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Issue No. 2228

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

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WHAT'S INSIDE: Labour survey finds: Managers, P3

technicians in short supply

Page 9

Man found murdered at Mahdia Dead: Bisham Monilall

P5

Small loggers denounce P11 attacks on Chinese firms CARILED holds P17 workshop for machine operators at Mara

GDF inks $1B nonlethal aid package with China

Page 7

GDF Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Mark Phillips and his counterpart from the People’s Liberation Amy of China, Major General, Kong Li exchange contract documents following the signing of a $1 billion grant aid package on Tuesday at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Grorgetown (Carl Croker photo)

8 murders in past 9 days Page 2

US helping Guyana P17 airport officials with fraud detection

2 NEWS

wednesDAY, august 20, 2014 | guyanatimesGY.com

8 murders in past 9 days

BY JOMO PAUL

A

s police intensify their investigation into the killing of a businessman Monday afternoon on Vlissengen Road statistics has shown that there have been at least none murders in the past nine days.

The latest murder was recorded on Tuesday when the body of Nickel Leacock, 20 years, of 111 Miles, Mahdia, was found at about 07:45h along a trail at Blackwater Backdam, Konawaruk, Mahdia, with suspected stab wounds.

The Pike Street home of slain businessman Ashook Ragghu

Jennifer Mendonca

Relatives of slain businessman Ashook Ragghu remain tightlipped on the affairs of the businessman. At about 13:00h on Monday, Ragghu, 43 years old, and his wife Shyrazabin Ragghu, 49, were in a motor vehicle at a traffic light at the junction of Regent Road and Vlissengen Road, Georgetown, when they were attacked by two men on CG motorcycles.

Police say that two men rode up and opened fire on the vehicle, fatally hitting Ragghu. His wife

Shyrazabin also sustained a gunshot wound to her foot and is undergoing treatment at a city hospital.

When Guyana Times visited their Pike Street, Campbellville home, one of the dead man’s daughters declined to comment.

However, Guyana Times spoke to a neighbour who explained that she did not know much about the family.

The woman pointed out that the family moved in the area in the first quarter of 2014 and have since been reserved.

She had told reporters on the day of the incident that her parents had travelled to a city bank to withdraw a large sum of money to pay workers and buy groceries.

The distraught young woman explained that her father has a business in the interior and would usually come to the city to transact business. Police sources have confirmed that one man has been ar-

rested in connection with the robbery/murder.

Murder spike

Meanwhile, for the past nine days there have been several murders across the country. On August 9, the body of Jennifer Mendonca, 57 years old, was discovered in her Prince William Street, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara (ECD) home at about 22:00h.

John Hertsberger, an 18-yearold Handyman of Duke Street Kingston has since appeared before the court charged with her murder. Ayube Khan also called “Haman”, 53, of Lot 29 Genieve Village, Canal Number One Polder; West Bank Demerara (WBD) died after he was severely beaten by a relative during a drinking spree at a house at Canal Number One, WBD. Marvin Cumbermack, an employee of the Guyana Water Inc

(GWI) was also shot dead in Sophia after being robbed.

On August 11, 51-year-old Rudolph Persaud was also fatally shot while an acquaintance was shot by another man while imbibing at Northern Hogg Island, Essequibo River.

On August 13, Deochand Singh, 48, also called “Mike” of Free Yard Port Mourant was fatally beaten, chopped and stabbed by his stepson Inderjeet Sewdhan, 20, who resided with him. Police said in a release that the murder occurred around 20:30h. The suspect has been arrested and is in Police custody assisting with the investigation.

On Friday last the body of Pradika Persaud called “Simone” of Orangestein, East Bank Essequibo, was found on the roadway about 23:30h. The woman was clad in a short pants and a top. She had bruises about her body and her neck bore small cut marks. Also on Friday last Popular street dancer, Allan Gobin called “Antics,” was found murdered in a house at Moore Street, East Canje.

The body had several marks of violence, including what appeared to be a hit to the head. The discovery was made by his uncle, Davis Ramdial. According to the 52-yearold Ramdial, he had been in search of Gobin since Friday morning.

“Ah look everywhere I know he does drink.”

Earlier this month, the Police had reported that there has been an eight per cent drop in serious crimes for the first seven months of the year.

According to the Police Force, the total number of reports of serious crimes made between January 1 and July 31 was 2134 compared to 2317 for the same period in 2013. However, by the end of July,

over 80 murders had been recorded which represents a 10 per cent increase in the murder rate over the same period for the previous year.

“Of the 80 murders committed unto July 2014, three were of the execution type, 16 were committed during robberies, 21 were domestic related, 17 were of the disorderly type and 23 are so far undetermined,” the Police Force said in a statement.

Additionally, at the end of July, robbery under arms saw an in-

Dead GWI Employee Marvin Cumbermack

creased by 16 per cent with 679 reports compared to 585 for the same period in 2013.

The Police statement said “the statistics indicate an increase of 27 per cent in the number of armed robberies involving the use of firearms and a two per cent decrease in armed robberies where instruments other than firearms were used.

NEWS

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BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Wednesday, August 20 from 14:00h-15:30h The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Wednesday, August 20 from 13:10h-14:40h

WEATHER TODAY Countrywide: Heavy rain showers can be expected during the day with light rain showers in the late afternoon. Clear skies are expected in the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations.

Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: West North-westerly between 2.23 metres and 2.68 metres per second.

High Tide: 12:44h reaching a maximum height of 2.09 metres.

Low Tide: 06:08h and 18:36h reaching minimum heights of 1.05 metres and 1.13 metres respectively.

saturday, august 16, 2014

LOTTERY NUMBERS G 04 12 18 24 16 21 25 FREE TICKET

Bonus Ball

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

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Labour survey finds:

Managers, technicians in short supply

T

here is a dearth of managers, technicians and machine operators in Guyana, a recently conducted Labour Market Intelligence Survey by the Labour Ministry has found.

The Ministry on Tuesday in the boardroom of the National Centre for Education Research Development (NCERD), Kingstown, Georgetown, unveiled the findings from the first ever such survey conducted in five occupational sectors.

The intelligence survey, funded by the Inter American Development Bank (IDB) was conducted in the 10 administrative regions across Guyana, targeting the manufacturing, commercial trade, hotel and hospitality, construction and engineering, and forestry sectors.

The survey has its genesis in a skills-need survey conducted in the mining sector in 2011. On the completion of that study, a proposition was made that a similar survey be carried out in the other five sectors of the economy.

Chief Statistical Officer of the Labour Ministry Ivelaw Henry, in delivering the report said some 317 establishments responded to the survey which was carried out between July and October of 2013. The 317 firms rep-

resent 79 per cent of the 400 establishments that were approached to participate.

According to Henry, the survey’s objective was embedded in an effort to ascertain whether there is an existing shortage of skills in the five sectors identified.

“The findings show that there is a gap between demand and supply of skilled workers. This gap is revealed in the fact that managerial, technicians and machine operators are in demand and there might be inadequate provisions to supply these skills,” Henry told the boardroom of stakeholders.

Existing dilemma

He said there is a number of supporting pieces of information to substantiate the existing dilemma, including information with regard to a proportionately lower number of managerial and supervisory workers, highly skilled workers, and numerous vacancies for managers and technically skilled individuals.

Based on the survey, it was found that a larger percentage of workers have been able to acquire only primary and secondary education.

And according to him, “this does not help in filling the skills gap”.

He said from the survey, it was found that many per-

sons are prepared to work in the labour force in one occupation for extended periods.

He explained that although this may be good for stability, it is still necessary to address the issues of workplace inactivity and work improvement on the job.

“This is consistent with the statements from a number of establishments, which when asked, responded that they will seek to be involved in capital infrastructure and extension of their businesses in the next five years”, the Chief Statistical Officer said.

Training programmes

He emphasised the need for workplaces to have skills training and retraining programmes of their own so as to meet the skills gap.

Henry said that the information system of the labour market in Guyana is still developing. He noted that the absence of empirical data on the Guyana Labour Market is regularly communicated by institutions, such as the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, since they require up-to-date data which

will inform plans for relevant skills-training programmes.

He informed the audience too that many young people, leaving educational institutions are in need of jobs and are bothered by the fact that these are sometimes not obtainable. Youth employment, he noted, is a universal problem.

Aside from the issue of youth employment, the Chief Statistical Officer added that the problem of employment is further compounded with the numerous complaints by employers that persons graduating from vocational skills training institutions are not suitably trained for the job.

“There is therefore a mismatch between what persons are trained to do and what the labour market requires”.

Last year’s survey was said to be the first ever to be conducted in Guyana.

Prior to this, the Labour Ministry had depended on the National Census report which is carried out every 10 years. Stakeholders gave some favourable responses, commending the Ministry for the wise step and suggested that the first-time activity become an annual event.

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Views Editor: Nigel Williams Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134 Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

Matching talk with money

A

mong the highlights of the just concluded CaricomJapan Summit which was recently held in Trinidad and Tobago is an initiative which entails a US$15 million grant to boost the Region’s capacity to overcome the impacts of natural disasters. This project will enable countries in the Caribbean, including Guyana, Suriname and Belize, to enhance their adaptive capacity to climate change and natural disasters.

Caribbean countries share common vulnerabilities, ranging from debt and excessive dependence on international trade to climate change and rising sea levels.

For example, most of Jamaica was left without electricity, and public infrastructure suffered damage valued at hundreds of millions of dollars following the passage of Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

In Grenada, Hurricane Ivan left damage worth 203 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and St Lucia lost 365 per cent of its GDP following Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. Most of us in Guyana would also recall the massive floods in 2005 which resulted in severe damage to agricultural crops and livestock. In addition to significant damage to property, several Guyanese lost their lives.

The Caribbean needs help in fighting climate change.

Most of the economies of the Region are small and national governments are occupied trying to find jobs and creating more opportunities for their citizens. They do not have the necessary resources which amount to millions of US dollars to make the kind of investments in mitigation and adaptation projects.

We therefore welcome this new Japan-Caribbean-UNDP Partnership as it will boost national policies and plans to cope with climate change-related adversity, among them, being aiming to reduce dependency on fossil fuel imports, setting the Region on a low-emission path and improving access to sustainable energy.

There has been much talk by the big players such as the European Union and the US. While they have all expressed how concerned they are, they are not matching their talk with the massive level of investments needed to help poorer countries put systems in place to adequately deal with the impacts of climate change.

Countries which are the biggest producers of carbon emissions are some of the slowest when it comes to implementing meaningful measures against climate change.

The Caribbean countries are perhaps among the lowest polluters in the world, yet they are the ones who are facing (and will continue to face) the brunt of the impact of climate change.

The world has committed to finalising a legally binding climate agreement by 2015 and that is now only a few months away. Former President Bharrat Jagdeo who has been a global advocate on climate change issues had said that if we are to have a chance at winning this battle, urgent and necessary action will need to be taken at the highest level of world governments and international bodies.

Jagdeo had also warned that there are practical interventions which could be taken now to minimise the effects of climate change, these include: building hurricaneproof hospitals and schools; making agriculture and other economic activities more resilient to climate events; and creating new financial mechanisms that make clean energy more attractive.

These are practical solutions that can be delivered today.

Jagdeo had argued: “Not only do they make moral and economic sense, but they are indispensable to building trust within the international community that the world is serious about addressing climate change.”

Climate change and rising sea levels no doubt pose severe threats to countries such as Guyana considering we are below sea level and much our people live on the coastland and depend on agriculture for a living. The big question is how do we move forward.

There is general agreement that industrialised countries have a moral obligation to do more in terms of helping poorer countries avert the catastrophic effects of the climate change phenomenon. Japan and Norway are among the countries that have matched their talk with money, others should follow suit.

This dad literally had his hands filled as his little girls got a better view of the cartoon characters who entertained scores in attendance at Hits and Jams’ Kids Zone on Sunday at Everest ground, Carifesta, Georgetown (Carl Croker photo)

Who are the principals of TIGI? Dear Editor, I read in another section of the media that the Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc (TIGI) wants the Government to halt the operations of the Chinese company Bai Shan Lin and the Indian Company Vaitarna in the wake of reports in the press on their logging activities.

The fact of the matter is that TIGI is known to be misled by the Opposition sections of the press, and its unjustified position on Bai Shan Lin and Vaitarna is sound evidence, which is based on misinformation and more so lies. Let me say shame on TIGI! Before arriving at its position on Bai Shan Lin and Vaitarna, did TIGI as a body that claims to promote transparency in Guyana, carry out verifications with the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC)?

My information is that

TIGI did not, which in my humble view, suggests that this organisation is a political front for the Opposition in Guyana and is masquerading as an anti-corruption agency.

If TIGI claims to be a body promoting transparency in Guyana, but is inclined towards the political Opposition, how can its work be considered credible and professional? In this regard, it is my opinion that TIGI needs to be

cleansed by its international parent body.

By the way, who are the principals of TIGI? I know of one, Anand Goolsarran who seems to be its chief spokesperson. Goolsarran was an Auditor General under the illegal PNC Government and is now actively engaged in critcising, if not condemning Government’s accounting systems in the public domain, calling for investigations.

The question is, did Goolsarran when he was Auditor-General ever publicly call for investigations into the PNC’s accounting systems? And can he say for what year/s he provided Auditor General’s reports under the PNC Government prior to 1992 when Guyana was in a state of economic bankruptcy and corruption? Answer these questions Goolsarran.

Goolsarran is clearly an anti-government of Guyana protagonist and in this regard TIGI will not be able to arrive at credible, responsible and professional decision-making, but more so decision-making that is politically prejudiced.

TIGI’s call for stopping the operations of Bai Shan Lin and Vaitarna without validated reasons is just a simple example.

Yours sincerely, Peter Persaud

Our Opposition is opposing Dear Editor, There was never a golden age in Guyana’s politics. If you despair at how depressing our politics are, recall those memories before the PPP/C took office. Elections are about power, bringing the best and worst out of everyone who wants power, regardless of their motive for wanting it.

While it is true that a singular in this case countless nasty examples doesn’t define the past, or the present, politics in a democracy is inherently frustrating.

A Government by and for the people includes your stupid neighbour, your weird cousin, the person with the religious beliefs you find absurd, everyone you stare at

on the bus or who stares at you, the people who own the company you work for and the ones begging for change on your way there.

There is no way for a Government by and for the people to function without frustrating most of the people in it, in one way or another. It’s really a miracle it works at all and for as long

as it has.

Disappointments are to be expected, no river runs smoothly. The AFC/APNU have no power and can be destructive, just imagine if they have their way; what will be the upshot of our beloved country?

Sincerely, R Persaud

NEWS

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Man found murdered at Mahdia PPP/C heartened by economic progress report A T he People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) said it is heartened at the recent pronouncement by Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, that the country is well on course to record its ninth year of consecutive economic growth.

