GNN Online Newspaper- Oct 19, 2015 by Guyana News Network

Monday, October 19, 2015

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POLICE HUNTS BABY KILLER -Man wanted

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27/4 WATER FOR HYDRANTS -PAGE 7

POLICE HUNTS BABY KILLER Police investigators are at the moment following some leads which could see them apprehending the suspect in Sunday's shooting death of one yearold Ariane Gill and injuring her aunt at their Eastville Housing Scheme home on the East Coast Demerara. According to information reaching the Guyana News Network, ranks have already started working on intelligence and have been receiving information that could see the suspect being brought to justice very soon. Earlier today the Guyana Police Force

Criminal Investigations Department issued a wanted bulletin for Marc Angoy who the police said is wanted in connection with the murder of the two year old baby girl. The release stated that the man's last known address is recorded as Buzz Bee Dam, Craig Village, East Bank Demerara and that he is 45 years old. Anyone knowing his whereabouts is asked to call the police on telephone number 2292557, 229-2702, 2256411, 225-8196, 911. On Sunday Angoy reportedly pointed a gun through the living room window of the home

Marc Angoy

of his ex-reputed wife and began spraying bullets. This followed a nasty break-up between the two causing the woman to get a restraining order against him. The relationship between the two reportedly ended after the woman complained that she was abused and even made several reports to the police station in her area and eventually ending up in court. At the time of the shooting the woman was seated in her living room along with one of her d a u g h t e r s a n d granddaughter when the man showed up and

pointed the gun through the window before he began shooting. Family members said that the man had earlier threatened to shoot his ex-lover after they broke up but GNN was unable to conﬁrm if that bit was reported to the police and if any action was taken against him. Family members of Angoy, who is now in hiding, were reluctant to speak extensively with this news outﬁt regarding the incident only to say that they are shocked at his actions. The police are continuing their investigations into the matter.

GUYANESE WOMAN ADMITS TO $400K CREDIT CARD SCAM A Guyanese woman admitted trafﬁcking more than $400,000 worth of fake credit cards in grocery stores across New York and New England after an investigation by the Secret Service. The Times Union named the woamn as Georgette Jackman, 37, who pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court October. 16 in Albany to conspiracy to commit access device fraud, aggravated identity theft, and trafﬁcking in counterfeit access devices.

The Guyanese citizen provided counterfeit credit cards to two other people as part of a scam involving approximately 47 Price Chopper Stores in New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Connecticut, according to an announcement by the Department of Justice. From February 2012 to January 2013, Jackman provided hundreds of counterfeit credit cards with stolen account numbers and fake names

to Jamese Williams and Terry Nicholas, both of Brooklyn, prosecutors said. The three carpooled as they went from grocery store to grocery store to use their counterfeit credit cards to buy $435,465 worth of gift cards, which would go to Jackman. Jackman awaits sentencing, currently scheduled for February 18 in Albany. She faces up to 17 years of prison time and also faces deportation when she gets out. (Extracted and modiﬁed from Times union)

LABOUR OFFICERS TO RECEIVE TRAINING IN KEY AREAS The Ministry of Social Protection will embark on a training initiative to equip its labor officers with the requisite skills to more efficiently detect suspected human trafficking, or any other breach of the law when conducting inspections. During a recent Minister Simona Broomes

interview Minister within the Ministry, Simona Broomes said Ofﬁcers will be exposed to training programmes in key areas. She added that Ofﬁcers have been conducting as many as eight inspections per week. Additionally,

Minister Broomes said that the former administration had m e r g e d t w o departments: the Industrial Relations (IR) Department and Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) which stiﬂed both areas. The Ministry will now

divide it, in order for the staff to properly fulﬁll their respective mandates. “We want to e n s u r e t h a t Occupational Safety and Health has its own life, and that staff will only be focused on that area, and the Industrial

Relations staff will only be dealing with those issues. So we will get more compliance, and the staff will no longer be juggling with the two areas,” Minister Broomes emphasised.

DHARMIC SABHA MAINTAINS DIWALI IS NOVEMBER 11 ‐Viraat Sabhaa's says posi on not guided by commercial mo ves The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, one of the largest H i n d u o rg a n i s a t i o n i n Guyana, is maintaining that the date for Diwali is November 11, and not 10. The Dharmic Sabha, which claims to be advising the Government of Guyana for the last 40 years on dates for Hindu holidays, is being o p p o s e d b y t h e Vi r a a t Sabhaa – another Hindu

Diwali (15th tithi) be observed on the same day. With Amawasya celebrated on the 15th day of the Hindu month, the Sabha's President related that this is the last day of the dark half of the Hindu month. Following this, the new moon begins. This new moon, according to their calculations, begins on 1:57pm on the 11 of November.

Minister Khemraj Ramjattan According to Dr. group – which claims that the date for the national holiday Persaud, Diwali is celebrated on this day is because a is November 10. Speaking at a press Hindu day is determined conference this morning, from sunrise to sunrise. President of the Dharmic Within that sunrise, she said, Sabha, Dr. Vindya Persaud, Amawasya is the ruling tithi. e x p l a i n e d t h a t t h e What this simply means is celebrations usually last for that to celebrate Diwali on ﬁve consecutive days, with t h e 1 0 , w h i c h i s n o t Diwali being celebrated on Amawasya, would be a the third day which is known premature celebration, since th as Amawasya or the 15 tithi. Amawasya begins around According to Dr. Persaud, 2:00am on November 11 and preceding this, on the second rules for the entire day, until day, is Narak Chaturdasi sunrise the following day. However, the (Chaturdasi tithi) which will be celebrated on Tuesday Viraat Sabhaa in a statement November 10 and not on over the weekend noted that Monday, as the Viraat Sabha practices essential to the observance of Deepawali are is contending. In South India, she the performance of Lakshmi noted, the celebration of Puja and the lighting of N a r a k C h a t u r d a s i i s Diyas during the night. The observed instead of Diwali as statement pointed out that opposed to North India, what is explicit as contained which Guyana has always in the Kaashi Panchang/Patra followed. What has been (Astrological guide) is that observed, she said, is that, Pradosh Kaal, Nisheet and what is being proposed by Mahaa Nischeet Kaal (all some organisations in their being auspicious times), are calendars is to have Narak present on November 10. th Chaturdasi (14 tithi) and Given this, it simply means

