Kaieteur News

Monday November 02, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 5

Letters... Where your views make the news...Letters... Where your views make the news

Need for an urgent organization to help suicide prone people DEAR EDITOR, I read the sad tale of the teenage youngster who suffered from depression after a breakup with his trusted girlfriend, and was eventually found drowned, because there appeared to be no one available to help him medically.

It seemed to me that just someone to listen sympathetically to him whenever he needed to talk would have been of some help.

I immediately thought ’Samaritans’ and looked them up on Wikipedia, to see whether they operated internationally. I found the following listing, and am attaching an extract from it, in case those interested in such matters wish to pursue the

idea:“ B e f r i e n d e r s Worldwide is a charity that helps people worldwide who are tempted to suicide or despair. They listen without judging people or telling them what to do. If there is someone to listen, this can sometimes keep a person alive who might otherwise die.

Frequently, suicidal people focus on a difficulty or something that causes them suffering, till finding a solution or a way of getting through it becomes hard.

People can talk to a befriender confidentially, while feeling safe and get things into proportion.

Befrienders Worldwide has no political religious or sectarian affiliations and the

beliefs of volunteers are not imposed onto callers.

Experienced volunteers select, train and supervise other volunteers as do professional experts when needed. Individual member centres support each other and share information.

The World Health Organisation estimates that one million people kill themselves worldwide every year and, for each ‘successful’ suicide, there are estimated to be 20 suicide attempts.

There is a list of national organisations, so people can find help from others in their own countries.......................

There is information about depression, mood swings and other problems. .............”.

Geralda Dennison

Great things in medical service on its way to Berbice DEAR EDITOR, I am encouraged to write about my admission second time for this year at the New Amsterdam Hospital. It was around April last when I wrote about shortages of food items resulting in protest action by the kitchen staff and meals were being served selectively to patients.

This time, Mr. Editor the treatment was different, meals were served to everyone. I enjoyed the float bake served it reminds me of the ones prepared by my wife.

Hats off to the kitchen staff! I wish to mention that for the first time I encountered a visit by the welfare officer who went from bed to bed finding out about complaints you may have, this is commendable, at the same I was informed that there was a seminar, likewise, on public

relations for staff and for he first time as well.

Things are happening Mr. Editor and we look forward for the fulfillment of a promise made by our Minister of Health that shortly there will not be any transfer of patients to GPHC. This will be marvelous when realized. My surgery was done by our local doctors; as a matter of fact, most of the doctors there are from Berbice , and they are all doing fine despite the limitation of medical facilities. Our moral support for them is needed Mr. Editor for the preponderance of young doctors at our disposal now appreciation should be expressed to the previous administration, I stand to be corrected if otherwise. I tried hard to sink my conscience

but I failed. However, I cannot forgive them for the present condition of the hospital.

Every fixture and fittings are in rundown state including drugs. The new CEO, Mr Bynoe, visited the male surgical ward and when he looked around he shook head, probably in disbelief.

Every piece of article in that ward partially covered with rust; no blinds for privacy. I witnessed two men lying on one bed, just to a few of the problems.

Consequently, on my return visit I notice the CEO being busy around the compound with persons who seem to be repairmen indicating a lot more is to be done and will be done. That being so I envisage great relief to Berbician on its way.

Sam T. Fraser

Mark Benschop urges that citizens speak out

DEAR EDITOR, I love my fellow Guyanese, but let’s raise the bar a little....this is not to insult anyone.

First of all, too often many remain quiet on almost every issue affecting their community, or the entire country, and in so doing we allow the politicians to call the shots.

It’s funny how people hardly speak out (except just a handful of us) on the disgraceful condition of the Le Repentir Cemetery, and on how shabby our own police officers are treated when killed in the line of duty.

This is exactly what happens when citizens remain silent, and say: “Me ain’t gat time fuh dat...Yall try deh...”Hopefully, we can all stand up and demand better, or we can continue to complain about many things.

Finally, I’m sure that the death of NYPD Detective Randolph Holder Jr. will be the starting point for our local fallen heroes and their immediate family to be treated with respect and dignity by all. That’s exactly what the NYPD does...and that’s what we need to do. Yes, we can do it Mark A. Benschop

Ravi Dev does not want a PNC and PPP Diwali DEAR EDITOR, I was impressed by Mr. Ralph Ramkarran’s Manu-like pronouncement on the Divali date issue.(Let’s have two holidays for Divali, SN 11-115) However I suspect the dispute is the casus belli rather than the causa belli for the dispute. It reminds me of Swami Vivekananda bemoaning Hindus arguing about whether water should be thrown over their left or right shoulder during their ritual bath, rather than arguing about confronting existing challenges.

As Mr. Ramkarran says, the internet today provides a veritable cornucopia of information. One does not need to read ”panchangs” in Sanskrit to know about the phases of the moon. There are literally thousands of sites that will tell you more that you ever wanted to know about the “tithis” of the moon as its “phases” are called in Hinduism.

But those same web pages show that for thousands of years in India, the same data was utilized by different groups (regional and even castes) with different starting dates

to count the “lunar dates” and arriving at different dates for festivals. With Divali, for instance, you have the situation where BOTH the 10th and 11th are being called “Amavasya night” in different parts of India and Divali is celebrated on both those days there.

Hinduism teaches that it really doesn’t matter how or when you make offerings to the Lord, male or female: it is your devotion that counts.

And if, the Hindus in India in more than a thousand years have not started another Mahabharata War to settle their differences, why have we embarked down that path?

I had an early inkling that there was going to be a stand off on the date for Divali. One of the protagonist’s path crossed mine and he complained that the “other side” refused to attend a meeting called to discuss the

date for another ”darkest night” –the birthnight or Janamasthmi of Sri Krishna.

The arguments surrounding the calculations from the lunar calendar were a dress rehearsal for the present contretemps. But ever since that conversation, I have been wondering if the dates for the festivals were really the cause of the war (causa belli) or rather simply the occasion for the war (casus belli) by the “two sides” – with Guyana Dharmic Sabha on one side and a host of others on the other.

There is no question that Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud’s Dharmic Sabha, straddled the Hindu community like a colossus.

And with his passing, there are many vying to fill what they consider to be a power vacuum created. One point of view was that Continued on page 23

Page 6

Kaieteur News

Monday November 02, 2015

Miners who were brutally robbed split from GGMA - Form rival association

The couple’s mining camp Two members of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) have decided to launch another association, the Guyana Small Miners Association (GSMA) with the aim of focusing on issues affecting small miners.

It was this focus that the founders- Alisha and Mario Figueria- said they found lacking in their interactions with the GGDMA and caused them disillusionment.

Back in May 2015, the couple suffered a vicious shotgun attack.

In the resulting fracas, equipment, valuing millions, was vandalized and an

employee sustained a shotgun injury.

“Our mission statement will be, providing advice and support to the small miners of Guyana, ensuring that everyone matters regardless of your status,” Alisha Figueria told this publication.

“We were influenced by the meeting at GGDMA (where the concessions for mining equipment were discussed) where we were not allowed to air our concerns freely.”

While in the meeting, the couple said they made efforts to request clarification on what measures the Association would take against the alleged

perpetrators.

Both the owner and the couple are members of GGDMA. However, they were allegedly refused an audience.

“We will be holding a meeting. A date will be advertised,” Alisha Figueria said, adding that the body would be legally constituted.

“The main purpose of the meeting is so that persons can take the floor and ask questions or air their concerns. We are asking persons to not be afraid to talk and come out and let us know your woes.”

“We are mainly focusing (Continued on page 24)

Noise from fabrication shop agitates Lusignan resident Fifty-seven-year-old Jasoda Salikram-Jagdeo says she lives in daily torment due to the constant noise from a fabrication shop near her home.

Jagdeo, who has been residing at Lusignan Pasture, East Coast Demerara said that the noise coming from the shop makes it unbearable to live in her own house.

In an interview with Kaieteur News, she said that she has approached the owner on numerous occasions about the issue.

But according to her, the businessman and his staff would make light of her complaints.

“He would stand up and look at me when I talking. And then he and he staff would start laughing”, she exclaimed.

Jagdeo said that the shop operates from 07.00 hrs until 18.00 hrs, or even later at times. She said that all day she is faced with the constant banging of metal.

“This thing does make my

whole house vibrate. You can put a glass down and watch the water vibrate in the glass”, she said.

“I’m being chased away from my own home. Every afternoon when I get home from work I would go by my son who lives in the other street, to avoid the infuriation.”

The frustrated woman added that she would stay at her son’s premises until the business closes in the evening. She disclosed that other persons in the community have been complaining about the noise.

She pointed out that she has made several reports to the Vigilance Police Station.

But she is alleging that she was told that there is nothing the police can do.

Since then, the mother of ten claimed that she had written a letter to H.E David Granger, venting her concerns. According to her, the letter was acknowledged which resulted in Police from the aforementioned station

Jasoda Salikram-Jagdeo visiting her home a few weeks ago.

Jagdeo recalled that when the police arrived, the annoying sounds generated by machines and other activities ceased immediately.

In the meantime, Commander of “C” Division, Marlon Chapman has confirmed that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is handling the matter. He said that Jagdeo is yet to give a statement.

Monday November 02, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 7

In Central Asia, Kerry raises rights but tempers public criticism SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan (Reuters) Secretary of State John Kerry yesterday met Uzbekistan’s autocratic ruler and officials from other Central Asian states accused of being among the world’s worst human rights offenders.

But in the talks in the ancient city of Samarkand, he tempered any public criticism as he sought deeper U.S. ties with the region seen increasingly as lying in the shadow of an assertive Russia and exposed to Islamist militancy.

Kerry was in Samarkand to meet his five Central Asian counterparts and reassure them of continued U.S. engagement in the strategic region.

On the fringes of that meeting, he spoke to Uzbek President Islam Karimov, who has ruled Uzbekistan for a quarter of a century and is often criticized internationally for heading a repressive government. It was the highest-level U.S. encounter with Karimov in years.

Most of the five former Soviet republics in Central Asia have poor human rights records, and a U.S. official insisted that Kerry, on a fourday tour of the region, has not shied away from raising the issue “robustly” behind

closed doors.

But he took pains to avoid direct public criticism as he pursued security and economic concerns at the top of his agenda.

“The United States does support the sovereignty and territorial integrity and independence of each country that’s represented here,” Kerry told the ministers’ meeting.

That message has taken on greater importance as Washington draws down its forces in Afghanistan, concerns mount about the threat to the region from Islamic State, and Russia, fresh from forays into Ukraine and Syria, reasserts its influence.

It was Kerry’s first meeting as secretary of state with Karimov, one of several former Soviet Communist Party bosses in the region whose grip on power has tightened over the years.

Kerry made no explicit mention of human rights when reporters were allowed briefly into the room at the start of the talks. But he said he wanted to discuss with Karimov and Central Asian foreign ministers “the human dimension, the issues of individuals and their participation in society”.

As security men starting

Uzbek President Islam Karimov (C) shakes hands with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (R) as Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov (L) watches at Samarkand Airport November yesterday. REUTERS/Brendan Smialowski/Pool ushering reporters out of the room, one American reporter shouted a question to Karimov about the U.S. State Department’s own scathing critique of his human rights record. Karimov ignored the query.

Kerry began responding but the reporter was pushed out of the room before he finished.

A later summary of the meeting by the State Department said the two men had talked about “respect for

human rights and political freedoms” along with security and economic issues.

A senior U.S. official said only that Karimov “took on board that he would look into it” and that real progress would require persistent U.S. pressure.

At the foreign ministers’ meeting, Kerry also appeared to soft-pedal human rights in his public comments.

But he advised the

ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan that “in Central Asia as elsewhere, people have a deep hunger for governments that are accountable and effective.”

Though none of the other ministers mentioned the issue in their statements, a joint final communique said the states were committed to protecting human rights and developing democratic

institutions. But it offered no specific reforms or timetables.

They also declared support for Afghanistan’s development as a “peaceful, thriving” state and an intention to counter crossborder threats such as terrorism.

International human rights bodies list Karimov’s government as among the world’s most repressive. The latest State Department global report on human rights cites torture, forced labor in the Uzbek cotton fields and “endemic corruption”.

A U.S. official said Kerry’s aides raised with Uzbekistan’s foreign minister some specific cases of political prisoners.

At the same time, however, the Obama administration is mindful of Uzbekistan’s strategic importance. It has been, for example, a reliable partner providing logistical support for the U.S.-led military campaign in neighboring Afghanistan.

