GNN Online Newspaper - Dec 19, 2015

Saturday December 19, 2015

Granger set to pardon more prisoners -PAGE 3

GUYANA PREPARED TO DEAL WITH SWINE FLU -PAGE 6

PPP steeped in divisive politics -PAGE 3

PPP steeped in negativity and divisive politics –Nagamootoo The posture of the opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) since their defeat at the May 11 General and Regional elections has suggested that the party is steeped in negativity and a kind of divisive politics that continues to hurt Guyana, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo has said.

The PM’s contention was expressed yesterday during an interview at his Shiv Chanderpaul Drive office.

When quizzed about the PPP’s disposition in the National Assembly, given that the party only managed to security 32 of the 65 seats in the House, Nagamootoo offered that it is the most “reactionary opposition” that Guyana has probably ever seen.

He went on further, to suggest that, “It [the party] is steeped in negativity and a kind

of divisive politics that would hurt this country.”

He opined that the PPP is at a place where they realize that the people of Guyana are giving the current administration an opportunity to perform.

However, he noted that the Government is a young one that is working assiduously to “buckle down” and deal with the problems of many of the communities and solving basic elementary issues which were neglected under the PPP. “And people are seeing the changing face of their community.

This reactionary PPP leadership is bringing back this cuss down politics; the politics of abuse; the politics of hostility, division and hate. And they have shown to Guyana that they are a baggage we are taking into 2016

when we celebrate our 50 Anniversary” a firm Nagamootoo said.

As leader of the House, the Prime Minister also weighed in on the opposition’s ‘walk-out’ following the tabling of the Local Government Bill in the National Assembly on Thursday last.

According to Nagamootoo, the walking out of the party signals that they are not ready for local government elections and they are hurt by the fact that the Government has decided to hold these overdue elections.

He explained that what was seen, was an attempt by the Government to bring Local Government Elections 17 years after they are due. And this, he said, had been intentionally resisted by the PPP; particularly

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

under the presidency of Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar. “ L o c a l democracy is giving power to the people and allowing people to decide their own welfare.

You could have much more done in the villages and communities if the legitimate representatives of the people are allowed to run their affairs and therefore, transferring power to the people is

what Jagdeo and his cronies don’t want in Guyana” the PM argued.

Further, he suggested that people could be manipulated based on race. And noting that this was why he alluded to division by the opposition party, the PM stated that the party which he was formerly a member of, is still heavily reliant on race politics.

To support his proposition, he reasoned

that the indo-dominated party attempts to keep sugar workers and rice farmers as part of their voting machines.

However, Nagamootoo, who forms part of a coalition party offered that people in Guyana are not unwise and they are seeing through all of these attempts by the PPP.

the President reasoned.

He said he has engaged someone who is mounting a rehabilitation programme so that once young people are released from prison they will be able to attend the courses and be fully reintegrated into society.

The President is of the firm belief that persons who break the law can be given a second chance. “I do feel that if a person remains in jail too long, he or she will become habitual or repetitive offender, whereas if he is given a chance he can make a turnaround in his life and follow a useful career,” said Granger.

With regard to the reform programmes at the prisons, the Head of State said they have been yielding success,

as he pointed out that many inmates perform well at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC).

On the issue of pardoned prisoners finding themselves back in the prison system, Granger said “they would make themselves ineligible in my eyes for release again, I’m not a perpetual releaser. If they are given the opportunity and they waste that opportunity then they serve the time.”

In May of this year, shortly after Granger was sworn in as President he announced that he will be pardoning some sixty prisoners who were languishing in jail for petty crimes.

Only forty of them were released in June.

This, he said was going to be an annual

feature that will occur in time for Guyana’s Independence observance. However, that has changed and will take place twice per year.

President Granger was hopeful that those persons would return to society to make meaningful contributions.

Those that were released in June have since been accepted into the USAID’s Skills and Knowledge for Youth Employment (SKYE) Project.

A few months ago it was alleged that one of the persons who had been pardoned

by President Granger raped an elderly woman in Berbice.

Granger set to pardon more prisoners

President David Granger

President David eleven women that Granger has promised have been incarcerated to pardon prisoners for non-violent crimes. addition, who commit non- In violent crimes twice per he is pushing for year, for the Country’s softer penalty for Independence in May young people who and at Christmas find themselves in time in December. the hands of the law.

Speaking during his “I don’t see why a 19 weekly Television year old should be programme “The sentenced to fourteen Public Interest,” the months in prison for Guyanese leader has stealing a cell phone. “I announced that he will don’t believe somebody be pardoning some should be damned

forever for stealing a cell phone. There is a trail that stays with that person when he goes to apply for a job….I do believe in forgiveness I do believe that some young people might have made a mistake out of greed, out of poor upbringing or some other reason, but I don’t think it is something that should jeopardize him or her for the rest of his life,”

Berbice Bridge toll to reduce from New Year’s Day The Ministry of Public Infrastructure says it has reached an agreement with the Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI) in relation to the reduction of tolls at the Berbice River Bridge.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, a contract will be signed with the company this week, adding that

“the agreement, which covers the provision of a Government subsidy to BBCI, will take effect from January 1, 2016.”

The reduction of the bridge tolls will be a fulfillment of a promise made by the APNU+AFC administration during its campaign for the 2015 Regional and General Elections.

T h e government had committed $40M

subvention for the reduction of the tolls, however, According to the Public Relations Officer at the Ministry; Desilon Daniels, the final figure for payment to the BBCI was not agreed upon, therefore it will be worked out in the coming weeks, noting that “As part of the contract, the cost of the subsidy will be further discussed and mutually agreed upon.”

