inniss, Caribbean Airlines representative, and another invitee look on

a charitable organisation working in Africa had recognised the need for shoes for the children that can protect them from cuts and infections and so on, and so they developed this shoe called “Shoes that grow”. [Being] a mother, I know you buy shoes and

in six months their sizes change. So we thought this was the best for the children since it can still be worn as they get older and we approached the company,” Mrs Granger said.

In his address, Mr. Ross said that during a meeting with the President he

mentioned that he was saddened at the fact that children in the remote areas were going to school bare feet.

The Honorary Consul related that it was at this time that he decided that something needed to be done to address the situation. (Adapted from GINA)

First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger; Ms. Valerie Garrido-Lowe, Junior Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs; Dr Karen Cummings, Junior Minister of Health; Mr. Dion Inniss, Caribbean Airlines representative and other officials pose with the students who proudly displayed their new shoes

Late Budget blamed for delay in School Uniforms for Hinterland Schools The first school term has ended, however hinterland students are still to receive their school uniforms from the Government.

During an interview with GNN today, the Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs; Sydney Allicock stated that the Uniforms are now being sent to the schools in the hinterland.

He said “Uniforms are now going out. It is true that we were not able to do it earlier, but there are all in here now, they have been separated and we have

started sending them out to the different Regions.”

This delay he said is premised on the late presentation of the 2015 National Budget as he explained that “it is because of the late budgetary allocations, remember it was a late budget and to get these things is not as easy as it looks. They have to get quotations, it have to go to the various places that would have them in place, the right colors; it is not just like a red and green, its many colours and some of the stores does not have the amount and

we have to wait and it has caused us to be a bit late.”

This issue was brought to light by the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) during a Press Conference last week, where Opposition Chief Whip; Gail Teixeira stated that the People’s Progressive Party have made checks in the Hinterland regions and were told that the School Uniforms have not been distributed to the schools.

“We have done a check in Regions 1, 8 and 9 so far and no school uniforms have been distributed to schools in those regions…. none of the schools in Region 9; Nursery, Primary or Secondary,

none in Region 01 and none in Region 08 have received the school uniforms” Teixeira said.

Hinterland

students began receiving School Uniforms at the start of each school year under the former administration which

claims that it has positively influenced school attendance and performance in the hinterland.

ExxonMobil’s geophysical survey ship to conduct works in oil-find area Minister of Governance, with responsibility for Natural Resources and the Environment, Raphael Trotman, yesterday, visited the Fugro Americas, a multi-purpose vessel designed to conduct high resolution geophysical surveys and sea floor mapping, which has been contracted by oil giant ExxonMobil, to commence works in the Stabroek Block, where the company found a significant amount of oil earlier this year.

The 193 footlong vessel, which is permanently mobilised for rapid deployment to locations throughout North and South America to conduct geophysical surveys, arrived in Guyana on Monday and will depart the John

Minister of Governance Mr. Raphael Trotman pays keen attention as the Captain of the Fugro Americas explains the vessel’s capabilities

Fernandes Wharf tomorrow, heading to the Stabroek Block where it will be in operation until March 2016.

Trotman was given a tour of the facilities and informed about the technology that is being used to conduct the surveys.

P r o j e c t Manager for Fugro Geoservices Incorporated, Connie Landry Jr., said the company has been contracted

by ExxonMobil to conduct works in the area where it has discovered oil so that it can plan its developmental a g e n d a .

Meanwhile, Patrick Lee, Civil, Structural and Artic Geotechnical Engineer, Exxon Development Company, said the tour was organised to showcase the equipment, personnel and expertise that are being brought

on board for the developmental campaign that the company was looking at.

It was only in September at a meeting with the Minister that Vice President of Exploration, Mr. Erik Oswald, said that the company remains committed to its work in Guyana and is looking forward to the next investment, which should be able to take shape as early as January 2016.

“All that work is underway right now. When the technical work is done, the others will be done. And the idea is, if we have a lot of success, we will

bring additional rigs,” Mr. Oswald had said.

The oil and gas exploration began in Guyana on March 5, 2015, with drilling offshore in the Stabroek Block.

Just two months later, on May 20, the company announced that its engagement in Guyana was proving successful, as its exploration drill ship, the Deepwater Champion, had found a deposit of a ‘significant’ evidence of oil in the Block, about 120 nautical miles offshore Guyana.

GPL and GPSU yet to settle wage negotiations

Even as it gets closer to the end of 2015, The Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL) is still awaiting

a response from the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) as salary negotiations continue.

Through a

November 16, 2015 letter, GPL invited the GPSU to begin negotiations on Wednesday, November 18, 2015. This was

following advice received from the Ministry of Finance on the applicability of the 5% and the $5,000 salary increase announced by Government.

According to a Press statement from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, at this meeting, GPL made an offer of a 5% salary increase (inclusive of 2% across-the-board and a 3% in-scale increment) and $10,000 monthly ($120,000 for 2015) as one-off payment, both with effect from January 1, 2015.

GPL also

proposed an increase in the mileage allowance for use of personal vehicles from $135 to $150 per mile and an increase of $100 in meal allowance for overtime work. These were also with effect from January 1, 2015.

In response, the Union requested a 5% across-the-board increase; $200,000 ($16,660 per month) to be included in salaries for 2015; an increase in the meal allowance by $500; and a mileage allowance of $220 per month.

On November 30, 2015, the GPSU wrote to GPL,

rejecting the Company’s offer. In turn, the Union proposed a 5% acrossthe-board increase and requested that the GPL’s offer of $120,000 for 2015 be added to the current annual salary, with effect from January 1, 2015.

On December 8, 2015, GPL revised its offer, accepting the Union’s proposal for the 5% increase. GPL also restated its offer of a $120,000 oneoff payment, along with its initial offer of increases in meal and mileage allowances.

‘We strategise to make sure that Guyana can become a safe country’ - Granger

President David Granger congratulating the Guyana Police Force (GPF) on overcoming the challenges of 2015 at their Traditional Christmas Breakfast, this morning at Eve Leary. Minister of State, Joseph Harmon and Attorney General, Basil Williams are pictured at centre

President David Granger said that the formation of the National Security Council has been instrumental in ensuring that Government is heavily involved in supporting and working with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to ensure that the crime situation in the country is arrested.

The President who was at the time speaking at the GPF’s Traditional Christmas Breakfast at the Headquarters in Eve Leary, pointed out that, “The Minister of Public Security is obliged to report to Cabinet every

single Tuesday morning on the State of the Police Force and on the success in overcoming the crime problem. That’s how seriously we take it. We haven’t ignored it. We haven’t told the police you are paid to do a job go ahead and do it.

We sit down and plan and strategise to make sure that Guyana can become a safe country for all of our citizens.”

He also said that the Police Force will be given the resources it needs to enable it to make this country safe and added that Government is working to have the

Security Sector Reform Plan, offered by the British Government back on the table.

Granger also used the opportunity to declare that while the Force has faced significant challenges, it has ‘turned the corner’ and Government will continue to ensure that adequate resources are provided to ensure the security and safety of Guyana.

“I would like to say, without hesitation, that the police force has faced tremendous challenges but right now on December 15

as we look back I would say that the police force has overcome the most severe challenges and I think that better days still lie ahead. Let us put the past behind”, he said.