The renewed U.S. focus on Central Asia coincides with warnings from Russian officials about the danger of Islamic State militants infiltrating the region from Afghanistan, accompanied by hints Moscow will respond by beefing up its military presence.

Page 8

Kaieteur News

Syria rebels using caged captives as ‘human shields’: monitor

Rescue workers line up bodies for identification following a reported airstrike by Syrian government forces on the rebel-held town of Douma, last Friday. (AFP Photo/Abd Doumany) Beirut (AFP) - A major Syrian rebel group is using dozens of captives in metal cages as “human shields” in the largest opposition stronghold on the outskirts of Damascus, a monitor said yesterday.

Jaish al-Islam, regarded as the most powerful rebel group near the capital, has put regime soldiers and Alawite civilians it was holding in metal cages, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told AFP. The group then placed these cages in public squares in the Eastern Ghouta region in an attempt to “prevent regime bombardment”, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said.

“Jaish al-Islam is using these captives and kidnapped people — including whole families — as human shields,” he said.

Government forces regularly bombard the Eastern Ghouta area, from where rebel groups fire rockets into the capital.

On Friday, at least 70 people were killed and 550 wounded in regime bombardment of Douma, a large town in the area.

A video published by opposition news outlet Shaam Network showed cages of men and women, about five people in each, being transported on the backs of three lorries through war-ravaged streets as young children rode by on bicycles.

Speaking to camera, both men and women asked government forces to stop shelling Eastern Ghouta.

“Your women are our women. If you want to kill my mother, you will kill them too,” a dark-eyed teenage boy said outside one of the trucks.

Monday November 02, 2015

Tens of thousands in Myanmar turn out for Suu Kyi rally YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi addressed a huge rally on the outskirts of Myanmar ’s biggest city yesterday, offering a message of reconciliation with political opponents if her party sweeps the upcoming general election.

Suu Kyi also called for calm and stability as the campaign period nears its end ahead of the Nov. 8 election.

Tens of thousands of ecstatic National League for Democracy supporters swarmed onto a large playing field, waiting for hours in the blazing sunshine for Suu Kyi to make her entrance.

She had hoped to hold the rally in the center of Yangon, near the revered Shwedagon Pagoda, reviving memories of her first-ever political speech in 1988, but city authorities refused her request. The 1988 speech put her on a collision course with the then-military junta and marked the beginning of Suu Kyi’s long and often difficult political odyssey.

Just days after an NLD member was wounded in a stabbing at another rally, Suu Kyi asked the crowds to maintain stability right up to the end of campaigning.

Without naming names, she

Aung San Suu Kyi said that “there are some who are thinking to use bad ways to try to win.”

Suu Kyi spent 15 years under house arrest under the former military dictatorship.

She was finally released five years ago. The junta stepped back from power in 2011 with the election of President Thein Sein, and the country has moved toward democratization, though the military still maintains a powerful position.

Though her party is expected to do well in the election, Suu Kyi herself is constitutionally barred from the presidency because her late husband was British and her two sons hold foreign passports.

Monday November 02, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 9

No need for Ban Ki Moon to decide on the date for Diwali For the first time in the recorded history of Guyana, Diwali is going to be celebrated on two separate days. The government has declared November 10th as a Public holiday for Diwali, while the major Hindu organization in Guyana has declared it as November 11, 2015.

Unlike the imposition of the 2am curfew for bars and

pubs, the November 10th date is not going to be rammed down the throats of Hindus in Guyana. The vast majority of Guyanese are going to light their diyas on November 11, 2015.

This is most unfortunate.

There is no politics involved here. The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha is not playing politics with the Diwali celebrations. It does not need

to. It believes that the date should be November 11th and it is calling for this day to be made the official holiday.

It is claimed that the government consulted widely on this issue.

But consultation is not the issue at stake here. It is the absence of an agreed date and so long as this is outstanding then greater efforts should have

Street Styles owner recovering from gunshot wound Proprietor of Street Styles Boutique, Carl Inniss has been relocated to the Male Surgical ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

He was admitted to the hospital on Saturday night after bandits shot him in the leg outside his Barr Street, Kitty, business place.

A friend of the wounded man said that Inniss is recovering well.

Kaieteur News understands that the

businessman resides at Seaforth Street, Campbellville, Georgetown.

According to reports, the shooting occurred at around 18:21hrs, Saturday last, minutes after Inniss had exited the boutique and was headed to his car. He was shot to his right leg near his knee and was also slashed across his face. The perpetrator(s) carried away his bag containing the day’s earnings from the boutique and other items.

Carl Inniss

Guyana explores green technology opportunities at Korea - Caribbean Forum

Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman last week represented Guyana in a high level meeting in Seoul, Korea after an invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, to participate in the fifth KoreaCaribbean High-Level Forum.

Held under the theme “Enhancing the KoreaCaribbean Partnership in the Field of New and Renewable Energy,” the meeting was set against the backdrop of the challenges posed by climate change and therefore focused primarily on opportunities for new and renewable energies that are made available by Korea to the Caribbean and Guyana.

According to Minister Trotman, who served as Guyana’s representative at the meeting, the timing of the forum was fortuitous for

Guyana, as the country transitions into a green economy and looks elsewhere for good examples for adaptation.

He noted that the Republic of Korea is a noted developer and utiliser of alternative energy technologies and has signalled its strong commitment to working with individual Caribbean states - bilaterally, or through the CARICOM Secretariat, to bring these new technologies to the Caribbean.

The delegates included representatives from the CARICOM Secretariat, Guyana, Suriname, Haiti, Jamaica, Antigua, Dominica, St. Vincent, St. Kitts & Nevis and the Bahamas and were afforded several opportunities to discuss policy matters on energy and climate change.

In addition to this, they were able to interact with manufactures and stakeholders. Site visits were facilitated to several renewable energy generating sites including; a range from hydro to solar and bio-mass power generation.

Trotman also used the opportunity to hold one-onone discussions with Korean government officials and with executives of the manufacturing companies.

This was done with a view to inviting a delegation to visit Guyana in the near future to

advance opportunities for both government and the private sector here.

Delegates at the inaugural Korea-Caribbean Forum, held in 2011 discussed a Development Strategy and International Cooperation with the Caribbean, and Korea-Caribbean Cooperation for Green Growth.

The following year at the second Forum, EGovernment, Marine Environment Management and New and Renewable Energy were discussed. The Third Forum sought practical and productive ways to increase cooperation between Korea and the Caribbean States and in particular to promote tourism cooperation. The Fourth Forum reviewed progress in Korea-Caribbean cooperation since 2012 and discussed avenues to further deepen and broaden the partnership.

This Fifth Forum revisited some topics previously discussed such as Renewable Energy and E-Government Management, but also addressed the new and extremely vital topics of Climate Change and Disaster Management.

The meeting was jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, the Korea Energy Agency and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI).

been made to reach an agreement.

Consultation on such a serious issue cannot simply involve asking various pandits and Hindu organizations on which date Diwali should be observed.

From the moment that it was obvious that the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha had a different date, the consultations should have taken a different approach.

The government should have sat down with the Sabha and discussed the reasons for the Sabha’s choice of date. It should have called a general council of all Hindu organizations and ask that the issue be dealt with.

The approach taken by the government of simply consulting widely and then making a decision may be good in other circumstances, but when it comes to an important issue like Diwali, once it was recognized that there was no unanimity on a date, steps should have been taken to engage the Sabha

and to provide reasons for the choice of the date and allow the Sabha an opportunity to pay its case.

This is the first Diwali of the new government. It should be controversy free.

The government should have tried to bring the differing parties together to agree on a date.

The government cannot be speaking about social cohesion when this decision of the choice of the date for Diwali is going to divide the largest religious grouping in the country. This is a major misstep by the new government. It should have avoided courting controversy on this issue because this year Diwali will go down in infamy as the only year when there was division on this issue.

There is no need for an imposed date. Such an action will backfire on the government. There is need for discussion on this issue for independent advice to be sought. This advice however

cannot be sought until there is meaningful consultation with the Sabha.

The government must not presume that it can simply ignore the Sabha. Burnham thought he could have done that and split the Hindu community.

It never happened. The Sabha enjoys the support of the majority of Hindus in Guyana. The views of the Sabha need to be taken on board.

It is not always what is done but how things are done. The Sabha’s views cannot be lightly dismissed.

The group deserves respect because of the support it commands within the Hindu community.

It is not too late to seek a resolution to the problem.

There is no reason for Ban Ki Moon to be called in.

A simple meeting between the differing sides can hammer out a solution.

Monday November 02, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 11

Continued GAWU-led protest could spell grim Christmas for sugar workers - GuySuCo Sugar workers and their families may face a grim Christmas, if the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) continues its strike action.

This is according to a statement issued by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) yesterday.

The Corporation recalled sugar workers took strike action for three days last week over the delay in negotiations for a nine percent increase in wages and salaries.

GAWU which reportedly stirred the workers to conduct the protest in the first place, subsequently brought an end to it while demanding that talks on the crucial topic commence by Saturday last.

Seepaul Narine, GAWU’s General Secretary, had made the demands of the union known, in a letter addressed to Deodat Sukhu, GuySuCo’s Chief Industrial Relations Manager.

GuySuCo has since invited GAWU for a meeting and it was welcomed by GAWU which calls it a long overdue step. GAWU has accepted the invitation.

“It is our fervent hope that this meeting is the start of negotiations in earnest on the wages issue for 2015,” GAWU had said.

However, there still appears to be some lingering rumors of strike action to continue should the demands of GAWU not be met.

In light of this, GuySuCo has asked workers to be

patient and not proceed with such a course of action as the corporation is losing millions.

The state-owned company said that October 30, last, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GuySuCo, Mr. Errol Hanoman, expressed the Corporation’s disappointment at the recent strike action.

He informed the Union that it was never the Corporation’s intention not to commence negotiations of its 2015 wage proposals. He reiterated that the Corporation was awaiting advice on the way forward for the industry after Government considered the report and recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry.

Hanoman had also asserted that having received a record high bailout from the Government, a road map for the future of the industry was crucial and the COI was expected to recommend a basis for such a plan.

He indicated that Government is supportive of the sugar industry and its people and is keen to consider any plan that would ensure its survival and sustainability. He felt the Union and workers have a critical role to play in the question of survival and sustainability.

The CEO emphasized that there will be negotiations but “we have a chicken and egg situation. Wage negotiation before the road map or the road map before

negotiation?”

He informed the Union that both will happen.

GuySuCo stated that tremendous goodwill was built up over the past few weeks as the industry surpassed its production targets. Hanoman cautioned the Union and its delegates against the loss of this goodwill which would accompany protest action at this time.

He appealed to the Union, the representatives and the workers to get on with the task of taking off the crop and completing the tillage and planting programs.

The GuySuCo CEO exhorted them to set the scene for a successful end of 2015 and a successful 2016.

“Let us not be hasty.

There will be negotiations, just not today,” he said. He also asked that everyone focus their energies on a good outcome in the evolving road map for the industry.

He advised that negotiations would commence as soon as GuySuCo is in a position to do so.

This situation comes at a time when GuySuCo has been seeing a favorable turnaround in recent weeks.

For years, GuySuCo had been performing poorly.

Several sugar estates were failing to meet weekly and annual production targets and the management of the State-owned company, among other factors, was

Govt. wants trained counsellors in every school

Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine has made clear his intent to establish a central counselling body soon and to have trained counsellors in each school across the country.

Roopnaraine related that the rampant violence in society is finding its way into the school system. As such, there is an urgent need for counsellors within these schools to help create an environment of learning.

He stated that only through regular and professional counselling can the issue of violence in schools be adequately tackled. While admitting that such a move is a big one, he stated that it is a necessary and good step.

He related his unhappiness of the number of qualified counsellors currently employed in the school system as the student to counsellor ratio is too high.

The Minister has also

- to stem violence been aiming to stop the practice of corporal punishment within schools and revealed his disappointed that this is still being done.

Roopnaraine intimated that corporal punishment can often lead to psychological scarring as it is no different from physical abuse.

Classrooms should not be a place of fear but rather, one of learning. It is for this reason that the Minister is looking to do away with the practice by adjusting relevant legislation in the near future.

GTU President, Mark Lyte however, stated that the union is against the abolishment of corporal punishment. “The union’s position remains the same on the issue. We are not supportive of corporal punishment being taken out of the schools as the Ministry is yet to put alternatives in place to deal with aggressive

children.”

Lyte said that when various (proven) alternative measures have been put in place, only then will the union rethink their stance on corporal punishment.

“Unless the Minister provides effective measures to deal with badly-behaved children, we as a union must say that this must remain.”