It was stated

in the National Assembly on August 10, 2015 by Minister of Finance that the toll

for passenger cars and buses will be reduced from $2,200 to $1,900, a 13.6 percent

decline while the toll for all other types of vehicles would be reduced by 10 per cent.

President looks forward to higher level of performance from GDF President David Granger told members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) that, “Next year we will be celebrating our 50th Anniversary of Independence and I look forward to a higher level of performance by you the members of the GDF”.

The President, was at the time, speaking at the GDF Headquarters, Base Camp Ayangana, where officers and ranks were gathered for their Christmas lunch. He used the opportunity to thank the soldiers for their service to a grateful nation, on behalf of all Guyanese.

Referencing the role Venezuela played in the Rupununi Rebellion and the attempt at the occupation of the New River area by Suriname in 1969, the President celebrated the role the GDF has played in protecting Guyana’s territorial integrity.

Ad d i t i o n a l l y, he noted that the army demonstrated their operational capability and ceremonial excellence with Operation Greenheart and their ceremonial displays during their 50th Anniversary celebrations.

His presence at Camp Ayangana

President Granger speaking at Base Camp Ayangana’s Christmas Lunch

yesterday, was another walk down memory lane for him. As a member of the GDF,

he noted that he spent the first 24 years of his marriage life, living at Camp Ayangana, and

Toshaos raise concerns with President

President David Granger (fourth from left) is flanked by Minister of Social Cohesion, Ms. Amna Ally (left) and (on his right) Minister of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Mr. Sydney Allicock; Minister of Communities, Mr. Ronald Bulkan; and Advisor on Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Mr. Mervyn Williams pay keen attention as an Indigenous leader makes a presentation.

as such the location is home to him.

Chief of Staff of the Army, Brigadier

from CuyuniMazaruni, Region Seven to discuss problems affecting their livelihoods.

The Toshaos, led by Mr. Casey Hastings from Kako President David Village, Upper Granger along with Mazaruni, said that V i c e - P r e s i d e n t problems in the and Minister of mining sector, security, Amerindian Affairs, especially at the Mr. Sydney Allicock; border, and education Minister of Social were among the most Cohesion, Ms. Amna pressing matters the Ally, and Minister group raised with of Communities, the President his Mr. Ronald Bulkan, Ministers, during the yesterday met with 12 meeting at the Ministry Toshaos and a number of the Presidency. of Village Councillors “We have

Mark Phillips took the opportunity to tell the President that the GDF is appreciative of his chairmanship of the Defence Board. He said, “As our nation celebrates Christmas, let me assure you that the GDF will remain steadfast and operationally ready in the defence of and the security of the entire Guyana.”

Also speaking at the event, Base Camp Commander, Lieutenant Colonel, Mark Thomas said that the members of the GDF are extremely proud of the President’s achievements.

been raising these issues over and over in the past and now we felt that it is time to present them to the President...he promised to investigate them further and take action,” Mr. Hastings said.

Indigenous leaders from Kako, Paruima, Kamarang, Wa r a m a d o n g , Jawalla, Imbaimadai, Chenowing, Phillipai, Kaikan, Arrau, and Isseneru were also at the meeting.

Cruise Ship returns for second visit

Yesterday the cruise ship Minerva of the cruise line ‘Swan Hellenic’ docked at the Guyana National

Shipping Corporation’s Wharf, Georgetown.

The vessel Minerva which is 135

meters long and weighs about 13,000 tonnes, brought 181 passengers.

Its Captain, Neil

Broomhall, indicated that while this part of the world is not always on the map,

returning to Guyana as a tourist destination will definitely occur.

Minister of Tourism Catherine Hughes, who visited the vessel, said that the government is pursuing advertising Guyana in cruise line magazines. She said this is one way of showing this South American nation as a viable tourism destination.

She told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that direct communication with several cruise lines is being made which is intended to secure a spot on their itinerary and that promotion of Guyanese working alongside cruise lines will be done through social media.

Once the 2016 Budget allocation for

the tourism sector is finalised, funding will be streamed into an international marketing programme where deliverables will be specifically packaged for the target market.

In order to promote more tourism, packaging of Guyana will have to be done to cater for all the needs of potential visitors. This includes materialising a plan whereby animals can be shown, traditional foods tasted, and cultures exchanged.

Passengers were taken on tours around Georgetown and other areas of interest as time permitted.

The Swan Hellenic cruise line has been in business for over 60 years. Facilitating beauty salon, pools and a library, which has approximately 50,000 volumes in fiction and non- fiction, Minerva caters for all its passengers’ needs.

The last visit of Minerva in Guyana was in March, 2014 for three days. The vessel leaves today for Grenada.

“Good things” in store for workers in 2016 Budget-President Granger

The main areas that will receive focus in the 2016 National Budget from the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government are Education, National Security, Infrastructure and Social Cohesion.

This was disclosed by President David Granger who emphasised that in order for the country to move forward those areas are critical.

“I would say that we’ve got to make the country safe, we’ve got to get more children in School and also at University level and we’ve got to build our infrastructure,” he stated.

With regard to social cohesion, the President said his government will continue to push for this and it will be featured in the 2016 budget that is expected to be presented in the National Assembly before January 31.

The President pointed that he would like to see a greater degree of national unity even as the country observes its 50th Independence next year. “We were born as a broken nation and the country is very badly divided forty-nice years ago and for me next year will be a year of healing,” he declared.

Asked what can public servants expect in the 2016 budget, the President was adamant that they can look forward for an improvement of what obtained in the past. “There will be good things in store for the workers.”

He explained that his administration has put in place the Lutchman Commission which is being headed

by Professor Harold Lutchman.