During his address, he announced a contribution of $1 million dollars to the GPF Fallen Heroes Foundation and another $1 million the Force’s Scholarship Fund. The President himself benefited from a GPF scholarship to attend Queen’s College.

The breakfast was hosted by Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud

and attended by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, Attorney General, Basil Williams, Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Mark Phillips, members of the National Security Council, Senior Officers, Division and Branch Commanders of the GPF.

Persaud, in his remarks, said that the new administration has created a lot of hope in the GPF that their resource and welfare issues will be addressed. “I wish

to say today that we are very motivated. Our investments in capacity building... particularly this year has been paying dividends. We see the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and crime intelligence working together and [they] have been adequately addressing a lot of the high profile crimes that we see in our streets”, he said.

T h e Commissioner also noted that Operation DRAGNET, which was launched on December 1, is already demonstrating some success.

New Acting Chief Justice Sworn In Justice Yonette Cu m m i n g s - E d w a r d s was this morning sworn in as the new Acting Chief Justice

by President David Granger at the Ministry of the Presidency.

Justice CummingsEdwards replaces Justice Ian Chang whose pre-retirement leave commenced yesterday.

The new Acting Chief Justice has pledged to address the issue of backlog cases and other challenges facing the judiciary. Her family

Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards taking the Oath of Office of Chief Justice in the presence of President David Granger at the Ministry of the Presidency

members and colleagues from the legal fraternity

was present at the swearing-in ceremony.

being

Shortly after sworn in by

President David Granger as Chief Justice, She said “Backlog is a problem that affects all judiciaries but it’s something that has to be handled consistently and by all of us. I intend for all the judges and myself to tackle the issue.”

She added that she intendeds to look at the state of affairs right now, “I intend to deal with matters affecting the judiciary – the smooth functioning of the judiciary and I intend to have all hands on board

for us to work together towards having a system.”

Government had said that CummingsEdwards was appointed after it was considered that she is a woman with “many years of experience as a Puisne Judge of the High Court of the Supreme Court of Judicature, a Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal, her competency and professionalism.”

‘We are faced with a frightened, cold and unresponsive government’ - PPP The Parliamentary Opposition Peoples Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) is accusing the government of dodging its motions by railroading bills through Parliament.

Parliamentar y spokesperson on Public infrastructure and former Junior Finance Minister, Juan Edghill, at a press conference at Freedom House today said they are faced with a “frightened, cold and unresponsive government” as it relates to the views of the people of Guyana.

H i s comment came in relation to the party’s motion for the annulment of the salary increases given to Ministers of government, Members of Parliament

(MPs) and other government officials that they were expecting to be given priority on the November sitting that was postponed.

Ho w e v e r, by the expected suspension of standing orders 54 which is to be moved by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo when parliament meets tomorrow to frontload the other bills, the Opposition matters will fall way behind.

“We are not going to be worried because we are assured of the views of the people of Guyana, the rejection of this action because it will come up during the time of debate but this is one of the most reckless actions that was taken by the current APNU+AFC c o a l i t i o n ,”

Edghill said.

In addition, Edghill is expected to table a motion to have all MPs to declare their tax returns for the last ten years, a legislation the party deems critical.

“It is a very important piece of debate that is coming up because we’re hearing from the government benches about the loss of income that they suffered because they are now Ministers of the government and that’s one of the reasons why they had to raise salaries. Let the people of Guyana see what their tax declarations were over the last ten years,” the Former Minister stated.

Meanwhile, PPP/C Chief Whip Gail Teixeira also spoke to the issue concerning what appears to be an

indefinite date for the opposition business to be addressed in the National Assembly.

She noted that if the 2016 National Budget is presented in January as promised, then the opposition’s business will be further shifted and pointed that this is violation of the standing orders, Parliamentar y rules and norms.

This is not the first time the PPP/C is complaining about violation of Parliamentary norms by the government.

Juan Edghill

Back in the 10th Parliament under the PPP/C administration when it had a minority in Parliament this concern was repeatedly raised.

Meanwhile, President David Granger was quoted in the media as denying that the government is violating parliamentary democracy but noted that “we are anxious to fulfill our mandate and our responsibility and, as you know there has been a lapse in calling of Parliament for

all sorts of official reasons, and we are trying to complete as much as possible before year-end so, in fact, it’s a commitment to democracy, not the opposite.”

Commenting on that response from the President Teixeira said it is “laughable.” “I think that it is a rather incredulous c o m m e n t .

Parliamentar y democracy is based on the tenets that we have, it wasn’t an invention by the People’s Progressive Party,” the PPP/C Chief Whip said.

Mini-bus driver shot in attempted robbery The Police are reporting that thirty-eight yearold minibus driver was shot in his back during an attempted robbery last night.

Je r m a i n Brown of Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara, was

driving his minibus when at about 22:00 hrs he was stopped by a man along the Railway Embankment at Liliendaal, According to the police, the man whipped a gun as he entered the

vehicle while another man approached the driver.

After realizing he was about to be robbed, Brown accelerated the minibus driving away in an attempt to escape. However, the armed man fired

at Brown hitting him in his back.

He has been admitted to hospital for medical treatment as the investigations c o n t i n u e .

Grade 6 2016 examinations shifted by one month The Ministry of Education in a statement today announced that the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) will be held on Wednesday April 27 and Thursday April 28, 2016.

The moving of the exams to a month after its traditional date, the Ministry noted is to “give teachers sufficient time to complete the Grade 6 curriculum and give students additional time within which to prepare for the Assessments.�

It added that teachers have

been advocating for the additional time to be granted for some time now.

In the meantime, logistical preparations and quality assurance mechanisms are being put in place for the efficient administration of Assessments in April 2016.

It reminded that the grades obtained from the recent Grades 2 and 4 assessments will not be used in the NGSA results.

According to the Timetable, on Wednesday, (April, 27,

2016), English Papers one and two will be written in the morning while Science Papers one and two will be written in the afternoon. On Thursday (April, 28, 2016), Mathematics papers one and two will be written in the morning while Social Studies papers one and two will be written in the afternoon.

Despite this change being made some time ago, it is only today that the public is being informed.

Former Minister of Education, Priya

Two men, who are still to be identified, were killed earlier this afternoon after the car in which they were travelling collided with another.

The accident occurred on the public road of the village of Experiment, West Coast Berbice, which is just a stone’s throw away from the Village of Bath Settlement.

According to information

reaching the Guyana News Network, the cars, a Toyota 212 and a sports car, were heading in opposite directions at about 14:30 hrs when the incident took place.

It is believed that one of the cars ended up in the path of the other resulting in a head-on collision.

R e p o r t s indicate that the occupants of both vehicles were pinned for several minutes.

However the persons in the Toyota 212 were eventually rescued from the mangled vehicle while the two who were in the sports car, died on the spot after the vehicle burst into flames.

Commander of the Police B Division Christopher Griffith who spoke with this publication said that while one of the men was burnt beyond recognition,

Manickchand, had raised concerns relating to the manner in which the date was change and the process whereby teachers and parents were informed since some teachers claimed that they were not informed upto last Friday when schools closed for the Christmas Holidays.