In the year 2013, the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), indicated that it did not support the abolition of corporal punishment. Former GTU Secretary, Coretta McDonald, opined that the abolition of corporal punishment may prove to be disastrous for teachers as there are many hostile students.

Many members of the GTU stated that corporal punishment is the only tool available to them to better mold future generations.

blamed for the industry’s poor health.

But since the APNU+AFC coalition has taken hold of the reigns of governance, GuySuCo seems to be making some improvements; the kind which has its new Chairman, Dr. Clive Thomas elated.

GuySuCo recently reported that several estates have not only been meeting weekly targets but surpassing them. Even the controversial $200M Skeldon Factory has improved in its daily production.

In mid October, the corporation said that Skeldon realised its highest daily production since its commissioning in 2009. It recorded 515 tonnes of sugar, surpassing its previous highest of 501 tonnes which was achieved in September 2012.

It said, too, that with just two and half months left in the year, sugar production is on course with almost 78 percent of the target completed.

With regard to production, GuySuCo disclosed that it produced 10,254 tonnes of sugar for the week ending October 16, surpassing the 10,000 tonnes mark for the third time this crop.

Estates at Skeldon, Albion, Blairmont, East Demerara and Uitvlugt have

all surpassed their weekly targets while Rose Hall Estate achieved 97 percent.

In mid-October, it was reported that the industry also recorded its highest daily production of 1,785 tonnes of sugar surpassing its previous highest of 1,699 tonnes which was also achieved earlier in this crop.

The Uitvlugt Estate completed its second crop for 2015 on Saturday October 17, 2015 and produced 7,847 tonnes of sugar surpassing its target by 733 tonnes.

“Further, the estate produced 16,428 tonnes of sugar for the year surpassing its year’s target by 1,065 tonnes.”

GuySuCo also announced that it has awarded its junior staffers and rank and file employees on the seven estates a total of $285.7M for their achievement of 26 weekly production incentives for the first crop, 2015.

For the second crop, the Corporation has doled out $531.5M for their achievement of 47 weekly production incentives.

The new GuySuCo

Chairman, Dr. Clive Thomas, told Kaieteur News that he is happy with the recent success of the sugar industry in some areas and noted that several plans are in the mainstream to help develop other areas. He however declined to divulge what those are at this time.

The economist said, “But for the time being, I would say that I am pleased with the performance of the Corporation.

It is proof of what good management can achieve It’s a different kind of environment we have now; a healthy environment which encourages the staff, and fosters proper practices unlike what took place in the past.”

“I am pleased with the way the Skeldon factory seems to be improving. And I know that it can do more. But this is a good sign for the industry.

GuySuCo’s recent success is also proof that political interference was a severe toxic element in the industry and to the Corporation. That is done with.”

The Quest for Knowledge refreshes the mind, recreates the spirit, and motivates the body.

It creates enthusiasm and desire to live an exciting and full day in spite of the routine.

Page 12

Kaieteur News

Monday November 02, 2015

Monday November 02, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 21

Storm in a peecup When we refer to people as being part of, or even constituting, the “elect” it generally means that they have been chosen or singled out. One can say that “President Obama is one of this century’s elect.”

He contested the election for president and was elected. However, not every election candidate can be considered part of the “elect” especially one of the candidates representing the ruling Conservative party in Canada’s October 19, 2015 national elections, Mr. Jerry Bance, who runs an appliance-repair company.

According to the story on the CBS News, “A Toronto businessman who had been running for Parliament with Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s party made the wrong kind of splash and is out of the race after being caught on video urinating in a coffee cup.

The tinkling tale of Jerry Bance, who had been filmed while working as an appliance repairman, caps a bad week for Harper. The prime minister now faces reelection as Canada has entered a recession.”

The Huffington Post explained how this came about, not the recession but the urinary track on the tape.

It revealed that footage from a 2012 episode of the consumer show, Marketplace, of the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) resurfaced on Reddit showing Bance discreetly relieving himself into a homeowner’s cup while hidden cameras recorded his indiscretion.

At the time, the former Toronto-area candidate worked as an appliance repairman and was called in to fix a broken dishwasher as part of a sting operation to

catch and confront repairmen overcharging homeowners for simple repairs to home appliances. Hidden cameras captured the incident, which occurred while Marketplace producer posing as a homeowner was in the next room. “He just peed in the cup,” said shocked Marketplace host Tom Harrington, watching the scene through a multiple monitors set up in another room. After doing his business, cameras show Bance pouring his urine into the sink. He also rinsed the cup.

The original Marketplace episode had referred to Bance only as “Jerry.” A tip received

by CBC News pointed out “Jerry” was Bance. The “peegate” scandal then erupted and even though Bance sent an explanation and apology to the Post, it was too late.

Claiming it was a “lapse in judgement”, Bance said that he deeply regretted what he did. He wrote, “A 30second decision made three years ago can really change one’s life.

I had a health situation and needed to make an emergency decision, ironically to save myself from embarrassment back then. I have always been a hardworking person who loves this country and it saddens me that in spite of all my effort

to serve this Riding, all that is left is this negative impression.”

Unfortunately it did not end with his resignation.

Thomas Mulcair, the Leader of one of the contesting parties, the New Democrats, quipped, “I guess that this was one mug shot that Canadians weren’t expecting from Conservatives.

He must be someone who’s adept at Stephen Harper’s trickle-down theory of economics.” Stephen Harper was said to be “pissed off” at both Mr. Bance and Mr. Muclair.

As if this wasn’t enough, the CBC commented that every federal election campaign has candidates who land their party in hot water and this election year is no different: “After three weeks of campaigning, several candidates are no longer running after comments they made over social media have come back to haunt them.

Others have switched allegiances after embarrassing their party, while others still have the confidence of their party despite a faux pas.”

In this week’s Trinidad elections, the governing People’s Partnership, now the Opposition, announced a candidate for one of the Constituencies and then within less than two days withdrew that person and

introduced another one while at the same time rejecting the incumbent, Government Minister, Winston Peters. As a Calypsonian known as “Gypsy”, Peters was famous for his early songs like “The For Cane Man (is here again)” and “She Went For Cane” as well as his catalytic role in the defeat of the George Chambers Government in 1986 with his composition telling Prime Minister Chambers, “Captain, the ship is sinking…” Immediately after he was dropped from the team, Gypsy accused the Prime Minister at the time, and now Leader of the Opposition, Kamla PersadBissessar of being ungrateful (using the Hindi term “neemakharam”). He then

appeared at meetings of the now governing party, the People’s National Movement. It is said that Mrs. Persad-Bissessar in any reference to Gypsy repeatedly used the title of the first mentioned song but that cannot be verified.

What is known is that Gypsy sang at meetings of Jack Warner’s Independent Liberal Party (ILP) which did not unduly trouble the scorers or enumerators, all of his candidates losing their deposits.

While the actions of Mr. Bance would be considered a storm in a teacup compared to Mr. Warner ’s, the

redoubtable Jack, a former Minister in the PersadBissessar Cabinet, claimed victory for her loss boasting, “ I made Kamla in 2010 and I broke her in 2015.”

One of his critics commented that if Jack, who is facing an extradition order from the US Government, is convicted and his funds seized, he too will be broke in 2015. *The latest Jack Warner story is that when as a FIFA big-shot he went to the South Korean capital he highly praised the people for loving their city so much that in his presence they said repeatedly, “Ah Seoul!”

Page 22

Kaieteur News

SALON

SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.–CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana Passport application. Graphics design, Advertisement. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535.

PARTY DECORATING: balloon creation, back drops etc. for weddings, birthdays, anniversary etc. Make your event extra special! Tel Maya: 642-6664

WANTED One domestic maid and cook for a bar. Call: 667-6662; 6570316 Labourers for wood concession -$5,000 per day – Call: 618-0487 Experienced Roti/Puri cook, pastry maker, cake decorator, dish washers, apply at Hack’s Halaal, 5 Commerce Street.

Girls to work in bar as waitress. Call: 256-4096

REPAIRS AT LOW COST: FRIDGES, A/C, WASHING MACHINES, TVS, MICROWAVES, FREEZERS CALL: 629-4946 OR 225-4822

Chainsaw operator for ripping-Call: 627-6019; 6565671 One Chain Saw operator – Tel: 618-0487 Pump attendants and Cashiers- Call: 627-2550; 6706005

Floor sanding & Lacquering House plans, Estimate & painting, Boat for Santa Mission - Call: 650-4362

Security guards to work in the interior, military background a must. Call: 2269768; 615-6172

Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 Landscaping: Palms, largest varieties of plants, Used in every one of our unique landscapes- Call: 648-1821/ 219-0468 Eagle’s fridge re-gas @ 99100 New Market Street $8,000 & washing machine repairs. Phone: 697-2969, 223-5818 Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building. visadocumentsgy@yahoo.com.

Call: 225-6496, 662-6045

Contract cars, drivers & dispatcher. Call: 231-0316; 231-0002 Lumber Concession to work.

All Species of Hardwood and Greenhart. Contact: Sunil 6255995/698-6245

INNOVATIVE MARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included.

REPAIRS & SPARE, FRIDGE, FREEZER, A/C, WASHERS, STOVES – CONTACT NICK: 6831312, 627-3206 Professional Pressure washing & water tank cleaning services, for all your home & business exterior cleaning call: 696-5424

Attractive live in waitressCall: 327-0252/674-4665

Desmond Repair Services Fridge, AC, gas stove, microwave, washer, etc on the spot repairs –Call: (592)678-8683; 687-9709 HOUSE PLAN DRAFTING AND ESTIMATES FOR ONLY $15,000- CALL:6949843/227-2766

One DJ/Entertainer to work @ a club on the Essequibo Coast. Accommodation provided, serious enquiries only. Contact: 226-9768 Diesel Mechanics to work in the interior must have knowledge of Perkins Engines.

Call: 226-9768; 615-6172 Live in experienced cook 3045yrs – $80,000 monthly, live in waitress 18-25yrs-$60,000 monthly. Call: 610-3974

Canter Drivers to sell water on WCD-$30,000 weekly, Carpenter/Masons to work in Tuschen WCD -$7,000, Call: 684-8231 \ One sales clerk, send application to Kards Plus Gift Centre @ City Mall Camp Street. Call: 227-1846 Sales representatives- call: 652-0953, between the hrs of 5:30pm-7:30pm for further details.

LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj Building- Tel: 644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997

-Make Up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, Black Opal, Mabelline.

-Nail Technician Course Call: 647-1773/660-5257 Affordable salon services: pedi, mani, wash & blowout, facials, etc $2,500 each. Vogue @ Kalyan Mall, Lamaha Street. Tel: 647-1773/660-5257

FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Prime business place for rent @ MonRepos Public Road E.C.D, 2 (2) Bedroom apartment @ Block 8 Mon Repos E.C.D-Contact: 6181754; 681-1508; 220-6168 Fully & unfurnished apartment in South, 2 Bedroom, long and short term, cable, internet, hot & cold, AC. Call:689-5877 Top flat, 2 bedrooms @ East Street opposite Balwant Singh Hospital, no children.

Call: 227-6776; 667-3062 Apartments for rent at Nandy Park. Call: 227-5194 Alexander Village, large 2 bedrooms apartment, 2 bathrooms, hot water, parking, -$65,000. Call: 674-3735; 6528970 available immediately.

Three bedrooms apartment for rent at Section ‘A’, Diamond E.B.D. For more information please call: 2660880/ 685-5023 Self-contained rooms in Prashad Nagar. Tel:659-3865; 629-2424, 227-2993 Apartment to rent from November 1st, 2015, bedroom living room kitchen, toilet & bath @ 1st Avenue, West Minister W.B.D. Call: 6745779 CAR RENTAL DOLLY’SCARRENTAL-CALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS& SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 656-0087 ,EMAIL:PRO_ A U T O R E N T A L @YAHOO.COM Aidan’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up, cheapest rate, low security- Call: 698-7807 Wing’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up rental- Call: 690-6494

VACANCY Experienced agent required for preparing procurement bid document, mozatart@yahoo.com or 6637504 Security guard wanted to work in Georgetown. Call: 227-1717.

Accountant, Bond clerk, male & female workers, drivers @ RA Soda Factory, Rosignol. Call: 330-2399; 6235920 Porters, Drivers, Mechanic (Melanie Branch) 1-Bond Clerk RA Soda Factory (Rosignol). Call: 330-2399; 623-5920 Popular East Coast Gas Station Day/Night: pump attendants, sales & office assistant. Contact: 658-2013; 695-9880, Strathspey E.C.D. Exist for sales clerks @ People’s Choice Café, must be between 18-30yrs. Call: 679-9449, 653-5162

Monday November 02, 2015

PROPERTY FOR SALE

VEHICLE FOR SALE

Property for sale, Grove $20M / Rent: $50,000 per month. Tel: 625-5461.