that Deepawali cannot be observed after November 10. In addition, according to the Viraat Sabhaa, Amawasya ends on 01:47 hrs. on Wednesday, November 11, after which, automatically, a new moon begins. It claims that this further confirms the calculations that the festival must be observed on Tuesday, November 10, given that it cannot be observed in the new moon but must on the darkest night of the year. In addition, Dr. Persaud revealed that some groups which are arguing that Diwali should be celebrated on the 10, have scheduled Goverdhan Puja – (Prathmam tithi - Kartik Shuklapaksh) – to be celebrated on the 12 of N o v e m b e r, c o m p l e t e l y ignoring the 11. “ D i w a l i celebrations occur in five consecutive days. If they are claiming that Diwali should be celebrated on the 10, why do they have Goverdhan Puja as being on the 12? the Dharmic Sabha's President questioned. Dr. Persaud contended that the Minister cannot say when is Diwali, since this is a decision which has to be made by Pandits and Patra must say that. This position follows a declaration made by Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan, that the holiday will be celebrated on November 10 and not 11. To further support their argument, the Dharmic Sabha revealed that their date coincides with when several prominent organisations and mandirs in the Americas (our time zone) will observe the festival including the renowned BAPS Swaminarayan Mandirs in Toronto and USA, the Chinmaya Mission, USA and ISKCON Hare Krishna Movement, USA. The Viraat Sabhaa said the Panchangs/Patras also allude to world zones for these dates and the zone for Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname shows the festival to be observed on November 1 0 . Tr i n i d a d ' s S w a h a calendar has confirmed this. It also noted its petition to have November 10 declared at the official holiday was

signed by some seventy Pandits and Hindu leaders which is reﬂective of a vast majority of Hindu representatives in Guyana. Among those that support the Viraat Sabhaa's position are; The Sanatan Vaidic Dharma Pandits' Sabhaa of Region 3 headed by Pandit Balbadar who is a Hindu Philosopher, Sanskrit Teacher and Author; P a n d i t C h o w b a y, a n academic, from the Par Upkar in Esequibo; Pandit Rudranauth Sharma and associates from the Guyana Pandits' Council.; The Maha Sabha; The Gandhi Youth Organisation; The Cove & John Ashram and Pandit Prabhu Deo Sharma and others from the Corentyne. In addition, Renowned Pandit Budhindranath Doobay of the Canadian Hindu Federation and Priest incharge of the Vishnu Mandir in Toronto, supports the Viraat Sabhaa's position as well as Pandit. Rattan (Rajin) Balgobind who is one of the most sought Hindu Priest in the United States of America and is the President, of the Hindu Society of Berbice. Swami Aksharananda, was ﬁrm that if Deepawali is to be celebrated after the birth of the new moon, it would be inappropriate.

Dr. Persaud said, “We are not in a battle with anyone… We will not ﬁght anyone over dates. But we the member of the Dharmic Sabha, which represents thousands of people across Guyana believe that our religion is being tampered with in a dictatorial manner.

Dr. Vindhya Persaud

And because of this, we call on the Minister to rescind his position and listen to the Dharmic Sabha's reasoning” She added that the Sabha is circulating a petition across the country, which has been signed by hundreds of renowned Hindu afﬁliated bodies and scholars who support the November 11 date. The Viraat Sabhaa's statement noted without any ambiguity that its position on the 2015 date for Deepawali is guided by

unity that appears elusive at this time. Dr. Persaud claimed that because of the overwhelming support, she has advised members of the public that their November 11 date will not be changed whether or not the day is a holiday. She maintained that the annual pre-Diwali motorcade which is traditionally held the night before Diwali, will be held on Tuesday November 10. S u p p o r t i n g D r.

religious sentiments and not by commercial motives. It added that despite this being the ﬁrst occasion where Hindus are publically disagreeing over the date of one of its sacred festival, it urges devotees to be guided by the truth and hopes that this will result in the desired

Persaud's position on the date, were several Pandits from across the country who also weighed in on the issue, calling for Guyanese to acknowledge the contributions of the Dharmic Sabha to Guyana's cultural development.

JAGDEO & ROHEE DIFFER ON WHETHER PPP/C MPS WILL ACCEPT SALARY INCREASE President David Granger

Despite Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo saying that the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Members of Parliament will not be accepting the salary increases implemented by the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), General Secretary Party, Clement Rohee seems uncertain. The question was p o s e d t o h i m t o d a y, October 19, at the Party's weekly media conference on whether it will be accepting the increases, but Rohee refused to give a deﬁnitive answer. He noted

that the salary hike is a “parliamentary issue” and that it will be dealt with there. H o w e v e r, M r. Jagdeo has indicated that the PPP/C will be bringing a motion to the National Assembly to challenge the increases that Government has paid to itself in less than five months of being in office. Rohee in a statment read to the media noted that the Party welcomes the “nationwide rejection of the selfish and self-serving salary increase awarded to Ministers of the Granger led APNU+AFC coalition

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo

administration.” He said the nationwide rejection is a manifestation of the voice of the people, pointing out that the ratings for the new government have signiﬁcantly dropped. "We congratulate all those who have spoken out rejecting this ignominious act by the APNU+AFC. These same voice must speak out against other atrocities committed by the government," Rohee stated. He added that just as the salaries for the Granger cohort has increased astronomically,

in the same way the ratings of the APNU+AFC coaltion has decreased correspondingly. He said the explanations given by President David Granger and other government ofﬁcials, in justifying the salary hike, is not acceptable. He noted that Granger himself personiﬁes this class collaborationist approach to the resolution of matters intrinsic to the interest of the working people. "Granger has succumbed, if not surrendered to this elitist cohort of managers and supervisors of the

Clement Rohee

productive forces in our c o u n t r y. A s a consequence, he ends up pursuing policies that are contrary to self-interest of his constituency," Rohee noted. Following the condemnation that the APNU+AFC government received for the pay increase, President David Granger came out in defense of the move taken. He said the decision was taken in the "best interest of the country." He said the decision to increase the pay of his Ministers was not arrived at easily and citizens should accept it

while viewing it as an investment in what he referred to as “good governance”. Despite the President justiﬁcation, some have publicly challenged the decision. Some who are openly sympathetic to the coalition government have also spoken out against the pay increases. Dr David Hinds, Christopher Ram, Ramon Gaskin are some who have voiced their concerns over the move by the ﬁve month old government.

SEARCH & RESCUE EFFORTS BOOSTED

Prime Minister Nagamootoo and others at the opening of the conference

The local Aviation will soon be formally launching a total aeronautical surveillance system in November which will aid in search and rescue operations as it be able to better track aircrafts. Addressing the opening of a two-day Aviation Conference at the Arthur Chung Convention Center this morning, Prime Minister Moses

Nagamootoo says Guyana needs to address the use of available technology to advance the sector to improve the efﬁciency of our airports and our air navigation services. The conference is being hosted under the theme “ A d v a n c i n g Av i a t i o n Through Safety, Technology and Synergies”.

The Prime Minister said “I am further advised that we are on the threshold of introducing for the ﬁrst time, an Aeronautical surveillance service in Guyana, in the management of our National Airspace. This project will continue until complete survellience coverage of our vast air space is accomplished.”