The original dates for the examinations next year were expected to be March 21 and 22 given that it is traditionally held on the Monday and Tuesday after school

closes for the Easter holidays. Schools are expected to be closed on March 18, 2016, which is the same day Local Government Elections

(LGE) are to be held.

Initially, the holding of LGE was touted as a possible reason for shifting the exams.

the other received burns about his body and was pulled lifeless from the vehicle.

The occupants

of the other vehicle were injured and are receiving medical attention at the Forth Wellington Hospital.

It is not clear at this time what caused the accident.

Investigations are ongoing.

Two killed infiery West Berbice accident

Veteran Guyanese singer, Rupert Singh, launches Christmas song

Rupert Singh

The Christmas Carol, “O Holy Night”, has recently been covered by veteran Guyanese singer, Rupert Singh just in time for

the season. Singh known for the popular “Hands Across Guyana”, which was done in 1993, is making a comeback

after fifteen years.

His absence from the music scene over that period was due to illness as a result of a

brain Aneurysm which led to life-saving surgery.

He was encouraged by a local sound recording engineer who felt that he would bring something different to the very popular Christmas carol. He told GNN that after getting unexpected call from the sound engineer, he basically had just one hour to get to the studio and complete the recording. “ T h i s opportunity has reopen the possibly of me reentering the music scene, not only as a singer, but as a producer”, Singh said.

He said the

recording which was done as the BLU Recording Studio here, would be a plus and a meaningful addition to the repertoire of local music especially, Christmas songs.

Asked why “O Holy Night”, he said, “Personally, it is a bitter-sweet song which reminds of the purpose of Christmas. It really drives and invoke deep emotions as a performer. It was, for me, the perfect song”.

He hopes that it will be afforded airtime and calls on radio stations to assist in this regard.

Singh, who

recently hosted the Guyana Jazz Festival competition at the Theatre Guild, produced the performances of the Mighty Sparrow and Paul Keans-Douglas in Linden in 1992.

He was also involved with Stevie Wonder’s creative department in Los Angles and appeared in the hit 1985 music video, “Overjoyed”.

He performed at the 2008 CARIFESTA X super concerts and over the years has done likewise with many popular local artistes.

Nandlall denies corruption in Ed Ahamad land deal -Harmon got an egg in his face-Teixeira

Ed Ahamad Anil Nandlall

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall has debunked the corruption allegation by Minister of State Joseph Harmon against former President Bharrat Jagdeo with regard to the lease of a plot of land located at the corner of Thomas Lands and Vlissengen Road to Ed Ahmad.

Nandlall, who was the Lawyer at that time representing Ahamad explained that there was nothing illegal about the deal, contrary to what was said by the State Minister.

At his weekly postcabinet media briefing last week, Harmon stated that the deal which was entered by Ahmad and Jagdeo was corrupt since the approval of the lease of land was fast-tracked and was completed in one week.

To this, he said it was a project that both the government and the investors wanted to expedite because the investors had the finances available at the time.

“If every project in my view can be expedited in that manner I believe it is good for Guyana.

That is not corruption,” Nandlall added.

Ho w e v e r, Nandlall in his response today explained that the reason why the project did not go through is because there was a misdiscription of the property. The investors wanted an area of land that was not less than five acres since the investment required that type of land space.

Nandlall, went on to state that the description that was

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

given to the investors based on a survey plan done by Lands and Survey led them to believe that it was a five acre plot. However, when the verification was done on the ground by another surveyor it was discovered that the land was far less than the required space.

“The investor in accordance with the terms of lease relinquished his interest in the project and handed back the lease and did what was necessary to give back the land to the state. He did not proceed with the project so I am at lost in terms of identifying which component of this project reeks of corruption,” the Attorney said.

He recalled that there were several agencies that were

involved in the matter.

He said the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) had to approve a plan, which they did. In addition, the Lands and Survey Commission had to prepare a lease, which was done. Also the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) did its part paving the way for the deal to be completed. These, according to Nandlall were all legal requirements that were complied with.

PPP/C Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira believes that the State Minister was too eager to reveal corruption by the former a d m i n i st r at i on that he misinformed

the public.

Teixeira said that “He [Harmon] jumped the gun and he got egg on his face. He jumped the gun because he was so anxious to show the wicked Jagdeo and the wicked, corrupt PPP that he jumped so fast and so high that he got egg on his face.”

Harmon last week told the media that Ahmad had leased a prime piece of real

estate for just $500,000 annually in 2008. The transaction he said was completed in a matter of seven days while the property was the subject of a court dispute.

Harmon stated that government had taken a decision to reclaim the property and bring it back to state use.

However, it was reported in the media that the land was repossessed since 2009.

Minister Joseph Harmon

Public Servants duped with -Urges unions to hold political 50K bonus-PPP/C parties accountable on promises Spokesperson for the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) on the economy and finance, Irfaan Ali has commended the government’s move to give Public Servants fifty thousand dollars tax free bonus for the Christmas holidays.

Government on Monday announced that it will be giving Public Servants fifty thousand dollars taxfree bonus for Christmas once they are earning less than five hundred thousand per month.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday at Freedom House, the PPP/C Member of Parliament says as a former Public Servant he welcomes the move. “I believe that anything that is in the interest of the people and improvement of their lives it must be supported,” Ali said.

However, he is of the view that the Public Servants have been short changed.

He made reference to the five percent increase that was announced in budget 2015, however, according to him it was only 2.5 percent since the increase was not retroactive from January 2015.

He explained that “a person who was earning $100,000 in actual fact instead of taking home the increase

New non-resident High Commissioner of Jamaica to Guyana Mr. David Prendergast was today accredited by President David Granger at a simple ceremony at the Ministry of the Presidency.

M r .

Prendergast previously served as Jamaica’s High Commissioner in Trinidad and Tobago.

In brief remarks, the new High Commissioner said that Guyana and Jamaica have shared a special bond of friendship over the 46 years that the two countries have had diplomatic ties.

He stated Jamaica’s steadfast

commitment to working with the Government of Guyana in deepening the ties noting that “Jamaica stands ready to strengthen our bilateral and regional cooperation by continuing to explore issues of common interest that will redound to the benefit of all our peoples.”

S i m i l a r sentiments were expressed by President Granger who assured the new High Commissioner of his Government’s full support during his tour of duty.

“Our two countries, along with other like-minded states, actively pursue the vision of a unified and prosperous

Irfaan Ali

of $60,000 based on the five percent only took home $30,000 for the six months, so for the year when you analyze it they did not get a full five percent increase.”

Ali, believes that this is an insult on Public Servants based on the promises of the APNU+AFC in its manifesto.

He continued “If you take for example someone earning $100,000 based on the promise

of a 20% increase the APNU+AFC political agenda that person was supposed to be taking home an additional $240,000 at the end of this year. Based on the bonus and the increase that person is only taking home an additional $80,000 which is a difference of $160,000.

In actual fact Ali explained that the government has robbed the Public Servants based on their manifesto promise.

The PPP/C MP declared that while it welcomes the fifty thousand dollars bonus one must not lose sight of the bigger picture which is the promised twenty percent increase.

He reminded that it was also promised by the APNU+AFC that the super salaries of Cabinet members. Instead, Ali said, there was a complete reversal of both.

He cautioned that there will be “serious fireworks” during the debates on salary increases. According to him, Guyana might have the highest paid Cabinet based on the economy size and population.

