Guyana Times Daily - June 29, 2015 by Gytimes

APNU/AFC in Region 10

“I will not beg for a job” – Solomon P9 THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 2538

Monday, June 29, 2015

Businessman slain Page 13

...during robbery at Port Mourant

Man shot during Providence robbery Page 13

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$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE: Guyana-Venezuela border controversy

Commonwealth to help up pressure on Venezuela – matter on agenda for September confab in NY P7

Moruca man killed in hitand-run accident P7

Fire destroys house in Corentyne Page 12

Cops P8 pursuing new leads in Nandy Park fatal shooting

Berbice P12 cops in tint fight

...photographer loses millions Residents of Nurney Village in Corentyne, Berbice watched helplessly as fire suspected to be of electrical origin ripped through this house and scorched two others Sunday afternoon (Nafeeza Yahya photo)

Ashni Singh Coalition in slams Jordan danger of for inflating falling apart debt figure ...Ramkarran believes Granger Page 3

Page 12

...demands proof or retraction

under pressure from PNC

High winds tear off roofs in GT, West Bank ...knock out power, uproot utility poles

P16

monday, june 29, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

news

Monday, june 29, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, June 29 - 14:30h-16:00h and Tuesday, June 30– 14:30h-16:00h The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, June 29 - 14:30h-16:00h and Tuesday, June 30– 15:15h-16:45h

Violation of Cummingsburg Accord

Coalition in danger of falling apart

...Ramkarran believes Granger under pressure from PNC

FERRY SCHEDULE

Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 11:00h and 16:00h daily.

WEATHER TODAY

Thundery showers can be expected throughout the day and evening hours. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius.

President David Granger

Winds: East to East North-easterly between 3.57 metres and 5.36 metres per second. High Tide: 02:10h and 14:41h reaching maximum heights of 2.46 metres and 2.41 metres respectively. Low Tide: 08:13h and 20:29h reaching minimum heights of 0.73 metre and 0.79 metre respectively.

saturday, june 27, 2015

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ormer Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran has hinted at a possible breakup of the A Partnership for National Unity- Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition government due to the several violations of the Cummingsburg Accord and alleged internal pressure on President David Granger from his party People’s National Congress Reform. This is even as the APNU and the AFC appear anxious to amend the Cummingsburg Accord allegedly on the grounds that the reality of political office has clashed with the Accord’s constitutionality. “There is no doubt that President Granger is facing enormous pressures from within his own party. All the signs are there. But he has to lead from the front. He cannot succumb to the political culture of dominance spawned by a history of ethnic politics, which the coalition has promised to destroy by the very Accord that it now seeks to defang because it disallows the perpetuation of the culture,” Ramkarran penned on his blog- Conversation Tree. According to Ramkarran, the violation of the Cummingsburg Accord, which brought the parties together has been blatantly disrespected and if it not addressed quickly and appropriately, the parties can expect to lose the support of its electorates, particularly the AFC. “Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo has not been

given the responsibilities of chairing the Cabinet or of exercising responsibility for domestic affairs. The contents of Minister Joseph Harmon’s regular engagements with the press suggest that domestic affairs reside with him and/or the President. In excusing the failure to observe the terms of the Accord, both President Granger and Prime Minister Nagamootoo indicate that there is no dispute arising from the failure to implement the Accord. They pointed to potential violation of the Constitution if the terms of the Accord are fully implemented,” he said. According to the February 14th Accord, the President shall, among other things, delegate the responsibilities of domestic national affairs and the chairing of Cabinet to the Prime Minister. Other responsibilities delegated to the Prime Minister should have included recommending ministerial appointments and providing the organisational structures of Ministries for the approval of the President; appointment of heads of agencies and non-constitutional commissions, with the required and agreed democratic mechanisms of consultation, and domestic security (Home Affairs). The parties had also agreed that Cabinet positions would be allocated on a 60/40 basis between APNU and the AFC, respectively. President Granger when asked to comment on the violation of the accord had expressed that the coalition was presently working on a review of the document. He admitted that to persist with some of the stipulations of the Accord will be unconstitutional and as such, he will be awaiting the constitutional reform so that the agreement can be followed. “To the extent that some things are in collision with the Constitution they will await constitutional change…we cannot be expected to do unconstitutional things,” Granger told reporters. When questioned on the matter Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo had nonchalant-

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ly said that he was not bothered or in any way affected by President Granger reneging on that agreement and chairing the proceedings of the Cabinet. Nagamootoo had further stated that the Accord was not worth more than the country and, as such, those were minor things. “We have an active President and we have to make this Accord work; make this coalition work; and for me the things that are minor irritancies I won’t elevate to any importance,” he had said.

Bad omen

However, Ramkarran noted that the explanation which has been put forth by the President that the Constitution will have to be amended in order for the Cummingsburg Accord to be followed is inaccurate. He further added that the fact that the AFC seemed to be tolerating the digress would only seem like a bad omen. “There is and would be no violation of the Constitution if the terms of the Accord are implemented. Various articles of the Constitution allow the President to appoint others to execute his responsibilities. The President can delegate the purely nominal function of chairing the Cabinet while he is present. The Prime Minister can take charge of domestic affairs in an advisory capacity to the President. The flimsy excuse of constitutional violation is an attempt at a power play by APNU. Supported by a surprisingly subservient AFC, it is not a good sign… Five years from now there would be no coalition victory without the AFC, if the AFC loses its identity and individuality in the governance structure and operations, an individuality which it would never be able to retrieve as a political party with a distinct voice and appeal,” Ramkarran pointed out. This view was later supported by prominent social commentator, Ramon Gaskin, who told this publication that it would indeed appear that all was not well in the new government’s camp. Gaskin said that the excuse put forward on the violation of the

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

Cummingsburg Accord was not to be accepted since the Constitution makes clear provisions for such. “Nothing prevents him from doing so. If he wants to delegate it and give it to Nagamootoo, he can and will do so,” Gaskin opined. He said that it was his belief that such a clause in the agreement was agreed upon only because the APNU wanted the deal to ensure there was a victory and a new government in place. In the meantime however, Ramkarran has pointed out that in any event, APNU and AFC are not free to amend the Accord since they are only but two parties to the Accord and any changes can result in a drop of confidence in the electorate. “The electorate is the third party. It contains the basic terms of their post elections collaboration on the basis of which the electorate supported the coalition. The electorate understood that the AFC would have a distinct, decisive and visible management role in the affairs of governance through the Prime Minister. If the parties now wish to unilaterally tamper with this and consign the AFC, even with its unwise consent, to a vague and amorphous, consultative position, the parties should not be surprised if bitter fruits are harvested five years down the road from the same electorate, their third partner, that they have deceived. If that happens, this is where it would have all begun,” he explicitly stated.

guyanatimesgy.com

monday, june 29, 2015

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

Iron law of oligarchy I

n the post elections period, even though it has been just over one month, there is already an emerging disquiet in the ranks of the supporters of the new government. This sentiment in centred around the fear that at best, the “iron law of oligarchy” is unfolding or at worse, a “creeping authoritarianism”. The evidence for the propositions are cited from both within the government and from without. From within, comes the accusations that the Cummingsburg Accord, which was hammered out to demarcate the parameters of the distribution of power between the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC), has been violated by the major partner, APNU. From without, fingers are pointed at the exclusion and inclusion of specific regional leaders and appointments to central offices that suggest individuals who have demonstrated “loyalty” to party leaders are favoured. While the “creeping authoritarianism” thesis is favoured, generally because of our bitter history of such tendencies gaining ascendancy for prolonged periods, the other, possibly more benign “explanation” of a more fundamental “law” of social behaviour should not be discarded. The notion was put forward just over a century ago, by the sociologist Robert Michels and even though it has been challenged and modified, like all theories that purport to “rule” on human behaviour, its central insights have been of continued relevance into this new millennium. According to one author, the iron law of oligarchy proposes that “all organisations, including those committed to democratic ideals and practices, will inevitably succumb to rule by an elite few (an oligarchy). “The iron law of oligarchy contends that organisational democracy is an oxymoron. Although elite control makes internal democracy unsustainable, it is also said to shape the long-term development of all organisations - including the rhetorically most radical - in a conservative direction.” So how does this happen? We return to our author. “Michels argued that organisational oligarchy resulted, most fundamentally, from the imperatives of modern organisation: competent leadership, centralised authority, and the division of tasks within a professional bureaucracy. “These organisational imperatives necessarily gave rise to a caste of leaders whose superior knowledge, skills, and status, when combined with their hierarchical control of key organisational resources such as internal communication and training, would allow them to dominate the broader membership and to domesticate dissenting groups.” We can apply this thesis to the present coalition government. No one can argue that after the elections, the new government did not have to enter and populate the Procrustean bureaucratic structure that is de rigueur for modern administrations. And as with all bureaucracies, the lines of authority have to be explicitly spelt out so that confusion does not rein when actions are taken on any issue. Take for instance, the function of the President to chair the Cabinet, as spelled out in the Constitution. While it has been argued that the President can delegate this and all other functions a such as overall responsibilities for “domestic affairs”, in the real world as pointed out by Michels and cited above, leaders with “superior skills and status combined with their hierarchical control of key organisational resources” will inevitably call the shots. The author also pointed out another facet of Michels theory, drawn from psychological insights of “crowd theory” that is playing out in Guyana: “From this perspective, Michels particularly emphasised the idea that elite domination also flowed from the way rank-andfile members craved guidance by and worshipped their leaders. “Michels insisted that the chasm separating elite leaders from rank-and-file members would also steer organizations toward strategic moderation, as key organizational decisions would ultimately be taken more in accordance with leaders’ self-serving priorities of organisational survival and stability than with members’ preferences and demands.” And we begin to understand why Solomon Sharma and Vanessa Kissoon are out in Region 10, while Branford is in Region Seven.

This photo is taken at around 08:00h from hot air balloon at Cappadocia, Turkey. The relief consists of a high plateau over 1000 metres in altitude that is pierced by volcanic peaks (National Geographic)

On Guyana's external debt Dear Editor, My avocations since demitting ministerial office no longer permit me to exert close scrutiny of all that is said in the theatre of Guyanese politics and, even moreso, to offer detailed responses thereto. It would be remiss of me, however, to let a particularly glaring recent example of either misreporting or misinformation go unremarked upon. The Guyana Chronicle of Sunday reported that Minister of Finance Winston Jordan informed the National Assembly on Friday that Guyana's "external loan debt stock stands at US$1.6B and its domestic loan is appreciating significantly" (sic). The story was carried as the first lead article on page one, with a headline that re-

peated the statement purportedly made on Guyana's external debt, impossible to escape notice by even a cursory glance. Knowing the information reportedly provided by the Minister to be inaccurate, I allowed a day to elapse, anticipating his correction in the event the newspaper misquoted him. My quick perusal of today's newspapers has thus far rendered no evidence of any such correction having been issued. Instead, a second newspaper has now reported him as having made the same statement with the said amount of US$1.6B repeated. I, therefore, wish to draw attention to the following. Firstly, Appendix VI to the National Budget Speech for 2014 reported that Guyana's external debt

stock stood at US$1.247B at the end of December 2013, and provided a detailed disaggregation by creditor. Secondly, Appendix F1 to the Mid-Year Report for 2014 reported that the external debt stock stood at US$1.227B at the end of June 2014, and provided a similar level of disaggregation. Thirdly, Table 7-III of the Statistical Annexe to the Bank of Guyana Annual Report for 2014 reported that Guyana's stock of external public debt amounted to US$1.217 B at the end of December 2014, disaggregated by creditor type. All three of the aforementioned documents have been freely available in the public domain since their respective issuance, including on the Ministry of Finance and Bank of Guyana websites, where they could

still be sourced when I last checked earlier today. With the kind courtesy of your pages, please permit me now to respectfully invite the Minister to make publicly available disaggregated details on the US$1.6B that he reported to the National Assembly last Friday as Guyana's external debt stock. Alternatively, he might wish to consider issuing an appropriate correction, including in the National Assembly where his statement was originally made. He might also wish to consider examining more closely the accuracy of other aspects of what he is reported to have said in the same article and address them similarly. Dr Ashni Singh Former Finance Minister

The PPP/C has an unrivalled history of success Dear Editor Since their inauguration, the government has been on an unproductive witch hunting trip trying desperately to fulfill campaign promises to decimate the PPP/C. They have been dismissing persons who in their estimation have been too close to the PPP/C, some of whom might very well give them sound advice that can keep the continuum of development going. They have dismissed what they claim - political appointees and replaced them with their own po-

litical appointees. Some of these appointees lack the bare essentials where managerial skills are concerned, so I cannot envision how they would manage large entities. It is really a sad situation when you look at the resumé of some of their appointees, most of them who are unqualified for the posts they now hold. My years at UG brought me face to face with one such character. Paper certified yes, knows how to criticize, yes, but put what you have learnt into practice is a whole different ball game.