The surveillance system; Automatic Dependent Surveillance -Broadcast (ADS-B) technology will track aircraft that ﬂy over Guyana's territory and will provide a closer last-known position of aircrafts. C h i t r a n i e Heeralall, Acting Director General of the Guyana Civil Av i a t i o n A u t h o r i t y (GCAA), told the gathering that the Aeronautical Surveillance system using ADS-B would to manage and ensure efﬁciency of the country's airspace. She further highlighted the importance of the sector and its protection as it connects persons and places. Minister of Public Infrastructure Annette Ferguson expressed government's commitment to the development of the sector noting that it moves 3.3 billion persons annually and creates 3000 estimated

jobs contributing to the development of other sectors. However, there are several challenges which must be adequately addressed. The Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast is currently being used on a trial basis. It was introduced by the (GCAA) in August 2014. ADS-B is the next generation surveillance technology that uses conventional Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), and simple broadcast communications links. Automatically, pertinent information relating to an aircraft in ﬂight will be displayed in real time to air trafﬁc controllers. As a result of a satellite feed, aircraft position, altitude and other relevant information would be sent to an ADS-B ground station which will then be

transmitted to the ATC systems for presentation on a controller's display. From its introduction to now, persons in the ﬁeld including air trafﬁc controllers were trained to use the system. There have been several cases in the past where local Authorities were unable to locate missing aircrafts and their occupants in Guyana's dense rainforest. Some of the persons were never found and presumed dead The conference seeks to discuss the challenges, growth and achievements in the sector to formulate solutions and move the sector on par with regional Aviation. The event was lauded by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the Caribbean Av i a t i o n S a f e t y a n d Security Oversight System as timely.

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EDITORIAL

A LICENCE TO PLAY MUSIC LOUD? Over the years there has been many complaints regarding noise nuisance; noise pollution as it is now known. Numerous letters appeared often in the various newspapers and there was at least one high proﬁle case when the court was asked to intervene in a situation in east Demerara. There was also the unfortunate incident of a woman being doused with acid for allegedly complaining about what she was forced to endure as a result from noise in Georgetown. The complaints were not conﬁned only to the letter columns of the print media, but were also in the electronic media; the basic thrust of all the grievances was, and probably is, the lack action that should have been taken; at least in their opinion. F r o m a l l appearances, the frequency of the complaints has decrease over the months, however, it is not an indication that the problem has lessened. While it might have been, the lack of action by the relevant authority would have obviously exacerbated frustration and may have contributed to complaints no longer being made as frequent. Also, the acid-throwing incident, which allegedly resulted from a complaint, may have, in some way, instill a profound sense of apprehension to complain. The burning question over

the years was; why a hesitancy by the authority to take action when a complaint was made? While the answer should be a simple one, it was seem to be made complex. It should be a routine issue; someone calls the Police because a neighbor, a bar or an event, (the basic few), indulges in blasting music at very high decibels; Police responds a n d e i t h e r w a r n o r, depending upon the situation, take further action. What would be expected, is for the noise level to drastically decrease following the intervention. But that's the ideal; reality vastly differs in some cases. The related complexities seem to grow while delving to answer the basic regarding the ideal. There has been, and probably continues to be, cases where a so-called “Village day” celebration, a street Bar-B-Que or an open air concert woefully disturb the neighbourhoods prompting calls to the nearest Police station. More that often, the reply is that the organisers have permission until midnight. In almost of these cases, the parties extend way beyond midnight into the wee hours of the morning. This prompts some questions; is it because permission is granted to play the music until midnight means that it must be played at the

highest possible decibel until? It appears that some Ofﬁcers differ in their position on this. Some reiterate that permission was granted while others point out that, despite the permission, if complaints are received, that takes precedence and an intervention by law enforcement must be forthcoming. So, what is the right answer? Some even made accusation of alleged collusion which results in no action and the extensions to almost dawn. C l e a r l y , activities have to be held, but one would expect that each type will have various criteria which makes it possible for permission to be granted. There are of course some given, including a wedding and a national or commemorative event that people understand have to be held. There are some sympathies in this regard, and it has to be a case of extreme unreasonableness to have complaints being ﬁled against those. That said, the criteria for granting such permission should be considered for public explanation. On what grounds are some of these permissions granted? Ever so often, a music set appears at a street corner, sometimes to the surprise of the residents, pounding music under the guise of a Bar-B-Que. As alluded,

complaints are either ignored or reasons for not intervening, are offered. L i v i n g i n proximity to these events, are babies, children, the sick and the elderly. This begs the question; are these taken into consideration? Even if it is not, why when related complaints are made, these consideration don't surface in an effort to precipitate an intervention out of concern for those affected? Why must those affected be forced to accept this transgression based on others seeking a proﬁt? Information suggest that when someone calls to lodge a complaint he/she has to provide much information and must appear in court to support his/her complaint. If there is a refusal to provide the information asked and to appear in court, it is believed that no intervention would be

forthcoming. Again, there appears not to be a common approach by those entrusted to keep the peace. While there is no argument for people not to provide name and basic information, it is difﬁcult to understand that if there is a refusal to appear in court even though the transgression of blaring music late into the night is obvious to the law enforcement, why can't there be an intervention? This is stated because they were cases where such incidents occurred within earshot of a station. One opinion on this regarding the reported requirements for an intervention, is that given how societies operate, apprehension could deﬁnitely result and if the complaints are not made based on that reason, then clearly, the music would seemingly play on. Is this therefore a licence

in disguise to the transgressors to continue? A useful suggestion would be for the Guyana Police Force and other Agencies that may be involved, to publicly explain the related procedures in gaining permission and its enforcement to genuine complaints. This would help not only to educate but empower in an effort to have a right not to be subjected against one's will to noise pollution. In addition, a common standard response protocol, if it doesn't exists, must be instituted and adhered to for the beneﬁt of those affected and those tasked to maintain the peace. This should be considered as soon as possible in the interest of all. The ensuing debate of freedoms in a democratic society would be very interesting.

Canada's Election: Who will emerge? There is a possibility that history could be made when the results of Canada's General Election are announced sometime tonight. There are questions; Can Stephen Harper become the first Prime Minister since Sir Wilfrid Laurier in 1908 to win four consecutive mandates? And if he doesn't w i n a n o t h e r m a j o r i t y, meaning 170 seats in the newly expanded House of Commons, will he survive as Conservative party leader? Can NDP Leader, Tom Mulcair, miraculously lift the New Democrats to their first national government in Canada's history? Can the party maintain its hard-won 2011 grip on official Opposition status? Can the Liberals under Justin Trudeau become the first third-place party in federal history to leap straight into government in a single election? Is Canada ready for another Trudeau as Prime Minister? When Parliament was dissolved for the election on Aug. 2, the Conservatives held 159 seats in the 308-seat House of Commons, the NDP had 95 and the Liberals 36, with another 18 seats either vacant, held by Independents or shared between the Green party (two seats) and the Bloc Quebecois and a splinter group. Due to population growth, 30 new seats have been added this election,

Prime Minister Stephen Harper including 15 in Ontario, six each for Alberta and British Columbia and three more for Quebec. But the new ridings mean most old riding boundaries also had to be redrawn, literally reconﬁguring the electoral map and making seat projections all the more difﬁcult to predict. Combine that with some spectacular polling embarrassments in recent provincial elections and today's outcome remains very much up in the air. Some 3.6 million Canadians have already cast ballots during the four-day advance polling period on the Thanksgiving long weekend, an increase of 71 per cent over the 2011 election, when

only three days of advance polls were held. Election observers will be watching closely as another new wrinkle unfolds this evening. For the ﬁrst time, it is legal to transmit election results across time zones into areas of the country where polls have not yet closed, ending an old blackout policy that was becoming all but impossible to police in the era of social media. The change was among the least controversial elements of last year's Fair Elections Act. This is Canada's longest and most expensive election campaign in its modern history. (Adapted from the Globe & Mail)