Property at Diamond New Scheme: 1-Three bedroom flat concrete house, price $9.5M negotiable. Call: 2663962; 667-1240 2 Storied transported concrete property upstairs 2 bedrooms, downstairs 2 bedrooms; fully grilled, block ‘8’ Mon Repos, E.C.D -$18M. Call: 625-1514, 231-7255 1 Church & 2 Storey building at 180 Charlotte Street. Call: 624-7341; 227-6817 3 Bedroom; 2 flat house for sale, Enterprise, Lincolin Street, Lot 135 -$14M negotiable.

Contact: 597-858-4554 (Suriname), Guyana: 602-3643

SALE! SALE! SALE One TOYOTA RZ MINIBUS GJJ series -$1.5Million.

One Econoline FORD 2005 GSS Series -$1.5M. Call: 6046108 One 1.5 Ton Toyoace Canter, GLL Series, good working condition. Call: 623-1202

Transported property at Tuschen Housing Scheme, located around School -$7M negotiable. Contact: 2641050; 683-7045; 669-3553

First Class Auto: 08 Premio, Rush, Bluebird, 06 Premio, Spacio IST, Runx. Call: 6098188; 638-3045 Smart Choice Auto Sales, in stock, Premio, Allion, Fielder, Bluebird, Carina 212, Spacio, Call: 652-3820/ 665-4529 Mercedes Benz GLK 350 Sports SUV , 4 matic, 30,000 miles , 20" rim, sunroff, leather seat, DVD &18 sound system. call 624 5000.

Property at Tuschen-Call: 669-9055; 674-1291 YARROWKABRA LINDEN, H/WAY, LAND SIZE: 100’X200’ FULLY FENCED, HOUSE, CHICKEN & PIG PEN. CALL: 676-0931 Brand new 2 storey concrete building in 5th Avenue, Diamond, E.B.D, all modern amenities –Call: 662-9335; 612-3244

LAND FOR SALE 1500 Acres Transported land near Bartica, Forestry, Agriculture, loam, sand rock quarry, price to sell. Cal Mark: 603-1266; 625-9788; 707-4652222 32 Acres of Rice Land for sale at Hogg Island. Contact: 266-0163 or 660-4104

Albouystown- 3 Bedroom upstairs, downstairs parking and suitable for business$9M negotiable-Contact: 227-0583

Formerly Globe Cinema, corner lot @ Church & Waterloo Street, size 126ftX133ft. Call: 610-2234

Popular business place at temple Street, WindsorForest, W.C.D, price negotiable. Call: 642-6664

33 Acres prime agriculture land located at Plantation Flensberg W.B.D-price negotiable-Contact Erick Boodhoo: Call: 654-6229; 6270556 EDUCATION Obtain a guaranteed distinction in CSEC Principles of Accounts. Call: 654-1723 for more information

Property at Craig E.B.D, land size 91X50 feet, house 40X28 feet. Call US: 718-213-6496 Zeena & Local: 617-7691 Shameer.

Home school Tutor for all SSEE subjects, also CXC English. Call: 696-7467 Rising Star All Day Nursery, 2-6 yrs 15 students: 2 teachers enrichment programs Phonics, Reading, Speech, Vocabulary & Numeracy Call: 690-9378 Earn a Diploma in Computers 9 Courses 2016 Programs @ MicroGraphics, Vreed-enHoop (Royal Castle Building)-Call: 264-3057 Computerized Accounting: QuikBooks, Peachtree, Excel 2016, POS @ MicroGraphics, Vreed-en-Hoop. Call: 2643057

One Honda CRV, immaculate condition, 17" mags, AC, CD, price -$1.750,000 negotiable.

Call: 626-2884 For Immediate Sale: Ford F150 Toyota Madza, Axela Toyota Verossa, Nissan Dualis. Contact: 6233400; 231-3837 One Navy blue Premio, Fully Loaded. Contact: 685-1609; 226-5986.

Lexus LX 470, low milage , must see like new, leather interior, chrome rims & much more call 628 4000 Unregistered Fielder Wagon, new shape Spacio, fully loaded, rims, camera, bodykit, HID, dark interiorCall: 617-5536 Pearl white reconditioned, Prado Jeep. Call: 624-6702; 624-5838 Honda CRV PSS 2018 -$3M negotiable, Toyota Rush and Premio – New Model unregistered$3.2M negotiable. Call: 655-3400 2RZ Minibus long base, BPP series, 1st owners (work as airport taxi) – Call: 684-7965; 684-3794; 2612923 Mazda Axela PRR, mag rims, good for bank purchases, excellent condition-$1.6M. Call: 639-2490

FOR SALE 2 Jet-Ski –Call: 680-2095, 2615401 Pools table (slate) & house hold items, rum shop equipment –Call: 616-0398; 676-7643; 687-1757 1-CAT320 BL excavator, 1CAT930 Front End Loader, 1CAT428 Back-Hoe, 1-55 Leyland Daf Truck. Call: 2750538, 660-4021 XBOX 360- $2500, PS3 $35,000, PS2 -$15,000, PS VITA -$60,000, Plastic Barrel -$5,000- Call: 621-7497; 6493277; 603-8643

PEN-PAL Afro-Guyanese Male is seeking single, adventurous woman between 35-45yrs to go on an exciting & daring expeditions. Text/Call: 6728844 Continued on page 23

Monday November 02, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 23

Letters... Where your views make the news...Letters... Where your views make the news

A detailed blueprint for crime-fighting

DEAR EDITOR, Your editorial on today’s date caption Murderers and Criminals where you highlighted the problems facing the country in respect to crime.

In a letter date 7th August 2012, I outlined the three crime prevention measures that are needed to help to reduce the incidence of crime situational, social and tertiary crime prevention. You mention the role of government in helping to reduce crime.

This is very important because it’s the Government’s responsibility to protect its citizens from criminal activity. Situational crime prevention · reduces the opportunities for criminals to commit crime · changes criminals’ ideas about whether they can get away with a particular crime · makes it seem harder, riskier, and less rewarding to commit crime The present Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, has adopted a proactive approach in

fighting crime more than any Minister within the region in my opinion. His approach have demonstrated that crime if tackled from that level of government could help in reducing crime.

The closing of night time parties to 2 AM will successfully control of violence through deflecting offenders (for example, by preventing the congregation of large groups of drunken persons at bar-closing time or through situational controls on alcohol and weapons The Amnesty programme which he implemented is a situational crime prevention method and as you stated was a success. Government must strengthen its laws as it relates to crime where such laws could be seen as a deterrent.

The public have a role to play in helping to reduce crime however; the public have lost confidence in the police because of reasons known to them.

It’s the duty of the Police Force and the Minister of Public Security to restore the

public confidence in the police. If this is achieved, it will assist greatly in reducing crime.

Social crime prevention focuses on the social and economic conditions that contribute to violent and criminal behaviour.

This approach tends to include crime prevention measures that take some time to produce the intended results. This may include action to improve housing, health and educational achievement, as well as improved community cohesion through community development measures.

This is where the business community can be of considerable help in reducing crime.

The business community should take on a more proactive role within the community wherever possible, for example sponsoring sports clubs to assist in the cleaning up of certain deprived neighborhoods and whereever possible jobs for the youth.

More recent international research tends to highlight a few identifiable risk factors

Guyanese are committed to saving the planet DEAR EDITOR, The mirroring of the heroic send off of Guyanese born New York City police office in both NYC and GT is reflective of a next level of globalization, which normally denotes the exchange of trade and services among countries.

However, what the world has witness with regard to NYPD officer, Randolph Holder is the exchange of humanity between countries.

Officer Holder from all accounts was a good citizen of NYC who served the people of NYC and in return they were very grateful for his commitment to duty as an NYPD officer.

His family and friends

adored him for his love and generosity.

What transpired at both events is truly the next level of globalization. Those in Guyana was primed with live images (streaming or televised) of massive support in New York, a celebration of humanity that was exported in real time.

For this reason, emotions connected between the two cities without tariff or taxes.

What happens after this is the key to strengthening of this facet of globalization. I don’t claim to have the answer or solution, what I do know is there are no excuses not to continue this exchange.

We could begin with the work being done by the local

chapter of Habitat For Humanity or the tremendous progress of Iwokrama. Let NYC know that Guyanese are committed to helping the poor and saving the planet.

Moreover, we will do our part to stop drugs from entering JFK, as such it should be shown on ABC7NYC that the brave men and women of Guyana has prevented tons of cocaine from flooding the streets of NYC. Currently, what is shown on TV is the weekly bust of cocaine in milk powder or pepper sauce. Guyanese are better than that as shown by the bilateral support for officer Holder.

Keith Bernard

Businessman urges strong...

From page 4 was routed to Trinidad to be arrested and extradited from there to America. That the Chinese brought their own laborers to build the Marriott Hotel, is a telling indictment of the morass that Government was noted for.

Finally Mr. Editor as a businessman and employer, my prime inquisition for employing anyone, is their passion, qualification and ability to add value to my business. I have seen that passion in this Government, exercised in the immediate cleanup of the capital city, The start of the forensic audits, the removal of square pegs from round holes , the articulation of a vision and plan for the country, that will soon see Bartica having township status must be commended. New

Amsterdam is being earmarked for heavy commercial development.

The Foreign Affairs Minister, whose capability, wisdom and strength have outshined the devilish acts of the Venezuela, has announced to the world the just and legal case for the preservation of our territorial integrity.

For the Ministers of this Government who have both a national and international responsibility for the betterment of this nation, I submit that to keep them on a pay scale the same as the last Government would be a gross injustice and insult to the value they have brought and are bringing to the country. The salary increases I submit are totally justified.

Stanley Beresford

that contribute to high levels of crime. These include: • Poverty and unemployment deriving from social exclusion particularly from youths.

• Dysfunctional families with uncaring and incoherent parental attitudes, violence and parental conflicts • Social valuation of a culture of violence • Presence of facilitators such as firearms and drugs • Discrimination and exclusion deriving from sexist, racist or other forms of oppression • Degradation of urban environments and social

bonds These factors alert us to two main points. Firstly, youth should be a primary and essential focus for crime prevention. Many of the factors that lead to crime are ones that require early intervention. The prevention of crime - in many instances translates into the prevention of juvenile delinquency.

Secondly, the built-in environment can impact on crime and can therefore be manipulated to reduce levels of crime.

Tertiary crime prevention focuses on the operation of the criminal justice system

and deals with offending after it has happened. The primary focus is on intervening in the lives of known offenders in an attempt to prevent them from re -offending either through periods of incarceration, communitybased sanctions, or monitoring during periods of probation. Criminal justice system responses also seek to deter other potential offenders in the community by making an example of the convicted offender and educating the community concerning the penalties associated with crime.

Morris Springer

Haji Roshan Khan joins the Diwali debate DEAR EDITOR, I recently penned a letter to the media, which was published on the current Diwali controversy. The organizations have expressed their views. I had expressed mine as 11th as the best day for Diwali, according to my research.

However, having listen and considered the view of his Excellency, High Commissioner of India, that the South normally celebrate Diwali as the 10, and the North as the 11th of November, I began to understand more clearly.

Then Swami Ashkarandada published his views, and I studied this with depth. I have much love and respects for Swami. He is true patriarch of peace and a personal friend. I recall him arranging a masjid in his school compound on the UN’s International Day of Peace, a few years ago, so that the Muslims may conduct their prayer in respect.

This is a great form of honour to another religious group. It displays refinement and charisma. He had even

invited me to make a special presentation on a topic of my choice to all the students of the school.

I now stand more learned, taking it positively, and say, let us use love as we proceed, as it seems that both the 10 and 11th could be utilized. I understand this as a Muslim, as we almost always had two days for EidulFitr (Celebrations after the Fast of Ramadan) in Guyana.

Therefore, I say, let us celebrate on days preferred by various Sabhas or segments of the Hindu Community. Let us not be humiliating to the other, condemnatory, abusive, but reach out to celebrate with the other group on their day. For me, a Muslim, a lover of religions, I made it clear that I usually light a diya for solidarity.

Well, I will light two now.

One on the 10 and then another on the 11. Whichever is correct, and then I have it for sure, and I smile, God will be pleased. So should we all.