Dr. Singh announced that for the first half of the year the economy grew by 3.2%, with the non-sugar Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growing by 2%. “We are pleasantly heartened at what seems to be a recovery of the sugar industry, which saw a first-crop production of 312,283 tonnes, 18.3 percent over last year’s first crop.

This is a testimony to government’s confidence in the industry and its perseverance in ensuring recovery at a time when many naysayers are calling for the industry to be closed,” the PPP/C said in a statement on Tuesday.

“We also take note of the increased production in rice and growth in the construction, financial, export and other sectors. This is testimony to the prudence with which successive PPP/C governments have been managing the economy and good

Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh

governance.”

According to the party, it is under the PPP/C government that there have been eight years of continued economic growth, accompanied by a sudden surge in foreign and local investments.

"These are all signs of confidence in our economy, confidence in our country and confidence in our government and people.

“We in the PPP/C believe, however, our economic performance could have been much better, had we had a constructive opposition, which is willing to put Guyana and its people first

and support the many investments and transformational projects initiated by the PPP/C government,” the party said.

The party said it is opportune to recall when “we took over this country in 1992 Guyana was economically bankrupted and crippled with dilapidated infrastructure, a broken social sector, empty treasury, a US$2.1B external debt, absence of democracy and a de-motivated population.

"The rebirth of democracy in 1992 brought with it renewed hope to the nation and we promised then that we will ensure this country flourishes again. Today, while he have not reached our optimum as a country we have been fulfilling that promise and our brothers and sisters can live in this country with pride, and renewed sense of hope.

"But we must be wary of those deceitful, unethical, unprincipled, immoral, and unscrupulous ones who pose as guardians of the economy, but are out to slow our economic prosperity, destroy our economy, scare away investors and return this country to the dark days of the PNC,” the statement said.

UN renews commitment to life-saving relief efforts

O

n World Humanitarian Day, we renew our commitment to life-saving relief efforts – and we remember all those who died serving this noble cause, Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki moon said in a message to mark World Humananitarian Day. “Last year, more humanitarian workers were kidnapped, seriously injured or killed than ever before.

This is an outrage. In recent weeks, dozens of humanitarians -- including members of the UN family -- have lost their lives in South Sudan

and Gaza. Too many people have died or suffered from deliberate attacks.

Humanitarian workers and their families are hit hardest by these crimes.

But they are also felt by millions of others. Attacks on humanitarian workers hinder the ability of people in desperate need to receive lifesaving assistance.

Children go unvaccinated.

Sick and wounded patients go untreated. Those forced from their homes are left without food, water or shelter - exposed to violence, disease or other threats. On World Humanitarian Day,

we honour the heroic aid workers who rush bravely to help people in need. We remember their sacrifices, and we recognise the millions of people who count on humanitarian workers for their very survival. Let us honour the fallen by protecting those who carry on their work – and supporting humanitarian relief operations worldwide.

man has been found murdered at Mahdia backdam, adding to the alarming spike in murders over the past two weeks.

In a release, Police said investigations are being conducted into the circum-

stances surrounding the death of Nickel Leacock, 20 years, of 111 Miles, Mahdia, whose body was found at about 07:45h on Tuesday along a trail at Blackwater Backdam, Konawaruk, Mahdia, with suspected stab wounds.

It is unclear whether anyone has been arrested for the crime. Over the past weeks, there have been several murders and other violent crimes perpetrated across the country. The murder rate for the year so far is close to 100.

Canadian gold company commended for progress

President Donald Ramotar and the Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana joined several Government ministers on a tour to the Guyana Goldfields operations on Sunday

A

s part of a high-level visit by government officials to the Guyana Goldfields’ Aurora Gold Mines, the Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud has commended the company for progress made thus far.

Minister Persaud has assured that his Ministry and

relevant agencies will continue to work closely with the company to ensure its mine plan is successfully completed.

It was noted that the company is utilizing new technology and skills which require specialized training.

As such, the Company currently employs over 700 persons of which 20 per cent are

expatriates.

The high-level visit which included His Excellency and Cabinet members was organised in anticipation of Mining Week 2014 which will be observed from August 18-23, 2014 under the theme: “Improved Recovery, Reducing Impact: Securing the Future of Mining”

OAS mourns passing of former Chilean General

T

he Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, expressed his deep grief over the passing of former General Ricardo Izurieta Caffarena, “first Commander in Chief of the Chilean Army assigned by

a democratic government, with whom I had the opportunity to work during difficult times”, he said.

Insulza recalled that “in an unexpected situation, which threatened the normal development of the democratic transition, the General Izurieta acted in fa-

vour of institutionality and in accordance with the policies set by the government of President Eduardo Frei.”

With his position, former Commander “contributed significantly to the solution of the crisis”, said the highest representative of the OAS.

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Page

Foundation

− take away the fun factor in sports and children can burn out

B

(Continued from Tuesday)

ut not all pushing is bad, says Michael Bergeron, an assistant professor of paediatrics at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta.

He acknowledges, however, that there’s no good answer on where to draw the line.

“You need to know your child,” he says.

If children truly hate a sport, then let them quit. But maybe they just need some encouragement. Some 19or 20-year-olds may wish their parents had pushed them more to stick with sports when they were younger rather than giving up, he adds.

Injury toll

Aside from the psychological pressures that young athletes may experience from intense training and competition, physical complaints are a growing concern, sport medicine specialists say.

One of the most comprehensive surveys to date, by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention,

found that from 1997 to 1999, sport and recreationrelated injuries were more common nationwide

than injuries from traffic accidents.

Americans ages five to 24 were most likely to be treated for sport-related injuries by health professionals. Children five to 14 had the highest injury rates of all – 59.3 episodes per 1000 people. That’s slightly higher than the rate for people 15 to 24 (56.4 per 1000) but substantially greater than the rates for those 25 to 44 (21 per 1000) and 45 and up (6.2 per 1000).

A fifth of children lost one or more school days a year because of their com-

plaints. Strains and sprains accounted for the most injuries overall, followed by fractures. Among children five to 14, bicycling was associated with the most injuries, followed by basketball, football, playground equipment and baseball or softball.

In those 15 to 24, basketball and football were linked to the most injuries.

Greater sport participation, particularly among girls in recent decades, is one reason injuries appear to be rising, experts say. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that over the last 30 years in the area around Rochester, Minnesota, forearm fractures, many of them resulting from sport and recreation activities, increased 56 per cent in girls and 32 per cent in boys, mostly among children in the preteen and early teen years.

Also on the rise are knee injuries known as anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, tears that are more likely to

affect girls, often those who which results from repeti- tracks the children over play basketball or soccer. tive throws, and stress frac- time.

Another factor that con- tures.

A big issue, many extributes to sport injuries Metzl diagnosed a pelvic perts in the field say, is the is the couch-potato cul- stress fracture in one nine- push for children to specialture where children year-old girl who had been ise in a single sport very lounge around playing soccer early in life – well before all summer t w o puberty. watch“This has backAnothe r ing TV, fired in f a c tor tha is the c for int o c u around ch-potato ontributes stance, a n d then ju all summer culture wher to sport inj uries watchi e child mp int t h e n w n r o o e g e n a f T u l V o l s jump system ly out of s port in the , for instance unge into a sport,” s of boys and hape. “The fall when th , and sport i n set-up says Faigen girls may n musculoske ey’re t h e On the for injur y.” baum. “Theot be prepare letal fall d y

’re an for overus flip side, to a b s e o o lute which injuries su much trai r n c e h i ng ca as fractur sults from es. repetit “Little Leagu n lead to ive thr ows, a e elbow,” nd stre ss

when they’re woefully out of shape.

“The musculoskeletal systems of boys and girls may not be prepared for sport,” says Faigenbaum. “They’re an absolute set-up for injury.”

On the flip side, too much training can lead to overuse injuries such as “Little League elbow,”

to three hours a day, five to six days a week. But in children like her, diet could also be a contributing factor. Too much soda and not enough milk can weaken bones. So he now orders bone density tests on young athletes with curious stress fractures and

our faces,” Faigenbaum says. “It truly doesn’t work.”

Children may hone certain skills in a particular sport with early, intense specialisation, but they can also burn out emotionally and physically. And they may not necessarily be achieving the goal they or their parents hoped for – becoming the best athlete they can be in that sport, he notes.

“When you play different sports, you use a variety of motor skills – jumping, running, twisting – that can transfer to a lot of sports,” Faigenbaum says. But if young children focus on just one sport, they may not reap these benefits.

“There’s absolutely no evidence that says that if a [child] athlete plays just one sport that will guarantee success as a teen or adult,” he says, adding there’s actually more evidence that if they diversify they’ll play better. Ask most pro athletes what they were doing at age 10, he says, and most will say they were playing two to three sports, not just one.

Focusing on a single activity also puts all of a young athlete’s eggs in one basket, says Metzl. If children don’t try other sports, how do they know whether or not they might like those sports more – or be better at them?

And even top-notch athletes can tire of their sport because of what it takes to win. (footy4children.co.uk)

NEWS

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GDF inks $1B non-lethal aid package with China T

he Guyana Defence Force (GDF) has benefited from over $1 billion donated by the Chinese military as part of a non-lethal military aid package.

Heads of the GDF and Chinese military met to conduct the annual bilateral staff conference and as part of the conference, the two armies signed a military-aid package from which the GDF will be benefiting from more than G$1 billion dollars (30,000,000 Renminbi (RMB) to assist in enhancing the service of the local Army.

The package was signed

by GDF Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Mark Phillips and Major General Kong Li, of the People’s Liberation Amy at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, on Tuesday.

According to the Chiefof-Staff, since 1970, the Chinese Army has been providing military assistance to the GDF. He noted that the ties between the two countries have been consolidated with frequent cooperation in political, economic, diplomatic and cultural affairs.

He added that many GDF ranks have also benefited from tactical, operational and strategic levels of training from China over the years. “The GDF remains heartened and greatly appreciative of the continued military assis-

Chief-of-Staff Brigadier Mark Phillips and Major General Kong Li with senior officers at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal

tance as we work collectively towards strengthening the mutual relationship between the two nationals

and military forces,” he noted.

Brigadier Philips disclosed that based on the

agreement, the money will be used to acquire only non-lethal materials such as equipment, medical

GDF Chief-of-Staff Brigadier Mark Phillips and Major General Kong Li of the People’s Liberation Amy signing the military-aid package

supplies and military kits along with building structures.

Meanwhile Major General Li of the People’s Liberation Amy said that his visit to Guyana is to implement and sign the package that was agreed upon by the heads of the two military bodies. He added that during the discussions, he will also be listening to the perspective of the local Army, focusing particularly on what materials and supplies it will need from China.

Li maintained that this arrangement does not have any political affiliations and is solely an arrangement between the two military bodies. During the conference, presentations were made by both the Guyana Defence Force and the People’s Liberation Army after which discus-

sions were held on military issues.

The GDF delegation at the conference was headed by the Chief-of-Staff Brigadier Phillips accompanied by Deputy Chiefof-Staff Khemraj Persaud, Commander of the Coast Guard Gray Beaton, and Commanding Officer of Air Corps, Major Courtney Bryne, along with others.

While the PLA’s delegation comprised Major General Li along with Chinese Ambassador to Guyana Zhang Li Min, military medical expert Colonel Zhang Ye from the PLA’s General Logistics Department, Senior Colonel Zhang Jin coordinator of the logistics materials and supplies and Senior Colonel Wang Wei from the General Equipment Department.

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Man accused of killing step-father remanded Eyew tness T

wenty-year-old Inderjeet Sewdan of Free Yard Port Mourant, Corentyne was on Monday remanded to prison when he made his first court appearance before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh at the Whim Magistrates’ Court to answer the charge of murder.

Sewdan, a labourer ,is accused of killing his 48-year-old step-father Deochand Singh on August 13 at Free Yard, Port MOurant. He was unrepresented in court.

A post- mortem examination conducted on the body of Singh by Dr, Viikanand Brijmohan at the

Inderjeet Sewdan has been charged for killing his step-father

New Amsterdam hospital revealed that the man died

from multiple injuries. He reportedly suffered 18 stab wounds, 14 around his neck, a wound to his head and lacerations about his body.

According to reports, the gruesome crime stemmed from a family feud which began when Singh allegedly impregnated the accused’s sister, who was 15 at the time. This reportedly occurred five years ago in Venezuela while they were living there.

Singh allegedly fled to Guyana after the incident and moved in with the suspect’s mother, who bore two children for him. The woman also has three older children, one daughter and two

sons. The step-sons were allegedly upset at Singh for impregnating their underaged sister.

On the day of the murder, Singh reportedly returned home from a wake and was entering his residence when the step-son, who was allegedly armed with a cutlass, knife and a piece of wood, attacked him.

It is understood that the attacker and other individuals then threw Singh’s body in a pond and tried to dispose of the weapons. However, the cutlass was later recovered by authorities. Sewdan is expected to make his next court appearance on September 15.

BK International employee charge with simple larceny

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ppearing before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts was a 27-year-old BK International employee after he was charged with simple larceny.

Lionel DeHaley of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that on August 16, at Diamond, stole an electrical saw valued $60,000; property of Mohan Surajpaul.

According to the facts of the case which was given by Police Prosecutor Seon Blackman, the Virtual Complainant (VC) is a contractor and he had hired some employees to repair the Diamond Primary School. On the day in question, the defendant visited the worksite and requested to have some water. While assuming that no one was watching him, the defendant picked up the electric saw. However, someone did notice him and an alarm

was raised.

DeHaley was represented by Attorney Paul Fung-A-Fat who requested that reasonable bail be granted. The counsel told the court that the item was recovered.

Bail was objected to on the grounds of the nature of the offence, possible flight risk, and that the defendant was positively identified. Magistrate Azore granted the defendant bail in the sum of $100,000.

Unemployed mother on bail for larceny charge

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n unemployed mother of two children, ages six and two, made an appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Fabayo Azore on Tuesday.

The defendant, 25-year-old Malisa Premnaught, of Lot 27 Timehri Public Road, East Bank Demerata was

charged with larceny.

It was alleged that between June 9 and July 12, at Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara, Premnaught stole $165,000 from Gafsons Industries Limited.

She was represented by Attorney Trenton Lake who requested that reasonable bail be granted to his client.

There were no previous convictions for the defendant and there were no objections to bail by Police Prosecutor Michael Grant.

Bail was given at a sum of $80,000.

Premnaught is said to return to court on October 6 where she will face Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

Government...

P

...vs governance

residential Advisor on Governance (PAG) Gail Teixeira raised the important distinction between “Shared Governance” and “Unity Government”.