ASSETS STILL OUTSTANDING FOR JAGDEO'S OFFICE

Gail Teixeira

Majority of the items needed for the setting up of the Ofﬁce of the Leader of the Opposition are still outstanding. This is according to Peoples Progressive Party/Civic

Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, who told the Guyana News Network (GNN) that they are engaging the Clerk of the National Assembly on the issue. " I ' m n o t

engaging the government on the transfer of the assets because it is speciﬁcally a function of the Clerk of the N a t i o n a l A s s e m b l y, " Teixeira noted. Teixeira, who is responsible for

uplifting the assets on behalf of Opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo, said though a number of items have been uplifted, there are still a lot outstanding. "The Parliament Ofﬁce last week Tuesday called us and said they have stuff to deliver , we went to collect it, again it was some furniture. The items still outstanding, including computers, laptops and printers, the Chief Whip added. The Opposition members and the government earlier this month had engaged in a back and forth over the transfer of assets. Teixeira had claimed that she was advised that the assets would have been ready to be uplifted on October 5, which was communicated

to the Clerk of the National A s s e m b l y, S h e r l o c k Isaacs. However, they were subsequently told that the assets were not ready for delivery and that the new date was October 8. However, upon arrival at the former Office of the Leader of the Opposition, Teixeira and two other PPPC Members of Parliament were advised by one Mr. Backer that they were only allowed to move a few desks and chairs, a photocopier, two filing cabinets, a partition and a water dispenser. F u r t h e r, t h e y were told that the remaining items which are located in the upper flat of the building could not be handed over since Advisers from the

Ministry of the Presidency were still using them, Teixeira had said earlier in a statement. There were also items on the ground floor, which had the Office of the Leader of the Opposition tags, which were not allowed to be moved. H o w e v e r, t h e PPP/C's Chief Whip was confident that the work of the Leader of the Opposition will not be stymied. "We're working, were not going to be stymied by the government. This is a new technology age, we will work and we are working," Teixeira declared. She said work is being done despite the fact that the physical office has not been set up.

GOVERNMENT CONFIDENT OF ECONOMIC RECOVERY Despite the fact that the economy has dipped by 2.5 percent in the first half of 2015 in comparison with the same period with 2014, the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government remains confident of a turnaround before the end of t h e fi s c a l y e a r. T h i s prediction is contained in the Mid-year report that was recently made available. The turnaround is premised on the passage of the 2015 National Budget. Moreover, given the measures outlined in Budget 2015, it is projected that there will be a 3.4 per cent economic growth in the second half of the year. Notably, there is just over two months remaining in the year. “The road forward is not without challenges. However, this Government remains confident that measures taken in the Budget 2015, along with the vision for 2020, will place this country on a track for increasing growth, reducing poverty and advancing development", the report noted. It added that Budget 2015 contains a menu of measures, programmes and projects which when

implemented, will foster a vibrant economy and an improved quality of life for all the people across the 10 Regions. Guyana's low economic performance during this period was attributed to the late presentation and passing of this year's National Budget, which was as a result of the 10th Parliament being prorogued in November 2014 and its subsequent dissolution in February 2015, followed by the holding of the General and Regional Election in May. The report further stated that the delay in the Budget resulted in many of the Government agencies being unable to carry out their planned programmes for the year. It stated that many new projects were held in abeyance while only a few projects which were 'rolled over' from the previous year attracted funding. At the same time, the atmosphere of uncertainty and tensions surrounding the holding of General Elections, led to investors postponing decisions in many cases, the report detailed. According to the Mid-Year Report, released

by the Ministry of Finance, Guyana's economy has declined some 2.5 percent in the first half of 2015 as compared with the same period in 2014. According to the Report, at the time of the preparation of Budget 2015, preliminary estimates had indicated the country's half year growth rate at 0.9 percent. The Report stated however that with the passage of time and the benefits of the actual first half performance in a number of sectors, the country recorded real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 0.7 percent in the first half of 2015, with nonsugar GDP recording a growth rate of 0.8 percent. The economy recorded overall growth of 3.2 percent in real GDP in the first half of 2014, with nonsugar GDP growing by 2 percent. The report detailed highlights of the different sectors' performance, in the first half of 2015, compared to the same period in 2014. · Sugar production grew by 1.6 percent to reach 81, 271 tonnes. · Rice production in

the first half of 2015 was 359,960 tonnes, 15.3 percent over last year's record high first-half production of 312,283 tonnes · Production of the other crops' sub-sectors rose by 5 percent. This was as a result of the on-going support to the sub-sectors. · Livestock industry grew by 15 percent. This is as a result of growth in poultry, egg, and mutton and milk production. · The fisheries sector continued its downward spiral, contracting by 11.6 percent. This is as a result of overfishing and possible under-declaration, combined with smaller fleets, lower harvesting in aquaculture, piracy and occurrence of sargassum seaweed. · The forestry sector contracted by 9.8 percent. This was due partially to unusual May/June rains which created conditions that were not conducive to harvesting. · The mining and quarrying sector declined by 17.4 percent. This reflects a fall in gold, bauxite, and stone production by 16.2 percent, 18.6 percent and 54 percent respectively. · Gold prices continued to fall, reaching a five-year

low. This combined with extensive smuggling of gold, estimated to be as much as 15,000 ounces per week, led to a sharp drop in declaration. · The bauxite industry also experienced declining international prices, which contributed to the 18.6 percent decline in production in the ﬁrst half of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. · Manufacturing output increased by 7.1 percent, driven by a 15.3 percent increase in rice milling as a result of the bumper crop. The service sector continued to expand,

growing by 2.5 percent. This was due to the expansion in all of its subsectors, except construction, which declined by 13.2 percent. In 2014 for the same period Guyana recorded a 3.2 percent growth in the economy. Of the 3.2 percent growth, nonsugar Gross Domestic Product grew by 2 percent, while the local economy was projected to grow by 4.5 percent in the full year 2014, with non-sugar growth now projected at 3.6 percent. Guyana recorded eight years of consecutive positive growth up to 2014 even in the face of the global ﬁnancial crisis.

CITY'S FIRE HYDRANTS TO HAVE WATER 24/7

Minister Keith Scott

A new proposal will soon around the city. be tabled to rehabilitate the This is according existing ﬁre hydrant system to Minister within the

Ministry of Communities, Keith Scott who noted that the initiative aims to have

water available 24/7. The proposal will soon be discussed with the Mayor and City Council, insurance companies, and other stakeholders, so that the idea can come into existence in a gridmanner, across Georgetown. “The system that I'm advocating…is to have underground pipes, that will bring water directly from the Demerara River into these hydrants, so that at a moment's notice, you can have water at all times, 24/7,” Minister Scott said.