Celebrate on the day we choose in power and love, and light a few the next day

Ravi Dev does not...

From page 5 “Dharmic” became powerful because of Pandit Reep’s nexus with the PPP and its access to state power via which largess could be provided to those who aligned with his organization.

But the Dharmic Sabha was built from 1974 when the PPP was out of power. Yet by 1992 it had long supplanted the older organizations such as the Maha Sabha (which Pt Reep had left), and the Pandits Council headed by Pandit Gowkarran Sharma, then a Minister in the PNC government.

Without any “largess” it was no secret that whatever benefits were provided by Pandit Reep in the post-1992 era because of his being a Minister in the PPP government, had also been previously funneled by the PNC government via the organizations and leaders whom Pt Reep and Dharmic supplanted. Are we going to have a replay of History?

I hope that even at this late date the Hindu leaders can reach a compromise on essentially a disputation about ”form” and not the “substance” of our eternal way of life (Sanataan Dharma). We do not want to have a “PNC Deepavali” and a “PPP Divali”, do we?

Ravi Dev

as well.

Here, we satisfy all, ourselves first. Let us strive or peace and love always. Let us keep from controversy and hate. Let us care our country, and love all our peoples. Care for the other person’s viewpoint and interpretations. Herein is the nexus of true universal love.

Roshan Khan

From page 22

FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754.

Prado 2000 model, 2700CC, PPP2872, pearl white & silver, next to new- Call: 684-5868 House in Tuschen Main Road -$27M, 46ft fishing boat & 500lbs Nylon Seine -$2.3M. Call: 696-6074 Plants: Foxtails Palms, Christmas Palms, Ixora, Ficus, Christmas Trees, Petunia, Pentas, Gerbera, Marigold, Periwinkle @ AK PlantShop.

Call: 610-7363 Plants: Chrysanthemums 5 for $2000, Hibiscus 5 for $3,000, Bougainvilla 5 for $2000 @ AK Plant Shop. Call: 610-7363 33.6- Acres Farm land ideal for chicken @ Kuru Kururu Linden Soesdyke Highway, 2 female fluffy puppies. Call: 225-7794; 679-1151

Monday November 02, 2015

Kaieteur News

U.S. House Speaker Ryan rules out work with Obama on immigration WA S H I N G T O N (Reuters) - House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan yesterday ruled out working with President Barack Obama on overhauling U.S. immigration policy, saying it would be “a ridiculous notion” to pursue legislation because Obama cannot be trusted on the issue.

Republicans have fought Obama’s unilateral steps that bypassed a gridlocked Congress to try to shield millions of illegal immigrants from deportation.

Obama’s executive orders, announced last November but put on hold by the courts, would let up to 4.7 million illegal immigrants stay without threat of deportation.

It was aimed mainly at helping 4.4 million people whose children are U.S. citizens or

Paul Ryan legal permanent residents.

The immigration issue has driven a wedge between Hispanics, an increasingly important voting bloc, and Republicans, many of whom take a hard line on illegal immigration, to the benefit of Obama’s fellow Democrats.

Most of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the

United States are Hispanic.

Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican chosen as speaker on Thursday to replace the retiring John Boehner, said he would not try to advance comprehensive immigration legislation while Obama, whose term ends in January 2017, is president.

“I think it would be a ridiculous notion to try and work on an issue like this with a president we simply cannot trust on this issue,” Ryan said in an interview aired on the CBS program “Face the Nation.”

“He tried to go it alone, circumventing the legislative process with his executive orders, so that is not in the cards. I think if we reach consensus on how best to achieve border and interior enforcement security, I think that’s fine,” Ryan added.

Russian jet broke up in mid air but too early draw conclusions, official says

A man and children mourn near a makeshift memorial for victims of a Russian airliner which crashed in Egypt, outside Pulkovo airport in St. Petersburg, Russia yesterday. REUTERS/PETER KOVALEV Reuters – A Russian airliner that crashed in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula broke up in mid-air, an official of a Moscow-based aviation agency said yesterday after visiting the disaster site, but stressed it was too early to draw conclusions from this.

Russian authorities also ordered Kogalymavia airline, operator of the Airbus A321 which came down on Saturday killing all 224 people on board, not to fly its jets of the same model until the causes of the crash are known.

The jet, which Kogalymavia flew under the brand name Metrojet, was carrying holidaymakers from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to St Petersburg when it crashed into a mountainous area of central Sinai shortly after losing radar contact near cruising altitude.

“The destruction happened in the air, and fragments were scattered over a large area of around 20 square kilometres,” said Viktor

Sorochenko, director of the Intergovernmental Aviation Committee. However, he warned against reading anything into this information. “It’s too early to talk about conclusions,” he said on Russian television from Cairo.

The Moscow-based committee represents governments of the Commonwealth of Independent States, which groups Russia and other former Soviet republics.

Egyptian analysts began examining the contents of the two “black box” recorders recovered from the airliner although the process, according to a civil aviation source, could take days.

However, Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov told Russia 24 television that this work had not yet started.

A militant group affiliated to Islamic State in Egypt said in a statement that it brought down the plane “in response to Russian airstrikes that killed hundreds of Muslims

on Syrian land”, but Sokolov told Interfax news agency the claim “can’t be considered accurate”.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said it could take months to establish the truth behind the crash though his country was cooperating with Russia to aid investigations.

Page 25

Turkey set to return to singleparty rule in boost for Erdogan

People wave flags and hold a portrait of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan outside the AK Party headquarters in Istanbul, Turkey yesterday. REUTERS/OSMAN ORSAL Reuters - Turkey looked set to return to single-party rule after the Islamist-rooted AK Party swept to an unexpected victory in elections yesterday, an outcome that will boost the power of President Tayyip Erdogan but may sharpen deep social divisions.

With almost all ballots counted, the AKP had taken just shy of 50 percent of the votes, comfortably enough to control a majority in the 550-seat parliament and a far higher margin of victory than even party insiders had expected.

Prime Minister and AKP leader Ahmet Davutoglu tweeted simply “Elhamdulillah” (Thanks be to god), before emerging from his family home in the central Anatolian city of Konya to briefly address crowds of cheering supporters.

“Today is a victory for our democracy and our people ... Hopefully we will serve you well for the next four years and stand in front of you once again in 2019,” he said. A senior official from the main CHP opposition, which had calculated on ‘reining in’ Erdogan’s influence with a coalition government, described the result as “simply a disaster”.

The result could aggravate deep splits in Turkey between pious conservatives who champion Erdogan as a hero of the working class, and Western-facing secularists suspicious of his authoritarianism and Islamist ideals.

In the mainly Kurdish southeastern city of Diyarbakir, security forces fired tear gas at stone-throwing protesters after support for

the pro-Kurdish opposition fell perilously close to the 10 percent threshold needed to enter parliament.

In June, the AKP lost the overall majority it had enjoyed since 2002. Erdogan had presented Sunday’s polls as a chance to restore stability at a time of tension over Kurdish insurrection and after two bombings, attributed to Islamic State, while critics fear a drift to authoritarianism under the president.

With 97.5 percent of votes counted, the AKP was on 49.4 percent, according to staterun broadcaster TRT. The main opposition CHP was at 25.4 percent and a senior official said any hopes of a coalition now looked all but impossible.

“This is a success exceeding our expectations,” one senior AKP officials told Reuters, acknowledging surprise over the scale of the victory.

Since June’s poll, a ceasefire with Kurdish militants has collapsed, the war in neighbouring Syria has worsened and Turkey - a NATO member state - has been buffeted by two Islamic State-linked suicide bomb attacks that killed more than 130 people.

Investors and Western allies hoped the vote would help restore stability and confidence in an $800 billion economy, allowing Ankara to play a more effective role in stemming a flood of refugees from neighbouring wars via Turkey into Europe and helping in the battle against Islamic State militants.

Page 26

Kaieteur News

Monday November 02, 2015

Merkel’s conservatives align refugee policy but coalition still at odds BERLIN (Reuters) German Chancellor Angela Merkel failed yesterday to fully resolve differences within her ruling coalition over how to deal with the huge refugee influx, leaving open a row that has rocked her government.

Government spokesman Steffen Seibert described talks between the three party leaders as “constructive”, but said they would meet again on Thursday. German media had billed yesterday’s meeting as a crisis summit.

Germany, Europe’s biggest economy and long a magnet for migrants, expects between 800,000 and a million asylum seekers to arrive this year, twice as many as in any previous year, and far more than in any other European Union country.

The influx has opened up divisions within the coalition, with the Bavarian sister party of Merkel’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) demanding tougher action that many in the third ruling party, the Social Democrats (SPD), oppose.

“There is a lot of common ground and some points that remain open and still to be

Migrants queue on a bridge crossing the border river Inn at the German-Austrian frontier between Braunau and Simbach am Inn near Passau, Germany yesterday. REUTERS/Michael Dalder settled,” Steffen said, adding that these included the idea of introducing so-called “transit zones” at border crossings to process asylum requests.

Looking glum, SPD leader Sigmar Gabriel left the chancellery after the 2-hour meeting with Merkel and Horst Seehofer, leader of the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU).

Merkel and Seehofer stayed on and aligned their positions but must now get the SPD on board. Conservative officials welcomed the progress between the CDU and CSU, whose diverging views had ramped up tensions within the ruling coalition.

Bavaria is bearing the brunt of the refugee arrivals and Seehofer is under intense pressure in his state to press

the federal government to stem the tide of people from war- and poverty-stricken areas of the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

As well as agreeing on the swift introduction of transit zones, the conservative allies floated plans to restrict the right of some migrants to have their families follow them to Germany, and called for joint German-Austrian police

patrols along the border with Austria.

Deputy Finance Minister Jens Spahn, a conservative, told Reuters that no society could in the long-run cope with 10,000 people arriving a day without controls, and praised the CDU/CSU accord on transit zones and cooperation with Austria.

“So, dear SPD, let’s do it.

Quickly,” he added, pressing

Gabriel’s party to back their plans at Thursday’s meeting.

However, some SPD members have said they would not agree to the transit zones. The conservatives have had to deny that such centers would resemble concentration camps.

Infighting between the CDU and CSU has hurt their standing. Seehofer had issued a series of ultimatums to Merkel in recent weeks, including a threat to take the government to court over its policies on migrants, only to back down at the last minute.

A weekly survey by pollster Emnid put support for the CDU/CSU steady at 36 percent, but still far below the 43 percent they enjoyed as recently as August.

Gabriel’s SPD fell 1 percentage point to 25 percent, the poll showed. The right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party gained one point to 8 percent.

Gabriel said last month that Germany must win over skeptics or else risk “planting social explosives in our nation”, and Germany’s police chief has said the uncontrolled influx poses a domestic security threat.

Monday November 02, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 27

Page 28

Kaieteur News

Monday November 02, 2015

Pope hints Central African Republic visit could be cancelled VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis indicated yesterday that his planned visit to the Central African Republic this month could be cancelled if violence between Christians and Muslims there worsens.

Speaking to tens of thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square, he called for an end to the “cycle of violence” in the country he is scheduled to visit Nov. 28-29 as part of a trip that will also take him to Kenya and Uganda.

Francis spoke of the “trip I hope to be able to make to that nation”. He has previously simply said he would go.

A senior Vatican source said the phrasing was chosen because of the violence in the capital Bangui, where the pope is scheduled to visit a mosque in one of the most dangerous neighbourhoods.

“If the situation worsens, he will not be able to go and

he is aware of that,” the source said.

Last Thursday, four people were killed by mobs, bringing last week’s death toll to 11, including three negotiators for the Muslim Seleka alliance visiting Bangui for peace talks.

Mostly-Muslim Seleka rebels seized power in the majority Christian nation in a coup in 2013, prompting reprisals by Christian militias known as anti-balaka.

Muslims and Christians have since split into segregated communities across the landlocked former French colony. Tens of thousands of Muslims have fled to the far north, creating a de facto partition.

Apart from threatening the pope’s visit, the violence might wreck plans to hold long-delayed elections in December.

Last Thursday, interim President Catherine Samba Panza replaced the defence,

Pope Francis public security and justice ministers as part of a cabinet reshuffle.

The violence has flared despite the presence of thousands of U.N. peacekeepers (MINUSCA), who Vatican sources have said would be involved in protecting the pope if he visits.

Iran leader says fresh elections needed in Syria Tehran (AFP) - Iran’s supreme leader dismissed yesterday the chances of foreign countries bartering a deal over Syria’s future, suggesting they should focus on securing a halt to fighting that allows fresh elections.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also repeated his ban on direct talks with the United States about turmoil in the Middle East, saying US objectives in the region were utterly at odds with Iranian policy.