This, he explained will be dealing largely with government workers.

Labour Unions, particularly the Guyana Public

Service Union (GPSU) have been asked to present memoranda to the Commission.

Following this, the government will be advised by the Commission.

According to Granger, “it is the first time in a few decades we’ve had a Commission on the public service to look at salaries and condition

President David Granger

of services. There have been many complaints, lack of consultation and bargaining, we don’t want to go that route, we want to ensure that we examine the entire framework between the government and its employees and that is why we convened the Commission.”

Government will wait until the Commission produces

its report as it is expected that that report will be the basis for renewed relation between the government and workers.

In the 2015 budget g o v e r n m e n t announced the basic minimum wages will be increased from $39,540 to $50,000, effective July 1.

This translated

to a 26.4 percent increase for those still earning the old minimum wage of $39,540 and 17.1 percent for over 4,000 public servants earning the current minimum wage of $42,703.

All other public servants received a 5 percent salary increase plus an additional $5,000 monthly.

Nagamootoo presents $1M to Liliendaal Community Development Group

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Wife Sita Nagamootoo hands over the cheque to Founder of the Group Beryl Haynes in the presence of the community members

The Liliendaal C o m m u n i t y Development Group yesterday received a $1million cheque from Prime Minister and First Vice President Moses Nagamootoo, to enhance the community’s development initiatives.

The handing over took place at the community’s playground, Liliendaal Greater Georgetown, where the group members organised an afternoon of fun and games for the children of the area. The activity also saw the children receiving

gifts, enjoying pony rides, jumping on the trampoline and having their faces painted.

According to Nagamootoo, this is the first time that an activity was held on the playground and, “in a sense we can say that some monies have been given to fence and secure the ground.”

He committed to working with the group to further develop the ground into a community meeting place, one where the youths can undertake meaningful recreational activities.

“We want to ensure that the young people are not involved in drugs, crime and all other non-productive activities and for them to move away from all the bad things that are happening,” he told the gathering. The community has an active football group.

He urged the group’s members to continue to pursue developmental initiatives for Liliendaal’s further advancement.

The group was first established in 1989 but became dormant, and according Haynes, it was resuscitated almost four years ago. The overall objectives of the group are to enhance the community of Liliendaal, empower the youths and to plan and organise activities to the benefit of the residents of the community.

Currently the group has 24 active members.

Guyana ranked 5th on South America and Caribbean Corruption Report According to a report compiled

by News Americas Now, based on the public perception of corruption among public and private sector officials, with number one being the most corrupt according to data compiled from the latest Transparency International Corruption Index and the Heritage Foundations’ 2015 Index of Economic Freedom, Guyana was ranked fifth in South America and the Caribbean.

Corruption is defined as comprising illegal activities, which are deliberately hidden and only come to light through scandals, investigations or prosecutions.

The report which named Venezuela

and Haiti as the most corrupt countries in the Region stated that “the only Englishspeaking nation of Guyana… ranked at 124 globally and 33 on the Americas ranking.”

It noted that “The cocaine trade here has generated corruption and violence… Organized criminal activity and n a rc o - t r a f f i c k i n g have increased, and violent crime is a major problem.”

It also cited Guyana being blacklisted by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force after the government failed to strengthen anti– money laundering legislation in 2013.

G u y a n a was blacklisted by CFATF following disagreement in the

National Assembly to pass the AntiMoney Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill.

N e w s Americas, NEW YORK it decided to compile the report on the heels of the International AntiCorruption Day and as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) urged governments to jointly tackle the issue of corruption

by changing their attitudes towards the problem.

International AntiCorruption Day was observed on December 09.

According to the report “Venezuela and Haiti took the top place for most corrupt in the Americas according to Transparency International. Both nations have ranked at a low 19 on the TI Index for the past three years – between 2012 and 2014. Overall, on the global ranking, out of

a total of 175 nations, the two scored 161. A higher score signifies the least corrupt nations where 0 is highly corrupt and 100 very clean.”

It stated that in Venezuela corruption is rampant in the main oil industry where Large-scale corruption is alleged to have taken place at the state oil company; Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), and other state entities. It added that Political power is concentrated in the executive, with many opportunities for corruption including Capital controls, for example which allow officials to purchase U.S. dollars at a fixed peg and then sell them on the black market for as much as a 1,100 percent profit which has led to widespread smuggling and other illegal activities.

In Haiti corruption is

rampant, it said as the judicial system is ineffective and inefficient and smuggling remains a huge problem that is exacerbated by poor trade freedom.

Haiti is also a major n a rc o - t r a f f i c k i n g transshipment point and the dysfunctional judicial system is underfunded making it open to corruption.

Among the top ten corrupt countries is also, Paraguay, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Argentina.

The TI Index is compiled from 12 data sources.

The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) was established in 1995 as a composite indicator used to measure perceptions of corruption in the public sector in different countries around the world.

GUYANA PREPARED TO DEAL WITH SWINE FLU - Norton Minister of Public Health; George Norton assured the public not to worry about the H1N1 (swine flu) disease which is currently affecting Trinidad and Tobago and some countries within the Region.

Ye s t e r d a y, Trinidad and Tobago’s Health Minister, Terrence Deyalsingh, confirmed 29 cases of the H1N1 (swine flu) virus, and three known related deaths in his country so far. Those infected included Doctors.

Deyalsingh also disclosed local healthcare workers

in public facilities are declining vaccination against the virus.

Following this development, GNN today

sought a comment from Public Health Minister, Dr. George Norton, but was unsuccessful.