That research he said is a work in progress and is hoping to complete it before the debates.

Ali also called on the Unions to hold political Parties accountable whenever such promises are made.

Meanwhile, supporting his colleague’s sentiments, former Minister within the Finance Ministry Juan Edghill told the media that Public Servants got a fifty thousand bonus because of the pressure that the PPP/C brought on the government following the salary increases it gave its officials.

“We are happy because of the PPP/C pressure they tried to save face by announcing this fifty thousand dollars bonus for Christmas for public servants earning less than five hundred thousand. That should be noted that this is because of our advocacy, it’s because of our activism and it was because of our pressure that was brought to bear on the government,” Edghill declared.

High Commissioner of Jamaica to Guyana accredited President David Granger greeting the new Jamaican High Commissioner to Guyana, David Prendergast with a handshake before he presented his Letters of Credence

Caribbean region through the establishment of the Caribbean Community. Guyana remains steadfast in our belief that the path to greater

prosperity of the Caribbean lies in closer integration within the region,” the President said.

He added that the common values to which Guyanese and

Jamaicans adhere are those of democracy, respect for fundamental human rights, sustainable development and the preservation of territorial integrity.

G u y a n a and Jamaica first established diplomatic relations in 1969, three years after Guyana gained its independence from Britain.

No place for untrained Teachers in Education system - Granger

Desire Van Luen, Regional Vice-President of the Guyana Teachers Union, Essequibo Branch pins a token on President David Granger’s lapel at the GTU awards ceremony held last evening

President David Granger says only trained teachers should enter the education system and, over time, even they must upgrade their qualifications. He was at the time addressing an award ceremony organised by the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) to honour a few stalwart educators, both retired

and serving, for their sterling contribution to the nation’s children.

The event was held last evening at the Georgetown Club.

He noted that there can be no place for untrained teachers in the education system and even trained teachers must undergo some level of retraining to

upgrade their skills so they can keep up in an environment that is constantly changing as a result of technology.

“Teachers need to be resilient. ‘Chalk and talk’ have been replaced by ‘quick and click’ technologies. Teachers must be resilient in the way teaching and learning takes place

The government did not mean any disrespect to the Unions when it announced the one-off bonus of $50,000 for public servants.

D u r i ng post cabinet media briefing today, Minister of Governance,

Raphael Trotman noted that consultations with the Union would not have made it possible for persons to get their bonus for Christmas as those consultations might have stretched into the New Year.

“ A n y protracted deliberations on whether or not public servants should be given their $50,000, I rather suspect that it would have been given out in 2016 December. I think government took a decision

within the classroom.

It will also transform the role of the teachers, to be innovators rather than mere instructors,” the President added.

A total of 1,734 untrained teachers were recruited between 2012 and 2015, at an annual average of 433 persons per year.

Granger noted

that the country’s education system is in a state of crisis as shown in the underperformance of a large percentage of students at local and regional assessments and examinations.

This year alone, more than half of the students who wrote English A and Mathematics at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) level failed to obtain passes between Grades One and Three.

The results are similar with the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA). He said that reversing this situation is one of the education system’s main challenges.

The retention of trained teachers is another issue that needs urgent attention. He lamented that there is a shortage of teachers in many schools, particularly in the hinterland. Information from the Teaching

Service Commission (TSC) revealed that from 2009 to 2015, an average of 151 teachers have been dismissed annually.

This situation is further compounded by the number of annual retirees as well as resignations.

The President also condemned the indiscipline and inappropriate conduct demonstrated by some teachers over the years.

“Such conduct has no place in the teaching profession. It is a challenge that must be confronted,” he said.

Teachers who received awards were drawn from nursery, primary and secondary schools from across the 10 administrative regions in Guyana.

The ceremony was held under the theme, “Empowering Teachers; Building Sustainable Societies.”

(Adapted from the MOTP)

No Disrespect meant on announcement of Bonus - Trotman

Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman

that it thought was in the best interest of the workers by going out to pay them and it meant no disrespect to the unions”, Trotman said.

On Monday, the Ministry of Finance

announced that a one-off bonus of $50,000 will be given to all public servants earning less than $500,000 per month effected in December.

While both the Guyana Public Service Union

(GPSU) and the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) have welcomed the decision, they noted that consultations should have been done in s unionized environment.

Amaila Project to be reviewed

by IDB in 2016 A review of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) which was piloted by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is expected to be done in the first quarter of next year, by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) upon request by the Norwegian Government, Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman has said.

The Minister made this disclosure at post-Cabinet press briefing held earlier today at the Ministry of the Presidency.

The Amaila Falls Hydropower Project is the flagship of Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy. It will deliver a steady source of clean, renewable energy that is affordable and reliable and is envisioned to meet approximately 90% of Guyana’s domestic energy needs while

removing dependency on fossil fuels.

The Hydro Electric Plant will be a 165 MW (installed capacity) hydropower generation facility, which will be located in west-central Guyana, approximately 250km southwest of Georgetown.

Upon their assumption to office, the APNU+AFC coalition had signaled its intention to discontinue the project given the lack of transparency when they were in opposition.

President David Granger had even indicated this earlier in the year, but noted that his administration was is still interested in hydropower. And while the IDB is holding US$80 million from Norway in its accounts as Guyana’s equity in the project, Guyana was also seeking a loan from the bank for the project.

According to

Minister Trotman today though, during a meeting facilitated in Paris on December 9, 2015, both the Government of Guyana and that of Norway reaffirmed their commitment to partnership in the context of the Green economy agenda.

He also noted that there were deliberations on the project and the Government of Guyana reiterated that it was not one they could support as currently conceptualize.

He explained that the viability of the AFHP is not assured and there are concerns which relate to the least cost that it could be constructed for. Additionally, it was ventilated that the Government did not want to attract any debt in constructing such a project.

Ho w e v e r, Minister Trotman related

that the Norwegian Government has requested the IDB to do the review of the project, but the IDB has said that it only has a limited amount of information in its possession.

“A lot of the propriety information is in the possession of Sithe Global and so both countries and IDB are to approach Sithe and have that discussion about how we can access that information” the Minister said. To this end he revealed that Government anticipates a review of the AFHP by the first quarter of 2016.

“It was further agreed that a review of the Amaila Project to determine its viability would be time bound and guided by clear terms of reference (ToR) that will seek to identify satisfactory criteria for the Government of Guyana to determine the project’s viability” he said.

Should the project prove not to

be viable however, Trotman noted that considerations would be given to the alternative uses of US$80M which is currently being held by the IDB. The alternative would be any other project has to be a clean renewable energy project, he added.

Meanwhile, talks regarding the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) were also facilitated in Paris. According to Trotman, both sides

had committed to its renewal and this is likely to be done when the Ambassador of Norway based in Brazil visits Guyana in January.

In terms of the road leading to the falls, the Minister stated that this is a matter that is under discussion and consideration at the level of Cabinet. Currently, the road is being used illegally by loggers and miners. “We can’t afford to see an almost US$50M road not being used” Trotman noted.

Marijuana legislation no longer for Parliament tomorrow -Must engage Cabinet first

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams

The Psychotropic Substances (Control) (Amendment) bill 2015 will not be laid in the National Assembly at tomorrow’s sitting since it will have to engage the attention of Cabinet before.