He added that whilst the installation of such a system, complete with booster stations at strategic points, will see signiﬁcant sums being invested, such a system is needed to save property and lives. Many homes, businesses and lives have been lost in the past as a result of lack of water to put out ﬁres. Currently, there is a need to determine who has legal responsibility for the hydrants; however, its ownership will be discussed, and when the new system comes on

stream, the new owners will be assigned. This initiative will also save treated water from the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) since it will no longer need to supply water to put out ﬁres. He also stated that even as proposals are being reﬁned, to be discussed with a number of stakeholders, city and countrywide, the Ministry of Communities has already begun its planning works.

BUSINESS COMMUNITY WORRIED ABOUT STATE OF ECONOMY -JAGDEO Members of the business community in Region 5 have expressed their concerns about the present state of the economy. T h i s i s according to Opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo, who told the Guyana News Network (GNN)

that the "sloth in the economy seems to be the major concern a m o n g t h e businesmen." "Many people are worried, the rice issue is a big issue because rice gorwing is heavily concentrated in those areas," Mr. Jagdeo

stated. In addition, the Opposition leader said persons expressed concerns about the breach of the sugar industry. They also spoke of the ongoing discrimination that is being meted out to them by the A

Opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo addressing one of the meetings

Part of the gathering at one of the meetings

Partnership for N a t i o n a l Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government, according to Mr. Jagdeo. He said persons are losing their jobs due to their race and political afﬁliation. The opposition leader led a Peoples Progressive Party

(PPP) team to Region 5 on Friday last. During the traditional "bottom house-styled" meetings issues pertaining to the Guyana Elections C o m m i s s i o n (GECOM), how the Opposition will be a p p r o a c h i n g Government on major

issues in Guyana and Local Government Elections (LGE) were also addressed. The opposition leader led a team of PPP ofﬁcials to region 6 last month where he addressed similar concerns.

Investigations into operations of Supenaam Ferry Stelling still incomplete After three weeks, the Transport and Harbors Department (TH&D) is still unable to complete an investigation into the operations of the Supenaam Ferry Stelling in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam). This was conﬁrmed by General Manager of T&HD Marclene Merchant during a telephone interview with GNN today. She noted that the process is wrapping up and “will be completed in a week time”. The GM did not disclose the causes for the delay of the investigations. TH&D had launched an investigation into the operations at the stelling on September 28 following reports of

preferential treatments being given to the friends of staff at the facility. It was then disclosed by Merchant that the Assistant Superintendent has already written his statement surrounding the i n c i d e n t . T h e investigation was scheduled to be completed by October, 3. It was reported that a businessman who ﬁrst to join the line at Supenaam to board the ferry to Parika one morning, but one of the staff opened another gate allowing entry to seven other vehicles that came minutes after the boat started to load. T h e businessman, who had perishables on his truck,

said he asked two members of staff, whom he identiﬁed, what was going on and was ignored. He said his was the last vehicle to board the boat and he was told by staff that if the ambulance arrives, he would have to disembark. He said many of his colleagues were denied access as a result of the “preferential treatment” that was given by the staff to friends and f a m i l y. L i k e t h a t businessman, many others have voiced their concern over the operations at the Supenaam Stelling. Staff found culpable of any wrongdoing based on the report, could face disciplinary action.

A ferry docked at the Supenaam stelling

Dynamic looking to introduce new routes Dynamic Airways is looking to introduce new routes and boost its cargo c a p a c i t y. T h i s w a s disclosed by Chief Executive Ofﬁcer of the airline John Mullins who paid a courtesy call on Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Annette Ferguson earlier today at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre.

The meeting also saw the participation of Chief Executive Ofﬁcer of Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA); Ramesh Ghir, Air Transport Ofﬁcer, Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA); Saheed Sulaman, Dynamic Airways Chief of Security; James Smollen, and Captain Gerald Gouveia of

Roraima Airways Dynamic is a US Certificated air carrier which offers service from airports in N e w Yo r k , G u y a n a , F l o r i d a , Ve n e z u e l a , Hong Kong and Palau with its fleet of B767 wide body aircraft. It offers direct flights between CJIA and New York.

ENTERTAINMENT

NETFLIX HAS MADE MOVIE THEATERS VERY, VERY ANGRY The headline likely won't surprise anyone who has seen what Netflix has done to both the television and film industries over the last several years, but there's a very specific reason that theater owners are upset with the streaming service this time. Netflix made its own feature-length film. You probably saw the latest trailer for Beasts of No Nation floating around the Internet this

week ahead of the film's release on Netflix today, but what you might not have realized is that the Netflix original hit some theaters as well, “some theaters” because AMC, Carmike, Cinemark and Regal all announced they were boycotting the movie earlier this year. Tr a d i t i o n a l l y, theaters have been given 90 days to screen movies before they leave theaters

and reach home video or streaming services. Considering all the money that theater chains throw into advertising, you can see why they would be less

than pleased with any other arrangement. “Netﬂix is not serious about a theatrical release,” Patrick Corcoran, vice president of the

National Association of Theatre Owners, told Wired. “There isn't a real commitment.” “It's not equal space,” chief analyst at BoxOfﬁce.com Phil Contrino added. “A lot of people subscribe to Netﬂix and they can watch Beasts of No Nation at home. How many of those subscribers are going to go see it in theaters?” To make matters even more contentious, theater owners know

exactly why Netflix is asking them to put Beasts of No Nation in their theaters. Netflix wants to contend for an Oscar, and according to the organization's rules, the only way to do so is to screen the film in theaters on the same day or before a home release. It appear that the old adage, “if you can't beat them, join them”, does not apply here. (Yahoo)

KATE MIDDLETON THREATENS TO BAN HER MOM FROM FUTURE ROYAL EVENTS, - REPORT Kate Middleton is reportedly so embarrassed by her mother's actions at a recent event that she's threatened to ban her from future royal events. During the Rugby World Cup in London earlier this month, Carole Middleton, 60, was spotted drinking some wine she had hidden in her purse, a behavior that does not sit well with the royal family. A source told Star magazine: "It seems to be happening a lot lately." According to Celebrity Dirty Laundry,

the Queen was absolutely "disgusted" that Carole was drinking at the game, mostly because Carole allegedly brought the wine to the game herself. "Queen Elizabeth was disgusted with Carole Middleton's coarse display which only reinforced her disdain for Kate and her commoner family. You can bet the rumor mill will be cranking out theories of Carole Middleton's drinking problem or questions as to whether or not the Duchess of

Cambridge's mother is an alcoholic any time now," reported Celebrity Dirty Laundry. Star magazine reports that Carole's drinking "has escalated" as have problems in her 35year-marriage to Michael Middleton. (Editor's note: Is anyone in the Middleton family happy in their relationships? If all the rumors are to be believed, they're all either splitting up or contemplating divorce.) The Duchess of Cambridge, meanwhile, is

reportedly worried about the upcoming holidays and her mother's behavior. The insider added, "It's a huge concern for Kate. She'll hide the booze at her house, but her mom just brings her own! Last Christmas, Carole had had too much to drink and started telling totally inappropriate jokes. Kate was so humiliated that she ﬁnally had to drag her away." Kate reportedly told her mother, "if she doesn't straighten up, she'll be banned from all royal events." (Yahoo)