Ho w e v e r,

A Belize importer of rice from Guyana is taking the Belize Agricultural and Health Authority (BAHA) within the Ministry of Agriculture, to court after the Authority stopped him from clearing his shipment this week.

Over recent weeks, local rice producers in Belize have been pressing the government to send back the rice to Guyana stating that importing rice will hinder the development of the local rice sector there.

However the importer is of the view that the local producers are selling at a high cost, while trade among CARICOM countries provides levy for him to better supply the poor consumers of Belize.

According to Belize, News 7, the BAHA personnel refused to clear the containers when the businessman, Jack

Charles went to the port of Big Creek to clear 3 containers of rice which he had imported from Guyana this week.

The report stated that no reason was provided, and therefore Charles maintains that BAHA overstepped its authority yesterday, and took an unlawful decision. His experts say that BAHA can only choose to seize the cargo if it is a threat to human and agricultural health, which is not an issue in this instance he said.

At a press conference, Charles said “20% of the market consumption based on the current stats what is on the record that will be 250 tons which is about 10 containers. I have only 3 so far came in.

75 tons in the port.

Currently I will just wait for a day or two.

At least I will give them until tomorrow to see exactly if they have any legal

grounds to present to me basically.”

He added that “I mean definitely if that is the last choice to go to court I will do that, but I hope people do get proper advice from their technical department and take a wise decision.

Because what this had done, which I had shown just now is in the benefit of the community.

What we are trying to do is basically import 20% of the total consumption of Belize of rice product and cater for poor community and at the end of the day everybody needs a better price on the rice no doubt about it, but we are trying to cater for the poor people and provide them rice on affordable price. And I like to mentioned that these are the same rice which were imported last year and bagged under Circle R bags, but none of the benefits

Minister of Public Health; George Norton

according to the Stabroek News, Norton in an interview with them as published in today’s edition, noted that a task

force which had been set up is fully prepped, having been extensively trained and all the required medication to treat these four infectious virus are in stock.

He said that if Guyana had enough measures in place to safeguard against the killer virus Ebola, then “we would similarly have in place for the swine flu”.

The Minister also confirmed that his Ministry has been made aware of a possible case of H1N1 at a local hospital and testing is to be done to ascertain if this is so.

There have been cases of the deadly viral infection in several countries in the Caribbean over the years including Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Barbados.

In 2009, swine flu accounted for just over 14, 000 deaths worldwide. Of the 237 deaths in Central America and Caribbean region, the largest number of deaths occurred in the Dominican Republic followed by Jamaica.

GUYANA’S RICE STUCK AT BELIZE PORT; ENTRY REFUSED were passed on to the consumer.”

C h a r l e s added that his intention was to start the importation from March this year, however “But after hearing from different departments - press releases and so on, I thought it would have been fair to give them some time to fix what they had increased. We gave them enough time to do it….Minimum 2 year to the consumer would get 69 cents a pound and shop keeper would get 60 cents per pound.

I will make my 15% markup, shop keeper will make their 15% markup and the consumer will get it for 69cent per pound.”

C h a r l e s ’s advisor, who was

once a CEO in the Ministry of Agriculture, and a CARICOM representative for trade; Sergio Garcia told the press that this action against Charles and Guyanese Rice is an impending international black eye for Belize Trade.

“And the revised treaty of Chaguaramas - that you sells me, I buy from you. I sell you, you buy from me.

It cannot be a one way...The bigger picture is that we sell 7 containers of corn almost on weekly basis. We sell them beans. There is a trade between Guyana and Belize in our favor. So what if the Guyanese to take the same approached like what we are suggesting to protecting our

national industry.

Let’s say that all the countries in CARICOM, oh Belize want to protect, let us do the same thing.

What happens? Our products will start to stay here. There is much more corn producers than rice producers in this country and I am saying this because we cannot be like the sport I will play football and because the ball belongs to me, if you don’t let me play I will take home the ball. We cannot. Trade is a two-way avenue.”

Charles said he is giving BAHA until the end of today to give him the written grounds for detaining his cargo.

Charles added that if they did not do so, on Monday, or at time convenient for his attorney, they will file a claim in the Supreme Court.

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Kevin is back in ‘Home Alone’ parody Perhaps being stuck “Home Alone” was more traumatic than we thought.

In the new comedy Web series “:DRYVRS,” Macaulay Culkin reprises his role as Kevin McCallister, the adorable and resourceful 8-yearold who was left behind in the 1990

hit “Home Alone.”

Except now, Kevin is in his 30s, and he’s got a few issues. Culkin co-stars with series creator Jack Dishel in the first episode.

Dishel plays an ondemand car service passenger who encounters a series of unfortunate drivers.

Culkin is his driver -- who can’t drive.

And he’s got more than his share of deeply entrenched woes dating to that time when he was 8 and his family

went on vacation for Christmas and forgot him.

“I had to fend off my house from two psychopath home invaders. I was just a kid,” he laments.

Still, the wily tactics he used against the would-be burglars come in handy decades later when the pair encounters a carjacker.

The message is plain: Regardless of his age, don’t mess with Kevin McCallister. (CNN)

Rekha to be presented with the Yash Chopra award Veteran actress Rekha, who is known for several roles in Bollywood including Umrao Jaan, will be presented with yet another honour. The actress, who played the lead in Yash Chopra’s one of the most controversial love triangle Silsila, will be awarded with the Yash Chopra Memorial Award this year.

From what we hear, the name of Rekha was

suggested for the award by a jury consisting of some of her co-stars like Hema Malini and Jaya Prada along with Simi Garewal, Boney Kapoor, Pam Chopra and T Subbarami Reddy (the one who instituted the award through TSR Foundation in the memory of legendary filmmaker Yash Chopra).