Folks should apprise themselves of what the good lady said and when the Opposition-sharks enter their calm waters to roil them up - should ask them a question or two. “Governance”, the PAG pointed out, refers to the complete set of processes that it takes to run a country.

And this is what the massive and extensive constitutional changes in 2000 – augmented after the PNC had rioted in the streets and forced a sitting President (Janet Jagan) to demit office – were meant to do. The PNC’s biggest gripe then was that as “Opposition”, it wasn’t able to scrutinise the work of the Government in “real time”. And so lots of things were fait accomplished by the time they reached the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which, by convention, the Opposition always controlled.

And so was introduced a governance mechanism, the likes of which exist in no other Caricom Parliamentary Democracy – four Parliamentary Sectoral Committees.

Covering every area of governmental activity – Economic Services, Natural Resources, Social Services and Foreign Relations – the Committees can summon any Government official or public servant to demand explanations for their work – in real time.

Right now, these Committees have a majority of Opposition members and their Chairs are rotated annually between the Government and the Opposition.

A Parliamentary Management Committee – the name says it all – was also formed and today this is also controlled by the Opposition. Added to the traditional functions of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) – to scrutinise governmental finances – and the traditional Parliamentary Committees such as that on privileges, the Opposition was in a position to ensure “good governance” in Guyana.

Take the present brouhaha over the “raping” of the forests. The Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources could’ve summoned the subject Minister any time of the day after 2011 to demand an explanation for the practices followed. Ditto for the sugar industry or any other facet of governmental activity. But they didn’t. Why?? They’re too god damn lazy for one, and they’re not interested in “governance” for two.

So not long after the Constitutional changes of 2000, they demanded “unity government”. What they always wanted was to get into the Executive as Ministers.

And we bet if they get that – after some “condign” riots and mayhem – they’ll immediately demand the Presidency! Point is – all they’re interested in is power – not the welfare of the people.

...by rigging

The PNC has come a full circle. In 1968, it rigged its first elections through its control of the Elections Commission.

Its Chairman Harold Bollers was called a “toothless” poodle and its rules were changed to accommodate all kinds of hanky-panky. These ranged from padded Voters’ Lists both domestically and overseas, to permitting multiple “proxy voting”. Even the PNC’s coalition partner, the UF, quit the partnership in disgust.

If what the PPP/C revealed last week about the Preliminary Voters’ List (PLV) is true – and we’ll wait for the Elections Commission to respond – then we’re in for what many people always feared. The PNC’s so adept at rigging it can even rig from the “outside”. And now we know the reason for the PNC’s witch-hunt against Gocool Boodhoo, the old GECOM CEO. In ethnically divided societies, unfortunately “neutrality” is often strained – and for this reason most experts call for “balance” in state institutions where that quality might be crucial. While GECOM was always stacked with PNC supporters, Boodhoo was a strong corrective. Right now the question is Quis Custodiet ipsos custodes – “who will guard the guardians?”

The PLV is only the tip of the garbage heap.

...and snap elections

The Opposition’s s*itting bricks over the thought of Prezzie calling snap elections – before their ranks are broken over the AFC’s “no-confidence” motion. Caught between the Devil and the deep blue sea – they’ll be smelling sulphur soon!!

NEWS

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wednesDAY, august 20, 2014 | guyanatimesGY.com

Two dead in Cuyuni River boat mishap

BY JOMO PAUL

B

isham Monilall, a five-year-old boy living in the Cuyuni interior and a Brazilian national, Jose Henriqu Salvao DeSouza are dead after the boat in which they were travelling collided with a rock, throwing several persons into a river near Dukwarri, according to a release from the Guyana Police Force.

Monilall and De Souza were passengers “on a boat travelling along a river at Dukwarri, Cuyuni when the vessel struck a rock and several passengers were thrown overboard.”

Dead: Bisham Monilall

Jane Baboolall

Many of the passengers managed to make their way back to the safety of the boat

except for the five-year-old and the Brazilian national. While persons are still scouring the river for the

missing child, the body of the Brazilian national has been recovered.

In the release, Police said that De Souza, 66, resided at Junior Ross Landing, in the Cuyuni district.

When Guyana Times visited the 212 Charlotte Street, Georgetown, residence of the grandmother of Monilall, Jane Baboolall, she explained that she was told of the incident at around 21:30h last evening.

The visibly distraught woman recounted that she was at home when she received a call from a friend informing her of the tragic

NA Town Council employee remanded for allegedly stealing ‘box hand’ money

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n employee of the New Amsterdam Municipality sanitation department was on Monday remanded to prison when he appeared before Magistrate Sherdel IsaacsMarcus on a charge of robbery.

Leroy Hopkinson, 28, of lot 38 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, is accused of robbing 51-year-old Barbara

Ramdeo who is also employed with the municipality of $37,000. The incident occurred on Sunday.

The court was told that Ramdeo had just collected the ‘box hand’ money from a number of persons and was on her way to give it over to another member of the ‘box’ group when the incident occurred. It is alleged that

Hopkinson in the vicinity of the Regional Administration building in New Amsterdam, approached Ramdeo and forcibly took away a bag containing the money before attempting to escape.

The ‘box hand’ holder raised an alarm and several public spirited citizens went to her rescue and gave chase before the alleged thief sur-

rendered by jumping into a nearby ditch. The wet, muddy money was found in his pocket.

Hopkinson was later handed over to the Police after receiving a sound thrashing. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge and was remanded until September 5 when he is expected to make a second court appearance.

incident involving her son and his family.

“Me nah sleep whole night last night, somebody call and tell meh if me know this person… he seh he got a message for me but he nah how to deliver it” the woman said as she explained what happened on her learning of the incident.

The bereaved grandmother added “Them tell me them nah find lil Bisham, me seh wah bai. Like a heat spring up in meh, me seh hear, when them find he, call and tell me, me nah want hear nothing more.”

The woman explained

too that she received a phone call from her son on Tuesday morning informing her of the incident. She explained that her son was injured in the accident too but he is concentrated on looking for his son at the moment.

Baboolall said her son left the city to go into the interior approximately 17 years ago, where he settled and made it home with his family. She pointed out that her son would be in constant contact with her. Police have said the investigations are ongoing into the accident.

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wednesDAY, august 20, 2014

News

Second accomplice in Ramchand Auto Spares robbery arrested T he second suspect in the robbery at Ramchand Auto Spares on Sheriff Street last month that resulted in the death of 21-year-old Kevin Fields, has been arrested, the Police said.

In a release, the Police stated that the suspect, whose name was withheld, is also implicated in a robbery committed on Medicare Pharmacy outlet on Sheriff Street, Georgetown. According to the Police, the suspect has been taken into custody and is assisting with investigations into both robberies.

On July 14, Fields called “Demon” of Titan Street, Agricola Village, Greater Georgetown, was shot dead after he had robbed a businessman outside of the Ramchand Auto Spares, located on Sheriff Street, Georgetown. Police had said in a statement that about 12:00h on the day in

Kevin Fields in one of his Facebook photos

question, the businessman went into Ramchand Auto Spares to transact business, when a man armed with a firearm entered and snatch from him a bag containing $1.7 million.

The armed man then ran outside and towards a motorcycle, where an accomplice was waiting, however he was followed by the businessman, who is a licensed firearm holder. Fields discharged a round at the busi-

nessman who then returned fire, hitting him in his neck.

After Fields was struck, he fell off the motor cycle while his accomplice escaped. The bag with the money was recovered and an unlicensed .32 Taurus revolver with five rounds and a spent shell was recovered at the scene.

According to reports, Fields and his accomplice trailed the businessman from a city bank to the auto

spares.

The Police had since obtained CCTV footage from cameras on the business.

Following Field’s death, several photos on his Facebook account showed him posing with large sums of money and a firearm licence, however the Police subsequently claimed that they had never issued any such document to the young man. There were also photos of the 21-year-old in a bullet proof vest, large jewellery pieces and several firearms posted on his Facebook page.

When questioned about these items, the Police said that they were never aware of such photos on the social network, adding that they would have investigated the now dead father of one had they been in receipt of such knowledge.

Meanwhile, a relative of Fields had spoken out after his death, that he along with family members were aware of the young man’s lifestyle.

The man said that he would sometimes try to deter Fields from his illegal activities but other family members would support and encourage him.

Field’s mother on the other hand had denied that her son was involved in any illegal activities, claiming that he had a business and that was where he made his money.

The woman said that she did not really know any of her son’s friends since he would not usually go out.

Farmer fined for stealing from Bounty Supermarket

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58-year-old farmer on Tuesday appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Fabayo Azore after being fined $10,000 or an alternative two weeks imprisonment for the offence of simple larceny.

The charge alleged that on August 18 at Water Street, Georgetown, James stole two Gillette deodorants valued $1244 each, a total sum of $2488, belonging to Bounty Supermarket.

Police Prosecutor Adduni Innis told the court that James has neither prior convictions nor pending matters. The defendant was unrepresented and pleaded guilty to the charge.

New cricket S

atiricus was proud. Once again Caribbean cricket was showing that the expression, “Sport – it’s not just a game” was not just a marketing gimmick. Back in the day, the old master CLR James had written his masterpiece “Beyond the Boundary” and ripped the mask of hypocrisy from the face of the British. When we whupped them on the cricket field, how could they still insist – through their stiff upper lips – that we were still inferior?

But there was still a lot of the old British hypocrisy stuck to the game itself. Imagine some people thought that the protest, “But that’s not cricket!!” meant something! So folks still went around with their heads up in the clouds – or down in their nether orifices – spouting sanctimonious nonsense like, “It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how you play the game!”

“What a crock of s*it!” exclaimed Satiricus, causing his wife sitting nearby to spill her coffee on her lap. Satiricus was very sensitive when it came to cricket and losing. His life as a child was one long-suffering nightmare because of his inability to ever get bat to connect to ball. “Loser” was about the kindest name that had been applied to him by his “friends”.

So when the Barbados TryDents used the Umpire who was from their country against the “rules” to help out the 11 men on the field – he couldn’t understand why the fellas from the Amazon were complaining about the “rules” not being followed. What rules?? In which world were they living?? In the darkest Amazon??

Didn’t the British always change the rules to suit themselves?? Pace like fire from the West Indies?? Hey! Introduce rules against “bodyline” bowling. Umpire taking sides?? How about Billy Bowden against the Indian players. So what’s the problem if the owners of the TryDents decide to call off the game – when they were ahead.

All the Trydents did was not to be hypocritical and pretend that they had to “play cricket”. They should get a medal for their bravery. We as West Indians should be proud that at long last we had the courage to “call a spade a spade”.

So what if the word “spade” is just a euphemism for the “N” word!!

National footballer on bail after narcotics trafficking charge

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31-year-old national footballer of Lot 58 A Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, on Tuesday appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Fabayo Azore facing a possession of narcotics charge.

Sheka Komal pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that on August 15, at Upper Mazaruni, he had in his possession 37 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

According to the facts which were read by Police Prosecutor Adduni Innis, the defendant had a football match at Kamarang.

The Police were conducting a search around the area. Komal was said to be the only individual present

there at that time. He was arrested and taken to the nearest Police station.

However, the defendant was represented by Attorney Mark Conway, who told the court that while some of the facts are correct; some are not. According to Conway, his client was not the only individual there. He said that there were around 50 persons present at the scene and the drug was not found on his client.

The Attorney added that Komal is not a flight risk and requested that bail be granted at a reasonable sum.

There were no objections to bail by the Prosecutor.

He was placed on $150,000 bail and is said to return to court on October 7.

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesDAY, august 20, 2014

11

News

Small loggers denounce attacks on Chinese firms − want higher prices for Wamara

BY SVETLANA MARSHALL

A

lthough denouncing recent attacks that have been perpetrated on Chinese investors who have been making an invaluable contribution to the forestry sector, Region 10 small loggers on Tuesday said they will nevertheless heighten calls for better prices for the sale of Wamara; one of the most sought after species of wood in Guyana.

Region 10 Agriculture and Forestry Producers Association Consultant Phillip Bynoe said the Chinese investors have transformed the economical landscape in Region 10 in the area of forestry. It was explained that markets were established for species that were not previously in demand such as Wamara.

“The Chinese Investors came to Guyana and they found markets for these species; they transformed the fire wood into a means of economic growth and development,” Bynoe said.

It was explained too that advances are often provided to small loggers for logs they have not yet cut once through their respective organizations, they demonstrate the ability to supply the required quota.

Bynoe was addressing scores of Region 10 small loggers at the Umana Yana on Tuesday, where a conference was held to address challenges facing the forestry industry.

The Kwakwani Natural Resources Organisation (KNRO) said over a period of 18 months, it has sold approximately 5900 cubic metres of Wamara to a number of Chinese buyers; transactions that totalled approximately $270 million.

KNRO Co-founder and Executive Member Patricia Boyle said the small logger’s community, and by extension the rest of Kwakwani, stand on the threshold of an

Phillip Bynoe, Region 10 Agriculture and Forest Producers Association

economic explosion which can see the realisation of progress and development, but this could result in an economic collapse if key investors are forced to close their operations.

She too said that KNRO’s small loggers are benefiting tremendously through the sales of Wamara logs to Chinese companies in Guyana, in addition to other concessions. “The Chinese use

their machineries to extract, load and transport produce for small loggers.

They provide a ready market and allow small loggers to have a steady income.”

But Boyle made it clear also that small loggers in Kwakwani comply with the strict guidelines governing the harvesting of forest produce before the sale of logs.

“Log tracking tags enable the tracing of logs right back to the stump, in its

place of origin,” Boyle said, in defence of the transactions conducted between members and Chinese companies including Bai Shan Lin. But despite the contributions being offered, Boyle said there exist the need to increase the price of Wamara to US$220 per cubic metre at the hard road or timber depot. Currently it is being sold at the cost of US$140 per cubic metre and even at lower rates.

Boyle said too that the practice of taking 2cm off the measurements needs to be revised. “The Guyana Forestry Commission grading rules do not stipulate that 2cm must be taken off from the original measurements when payment is being made.”

To ensure small loggers get value for their produce, it has been suggested that a Centralised Marketing Council be established, where the negotiation of prices can take place at a common place.

Despite the minor challenges, KNRO maintained that Chinese companies have been contributing positively, not only to the forestry sector but in the

Kwakwani Natural Resoures Organisation Co-Founder Patricia Boyle

area of infrastructural development. It was pointed out that it was Bai Shan Lin that contributed to the construction of a dam at Kwakwani Waterfront when the high tides covered the landing in 2009. The Chinese company had also offered its assistance in the construction of the Kama Kabra Bridge in 2010 in the Ituni-Kwakwani road when the main bridge was swept away as a result of heavy

Region 10 small loggers at the Umana Yana on Tuesday, where a conference was held to address challenges facing the forestry industry

showers. Additionally, they refurbished and continue to maintain the Bissaruni road from their compound at Bissaruni to 53km and beyond.