KATE MIDDLETON

RISHI KAPOOR TORN IN HIS LOYALTY

RISHI KAPOOR

Wedding Pullav which launches producer Shashi Ranjan's daughter Anushka was originally meant to be directed by Rahul Rawail who roped in his best friend Rishi Kapoor to make a very special appearance in this w e d d i n g c o m e d y. But then Rawail had a fall-out with the producer and he marched out of the project. Ace cinematographer Binod Pradhan took over the

directorial reins, leaving Rishi in a dilemma of loyalty. Says Rishi, "I did the ﬁlm only because of my friend Rahul Rawail. Jab woh project mein nahin toh phir mera rahna kuch theek nahin lagaa.” However the producer pleaded with Rishi to stay on. Professionalism won. Says Rishi, "Although my heart was

not in it I've stayed on. Lekin Rahul ke bina dil nahin lagaa. I stayed on because it's the producer's daughter's launch. Why spoil the m o m e n t f o r a newcomer?” This is not the ﬁrst time that Rahul Rawail has fallen out with a producer while launching newcomers. In 1978 Rawail directed Love Story, the launch ﬁlm for Kumar Gaurav

and Vijayta Pandit. But he had a massive fall-out with producer Rajendra Kumar and Rawail's name was removed from the credits of Love Story although he had directed the entire ﬁlm. (Bollywoodhungama)

AMAZING WORLD MOLE COUNT ON ARM 'PREDICTS SKIN CANCER RISK' Having more than 11 moles on one arm indicates a higher-than-average risk of skin cancer or melanoma, research suggests. Counting moles on the right arm was found to be a good indicator of total moles on the body. More than 100 indicates ﬁve times the normal risk. The study, published in the British Journal of Dermatology, used data from 3,000 twins in the UK. GPs could use the ﬁndings to identify those most at risk, it said. Melanoma is a type of skin

cancer affecting more than 13,000 people in the UK each year. It develops from abnormal moles, so the risk of being diagnosed with a melanoma is linked to the number of moles a patient has. Researchers from King's College London studied a large group of female twins over a period of eight years, collecting information on skin type, freckles and moles on their bodies. After repeating the exercise on a smaller group of around 400 men and women with melanoma, they came up

with a quick and easy way to assess the risk of skin cancer. Freckles are small usually pale brown areas of skin, which are often temporary and are usually linked to sun exposure Moles are small coloured spots on the skin made up of cells called melanocytes, which produce the colour (pigment) in your skin. They are long-lasting and are not directly linked to sun exposure, but excess sun exposure will increase your risk of skin cancer

and can make a mole turn malignant Moles can be ﬂat, raised, smooth or rough and may have hair growing from them They are usually brownish in colour and are circular or oval with a smooth edge Most moles are completely harmless If you notice any changes to your moles or a worried about them, see your GP Things to look for: Uneven colouring, uneven or ragged edges, bleeding, itching,

enlargement (Source: NHS Choices) Females with more than seven moles on their right arm had nine times the risk of having more than 50 on their whole body.Those with

more than 11 on their right arm were more likely to have more than 100 on their body in total, meaning they were at a higher risk of developing a melanoma.

4 CANCER BREAKTHROUGHS WHAT SUN PROTECTION THAT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE FACTOR SHOULD I USE? Most cancer is still treated w i t h s u r g e r y, chemotherapy and radiation. While these often do the job, doctors can't always predict who will respond. And because chemo and radiation kill healthy cells, too, they can have debilitating side effects. But as scientists decode the DNA of tumors, they're able to target cancer more precisely. Here's the scoop on the latest treatments.

They take aim at the s o u r c e o f c a n c e r. The new drugs are directed at speciﬁc genetic glitches that “drive” a person's cancer. (It's more of a laserguided missile than an atomic bomb.) This allows doctors to target mutations in tumors rather than just in the organ of origin (breast or lung, for example). Bonus: These treatments often have fewer side effects.

Cancer can be something you live with. Although the drugs can produce quick, dramatic responses, they aren't necessarily cures. That's because the cancer, wily and adaptable, may eventually ﬁnd another way to grow, and a new drug will have to be deployed, explains James Gulley, M.D., director of the National Cancer Institute's Medical Oncology Service. Still, these drugs can be used to hold off cancer for months, even years. When it comes to someone you love, any extra time matters.

Your immune system's a powerful tool. You may have heard of immunotherapy—it's an emerging treatment that “releases the brakes” on the immune system so it can attack cancer in the body. About 15 to 25 percent of patients in

studies are responding, says Dr. Gulley, offering hope for those like Stefanie Joho. At 22, the former Gawker staffer was diagnosed with colon cancer. After two surgeries and two regimens of chemo, she still had an inoperable tumor in her abdomen. Joho joined a clinical trial for the immunotherapy drug Keytruda and started to feel better almost immediately. A year later, her tumor has shrunk and her status is stable.

The higher the sun protection factor (SPF), the more protection you get. Use sunscreen with a SPF of at least 15. Use broad-spectrum Treatment is getting sunscreens, which protect m o r e a c c e s s i b l e . against harmful UVA and A b o u t 2 0 p e r c e n t o f UVB rays. patients are eligible for targeted therapy, said Dr. How long can I stay in the Keith Flaherty, director of sun? c l i n i c a l r e s e a r c h a t No longer than you would Massachusetts General w i t h o u t s u n s c r e e n . Hospital Cancer Center. Sunscreen should not be That number jumps to 40 used as an excuse to stay percent at major medical out in the sun - it offers centers—and will only protection when exposure grow as more research is i s u n a v o i d a b l e . T h e done. (Yahoo News)

summer sun is most damaging to your skin in the middle of the day. What should I do if I get sunburn? Paracetamol or ibuprofen will ease the pain by helping to reduce inﬂammation caused by sunburn. Sponge sore skin with cool water, then apply after sun or calamine lotion. If you feel unwell or the skin swells badly or blisters, seek medical help. Stay out of the sun until all signs of redness have

gone. Should I cover up my mole when I'm in the sun? If you have lots of moles or freckles, you're more likely to develop skin cancer, so you need to take extra care. Avoid getting caught out by sunburn. Use shade, clothing and sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. Keep an eye out for changes to your skin and report these to your doctor without delay. (Adapted from the BBC)

SCIENCE CONFIRMS THAT TURMERIC CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN 14 DRUGS The health beneﬁts of turmeric are plentiful, and have even been proven to be more effective than some medications to treat cholesterol, inﬂammation against tumor cells, and diabetes. Turmeric is part of the ginger family and is commonly found in Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian cuisines,

such as Indian curry. It's also used in Chinese medicine. The spice is found to be healthy because it contains a high dose of curcumin, an antioxidant with antiinﬂammatory properties. Studies have found that turmeric can be a substitute for some drugs.