Here is where the rubber hits the road. And if I may add “theories” do not run a government; it takes hardcore experiential knowledge and highly disciplined initiative to do it. The PPP/C has demonstrated in no uncertain terms that they have the wherewithal to lead. They’ve had 23 years of growth and development to prove it, nine of the last 23 seeing continuous growth. This is unheard of in the history of Guyana from 1964 to 1992. And I implore you not to take my word for it. Just

look at all the international reports on the Guyana economy and you will get the real picture. The PPP/C has an unrivalled history of success. Some of my PNC friends are saying that I am digging up the past, and should forget it. They call me biased in my predictions, but I will retort by saying there is nothing left to imagine where this country is headed and what will be the result. What I am very fearful of is, would there be an economy to salvage? Neil Adams

guyanatimesgy.com

monday, june 29, 2015

will support the The Cummingsburg Voters same party no matter Accord is a big farce what the other side does

letters continue on page 17

Dear Editor, There are a few issues that I want to address. The first one is the witch hunt that is going on in Guyana since the APNU/AFC administration got into office. Everyone is afraid to speak out. When the PPP/C won landmark elections in 1992, the Jagan government did not go after anyone. Adam Harris mentioned that Jimmy Carter was behind this decision. Yet Harris, Freddie Kissoon and many others are calling for more dismissals. Isn›t this hypocrisy? Of significant note is the fact that it has now been approximately seven weeks since elections and knowing the PNC’s dubious track record with respect to honesty with elections, what guarantee will we have, that the ballots and records of the SOPs and other crucial election records will not be tampered with? The circus continues with Goolsarran and Ram, two vocal critics of the PPP/C being given the task of doing the auditing of various ministries. This definitely

is a conflict of interest. The former never did an auditing of any government ministry when he was Auditor General (during the rule of the PNC), while Ram has a personal vendetta against the PPP/C, especially, former President Jagdeo. In fact, it was reported that Ram apologized for trying to make contact with the presiding Magistrate in the frivolous case that he brought against the former President. How can Ram and Goolsarran be considered fair and impartial? The Cummingsburg Accord is a big farce. Nagamootoo is being pushed aside by Granger. There was no intention of APNU honouring this agreement. Nagamootoo was used to help the PNC get into government and now he cannot pretend that everything is okay. The AFC supporters voted for the AFC based on the agreements outlined in the accord. Now they are holding ‘Larwah’! Soon it will be Nagamootoo’s turn! Another grave injustice was perpetuated on long

standing AFC Member of Parliament Dr Veerasammy «Edgar” Ramayah, who was overlooked as the Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) representative for newcomer Charrandas Persaud. Ramayah did fundraising and spent a lot of money on party work, especially on television, but Persaud was selected instead. The AFC owes their supporters an explanation. Freddie Kissoon is now redundant more than ever. Almost two months after elections, he still attacks the PPP/C. For him the new administration is perfect. This is a microcosm is what is happening in Guyana! People will move out of Guyana in droves just like what happened under the PNC. My letters are only published by Guyana Times. The others - Kaieteur News, Stabroek News and Chronicle - do not publish letters critical of the government, unlike what they did when the PPP/C was in power. Rakesh Singh

Dear Editor, Elections in Guyana have usually been accompanied by violence, corruption, stagnation, fear, threats, vindictive victors and bitter losers. In the ABC countries it is not unusual to find voters in the same household supporting different parties. They take a few hours on elections day to cast their votes and return home to watch the results a few hours later on the same evening, then back to routine the next morning. It is now established in Guyana that generally voters will support the same party no matter what the other side does. It is a country where it is easier to persuade some to change their religion rather than to convince them to support another political party. Whether fair or fraudulent, the result that allows any party to govern for decades produces a feeling of invincibility, arrogance and corruption. The question then is how to respect the views of the public and change the party in office without resorting to the expensive, divisive, un-

Prime Minister should direct enquiries about sugar to GuySuCo’s IMC Dear Editor, It was heartening to read in the June 17 daily newspapers Prime Minister Nagamootoo’s speech at the commemoration ceremony for the Enmore Martyrs on June 16 when he said, among things: “We gave $17B from Parliament, voted $17B (over several years) to bail out the industry (GuySuCo). Every year we were voting money and we asked how much money of that went to sugar workers. We were never given an answer.” And on the Skeldon Factory, he said: “Over $47B was spent on the Skeldon Sugar Factory without accounting for where the money went, how it was spent.” The answers to both inquiries from the Prime Minister

are to be found in the two gentlemen who were appointed as the sole members of the Interim Management Committee – Messrs Errol Hanoman and Paul Bhim. It must be recalled that Booker Tate was appointed the Designer and Project Manager for the Skeldon Sugar Factory from the conception of the design, all through the construction phase. Mr Hanoman was Booker Tate’s Director responsible for all operations in Guyana, including the Skeldon Sugar Factory, so he should be the appropriate person to say where and how the $47B was spent. Mr Bhim was the Corporation’s Finance Director for the past 10 odd years until December 2014

when he proceeded on early retirement, and in this portfolio he was fully responsible for managing the Corporation’s financial affairs. During the said period, he performed the duty of Chief Executive Officer for four years. On the $17B, which was approved by Parliament up to 2014, Mr Bhim is the perfect person to say where and how it was spent. It was he who in early 2014 advised the Economic Service Committee that GuySuCo has incurred a huge debt of $58B. It was under his watch as the CEO that GuySuCo recorded its worst production in 20 years when in 2013, 186,000 tonnes sugar was produced. One could only assume that the government has

Only God can help us Dear Editor, The coalition government has appointed their Ministers and Cabinet to the amusement of many. Just look around the country and see the economic downturn. I am afraid that many people will lose their homes and business, crime will sky-rocket, and creditors will foreclose. Guyana

and Guyanese are in for a rough ride. The main focus of this Government is to drive around the country in the 58 brand new SUVs being streamlined for the members of government. Fire, humiliate competent and disgrace people based on envy and arrogance and replace them with

misfits, while refurbishing and refurnishing offices and homes. They started many audits without tender procedures and the public is not informed about the cost. God says that if you do not know, ask those who know. Only God can help us. Mustafa Kareem Johnson

conducted the proper due diligence when these gentlemen were brought out of retirement and chosen as members of the IMC. But be that as it may, the inquiries raised by the Prime Minister should now be directed to them. Claude Quintin

predictable, time consuming process of elections that makes enemies of neighbours, co-workers, family and friends? We borrowed from others in limiting the Presidency to two terms and I seriously wonder whether we can lead the world in limiting the period for which a party governs considering our unique experience. Suppose we allow each party to govern for a limited period of time, example five years and then have the other party take over without an election? This would give the country the necessary breathing space to stabilize, grow and flourish. Then maybe in 20 years’ time with more mature parties and an electorate who have not grown up in an atmosphere of hatred and violence, we can go back to frequent elections. This rotation in governing would ensure that there is the power sharing every five years. GECOM will need less funds and we can ask our global team of Observers to concentrate their limited resources elsewhere. Some may argue that this is not democratic but then not even the ABC countries are perfect democracies. In fact it is quite probable that even regular elections may provide similar rotating governments given the small number of swing votes necessary to defeat one party. One concern maybe that if one party knows that it is guaranteed to govern for a period of time what would prevent it from become corrupt or dictatorial? The checks and balances of the constitution, the rule of law enforced by a strong, independent judicial system, a professional public service

without political interference. Asking the indulgence of readers, reference is made to the prefatory remarks in my book, “Mohandas K Gandhi, thoughts, words, deeds”. A judge presiding over a vicious court battle for child custody asked the child’s opinion. Her reply was, “I just want this fighting to stop or I will hurt myself.” She then showed him marks on her wrist as evidence that she had already attempted to do so. The immature parents were participating in an adversarial process without recognising that they were harming the child that they both claim to love so much. The difference of course is that while the child involved gets an opportunity to express a viewpoint, there is no one to speak for the country when political parties are engaged in an internecine conflict that can destroy the very country they want to govern. The nation needs time to heal, investors need a period of economic stability, and there is need to reach back into history exploring how ancestral societies functioned without elections while allowing the people to express their choice of who will take the leadership role. Can we start this discussion now and seek input from the great minds at home and the Diaspora Advisory Department? Hopefully we can find another way before the next silly season destroys our native land. Perhaps it is time we have another referendum. Ramnarine Sahadeo Retired lawyer/author Ontario

monday, june 29, 2015

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Foundation

Massachusetts court ruled Thursday that parents cannot be held criminally liable for spanking their children as long as they use “reasonable” force and don’t cause children physical harm or mental distress. Still, experts say that even though spanking may be permissible, it’s not advisable. In its ruling, the Supreme Judicial Court overturned the conviction of a dad who publicly spanked his daughter in 2011. At the time, the little girl was almost three years old. In their decision, the Justices said that spanking “remains firmly woven into our nation’s social fabric” and “it follows that we must guard against the imposition of criminal sanctions for the use of parenting techniques still widely regarded as permissible and warranted.” But the court was clear that when the distinction between discipline and abuse is blurry, priority will be given to the child’s safety. “The balance will tip in favour of the protection of children,” the decision said. Still, experts say that the effects of spanking go directly against what the court is promoting. The decision held that use of force must be “reasonably related to the purpose of safeguarding or promoting the welfare of the minor”, but Deborah Gilboa, a parenting expert and family physician,

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says spanking does neither. “Parents intend it that way, but research doesn’t find safeguarding or promotion of welfare as an outcome of spanking,” she tells Yahoo Parenting. “It undermines your role as the safest person for your child to talk to or be with. It undermines the lesson that we don’t hit to get what we want. Intentionally causing someone else physical pain is counter to most of the messages that we know kids need to hear.” More than half of parents still engage in spanking, according to a 2013 Harris Poll. It found that 78 per cent of US parents think that spanking is sometimes appropriate, and 67 per cent say they have spanked their children. Another recent study out of the University of Michigan found that 30 per cent of one-year-olds had been spanked in the last month by one or both of their parents.

Risks

But researchers have been clear that the practice isn’t an effective one. One 2010 study found that frequent spanking of three-year-olds is associated with increased risk of child aggression at age five. The American Academy of Paediatrics is against it, stating: “Spanking is never recommended; infants may be physically harmed by a parent who strikes the child. … Whenever a parent strikes a child, it may undermine the relationship of trust that the child needs to thrive.” And, as a story in the American Psychological Association’s “Monitor on Psychology” explains, “Many studies have shown that physical punishment — including spanking, hitting and other means of causing pain — can lead to increased aggression, antisocial behaviour, physical injury and mental health problems for children.”