Contrary to information previously published in some sections of the press, the KNRO executive member said the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) has been diligent in ensuring that regulations governing verification of origin, sustainable logging and environmental practices are adhered to.

However, Boyle said there remains the need for more lands. “Lands are a renewable resource; but, in sustainable logging, a second crop is not likely right away. At present, KNRO has only 40 members and provide employment for over 210 persons… but we have close to 80 applications awaiting the distribution of more lands before they can be approved,” she said, explaining their plight.

Blue Berry Small and Ituni Small Loggers Associations were among organisations that echoed similar sentiments during the meeting. (svetlanam@ guyanatimesgy.com)

12 NEWS

wednesDAY, august 20, 2014 | guyanatimesGY.com

80 OLPF laptops distributed Port Kaituma residents fuming over unreliable power supply at Mora Point

R

Residents of Mora Point and other communities wait patiently for their turn to uplift their laptop from the OLPF team

F

ulfilling a promise made by Head of State, Donald Ramotar several weeks ago during a visit to Mora Point in Region Five, a team from the One Laptop per Family (OLPF) unit visited the area and distributed 80 laptops to residents.

Azaria Assim, Deputy Project Manager of OLPF, directed residents on the procedure for distribution whilst assuring them that the training would be conducted at the same time. He commended the residents for the 100% turn out and for enabling the distribution to run smoothly. Assim explained that the laptops were normal computers, and were not fitted with anything to gather personal information on the new owners.

Recipients expressed their thanks to the Government of Guyana for providing the computers which would be of help to them and their children.

Maiwattie Jedoo, of Bara Bara, was happy to receive the laptop indicating that her children would be able to learn from it while Serattie

Sohanlall, of Yarrow Creek expressed pride, noting that the laptop would benefit her children and help them with their school work.

The OLPF Programme aims to commit families to benefit from the development offered through the use of Information Communication

A Region Five resident makes his way carefully into his boat to transport his laptop home

Nora Mathura said receiving the new computer was very good, and she was happy to have gotten one. Sukhdeo Shivbuwan extended gratitude to the Government, noting that it would benefit two of his children who are in high school.

Technology (ICT) in terms of enhancing skills and gaining access to digital information that would aid in their development.

It targets distribution of 90,000 of the devices to citizens by 2015. (GINA)

esidents of Port Kaituma, North West District are peeved over the unreliable power supply they receive, which they believe, could be easily remedied.

A few residents speaking with Guyana Times on Tuesday said that for close to three months now, the Port Kaituma Power and Light Company (PKPL) has been failing miserably in its supply of electricity to the more than 500 households in the Sitzburg Central, Port Kaituma, and other neighbouring communities.

Community member Crisna David told this publication that for over two months, residents in the area have only been receiving electricity for a few hours during the evening and that depends on whether the power company receives fuel in time.

He complained that the power company has resolved to providing electricity to residents from 18:00h to 06:00h the following morning. There are instances however, where electricity would only be supplied for less than six hours during the night. He said the situation is deteriorating as the days go by.

The PKPL is in receipt of three generators, however only one is functioning at an optimum level. That single generator, it was explained, is not operating at a high standard and is unable to carry the full load of supplying electricity to all households.

David, who has been living in the community for some 12 years, said the pow-

One of the non-working generators of the Port Kaituma Power and Light Company

er company has always been experiencing such problems.

Meanwhile, another resident who is also employed by the power company, and who requested anonymity told Guyana Times that lightening is the cause of the destruction of the nonworking generators. He said the current issue arose close to three months ago, when the third generator, which at that time was recently bought, was struck by lightning.

He pointed out that a similar fate had befallen the company in July of 2013, when another generator was struck by lightning. The PKPL employee revealed that the company’s management is refusing to heed advice for proper protection of the generators.

He explained that although the equipment is housed in a building, it is impossible to protect the generating sets from lightning strikes without light-

Caricom to benefit from €350M under EDF

T

he European Union (EU) has more than doubled its support to CARICOM countries under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF), announcing €350 million in new support for the programming period, which runs from 2014 to 2020.

The provision is an increase of €185 million over the €165 million provided under 10th EDF from 2008 to 2014.

Charge d’Affaires, Delegation of the EU to Jamaica, Jesús Orus Baguena, made the announcement during a press conference held recently at the Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) offices in New Kingston.

Of the total amount, €110 million are being earmarked for regional integration and the implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which governs CARICOM’s trade with the EU. “This support should enable the private sector to take better advantage of the en-

hanced access granted under the agreement,” Mr. Baguena said. He noted that the EU is currently implementing the EPA-I programme and has just started another $7.3 billion EPA-II project.

“The EU also supports tax reform, the improvement of public finance management and, more generally, good governance, with all these programmes contributing directly or indirectly towards improving the business environment,” he said.

Baguena further informed that in Jamaica only, the EU has provided financial and technical support of more than $25 billion, for private sector development, including support to the banana and sugar industries.

He noted that the EPA aims at ultimately ensuring a stable, predictable and transparent business environment, thereby helping the Forum of Caribbean States (CARIFORUM) to attract more foreign investment, and making further progress

with regional integration. He further added that the EPA will improve the access of firms to competitive intermediary goods and services, which in turn will increase their own competitiveness.

“The EPA’s rationale is to help create an environment where trade spurs growth and development.

Ultimately, the success of Jamaica will depend on its capacity to adapt to the changing global economic environment and to create an internationally competitive economy,” Mr. Baguena stated.

He pledged that the EU will continue to assist the country in achieving these objectives for the benefit of all Jamaicans. Created in 1957 by the Treaty of Rome, and first launched in 1959, the European Development Fund is the main instrument for providing Community development aid in the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and the overseas countries and territories.

Residents of Port Kaituma are wary of the inadequate power supply

ening arrestors surrounding the buildings.

He said the generator that is currently supplying residents with electricity is “smoking heavily”, with a high fuel consumption rate.

He explained that that also is contributing to the company’s inability to provide electricity.

He stated that the generator is now burning some 30 gallons of fuel per hour, almost nine gallons more than it would consume when it was first bought.

He noted that should the company purchase a lightening arrestor, a significant amount of cost incurred by the company would be reduced. He, like other residents, is hoping that the situation could be resolved soon.

Residents are also hoping that those persons charged with representing their interests would take their responsibility seriously.

The Interim Management Committee that has been in existence for some time now has not been pulling its weight, they complained.

This newspaper was informed that Local Government and Regional Development Minister Norman Whitaker had visited the community recently, where he appointed a new Chairperson for the Interim Management Committee (IMC).

Efforts to contact the Chief Executive Officer of the PKPL Board Shawn James and IMC’s Chairperson Margaret Lambert proved futile.

Mason on bail for alledge break and enter

A

mason of Lot 2 Second field, Caneville, East Bank Demerara (EBD), appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Fabayo Azore on Tuesday, after being fined for a break and enter charge.

The charge alleges that on June 18 at Diamond Housing Scheme, EBD, the defendant, age 26, broke and entered the dwelling house of Grace Innis, and stole the following items; one gas bottle valued $10,500, a comput-

er valued $479,000, a DVD player worth $79,000, one PC Tablet valued $45,000, two colognes valued $49,000 and a sum of $175,000 cash; a total of $766,400.

The unrepresented defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge and begun to cry.

Although the Magistrate advised him not to speak as what he says could be used against him in the court, the defendant said that he does not know of any stolen items and that he works hard for his daily bread.

Police Prosecutor Seon Blackman objected to bail on the grounds of the nature of the offence, the value of the articles and that the Police are still carrying out investigations of matters of similar nature in which the defendant is the suspect.

After listening to the objection grounds, the Magistrate granted the defendant in the sum of $150,000. He is said to make his next court appearance at the Providence Magistrate’s Court on October 22.

NEWS

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wednesDAY, august 20, 2014 | guyanatimesGY.com

Kamla calls for Caricom meeting on Ebola and Chikungunya

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rinidad and Tobago has called for a meeting of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders to discuss a coordinated response to the public health threats posed by the Ebola and Chikungunya viruses.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar, responding to an advisory issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) said Port of Spain would be willing to host the meeting.

“My advice to colleague Heads of Government in the Caribbean is to take pre-emptive measures to ensure the safety, health and well-being of millions of citizens of the Caribbean region. While our risk is low, our actions must further diminish the risks to our citizens. And I am confident that nations across CARICOM will respond favourably,” she said.

“The meeting will feature discussions geared towards orchestrating a plan of action in response to the increasing number of cases of Chikungunya in the Caribbean and the prevention of the Ebola virus disease,” according to a statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister, adding that it would also “be instrumental in CARICOM’s stance, together with the rest of the global community in the fight against these life threatening viruses.

It said furthermore, CARICOM must address international decisions made which will undoubtedly affect the region’s tourism industry. So far, the Caribbean has not recorded any cases of the Ebola virus that has caused a number of deaths in Africa, but many regional countries have reported cases of the mosquito borne Chikungunya virus.

“As Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, my approach to regional matters is similar to my approach here at home, we must not wait for a crisis to act”. The statement said that the meeting will also act as a direct response to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) which has been calling for

Prime Minister of T&T Kamla Persad Bissessar

CARICOM member states “to adequately prepare for potential cases to implement the necessary steps to protect health care facilities, patients, health care workers and communities”.

The statement noted that Jamaica is already moving to acquire fever-detecting devices to use at its ports as part of efforts to boost the country’s defence against the deadly Ebola and other viruses.

The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) has urged the countries of the Americas to be vigilant and prepared for a potential introduction of the Ebola virus in the Region. The recommendation comes following a statement by WHO Director-General Margaret Chan that the outbreak in West Africa constitutes a “public health emergency of international concern” (PHEIC).

The current Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak began in Guinea in December 2013. This outbreak now in-

volves transmission in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. As of 6 August 2014, countries have reported 1,779 cases, including 961 deaths. This is currently the largest EVD outbreak ever recorded.

The PHEIC determination was made by Chan based on recommendations from WHO’s International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee, which suggested temporary measures to reduce the international spread of the virus for three different groups of WHO Member States: those with Ebola transmission; those with a potential or confirmed Ebola case, and unaffected States with land borders with affected countries; and all States.

Within this context, the following recommendations by the WHO IHR Emergency Committee apply to the countries of the Americas: there should be no general ban on international travel or trade; although the restrictions outlined in these recommendations regarding the travel of EVD cases and contacts should be implemented; WHO Member States should provide travelers to Ebola-affected and at-risk areas with relevant information on risks, measures to minimize those risks, and advice for managing a potential exposure; States should be prepared to detect, investigate, and manage Ebola cases; this should include assured access to a qualified diagnostic laboratory for EVD and, where appropriate, the capacity to manage travelers originating from known Ebola-infected areas who arrive at international airports or major land crossing points with unexplained febrile illness; the general public should be provided with accurate and relevant information on the Ebola outbreak and measures to reduce the risk of exposure and states should be prepared to facilitate the evacuation and repatriation of nationals (e.g. health workers) who have been exposed to Ebola.

Man arrested in connection with De Kinderen murder

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man has been arrested for the murder of 26-year-old Pradika Persaud whose body was found at De Kinderen, West Coast Demerara.

Persaud called “Simone” of Orangestein, East Bank Essequibo, was reportedly killed sometime on Friday evening last and her body was dumped at De Kinderen, West Coast Demerara where it was discovered shortly after, around 23:30h.

According to Divisional Commander, Ian Amsterdam, the man in custody was seen in the company of the deceased at a drinking establishment.

However, he noted that the police are not sure whether he was the last person Persaud was seen with, since persons present in the bar that night are tightlipped.

The commander noted that it is too soon to say whether any charges will be laid against this suspect since the police are still investigating the murder.

He explained that the suspect in custody has not confessed to anything and is divulging information that the police are checking out.

“We are working on all the possible leads we are getting,” he said.

Amsterdam further stated that the police are also looking for the car, and the driver, which was used to dump the woman’s body. He

disclosed that they are looking for a dark- coloured vehicle with possible body stains inside.

Persaud was found clad in a short pants and a top.

She had bruises about her body, but her neck bore small cut marks and there tyre marks on her body as well.

A post -mortem examination performed on Monday revealed that the woman died as a result of compression to the neck due to manual strangulation.

Reports received revealed that a car was seen in De Kinderen, sometime around 23:00h. Residents in the area claim that the car drove around before it stopped and dumped the body on the corner of the roadway. Due to the darkness of the area, no one could tell the colour or model of the vehicle.

Persaud was identified on Saturday evening by relatives. The woman was reported to be a drug addict and investigators are using this information also to investigate the circumstances surrounding her death.

Investigators are working on the theory that the woman might have been strangled and dumped in the area. This newspaper was told that mud was found in and around the woman’s mouth which is inconsistent with the area where she was found.

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guyanatimesgy.com

wednesDAY, august 20, 2014

Regional

Opposition IMF sees potential spillovers Aruba boycotts tripartite from PetroCaribe parliamentary meeting

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he International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its 2014 Spillover Report released August 18 said it sees potential spillovers including “macroeconomic difficulties” into the economies PetroCaribe now helps.

“Venezuela has provided financial support to countries in Latin America and the Caribbean through energy cooperation agreements, under which Venezuela sells oil at market prices, but gives generous financing conditions to beneficiary countries, including longterm loans at low interest rates, and sometimes the possibility to repay in kind,” the IMF said. “The volume of oil sold to the Region under various agreements (San Jose, Caracas, Integral Cooperation, and PetroCaribe) has stabilised at around 250,000 barrels per day (bpd) after 2009, with values rising to about US$10 billion in 2012.”

These arrangements, the IMF said, represent a relatively small share of the Venezuelan oil sector, but nonetheless the authorities could decide to reduce this support “if the country’s external liquidity constraints become binding.” The financing element of these agreements accounts for only about five per cent of Venezuela’s export revenue (US$4.9 billion) and its

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Venezuela has provided financial support to countries in Latin America and the Caribbean through energy cooperation agreements, under which Venezuela sells oil at market prices

accumulated claims on beneficiary countries stood at only about 2.7 per cent of Venezuelan gross domestic product (GDP) (US$10 billion) as at end-2012.

“Nonetheless, given external liquidity constraints, including a continued reduction in international reserves,

the authorities could choose to reduce or eliminate these schemes or switch to less generous financing conditions. The authorities publicly avow to continue these agreements, but eight countries have already reported some reductions in PetroCaribe financing in 2013,” the IMF said. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Prime Minister Browne rejects continued borrowing from the IMF

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rime Minister Gaston Browne has told the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that the country will be opting out of the current agreement early and will not be taking a second loan.