The actress will be conferred with the

award on February 2, 2016 by the Governor of Maharashtra in a lavish ceremony.

The Yash Chopra Memorial Award which has previously been presented to icons like Lata Mangeshkar and Amitabh Bachchan includes a gold medal and a cash prize worth Rs. 10 lacs.

(Bollywoodhungama. c o m )

‘Babe’ actor James Cromwell arrested at protest Actor James Cromwell was among six people arrested at an upstate New York power plant that is under construction.

The Times Herald-Record of Middletown reports the 75-yearold actor whose work includes “Babe,” ‘’American Horror Story” and “L.A. Confidential”

was arrested Friday after leading a chant among a group of protesters.

New York State Police say the six protesters who were arrested blocked an entrance to the construction site at the Competitive Power Ventures power plant in Orange County.

They were arrested on disorderly

conduct charges and ordered to appear in court in January.

Protesters have said they believe toxins from the plant may cause health issues and lower property value in the area.

Cromwell was nominated for an Academy Award for best supporting actor for 1995’s “Babe.” (Fox News)

Smoking, secondhand smoke tied to infertility and early menopause Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke is tied to infertility in women and early menopause, according to a new study.

Compared to women who never smoked and those exposed to the least secondhand smoke, women who smoked or were exposed to the most secondhand smoke were more likely to have problems getting pregnant and more likely to enter menopause before age 50, researchers found.

Andrew Hyland of the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York,

who led the research, said earlier studies had linked smoking to reproductive issues in women, but few had looked at links between secondhand smoke and infertility and early menopause.

“The literature really wasn’t clear particularly with secondhand smoke,” Hyland told Reuters Health.

Hyland and colleagues analyzed data on 88,732 U.S. women who enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study between 1993 and 1998, when they

were between the ages of 50 and 79.

Based on questionnaires the women completed at the start, about 15 percent met the criteria for infertility, which is the inability to get pregnant for at least a year. About 45 percent also met the criteria for early menopause, which occurs before age 50.

Compared to women who never smoked, researchers found that those who reported being active smokers at some point in their lives were 14 percent more likely to have infertility and 26

percent more likely to enter menopause early.

Women who smoked the most reported entering menopause about two years earlier than women who didn’t smoke, the researchers report in the journal

Tobacco Control.

Women who never smoked but were exposed to the most secondhand smoke were 18 percent more likely to have problems getting pregnant and to enter menopause at

an early age, compared to women who never smoked and were exposed to the least amount of secondhand smoke. (Adapted from Fox News Health)

report released Friday.

Between 2000 and 2014, nearly half a million Americans died from overdoses involving these drugs, which research suggests act similarly

of the drug. Those deaths rose by 9%.

“The increasing number of deaths from opioid overdose is alarming,” CDC Director Tom Frieden said in a press release.

In recent surveys, nearly three in every 1,000 Americans said they used heroin in the in the brain. The most previous year. That’s commonly prescribed up from under two per opioid painkillers 1,000 about a decade — like oxycodone ago, a 62% increase translates to and hydrocodone that — were involved in hundreds of thousands people. more overdose deaths more someone than any other type When

injects, snorts, or smokes heroin, the brain converts it into morphine. Morphine binds to molecules on cells located throughout the brain and body called opioid receptors, which affect how we perceive pain and rewards.

This explains the surging sense of euphoria that many people feel when they inject the drug straight into the bloodstream.

After the initial “rush,” the skin gets flushed and

warm, the arms and legs start to feel heavy, and thinking slows.

Because we also have opioid receptors in our brain stem — the body’s main control center that is in charge of automatic processes such as blood pressure and breathing — overdosing on heroin can slow and even stop breathing, leading to brain damage or coma.

(Adapted from MSN)

One type of legal drug is killing far more people than heroin

In just a year, overdose deaths from opioid painkillers and heroin jumped 14%, hitting record levels in 2014, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Palestinian refugee pianist given Beethoven Prize A Palestinian refugee, who gained international notoriety after a video of him playing a piano amid the destruction in a Damascus refugee camp went viral, has been given a prestigious human rights award in Germany.

Ayham Ahmad, a 27-year-old from the Yarmouk refugee camp, was granted the International Beethoven Prize

A Santa Claus who has delighted children on the South Texas circuit for more than a decade won’t be coming to town this year.

Reynaldo Ramirez, 37, of Corpus Christi was arrested this week by local authorities and charged Friday in a federal

for Human Rights, Peace, Inclusion and the Fight Against Poverty on Friday night at a ceremony in Bonn, according to the German daily Deutsche Welle.

Videos of Ahmad began to spread throughout social media in 2014, as the situation for the remaining Palestinian refugees in Yarmouk continued to deteriorate rapidly.

The videos depicted

him surrounded by collapsed homes and rubble-filled streets as he played on an old, decrepit piano. In some clips, residents of the embattled camp joined him and sang along.

In September, Ahmad fled Yarmouk and took the perilous boat journey from Turkey to a Greek island. From there, he eventually made it to Germany. Just months earlier, in April, the

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) armed group invaded Yarmouk and took control of more than 90 percent of the camp.

Like Syrians across the country, Palestinians in refugee camps, including Yarmouk, have been caught in the crossfire as fighting rages on between government forces and armed opposition groups.

In August and

September, the camp was gripped with a typhoid outbreak. At least 3,083 Palestinians have been killed since the uprising broke out, according to the

UK-based Action Group for Palestinians of Syria. (Adapted from Aljazeera).

criminal complaint with possession of child pornography.