Gilboa says research has found only one scenario in which spanking modifies behaviour, and that is when spanking is an expected form of punishment and one that is used across that child’s community. “For example, when you know that if you hit your sister you get a spank on the bottom and it’s always the case and never out of anger,” she says. “But even in that case, the only time it doesn’t have negative effects is if it is normal across that child’s community, and that just not the case in our society anymore.” Even if spanking is permissible by law, Gilboa hopes that parents will look for other, more effective methods of discipline before reverting to physical force. “I understand the frustration and the desire to help a kid behave the way they need to, which can lead a parent to consider spanking, but there are dozens and dozens way to modify behaviour,” she says. “If you are thinking of spanking, try separation — which can be in the form of timeouts or whatever that looks like for your child’s age — or loss of privileges, chores, or spending time with an adult mentor who will have a positive influence. There are a lot of options, but using pain or shame divides families and almost never helps the parent reach their intended goal.” (Yahoo! Parenting)

here’s no question that children can be frustrating, and it’s during those moments that parents are most likely to spank, says Dr Tovah Klein, Director of the Barnard College Centre for Toddler Development and author of “How Toddlers Thrive.” “That pushing of buttons and challenging parents knows no end,” Klein tells Yahoo Parenting. “There’s a lot of testing limits.” If you find yourself feel-

You may need to remove a child from a situation — if they’re acting up at a birthday party or family event, for example. “In the immediate moment, try to understand what is going on to cause the behaviour: Is your child really angry? Overwhelmed? Or is he just overtired and you need to go home and rest? Is it that he hasn’t eaten in three hours and needs an early dinner? Children communicate with their behaviour, so you can usu-

ing especially short on patience, take a minute to collect yourself, Klein suggests. “Try to monitor your own reactions. If you are too upset, walk out of the room to regroup, or tell another parent that you need them to take over momentarily,” she says. Once you’re calm, think about another course of action.

ally figure out what they need.” Then, teach boundaries, explaining that there is a time and place for certain behaviours. Your daughter can’t hit other children, for example, but she can hit stuffed animals, says Klein. “Kids throw food, but when you say to them, ‘if you throw food, you’re done with dinner. You can throw food into the garbage,’ that’s a boundary, and your child will respond to that.” Spanking is more often about the parent than the child, says Dr Laura Markham, author of “Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids”. “We spank to make ourselves feel better,” she tells Yahoo Parenting. “We can’t believe our child just did that horrible thing and so we feel better by lashing out. But this isn’t an effective way to teach.” Instead, Markham suggests sitting your child down and going through four simple questions: "What were you trying to accomplish?" "What did you do?" "How did that work out?" (For younger children, try simply, "And then what happened?") "What else could you have done that you can try next time?" This process should work for children ages 3 to 12, Markham says. “Remind yourself that your child must have been really upset to misbehave like that, and try to show empathy,” she says. “Building a connection is the only way you can hope to build change.” (Excerpt from Yahoo! Parenting)

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monday, june 29, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Guyana-Venezuela border controversy

Commonwealth to help up pressure on Venezuela – matter on agenda for September confab in NY

Former Commonwealth Secretary General, Sir Shridath Ramphal

he 53-nation Commonwealth grouping has pledged support to Guyana and will help internationalise the illegal claims by Venezuela to this country’s territory. “The Commonwealth stands as one and speaks with one voice in our commitment to Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We are an association of 53 member states worldwide accounting for one quarter of the United Nations membership. Commonwealth member Governments, individually and collectively, are also committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes and to the rule of law,” Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma said in a statement on his arrival here for a meeting with the country’s leaders. “There have been recent developments including a claim by a neighbouring country over Guyana’s land and maritime areas, and the Commonwealth has moved swiftly and appropriately in collective solidarity with Guyana,” the Secretary General said. According to him, all Commonwealth Foreign Ministers have been kept informed of this development.

The Secretary General has convened the Commonwealth Ministerial Group on Guyana, which is now scheduled to meet in New York in September. The situation has also been placed on the agenda of the Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting, which is also taking place in New York in September. At the last Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, held in Sri Lanka in 2013, the Commonwealth leaders “… reaffirmed their unequivocal support for the maintenance and preservation of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”. “The Commonwealth remains steadfast in its support for the Government and people of Guyana,” the Secretary General concluded. Only last week, former Commonwealth Secretary General, Sir Shridath Ramphal warned the Guyana Government and the nation as a whole not to ignore the threats being made by Venezuela, noting that they are real, present and should definitely not be ignored, not even by ordinary Guyanese. In late May, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro issued a decree which purported to ratify maritime sovereignty over waters within a 200-mile range, including the entire Atlantic Ocean off the Essequibo Coast as well as part of Suriname’s maritime territory. Maduro had also threateningly hinted at his intention to send troops to invade Guyana. He is slated to go to his country’ s Parliament on Tuesday to address the border issue with Guyana. He is quoted as saying, “I will denounce the international manoeuvre from the right wing to provoke Venezuela. They will fail. And I am going to call for the civil-military union.” Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge has said that while the issuance of a decree was well within President

Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma

Maduro’s constitutional right, what was not his right was to utilise the sovereign territory of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana to generate maritime territory to meet Venezuela’s illegal ambitions. “That is precisely what the decree purports to do in relation to Guyana’s Essequibo. In addition, it mandates and authorises the Venezuelan Navy to secure the area and clearly to prevent any other state from exploiting, without Venezuela’s consent, the resources of the area, an area that now includes a significant portion of Guyana’s maritime space,” Greenidge had said in a statement to Parliament on June 11. He further described the decree as baseless and a shameless attempt at usurping Guyana’s territory while denying Guyana her legitimate right to continue the pursuit of existing developmental initiatives.

“Egregious, illegal, immoral”

Sir Shridath, an expert on international law who has served as Secretary General for the Commonwealth, noted that this threatened the very existence of all Guyanese and, therefore, each and every man must find it a ne-

cessity to stand in solidarity with the Government, regardless of their political preference, to defend their land. “Let all note, friends and foe alike, that for the people of Guyana, a united voice adds ‘not a drop of water’ to the national credo ‘not a blade of grass’. Let us confront the evil that is afoot as one people. And let us do so in peace and with honour – faithful to the charter of the United Nations that gave us birth,” he said. Sir Shridath vigorously reiterated that the claim by Venezuela is “egregious, illegal, immoral and downright pernicious”. Many have already stepped forward to condemn the Venezuelan Government

for blatantly violating international law. The United Kingdom, Colombia and the entire Caribbean Community (Caricom) are among those who have pledged their support for Guyana in this international confrontation. Sir Shridath did not hesitate to expose Venezuela for what it was, saying Guyana’s western neighbour, hidden under a cloak of friendship, “stalks the nation on land and sea driven by a mythical urge that most of our country belongs to them”. “The people of Venezuela are our friends; but so persistent is the fantasy nourished by expansionist cabals, many of them military regimes, that stealing Guyana has

become a national crusade that shades the memory of Bolivar,” the Knight posited. Minister Greenidge had disclosed that the Guyana Government already approached the United Nations Secretary General Ban Kimoon to go the route of a legal settlement, because the United Nations Good Offices Process adopted under the Geneva Agreement of 1966, which has been in place as a means of peaceful settlement of Venezuela’s contention of territory first aired decades after the countries’ territories were decided by the 1899 Arbitral Award, has failed to resolve this issue even after all these years.

Moruca man killed in hit-and-run accident

father of five was the victim of a hit-andrun accident along the Moruca Village access road, North West District on Saturday evening. The motionless body of Ignatius Francis, 71, of Kumaka Moruca, was found by passersby along the roadway and was taken to the Moruca Hospital where he was pronounced dead. His body is at the mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination. According to information received, the now dead man and a friend were imbibing at a shop in the neighbourhood and it was while on his way home, he was struck down by a motorcycle. Guyana Times understands that after the accident, the two men who were on the motorcycle fled the scene, leaving the bike behind. Courtney (only name given), the rider of the motorcycle, was arrested along

with the pillion rider at the Moruca Hospital where they turned up to seek medical attention. The two men had sustained injuries as a result of the collision. Francis’ son Davis told Guyana Times he was at home about 22:40h when he received a phone call from a friend informing him that his father was lying on the roadway. He rushed to the scene where he saw his father’s lifeless body with a puncture to his chest, his right leg broken, a gash to his forehead and his mouth swollen. As they looked around, they saw the mangled motorcycle belonging to a villager which led them to believe that an accident had occurred. The son went on to say that persons assisted to pick up his father and they took him to the hospital where the nurses confirmed that he was already dead. He recalled seeing his fa-

ther about 17:30h at a shop in the area. He was with a friend and he remembered his father telling him that he would be home shortly. The distraught son stated that earlier in the day, his family including his father and a few friends travelled to Santa Rosa Mission to participate in an event. As they were returning to Moruca, his father stopped to take a little drink. The younger Francis stated that he was in shock, and recalled the last words spoken by his father to him. He described his father as a gentle man who took care of his children and grandchildren. Francis had worked as a security guard until a few years ago when he started to receive his pension. He leaves to mourn his children and grandchildren. His wife passed away a few years ago. Police have launched an investigation into the accident.

8 NEWS Cops pursuing new leads in Nandy Park fatal shooting O monday, june 29, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

ne week after the gunning down of Travis Rudder at his Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara home, Police are continuing their search for the three main suspects, two of whom are acquitted murder accused. Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told Guyana Times that the Police are still doing some work with respect to the investigation, while confirming that investigators have searched areas frequently visited by the three men who are wanted for the murder

Slain murder accused, Travis Rudder

of Rudder and the attempted murder of Rudder’s ‘child mother’, Mawanza Gill and

18-month-old Travic Rudder

his 18-month-old son, Travic Rudder. The Police have several leads which they will continue to pursue in the hope of apprehending the suspects. Guyana Times was reliably informed that Gill was recovering in the female ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital, but was fearful for her life and that of her son who has also been removed from the Intensive Care Unit of the medical facility. He is reportedly recuperating in the paediatric ward where his condition is being monitored. Hospital sources confirmed that the child was recovering nicely and was now being called a miracle baby. Rudder, 26, of Lot 130

Lindley’s Avenue, Nandy Park, was gunned down two Sundays ago after several gunmen opened fire on him and his family while they were asleep. The perpetrators reportedly used a wheelbarrow to elevate themselves and fired the 9mm pistols with extended magazines through a bedroom window. After the shooting, the men drove off in a white car after which Gill started to shout for help. After a few minutes, a neighbour ran to her rescue, but given her injuries, he was unable to move her but took the baby and sped off to the Georgetown Public Hospital where the baby underwent emergency surgery. Gill was

later collected by an ambulance and taken to the medical facility where she was admitted. In November 2007, the now dead man and his close associate Sivon Warner were accused of murdering Demerara Oxygen Company Limited (DOCOL) employee Ivor Cordis. Rudder was also accused of attempting to murder ex-Policeman Toney Williams on November 19, 2007. It was also alleged that on May 15 in the same year, while armed with a gun, he robbed Nicola Barkley of one Motorola cellphone valued $32,000 and $17,000 in cash. Earlier, in March of that year, Rudder allegedly shot his then girlfriend, Donnis King at her parents’ home at Bagotstown, EBD, during an argument. It was reported that the couple had an altercation, during which she expressed a desire to end the relationship. She was shot in the abdomen. After two months in the hospital, King succumbed to her injuries in the High Dependency Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital. Only recently, Rudder was implicated in the attempted robbery of Neezam Khan of Grove, EBD, which left one man dead and one injured.

Kaneville woman, 18, nabbed with cocaine tied to waist

n 18-year-old Kaneville, East Bank Demerara resident was on Saturday evening busted with 810 grams of cocaine strapped to her waist at the Ogle International Airport. The teen, whose name was withheld by Police, was due to travel on a LIAT Flight to Barbados when she was arrested by members of the Police Narcotics Branch. Information reaching Guyana Times revealed that as the teenager was at the check-in counter at Ogle International Airport, she was seen acting in a strange manner. A Police source told

this publication that the teenager was “like fish out of water” which drew the attention of ranks on duty. She was subsequently taken into a room where her luggage was searched, but nothing was found. However, when ranks conducted a physical search of her person, the cocaine was found strapped to her waist. She was cautioned, told of the offence and taken to Police Narcotics Branch headquarters where she is being interrogated. She is expected to make her first court appearance today at the Sparendaam

Magistrate’s Court where she will be read the charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking. If she pleads guilty, she can spend a maximum of four years in prison and be fined based on the discretion of the Magistrate. On Friday last, a 33-yearold barber of Canje, Berbice was intercepted at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) with 12.2 kilograms of cocaine concealed in milk powder and in the false walls of his suitcase. The bust was done by members of the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU). It

was reported that the firsttime traveller was booked to travel to the John F Kennedy International Airport, New York on a Dynamic Airlines Flight about 16:00h. Sources explained that as the young man checked in his luggage, several packets of the milk power were detected as they were being scanned which roused the suspicions of CANU ranks, prompting them to conduct a search. During the search, the cocaine was found. He was arrested and was also expected to be slapped with a possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking charge.

Eyew tness Victimless crime... W

...in politics?

hen Ralph Ramkarran decides to takes sides on a topical issue, you know “things na regulah!” And you can’t get more “topical” that figuring out what’s going on in the ongoing “rape of the AFC”. The biggest question, of course, is whether it’s “rape” when the purported victim goes along with the “violation “, so to speak. The whole episode is reminiscent of the “Rape of the Sabine” women by the founders of Rome. The word “rape” comes from the Latin “raptio” which could also mean “abduction” - which is what the Romans claimed is all they did. They subsequently “persuaded” the Sabine women to go along with the penetrative acts associated with the modern meaning of “rape”. From what can be discerned, AFC leaders in the coalition have been “persuaded” to acquiesce with the violations of the Cummingsburg Accord. As Ramkarran points out, the major violations were committed on his old comrade from the PPP/C Ex-Co Moses Nagamootoo. Promised to chair the Cabinet meetings and be in charge of all “domestic affairs” excepting National Security, he’s gotten what former President Ramotar colourfully described as “Larwah”. Which, when you come to think about it, is pretty much what the Sabine women got in the end! So we have PM Nagamootoo’s most significant “domestic act” in the last month to be checking out the Multiplex Cinemas at the about-to-be-opened Giftland Mall. The pic with him with his arm around his better half in the cinema looked quite “domestic”. And then again, movies purvey “information” and he is Minister of Information, no? The other AFC’s big wig, Ramjattan did get the National Security portfolio. But “citizenship” has already been hived off...and enquiring minds want to know whether his inaction is due to him having no real power. Raphael Trotman, of course, has come out the winner big time, with “governance” and “natural resources”. But was he really AFC after being made Speaker in 2011? How come Chairman Nigel Hughes is out in the cold? But back to Ramkarran’s insight as an old “contracts” lawyer. He points out that while the leaders in the AFC might be even revelling with their rape and that of the Cummingsburg Accord, they’re not the only party affected and with an interest. There are the supporters of the AFC who provided the eight per cent to put the coalition ahead by a whisker. And Ramkarran feels THEY aren’t going to take kindly to be shafted - so to speak. After all, THEY weren’t “persuaded” with titles, offices, fleet of cars, houses and outriders. Ramkarran hints that payback can be a bitch!