In a presentation described as frank by business leaders, Browne strongly took the IMF to task and revealed that talks are underway with the President of

Venezuela Nicolas Maduro to quickly pay off the IMF. The Prime Minister said he has told the IMF under no circumstances will his Administration be entering a second programme and strongly suggested the most recent IMF programme has hurt the economy.

Browne’s presentation led to IMF Deputy Director of the Western Hemisphere Department Adrienne

Cheasty abandoning her planned presentation and offering a response. Cheasty defended the success of the recent IMF programme and invited Browne to take a future IMF programme. She also wished him the best of luck in his approach.

The IMF isn’t the only entity Browne took a hard line against at the meeting.

The Prime Minister said the Government is likely to

sue a “corporate entity” that has been “fleecing the country of… about US$350 million”.

Browne was speaking at the Economic Business Forum and Book Launch hosted by the Antigua and Barbuda Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ltd and IMF Western Hemisphere Department held at the Sandals Grande on Tuesday. (Excerpt from Antigua

Observer)

Pope Francis grieving for Mexican mine’s toxic spillage closes relatives killed in Argentina crash schools in Sonora

tripartite meeting of the parliaments of Aruba, Curacao and St Maarten was due to start on Monday in St Maarten but was not likely to count on the participation of the Aruban Opposition party MEP. Leader of the party, Evelyn Wever-Croes, indicated that her party cannot endorse the intent of the consultation between the Dutch Caribbean islands.

The party stated its concern in a letter to the Parliaments of Curacaos and St Maarten. According to Wever-Croes, the leader of the Aruban Government party AVP, Rene Herdé, has persuaded the other parliaments to rush this dialogue. The aim, according to Wever-Croes, is to seek

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our people were killed when a twin-engined Cessna plane crashed as it approached Freeport on the island of Grand Bahama on Monday, Police have confirmed.

They have not released the identity or nationalities of the four men on the Cessna 340 that had taken off from Florida, pending notification of their families.

Jamaica’s Health Minister, Dr Fenton Ferguson

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ope Francis was deeply grieved, the Vatican’s official broadcasting service said on Tuesday, after the deaths of three relatives killed when their car slammed into the back of a truck on a highway in central Argentina.

A nephew of the Pope, Emanuel Bergoglio, who was driving the car was in serious condition following the accident just after midnight on Monday. The nephew’s wife, 35,

and two children aged two years and eight months died.

“The Pope has been informed and is deeply grieved by the tragic news. He asks all those who share his pain to join with him in prayer,” said a statement on the website of Radio Vaticana.

The driver of the grains truck, Raul Pombo, told local television stations he felt the impact and found Bergoglio’s vehicle wedged under the rear of his vehicle. (Reuters)

Assistant Commissioner of the Royal Bahamas Police Force Emrick Seymour said the plane crashed into an area of shallow water and mangrove during low tide.

The US Coast Guard and local volunteers participated in the search and the US National Transportation Safety Board is assisting The Bahamas with the investigation. (Caribbean360)

Jamaica committed to meeting tobacco control obligations

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A TV still image shows a fire fighter standing next to a car, trapped underneath a truck, in which three relatives of Pope Francis were killed near James Craik, Cordoba province, early August 19

Caribbean News Now)

Four killed in Bahamas plane crash

p to 5000 pupils have not been able to start the school year in the northern Mexican state of Sonora after a toxic spillage from a copper

mine.

The authorities said 88 schools were not able to open this week for fear pupils could come into contact with water contaminated with acids. The spillage from the mine turned a tributary to the Sonora River orange.

Environmental authorities have filed a criminal complaint against the copper mine blamed for the accident. Environmental protection officials also ordered an inspection of all of the properties belonging to the Buenavista del Cobre Company to ensure they comply with environmental regulations.

The schools said they would remain closed for at least a week. The Buenavista Copper Mine in the town of Cananea spilled about 40,000 cubic metres (10 million gallons) of sulphuric acid into the Bacanuchi River on August 7, officials say.

About 800,000 people are estimated to have been affected by the leakage. Locals said cattle grazing by the river and fish had been found dead.

Mexico’s National Water Commission says it is monitoring the chemical levels in the river. It said if the levels continued to drop, the emergency it had issued could be lifted later this week or early in the next.

Sonora is home to more than a quarter of Mexico’s mining industry. (BBC News)

support from the other parliaments for the Aruban Government in its purported fight to maintain its autonomy and against the interference of the Netherlands in public finances.

According to MEP, AVP politicians are ignoring the financial crisis in Aruba and pretend that there is a dispute about the autonomy instead.

“They try to convince you that the problem is caused by the Dutch Government.

No expense is spared in this act,” Wever-Croes said. “The insistence of the AVP-party on the autonomy is just a diversion, to come out under the investigation by the Commission for Financial Supervision (CFT).” (Excerpt from

J

amaica’s Health Minister, Dr Fenton Ferguson said Jamaica remains committed to satisfying its obligations under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Dr Ferguson who made the commitment during a courtesy visit by a team from the Secretariat of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the Pan American Health Organisation held at the Cabinet office on Monday,

said he is encouraged by the support that Jamaica received in the implementation of the Public Health Tobacco Control Regulations, 2013.

“We are now moving to implement other aspects of the FCTC including comprehensive Tobacco Control Legislation. A lot of work has already been done in this area. We will review what we have and determine how we move forward from there,” Dr Ferguson said.

The team is in Jamaica until August 22, to conduct a joint Needs Assessment and examine the country’s progress towards achieving the objectives of the Articles within the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

The Needs Assessment exercise is coordinated jointly by the Convention Secretariat along with countries that are parties to the convention in order to identify their specific technical and financial needs and the gaps which restrain their fulfilling the objectives under the terms of the FCTC. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesDAY, august 20, 2014

15

Around the world

Islamist militants ‘kill reporter Gaza truce collapses, fighting erupts, Israel orders James Foley on video’

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he Islamic State militant group has released a video online purporting to show the killing of a US journalist. The victim was identified by the militants as James Foley, a video and photojournalist who was seized by armed men in Syria in late 2012.

The video has not been independently verified. The White House said it was working to establish the video’s authenticity, but if it was genuine, the US would be “appalled by the brutal murder”.

On Facebook, Foley’s family wrote: “We know that many of you are looking for confirmation or answers.

Please be patient until we all have more information, and keep the Foleys in your thoughts and prayers.”

Foley has reported extensively across the Middle East. In the video, titled A Message to America, a man who the IS said was James Foley is shown being held by

negotiators home

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ceasefire in the Gaza Strip collapsed on Tuesday, with Palestinian militants firing dozens of rockets at Israel and Israel launching air strikes that health officials said killed three people including a woman and a young girl in Gaza.

Accusing Gaza Islamists of breaking the truce, Israel promptly recalled its negotiators from talks in Cairo, leaving the fate of Egyptianbrokered efforts to secure a lasting peace hanging in the

James Foley has been missing since he was seized in Syria in 2012

a masked militant.

The militant, who speaks with a British accent, says the journalist’s death is the direct result of US bombing of IS targets in Iraq.

The US has recently carried out a number of air strikes against IS militants, who have swept through large swathes of north-western Iraq. (BBC News)

Donetsk shelled in Ukraine army advance

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ivilians in Donetsk are reported to be fleeing after the proRussian rebel-held city was hit by artillery fire during an advance by Ukrainian forces into the area.

Residents in the outskirts of Donetsk said that they witnessed shelling on Tuesday for the first time since separatists took control over the city. Clashes also reportedly erupted in the centre between rebels and an unidentified group, which appeared to be part of Ukraine’s security forces.

A Reuters reporter at the scene said they witnessed an intense gunfight erupting in the centre of Donetsk, in which about six rebel gunmen were hiding behind cars in a parking lot of a mall, running and firing at another group of people.

The fighting came as the Ukrainian military said it had recaptured parts of the rebel-held city of Luhansk, near the Russian border, which has been besieged by security forces for weeks, and a strategic town near Donetsk.

Almost 350,000 people have been forced to flee their homes and more than 2000 others have been killed in eastern Ukraine due to fighting between government troops and rebels.

Meanwhile, Russian president Vladimir Putin and his Ukranian counterpart Petro Poroshenko, who have not met since early in June, plan to meet next week in Belarus with EU representatives and the Eurasian Customs Union, the Kremlin said on Tuesday. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

balance.

Rockets were fired from Gaza nearly eight hours before a ceasefire – extended by a day on Monday – was due to expire. Later dozens of rockets took aim at a number of cities and one missile hit open land in the greater Tel Aviv area, causing some damage but no casualties.

Gaza witnesses said Israeli aircraft launched 35 attacks, including one on a house in Gaza City, where hospital officials said a wom-

an and a two-year-old girl were killed. A third unidentified person also died in the strike, officials said.

Israeli media said Israel had targeted a senior Hamas figure at the house that was bombed, possibly the head of a rocket launching operation. The army declined to comment on the bombing of that particular home in Gaza City, saying only that it had bombed 30 sites across Gaza on Tuesday.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Suspected Ebola cases in Austria, new drug raises hopes

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wo men suspected of carrying the deadly Ebola virus have been hospitalised and quarantined in Austria, a regional governor said on Tuesday.

Elsewhere, doctors are reporting positive signs from an experimental Ebola drug called ZMapp.

The men, who developed a fever following a visit to Nigeria, have been isolated and are being treated at a hospital in the northern Austrian city of Voecklabruck, Josef Puehringer, the governor of Upper Austria province, said.

Puehringer said blood samples have been sent to a laboratory in Germany, adding that the results are expected later Tuesday.

Meanwhile, doctors said that three Liberian health workers who have been given the last known doses of the experimental Ebola

A health worker examines this girl for signs of Ebola in Sierra Leone

drug, ZMapp, are showing signs of recovery.

The drug has earlier been given to two infected Americans and a Spaniard.

The Americans are also improving, but the Spaniard died. “The medical professionals have informed the Liberian information ministry their progress is ‘remarkable,” the Ministry

said in a statement, adding that the patients are showing “very positive signs of recovery”.

Experts have said it is unclear if ZMapp, which had never before been tested in humans, is effective. Even if it is, the California-based maker has said more supplies won’t be available for months. (Excerpt from France24)

Indonesia tsunami family ‘find son’ Irom Sharmila: India court orders release after reunion with daughter of hunger striker

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n Indonesian couple reunited with their daughter 10 years after a tsunami snatched her from their arms claimed Tuesday to have found their son, who was also swept away in the disaster.

Jamaliah and her husband Septi Rangkuti had an emotional reunion Monday with the teenager they believe is their long-lost son, bringing their whole family together for the first time in 10 years.

Arif Pratama Rangkuti, now 17, was carried off with his younger sister when the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami slammed into Indonesia’s westernmost Aceh province, killing more than 170,000 people there and tens of thousands in other countries.

Arif’s sister Raudhatul Jannah was reunited with the parents in June after a relative spotted a girl in an Aceh village who bore a striking resemblance to her. On Tuesday the couple said their son had now also been returned, thanks to this month’s huge media coverage of their “miracle” reunion with their daughter.

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Arif Pratama Rangkuti, lower right, is reunited with his family, Wednesday, August 19, more than 10 years after he and his sister, Raudhatul Jannah, left, were swept away in a tsunami. Raudhatul was reunited last week with the family: father Septi Rangkuti, second left, holds son Jumadi, and to their right is mother Jamalia Rangkuti

“It’s true, he’s our son. We’re now preparing to take him home,” Rangkuti told AFP, explaining that the boy had lived for years as a street child on the island of Sumatra.

The family were reunited at the

home of a couple who found the boy one night asleep outside the Internet cafe they run in Payakumbuh. The teenager has lived homeless for years, sleeping in outdoor markets and abandoned shops. (Excerpt from Reuters)

court in India has ordered the release of a human rights activist who has been on hunger strike for 14 years. Irom Sharmila Chanu began her fast in 2000 to protest against a controversial law in the North-eastern state of Manipur, which gave the Indian armed forces sweeping powers.

Shortly after her protest began, she was charged with “attempting to commit suicide”. In 2002 she was put in a hospital and forced-fed through a tube in her nose.

“The court has set her free,” her lawyer Mani Khaidem said on Tuesday.

The court had accepted that there was no basis for charging Chanu with “attempted suicide”, human rights activist Babloo Loitangbam told the Agence France-Presse news agency.

“There has been a consis-

tent position where activists have been saying that she is not taking her life, she is making a political point which is to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA),” he said.

For nearly 14 years, Chanu has been held in judicial custody in a hospital in Manipur’s capital, Imphal.

She began a hunger strike after 10 civilians were killed by Indian soldiers.

Over the past decade, she has campaigned for the removal of AFSPA which gives soldiers sweeping powers to arrest people without warrants and even shoot to kill in certain situations. Campaigners say the law is often misused.

Her protest has won her worldwide recognition, with Amnesty International describing her as a prisoner of conscience. (BBC News)

16 NEWS

wednesDAY, august 20, 2014 | guyanatimesGY.com

Why business leaders support a price on carbon?

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he companies we turn to every day for electricity, transportation, consumer goods, and even electronics face risks from climate change. Most need reliable water for production processes and products. Extreme weather and temperatures can hurt their productivity and damage their supply chains and as-

A few industries internally pricing emissions won’t move an entire industry to better practices, though; a sector- or economy-wide price on emissions can.

In about 40 countries and more than 20 cities, states and provinces, these companies and others also work with a formal price on emis-

Leaders Group encouraging governments to explore carbon pricing methods and set their own predictable price on carbon.

The energy giant GDF Suez, sees carbon pricing as a cost-effective way of addressing climate change while letting businesses choose how they lower their emissions.

the most business sense,” the company wrote in adding its name to the public statement encouraging governments worldwide to put a price on carbon.

KDF Energy of Romania, another supporter of the carbon pricing statement, writes that “carbon pricing improves the efficiency of the economy, and it is a signal for investment in low-carbon and resilient economic growth.”

Software company Microsoft, which uses shadow carbon pricing, describes similar benefits from its internal carbon fee model. It says the internal pricing mechanism provides justification to prioritize efficiency at every level of the organization.

“We’ve found over time that the more we can integrate sustainability goals across the business, the better position we are in to respond to changing economic, social and environmental conditions. Our carbon fee model supports a culture of

helps bring to light the risk of stranded assets and connects the damages caused by burning fossil fuels to their sources, costs that are rarely reflected in stock prices today.

“In addition to encouraging investment in low-carbon generation, a carbon price also provides investors an incentive to pursue other low-carbon activities, such as tilting portfolios away from high-carbon investments, as they have a clearer view of the economic cost of holding highcarbon assets,” four investor groups from Europe, Asia, Australia and North America wrote in a recent online article. “The continued improvement and expansion of carbon pricing is crucial to a low-carbon energy future.”