Researchers have found that it can help treat chronic hepatitis, colorectal cancer, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Therefore, patients taking Lipitor or Atorvastatin for cholesterol, Oxaliplatin f o r c h e m o t h e r a p y, Metformin for diabetes, or antiviral medicine for

hepatitis might be able to lessen their doses or even replace their prescription medications with turmeric. Turmeric is also known to ﬁght free radicals and can reduce or prevent damage internally and externally to the body. (Yahoo/The Daily Meal)

Regional

Bloody weekend in T & T A weekend of bloodshed, in which four persons including two fathers and an elderly woman were murdered in four unrelated incidents, has caused the nation's murder toll to rise to 346 with ofﬁcers unable to make arrests in any of these murders up to press time. In one case, a 62-year-old woman was bound, gagged and beaten to death inside her Sangre Grande home in what is believed to be a robbery. In another case, a man was riddled with at least ten bullets as he walked along a road in Belmont. In yet another incident, a father of two was shot dead in his own home and another

father was killed as he was shot while riding his bicycle along the road. Also this weekend, police shot and killed a man who is said to have opened ﬁre on ofﬁcers in Laventille. The weekend bloodshed began at 7.40 pm on Saturday when gunshots rang out at a house in Cap de Ville, Point Fortin. According to police, Ajodha Singh was at home relaxing when he heard gunshots. On checking, he found his son Randy Singh, 36, lying on the ground in the garage bleeding from several gunshot wounds to his chest and stomach. The slain man's ex-wife, Kavita Singh, 30, who at

the time was at her home celebrating her birthday, with the couple's two sons. Less than an hour after, murder number two took place in which, Amos Dick, 33, of Bagaloo Street, Enterprise, Chaguanas, was found dead at 8.20 pm. His bullet riddled body was discovered lying face up in the middle of the road. Police said he was shot mainly to his face and chest. Savitri Juteram, 62, became murder victim number three for the

weekend when police found her bound, gagged and battered at her home shortly after midnight y e s t e r d a y. P o l i c e responded to a call of a robbery in progress and found the woman lying on the ground with wounds to her head. The fourth murder was that of a 21year-old man, Esse Bailey, who police said was a known gang member. He, was shot dead near his home in Belmont. According to the Police, at about 2.15 pm Sunday, Bailey, St Francois Valley

Road in Belmont, was standing on the roadside when a silver-coloured Nissan Almera car drove up. A man exited the car, approached Bailey and ﬁred shots repeatedly. Police said the victim was

shot at least ten times by the killer, who calmly walked back to the car and got into the vehicle which sped off. (Adapted f ro m t h e Tr i n i d a d N e w s d a y )

Jamaicans want Gov't that can create prosperity - Holness

Andrew Holness

Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader, Andrew Holness, says that recent public opinion polls published by the media

show that Jamaicans want a government which can lift them out of poverty and create prosperity. “What we want

now is not an apology for poverty. What we want now is not a sympathizer with poverty. What we want now is somebody who can liberate the people of Jamaica from poverty. What we want now is somebody who can lift us out of poverty,” the Opposition Leader told representatives of his party's North West St Andrew constituency committee. “And what the polls are showing now is

that the people of Jamaica have ﬁnally gotten the message that they don't want no more poverty: They want somebody who can lift them from poverty to prosperity,” he told the c r o w d . H o w e v e r, t h e Opposition Leader said that there was some unease in the country, as people are wondering why the Government would want to call an election more than a year before their term is up, if everything is going according to plan.

“Is there something that you are not telling us? Is there something that we need to know? Is there a clear and present danger to the country, why you need an election now? Or, is it that you have something to hide,” he challenged the Government. Holness warned that, after failing to encourage growth under the current IMF agreement, public sector workers, despite accepting

a seven per cent pay increase over two years, may ﬁnd that the Government has “an axe behind your back” that they are waiting to swing after the next general election. “I know that in the back of their minds, even though they hug-up the seven per cent, [they are] worried that they won't even have that after the terrible possibility of a PNP (People's National Party) victory,” he said. (Adapted from the Jamaican Observer)

Students may get the okay for phones Students at all levels, from nursery to secondary level, may soon be ofﬁcially allowed to carry and use their smartphones in school. But ﬁrst they and their parents will have to accept and sign a comprehensive new code of conduct prepared by

the Ministry of Education. And even before that, it appears both the ministry and parents will have to overcome strong objections from the teachers' unions, particularly the Barbados Secondary Teachers' Union.

The code, titled Mobile Technologies Use Policy for Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools in Barbados was ﬁrst circulated to stakeholders more than a month ago. (Nation News)

INTERNATIONAL

Man dies after becoming 'agitated' on flight Police are investigating the sudden death of a man on a flight from Portugal to Ireland and have arrested a woman allegedly found with amphetamine on the same flight. It is unclear if the two incidents are connected. Ireland's national police, An Garda Siochana, said a 25-yearold man had died after becoming "agitated" Sunday on the Lisbon to Dublin flight. Another passenger received a hand

injury during the incident, the Garda said in a statement. Irish and UK media reported that the man had allegedly bitten the other passenger on the hand during the Aer Lingus flight. "The flight was diverted to Cork airport when the man on board became agitated. He was attended to by a doctor and nurse who were on the flight but was pronounced dead at the airport at 6:40

p.m," the Garda statement said. A post-mortem on the man is being carried out at Cork University Hospital. Police said they also discovered "what they believe to be 1.8 kilograms ( 4 p o u n d s ) o f amphetamine in the luggage of a woman in her 40s who was on the same ﬂight." The woman -believed to be a Portuguese national -- was arrested and was being held under the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafﬁcking) Act, police said. (CNN)

'Doomsday Vault' opens to retrieve vital seeds for Syria

well as the world's most valuable barley collection. "These are land races that were inherited from our grandgrandparents, most of them are unfortunately extinct now," ICARDA Director General Mahmoud El-Solh said. "And this is where the cradle of agriculture (was)10,000 years ago. In this part of the world, many of the important crops were domesticated from the wild to

cultivation." I C A R D A representative Thanos Ts i v e l i k a s , w h o i s overseeing the withdrawal from the vault, describes the operation as "a rescue mission; these seeds cannot be replaced." The ICARDA Aleppo center had sent nearly 80% of the seeds and samples to the Global Seed Vault as a backup by 2012, with its last deposit being in 2014. Relocated to Lebanon, Solh opens the

door to a vault on the Agricultural Research and Educa onal Center of the American University of Beirut campus in the Bekaa Valley. This is where the seeds ICARDA received back from Svalbard are housed. Solh carefully shakes out a few wisps of what looks like wheat from a brown envelope. It is the plant from which the wheat we eat today originated 10 millennia ago. (Adapted from CNN)