...not at UG

Once again, UG - supposedly our “premier tertiary institution of higher learning” - is caught in a nasty stream of invectives by the Head of the “professional teaching staff”. A Dr Melissa Ifill, the President of the “UG Senior Staff Association”, took it upon herself to issue a vicious attack in the public realm on the Vice Chancellor of UG. This is just a repeat of the performance of her predecessor, which led absolutely nowhere, but in bringing down the reputation of UG to the level of a fish market. Hey! Everybody knows that UG has challenges. But so does every university in the free world. The very nature of the institution’s being questioned. While it may be all well and good for Guyana to shoot for “universal tertiary” education, can Ifill take stock as why this has posed a problem to even the US? Clue: It’s why “Adjunct” Professors like David Hinds earning peanuts with no benefits - now dominate teaching in US Universities. Anyhow, the new Education Minister says the VC’s ain’t going nowhere. So there, fisher folks!

... not cussing

Sase “Thunderbolt” Singh’s now signing his letters with an “MSc Finance” appended. Looking for a lil wuk, eh? Don’t forget how you cussed out Granger. He hasn’t!! Victimless crime...

news

monday, june 29, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

APNU/AFC in Region 10

“I will not beg for a job” – Solomon D ays after Government’s Chief Whip and Executive Member of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Amna Ally declared that Sharma Solomon would not return as the Chairman for Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice), Solomon has responded, declaring that while no offer has been made to him, he would not beg the Government for a job. While he could not be reached for a comment via phone, amid calls for an explanation on his position, Solomon took to his Facebook page on Sunday, stating that whether in that position or not, he would not back down from facing the challenges affecting those living in the mining town of Linden. “May I make this point very clear: I, Sharma Solomon, shall not beg for any job and no offer was made to me by the Administration. I wish to advise the political grasshopper that my commitment is to a cause of ridding Guyana of public officials whose sole intention it is to deny the citizens their right

Sharma Solomon

to the national patrimony. It is because of this greed the steam power plant is no more that caused the Government in 2012 to want to increase electricity charges on an already economically-disadvantaged people,” he said. Ally, who spoke to Guyana Times on Saturday afternoon, said that a list of candidates was submitted to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and Solomon’s name was not

there. As such, she noted that his name could not and was not extracted. Ally further intimated to this publication that it was impossible for everyone who worked for the party to be given a position since that list submitted had comprised more than 95 persons. Reports are that former parliamentarian Renis Morian has been tipped for the position of Chairman. Questioned on the criteria used to select candidates for the regional post, Ally told Guyana Times that as it stood, she could not comment on that and the question would have to be posed to President David Granger, the leader of APNU who made the decision. Since reports began emanating that the Regional Chairman would be replaced, residents of the mining town of Linden have launched a protest calling for the decision to be reviewed since they were of the belief that he had really worked for them and the town. However, some sections of the media had reported that Solomon has been in discus-

sions with Minister of State, Joseph Harmon for another position – a claim Solomon said was completely inaccurate and without merit. “Just to set the record straight, Mr Joe Harmon and I met on Friday, June 19th. Our discussion had absolutely nothing to do with me, the Regional Chairman position or any possible employment for me or any other person. The meeting was merely light banter. My understanding of politics in this case is the principals are the citizens of the Region … Sharma Solomon is not prepared to subject the people of Region 10 to any form of humiliation where they will have to beg a few persons in Georgetown for me to return as Regional Chairman,” he said. “I respect the confidentiality of the discussion between Mr Harmon and I. Some have applied their own interpretation in the absence of being present and understanding the content and spirit of the discussion. This is something I have no control over,” the former Regional Chairman further stated.

NA Rotary Club urged to implement projects to benefits youths By Andrew Carmichael

he Rotary Club of New Amsterdam is being challenged to change its strategy and implement programmes that will benefit children of primary school age and those who live in remote communities. The challenge was put to the Club on Saturday evening by Assistant Governor of Rotary International, Marcel Gaskin. The Assistant Governor was at the time addressing the newly-installed Board at the official handing-over ceremony held at the GuySuCo Rose Hall Senior Managers Club in East Canje, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). While applauding the Club for the projects that it implemented in the 2014-2015 financial year, he said like many other clubs, the Rotary Club of New Amsterdam has been doing the same thing over and over again and expected a different result. “This is what some refer to as madness,” he said. He urged the new Board to use modern technology to help schools so that the full curriculum can be delivered to all children regardless of their geographic location. “Because of the location of some children, they do not get to benefit fully from the education system. I would like Rotary to take the forefront of this because our people in education are not thinking that way; that education content can be delivered to those with remote access. If you want to be a gift of the world, I ask you to be a gift to the children of Guyana.” During the 2014-2015 financial year, none of the projects implemented by the Club focused on academic education and none of the projects outlined by the newly-installed

President Chris Hicks focused on education. In recent years, the Rotary Club of New Amsterdam has scaled down on its outreach programmes while still maintaining its assistance to children in the form of Christmas parties. According to Past President Chandar Sohan, during the 2014-2015 financial year, the Club was able to showcase Rotary at the Berbice Expo. In delivering the President’s report, Sohan noted that the Club’s major project was the construction of a sanitation block at Adelphi, East Canje where a water treatment plant is situated. That project is benefiting more than 5000 persons who live in the community, and saw the Club providing 10 outlets for residents to get pure water in a community where potable water was most times contaminated and discoloured. The $225,000 project was Sohan’s biggest during his tenure as President and was welcomed by the community. “When we visited the area, we noticed that it was not conducive for healthy living … and that was one of the more significant programmes we were able to do,” he said as he delivered his report. In his report, the outgoing President said during the financial year, televised medical education programmes were also done as part of the Club’s commitment to serve the community. However, only one of the three medical outreaches planned was completed owing to inclement weather. Meanwhile, Hicks, in his inaugural address as President, outlined medical outreaches and assistance to senior citizens as part of his focus. He said the Club would also play its part in the fight

against crime by honouring outstanding Police Officers. That project had been dropped in the recent past from a list of activities the Rotary Club of New Amsterdam undertook. Hicks also charged the partners of Rotarians to undertake a project of their own. The Board, which will be in operation for the 20152016 financial year, comprises President Hicks, Immediate Past President Sohan, President Elect Rodger Greenidge, Vice President

Rajrook Rajnauth, Secretary Gyandat Marray, Treasurer Clement DeNobrega, Director of Club Services Tajpaul Adjodhea, Director of Community Services Raffik Kassim, Director of Vocational Services Charlyn Artiga, Director of International Services Ganesh Shivkumar, Director of New Generation Services Vijai Ramdhan, Sergeant-atArms Narindat Sooknanan and Public Relations Officer Anglia Sattar.

CCTV image leads to arrest of murder suspect

Hardat Kissoon

he images from the footage captured by the Closed Circuit TV in the vicinity of UG Road, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown led to the arrest of Sherwin Trotman who was implicated in the murder of Cane Grove rice farmer Hardat Kissoon, who was shot dead during a robbery in a minibus a few weeks ago. Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum on Sunday related that immediately after reviewing the CCTV footage, investigators knew who to look for. The images, he noted, were clear hence the Police at that time had information for a positive ID, but the suspect was still on the run. The Crime Chief stated that ranks visited the home of Trotman in Sophia, Greater Georgetown many times and came up emptyhanded, but they continued to hunt for the man. One Saturday evening the Police received information that the murder suspect was in the Princess Hotel Casino and the Police immediately responded. Several ranks went to the Casino and surround-

ed the area. Trotman was subsequently arrested and taken to Police headquarters where he is being questioned, with Police interested in the identity of his accomplice among other things. Guyana Times understands that the murder suspect had a quantity of money in his possession. The arrest in the popular casino has raised some concerns with respect to the security at the facility. Initially, only guests at the Princess Hotel and persons with foreign passports were allowed access to the gambling facility. Kissoon, 42, of Lot 94 Cane Grove, East Coast Demerara, was shot once to his chest by a passenger in a Route 44 minibus on June 1 after he was relieved of a bag containing over $500,000. According to information received, the now dead man boarded a loaded minibus at the East Coast minibus park about 14:45h. As the minibus was in the vicinity of the University of Guyana access road, a man who was sitting in the back passenger’s seat requested a stop. On his way out, he grabbed the bag containing the money from Kissoon. Kissoon, who was also sitting in the back passenger seat of the minibus, reportedly put up a fight, but the bandit whipped out a gun and shot him at close range. The shooter then took the bag and threw it out of the bus through a window to an accomplice, who was waiting on a CG motorcycle. The man exited, jumped on the motorcycle, and fled the scene. Kissoon was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital moments after the shooting.

guyanatimesgy.com

monday, june 29, 2015

News

Reparations high on agenda at next Caricom confab C

aricom Heads of Government are poised to continue talks on initiatives to be taken to push the reparations agenda forward when they meet for the 36th regular meeting next month in Barbados. Barbados Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, who also chairs the reparations subcommittee, said talks were moving apace and progress was being made for reparations for native genocide and slavery ,noting that there was a consensus across the Region that every leader must go in that direction. In April, Caribbean leaders had gathered with other countries around the world for the International Conference on Reparations in the United States. That confab reportedly yielded much success particularly because they were able to establish a Global Reparations Committee and along with the decision by the United Nations General Assembly to declare 2015-2024 as the Decade for People of African Descent. In January 2014, Caricom issued a 10-point

programme for “Reparatory Justice” which framed its reparations demands as a “development strategy”. The Transatlantic slave trade brought over 10 million captured Africans to work as chattel slaves in sugar and cotton plantations throughout the Caribbean and the Americas. It was the largest forced migration in human history. Today, Caricom nations have a population of 16 million, and the Diaspora in the United States, Canada and Europe is about four to five million people. The Barbados leader, via a Caribbean news outfit, said the heads viewed it as necessary to have talks with former slave trading countries – England, France and Holland.

on both sides, so as to see where the scope for any sort of agreement and consensus exist. He said, however, that it should not be argued that those countries had not contributed to the Region in significant ways. “The European Union, through

“This is not diplomacy of protest; it is diplomacy of engagement because most of those countries are now our friends and who better to discuss issues like this with than friends,” he is quoted as saying. The Prime Minister reiterated that such discussions were necessary so there could be a sharing of views

Barbados Prime Minister Freundel Stuart

its series of development funds, has been contributing significantly to countries in the Caribbean. The British has its own aid packages for these countries. But, we are saying you can do better and that a lot of what you need to do needs to be more targeted…” he stressed.

Stuart said the effects of slavery continued to be felt in the Region and had affected the economies and societies. He said there was still a “sociological minority being at the same time an economic majority and the

numerical majority being an economic minority. These are facts that result from slavery and colonialism,” he posited. The Prime Minister said the Region had done well in trying to bounce back from slavery and colonialism, but stressed that the stage had been reached across the Caribbean and the black world that there was some “unfinished business” in re-

lation to how black people had been affected by the slave experience. Guyana is part of the Caricom Reparations Commission, which has laid some demands on slavetrading European countries, seeking compensation for the suffering inflicted on their foreparents as a result of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The Reparations Commission says the effects of the trade which spread between the 16th and 19th centuries, have contributed to the economic crisis currently experienced in Caribbean countries. The demands include: those countries providing diplomatic help to persuade countries, such as Ghana and Ethiopia, to offer citizenship to the children of people from the Caribbean to “return” to Africa; devising a developmental strategy to help improve the lives of poor communities in the Caribbean still devastated by the after-effects of slavery, supporting cultural exchanges between the Caribbean and West Africa to help Caribbean people of African descent rebuild their sense of history and identity; supporting literacy drives designed to improve education levels

that are still dire in many Caribbean communities; and providing medical assistance to the Region that is struggling with high levels of chronic diseases such as hypertension and Type Two Diabetes which the Caricom Reparations Commission has linked to the fallout from slavery. It has been reported that if the European powers fail to publicly apologise and refuse to come to the negotiating table, the Caricom nations will file a lawsuit against them at the International Court of Justice in Hague. Caricom Reparations Commission Chairman, Sir Hilary Beckles had said that the plan was also to set out areas of dialogue with former slave-trading nations, including the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. The claims are being channelled through the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and processed with the help of the London law firm Leigh Day. The economies of Caricom member states total almost US$78 billion, which would place the Region at 65th in the world if it were a single country.