He has played Santa for 15 years and the signature redand-white costume was found by authorities during a search of his home According to a GoFundMe account

established in November, Ramirez was seeking $250 in online donations for a Corpus Christi-based organization called “Rey’s Santa Kids.”

On the page, which features photos of him greeting children as Santa, Ramirez requests contributions to assist him in helping the less fortunate.

A u t h o r i t i e s investigating an online file-sharing program

identified Ramirez on Nov. 8 as the potential source of at least two child porn items, according to the federal criminal complaint.

Investigators linked a video of a 4-year-old girl in a bathing suit undressing, showing her genitals then “touching herself ... in a sexually suggested manner” to his Time Warner home internet account.

When Corpus Christi

Police Department officers executed a search warrant at Ramirez’s home on Wednesday, he told them “he knew why the police were searching his residence” and stated that he wanted to “talk about something I have been dealing with,” the criminal complaint said.

Ramirez admitted an addiction to child pornography, according to

authorities. He also said he has been viewing such material for the last six years and estimated he has downloaded more than 1,000 images of children from toddlers to young teens, the complaint stated.

If convicted, Ramirez faces a minimum of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison as well as a fine as high as $250,000.

(Adapted from MSN)

Santa in custody on child porn charges

Footballer killed shielding girls from gunfire A high school football player was killed as he shielded three girls from gunfire as several men went on a shooting spree in Tennessee, police said Friday.

The shootings that killed Zaevion Dobson, 15, began Thursday night, said Knoxville Police Chief David Rausch. The first person shot was Lisa Perry, 46, who was inside her apartment at the time. She is expected to survive.

Rausch said Perry’s 23-year-old son, Brandon Perry, and several other men then drove to the neighborhood where Dobson lived and “randomly fired multiple times.” The girls shielded by Dobson were not hurt, he said.

Brandon Perry was later found to have been shot after he crashed a car into another apartment. He died from his injuries on Friday morning. Two other men who fled

from the crash were arrested, though one was later released after being questioned.

“These cowardly and senseless acts of violence must stop,” Rausch said. “We should be preparing to celebrate the Christmas holiday, but now we have two men who are dead.” Rausch said investigators think the shootings are gang-related, but he said there didn’t appear to be a motive to target Dobson.

“Unfortunately, they picked a random group of young men and women who were just hanging out and trying to prepare to celebrate the holiday,” he said. Dobson was a sophomore at Fulton High School in northern Knoxville.

The school brought in counselors to speak to students taking makeup tests Friday morning.

“He was really one of our success stories,” said Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero.

“Involved in sports, a mentee of one of our organizations in town. But still he falls victim to this.” Rob Black, the coach of the Fulton football team, called Dobson a “fine, fine young man.” (Adapted from MSN)

Venezuelan ruling party claims fraud in recent elections of an unusual high number of blank votes and filled them in.

With the 112 seats they got, the lawmakers from Mesa de Unidad Democratica (MUD) will be able to legislate with a supermajority status that grants After publicly in key districts them the power to conceding a defeat where the opposition repeal ministers and that took away from won narrowly. create organic laws, President among other things. them the so-called From supermajority in the Nicolas Maduro on Earlier this week, National Assembly, down, Chavista leaders the mayor of Venezuela’s ruling argue that opposition Caracas and head party (PSUV) is now operatives bribed of the government’s claiming irregularities voters, or frightened campaign, Jorge in the Dec. 6 electoral them, and in some cases Rodriguez, showed on process — specifically, also took advantage national TV an audio

recording in which a lieutenant governor from the opposition is purportedly offering 2,000 bolivars (around $10) to native Indian groups from her state, Amazonas, in exchange for their vote.

In the audio, Lt. Gov. Victoria Franchi allegedly also speaks about bribing people from the National Electoral Council (CNE) so that they look the other way as they increase the number of votes for the opposition by voting multiples

times or by using the identity of dead people or absentees.

If the ruling party succeeds in taking away just one representative, the opposition would lose some of the powers granted by the twothirds supermajority.

In addition to the Amazonas affair, the ruling party is also questioning the big number of blank votes registered at the national level — around 5 percent of the total vote.

Yet opposition leaders blame the high number

of empty ballots to the convoluted voting procedure this time around. On Dec. 6 people had to cast votes in two steps: they had to choose the list of a political party and also vote for individual candidates by name.

In many districts, the number of blank votes in the candidates’ category went past 5 percent. (Adapted from FoxnewsLatino/ Y a h o o )

has the most number of confirmed cases. Some cases were found in St Andrews, St David, New River and Mayaro.

Vaccines are available for the high risk persons and persons using steroids such as asthmatics and those suffering from arthritis and rheumatism and those on immunosuppressant d r u g s .

At no time, Deyalsingh said, were health workers

at Sangre Grande unduly exposed because they were given full PPE (personal protective equipment) to wear to minimise any risk of contamination. He noted that many of the health workers at Sangre Grande and other health facilities were not willing to be vaccinated.

On the state of stockpiles of anti- virals and drugs, he said the Ministry of Health procured 20,000

doses of vaccines of which 80 percent have been utilised to date.

The ministry was being proactive, he said, and has placed an order with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) for a supply for 20,000 more vaccines.

“The country has enough vaccines to

take care of high risk population,” he assured.

Among the symptoms for H1N1 are chills, fever, coughing, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, fatigue, and diarrhoea. Apart from drugs administered persons are advised to rehydrate as much as possible. (Adapted from Trinidad Newsday)

29 SICK, 3 DEAD from Swine Flu in T&T Twenty-nine persons - including doctors have contracted the highly contagious and potentially deadly H1N1 virus commonly called the Swine Flu, so far this year, in this country.