Maldives annuls death by stoning sentence for woman Humanity has had to cash in on its insurance policy earlier than expected. Deep in the side of a mountain in the Arctic archipelago is the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Known as the "Doomsday Vault," this seed bank, operated by the Norwegian government and containing a seed of just about every known crop in the world, is meant to be humanity's backup in the event of a catastrophe that devastates crops. But it was not a natural disaster that has caused scientists to have to dip in and make the ﬁrst signiﬁcant withdrawal

from the vault. Rather, it was the most preventable of man-made disasters; war. The bloody conﬂict in Syria has left scientists at an important gene bank in Aleppo, where new strains of drought- and heatresistant wheat have been developed over time, unable to continue their work in recent years. Now, with no sign of conditions in Syria improving, scientists have begun recovering their critical inventory of seeds, sourced from around the Fertile Crescent and beyond, that have been in

safekeeping beneath the Arctic ice. The seeds are being planted at new facilities in Lebanon and Morocco, allowing scientists to resume the important research they've been doing for decades, away from the barrel bombs of Aleppo. The gene bank in Aleppo, run by the Interna onal Center for Agricultural Re s e a rc h i n t h e D r y Areas, is one of the most important in the world and includes more than 135,000 varieties of wheat, fava bean, lentil and chickpea crops, as

The Maldives' top court has overturned a sentence of death by stoning issued to a woman found guilty of a d u l t e r y, l o c a l m e d i a report. The woman, who reportedly gave birth out of wedlock, was convicted by a magistrate's court on Sunday. However, the Supreme Court quashed the sentence late on Sunday, saying the ruling had violated legal procedures. The island nation has previously issued ﬂogging sentences to those convicted of extramarital sex. Sunday's initial sentence had sparked outrage on social media and was criticised by rights groups. The sentence to

death by stoning was unprecedented in the country, which is known as a luxury tourist destination, the BBC's South Asia editor Charles Haviland reports. In 2013, the case of a 15-year-old girl sentenced to 100 lashes after being found guilty of

premarital sex prompted global concern. The High Court later overturned the verdict, saying she had been wrongly convicted. Extramarital sex is illegal in the Maldives, although the ban does not apply to tourists. (BBC)

SP RTS Cricket in the Olympics?

Colin Graves

Former England Cricket Board Chairman, Colin Graves, has declaraed that "cricket should be an Olympic sport". This marks the most distinct shift yet from his predecessor, Giles Clarke, who may yet be required to

"do as he is told", as Mike Brearley memorably put it, when he meets the International Olympic Committee for talks next month. "Everything's on the table for discussion," Graves said, making clear

he will request that the EC B b o ar d v o tes f o r cricket to be included in the Olympics when it meets next month. "I think it should be an Olympic sport in one format or another," Graves said. "It's extending the sport

throughout a number of countries. Associates, and everybody, could play in the Olympics. I will be asking the board to support it." G r a v e s ' s comments increase the likelihood of cricket being included in the 2024 Games, especially after Wa l l y E d w a r d s , t h e chairman of Cricket Australia, announced his support for the idea earlier this year. This week the ICC board resolved to send a delegation to meet the International Olympic Committee next month. Alongside David Richardson, Clarke, intriguingly, will represent the ICC. Ostensibly, the fact that Clarke was selected to meet the IOC

suggested cricket's prospects of joining the Games remained dim. Clarke has long been an implacable opponent of cricket's inclusion in the Games, on the grounds that England could not fit the time into their schedule. "I have every right to put my board's interests first," Clarke told Death of A Gentleman, the recent film investigating cricket's global governance, when asked whether opposing cricket's inclusion in the Olympics was to the detriment of the global game. Yet now Graves has made it clear that if, as expected, the ECB board vote in favour of cricket's inclusion in the Olympics, Clarke will be expected to represent that

new position. "We are having a board meeting with the ECB before Giles Clarke has that meeting with the Olympic Committee, so Giles Clarke will know where the ECB board is coming from. It's not about personalities and what they think, it's about what the ECB board think," Graves said. It seems that Brearley was right after all when he said after the MCC meeting in July that Clarke would have to "do what he is told" if the ECB supported cricket's inclusion in the Games, even though he subsequently apologised for the remarks. ( A d a p t e d f ro m Espncricinfo)

Samuels reported for suspect action; again

Marlon Samuels

West Indies allrounder, Marlon Samuels, has been reported for a suspect bowling action during the ﬁrst Test against Sri Lanka. He will be required to u n d e rg o a t e s t i n g process within 14 days, but he can continue to bowl in international cricket until the results are known. S a m u e l s bowled 27 overs in Sri Lanka's only innings in Galle and picked up the wicket of Dimuth Karunaratne. This is the third time that Samuels' action has been reported, the ﬁrst being back in 2008 when he was called for

a suspect faster ball after the third Test against South Africa in Durban. He was later suspended from b o w l i n g i n international cricket but after remedial work on his action, was permitted to bowl in September 2011. He was once again reported at the end of the second day of the second Test against India in Mumbai in November 2013. He was subsequently allowed to bowl the offbreak delivery but not his quicker ball. (Espncricinfo)

Monday, October 19, 2015

paper e-Mail

Rajiv Ivan

Assad Fudadin

: gnn@gnngy.com | Website: www.gnngy.com

Shawn Perriera

RHT GIZMOS & GADGETS AND ALBION TO CLASH A responsible half century by West Indies middle order batsman Assad Fudadin coupled with four wickets hauls from Berbice senior cricketer Rajiv Ivan and former national youth player Shawn Perriera, led Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets to a resounding semi ﬁnal victory in the 2015 Bobby Deonarine a n d To m G r u n t z e l sponsored Tenelec Inc 50 over 1st Divison

tournament. In glorious sunshine and on a sun baked dusty Area 'H' outfield, the host won the toss and batted first. They enjoyed a solid opening partnership of 67 from Vidal Crandon and Assad Fudadin. Crandon went first off the bowling of national u-19 all-rounder Kassim Khan for a boundary filled 37. The consistent Berbice wicket keeper

batsman Jason Sinclair joined Fudadin and together they put on exactly 100 for the second wicket before Sinclair went bowled by former national youth player Kevin Ramdeen for 42. Ramdeen kept a check on the RHTY&SC progress by getting the wickets of Ivan for 14 and Berbice all-rounder Clinton Pestano for no score. H o w e v e r, t h e lower order rallied their

team to an impressive 254 for 8 off their allotted over. Fudadin top scored with 68. Bowling for Yo u n g Wa r r i o r s C C Ramdeen took 3 for 54 off 10 overs and Khan 2 for 41. In reply, the visitors lost Berbice under 15 opener Alex Algoo early by the run out route for 1. They never really truly recovered except for a few promising starts from national senior opener and West Indies under 19

player Shimron Hetmyer with 45 , Kassim Khan 36 not out, former national youth batsman Seon Hetmyer 27 and playoff c e n t u r i o n Wa h e i d Edwards 20. They ended on 193 all out in 42.5 overs. Doing the damage for the host was Rajiv Ivan with 4 for 34 off 10 overs and Shawn Perriera 4 for 39 off 10 overs. Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets will now play neighbour and

arch rival Albion Community Center Cricket Club at a date and venue to be announced. Both clubs are asked to note that the Berbice River Bridge ﬁnal is now conﬁrmed for Saturday October 24, 2015 at the Port Mourant ground from 9:30 am.