The French public service pension fund ERAFP proposes that companies report their carbon footprint as a proxy to assess how businesses are preparing to deal with climate change.

spring of innovation, job creation, and produce economic and international competitive benefits.”

A similar model has been used in British Columbia since 2008. The Canadian province set a tax on emissions from fossil fuels – paid at the pump and in an energy bills – but then cut business taxes and personal taxes and added a lowincome tax credit to protect the poor. The revenue-neutral approach led to one of the lowest income tax rates in Canada and lowered the province’s emissions.

Private sector

The World Bank Group has been working with business leaders to increase investment in clean energy and low-carbon development, and it recognizes the value of a price on carbon in encouraging that shift.

The private sector’s involvement is critical.

Climate change threatens to roll back decades of de-

The Kaieteur National Park in Guyana. The rainforest in Guyana is a biodiverse environment because of the large number of species that live in relatively close proximity. Researchers have found that rare species, including the Guyanan tree Pouteria maxima, are fundamental to maintaining balance in biodiverse ecosystems

sets.

Business leaders understand that climate change can have real economic impact, and that their current business models may not be profitable in a 4-degree warmer world. They also see opportunity in innovating for a cleaner future.

Several global companies, including Google, Walmart, and Shell, have started using an internal “shadow price” on carbon dioxide emissions, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change, in their investment planning to help avoid risks and find opportunities that can increase energy and resource efficiency, reduce CO2 emissions, and give them a competitive edge.

sions that is set or planned for entire sectors or economies through carbon taxes or carbon markets. That price on carbon, as it frequently referred to, sends a consistent economic signal that investing in cleaner, low-carbon growth can pay off for everyone.

Pricing policies

Business leaders are increasingly speaking out in favor of expanding those carbon pricing policies.

More than 250 companies have already joined a statement that is being organized by the World Bank Group and partners including the World Economic Forum, UN Global Compact, and the Prince of Wales’s Corporate

The France-based multinational operates on five continents in about 70 countries – some of which have carbon pricing systems in place. In positioning itself for the future, the company is aggressively developing renewable energy resources to reduce its carbon footprint, a move that has put it at the cutting edge of the energy sector.

“We at GDF Suez support carbon pricing because we believe there is a need to address risks linked to climate change, and we support action to address emissions reductions cost effectively. We are in favor of market-based approaches and emissions trading which allow business the flexibility to reduce when and where it makes

Residential streets are submerged after a river overflowed its banks in Kumamoto on Japan's southern island of Kyushu

innovation and efficiency,” Microsoft told CDP for a recent report on internal carbon pricing.

For investors, transparency and sustainability are important. A price on carbon

“Assuming that, as a result, it would be in the interest of any company to gross the highest revenue possible for the least carbon footprint, pressure would increase for a subsequent overhaul in corporate business models,” ERAFP writes in supporting the price on carbon statement. “We will never stress enough the importance of being transparent.”

Small businesses

Small businesses are also concerned about climate change; they have fewer resources to endure extreme weather events, recover or adapt. The American Sustainable Business Council works with small businesses and sees value in properly pricing the burning of fossil fuels and using the proceeds to reduce taxes elsewhere.

“By returning some of the revenues to the lowest income earners, a price on carbon actually benefits small businesses that serve this segment of consumers,” the ASBC writes. “Addressing the climate crisis will not just avert economic catastrophe, it can serve as a well-

velopment progress in countries around the world and puts the poorest and most vulnerable at greatest risk.

Public money alone will not be enough to shift the world to low-carbon growth than can reduce missions to safer levels.

Nearly two-thirds of finance for projects today that help mitigate climate change, such as renewable energy development and expansion of energy efficiency, comes from the private sector, and the combined total is far short of the investment needed.

Solving the challenges of climate change will take both public sector and private sector leadership. Global consumer products company Unilever described the connection and the impact on consumer goods companies in joining the carbon pricing statement: “Many of the impacts of our operations fall outside our direct control, so we need to engage governments to create an environment that is supportive to meeting the big sustainability challenges the world faces.” (Story reprinted from the World Bank)

NEWS

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wednesDAY, august 20, 2014 | guyanatimesGY.com

More than 300 treated at BRHA’s Geriatric Clinic

An elderly woman gets a massage from a massage therapist

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ersons who have served their communities decades ago and are on many occasions forgotten and not treated with the special kind of care they needed were recently pampered when the Berbice Regional health Authority (BRHA) held its fourth Geriatric Clinic at the Gay Park Mandir.

The mega clinics have been established to ensure that elderly folks have access to quality healthcare in their own communities.

More than 300 persons seen by medical personal and treated for

various ailments, received manicures and pedicures, along with massages and facial enhancements. Some even received haircuts.

BRHA Chief Executive Officer, Dr Vishwa Mahadeo noted that patients received back massages, one minute screening and some were referred for psychiatric help.

The medical team, he noted included two persons who have been specially trained to deal with geriatric patients.

“You have to understand that a geriatric; someone who is 60 years

and older by the World Health Organisation (WHO) classifications, their treatment needs differ.

They come with issues different to those which the regular adult or child will not have.”

The average life span in Guyana has moved from 58 to 72 years over the past 25 years.

Mahadeo said the issue is not that more persons are aging, buy how they age. He is advocating that while persons are living longer lives, they live healthier lives.

“The quality of life that they have as they live we want them to be able to enjoy those years,” he added.

“We are doing all of this at these geriatric clinics because we provide care for the child and the adult, but the geriatric patient is just viewed at an older adult… they have different types of disease that affect them.”

According the Mahadeo, the BRHA initially started the care for the elderly programme which mushroomed into the geriatric clinics. He noted that health centres under the BRHA have a Geriatric Health Day every month.

“All of the health centres are not onboard as yet because we have to provide training for the staff.”

The BRHA provides health services to the people of Regions Five and Six through its 41 health cen-

US helping Guyana airport officials with fraud detection

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A CBP officials conducting training with staff of the CJIA

he United States Government, through the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), provided Carrier Liaison Programme (CLP) training in Georgetown from August 11-15, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

The programme provided standardised training and assistance to international air carriers related to admissibility and fraudulent document detection in order to encourage carrier compliance with US Immigration Laws, the US Embassy here said in a release.

Approximately 100 employees from local airlines and security companies including Caribbean Airlines, Fly Jamaica, Roraima

Airways, TravelSpan Inc, New Timehri Handing Service Inc, and Suriname Airways were trained with the aim of enhancing border security by increasing commercial carrier effectiveness in identifying improperly documented passengers destined for the United States.

CLP allows participants to engage in hands-on instruction in fraudulent document identification, passenger assessment, impostor identification and United States entry requirements.

The CLP team has developed innovative training products, including a sample travel documents that allows participants to examine dozens of common security features. The general

audience for this training is airline check-in personnel, boarding agents, and security company staff. The CLP reduces carrier penalties and costs associated with improperly documented customers travelling to the United States for airports who have received this training.

CLP training is delivered at US ports of entry and at airports abroad by experienced CLP officers and is customised to meet the needs of specific carriers or locations based on performance analysis or emergent circumstances. CLP officers also assist carriers to develop and implement strategies to reduce travel document abuse.

tres and health posts, along with eight Hospitals.

Some of the health staff attached to BRHA have already received one-year training on geriatric care. Others are currently undergoing the highly specialised

bedpans, pampers and reading glasses.

The Pan American Health organisation (PAHO) has also been instrumental in all of the mega geriatric clinics that have been held. Faith-based organisations

An elderly woman is treated to a pedicure

programme which will allow for persons trained in geriatrics to be posted at all health facilities in Region Five and Six. Meanwhile, the mega clinics have received major support from Food for the Poor Guyana Inc, which has provided all of the items given to patients. Apart from medical supplies, they included walkers, wheelchairs, commodes,

have been targeted with providing the venue, food water and identifying persons in the community.

The BRHA has provided staff on a voluntary basis and also transportation for many to attend the monthly clinics. The September monthly clinic is expected to be held in Bath Settlement, Region Five.

CARILED holds workshop for machine operators at Mara

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he Caribbean Local Economic Development Project (CARILED) in collaboration with the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry and the Mara Farmers’ Association successfully concluded a threeday training workshop for eight persons in Machine Operation and Maintenance on August 8-10, at the Mara Community Centre, MaRetraite Scheme, East Bank Berbice.

According to a release, the training workshop forms the final aspect of the Mara Agricultural Enhancement Project (MAEP) which seeks to increase the productive capacity and diversify the portfolio of farmers in the Mara (California to Germania) area. The workshop was divided into one day of theoretical (classroom) training and two days of practical (on-site) training and was facilitated by Sharda Shew, Service Manager – Farm Supplies Limited. After successful completion, participants were issued with Certificates of Completion by the Mara Farmers’ Association.

Ramjagan Singh, Vice President of Mara Famers’ Association congratulated each participant for successfully completing the training course and urged all participants to make the best use of the training to devel-

Officials and trainers examine a machine during the seminar

op a lifelong skill and build a career. He expressed thanks to the CARILED, the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry, and the Regional Democratic Council (Region Six) for their continuous support.

CARILED is funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, Canada, formerly the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). It is a sixyear programme which was launched in May 2012, with headquarters in Trinidad and Tobago, and sub-offices in Saint Lucia and Ottawa, Canada. The programme is being implemented by

the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, in partnership with the Caribbean Association of Local Government Authorities, the Caribbean Forum of Local Government Ministers and the Commonwealth Local Government Forum.

The programme, which focuses on local economic development (LED), currently works in seven Caribbean countries to develop models of LED that can be shared throughout the Region. It aims to partner with 50 local government authorities to support the growth and development of 500 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

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guyanatimesgy.com

wednesDAY, august 20, 2014

archie

By Bernice Bede Osol

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19) Tread carefully today.

Oversensitive peers and family members will require an understanding and calm approach. This is an ideal day to work on personal documents and avoid interaction with others.

dilbert

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19) Group efforts will go smoothly. You will be able to get along with your colleagues, and much will be accomplished. Take a position of leadership in order to boost your popularity.

Calvin and Hobbes

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Creative projects will keep your imagination and mind stimulated. All work and no play will lead to irritability and dissatisfaction. Make romantic plans for the evening hours.

Peanuts

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

SUDOKU

You will need a lot of strength to deal with negative people and those unable to see the possibilities at hand. Keep your emotions in check.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) You will be able to get everything done if you focus. Your generosity and approachable manner will enable you to get the help needed to reach your goals.

CANCER (June 21July 22) Take extra care when it comes to the way you present who you are and what you can do. The compliments you receive will please you and boost your confidence.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22) Trust your intuition.

Get any deals or promises in writing. If something seems dubious or uncertain, look for an alternative way to get what you want.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22) Show your support. If you fight for the underdog, your dedication will be noticed and commended. Set a high standard for yourself that others will follow.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23) Problems with your living space need immediate attention. Don’t let a professional difference of opinion deteriorate into an emotional debate. Get your facts straight before you jeopardise your position.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22) Take action and show everyone how industrious you are. Be assertive, and present your ideas in a confident and distinctive manner. Your enthusiasm will be contagious, and the results will be impressive.

Tuesday's solution GEMINI (May 21June 20)

SAGITTARIUS

Don’t get so caught up in daily trials that you neglect financial matters. Be mindful of how your decisions will influence those around you. Think before you act.

Compromise will be needed in order to resolve a battle of wills. Don’t cave to pressure or let anyone bully you. Stand up for what you believe in and what you want.

(Nov. 23Dec. 21)

wednesday, auguast 19, 2014

19

Gibson sacked as WICB coach – Sir Richie Richardson to take charge of team in interim

T

he West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) reported on Tuesday that the Board and Ottis Gibson mutually agreed to terminate their association with immediate effect.

The WICB said wishes to express its gratitude to Gibson for his unwavering commitment and professionalism during his tenure as the Coach of the West Indies team.

WICB Chief Executive Officer Michael Muirhead thanked Gibson for his services.

“On behalf of the Board and West Indies cricket as a whole we express our gratitude to Ottis for his work, particularly in coaching the team to winning the ICC World Twenty20 in 2012, and offer our best wishes to him in all his future endeavours,” Muirhead said.

Team Manager, Sir Richie Richardson, will take charge of the team on an interim basis for the series against Bangladesh which will be played in Grenada, St Kitts, St Vincent and St Lucia.

The Team Management Unit remains unchanged otherwise, the press release stated.

Meanwhile, the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian reported on Tuesday that the replacement coach was likely to be the former South Africa and Australia coach Mickey Arthur. The South African, Arthur recently finished his duties with the Jamaica Tallawahs in the Limacol Caribbean Premier League T20 tournament.

“WICB Cricket operations director Richard Pybus met with Gibson after a string of poor perfor-

Otis Gibson

mances from the regional side. The two did not see eye to eye on many matters and in the end the WICB directors were made aware of the feelings of both Pybus and Gibson,” the Guardian reported.

Gibson’s contract was not up for renewal, since he renewed his contract last year. It was for a period of three years and due to end in February 2016.

At the time of renewing the contract, Muirhead

had said: “Ottis has added significant value to the development of the West Indies team during his tenure and we are delighted to have secured his services for another three years.

“Most notably is that he led the implementation of a system of professionalism within the team unit and curbed the negative results, which we were experiencing with some frequency. There have also been clear successes under his stewardship from 2010 to date.

"These include, most notably, having coached the team to the World Twenty20 title, the team showing consistent improvements in the other formats, the reintegration of players into the team unit and the achievement of the set goals as outlined in the WICB Strategic Plan

2011-2016,” he said.

The West Indies continue to struggle in the Test and ODI formats and this has prompted many changes under new president Dave Cameron.

Darren Sammy was removed as ODI captain and replaced by Dwayne Bravo, while the St Lucian was also replaced as Test captain by Denesh Ramdin.

Sammy has held on to his post as T20 captain.

Recently the changes continued with former Test captain Clive Lloyd replacing Clyde Butts as Chief Selector, while Eldine Baptiste and Courtney Walsh were also made selectors.

Making way for them was Robert Haynes, while Courtney Browne was been sent to deal with youth selection and women’s cricket.

West Indies and Bangladesh clash in first ODI today

T

he penultimate ball of the last ODI series between Bangladesh and West Indies is a mini YouTube sensation. Elias Sunny, having thought that Nasir Hossain’s slice off Andre Russell had gone to the boundary, began uprooting the stumps in celebration.

“The way Nasir hit that ball and started celebrating, I thought the ball went to the boundary,” Sunny said.

“He thought I had completed the run so he started to celebrate. I returned from very near the popping crease. I would have completed the run if I knew it wasn’t a boundary. It was due to excitement. The ball was dead when the team had entered the field. If I had walked towards the striker’s end, I the ball would have been live and that could have been risky.”