The comments, to Iran’s ambassadors and other top diplomats, were Khamenei’s first since his country joined international negotiations on the four-year Syrian conflict.

He said Syria’s people must choose who their leader would be, rather than the US and other foreign powers trying to decide for them.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “The Americans seek to impose their own interests, not solve problems. They want to impose 60, 70 percent of their will,” he said, alluding to the peace talks which took

place Friday in Vienna.

“So what’s the point of negotiations?” he said, insisting that military and financial support given to rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad, principally from Gulf states and the US, must stop if the Syria conflict is to end.

Top diplomats from 17 countries, as well as the United Nations and the European Union, had gathered in Austria, seeking to narrow divisions over Syria’s civil war, which has killed more than 250,000.

For the first time, the meeting brought together all the main outside players in the crisis, including Russia and Iran, key allies of Assad’s government. The Syrian regime and the opposition were not represented.

Monday November 02, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 29

Former Trinidad PM faces party leadership challenge PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — Former prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla PersadBissessar, now leader of the opposition following her defeat at the polls in the general election on September 7, is facing a stiff challenge to her leadership of the United National Congress (UNC) from former minister Dr Roodal Moonilal, who recently resigned as opposition chief whip in order to contest the party leadership at its forthcoming convention on December 5.

Moonilal has justified his challenge on the grounds that there has been unrest among members of the UNC who have been clamouring for change.

“Many I spoke to expressed dissatisfaction, many felt disgruntled, disenfranchised and even angry in the shadow of a shocking electoral defeat against the backdrop of one of the best performing

governments in Trinidad and Tobago’s history,” he said in a statement announcing his candidacy.

He said he has heard people within the UNC say things like: “We can’t take this anymore” and “I just fed up losing” – a reference to five consecutive election and byelection defeats suffered by the UNC under PersadBissessar’s leadership.

“Our major priority must now be on ensuring we do everything possible, make the essential changes necessary, and articulate the vision, strategy and structure, the policies, plans and programs that will steer us into government in the year 2020 or before. But we cannot do this unless we honestly recognize that if the same people use the same approach and behave in the same way, nothing will change. We will lose again and again — in 2020, 2025 and beyond,” Moonilal said.

Former education minister

UNC leadership challenger Dr Roodal Moonilal (left) and incumbent Kamla Persad-Bissessar Dr Tim Gopeesingh is also expected to announce his bid for the chairmanship of the party on Moonilal’s slate.

Persad-Bissessar faces a growing chorus of dissent within the party and without.

“I think Persad-Bissessar should resign, if for nothing else for being part of so many lost elections,” said party founder Trevor Sudama.

He said the main issue is

Antigua-Barbuda redefines diplomatic passports policy ST JOHN’S, Antigua — In the wake of the arrest of its former UN permanent representative Dr John Ashe on tax evasion charges relating to alleged bribes paid to him, the government of Antigua and Barbuda has announced what purport to be major changes to the policy governing the issue of diplomatic passports.

According to the government’s chief of staff Lionel ‘Max’ Hurst, diplomatic passports will now be issued to ambassadors at large, all ministers of government, the leader of the opposition, and president of the senate and the speaker of the house.

Former prime ministers, governors general, national heroes, knights, dames and their spouses will also be issued diplomatic passports.

Hurst also said that “official passports” will be issued to senior government officials, members of the senate, special economic envoys and those who the government believes will use the document to further the development of Antigua and Barbuda. It is not entirely clear if “official” is synonymous with “diplomatic” or if the new policy represents any real or effective change.

“What we want to do is to ensure that when passports are issued there is a policy governing them and that those people who ought

Dr John Ashe to have diplomatic passports will have them and those who ought not to will not have to opportunity to bear them,” he said.

A so-called diplomatic passport is generally issued for official international travel and residence to a country’s diplomats – persons appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with other states and/or international organizations – and their accompanying dependants.

However, the broader subjective definition apparently embraced by Antigua and Barbuda, namely, anyone who will use the document to further the development of the country, hardly seems calculated to limit the issue of diplomatic passports.

In particular, according to reliable sources, the following

three individuals associated with the Antigua and Barbuda citizenship by investment programme are holders of that country’s diplomatic passports: - Fahd Sattar Dero, the son of Sweet Homes owner Abdul Sattar Dero - Vitaly V Kryuchkov, chairman of the TDI Group - Ali Dakouri, owner of CTrust Global Repeated requests for confirmation of this and clarification as to whether such passports were issued by the former or current government have failed to produce any response from the Antigua and Barbuda government.

The matter of diplomatic passports being issued in conjunction with regional citizenship programs famously arose two years ago when an Iranian bearing a St Kitts and Nevis diplomatic passport tried to enter Canada, claiming he was there to see the Canadian prime minister, in breach of all protocols relating to the visit of foreign officials entering a country on official business.

He had no appointment. He was an unknown. He could not state the nature of his diplomatic engagements.

When questioned, Alizeera Moghadhan, a St Kitts and Nevis economic citizen, told Canadian officials that he paid $1 million for his diplomatic passport.

that Persad-Bissessar got caught up in the public relations image of herself and lost touch with the ground, lost touch with the people who supported her.

Persad-Bissessar and the UNC ran a fundamentally misconceived presidential style general election campaign focusing almost exclusively on the former prime minister, apparently in the hope that her perceived standing in the country would be sufficient to elect a majority of her party’s candidates. However, such a strategy rarely, if ever, works in a Westminster type of democracy.

Persad-Bissessar has, however, defended the UNC’s

general election campaign slogan “Kamla 2015”, saying internal party surveys showed voters were against some incumbent MPs. In the meantime, controversy has arisen over the appearance of another slogan “Who vex loss, Kamla ‘is boss’” that was prominently displayed on Persad-Bissessar’s brand new official campaign Facebook page. Although the slogan was denied by social media commentators, none could explain why the picture in question was recently uploaded to the page “by Kamla Persad Bissessar” if it was not something approved, adopted and/or endorsed by her.

Sudama added that Persad-Bissessar also made a grave error by giving the People’s National Movement (PNM) three months advance notice of the general election date, but gave her own candidates only three weeks to campaign, referring to the UNC’s delay in naming its election slate until just 21 days before election day. The list of PNM candidates on the other hand was effectively complete and made known in March – some six months ahead of the election.

Another former UNC member calling for Persad-

Bissessar to step down is her own former minister of national security Gary Griffith, who said she should step down.

“If you look at the loss of support over the five years, you could see that she has lost over 100,000 votes. Over 100,000 people turned their backs on her,” he said.

He said the supporters of the Congress of the People (COP), a partner in the previous People’s Partnership coalition government led by Persad-Bissessar would never support the UNC if she remained as political leader.

UNC MP Dr Fuad Khan has also said he is not supporting Persad-Bissessar.

Meanwhile, the UNC Youth Arm issued a statement in support of Persad-Bissessar, saying that calls by former senators and ministers for her to step down somehow prove that she still has the popular support of the UNC and her opponents are afraid of her expected victory at the convention on December 5th.

“The National Youth Arm Executive stands firmly in support of the leadership of Kamla Persad Bissessar and endorses her bid for reelection,” said Nicholas Morris, UNC Youth Arm chairman. (Caribbean News)

US federal judges reject Stanford’s appeal, uphold 110-year sentence Daily Observer - A United States federal appellate court here has let stand the 110 year prison term imposed on investment banker Allen Stanford.

Stanford was convicted in 2012 for masterminding a Ponzi scheme that involved his Antigua-based Stanford International Bank (SIB).

A three-judge panel of the fifth US Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Stanford’s claims that his indictment was defective and that the jury received faulty instructions.

The panel also dismissed Stanford’s claim that the US government withheld evidence favourable to him, that the trial judge favoured the government and that his sentence was improper.

Stanford, who maintained at his sentencing that he neither ran a Ponzi scheme nor defrauded anyone, complained in his appeal of the use of the term Ponzi Scheme at his trial, but the Court said the term captured the “essence” of his fraud scheme.

The panel said evidence presented at the seven-week trial was sufficient to convict Stanford. The judges also

Allen Stanford said Stanford’s sentence was appropriate.

“The court’s sentence of 110 years fell within the 230year sentence authorized by

the sentencing guidelines and is, therefore, presumed reasonable,” wrote Circuit Judge Edith Brown Clement for the Appeals Court.

Clement was joined by Circuit Judges Fortunato Benavides and Stephen Higginson.

Stanford filed his appeal on his own behalf, without an attorney. Stanford was accused of bilking about 25,000 investors worldwide and lived a lifestyle of luxury and island-hopping.

Investors were told by Stanford’s financial advisers that their money was safely held in certificates of deposit (CDs) at SIB in Antigua, but the law enforcement authorities argued that he used the money to fund his lavish habits.

Credit unions to fight new tax Daily Nation - The Credit Union sector has grown by just under $95 million in the past year but seven credit unions had to pay the tax imposed on their assets.

President of the Barbados Co-operative and Credit Union League, Barry Hunte, has assured its members that the umbrella body for credit unions is willing to challenge this legislation. Hunte was addressing the league’s annual general meeting at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre yesterday. In his report, Hunte said one of the major successes of the past year was the overall performance of the sector, which saw its assets grow from $1.721 billion to $1.815 billion.

Page 30

Kaieteur News

Monday November 02, 2015

Hundreds of sugar workers PP ministers spent $250M on travel could see jobs slashed The Gleaner - More than 1,000 sugar workers are expected to join the ranks of the unemployed after Everglades Farms confirmed that there will be no production at its Long Pond factory from the coming crop.

Last Friday The Gleaner broke the news that some 600 field hands, 270 independent suppliers and 200 factory workers could lose their jobs.

While confirming the shutdown, the management of Long Pond says the fallout might not be that drastic.

Chief Executive Officer of Everglades Farm Andrew Hussey says the company expects to retain a majority of its employees as some agricultural activities, rum production and distillery tours would continue.

Hussey also confirmed that discussions are ongoing with stakeholders and that a redundancy exercise with respect to factory

workers and staff will commence in the coming weeks.

St Lucia to host first Latin American and Caribbean Cultural Festival CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC) – St Lucia is preparing to stage the first ever Latin American and Caribbean Cultural Festival early this month with organisers hoping that it will become a major event on the Tourism and Cultural calendar of the Eastern Caribbean.

The festival to be held from November 9 – 13, is being organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Heritage and Creative Industries, the Cultural Development

Foundation (CDF) and the St Lucia Audiovisual and Film Association, in collaboration with the Argentine, Brazilian, Cuban, Mexican and Venezuelan Embassies accredited in St Lucia.

According to a Government announcement the main event, “Latin American Cinema”, will entail the showing of two renowned and/or awarded films from each participating country, intended for children and general audiences.

Prior to the screening of the second Latin American film, there will be the presentation of audiovisuals and short films produced by St Lucians, for the duration of the festival.

This initiative emerged as a result of the process of exchange and collaboration with the Latin American Diplomatic Corps in St Lucia, in hopes of sharing the cultural roots and manifestation among the peoples of both regions.

The statement noted that the inaugural festival intends to cultivate an appreciation for the enormous diversity of Latin American and Caribbean cinematography which has had a tremendous impact internationally, because of the unique techniques and interpretations reflected in the quality and production of those films.

Trinidad Guardian - The former People’s Partnership government spent $250 million on travel.

This was revealed by Prime Minister Keith Rowley while speaking at the PNM’s post-budget national public meeting at Piggott’s Corner, Belmont Circular Road, Belmont, on Friday night.

Rowley said, “It’s important for government members to travel because we do have business outside T&T. “So ministers will have to travel from time to time but we believe that travel ought not to be a perk and a junket.

“It ought to be done only when necessary because it is very expensive.

“Would you believe the government that just went out of office, guess how much money the ministries, I’m not talking about state enterprises, the Judiciary, the ombudsman, just the ministries, the executive, the government spent on travel in the last five years?

“Two hundred and fifty million dollars.”

Taking a jibe at former prime minister Kamla PersadBissessar, he said the people of T&T received savings on the night of September 7, the minute the PNM got the majority vote and he became Prime Minister, because he started saving on a hairdresser and a powder man travelling with him.

Rowley said it was one thing to say that government travel was important and necessary, but when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spent $30 million on travel, the question to ask was where were they going and for what purpose.

He said the Government would be looking at ways to

cut out waste and corruption in the public sector, such as state enterprises leasing hundreds of motor vehicles.