Police ranks to undergo fitness assessment

Both male and female ranks are required to undergo the fitness assessment

he Guyana Police Force is focusing on fitness for members. As part of what will now become an annual feature, ranks below the age of 45 will be subjected to passing a fitness assessment. Ranks from B Division (Berbice) underwent their fitness test on Saturday and Sunday. The ranks were judged on seven compulsory exercises. Among the exercises is

the completion of a five-kilometre race (5K) in 30 minutes. This distance, however, is only for ranks between the ages of 18 and 30. Ranks between 31 and 40 years old had to complete a three-kilometre race (3K) in the same time while those between the ages of 41 and 45 had to complete a two-kilometre distance. The other six exercises were for all three groups

and varied in terms of the number of repetitions required, but must be completed within a certain time frame. When the programme was introduced last month, Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud took the assessment. Guyana Times have been informed that Seelall passed the test. Persons who are not successful will have to be reassessed in one month’s time. A programme has also been implemented to assist those who repeatedly fail the fitness assessment. Meanwhile, ranks attached to the Criminal Investigations Department of Central Police Station were able to apprehend a man moments after he and others robbed a business place at Fort Ordinance, Canje, Berbice. Police who were responding to the robbery spotted the robbers and gave chase on foot. They were able to catch one of the suspects in the vicinity of the Canje Bridge. The man is currently before the court. In August 2014, ranks attached to B Division were able to give chase on foot and apprehend a man who had just robbed a businessman of a bag containing $1.6 million.

monday, june 29, 2015

guyanatimesgy.com

News

Times Notebook A Govt determined to erode democracy E

very day, we see another assault on good governance and weakening the fabric of a democratic society in our country. It is a matter of concern and one that brings enormous dismay for a people who have worked hard to earn a free and democratic country. The Guyanese people endured and fought a brutal dictatorship for almost three decades, ending it in October 1992. Now after more than 20 years of building a fledgling democracy and gaining the benefits of economic and social growth, we begin to see an erosion of the rights and freedom that our people are entitled to. The latest assault on our democracy and integrity is revealed by the announcement that we will advertise for the posts of Chief Justice and Chancellor of the Judiciary. These are not vacant positions, since each of the positions has been filled by two distinguished Guyanese who have earned the respect of people in

Guyana and abroad. Each of them has acted in their positions for at least ten years. In effect, the announcement that there would be advertisement for these posts essentially represents dismissal notices for both Chief Justice Ian Chang and Chancellor of the Judiciary Carl Singh. The announcement that the APNU+AFC government intends to seek applicants from abroad is a clear signal that the new government is keen on bringing two people who presently live abroad. They have perhaps already decided on the candidates and the announcement that there will be an international advertisement to fill the two positions is merely a ruse to cover up another scheme intended to provide “jobs for the boys”. Guyana is one of few Caricom countries that have not had to depend on recruiting judges for important judicial appointments from outside of Guyana. Moreover, Guyana is one

of the countries that have often and continuously provided other Caricom countries with Guyanese judges that have occupied the most senior judicial appointments in those countries. It is, therefore, insulting to Guyanese judges who have practiced in Guyana for most of their lives to be told that the APNU+AFC government is not convinced we have suitably qualified judges in Guyana who are suited for appointments to the posts of Chief Justice and Chancellor of the Judiciary. Some would say that the previous PPP/C Government is equally guilty because they kept these two distinguished Guyanese jurists acting in the most important judicial positions for more than a decade. The argument is that if the PPP/C Government was so convinced that these two gentlemen were suited for their positions they should have confirmed the appointments. While the argument seems cogent, it is entirely

wrong because the confirmation of the appointments of Mr Chang and Mr Singh could only have been made with the agreement of the Leader of the Opposition. This presents another problem with the process outlined by the APNU+AFC Government. The only reason they continued for so long to act as the Chancellor of the Judiciary and the Chief Justice respectively is that their confirmation is a constitutional process. According to Guyana’s constitution the Chief Justice and the Chancellor are appointed by the President only after reaching agreement with the Leader of the Opposition. Mr Granger, as then Leader of the Opposition, refused to grant his permission for the confirmation of both Mr Singh and Mr Chang. Prior to December 2011, Mr Corbin as then Leader of the Opposition also refused to agree to the appointments. These positions, therefore, continued to be acting appointments by the then

Presidents, Bharat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar, both of whom have consistently argued for the confirmation of Mr Singh and Mr Chang based on merit. What are the plans of the APNU+AFC Government after they would have advertised the positions? Are they going to ignore the Constitution which demands that the President must consult and reach agreement with the Leader of the Opposition for these appointments? Already due process is being ignored as the APNU+AFC Government roles out its brand of witch hunting. Many people have been denied due process as they are sent home through termination or pressured into resigning from their positions in the public service and in public authorities. Now a new law has been passed that gives police and other officers the right to seize money and property amounting to more than $10M. The APNU+AFC Government has promised

there would be no whimsical seizure. But who will monitor the behavior of Police and custom officers 24 hours 7 days per week? It would be up to the businessman or citizen to prove that he or she legitimately accumulated that wealth. In the end, the government has created a platform to hold Guyanese citizens at ransom. These are only a sampling of the wielding of power by a Government that is no stranger to stifling the democratic aspirations of a people. The APNU+AFC Government has its roots firmly embedded in the DNA and footprints of the PNC. The people now in Government have a long history of having been nurtured and matured in the belly of the PNC beast. Guyana’s democracy is under siege. Readers are invited to send their comments by email or Facebook to times. notebook@gmail.com.

CJIA expansion project

Patterson promises no mass relocation for Timehri squatters

ublic Infrastructure Minister David Patterson has promised residents of Timehri North, the area which the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion

Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson

will encompass, that they would no longer be required to relocate as was requested by the former Government. Addressing Members of the House during the third sitting of the 11th Parliament on Friday, Patterson related that the Government in continuing with the plans for expansion would ensure that residents were not inconvenienced to facilitate such development.

He added, however, that should the need arise for the relocation of persons, no more than 15 households would be affected and land would be provided in suitable and convenient areas for the families. “On behalf of the Government, I’d like to inform the residents of Timehri that the airport expansion will be done without mass relocation as was threatened by the previous administration. In fact, no more than 15 houses may need to be relocated and if this happens, suitable land will be found plus assistance will be provided for this relocation,” the Minister said. It was only on Wednesday that Minister of State, Joseph Harmon had disclosed to media operatives that the Government has approved the expansion of the CJIA although more funds were needed to complete the project to international standards. A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC), now the coalition Government, had been harshly critical of the CJIA expansion project on the basis that no feasibility study had been conducted and a new terminal building was unnecessary when

they were on the Opposition benches. Harmon said that that conclusion was based on recent visits by high-level Chinese officials, including Wang Xiaofeng, General Manager of China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), Americas Division. Minister Harmon also pointed out that although the project was tardy, it would not suffer termination. According to Harmon, Patterson related that the original budgeted amount of US$150 million cannot suffice to complete the project in a way that will satisfy international standards for modern airports accommodating large aircraft. This conclusion was reached, since it was discovered by the investigating unit that “several areas were not covered in the original project document”. Harmon said those included equipment inside terminal (US$16 million); navigational aids that must be changed and upgraded (US$1.3 million); completion of the existing generator building and pump house (US$60,000); the perimeter fence and security lights (US$565,000); completing the relocation of GDF mechanical and engineering department (US$250,000);

An artiste’s impression of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport expansion

and relocating of airport operators and other facilities (US$510, 000). According to the Minister of State, an estimated additional US$65 million is needed to complete the project on par with international standards.

Category One status

In the meantime, Patterson has announced that the Administration was assiduously working with all the relevant aviation authorities to put Guyana on track in achieving Category One status. “Coupled with the airport expansion, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is helping us to ensure that dur-

ing our first term, our country will attain Category One status. To ensure that this is accomplished, we will be upgrading our personnel and equipment and implement all the necessary systems to achieve this goal,” Patterson told the House. In November 2014, Guyana moved from being ranked Category Two to unrated on the international aviation scales. While there are certain factors that have to be considered before moving to the Category One status, the most important, however, is for Guyana to have air traffic regulations that are internationally recognised. Additionally, there must

be adequate human resources in the Civil Aviation Department. A GCAA official, when contacted, explained that airports are managed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules and regulations. Other important factors which have contributed to the unrated status include the fact that illegal drugs continue to be shipped out of Guyana on a regular basis. Additionally, he said the current infrastructure might have also contributed to Guyana’s unrated status. The airport expansion project, once completed, will see Guyana heading for Category One status.

12 news Ashni Singh slams Jordan for inflating debt figure Fire destroys house saturday, june 27, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

...demands proof or retraction

Finance Minister, Winston Jordan

ormer Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh said that figures released on Guyana’s domestic and external debts are grossly exaggerated and slammed new Finance Minister, Winston Jordan for allegedly misleading the country. He also called on the minister retract the statement and also apologise to the nation. In a letter to the editor of this newspaper (see page 4) Dr Singh said Appendix VI to the national Budget Speech for 2014 reported that Guyana's external debt stock stood at US$1.247 billion at the end of December 2013, and provided a detailed disaggregation by creditor. Secondly, he said Appendix F1 to the MidYear Report for 2014 reported that the external debt stock stood at US$1.227 billion at the end of June 2014, and provided a similar level of disaggregation. Thirdly, Table 7-III of the Statistical Annexe to the Bank of Guyana Annual Report for 2014 reported that Guyana's stock of external public debt amounted to US$1.217 billion at the end of December 2014, disaggregated by creditor type. “All three of the aforementioned documents have been freely available in the public domain since their respective issuance, including on the

Ministry of Finance and Bank of Guyana websites, where they could still be sourced when I last checked earlier today.” Dr Singh Singh has called on the Minister to make publicly available disaggregated details on the US$1.6 billion that he reported to the National Assembly last Friday as Guyana's external debt stock. “Alternatively, he might wish to consider issuing an appropriate correction, including in the National Assembly where his statement was originally made. He might also wish to consider examining more closely the accuracy of other aspects of what he is reported to have said in the same article and address them similarly,” Dr Singh advocated. Speaking in the National Assembly on Friday Minister Jordan disclosed that as it now stands, Guyana was highly indebted, even carrying a deficit or more than $60 billion. “Guyana’s external debt is US$1.6 billion, and we were recipients of generous debt write-offs from both bilateral and multilateral agents that have put us in a category where we have to pay careful attention to what we borrow, how we borrow, and what we borrow for,” Jordan intoned. Continuing, Jordan told the House that there was a large magnitude of work which must be done, including the crafting of a National Economic Policy, achieving stable macro economic growth and ensuring infrastructural growth. Further, he added that the National Procurement and Tender Board administration will soon see a major shake-up since it was pertinent to have a professional, competent and unbiased Board in place. “We are going to be reforming the procurement system. OF course, we will start where we have some control and that is the National Procurement and