The West Indies players were beside themselves with laughter even as they retrieved the ball. Chris

Gayle wasn’t too serious with his protest, but he did speak to the umpire through the giggles. The next ball, Nasir cut a boundary, giving Bangladesh the rightful claim to beating a fullstrength West Indies side at home, after nearly giving it away a few times. After Bangladesh raced to a 2-0 lead in Khulna, West Indies hit back to level the series and set up a tie-breaker in Mirpur, which Bangladesh clinched through gritty performances.

This time, the series promises similar thrills as both West Indies and Bangladesh have a lot to prove, say and play for. The home side’s last assignment had them losing the threematch Test series against New Zealand and drawing the T20s. They haven’t won any series or tournament this year apart from a threematch T20 series against England and a one-off ODI against Ireland.

Under Dwayne Bravo,

West Indies have now won three out of seven ODIs this year, and 11 out of 25 since he took over from Darren Sammy. Bravo himself has been the team’s best batsman and bowler this year, averaging 93.50 and tak-

ing 12 wickets in seven ODIs. But apart from Lendl Simmons, none of the other batsmen have even crossed 200 runs this year, while none have reached doublefigures in the wickets column apart from left-arm spinner Nikita Miller, who has taken 10 wickets. They will also have the issue of the uncertainty over coach

Ottis Gibson’s future on their minds.

Since mid-July, the West Indies players have been busy in the Caribbean Premier League. The T20 tournament ended on August 16, four days before

the first ODI. Simmons was the tournament’s top-scorer, with Chris Gayle in third position. Among the bowlers, Ravi Rampul was the leading wicket-taker and Sunil Narine the only other bowler in the ODI squad among the top ten.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, are not the happiest cricket team in the world at the

moment. They are in their favourite destination but in 2014, they have only drawn one Test against Sri Lanka and won two T20s, against Nepal and Afghanistan.

They have a losing streak to break in one-day cricket, their favourite format, and several players including Tamim Iqbal are out of form.

On top of everything for the visitors is the absence of Shakib Al Hasan due to a six-month suspension. The only solace in this case is that they beat West Indies 3-2 in 2012 without Shakib.

Whether that will motivate them further is a different question, as the losses this year should be motivation enough for a turnaround.

Two flawed teams can make for compelling viewing. For Bangladesh fans, it would mean staying up till the wee hours of the morning but that is an adventure that has given them a lot of pleasure in the past.

West Indies squad: Dwayne Bravo (cap-

tain), Darren Bravo, Kirk Edwards, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder, Nikita Miller, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Darren Sammy, Lendl Simmons Tournament Schedule Wednesday, August 20: 1st ODI – National Stadium, St. George’s, Grenada Friday, August 22: 2nd ODI – National Stadium Monday, August 25: 3rd ODI – Warner Park, Basseterre, St. Kitts (day/ night) Wednesday, August 27: T20 International – Warner Park (night) Friday, September 5 to Tuesday, September 9: 1st Test – Arnos Vale, St. Vincent Saturday, September 13 to Wednesday, September 17: 2nd Test – Beausejour Ground, St. Lucia

20

wednesDAY, August 20, 2014

guyanatimesGY.com

Zimbabwe suffer another big defeat Max Verstappen: Teenager to drive for Toro Rosso next season

On his way to a quick 38, Quinton de Kock equalled the record for fastest to 1000 ODI runs - he has got there in 21 innings, the same as Jonathan Trott. Photo: AFP

N

ot even Zimbabwe’s most successful performance in the field against South Africa in 15 years could change the inevitable. Despite bowling their big brothers out for the first time since the 1999 World Cup, and just the third time in their 34-ODI history, Zimbabwe could not avoid a series defeat.

After stemming South Africa’s speedy start and punctuating their progress by plucking through their middle and lower order, Zimbabwe gave themselves the best chance of levelling the series and then squandered it. Their batting proved brittle with only Sean Williams and the tail mounting any resistance. The rest engineered their own downfall against a disciplined but not overly dangerous South African attack.

Zimbabwe would have known there were no demons in the pitch when they watched South Africa bat.

Apart from the usual sluggishness and a small amount of turn, South Africa found runs with nothing more than old-fashioned digging in and that it was possible to play with relative freedom in parts.

Quinton de Kock breezed to a sprightly 38, helped by Brian Vitori’s struggles to find a strangling line as he made his return from an ankle niggle, and became the join fastest to 1000 ODI runs. De Kock shares the record with Jonathan Trott, who also reached the milestone in 21 innings.

De Kock only added one

run to the landmark figure before becoming the second of three quick wickets, as Zimbabwe wrested control of the innings. Both he and Hashim Amla fell to John Nyumbu and AB de Villiers was run out freakishly after thinking he had paddled the ball past wicketkeeper Richmond Mutumbami, when in fact it had stopped at the wicketkeeper’s feet.

South Africa lost three wickets for 13 in the space of 26 deliveries to land Faf du Plessis in a familiar rebuilding role. With JP Duminy, du Plessis negotiated Zimbabwe spinners, Sikandar Raza included, with care. For seven overs they could not find the boundary and had to be content with 26 runs in ones and twos before Duminy was bowled around his legs.

David Miller failed to take advantage of the more than 20 overs he had in front of him until the latter stages of his innings, when he was the key protagonist in South Africa’s most profitable over.

Luke Jongwe was taken for 18 runs in the penultimate over of the Powerplay, a period in which South Africa scored 43 runs but lost both du Plessis and Miller.

Du Plessis was their only half-centurion, proof that watchfulness can go further than all-out aggression on occasion. His enterprising innings meant that by the time South Africa entered the final fifth of their innings they were in almost exactly the same position as they were in during the first ODI, at least in runs terms. On Sunday, South Africa had been 208

for 1. On Tuesday, they were 206 for 6.

The wickets were testament to Elton Chigumbura’s more creative captaincy - he rotated bowlers with more thought and set better fields - and the spinners’ stranglehold. But South Africa’s lower middle order was still ca-

pable of mounting a surge.

Wayne Parnell and Kyle Abbott put on 41 runs for the eighth wicket to take the score past 250 and leave the contest well-balanced at the halfway stage.

Zimbabwe would have been pleased with their last 10-over squeeze of 51 for 4, until their own first 12 were complete. As was the case in the first ODI, Zimbabwe lost the match in the space of 22 overs when the chase was crippled in its infancy.

Mutumbami was dropped on 3 by de Villiers at second slip but added just nine more before being trapped lbw by an Aaron Phangiso arm ball.

Hamilton Masakadza left a gap between bat and pad, which Parnell snuck through with a good-length ball, and Raza left a Ryan McLaren ball that angled into him.

At 26 for 3, Brendan Taylor was considered Zimbabwe’s last hope but he disappointed again when he hit Duminy straight to Miller at long-on. Williams held together the middle order but found few allies as McLaren and Parnell, who picked up his 50th ODI wicket when Chigumbura top-edged a short ball that got big on him to mid-on, sliced through.

The margin of defeat was cut by a stubborn ninth-wicket stand of 41 in 5.3 overs between Neville Madziva and Nyumbu, who thrilled his home crowd with his shot-making, and lusty blows from Vitori, who took 20 runs off Duminy’s last over. That will come as scant consolation for Zimbabwe.

They were mostly bossed by a South African side that has both a trophy and a cupboard full of reserve bowlers with a game to go before this series is officially over.

SCOREBOARD

South Africa innings (50 overs maximum) Q de Kock† c Chigumbura b Nyumbu 38 15 HM Amla b Nyumbu F du Plessis c Chigumbura b Utseya 55 AB de Villiers* run out (†Mutumbami) 1 JP Duminy b Utseya 36 DA Miller lbw b Vitori 45 R McLaren c Chigumbura b Vitori 4 WD Parnell c Williams b Madziva 24 KJ Abbott c Sikandar Raza b Williams 23 AM Phangiso c Nyumbu b Williams 2 Imran Tahir not out 0 Extras (lb 7, w7) 14 Total (all out; 49.4 overs; 217 mins) 257 (5.17 runs per over) Fall of wickets 1-47 (Amla, 7.6 ov), 2-59 (de Kock, 11.3 ov), 3-60 (de Villiers, 12.1 ov), 4-129 (Duminy, 26.3 ov), 5-169 (du Plessis, 35.5 ov), 6-204 (Miller, 39.1 ov), 7-211 (McLaren, 41.6 ov), 8-252 (Parnell, 48.3 ov), 9-257 (Abbott, 49.3 ov), 10257 (Phangiso, 49.4 ov) Bowling: BV Vitori 9-0-572, P Utseya 10-1-39-2, N Madziva 5-0-27-1, J Nyumbu 10-0-44-2, LM Jongwe 2-020-0, Sikandar Raza 2-0-150, SC Williams 9.4-0- 37-2, E

Chigumbura 2-0-11-0, Zimbabwe innings (target: 258 runs from 50 overs) H Masakadza b Parnell 7 R Mutumbami† lbw b Phangiso 12 Sikandar Raza b McLaren 0 BRM Taylor c Miller b Duminy 14 SC Williams c Parnell b McLaren 55 E Chigumbura* c Duminy b Parnell 7 LM Jongwe c Amla b McLaren 6 P Utseya lbw b Parnell 15 N Madziva b Imran Tahir 25 J Nyumbu c †de Kock b Imran Tahir 18 20 BV Vitori not out Extras (b 2, lb 8, w 6, nb 1) 17 Total (all out; 49.1 overs; 206 mins) 196 (3.98 runs per over) Fall of wickets 1-21 (Mutumbami, 6.6 ov), 2-21 (Masakadza, 7.2 ov), 3-26 (Sikandar Raza, 11.5 ov), 4-45 (Taylor, 16.4 ov), 5-59 (Chigumbura, 21.3 ov), 6-88 (Jongwe, 28.4 ov), 7-114 (Williams, 36.2 ov), 8-134 (Utseya, 41.6 ov), 9-175 (Madziva, 47.3 ov), 10196 (Nyumbu, 49.1 ov) Bowling: KJ Abbott 8-2-190, WD Parnell 9-2-28-3, AM Phangiso 8-2-34-1, R McLaren 8-0-21-3, JP Duminy 7-0-581, Imran Tahir 9.1-1-26-2

Max Verstappen

S

ixteen-year-old Max Verstappen insists it is “more dangerous to bike through a big city than race in an F1 car” after being signed up to drive for Toro Rosso. The Dutchman will become the youngest F1 driver in history when he competes in next year’s championship.

Verstappen, who turns 17 next month, currently races in Formula Three. “I’m a relaxed guy. I will handle it,” Verstappen, who will replace Jean-Eric Vergne at Toro Rosso, told the BBC. Verstappen is the son of former Formula 1 driver Jos, 42, who contested 106 grands prix for teams such as Benetton and Tyrrell between 1994 and 2003.

Max Verstappen will break the record for F1’s youngest ever driver by almost two years when he lines up for his debut next year. Spain’s Jaime Alguersuari - who was 19 years and 125 days when he raced in Hungary, also for Toro Rosso, in 2009 - is the current record holder.

Alguersuari left Torro Rosso and F1 at the end of the 2011 season.

The youngest driver to earn a Championship point is Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat, who was 19 when he finished ninth in this season’s opening race in Australia. The Russian will be Verstappen’s team-mate in 2015.

Verstappen was a successful kart racer before driving for Van Amersfoort Racing in this year’s Formula Three Championship. He made an impressive transition to F3, winning six consecutive races at one stage, and has eight victories in 27 races so far this season, leaving him second to Frenchman Esteban Ocon in the overall standings.

Although he will graduate to F1 with fewer than 40 single-seater races under his belt, it is not unheard of for drivers to make the step up to the top level of the sport with such low levels of experience.

Finland’s Kimi Raikkonen had only contested 23 single-seater races when he graduated to F1 in 2001. He went on to become world champion in 2007 and is a 20-time grand prix winner. (BBC Sport)

Indian media blame Dhoni and Fletcher

T

hree successive humiliating Test defeats against England have sparked calls for India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and coach Duncan Fletcher to be sacked. The crushing defeats have silenced the triumphant noises made in the Indian media after the tourists registered a historic win at Lord’s on 21 July.

Dhoni’s side won a Test match at the Mecca of cricket for the first time since 1986 and, in the process, ended a run of 15 away matches without victory stretching back to the tour of the West Indies in 2011.

But that now seems a distant memory given the lack of determination, discipline and application demonstrated by the Indians in the following three matches.

For many editorial writers, it’s not the defeat but the manner in which India surrendered that is “depressing”.

An opinion piece in The Times of India says Dhoni “has well and truly outlived

The Indian media have been ruthless against Mahendra Singh Dhoni

his usefulness as a captain in the long form of the game”.

Cricket is a religion in India and players are adored by their fans. But Dhoni’s days as a worshiped cricketer now appear over as pundits and fans seem united in their demand for his sacking. “Even Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly were not spared the axe. And they never led teams that have played as poorly as those MS Dhoni has captained,” Sanjeev K Samyal wrote in the Hindustan Times

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ritain’s Andy Murray is seeded eighth for the 2014 US Open, which starts at Flushing Meadows on 25 August.

The 27-year-old, who won the tournament in 2012, has not won an ATP ranking event since Wimbledon in 2013.

The Scot was knocked out in the quarter-finals of the Cincinnati Masters last week, following similar exits at the Rogers Cup and Wimbledon.

US Open champion Rafael Nadal is out injured, while Novak Djokovic is seeded number one and Roger Federer two.

The seedings for the women’s tournament will be announced on Wednesday,

US Open champion Rafael Nadal is out injured,

with the draw taking place the following day.

Men’s top 16 seeds: 1) Novak Djokovic, 2) Roger Federer, 3) Stanislas Wawrinka, 4) David Ferrer, 5) Milos Raonic, 6) Tomas Berdych, 7) Grigor

Dimitrov, 8) Andy Murray, 9) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 10) Kei Nishikori, 11) Ernests Gulbis, 12) Richard Gasquet, 13) John Isner, 14) Marin Cilic, 15) Fabio Fognini, 16) Tommy Robredo.

Ravi Shastri ‘in charge’ of India ODI team F

ormer India captain Ravi Shastri will oversee the team for the five-match one-day international series with England, which starts on Monday.

The Indian Cricket Board said the 52-year-old would be in overall charge of cricket but that Duncan Fletcher would continue in his role as head coach.

Bowling coach Joe Dawes and fielding coach Trevor Penney have been “given a Ravi Shastri will be the overall break” for the series.

Former India players in-charge of cricket affairs of Sanjay Bangar and Bharat the Indian Team Arun join the support staff. matches in only three days.