Rowley said instructions were made through Cabinet that all government vehicles, barring specific national security and state vehicles, must carry the insignia of the agencies that were leasing vehicles and the instruction would go out to every permanent secretary.

He also said there was to be no purchase of any vehicle dedicated to any minister and no minister’s driver was to drive any public vehicle because it was a cost to tax payers.

On the issue of mass transit, Rowley said the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) was invited to come to Trinidad to look at the situation with the eyes of independent experts.

He said when the IDB gave its report with recommendations, the Government would then decide how it was going to treat with the need for a mass transit system of whatever kind in T&T. Rowley said the PNM started off with a rail system, but the former government undermined and scrapped it.

He said the Government would not green light the project until it got the I D B ’s r e p o r t a n d a f t e r holding consultations with the people before taking a decision.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert, meanwhile, said when the PNM left office the public debt was $45 billion, compared to the UNC’s $77 billion.

He said the former government not only used up all the cash reserves in the Central Bank, it also maxed

Dr. Keith Rowley out the country’s borrowing limit. Imbert said there were projects that needed to be funded.

Among these are a new port in Port-of-Spain; converting the Beetham dump into an industrial estate; building a highway to Manzanilla, a road to Toco, and a new ferry port; converting the whole Waterfront area to housing, recreation and entertainment; a better road to Chaguanas; and a ringroad around Chaguanas. He said he intended to include a mass transit system as well.

Stuart Young, minister in the Office of the Attorney General, said the Government intended to implement several pieces of legislation and initiatives to ensure proper and efficient management for T&T. These include a revenue authority, local government reform to be passed before the next constitutionally due local government elections next year, public procurement legislation, whistleblowing legislation by December, reforming the process for appointing a Commissioner of Police, the International Finance Centre, and resuscitating cyber crime legislation.

Monday November 02, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 31

ECDCA Premium Beer T20 Knockout...

Brand Manager urges dedication and commitment as action starts

Premium Beer Brand Manager, Shameer Shahib (centre), addressing the Lusignan B (left) and Golden Achievers players on Sunday morning.

The East Coast Demerara Cricket Association (ECDCA) Premium Beer T20 cricket competition bowled off at various venues on Sunday with the sponsor’s representative urging the teams to exercise discipline, while showing “dedication and commitment” to the

game.

Addressing the Lusignan B and Golden Achievers teams minutes before the bowl-off of the first match of a double-header at the Enmore Community Centre ground, Premium Beer Brand Manager, Shameer Shahib, spoke of the importance of

the tournament, and the need for players to display a high level of professionalism.

“You must show dedication and commitment, as well as discipline because only that way other sponsors will be encouraged to invest in the sport,” Shahib told the players.

Punches in bunches as amateur...

From page 32 Matthews (REP) while Tyronne Lashley (RHJ) was too good for Richard Subratee (FYF) in their jnr/flyweight shindig. Aluko Venture {GDF) then won his flyweight bout against Republican, Dexter Wray while Tefon Green (GDF), also a flyweight, came away with a points decision over his gym mate, Keon Williams. The lightweight bout between Aquancy Harvey (GDF) and Joel Williamson (RHJ) ended in default after the latter boxer failed to turn up and gifted a walkover to his opponent.

In the jnr/welterweight division, Marlon Darrel (FYF) earned a unanimous verdict over Republican, Anandram Dharamraj while Dharamraj’s gym mate, Clifton Graham repaired the damage somewhat with a points

verdict over Marley Ross (GDF). Dennis Thomas (Police) needed 1:23secs of the 2nd round to dispose of Dwayne July (GDF) in the middleweight category while Trevon King (GDF) was a no show for his middleweight affair against his gym mate, Julius Handover and conceded a walkover.

Veteran boxer, Markember Pierre (GDF) proved too good for his Republican opponent, Junior Nurse, and won their light/heavyweight bout on points. The final bout of the night brought together two soldiers, Desmond Amsterdam and Colin Martin and the later pugilist prevailed on points. The finals were held last night whereupon a team will be selected and encamped for the upcoming ‘Back to the Future’ Inter Caribbean tournament this month end.

He added, “Also respect the umpires’ decision. Of course, everyone wants to win, but there can only be one winner.”

He further stated that it is from competitions like these that emerging talents can be spotted and groomed for the future. Further, Shahib urged the players to aim high as they stand on the cusp of representing their county, country and even the West Indies.

Eighteen (18) teams drawn from the East Coast of Demerara are competing in the knockout competition, which will continue on weekends and culminate with a third place playoff and final on November 22 at the

Enmore Community Centre ground.

The champion team will take home a trophy and $200,000; the runners-up a trophy and $100,000 and the losing semi-finalists a trophy and $50,000 each.

The Man-of-the-Match and the player who is deemed to have created the Play-ofthe-Day in the final will pocket $20,000 and $5,000 respectively.

At the launch of the competition a week ago, ECDCA Chairman Tejnauth Jadunauth thanked the sponsor and encouraged the teams to maintain a high level of discipline.

Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Secretary Anand Sanasie said he was happy to see cricket being played on a regular basis in the area, adding that the GCB was always willing to assist. He

lauded Banks DIH Limited and congratulated the ECDCA on the partnership.

Meanwhile, Lusignan B defeated Golden Achievers by five runs to advance to the next stage of the competition.

Inserted to take first strike, Lusignan B posted 93 with Chetram Jeenarine (18), Tameshwar Motiram (17) and national Under-15 player Robin Williams (15) among the runs.

Keron Roberts was outstanding for Golden Achievers, claiming 5-20 from four overs, while Seon Walcott bagged 2-14 from 2.1 overs.

Golden Achievers in reply, folded for 88 with Winston London scoring an unbeaten 28 and Premchand Sookdeo hitting 21. B. Agnadu picked up 2-12 and young Motiram impressed with 1-5 from two overs.

Hamids XI record second...

From page 33 for 33 and S. Shivrantoo 2 for 24. Seawell in return made a spirited effort but were bowled out for 152 in 17.3 overs.

Lakeshwarnauth Ramdass made 55 and A. Ramsaroop 29.

72 year old Zamin Hamid was again among the wickets taking 3 for 12 and Hassan Hussain 2 for 14.

Meanwhile in Fixtures for this Sunday: At Goed Bananen Land: 9:30am.....Kendalls Union Big Team vs Hamid Eleven 1:30pm.....Goed Bananen Land vs Rose Hall CC

Page 32

Kaieteur News

NSC Tour of Guyana 5-Stage cycle road race

Monday November 02, 2015

Terrence Ali National Open Boxing Championships

Coco’s Ospina captures Punches in bunches as amateur 5th stage to be crowned boxers gear up for international duties overall winner Team Coco’s Colombian Carlos Ospina overpowered his rivals to win the final leg and the overall title as the National Sports Commission tour of Guyana five-stage cycle road race concluded yesterday.

Ospina dominated the final stage which commenced at Kara Kara, Linden Highway and finished at Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown, a distance of 64.5 miles.

He separated himself from the peloton five miles into the race and maintained a lead of 2.5 minutes throughout.

Despite the efforts of the other cyclists including Caribbean Champion Marloe Rodman of Jamaica who represented Heatwave, Darren Matthews (Coco’s), Paul De Nobrega (Alanis), Hamza Eastman (Coco’s), Andre Simon of Antigua (8 SII), Raynauth Jeffery (Coco’s), Marlon Williams (Gillette Evolution), Raul Leal (Gillette Evolution), Alonzo Greaves (Roraima), Geron Williams (Continental), Orville Hinds (Gillette Evolution), Jornel Yearwood (Bauxite Flyers), Jamol John (Coco’s), Jamaul Eastmond (Heatwave) and Colombia’s Jamie Ramirez (Coco’s), Ospina comfortably won the event in a time of 2 hours 35 minutes and 50 seconds.

Jamaul Eastmond took the runner up spot in 2:36:54, while Jeffery claimed third in

2:36:54. John, Williams and Yearwood completed the top six.

Ospina recorded an overall time of 9:58:51. Leal finished second overall in 10:03:31, while Hamza Eastman placed third in 10:03:43.Williams was fourth in 10:03:54 followed by John in 10:04:08, Graves in 10:05:15, Geron Williams 10:05:18, Paul De Nobrega 10:05:44, Matthews 10:06:15 and Rodmond 10:06:16.

Meanwhile, the World Anti Doping Association (WADA) through the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) conducted a test on some of the cyclist after the race concluded.

However, manager of Team Coco’s Ian Davis told Kaieteur Sport that he will lodge a protest sighting unfair treatment to his cyclists in relation to the test. He said that he does not have a problem with his members being tested, but members of the other teams must be tested not just a few. Davis explained that the majority of the cyclists that were tested were drawn from his team; 10 athletes were tested six are from team Coco’s.

Team Coco’s fielded the most cyclists and Race Director Malcolm Sonaram indicated that the athletes that were tested were chosen by the GOA. (Zaheer Mohamed)

By Michael Benjamin It was an occasion worth remembering when local boxers bared fists in the semifinals of the Terrence Ali National Open Boxing Championships at the Andrew Lewis Boxing Gym, Independence Boulevard last Saturday evening. Indeed, most of the bouts were characterized by ‘punches in bunches’ and raised the hopes of Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) administrators, who will be selecting the team to represent this country in the ‘Back to the Future’ Caribbean Boxing Tournament, scheduled for this month end at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).

The boxers gave an inkling of what fans could expect when, before an improved crowd attendance from the inaugural night, they turned in action packed performances that truly entertained the spectators.

An especially thrilling bout occurred between Diwani Lampkin and Republican, Nankumar Singh, where the former boxer scraped home with a split decision after a stormy affair.

A rangy fighter, Lampkin knew that he could not mix with Singh, a short rough and tumble boxer who delighted in close combat. Lampkin got on his bicycle from the onset but could not always keep

Action in the heated contest between Diwani Lampkin and Nankumar Singh.

the rampaging Singh at bay.

The latter boxer quartered the ring and unleashed several telling punches which Lampkin took like a man before retaliating with salvoes of his own.

The spectators loved the action and when the bell sounded for the start of the second round, a large section of the crowd flocked the ring in their exuberance and forced the referee to halt the proceedings to restore some order. Upon resumption, the Republican forced his opponent into a brawl where he (Nankumar), felt more comfortable. He unleashed several salvos before Lampkin wisely resorted to his dancing movements. The action then went wild as both boxers aimed at each other and scored with crunching blows. First it was Lampkin who struck with several crosses before Singh responded with several hooks and body punches.

Buoyed by his success in the second round, Singh decided to up the ante at the start of the third. Only this time, instead of dancing away, Lampkin met him head on and a delightful toe to toe slugfest really entertained the appreciative crowd. The two boxers resumed the bout in close combat in round three and Lampkin almost lost a point for holding but was instead warned by the referee.

It seemed as though Nankumar was making a statement, if you are to beat me you must be well conditioned to withstand the onslaught. Lampkin did not only prove that he could withstand the onslaught, he also supported that belief with matching aggression. The judges concurred and

awarded him the bout by split decision.

Clairmonte Gibson (GDF) also cemented his place among the top amateur boxers when he bulldozed his Republican opponent, Christopher DaSilva, into submission in their bantamweight encounter.

Gibson attacked his man from the first gong with several wicked clouts to his head.

DaSilva opted to sprint around the ring to ward off the blows but Gibson pressed on and cornered him before unleashing a wicked right hand punch that landed flush on DaSilva’s jaw. The referee stopped the fight and summoned the ringside nurse who after a cursory check pronounced that DaSilva was too disoriented to continue.

The time was 2:30secs of the first round.

Kellon King (FYF) returned with a bang after losing his last bout, on the Atwell/Gonsalves card, to Nankumar Singh, with a decisive victory over Republican, Klaus Daniels.

Fighting out of a southpaw stance, King withstood several crunching punches in the early stages of the first stanza, one of which resulted in him receiving a mandatory 8 count. He returned to the fray in the second stanza and matched his opponent blow for blow. It was during this exchange that King struck with a humdinger that forced the ‘third man’ to institute a mandatory 8 count. Daniels refused to baulk and upon resumption, attacked with venom. The ploy backfired when King landed again, forcing the referee to count Daniels for the second time in the bout before deciding that he was too hurt to

continue. The time was 2:27secs of the second round.

Jason Phillips (FYF) is a classical boxer but chose to brawl with Colin Lewis (GDF) in their jnr/welterweight bout.

Whenever Phillips opted to box he looked superior but for some inexplicable reason he chose to engage his opponent in a brawl, throwing wild punches that had little effect. He paid the price for his bad judgment when he lost the fight on points.