Former Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh

Tender Administration Board. A new board will be in place by next week and some of the practices reviewed.” Guyanese can also expect to see gender budgeting and budgetary allocations for the poor and needy in the upcoming budgets and a major overhaul and centralisation of the Guyana National Bureau of Statistics (GNBS) so as to ensure that proper surveys and the National Census are produced to assist the Government in policymaking. Meanwhile, in a separate statement the PPP/C said in one of the very first interviews Jordan gave after being appointed Minister he was at pains to emphasise that he is not a politician but instead that he is a professional. “Whether he saw himself in that way or not, the fact is that he has within one month metamorphosed not only into a politician but a politician of the worst kind, one that is intent on distorting and misrepresenting facts for narrow political interest. The party said that the US$1.6B debt announced by Jordan is nothing but an untruth. “Mr. Jordan knows fully well that Guyana's external debt stock stands closer to US$1.2 billion and that our domestic debt has in fact been declining. Indeed, page 28 of the Bank of Guyana

annual report for 2014 which has been publicly available for some time now has this to say on Guyana's external debt: "the stock of outstanding public and publicly guaranteed external debt fell by 2.3 percent to US$1,217 million (at the end of 2014) from US$1,246 million in 2013". It furthermore had this to say on Guyana's domestic debt on page 27: "The outstanding stock of government domestic bonded debt, which consisted of treasury bills, bonds, debentures and the CARICOM loan, decreased by 20.6 percent to G$78,438 million." According to the PPP/C in exactly the same manner, Jordan is fully aware that the balance on the consolidated fund is not overdrawn by $60 billion and, more importantly, that for macroeconomic purposes one has to examine the overall net cash balance of the Government. “Indeed, it is noted that elsewhere he has been trying to deny that Guyana recorded the robust growth that we did as a nation over the past nine years. This is nothing less than another blatant attempt to rewrite Guyana's economic history. The fact of the matter is that Guyana's achieved strong economic growth over the past nine years, as evidenced not just by expansion in real GDP, but also by growth in FDI, growth in private sector credit, growth in deposits in the banking system and assets of the commercial banks, growth in housing stock, establishment of new businesses and expansion of existing businesses, etc. These are objectively verifiable facts that Jordan cannot deny no matter what his political agenda might be. If he wishes to be taken seriously as a professional, then Mr. Jordan needs to come clean and apologise to the Guyanese nation immediately for attempting to mislead them.”

in Corentyne

...photographer loses millions

By Nafeeza Yahya

fire suspected to be electrical in origin ravaged a house located at 14 Nurney Village, Corentyne late Sunday afternoon completely destroying the two-storey concrete and wood building and scorching two others. The fire started at ap-

were a few hiccups which left many expressing their disappointment. “The truck when it reach, the fire take over the whole top flat, then next thing there was no water. After they were trying to source water, the house start blaze up again. They need to be more professional and come prepared when

Residents and the Guyana Fire Service were powerless to douse the inferno

proximately 16:50h while no one was at home. According to an eyewitness, the village had experienced blackout several times during the day and when the electricity was restored for the third time, they heard a loud sound coming from the back of the upper flat and a few minutes later noticed smoke emanating from the said area. “I heard a popping sound, but didn’t take it for anything. Is when I got up, I noticed the smoke, but by the time we alerted people, we saw the flames,” the wit-

they working on situation like this.” The heavy winds made the fire spread faster, scorching the exterior of two neighbouring houses and resulting in much water damage to the interiors as the buildings were doused with water as a preventative measure. When this publication visited the scene, many persons were seen dousing the neighbouring houses with water and removing pieces of furniture in an effort to save them. The Guyana Power and Light

Berbice cops in tint fight

Police Corporal attached to B Division (Berbice) has stood his ground and refused to comply with orders by a Senior Superintendent in Berbice to remove the dark tint which he has on his car windows. He told the Senior Superintendent he would only comply if he removed the tint from all of the vehicles owned by Police Officers. In the presence of several officers, the Corporal told Senior Superintendent Errol Watts, who is second in command of B Division, that he was not the only one with dark tint on his vehicle and said Watts would first have to clean up the other vehicles. The Corporal claimed that Watts was targeting him. The issue of the dark tint was brought to the attention of Watts on Friday who recently took up the position as second in command. Watts was told that the suspiciously dark tinted vehicle had been parking on a street in New Amsterdam and was posing a security risk since visibility of the interior of the vehicle was impossible.

Earlier in 2015, ranks attached to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) were approached about the security risk posed by the

Police, Brian Joseph, who at that time headed the division, was contacted on the matter as it related to a security threat. Also contacted was Assistant

The dark tinted vehicle parked on a street in New Amsterdam on Friday

presence of the dark tinted vehicle by saying that the vehicle belonged to a rank of the Guyana Police Force but confirmed that the vehicle was not being used to carry out Police work. Assistant Commissioner of

Superintendent Boodnarine Persaud who heads the traffic department of the division and who had previously told this publication that the traffic department was campaigning against people who have illegal tints on their vehicles.

On Friday, Watts instructed that the fitness for the dark tinted car PKK 710 be revoked. However, a Sergeant later reported that he could not revoke the fitness for the vehicle, since the vehicle owner did not have it. The unaltered vehicle continues to traverse the town. Recently, Vice President and Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan said moves were being made to clamp down on criminal activity in the country and the Police were also on the agenda. “We will be weeding out corrupt cops.” Ramjattan said the administration has adopted a hardline, zero-tolerance approach against that type of wrongdoing as it sought to make communities safer. However, he noted that there was need for communities to provide information and also to be fearless and speak out so that such ills could be removed for society. “All the rogue cops we have to knock them off; we have to get rid of all the bad cops,” he added.

Fire rips through the house at Nurney Village, Corentyne

ness said. Many of the villagers came as news spread of the fire and formed a bucket brigade, but were unsuccessful as the fire quickly raced through the home forcing many to back off until the fire tender arrived shortly after. The fact that the upper flat was fully secured with grillwork and the intense flames also hindered persons from saving more than a few items. They were able to save a few items from the lower flat of the home and also managed to save a BMW motor car that was parked under the house. Another eyewitness recalled that even when the fire tender arrived, there

emergency crew also arrived at the scene and were seen clipping electricity wires attached to the buildings. The fire drew a large crowd who expressed disappointment with the constant blackouts experienced throughout the day. Owner of the home, Photographer Sherwin Sinclair said he was at another home located several villages away when he received a call informing him of the fire .He said by the time he got to his home, the entire upper flat was engulfed in flames. At the moment, Sinclair said he was unable to estimate his losses, but noted they were in the millions. The Guyana Fire Service is investigating.

news

Businessman slain ...during robbery at Port Mourant

Port Mourant Corentyne businessman was gunned down in his grocery store Sunday evening by bandits who invaded his premises. Dead is Rampersaud Shivcharran called Rakesh. He was reportedly shot in the chest and head. Reports are that around 19:00h a customer walked into the man’s business place-Debbie’s Grocery and Off license Liquor Restaurant at Ankerville Port Mourant only to see the bloodied body of the shopkeeper on the ground with his two young crying over him in a pool of blood. He immediately raised an alarm and the police were summoned who arrived a few minutes later only to confirm that the shop keeper is dead. According to a close family member, Rakesh opted to keep his business open even though there was a blackout. He was using candles to sell rather than starting his generator. It was during this period that three men reportedly went into the shop and demanded money. He reportedly resisted and was shot point blank. Unconfirmed reports are that the perpetrators left without any cash or valuables as there was still money in the drawer from the day’s sale. Shivcharran was a father of four with two older children residing overseas. His wife Debbie was visiting overseas while the two younger kids stayed with him due to examinations at school. According to a relative this is the third robbery on the business place since it was opened a few years ago. The body was removed by Ramoo’s Funeral Parlour approximately three hours after the incident when the police concluded their crime scene investigation. Meanwhile, resident who gathered at the scene were very vocal about

the increased crime rate and are calling on the Minster of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan to act swiftly to get a handle on the situation. Two weeks ago another business owner was shot in front of his business place in nearby Rose Hall Town and he succumbed at the Georgetown Public Hospital a few days

was need for communities to provide information and also to be fearless and speak out so that such ills could be removed. Asked to comment on the recent escape of a prisoner who was being held at the Number 51 Police Station Lock-ups and who escaped while two officers were on duty, Minister Ramjattan

Residents converge at the scene of the shooting

later. Only last week Ramjattan during a visit to Berbice assured the business community there that a series of measures have been put in place to tackle the upsurge in criminal activities. While he did not outline what these measures were, Ramjattan insisted that Government will start with ensuring that a more professional Guyana Police Force was created through the weeding out of what he described as “rogue cops”. The Minister said moves were being made to clamp down on criminal activity in the country and the Police were also on the agenda. “We will be weeding out corrupt cops.” Ramjattan said the Administration has adopted a hard-line, zero-tolerance approach against that type of wrongdoing as it sought to make communities safer. However, he noted that there

said the Police Force was not made up of perfect men and women and so there would be lapses. “But we will have to tighten up on all of those. All the rogue cops we have to knock them off; we have to get rid of all the bad cops,” he added. In noting that there has been an upsurge in criminal activity, the Public Security Minister said the Ministry has employed a series of measures to tackle crime. While admitting that he could not pronounce on the causes of the recent upsurge in murders, break-and-enters, piracy and armed robberies which have been making headlines in the local media on a daily basis, Minister Ramjattan said there were some elementary underlining causes of crime. These, he outlined, included poverty, a deficit in moral values, drunkenness and drug abuse.

monday, june 29, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Hughes promises revamp of Tourism Ministry …acknowledges groundwork by PPP/C By Jillicia Pinder

ourism Minister Cathy Hughes told Guyana Times on Friday that she planned to completely revamp the tourism industry during her tenure and acknowledged some groundwork was laid by the previous Administration which would make her task much easier. During an interview with Guyana Times, Minister Hughes explained that she has exciting plans that relate to the fundamentals of building the tourism industry by promoting it, as at the end of the day, there are still many places with people who are not aware of where Guyana is located and what it has to offer. She states that the Ministry plans to establish and implement an international marketing plan that will completely change persons’ evaluation of Guyana’s tourism industry. She shared that she was happy that most of the groundwork and research have already been done over the last 10 years or so by the previous Administration, and added that it was just a matter of finding the requisite funding and starting to implement a building programme, which went hand in hand with the importance of

Tourism Minister Cathy Hughes

successful the plans of the Ministry would be, and those mainly are in the area of access to Guyana. She stated that Guyana was still a very expensive destination to get to and the tourism industry was a very competitive market. She noted that people needed to be able to fly to Guyana and experience our product at a reasonable price. Hence, the Ministry is looking to get more airlines into the country, to drive prices down through competition. She shared that the Ministry would also like to look at concessions for the industry, and added that she wanted to examine negotiating with the Finance Ministry for special consideration for the industry.

New location

The Tourism Minister believes it is very fortunate that the new home of the Tourism Ministry is the beautiful Colgrain House on Camp Street. The previous home of the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce was a building on South Road. After the new Government took over, it decided that tourism needed to become a sector on its own and much emphasis and help was needed. Hughes mentioned that she wanted a location that would be reflective of the country’s tourism product and heritage, and thought that Colgrain House with its colonial architecture

Man shot during Providence robbery

forklift operator is now nursing a gunshot wound to his left leg at the Georgetown Public Hospital following a robbery in the wee hours of Sunday at Providence New Scheme, East Bank Demerara. G o w k a r r a n Rampersaud, 36, formerly of Leguan Island, Essequibo River, was reportedly in his living quarters at Providence when he was accosted by two armed men who demanded money and jewellery during which time he was shot. Police in a release stated that the two gunmen entered the house through a door that was left open and held Rampersaud at gunpoint. Preliminary investigations revealed that the men demanded cash and valuables but after not getting anything significant, they shot Rampersaud and made good their escape. At the hospital on Sunday afternoon, the injured man told Guyana Times that on the night of the shooting, he was in

the upper flat of the house aback a newly-constructed hardware store while two other workers were in the lower flat. He disclosed that the door would normally be left unlocked and on the night in

Gowkarran Rampersaud

question he was lying on the bed when he heard someone push the door open and as he got up to enquire, he was confronted by the two armed men who held him at gunpoint and started to demand money and jewellery. He stated that at the time, he was wearing a gold chain and had about $15,000

in his pocket. The men relieved him of the items and demanded more money, but he told them he did not have any more. It was then that they instructed him to wake up the two other workers, but he refused to do so. One of the men subsequently discharged a round hitting him to his left leg and he and his accomplice fled the scene. Rampersaud’s colleagues reportedly heard the commotion earlier and had phoned the Police, but by the time, they arrived, the men had disappeared. “When the Police come, they call out to me and ask me who deh upstairs, but meh tell them that them done gone… that is when the Police come in the house and see me lying on the ground,” the man stated. The injured man, who is in stable condition, said that he was picked up, placed in a taxi and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was admitted. He further noted that the bullet entered and exited his foot, but he was in a lot of pain.

New home of the Tourism Ministry, Colgrain House, Camp Street (Carl Crooker photo)

raising standards and making sure that as a country, Guyana provided quality service to consumers. Hughes mentioned that Guyana’s tourism product was mostly owned and for the most part, operated by the Private Sector which has provided the country with a range of resorts and hotels and restaurants. She added that places such as Region Nine – the Rupununi to be exact – facilitated community-based tourism and the Ministry would like to be able to build on these places and their products and raise their quality, to provide something better for their customers.