Three persons have died from the disease.

In giving the nation an update on the issue of swine flu, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh yesterday said that 29 cases of the

H1N1 flu virus have been laboratory-confirmed with three fatalities as of December 15. He also said there was no confirmed case of H1N1 flu at the Sangre Grande Hospital which was the scene on Wednesday of panic among nurses and several persons warded.

Of the 29 cases, 20 were in the 20 to 64 age group which is considered the healthy population. St George West, he said,

T &T Opposition creating database on job loss; claims ‘political victimization’ Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar says the opposition’s team of attorneys will be compiling a database of job losses under the PNM Government.

Persad-Bissessar addressed the issue of Housing Development Corporation (HDC) managing director Jearlean John and seven other members of senior management being sent on leave by the board, during a Christmas “toy drive” in

her Siparia constituency.

“They have just been summarily sent away.

What is the cause?

What are the reasons?”

Persad-Bissessar asked.

“I do believe some of the job losses and some of the sending home is to do with political victimisation. They are politically motivated and there are matters that we will be looking at.

“Our team of lawyers, they’ve been gathering a database of job losses,

causes and reasons and we will take it up appropriately.”

Commenting on the state of the economy, she slammed the PNM administration for playing the ‘blame game.’

She said the economy was beginning to contract because the Government has put all major projects on hold.

“The economy is at a standstill, the economy is contracting and when that starts happening that takes

Kamla Persad-Bissessar a long time to kickstart.

The Government has really put everything on hold, no projects are taking place and therefore there seems to be no plan

to grow the economy.”

Comparing how her former People’s P a r t n e r s h i p administration started its term of office to how the

current administration has done so since September, Persad-Bissessar said, “In our 100 days the first thing we did was to establish the Children’s Life Fund. Now they are consulting and reviewing and consulting, name me one project in the first 100 days that has been beneficial to the country.

“What we have seen is the budget and then cuts in terms of people’s jobs, freezing wages and so on. I have not seen one positive project coming out of the Government in the first 100 days.” (Adapted from the Trinidad Guardian)

China accuses US ‘military provocation’ China has accused the US of “serious provocation” after it flew B-52 bombers near one of the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. Chinese military personnel were put on “high alert” during the incident on 10 December, and issued warnings to leave.

The Pentagon said it was looking into the complaint. China claims large swathes of the South China

Sea but is in territorial dispute with a host of regional neighbours.

In October, China rebuked the US after a destroyer sailed close to a reef. On Saturday, a statement from China’s defence ministry accused the US of deliberately raising tensions in the area with the B-52 over-flight of the disputed Spratly Islands, which it calls Nansha.

A report in the Wall St Journal said there

were two B-52s on the mission and that one unintentionally flew within two nautical miles of Cuarteron Reef on the Spratly Islands, possibly due to bad weather.

China said the flights “constitute a serious military provocation and are rendering more complex and even militarising conditions in the South China Sea”.

It urged the US to take measures to prevent similar incidents.

The US has not taken sides on sovereignty issues in the area but has a “freedom of navigation” policy asserting right of passage for its military.

However, Pentagon spokesman Cmdr Bill Urban said the B-52 overflight was not part of this policy, which analysts say might suggest a navigation error.

B-52s flew close to the Spratly Islands in November. The US said this mission was

Burundi’s government has reacted angrily to the African Union’s decision to deploy a 5,000-strong peacekeeping force to curb ongoing violence in the

troubled country, saying it will prevent foreign troops from entering its borders.

The African Union’s Peace and Security Council agreed on Friday night

to deploy an African Prevention and Protection Mission (MAPROBU) for an initial period of six months - primarily to protect civilians after months of political violence following the disputed re-election of President Pierre Nkurunziza in July.

The MAPROBU force is mandated to “prevent any deterioration of the security situation” as well as to protect civilians and “contribute to the creation of the necessary conditions for the

Heavy rains continue to pummel the Philippines, threatening to aggravate flooding that has prompted the government to declare a state of “national calamity”.

The death toll after a week of devastating weather has risen to 35, according to confirmed reports from national and local disaster monitoring agencies.

Tropical depression “Onyok” weakened on Saturday into a low pressure area, but continued to bring rains to the central Visayas islands and Mindanao, the main southern island, according

to government weather authorities.

Cold monsoon winds blowing from the northeast brought rains to Luzon, the main northern island, where large farming communities have been submerged in mostly waist-deep floods from Typhoon Melor, which hit at the start of the week.

Further rains may trigger flash floods and landslides, according to the Philippines state news agency (PNA).

President Benigno Aquino declared a state of “national calamity” to speed up relief and rehabilitation

efforts in areas hit by Typhoon Melor and to control the prices of basic commodities, the Philippines Star reported.

Aquino also directed law enforcement agencies, with the support of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to ensure peace and order in affected areas, the Philippines Star added.

In 2013, a typhoon known as Haiyan wiped out entire communities in the central islands, killing more than 6,000 people, and displacing millions; entire towns were flattened on the central islands of Leyte and Samar.

“fully in accordance with international law”. The South China Sea region continues to cause tension in US-China relations.

The US guided missile destroyer USS Lassen sailed within 12 nautical miles of Subi Reef in late October, which the Chinese branded “extremely irresponsible.”

Subi is one of the reefs China has built into artificial islands to help stake its claim to sovereignty.

However, the UN does not recognise such artificial islands as being part of the 12-nautical mile sea limit nations can claim for sovereign territory.

(BBC)

successful holding of the inter-Burundian dialogue.”