Delon Charles (FYF) had a field day against Republican, Stephan Andrews in their bantamweight encounter. He pummeled his man early in the first round, pushing him back to the ropes with left jabs and right crosses. Andrews showed some retaliation nearing the end of the round when the two pugilists became locked in a delightful exchange in one of the neutral corners.

Charles enjoyed some target practice in round two with several unanswered volleys to his opponent’s head. He had his man reeling from several combinations and the referee decided to institute a mandatory 8 count.

Andrews made it to the end of the round but just could not muster the will to reenter the fray; he quitted on his stool at the start of the final round.

In all, there were 17 bouts and the spectators were really entertained.

In other results Jamal Eastman (RHJ) won by decision over Sean Griffith (FYF) in the bantamweight category of the youth bout.

In the Elite jnr/flyweight category, Teusimar Peters (GDF) defeated Kishon Continued on page 31

Monday November 02, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 33

MVP ‘The Dream’ lifts Jets past Ravens in Brusches Classic final 69-67 Linden’s Amelia’s Ward Jets were fashioned to an enthralling 69-67 win and capturing their first Brusches Classic when they edged Ravens in the final, compliments of their returning guest player Akeem ‘Dream’ Kanahi who emerged with a triple double after netting 17 points, 17 boards and ten steals Saturday night at the Mackenzie Sports Club Hard Court.

Watched by a good crowd which included Untied States based former national captain

James Brusche and GABF president Nigel Hinds, the home team avenged an earlier loss where the Half Mile Bulls failed to build on early leads against a determined Colts side which scored a comfortable come from behind 71-61 win.

The final was one where the visitors could not put together a game that would disrupt the talented Kanhai, who along with back court player Amaniki Archibald and centre Allsiter Webster initiated leads through the

first quarter 21-13, at half time 36-28 and heading into the fourth and final period leading 49-43.

The Ravens with their title on the line saw a spirited comeback led by national Ryan Gullen with some slick penetration and attacking the basket from Dominique Vincent and Tyrone Hamid who ended with 19, 11 and 10 points respectively.

However, the Ravens with Kanhai controlling tempo and pace of the game, along with Archibald on fire for an

GCB/Scotiabank Kiddy Progression One Cricket…

Skeldon , No. 56 and Massiah Primaries victorious Skeldon, No. 56 and Massiah Primary schools were victorious when GCB/ Scotiabank progression one cricket continued in the Corentyne Districts.

At the Skeldon Community Centre Ground, Skeldon Primary played Crab Wood Creek Primary. Skeldon Primary won the toss and inserted Crab Wood Creek Primary who posted just 65/ 12 when their allotted 14 overs expired. Shazim Khan was the only batter to reached double figures, with 18. Bowling for Skeldon Primary, Stephon Welcom and Tierra Fraser grabbed two wickets for five and six runs respectively.

Skeldon Primary chased down the target without loosing a wicket in just six overs. Fenny Adrian and Zakeel Flats were both unbeaten on 35 and 24

Makee Katown respectively.

Over at the No. 59 ground, No. 56 Primary came up against No. 59 Primary, with the latter batting first and posted 97/9 in 14 overs, batting first. Ganesh Umbra made an unbeaten 27; Tresesh Chatterpaul, Haymen

Bhajnauth, Paul Douglas and Marica Rose each took two wickets.

In reply No. 56 made careful but steady progress, reaching their target with two overs to spare to end on 98/3.

Gomesh Reece and Trish Chinchilla were both unbeaten on 33 and 18 respectively.

In the match at the No. 71 ground, Massiah Primary came up against No. 68 Primary. No. 68 Primary won the toss and decided to bat but only managed 70. Makee Katown grabbed 4-1.

Massiah Primary replied with 71-1. Latasha Singh made 30 not out and Salim Khan an unbeaten 25.

This Competition continues Wednesday when F.E Pollard and J.E Burnham clash at the Racquet Centre, Georgetown.

Ramnarine Appiah Memorial twenty over cricket competition

Hamids XI record second consecutive win, Kendalls Union Big Team also victorious The Ramnarine Appiah (Brother Appiah) Memorial twenty over cricket competition for second division teams in the East Canje/Lower East Coast, Berbice area continued last Sunday with Hamids XI and Kendalls Union Big Team on winners row.

The summarized scores show: At the Goed Bananen Land ground, the host won the toss and inserted the Kendalls Union Big Team who compiled a challenging 174 for 9 wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Narendra Mangra top scored with 43 and got support from S Baker 31 and Dasrath Debidin 21.

Bowling for GBL, Javed Ali was a one man army taking 6 for 41. In reply, GBL made a spirited reply but fell short by 5 runs in a thrilling finish

Javed Ali

Navendra Mangra

ending on 169 for 8 off their allotted overs. R. Britton made 35, Ali 26, D. Cyril 22 and Imran Hussain 21. Mangra returned to take 3 for 21 and A. Ramnarine 2 for 33.

In the second match at the same venue, Hamid Eleven won their second game of the

day to stay in contention for the semi finals. Hamid Eleven won the toss against Seawell, took first strike and scored a challenging 204 all out in 20 overs. Asif Gajnabi made 43 and S. Latchaya 30. Bowling for Seawell, R. Gajnabi took 3 Continued on page 31

eventual game high 21 points and centre Omally Sampson with 10 points proved crucial to the win.

Orrin Rose the former junior national shooting guard was also able to inject his impression with the crucial down town shooting which hit the scoreboard in

the final period to lift the hopes of the Jets side when it was most needed.

Rose finished with eight points with three from behind the arc and the win finally came 69-67.

Earlier, the Linden side Bulls failed to capitalize on their good starts after taking leads in the first three periods

and could not close out the rampaging Colts, in the end losing 71-61. Dave Causeway and Shelroy Thomas each had 21; points for the Colts with Curleigh English getting nine. For the Bulls, Dennis Niles once again played well for 14 points, as Keifer Tappin and Travin Dryden each netted 13 apiece.

Page 34

Kaieteur News

BCCDA launches 6th Corporate Business in Sports event

Monday November 02, 2015

Giftland Office Max Nex Generation Boxing Card given thumbs up acknowledgement Organizers commence Boxing Day preparations

The captains, sponsors and executives of the BCCDA at the launch of the event.

The Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association (BCCDA) on Monday last successfully launched the sixth edition of the Corporate Business in Sports (CBIS) Inter-Agency Softball cricket tournament, fun day and exhibition cricket games amongst Corporate Business entities in Berbice.

The activity this year will be held under the theme “Fostering Unity Among Cooperate Businesses”.

The launching, which took place at the BCCDA office at Chapel Street, New Amsterdam, was attended by the respective captains of the participating teams along with sponsors and members of the BCCDA. Remarks were given by BCCDA President Ramroop Ragnauth and Treasurer Chris Hicks, who outlined the

format the competition will take and some of the rules of the competition.

The teams are expected to engage in 10/10 cricket, dominoes and other activities.

The finals will be played under floodlights. A feature 20/20 exhibition cricket match is also expected to be a part of the day’s proceedings.

The tournament will be held at the Albion Sports Complex on Saturday 7th November at Albion Sports Complex Ground and will bring together 12 business organisations and agencies.

The competition will be played on a knockout basis.

The teams expected to participate this year are – Hand in Hand, Ansa McAl Trading, Republic Bank Ltd (Georgetown), Republic Bank Ltd. (Berbice), Berbice Bridge Company (BBCI), Nand

Persaud and Company Limited, J’s Supermarket in New Amsterdam, Banks DIH Limited, Massy Group of Companies, Regional Chairman XI, Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabbah and the Guyana Bank of Trade and Industry(GBTI).

The aim of the event is to promote unity and fostering better working relationships between entities and the public. The day’s activities as usual is expected to offer much thrills and excitement as patrons will have the opportunity to see professionals from various disciplines including bankers, managers, lawyers, presellers, cashiers, clerks all battling for supremacy.

Fans will be in for a big treat as the organisers have introduced a number of new initiatives to make the activity

a truly business, family oriented affair.

The activities are expected to commence at 09:00 hrs and go way into the evening with massive floodlights at the venue. Top stereo sounds Paragon International will entertain fans, while big screen projectors and cheerleader and dancers will also be in attendance.

Fireworks display is also on the cards.

Children and other patrons will also be catered for with Merry go round and other tokens.

Patrons will have an opportunity to walk away with gate prizes which will be up for grabs. All the funds raised from the project will go towards charity.

The tournament, which started in 2010 as a friendly game amongst business places, has now grown to become an agenda item on the calendars of the corporate businesses.

Each Team is permitted two guest players (NO NATIONAL PLAYER).

Employees spouse and children can register as staff of the Company if there are not enough employees to fill the team.

The winning team is expected to pocket $40,000 plus a trophy and medals.

Second place will take home $20,000 plus a trophy and medals. Third and fourth place finishers will receive $10,000 and $5,000 respectively plus a trophy and medals.

The man of the match will get $5,000 plus a trophy.

The defending champions the New Building Society Limited (NBS) will not be allowed to participate this year. (Samuel Whyte)

By Michael Benjamin Following a thorough evaluation of the recently staged Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC)/Giftland Office Max Nex Generation Boxing Card at the Giftland Office Max Mall, Liliendaal ECD, organizers have voted to ordain the venue as the official site for future boxing matches. As such, fans have been put on notice that plans are in train to host the traditional Boxing Day card at that venue this year.

This much was disclosed by Vice President of the Nexgen Global Productions, Aleem Hussain, at an appreciation function held at the fight venue last Friday evening. The function was graced by CEO of the Giftland Office Max Mall, Roy Beepat, newly crowned Fecarbox Champion, Dexter Gonsalves as well as the other boxers that had comprised the card, members of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC), members of the media, those of the corporate community that had contributed to the card’s success and other entertainers that comprised a part of the show among others.

The organizers expressed sadness at the unfortunate mishap that has left world rated pugilist, Clive Atwell hospitalized and wished him a speedy recovery. “The (Giftland Office Max Mall) will soon be dubbed the official venue for boxing matches,” Mr. Hussain then declared to cheers of approval from the audience. He said that Mr. Beepat was extremely delighted to have played a major role in the recent promotion even as he promised that the company will be involved in the Boxing Day Promotions in a very big way.

In brief remarks, Mr. Beepat sung praises of Mr. Hussain’s astute marketing ploys which he felt was largely responsible for the commendable, all round support given to the card.

“We have seen marketing talent at its best and (Mr. Hussein) has restored some pizzazz to the sport,” exhorted Mr. Beepat.

He said that when the Mall was conceptualized, the planners were bent on facilitating social gathering. He said that his executives will broaden this concept and later this month they will launch the comedy night show where local artistes can showcase their talent. The local businessman further said that the aim is to enrich the cultural talent nestling in the country.

He made mention of music icon, Eddy Grant and rising songster, Lisa Punch and consequently vowed to support their efforts to entertain Guyanese with indigenous productions. Mr. Hussein supported Mr. Beepat’s views and declared, “We will be blazing a new trail and will not be replicating our strategies but will always present fresh initiatives for public consumption,” he assured.

Guyana Beverages Company had donated handsomely towards the card’s success and one of its executives, Shamieza Yadram, congratulated the organizers on an excellent show. She said that her boss, Robert Selman, has recognized the value in supporting the card and he was certainly pleased with the outcome. “We are indeed heartened by the (all round) efforts of the organizers and participants and we have committed to future involvement in a big way,” assured Ms Yadram.

The media also came in for high praise and several journalists spoke on behalf of their institutions; Isaiah Chappelle pointed out that the National Communications Network (NCN) is in the forefront in its bid to broadcast local sports. “We are not only about politics as a great percentage of our coverage centers on (local) sports productions,” he said.

Kaieteur News was represented by its journalist, Michael Benjamin who dubbed the sports section of the edition as incomparable to none. “Our team of (competent) journalists spares no effort in transmitting the news to our eager readers and we are very proud of the number one status we currently enjoy,” he said. There were also high praises flowing from the lips of GBBC officials. “We the members of the (GBBC) are extremely delighted to welcome Giftland on board and we are grateful for your (indispensible) input,” said Trevor Arno.

The boxers also had their say and Dexter Gonsalves expressed gratitude to the organizers for promoting the card thus facilitating his championship status. Anson Greene, Imran Khan and Keeve Allicock also voiced similar sentiments. Each of the participating boxers also received a beautiful trophy in acknowledgement of their efforts.

The atmosphere enhanced great interaction and the guests were also treated to snacks even as a large television screen relived the card while highlighting the unceremonious conclusion of the main bout.