The appointment of The 2011 World Cup Shastri as team director for winners have won only one the series follows a disas- Test in 19 matches overtrous run of three successive seas and captain Mahendra heavy defeats in the Test Singh Dhoni admitted after series, which England won The Oval defeat that he may 3-1. have taken the team as far After a drawn opening as he can. match, India won the second Shastri, an obdurate Test at Lord’s by 95 runs but opening or middle order then lost at Southampton by batsman and slow left-arm 266 runs, at Old Trafford by bowler, who played 80 Test an innings and 54 runs and matches and 150 one-day at The Oval by an innings internationals for India and 244 runs - the latter two from 1981-1992, briefly

coached the team on a tour of Bangladesh in 2007 but has been better known as a commentator since his retirement.

A BCCI statement explaining his appointment said: “In culmination of the discussions among all the office-bearers of the BCCI over the last couple of weeks, the BCCI has decided to avail the services of former India captain, Mr Ravi Shastri, to oversee and guide the Indian cricket team for the forthcoming one-day international matches against England.

“Mr Duncan Fletcher will continue as head coach while Ravi Shastri will be the overall in-charge of cricket affairs of the Indian Team.”

The ODI series with England begins at Bristol and has matches at Cardiff, Trent Bridge, Edgbaston and Headingley, before India’s tour concludes with a Twenty20 international at Edgbaston on 7 September.

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ew signing James Rodriguez scored his first goal for Real Madrid but a late Raul Garcia equaliser for Atletico Madrid saw the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup end level at 1-1.

Former Monaco striker Rodriguez, the Golden Boot winner in the World Cup, slotted home in the 80th minute.

But Garcia scrambled the ball home from a corner as the La Liga champions levelled before Friday’s second leg.

Real’s Cristiano Ronaldo came off at half-time with a suspected back injury. The world player of the year was replaced by Rodriguez as the Colombia international made his first appearance at the Bernabeu Stadium, where supporters

had paid tribute to club legend Alfredo Di Stefano before kick-off.

And the Champions League winners, who added the Uefa Super Cup to their collection by beating Sevilla in Cardiff last week, were a more potent force after the break.

Gareth Bale twice went close for Carlo Ancelotti’s side, first seeing an angled drive saved by Miguel Angel Moya and then testing the keeper again with a fiercely-struck free-kick.

Moya was unable to hold the Welshman’s effort but new Real signing Toni Kroos was unable to convert the rebound.

However, World Cup winner Kroos was involved in the opening goal as the Germany international played in Daniel Carvajal

to cross low into the box.

Karim Benzema’s shot was then blocked but the ball fell for Rodriguez to steer the ball home from eight yards out on 80 minutes.

That looked likely to give Real the advantage going into the return leg at the Vicente Calderon stadium but Atletico again showed their resilience to hit back.

Diego Simeone’s side, who have lost the services of Diego Costa, Filipe Luis, David Villa and Thibaut Courtois since losing to Real in the Champions League final, were unbeaten against both Real and Barcelona last season.

And they extended that record when Garcia flicked the ball past Iker Casillas from inside the six-yard box.

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wednesDAY, august 20, 2014

guyanatimesGY.com

Packed, star-studded field registered for Guyana Cup Which is Guyana’s only ‘A’ class animal. Church House was beaten in the sprint down the home-straight last week by Treacke of the Mahendra Dookie stable.

Fresh from a hard win

are Grande Roja and Jack Is My Style. Grande Roja has proven that, once fit, it can beat any field and enters the race with a wealth of experience. On the other hand, Jack Is My Style had to sur-

ites. Like Swing Easy from the Sheriff Stable, Red and Lovely is known to create upsets and these two animals will enter as two that could upset the field.

Money In Return brings its overseas experience to the track on Sunday.

Meanwhile, among the other horses expected to be on show on Sunday include Who’s On The Case, Got to Go, Marathon Man, and newly imported Blame

The Jockey and Africanize.

Settle In Seattle, The Message Karina, Rania Del Café, Swing Easy, Storm Bird, Unsettle and It’s My Turn are also set to compete.

Nine races are carded for the day and a total of $7.5M will be up for grabs in that race. The winning purse is a whopping $4M and the Guyana Cup trophy. The feature race will go a distance of 1,800 metres.

It’s My Turn of the Jumbo Jet Stable on Tuesday

A

ll of the top horses in Guyana have been entered for the feature event of the 2014 edition of the annual Guyana Cup horse-race meet billed for this Sunday. The C1 and Lower, the feature event, has a whopping $4M purse and bragging rights for the winner.

Two-time defending champion Elle’s Vision of the Jagdeo stable heads the list of elite horses. The

Jagdeo stable will be entering Perfect Wind Storm, which has raced only once in Guyana. The animal won the ‘D’ class event at the Kennard Memorial Turf Club earlier this month.

The Simply Royal Stable will also have two horses in the line-up, in the likes of Run Nana Run and Church House. The animals have the advantage of training with the fastest horse in the country, Score’s Even,

Settle In Seattle of the Sheriff Stable getting ready on Tuesday for Sunday’s races

last week, Treacke is also lined up to take the gate on Sunday when the feature race is called.

Already signed up on behalf of the Jumbo Jet Stables

render to CP Got Even at the Port Mourant Turf Club last month.

CP Got Even of the Poonai Stable enters the race as one of the favour-

Storm Bird and Unsettle in training

Eye Wear Optical donates trophies "Luck-of-the-draw" for August Games in Rupununi darts tournament set for Friday

T

he Guyana Darts Association (GDA) will be staging a special tournament on Friday August 22, 2014, at the Malteenoes Sports Club on Thomas Lands, Georgetown. This tournament is being played as a

a press release from the Guyana Darts Association stated.

The pairs will be divided into two groups and at t h e end of

point for each game won.

The knock-out stage will be best of three of 501 games, and the finals a best of five.

According to the GDA, a special innovation will be used so as to provide a level playing field for all participants.

The country’s top playe r s will b e

Coordinator of the event Gary LaRose (right), receives the trophy at the simple handing-over ceremony on Tuesday

S

ix villages will be vying for the championship trophy donated

by Eye Wear Optical when the annual August Games begins on August 24 in the village of Maruranau.

Maruranau are the overall champions of the event that features football, softball cricket and volleyball, along with archery and parakari drinking.

The defending champs will be up against five other villages in Shea, Awarewanawa, Aishalton, Karaudarnawa and Achawib.

There will also be a 10k

run for men with current champion Clinton Paulin set to defend his title, while the females will have to face defending champion Rose Campion in a 5k run.

Main optician of Eye Wear Optical Osman Mack explained why the company continues to support the venture.

“The games were there without support, so I came on board to donate several individual trophies before taking care of the championship trophy that the winner gets to keep every year, which wasn’t happening before.

“I will continue to support the games and also make more contributions to the games,” Mack stated at a simple handing-over ceremony at the Eye Wear store on East Street on Tuesday.

All teams will assemble at the Games Village on August 23 in Maruranau in order to have a smooth start to the games on August 24, according to Coordinator of the event, Gary La Rose.

Action will kick off on August 24 with a football competition at the community ground in Maruranau.

warmup to the up-coming national championships.

The start time is 20:00h with registration closing at 19.30h. There will be strict adherence to these times.

The games to be played will be a "luck-ofthe-draw" doubles played in a round robin format,

the round robin the first and second placed pairs from each group will play a crisscross knockout to determine the winner. The round robin segment will be two games of the 501 format with one

seeded in a draw system that eliminates unbalanced pairings.

The tournament is jointly sponsored by Double M Taxi Service of Montrose, ECD, Sudesh Fitzgerald and the GDA. The tournament directors are Grantley Culbard and Rayman Williams.

wednesDAY, august 20, 2014

guyanatimesGY.com

23

Fifth edition of Boyce/Jefford Classic a success

By Treiston Joseph

E

ach year since the first Boyce/Jefford Track and Field Classic in 2010, the event has not only grown but has also improved in quality and standard as well as organisation.

For the first time in the history of the meet, good weather prevailed and the outcome was nothing short of fierce and exceptional competition.

Cleveland Forde arguably had the best race of the day in the men’s 1500 metres as he showed how much of a tactician he truly is.

Olympian Winston George is arguably the best all-round sprinter Guyana has ever produced, as being able to run 10.40s, 21.10s and 50.90s in the 100, 200 and 400 metres in one day is probably going to be an unmatchable feat for any other sprinter, past or present.

Overseas-based

Guyanese Brenessa Thompson was simply pure class, showcasing a very technical and sound 100 metres despite having a bad start. The effortless grace with which she accelerated past her competition was a bit of poetry in motion to say the least.

Kevin Bayley is at the moment Guyana’s best 800 metres athlete after his sensational,winning run to defeat Trinidad’s Mark London.

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) men’s 4x100 metres team’s crisp baton passing could have given the commonwealth men’s 4x100 metres team a few tips or pointers.

The only knock I can give the organisers in the fact that when there is no track action taking place, the field events seem a bit off-zone for spectators to enjoy, especially if they will be burdened with annoying announcements.

Otherwise, the meet could be described as a major success for the organisers as it definitely provided the Guyanese public and the Linden town with an internationally flavoured event that is definitely Guyana’s biggest track and field competition.

However, while the organisers are adamant about not moving the games from Linden, Thompson, who was competing at the meet and in Guyana for the first time,

did talk about the state of the ground.

Further, while it is understood that the organisers have no control over developing the ground to the standard that would please everyone concerned until the week of the competition, they will definitely have to look at a solution to the issue.

Fortune departs for Masters Athletic Championships in Costa Rica – confident of doing well

F

ormer sprint champion Alicia Fortune departed these shores on Tuesday for the North, Central American and Caribbean World Masters Athletic Championships (NCCWMA) which begins today in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Fortune will compete in the 35-39 age category and will contest the 100, 200 and 400 metres track events.

Speaking to Guyana Times Sport prior to her departure on Tuesday, Fortune expressed optimism of returning good results as she is well prepared and in high spirits, despite being uncertain of travelling at the last minute since sponsorship was slow in coming.

“Fortunately I am ready to go and by God’s grace I will go and do Guyana proud and come back with gold.

“I am well prepared despite it being very tough in the last week, since I was

athlete to compete at the NCCWMA. “We are very happy to get her to participate with a view of exposing her to international competition at the masters level. We think that she will do well at the championships.”

Brummel also noted

Alicia Fortune

running around for sponsorship, but I definitely feel great about being able to go and represent my country.”

Fortune’s trip is also receiving the blessings of the

Guyana Masters Athletics Association (GMAA) and, according to Secretary Silas Brummel, it is the first time in more than 10 years that the GMAA is sending an

I won’t bite anymore, promises Suarez

B

arcelona striker Luis Suarez says he has talked to specialists about his behaviour and insists there will be no further biting incidents. Suarez is serving a four-month ban for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup his third biting offence.

“I say to fans, don’t worry, because I won’t do that anymore,” he promised.

“I spoke to my psychologist and he said I had to face it and say sorry. I did - now I would rather focus on the present, which is Barcelona.”

The 27-year-old Uruguay striker, who said he was “really depressed” after the incident in Brazil, launched an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the ban.

Following the verdict, the former Liverpool striker is still banned from playing in competitive fixtures until late October and must also serve the remaining eight games of his nine-match in-

ternational ban.

But Suarez is no longer excluded from “all footballrelated activities”, which allowed him to make his Barcelona debut as a 75thminute substitute in the 6-0 friendly victory over Mexican side Club Leon on Monday.

Addressing a media conference on Tuesday, he said of his behavioural issues: “I am speaking to professionals - the right professionals.

But it is a private matter and I don’t want to comment further on that.”

Suarez spent three years with Liverpool, during which he was banned for eight matches for racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra and suspended for a further 10 matches for biting Branislav Ivanovic of Chelsea.

Last month, he joined Barcelona for a reported fee of £75m but the Catalan club’s vice president Jordi Mestre said on Tuesday the actual amount was signifi-

cantly less.

“Negotiations started before the World Cup and we worked hard to come to a final figure of £65m. We were originally quoted over €90m (£72m).

“He had much better offers than ours financially but he wanted to come to Barcelona. He made a great effort - financially and personally - to be here.”

Suarez admitted he feared for his career after the incident with Chiellini in Uruguay’s 1-0 win in Natal on 24 June.

“Of course I was concerned - not just about the transfer to Barcelona but more for me as a person.

But, as I’ve said, that’s in the past now and I’m trying to concentrate on Barcelona,” he said.

“Everything that happens in the past, that needs to be forgotten. If I start thinking about everything I’ve gone through, I wouldn’t be able to sleep.”

the inputs of several corporate entities that made Fortune’s trip possible, including The National Sports Commission, Ming’s Products and Services, Sanjay’s Jewellery, Mohamed’s Enterprise, Giftland OfficeMax and Millennia Travel Agency.

The GMAA Secretary added that the association will also be hoping to have Fortune and others participate in the South American Masters Championships in Medellin, Colombia in November. (Reuben Stoby)

wednesday, august 20, 2014

Sports is no longer our game, it’s our business

TOP SCORES

GCB mulling youth teams in Senior Inter-County tournament

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ith a view to developing the next generation of cricketers, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) is mulling the idea of the country’s youth teams participating in the annual Inter-County competition.

This could effectively mean that the successful national Under-19 team, which won the “double” for the first time in the history of regional youth cricket, could be competing in the senior InterCounty competition starting soon.

A senior official of the GCB told this publication that having the youth teams compete as a unit in the inter-county competition is currently being discussed.

He pointed out that all the national youth teams have done well in the regional competitions this year and the aim is to keep these ?players together to assist with their development.

Apart from the Under-19s, the national Under-15 team led by Bhaskar Yadram won the regional tournament in Jamaica this year, while the Under-17 team finished fourth in the regional competition in Tobago.

In the Under-19 tournament hosted by Guyana, Brian Sattaur became the first captain to win both the three-day and 50-over titles in the same year.

The batting was led by openers Shimron Hetmyer and Tagenarine Chanderpaul, who both scored hundreds in both formats, as well as the supremely talented Kemo Paul, who followed his two 50s in the three-day tournament with four halfcenturies in six innings in the 50-over version.

The bowling was centred on spinners Sharaz Ramcharran, Balchand Baldeo, Steven Sankar and Daimon Waldron, who consistently combined to bowl out the opposition.

The national Under-19 team could compete in the senior inter-county competition this year

Gibson sacked West Indies and Bangladesh clash in first ODI today as WICB coach – Sir Richie Richardson to take charge of team in interim

Page 19 Otis Gibson

Captains Dwayne Bravo and Mushfiqur Rahim are joined by Dwain Gill, President of the Grenada Cricket Association and Moinul Haque Chowdury, of Total Sports Marketing and representative of Dhaka Bank. Photo: WICB