This was confirmed by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams when he met with the Rastafarian Community today.

The Minister was

quoted in the media as saying “That Bill hasn’t come to the House under the hand of the government and Cabinet has not discussed the matter, it has not been discussed in Cabinet sub-committee which is headed by the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister is the Leader of (Government Business) in the House and he had no idea about the Bill, the nature of the Bill, the

contents of the Bill.”

Alliance for Change Member of Parliament, Michael Carrington was expected to table the bill which was crafted

by AFC executive and Attor ne ys-at-L aw Nigel Hughes and Mark Waldron in the National Assembly on Thursday December 17.

The bill proposes the removal of the mandatory imprisonment of citizens in possession of small amounts of cannabis.

It intends to strike out the provisions of the Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances Control Act 1988 which

mandate Magistrates to imprison any citizen of Guyana who confesses to or has been found guilty of possession of 15 grams or more of marijuana.

Williams said he is in support of the non-custodial sentences for very small amounts of marijuana.

However, President David Granger and leader of the APNU at the weekend stated that that government is already working towards reducing the frequency of tobacco smoking and therefore the decriminalisation of marijuana would be wholly contradictory.

President Daivd Granger

Granger was quoted as saying on his weekly television programme “The Public Interest” that “we have already taken a position on smoking. The Ministry of Public Health is preparing legislation to deal with smoking so it would be quite contradictory for us to bring legislation to prohibit smoking elsewhere and bring legislation to encourage smoking

of another substance.”

The Ministry of Public Health is currently reviewing the Tobacco Control Bill, which will see a ban on public smoking and controls on tobacco advertisements.

Me a nw h i l e , the AFC faction is pushing for the decrimilisation of marijuana.

This speaks to a seeming division between the APNU and AFC on the issue.

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Kim Kardashian is eating her own Placenta to avoid Postpartum Depression

Kim Kardashian is all about eating her own placenta if it helps stave off getting “the baby blues.” In a new post on the 35-year-

old reality star’s app, Kim shares that she’s having her placenta freeze-dried and made into a pill form.

Kim gave birth to her

On Thursday afternoon last week, Salman Khan was acquitted of all charges in the hit-and-run case.

The honourable court’s verdict will have far-reaching consequences in the Superstar’s life.

The most crucial decision pending due to the legal uncertainties that Salman will now take is regarding his marriage.

According to

sources close to Salman, it is only a matter of time now before he marries his Romanian girlf riend Lulia Vantur.

Says a close buddy, “Every time his parents raised the question of his marriage Salman would turn around to say, ‘What would I tell me wife if the court cases go against me? What would she tell our child? That the

it again. Every time I take a pill, I feel a surge of energy and feel really healthy and good. I totally recommend it for anyone considering it!”

The reality superstar isn’t the first celebrity to be open about eating her placenta.

Mad Men actress January said she took placenta pills after the birth of her son, Xander Dane, in September 2011, and former Girls Next Door star Holly Madison said she was planning on taking placenta pills after the birth of her daughter, Rainbow Aurora, in March 2013.

(Adapted from Yahoo)

son with husband Kanye West, Saint West, on Dec. 5.

“I heard so many stories when I was pregnant with North

of moms who never ate their placenta with their first baby and then had postpartum depression, but then when they

took the pills with their second baby, they did not suffer from depression!”

Kim explains. “So I thought, why not try it? What do I have to lose?”

“I really didn’t want the baby blues and thought I can’t go wrong with taking a pill made of my own hormones -- made by me, for me,” she adds. Kim says that she could not have been happier with the results when she first ate her placenta after giving birth to her now 2-yearold daughter, North West, in June 2013.

“I had great results and felt so energized and didn’t have any signs of depression!”

Kim writes.

“I definitely had to do

father is in jail?’

Salman wanted to be out of the legal problems before marrying. Now

that the verdict is out in his favour the coast is clear for his marriage.”

Friends say it

is only a matter as early 2016,” of time before says the buddy.

Salman takes the plunge. “It could be as soon

Will Salman Khan get married soon?

Crack Pipes for sale in vending machine “People need to feel comfortable using.” These are the words of Darwin Fisher, manager of InSite, a supervised injection facility in Vancouver, Canada.

Here, Fisher manages 13 booths, each one lined with mirrors and bright bulbs resembling those of a dressing room -- and they are in demand.

As he stands and watches, all the booths are being used by people staring closely at their reflections. Their goal is to inject themselves safely with illicit drugs -- and do so legally. Up to 1,000 people visit here each day.

Fisher’s team at Insite includes a front line of nurses, counselors, mental health workers and peer-support workers to ensure people inject their drugs safely -- reducing the risk of overdose and of infections such as HIV and Hepatitis C.

“It’s about helping people who have been marginalized to the alleys and bring them into the light of healthcare,” says Fisher. The booths at InSite are used by people from nearby streets hoping to satisfy their addiction, but with a nurse close by.

All sterile. All safe to inject with. This creative approach includes a crack-pipe vending machine at a nearby drug resource center, which dispenses clean pipes for just 25 cents. People bring their own drugs.

Since Insite opened in 2003, the neighborhood has seen things change -- for the better. Among those using the injection rooms, the likelihood of them entering detox increased by 30%, and people are 70% less likely to share needles, according to a study by the British Columbia Center (UBC) for Excellence in HIV/AIDS.

InSite is funded by taxpayers, at a cost of $3 million Canadian per year. The facility says that for every tax dollar spent, four are saved, by preventing expensive medical treatments for addicts further down the line.

But Insite is not without critics. Some drug counselors believe the facility acts an enabler, which feeds addiction, and ultimately hurts the addict. The facility was also opposed by Canada’s previous Prime Minister, Stephen Harper. Today, Insite is one of more than 90 supervised injection sites worldwide, but remains the only one of its kind in North America. (Adapted from CNN)

Lawsuit: Popular Shampoo makes you bald

More than 200 women have joined a classaction lawsuit against the popular WEN all-natural hair products, claiming the sulfate-free shampoo

and conditioners made their hair fall out.

Created by celebrity stylist Chaz Dean, WEN hair products are boosted as a natural

alternative to regular shampoos. The products clean hair without using damaging sulfates, a chemical compound used to separate dirt and oil from hair or skin, and according to the product’s website, “It takes the place of your shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner.”

Unfortunately, according to a large number of women from multiple U.S. states, the only results they saw from using WEN products

was severe hair loss. A report noted that one user noticed hair loss after just one wash. In addition to hair loss, many women claim that WEN products have caused multiple injuries to their head and scalp, such as rashes, scalp irritation, hair breakage, and hair discoloration.

One angry customer claimed that she had to quit her job as a professional model after she started using WEN products. “After using

this product my scalp and face broke out in boils and my hair fell out in chunks. This shampoo destroyed my life,” she wrote on a product review.

According to the court papers, the company was aware of the unpleasant side effect and still failed to warn users. And although it’s true that many WEN users are happy with their results and praise the products, a simple peruse of Amazon will show that a large amount of users also complained that the hair products caused them to lose large volumes of hair

babies with a head circumference of less than 32 cm, instead of 33 cm previously. Babies in that category will be closely monitored, WHO said.