Special consideration

The Tourism Minister added that there were a couple of issues in the sector that needed to be looked at, as they impinged on how

Hughes stated that as it relates to the local aviation industry, the criticism has always been that it was very expensive to travel to places such as Iwokrama or Kaieteur Falls; therefore, if a tourist was visiting and did not have those12 hours to drive to Iwokrama, or the three days to travel over land to Kaieteur Falls, it posed a problem. Minister Hughes also mentioned that there would be an examination of the taxes placed on aviation gas because operators explained it was one of the major reasons their prices were high, given that the taxes they have to pay for providing the service would have to be passed on to the consumer. Hughes stated that at the end of the day, she really would just like to develop a quality tourism product where people can visit Guyana and enjoy what the country has to offer.

would be the perfect fit. The Minister explained that though her department has not taken the entire building, in a few months time, it should have access to the entire building, after which the consumer affairs department and the tourism development officers will be moved to the new site. Colgrain House was built in the 19th Century. Thomas Edwards Jones of Riverside Wharf Company was one of the owners of the building at that time. In October 1909, he sold it to La Penitence Estates. The building was sold several times and was acquired by Bookers Holdings in 1951. It was called ‘Booker House’ during this period. Subsequently, it was sold to the Federal Republic of Germany. Then the Government of Guyana purchased the building in 1975.

guyanatimesgy.com

monday, june 29, 2015

News

will pursue PPP/C welcomes CJ’s ruling Argentina judge order on Malvinas on Broomes’ actions drillers – Minister T A

he People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) said it was satisfied with the ruling of acting Chief Justice Ian Chang that Junior Social Protection Minister Simona Broomes had violated the Constitution of Guyana when she issued an order to the Public Service Commission (PSC) to “cease all interviews for vacant positions in various public offices until further directed by President David Granger”. Broomes had, at first, denied sending such a letter to the Secretary of the PSC, but later recanted, claiming she “only wanted to understand what was happening”. Broomes’ colleague and senior Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence had attempted to rescue her when she admitted that she did see the letter, but claimed that the spirit in which it was written was not “disrespectful” and that she viewed Broomes’ action act “as political”. Broomes’ action was challenged in the High Court as a violation of Article 226 of the Constitution which was “unlawful, null, void, and of no legal effect”. According

to the PPP/C, Broomes has proven a disaster for the Granger Administration, and the crude unconstitutional intervention under the guise of her leader was rebuffed by the Court. “The Public Service Commission is an independent body and such interference prevents it from acting within its jurisdiction. Nobody can do that,” the Court ruled. The Party said that it was hoped that this action would prove as a lesson to other “eager beavers” in the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition, one of whom have already attempted a similar action in respect to the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), another constitutional body.

Distasteful episode

“Interestingly, consistent with their open support for the Granger ‘de-facto’ administration, the Kaieteur News and Stabroek News have both refused to publish the Chief Justice’s ruling which was issued on June 24, 2015. This was obviously done to save the Granger Administration the bad pub-

licity and embarrassment. It is widely believed that had the culprit been a PPP/C Minister these two newspapers would have “gone to town” on the matter. In another distasteful episode, Broomes in her Alexander Haig “I’m in charge here” style arrived in Bartica on June 7, and, according to media reports, made a “clean sweep netting some 29 persons suspected to be victims of Trafficking in Persons”,” the PPP/C said in a release on Saturday evening. As it turned out, “contrary to both Broomes’ triumphalism and the lap-dog media that sucks up anything that can embarrass the PPP/C the “TIP victims” turned out to be prostitutes from certain South American countries much to the embarrassment of law enforcement who were made to look foolish in the whole exercise. The “sweep” also triggered criticisms from supporters of the LGBT [Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgendered] community,” the PPP/C wrote. Writing in the Sunday Chronicle of June 14, Karen DeSouza and Alissa Trotz had criticised Broomes for her attack on sex workers

as opposed to Trafficking in Persons. DeSouza and Trotz advised that it was “ important for Broomes to realise that her ministry is doing the work against trafficking a disservice if, instead of addressing the systemic factors that create the conditions for trafficking to exist and flourish, the official focus is on these individual rescue missions that receive such irresponsible coverage from the media”. Broomes was urged to focus on other “forms of trafficking in Guyana that do not always involve prostitution”. “The Bartica “clean sweep” was clearly another disaster brought upon the Granger Administration by Calamity Simona,” the PPP/C said. “And as though this was not enough we were treated to the disgraceful and despicable behaviour of Broomes when she, accompanied by her comrade in arms, stormed into the Child Care and Protection Agency(CCPA) and according to reliable reports blurted out to staffers that they had ‘no business telling her how to do her work’,” it further added.

Minister tries to avert national shutdown threatened by Barbados trade union

arbados’ Commerce Minister Donville Inniss is trying to avert an island-wide shutdown threatened by the country’s largest Public Sector trade union over the dismissal of elderly workers at the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC). But Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development, Donville Inniss told the Sunday Sun that the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) should not mistake his attempt for a shift in the

BIDC’s position. The BIDC sent home 13 people last week, including 10 over the age of 60. It said its Board of Directors had invoked its right under the Statutory Boards (Pensions) Act to retire officers reaching that age, but the NUPW, which is being supported by the country’s largest union – the Barbados Workers’ Union – has insisted that the move was illegal. The NUPW has demanded the withdrawal of the dismissal letters and threatened a national strike if the BIDC fails to comply. The Union’s National

Barbados’ Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development, Donville Inniss

Council will meet next Tuesday to make a final decision on the matter. “We will recommend [to the Union’s National Council] that if BIDC fails to change their decision, then the only option that we will have is to embark on serious industrial action . . . We will not be going backwards, we are going forward,” NUPW General Secretary Roslyn Smith said last week. Inniss told the Sunday Sun that this morning he will send an invitation to the NUPW for representatives to meet with him and BIDC officials. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Turks and Caicos hits Dom Rep over Haitians

he Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) is the latest to slap the Dominican Republic (DR) over its policy of deporting Haitians born in the neighbouring Spanishspeaking Caribbean island. “The policy is blatantly abusive and wrong. It is something that the Turks and Caicos Islands would never do,” declared Charles Washington Misick, a former Chief Minister and current Finance Minister of the chain of islands. Misick said the DR had every right to seek to exert control over its immigra-

TCI Finance Minister Charles Washington Misick

tion, but the TCI could never support the expatriation of Haitians born and living legally in that country. Misick recently made regional news when he was quoted by the TCI Sun newspaper as telling Parliament that foreigners celebrating their national cultures should stay home. He named Haitians, Jamaicans and Bahamians and knocked local sponsors supporting them in their activities. But in an interview with the Jamaica Observer Friday, Misick said he had nothing against Haitians who were in

the TCI legally, working hard and making their contribution to the society. Haitians make up the largest proportion of nonnationals in the TCI – 57 per cent – followed by Jamaicans. The hundreds of thousands of Haitians in the DR appear to have spooked the Government there. In 2013 the DR constitutional court upheld a fiat to deport some Haitians born or living there, retroactive to 1929. Misick acknowledged that the widescale deportation of Haitians from the DR could adversely affect the TCI. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

rgentina will pursue in Britain and the United States a local Judge’s order to seize assets of oil drillers operating in the Malvinas, the Foreign Minister said in an interview published in local media on Sunday. On Saturday, a Federal Judge in Tierra del Fuego ordered the seizure of US$156 million in bank accounts, boats and other property of six European and US oil companies operating in the islands. A source with knowledge of the situation said the ruling was meaningless because the companies do not generally hold assets in Argentina or use Argentine waters. Foreign Minister Hector Timerman told local newspaper Tiempo Argentino on Sunday that today he will formally request that the stock exchange regulators in

London and New York implement the judge’s order. The companies named in the order are Premier Oil Plc, Falkland Oil and Gas Ltd, Rockhopper Exploration Plc, Noble Energy Inc and Edison International Spa. “The companies can defend themselves in foreign courts, but that will have a cost or penalty to their market listing,” Timerman said. He said that international law forbid altering the state of territory where the United Nations has accepted that there is a sovereignty dispute, and that the companies had breached the rule by drilling wells. Argentina claims sovereignty over the South Atlantic islands which it calls the Malvinas, located about 435 miles (700 km) off the coast of Tierra del Fuego and occupied by around 3000 people. (Excerpt from Reuters)

State of emergency declared along Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast

state of emergency was declared along the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica as heavy rains continued to flood the entire province of Limon on Saturday. Costa Rica President Luis Guillermo Solis said a red alert was now in place and emergency personnel had been called out to monitor the situation. He said the main high-

way between San Jose and Limon were blocked on Saturday after a landslide dumped 4000 cubic metres of material along the road. Several rivers have also overflown their banks, and at least 11 people have been placed in shelters. A fibre-optic line was also damaged and this has cut off both cellular and landline telephone service in some areas. (CMC)

Jamaican sentenced to prison in US on lottery fraud charges

amion Byran Barrett, the first Jamaica to be extradited to the United States to face lottery fraud charges, has been sentenced to almost four years in a US federal prison. Barrett, 29, who pleaded guilty earlier this year to being part of a wire fraud conspiracy, was sentenced on Friday when he appeared in a south Florida court. District Judge William Zloch sentenced Barrett to 46 months in prison and ordered him to pay US$94,456 in restitution. If he receives a job in prison that pays wages, he will have to turn over half of it toward the judgment. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised probation after his release and ordered to pay 10 per cent of his monthly earnings to-

ward the judgment. Barrett was part of a conspiracy that tricked seniors into believing that they had won millions of dollars and as a result, needed to pay advance fees to claim their winnings. The sweepstakes scam, which operated between late 2008 and 2012, used middlemen in South Florida to collect cash from victims all over the US. The victims – mainly the elderly – were persuaded to send hundreds or thousands of dollars by mail, Western Union and MoneyGram, to Barrett’s associates in Broward County. The middlemen took a percentage and sent the rest to Barrett in Jamaica. According to prosecutors, this case could pave the way to holding foreigners accountable for preying on Americans. (Excerpt from CMC)

monday, june 29, 2015

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Around the World

Greek debt crisis: Banks to stay shut, capital controls imposed T G

France attack suspect admits killing, Police make link to Syria

reek banks are to remain closed and capital controls will be imposed, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras says. Speaking after the European Central Bank (ECB) said it was not increasing emergency funding to Greek banks, Tsipras said Greek deposits were safe. Greece is due to make a €1.6 billion payment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday – the same day that its current bailout expires. Greece risks default and moving closer to a possible exit from the Eurozone. Greeks have been queuing to withdraw money from cash machines over the weekend. Prime Minister Tsipras did not give details of how long banks would stay shut,

Greeks are queuing for cash, but only 40 per cent of ATMs have money in them, the BBC’s Gavin Hewitt reports [Guardian photo]

or exactly what controls on capital would be imposed. Eurozone Finance Ministers blamed Greece for breaking off the talks, and

the European Commission took the unusual step on Sunday of publishing proposals by European creditors that it said were on the

table at the time. But Greece described creditors’ terms as “not viable”, and asked for an extension of its current deal until after the vote was completed. “[Rejection] of the Greek Government’s request for a short extension of the programme was an unprecedented act by European standards, questioning the right of a sovereign people to decide,” Tsipras on Sunday said in a televised address. “This decision led the ECB today to limit the liquidity available to Greek banks and forced the Greek Central Bank to suggest a bank holiday and restrictions on bank withdrawals.” The Greek Prime Minister said he had sent a new request for an extension to the bailout. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Tunisia attack: Tribute paid to victims

ributes are being paid to victims of the Tunisia beach attack which left 38 dead, including at least 15 Britons. No British victims have been officially identified, but the names of some were confirmed by friends and family. It comes as the relatives of others still missing since the gun attack near Sousse desperately await any news of their loved ones. More than 1000 British tourists have returned to the UK, while it was thought 2500 more could fly home on Sunday. Meanwhile, Home Secretary Theresa May has chaired a meeting of the

Tributes are being paid to victims of the Tunisia beach attack which left 38 dead, including at least 15 Britons

Government’s emergency Cobra committee. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered close to the scene a day after the attack for a rally against terrorism, with some holding candles

and others carrying flags of the UK and Tunisia. Further details have been emerging about the tourists who lost their lives in the shooting carried out on Friday by gunman