Nkurunziza’s spokesman Gervais Abayeho told Al Jazeera on Saturday, however, that Burundi does not need a peacekeeping force. “We will not allow foreign troops in Burundi.

We don’t need them,” Abayeho said. “We have a legal and democratically elected government that should be consulted before making such decisions.

“We are a troopcontributing country to several African Union

peacekeeping missions in Africa and now they want to bring peacekeepers to our country? Why don’t they just return our troops if they think we need help here?”

The African Union gave the Burundi government 96 hours to cooperate fully and accept the deployment of peacekeepers, warning that it reserved the right to enforce its decision to send in forces - as per its charter.

At least 87 people were killed last week in the African nation in the worst violence in months

At least 400 people have been killed since protests against Nkurunziza’s third presidential term started in April, and nearly 3,500 have been arrested in the political crisis, according to UN figures. linked to Nkurunziza’s disputed third term.

Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, gave warning earlier this week that Burundi was on “the brink of a civil war that risks engulfing the entire region”.

(Adapted from Al Jazeera)

The Philippines, which sees an average of 20 typhoons a year, is planning to build typhoon-resilient

structures and to relocate residents living in danger zones to areas considered safer based on studies by

local and international organisations. (Adapted from Al Jazeera)

Burundi rejects African peacekeeping force

State of calamity declared in Philippines after storms

Tokyo 2020 Olympics: ‘Games bill six times over budget’ The Tokyo 2020 Olympics will cost £9.98bn (1.8 trillion yen), six times more than the original estimate, it has been claimed.

Japanese public bro a d c aste r NHK reported the overspend on its website.

It said the huge rise had been caused by unexpected payments for building lanes on highways, as well as rising material costs and personnel expenses.

Next year’s Olympics in Rio has a budget of £2.38bn while London 2012 cost £8.77bn in total.

However, if the cost of the Tokyo Olympics was to reach £9.98bn,

it would still be considerably less than the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, which was

estimated to have cost £31bn ($51bn).

The initial cost of the 2020 Games was estimated at

£1.6bn (300bn yen).

NHK said the figure was optimistic and the Tokyo 2020 Organising

Committee was expected to show a shortfall of £5.54bn (1 trillion yen).

Total costs for

staging the Games will be shared by the committee, the Tokyo government and national government. (BBC)

Investigation launched into match-fixing allegation involving WI and SL Sri Lankan authorities are investigating an attempt to fix an international cricket match involving the national team and the West Indies. Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera said a suspected bookmaker had approached two Sri Lankan players ahead of the match to try to convince them to under- perform and lose the match.

Both players turned down the approach and

the authorities were informed, Jayasekara said. Sri Lanka went on to win the game.

Wicketkeeper Kusal Perera and bowler Rangana Herath were approached shortly before the match in Galle, Sri Lanka, in October, the minister said.

After Kusal turned down the offer, the man approached Herath who also rejected the offer and alerted the

authorities,” he added. investigation by Both a police inquiry Sri Lanka Cricket and anti-corruption have been launched.

The International Cricket Council has also been informed.

(Adapted Trinidad

from the Guardian)

Saturday December 19, 2015

Permaul, Smart Snag GCB players of the year Tramayne Smartt

Veerasammy Permaul

West Indian Spinner Veerasammy Permaul and fellow Berbician Tramayne Smartt were crowned male and female cricketers of the year respectively when the Guyana Cricket Board held its annual ceremony on Friday evening.

Both Smart and Permaul who spoke after receiving their awards thanked the voting body that ensured that they walked away with the titles.

Permaul had an outstanding year at the regional level last year playing integral roles in ensuring that Guyana took home various regional titles.

During the award ceremony, President of the Guyana Cricket Board Drubahadur contended that the year past was a successful one for the GCB, adding that “This year, we

had brought home several regional titles.”

“In the coming year, we want to focus on upgrading those community grounds; and we also want to continually upgrade our LBI facility to ensure that it is top class,” added Bahadur.

The feature speaker and West Indies Cricket Board Vice President Emmanual Nanthan, who could not make the event due to family issues, in a message lauded the Guyanese for their enthusiasm for Cricket.

He contended that The Guyana Jaguars have shown that preparation and discipline are the pillars by which cricket should be played for positive outcomes and as such, added that boards across the region should take none.

Meanwhile WICB Chief Executive Officer Micheal

Muirhead in his recorded message reminded that Guyana’s regional dominance comes at a time when hard work, dedication and discipline show its rewards.

Minister within the Education Ministry with responsibility for Sport Nicolette Henry pledged the government’s support to the sport in the coming year.

Other awardees included Club of the year (Albion), Most promising Youth player female (Mandy Mangru), Most improved cricketer/ Lance Gibbs Trophy Vishaul Singh, Junior Cricketer of the year/ Roy Fredricks Trophy (Shimron Hetymer) and Senior Regional Cricketer of the year/Rohan Khani Trophy (Permaul).

In recognition of selection to the West Indies team Rajendra

Chandrika was given an award as was Sachin Singh (most runs in the regional u15) Kevin Omroa (most wickets in regional u15) and Kevlon Anderson (Most valuable player in regional u15) At the Under 17 level, Ronaldo Alimohamed picked up the most runs award, Bhaskar Yadram (most wickets) and

Alimohamed (MVP).

Hetymer picked up the most runs in the Regional u19 category and was also adjudged the most valuable player in that division with the most wickets award being split between Kemo Paul and Balchan Baldeo.

Corporate awards went to Digicel Guyana and

Banks DIH while special awards went to Edward Nicholls (long and dedicated umpire service), Sean Devers (outstanding service rendered as a cricket journalist and Jerome Inderdat (outstanding service rendered as a Curator).