The zika virus has also been confirmed this year in Panama, Venezuela, El Salvador, Mexico, Suriname, Colombia, Guatemala and Paraguay.

It is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, also known to carry the yellow fever, dengue and

chikungunya viruses.

“Because the Aedes species mosquitoes that spread Zika virus are found throughout the world, it is likely that outbreaks will spread to new countries,” the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says on its Zika webpage.

Between three and 12 days after being bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus, three out of four people come down with symptoms including mild fever, rash, conjunctivitis, headaches and joint

pain. The WHO does not recommend any travel or trade restrictions due to the Zika outbreaks.

Zika is also found in Africa and Southeast Asia. There is no vaccine

dating back many years.

In response to the claims and the lawsuit, Joe Hixson, a spokesperson for Wen said that the complaints only represent a small fraction of its customers. “[We] intend to vigorously contest the allegations made against our products,” said Hixson.

Unfor tunately, baldness in women is a complicated health issue, which means it could be difficult to prove in court that WEN definitely led to these women’s hair loss.

(Adapted from MSN)

or medicine to prevent or treat it, and travelers are advised to protect themselves by avoiding mosquito bites. (Adapted from Fox Health)

Brazil reports 1,761 cases of babies born with small brains as mosquito virus spreads Brazil has reported 1,761 cases of babies born with unusually small brains, or microcephaly, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday, as a mosquito-borne disease linked to the condition spread across Latin America.

Brazilian health authorities said last month there was a link between the mosquitoborne Zika virus and a surge in babies born with

microcephaly, which can cause developmental and intellectual difficulties and limit intelligence and muscle coordination for life.

As of Dec. 5, the statement, said, 19 children had died out of the 1,761 suspected cases distributed across 422 municipalities in Brazil. On Dec. 7, Brazil’s Ministry of Health revised the definition of microcephaly to include

Fisherman who survived 438 days at sea is sued ‘for eating crewmate’ A fisherman who miraculously survived 438 days lost at sea has been sued for $1 million for allegedly eating his fellow castaway to ensure his own survival, the family of the deceased castaway contends, according to The Telegraph.

After drifting 6,700 miles, Salvador Alvarenga, 36, of El Salvador washed ashore in January 2014 on the Marshall Islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean after setting off on a two-day

fishing trip from Mexico in November 2012. It was the longest any castaway had survived at sea.

He had paid 22-yearold Ezequiel Cordoba $50 to accompany him.

When a storm hit, Alvarenga radioed the owner of the 25-foot boat demanding to be rescued. That message was the last words communicated to shore as 10-foot waves and the vicious storm knocked out the communications system and washed their supplies overboard.

Alvarenga and Cordoba survived several months by catching fish and birds, and drinking turtle blood and rainwater, but one bird they ate made Cordoba very ill. A poisonous snake was discovered in the bird’s stomach.

According to Alvarenga’s account, Cordoba refused to eat some of the raw meats that kept Alvarenga alive — perhaps because of the experience with the bird — and he eventually died. Before starving to

death, Cordoba made Alvarenga promise to not eat his corpse and to find his mother and tell her what happened.

Mr Alvarenga befriended the corpse, keeping it on the boat for six days and chatting to it, until he realized his own insanity and threw it overboard. “I could see my death was going to be very, very slow,” he said.

But against all odds, he survived. Two months later, Alvarenga visited Cordoba’s mother, Rosalia Rios, and

delivered her son’s message.

Alvarenga has always denied eating his crewmate.

The family’s lawsuit comes on the heels of the October release of Alvarenga’s book 438 Days: An Extraordinary

True Story of Survival at Sea. His attorney said he believes the lawsuit is part of the family’s attempt at pressuring Alvarenga to divide the royalties. (Adapted from Yahoo/The Telegraph)

Man charged after shutting down busy highway for marriage proposal

Love can make you do some pretty crazy things. Bringing a major interstate in downtown Houston

to a standstill probably shouldn’t be one of them.

Vidal Valladares, 24, has been charged

with obstruction of a highway, a misdemeanor, for shutting down I-45 on Sunday to propose to his girlfriend.

The misdemeanor is punishable by up to six months in jail. “I’m feeling bad and, of course, I just wanted to apologize to everyone if I caused any problems,”

Valladares said.. “That wasn’t my intention in the beginning. I just wanted to do something different.”

His 23-year-old girlfriend Michelle Wycoff said, “Yes.” The wedding is in March.

Valladares posted a picture of him popping the question on Instagram. “When you shut down one of

the biggest and busiest freeways in the entire country (I45) and you ask your girl if she wants to marry u, That moment is priceless love u #shesaidyes.”

The people of Houston weren’t quite as enamored with the stunt, especially those stuck in traffic behind the prenuptial roadblock. Horns can be heard blaring on the proposal video.

Social media took

Valladares to task too, celebrating the charge filed against him.

Why I-45 in downtown Houston?

That’s Wycoff ’s favorite view of the city. Valladares wanted the setting to be perfect. “Love makes you do stupid things and I wanted to do something big for my girl,” Valladares said.

“Something that she will always remember.” Mission accomplished.

(Adapted from CNN)

Boy born with partial skull meets Santa

More than a year after doctors predicted their son would never see, hear, walk, talk or emote due to a rare condition marked by a partially formed skull, Brandon and Brittany Buell are celebrating most of the milestones typically witnessed by parents of a 1-year-old.

The Orlando-area couple ticked off one of those milestones— taking their son, Jaxon, to meet Santa Claus— earlier this month. Jaxon Buell, who

had his first birthday on Aug. 27, 2015, was diagnosed at birth with microhydranencephaly, a developmental abnormality marked by incomplete brain and skull formation.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), scientists don’t know what causes the condition nor have they found a cure.

Since one of Brandon’s colleagues started a GoFundMe page to cover 27-year-old Brittany’s salary at a local magazine so she could instead stay home with Jaxon, the Buells’ story hasn’t ceased in going viral.

To meet Santa on Dec. 6 at the Mall at Millenia in Orlando, a film crew from a Germany-based network accompanied the Buells. On Wednesday, Brittany posted photos of the little boy’s meeting with the

man in the red suit on Facebook, and the album post has racked up nearly 50,000 likes so far. Brandon added that as the boy and St. Nick met, passersby stopped to get a closer look at their meeting, and even Santa himself seemed to get a bit choked up.

Brandon recalled that doctors told him and Brittany early on that Jaxon likely wouldn’t be more than “a vegetable,” reliant on machines to keep him alive, and unable to communicate or say when he is hungry. However, at 15 and a half months old, Jaxon smiles, giggles, and says “mama,” “dada,” and “I love you” regularly.

Jaxon attends physical therapy and must still rely on a feeding pump, but from day one, the Buells have remained hopeful he’ll continue to defy the odds. (Adapted from Fox News)

Couple burnt to death in car that the bodies found in the backseat of the car are those of Ramsawak and 21-year-old Gabrielle Sohan, also of Preysal. Police sources added that at this stage formal identification can only be made via dental records and DNA as the bodies were burnt down bones.

Gabriella lived in Santa Clara, Preysal. Both she and Ramsawak were said to be friends who met on Facebook and used to lime together.

When Newsday visited

Ramsawak’s home, a large white tent was erected in the yard and chairs were stacked with several relatives and friends milling around.

A male relative ordered Newsday’s reporter and photographer off the premises.

According to a police report, police and responded to a report of loud explosions and a car being seen on fire at Woodford Lodge Street in Chaguanas.

(Adapted from the Trinidad Newsday)

Investigations are continuing into the discovery last night of the charred, unrecognisable remains of a man and woman

found in the backseat of a Honda Civic car which was burnt down to bare metal near Woodford Lodge in Chaguanas on Monday night.

And while the police have said no formal identification has been made on the bodies, relatives of a man who is missing and

believed to be one of the victims, have already began preparations for a wake at the family’s home in Preysal.

It is strongly believed

According to reports out of Canada yesterday, two men were arrested for importing approximately 44 litres of liquid cocaine, which could be converted to approximately 24 kilogrammes of powdered cocaine.

The liquid cocaine was concealed in over 40 cartons of orange juice found in a container, full of food products destined for Toronto from Trinidad, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said in a statement yesterday.

The statement said

investigations began on November 16 last, when Canada Border Services Agency officers at the Port of Halifax inspected a sea container containing different food products that originated from Trinidad and Tobago.

The officers seized the cocaine and contacted the RCMP, triggering further investigation in the Toronto area.

Norris Williams, 46, of Whitby, and 46-yearold Lincoln Strachan, of Mississauga, were subsequently arrested and each face charges

of possession for the purpose of trafficking, importing drugs into Canada, and conspiracy. The men appeared in court on November 30, and were released. They will reappear in a Brampton court on January 22.

Several photos of juice products prepared and packaged by the local Nestle outfit were posted on major social media websites including Facebook yesterday as the story gained traction online.

However, an official from Nestle’s corporation

communications department denied any of its products were involved in the bust in Canada emphasising that Trinidad Nestle does not export products to Toronto or to any area in Canada for that matter.

This is not the first time that a major amount of cocaine has been found in North America that originated from Trinidad. In 2014, the biggest ever drug bust in the history of the Norfolk Port in Virginia, United States was made when US Customs

Border Protection officers seized 332 kilos of cocaine which originated from Trinidad and Tobago and which carries an estimated street value of US$100Million or TT$640Million.

The cocaine was stored

inside tins of Trinidad Juice Company juices which were part of a consignment of goods that arrived at the Norfolk Port after being shipped from Trinidad.

(Adapted from the Trinidad Newsday)

Prosecutors at the U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn will charge General Nestor Reverol, who heads the powerful National Guard, with conspiracy to traffic cocaine from

Venezuela to American shores, said the person.

The person said that prosecutors also would level the same charge against Edilberto Molina, a National Guard general and a former highranking official in the National Anti-Drug Office, the Venezuelan equivalent of the U.S. drug czar’s office.

Reverol and Molina couldn’t be reached to comment. Calls to the Defense Ministry in Caracas, the

Venezuelan capital, and to the government’s Communications Ministry weren’t r e t u r n e d .

Venezuelan officials didn’t immediately respond to the news from New York, which was reported Tuesday by Reuters.

But high-ranking officials have in the past scoffed at reports that American prosecutors are investigating Venezuelan officials, saying they are part of a conspiracy to destabilize

the government and help the opposition take power.

The expected charges against Gens. Reverol and Molina are likely to be made public as early as the end of the month, people familiar with the case said. They are part of a broad investigation by federal prosecutors into the alleged involvement in drug trafficking by various high-ranking military officers in both the army and the National Guard, as well as in the upper echelon

of President Nicolás Maduro’s government, these people said.

Last month, two nephews of Cilia Flores, the first lady of Venezuela and herself an influential power broker, were arrested and sent from Haiti to the U.S., where they were with planning to transport 800 kilograms, or nearly 1,800 pounds. (Adapted from Fox News)

Canadian Police bust liquid cocaine found amidst Orange Juice

US to charge Venezuelan military officials with cocaine trafficking

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn are preparing to charge high-ranking Venezuelan officials with trafficking cocaine to the U.S., a person familiar with the case said Tuesday.

Bush criticize Trump over Muslim ban plans Republican presidential contender Jeb Bush has sharply criticised frontrunner Donald Trump in a debate for proposing to ban Muslims from entering the United States, calling him a “chaos candidate” adept at delivering one-liners.

But candidates Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz refused to bash

Trump on Tuesday for his controversial proposal, focusing their criticism on President Barack Obama and accusing him of failing to keep the US safe.

“Donald is great at the one-liners, but he is a chaos candidate and he would be a chaos president,” said Bush, the former governor of Florida who has been

lagging in opinion polls. He said Trump’s Muslim plan was “not a serious proposal”.

Trump dismissed Bush’s criticism. “He’s failed in his campaign, it’s been a total disaster,” he said, and defended his proposal.

“We’re not talking about isolation; we’re talking about security.

We’re not talking about religion; we’re talking about security.

Our country is out of control,” Trump said.

Trump has dominated

the past few weeks of the campaign with his call for a total ban on Muslims entering the US, following a married couple’s December 2 massacre of 14 people in San Bernardino, California, inspired by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group.

Most of Trump’s Republican rivals, as well as officials and leaders in the US and around the globe, have criticised Trump’s proposal

190km (118 miles) from Samawa, after arriving from the Nasiriya area, the source said. A widescale search has been launched for the attackers, police say. There was no immediate comment from the authorities in Qatar.

Iraq is one of several countries frequented by Gulf Arab huntsmen and falconers as they search for prey that either does not exist in their own countries or which has been almost hunted to extinction there.

Their favoured prey is the

every 25 years and the next one was due in 2025. But the pope, who wants a more inclusive and less judgmental Church, called an extraordinary one on the theme of mercy, compassion and forgiveness.

To underscore that the Church should show additional concern for the poor this year, he has taken the tradition beyond houses of worship and will open a symbolic “holy door” at a Rome homeless shelter on Friday.

Jeb Bush

although many of his supporters have voiced sympathy with his views.

The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, completed after Trump’s December 7 call for a ban on Muslims,

showed him leading the field with the support of 33 percent of Republican voters.

(Adapted from Al Jazeera)

houbara bustard, akin to a small turkey, and to find it and other similar species Gulf hunters often travel to Morocco, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

They take with them their prized falcons, typically peregrines, sakers and lanners, which are expertly trained to home in on their quarry at high speed.

According to a former CIA officer, in 1998 a CIA-run sniper team in Afghanistan observed Osama Bin Laden and his al-Qaeda followers gathered at a camp near

Kandahar but they were ordered to take no action for risk of harming the Emirati hunters who were with them.

The hunters had been escorted by Iraqi security forces but they decided not to engage a large number of gunmen, a Samawa police colonel told the agency. “We are talking about at least 100 gunmen armed with light and medium weapons,” he said.

Two unnamed Iraqi officials quoted by AFP news agency said

“members of Qatar’s ruling family” were among those kidnapped, without giving details. More than 12 years after the US-led invasion and occupation, Iraq is still plagued by violent crime and militant attacks.

In September, 16 Turkish construction workers were freed a month after being kidnapped in the capital, Baghdad, apparently by Shia Muslim militants.

(Adapted from the BBC)

Rome has already seen some Holy Year fraud. This week Italian police confiscated

3,500 counterfeit pilgrims coming parchments bearing to Rome for the purported blessings Holy Year. (Yahoo) by the pope and were being sold to

Gunmen kidnapped 26 Qatar hunters in Iraq desert

Gunmen have kidnapped at least 26 Qatari hunters in a desert area of Iraq near the Saudi border, officials say.

The attackers were driving “about 50” four-wheel drive

vehicles when they swept into the hunters’ camp at dawn on Wednesday, an Iraqi source told the BBC’s Arabic service.

They struck near Layyah,

Pope Francis on Wednesday warned Catholics against fraudsters who would have them pay to pass through “Holy Doors” at cathedrals around the world, a ritual in the Church’s current Jubilee year.

“Be careful. Beware anyone who might be a little fast and very clever who tells you have to pay. No! You don’t pay for salvation. It is free,” he said in unscripted remarks to tens of thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square for weekly audience.

During the year-long celebrations that began last week and are one of the most important events in the 1.2 billionmember Church, the faithful will make pilgrimages to Rome and other religious sites around the world, mostly local cathedrals.

By passing through a holy door of a church, which remains closed except during a Holy Year, Catholics symbolically pass from sin to grace.

Holy Years usually take place only

Salvation is free, Pope says, warning against fraudsters

Andre Russell defends status as sought-after T20 player West Indies allrounder Andre Russell has defended his status as a T20 gun for hire, saying he should not be denied the right to secure financial gains from the game. Russell, a member of the Sydney Thunder in the Australian Big Bash, is considered one of the more active players on the international Twenty20 circuit.

“As a professional you have to think about living after cricket,” said Russell, who has played one Test but says he is no longer

available because his knees cannot withstand the rigours of the longer format.

“You can’t go into a supermarket and say… I used to play for West Indies, I had 10 half-centuries, 15 hundreds, you can’t get groceries like that — you have to live.

You can’t be begging on the road, you can’t live off your stats.”

The Jamaican cricketer says he is hurt by media criticism of the West Indies team following their innings and 212 run defeat to Australia

room because I didn’t want anyone to see me or ask me about what’s happening because I may be rude and I’m not that type of person.”

for a miraculous change of fortune for the Caribbean side.

“It’s a funny game. We just have to wait and see what will happen on Boxing Day. I’m not saying the West Indies can’t beat Australia but, come on, we have to face the facts,” Russell said. “These guys know how to bowl and bat on their pitches; we still didn’t have to lose West Indies play so bad. Even if we go Australia in the second down the next game Test match starting we’ll go down fighting. on Boxing Day and (Adapted from the Russell, while not Jamaican Observer) optimistic, is hoping

is in Australia to play for the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League. “We don’t have proper grounds, proper nets or a proper academy.

All these things are a part of our downfall.

“The relationship between players,

board members and management staff needs to get stronger and tighter. They need to have a lot more honesty. There are a lot of dishonest people in charge at the moment.”

Bravo did not mince words when he said it was time administrators stopped talking up a glorious past and started looking ahead. His remarks follow those of Michael Holding who said the WICB was “dysfunctional, untrustworthy and not liked by the employees,” while Brian Lara squarely laid the blame on the administrators for “bad governance.”

Andre Russell

in the opening Test. “I see terrible comments in the papers and it hurts,” said Russell. “As a West Indian I didn’t feel I could leave the

Too much politics killing West Indies cricket - Bravo

Dwayne Bravo lamented the sorry state of West Indies cricket, saying “too much politics” was killing the game in the Caribbean, and that the administrators needed to take a hard look at themselves.

Bravo, who was asked

about the team’s innings-and-212run loss to Australia in the first Test in Hobart, said it was painful to see West Indies slip to one big loss after another despite having the personnel to compete. He pointed

the gradual decline to a host of factors, including external interference and lack of infrastructure.

“We’ve got the players to be up there with the best in the world, but there are a lot of things going on,” said Bravo, who

“It’s painful to see this is the stage our cricket has reached, [given] at one point in time we were the best team in the world,” Bravo said. “If those in charge keep harping on about the past and not trying to do anything for the present then we’ll always have these type of interviews, we’ll have back and forth with explayers saying this and current players saying that. The rest of the world will go on and we’ll always be backwards.”

(Adapted from Espncricinfo)

Footballers depart for CFU/ MLS Combine in Curacao

Alpha United’s Delon Lanferman and Jumane Somerset of Pele FC will depart Guyana tomorrow to participate at the 2015 Major League Soccer (MLS) Combine in Curacao.

Three day event (December 17 – 20), will feature players from within the confines of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), competing in front of professional scouts for an opportunity to earn an

invitation to the annual Adidas MLS Player Combine in Florida on January 8 – 13, 2016.

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) sponsored the duo’s airline ticket and 3rd Vice President Thandi McAllister added, “I want to encourage you to put Guyana first. You are ambassadors of this beautiful country of ours and we want to you to be of exemplary conduct and I wish you the very best”.

Lanferman finished the League (Genesis) as the highest goal scorer (11), one more than Pele’s Gregory Richardson as well as played a pivotal role in his club’s success this year, despite them finishing second in the League (Genesis) behind Slingerz Football Club.

The 20 yearold Lanferman is yet to make his Senior National team debut, though representing Guyana at

the U-20 and U-23 levels.

Somerset, 22, is described as one of Guyana’s top defenders, but much like Lanferman, the player is yet to make his Golden Jaguar debut.

Pele FC finished third in the STAG Elite League (Genesis) and conceded a total of 14 goals in their 16 matches played.

Only league champions Slingerz FC (9) and Alpha United (11) conceded fewer goals.

The CFU/

MLS combines caters for players between the ages of 18 – 22 yearsold and is an annual showcase of Caribbean football talent organised jointly by MLS and the CFU in 2013, with the inaugural combine being held in January 2014.

The combine provides opportunities for Caribbean players to be observed by MLS scouts with the hopes of being invited to the MLS Combine, an invite-

only showcase event held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida prior to the annual MLS SuperDraft.

The combine is part of an agreement between the two entities as they try to promote football development throughout the Caribbean region Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson is the first and only Guyanese player to be signed by an MLS club following his 2009 deal with the Colorado Rapids.

The Woodpecker Products Annual Christmas Singles was played off at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall December 14 & 15, 2015 and the GBA is pleased with the turn-out

with the number of participants in the Boys & Girls Under-11, 13 & 15 events.

The youngest player was George Ramlall who blasted his way into the finals of

the under 11 class but fell at the hands of Omar Samad 21-18, 21-8, He still managed to win the hearts of those in the stands.

On the distaff end, Gabriella Pertab

defeated Emily Choo-A-Fat: 21-3, 21-11.

At the male u13 level Gianni C ar p e nt e r overcame Jadon Oodit: 21-10, 21-2 while Siya Persaud took the

ladies division on that age group after beating out Sudarshani Sooknarine: 21-6, 21-4 Akili Haynes defeated Tyrese Jeffrey 21-18, 2119 for the u15

top spot in the males division while the ladies category was won by Priyanna Ramdhani who beat Priyanka

GBA concludes Woodpecker Singles

Wednesday December 16, 2015

GBA concludes Woodpecker Singles

Some of the players who participated