Seifeddine Rezgui, 23, who has links with Islamic State. It was described as the most significant terrorist attack on British people since 52 were killed in the July 7, 2005 London bombings. Three members of the same family were among those killed in the attack. One Belgian and one German have so far been identified among the dead, the Health Ministry said. There were also thought to be Tunisians and French killed in the attack. At least 36 people were injured, some seriously. The UK Government has warned the death toll will rise in the Tunisia attack.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Unmanned SpaceX Western officials suggest rocket explodes Iran trying to wiggle after Florida launch out of nuclear pledges

n unmanned American Falcon-9 rocket has broken apart in flames minutes after lifting off from Cape Canaveral in Florida. Debris from the SpaceX vehicle tumbled out of the sky into the Atlantic Ocean. The rocket, which had 18 straight successes prior to Sunday’s flight, was in the process of sending a cargo ship to the International Space Station. The US space agency NASA says important supplies have been lost, but the orbiting lab’s crew is secure. Even now, the three astronauts have sufficient stores of food, water and equipment to operate until late October, and there should be visits from Russian and Japanese freighters before then. The problem occurred 139 seconds into the flight, just

before the first-stage of the rocket was about to separate from the upper-stage, or top segment of the Falcon-9. “The vehicle has broken up,” said NASA commentator George Diller, as TV images showed the white rocket falling to pieces. “We appear to have had a launch vehicle failure,” he added. “There was an overpressure event in the upper-stage liquid oxygen tank,” tweeted SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. “Data suggests counterintuitive cause. That’s all we can say with confidence right now. Will have more to say following a thorough fault tree analysis.” SpaceX will now lead an investigation, overseen by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) and NASA, which contracts the California company commercially to resupply the station. (Excerpt from BBC News)

ran is backtracking from an interim nuclear agreement with world powers three months ago, Western officials suggested on Sunday, as US and Iranian officials said talks on a final accord would likely run past a June 30 deadline. Securing an historic agreement would end a more than 12-year nuclear standoff between Iran and the West and open the door to suspending sanctions that have crippled Tehran’s economy. It could also help ease the diplomatic isolation for an Iran that has become increasingly assertive across the region. Highlighting how much work remains in the nuclear negotiations, British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond said on arrival

in Vienna that major challenges remained, including on the parameters already agreed in April in Lausanne, Switzerland “There are a number of different areas where we still have major differences of interpretation in detailing what was agreed in Lausanne,” Hammond told reporters. “There is going to have to be some give or take if we are to get this done in the next few days,” he said. “No deal is better than a bad deal.” Other Western officials echoed Hammond’s remarks, saying some of the backtracking involved the mechanics of monitoring Iranian compliance with proposed limits on nuclear activities. (Excerpt from Reuters)

he suspected Islamist who attempted to blow up a French chemical plant on Friday has admitted killing his manager beforehand, a source close to the investigation said on Sunday, as Police linked the suspect to a militant now in Syria. Yassin Salhi, 35, told detectives he had killed Hervé Cornara in a parking area before arriving at the plant in Saint Quentin-Fallavier, 30 kilometres (20 miles) south of Lyon, where he tried in vain to cause a major explosion. Police found the 54-yearold victim’s decapitated body and head, framed by Islamic inscriptions, at the plant, which is owned by the US firm Air Products. There were no other casualties. Examination of one of Salhi’s mobile phones revealed that he had taken a

picture of himself with the severed head before his arrest and sent the image to a Canadian phone number. Canadian authorities said on Sunday they were assisting the investigation. The phone number belongs to a French national, known by his first name SebastienYounes, who has been in Syria since last year, the same source said, confirming media reports. His last known location was the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa. According to other French media reports, Salhi told police he had argued with Cornara and with his own wife before the killing. One of their work colleagues, quoted on the website of the television station i-Tele, also said the two men had clashed days earlier after Salhi dropped a pallet of fragile equipment. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Organisers questioned over Taiwan water park inferno

The blaze began so quickly that many partygoers had no time to escape

rganisers of a party at an amusement park in Taiwan have been detained for questioning after a fire tore through crowds at the party. More than 500 people were injured in the incident, when a coloured powder apparently ignited after being discharged from the stage onto the audience. Footage showed people panicking and screaming, and inflatable water toys used as stretchers. Some 182 injured are in intensive care. Figures are not yet available, but officials said many of the victims appear to in their 20s or younger.

Some of them breathed in the powder, causing respiratory problems. The water park outside the capital Taipei has been closed, and so-called colour parties have been banned while the investigation into what caused the inferno proceeds. Event manager Lu Chungchi and several staff members were detained by Police and are being questioned by Prosecutors. Lu was pictured in the Taiwan News with handcuffs on and his hands in a prayer position. The news site said he had apologised for what had happened and pledged to take responsibility for it. (Excerpt from BBC News)

China market in focus after rate cut

hina’s roller-coaster stocks will again be under the spotlight after the central bank cut benchmark interest rates to a record low at the weekend, a move interpreted by analysts as an attempt to temper last week’s market meltdown The Shanghai Composite sank 7.4 per cent on Friday, wiping hundreds of billions of dollars off the total market capitalisation of the index. The market has reversed 18.8 per cent from its June 12 high, although it is still up almost 30 per cent in the year to date.

The People’s Bank of China appeared to respond on Saturday, when it cut the oneyear lending rate by 25 basis points to 4.85 per cent – its fourth cut since November – and lowered the amount of reserves certain banks are required to hold by 50 basis points. “In China, a rate cut or a cut in the reserve requirement ratio is about signalling,” says Larry Hu, head of China economics at Macquarie. “The signal is mostly to boost confidence, and confidence plays a very important role in the Chinese economy.

(Excerpt from Financial Times)

16 news

monday, june 29, 2015| guyanatimesGY.com

High winds tear off roofs in GT, West Bank ...knock out power, uproot utility poles

igh winds accompanied by rains Sunday afternoon tore off the roofs of several houses in South Georgetown as well as in Parfait Harmonie and other parts of the West Bank Demerara. The freak storm passed around 15:00h and simultaneously caused destruction in Georgetown and on the West Bank. Accompanied by heavy rain, the wind ripped off zinc sheets of many houses at Parfaite. In Georgetown the storm also damaged a Guyana Power and Light transformer as it uprooted a utility pole. Up to late Sunday afternoon several homes were without power in the South Ruimveldt area even as their occupants were scrambling to replace their roofs before night fell. “This is terrible...this is the breeze was really strong,” a resident of one of the houses affected in the Joint Services Scheme at Lamaha Springs told this newspaper. When Guyana Times visited the area residents reported that a number of vehicles were also damaged when the rafters and zinc sheets were sent flying from the roofs. “A lot of cars that

per that during the storm there was also t blackout, noting that for most of the afternoon there was severe power fluctuation. Across the West Bank at Parfaite Harmonie residents also related they were indoors as it was raining when the storm hit them. “I was inside watching TV when I hear the noise and then winds starting blowing really hard,” Samantha Goodridge said. She said

ports of damaged roofs in areas along Stanleytown and even some villages on the West Coast of Demerara were hit by the freak storm. The Government Information Agency in its weather forecast reported that mostly overcast skies are expected over Regions 1 to 5 and northern Regions 6, 7 and 10. These conditions are likely to be accompanied by light to moderate showers, predominantly

Uprooted power poles in the South Ruimveldt area

were on people bridge get damage...it was real frightening,” another resident who asked not be named said. Around the Festival City Entrance, Guyana Times observed GPL power poles lying electricity across the street. Broadcaster, Alex Graham told Guyana Times he was home when he heard the howling of the winds and when he peeped pout he saw zinc sheets flying. “I heard the slamming of sheets, the howling of winds. A lot of trees were bent. Potted plants blown over, zinc sheets flying,” all of these were happen-

ing.” Graham in his neighbourhood for several houses lost roofing sheets and noted that one woman lost about half of her roof. “A lot of trees shed their branches and fruits, it was chaos, it was frightening,” Graham who is also a Pentecostal related. He said in the aftermath of the storm he drove around the community to survey the damage done and from what he noticed some people were able to retrieve the zinc sheets that blew off their roofs and were able to replace them. Graham told this newspa-

A house that lost parts of its roof

she quickly turned off her television and lay on the floor. “When I hear the heavy breeze I just lie flat on the floor...” Goodridge said. There were also re-

during the early morning hours of Monday. The rainfall is likely to be between 15 mm. and 30 mm. (0.591.18 in.) “All other locations can expect partly cloudy to

cloudy skies with scattered showers accumulating between trace and 10 mm. (0.39 in.) The maximum temperatures for some locations are as follows: Georgetown 28.6 Celsius; Timehri 30.0 Celsius; New Amsterdam 30.6 Celsius.” Sunday night’s temperature was expected to be between 20.0 and 2.0 Celsius, over coastal areas and 18.0 And 22.0 Celsius over near inland to Interior locations. The winds will be a light breeze along the coast, and mostly calm over other locations. Gusty winds are likely over areas with heavy downpours. The tide is now falling and will reach its lowest height of 1:18 m. (3.87 ft.) at 19:36 hours (7:36 pm). The high tide is expected at 01:56 hours (1:56 am) at a height of 2.74 m. (8.98 ft.). Citizens are advised that the above the normal high tide advisory is not in effect. The next period of above normal high tide will begin Tuesday, 30 June, 2015. Small craft operators, marine users and sea bathers are advised that moderate seas can be expected, with waves reaching a height of 2.0 m. to 2.5 m. (6.56-8.20 ft.) in open waters.

Gaskin promises to lessen Winners of “This Is How We obstacles to business start up Roll” promotion receive prizes

ccountability, integrity and transparency will the guiding ethos of the newly- created Business and Investment Ministry , whose mantra will be “Guyana means business”, Minister Dominic Gaskin told the National Assembly on Friday during his inaugural address. Minister Gaskin listed several priorities for the Ministry over the next years including: improved facilitation largely by removing obstacles placed on businesses by Government; support for improved competition mainly to businesses to help them grow and become internationally competitive; entrepreneurial development focusing on innovation and technology at the small and micro- enterprise level; actively promoting Guyana as a good place to do business and preparing small businesses to access the public procurement pipeline. The Business Minister said President David Granger’s recognition that charitable handouts and trickledown economics were not the answer for pauperisation and privation, along with his emphasis on tackling youth unemployment, has given strong and early direction for policy formation of the Ministry. Micro-enterprise promotion as a means of establishing economic independence for youths has also been recognised, he added and cited the recent Caribbean Development

Bank’s study that estimated youth unemployment at 40 per cent which indicated an urgent need to address this problem. “A well-administered programme for developing small and micro-enterprises can see a new culture of entrepreneurship among our youth population and provide a new generation of business role models,” he said.

Dedicated organisation

Minister Gaskin said that the consolidation of a number of departments and agencies into a single Business Ministry has resulted in an effective, dedicated organisation committed to the growth of the business and investment sectors, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported. This is needed if the war is to be waged against the four real enemies of the Guyanese people – “crime, disease, ignorance and poverty”. The Ministry will be facilitating the expansion of a multi-layered Private Sector, the Minister explained, “That can provide opportunities for advancement to all Guyanese and generate the increased revenues required for improving and expanding Government’s programmes for achieving a better life for Guyanese.” The Ministry’s five -year strategic plan will lend itself to this realisation and it will be completed before the Government’s first 100 days

in office, Minister Gaskin promised. The Ministry will be promoting the idea of “One Nation” to the business sector as adumbrated by the President, “by emphasising the principles of inclusiveness, fairness and equality within its five -year plan”, the Minister said. The immediate priority of the Ministry will be to develop its own capacity to deliver its long-term objectives, and this includes examining projects done under the previous Administration such as the Support for Competitiveness Programme, as well as exploring new initiatives to strengthen operations, he stated. The Ministry will also move to facilitate more engagements with the Private Sector, constantly upgrading the legal framework guiding local business. It will be reviewing its organisational structure to effectively carry out its functions, he added. Its five divisions are: the Commerce Division, the Industrial Development Division, the Small Business Bureau, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) and Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest). The National Exhibition Centre will also be incorporated in the Ministry’s implementation programme, as it aims to sustain an environment that is conducive to legitimate businesses. It will be pursuing the necessary legislation to achieve this.

he first winners in the STAG “This Is How We Roll” promotion were on Friday awarded with their prizes at ANSA McAL Trading Ltd Head Office, Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara (ECD). The winners are Gavin Blackman of

Georgetown. They have won prizes inclusive of a Honda Ruckus, a Barbeque Grill, 50” LED Television, a Samsung smartphone, a Movado Watch, and five STAG-filled coolers. ANSA McAL Public Relations Officer Darshanie Yussuf congratulated the

the grand prize was once again a Toyota Tacoma. Drawings for the promotion will be held every fortnight. The first drawing was held at Leonora, WCD on June 20, and the remaining four would be held in Berbice, Essequibo, Linden and Georgetown. To enter the promotion,

ANSA McAL staff members pose with the winners on Friday

Kitty, Georgetown; Julian Persaud of Better Hope, ECD; Sahadeo Ramkhellwan of Mon Repos, ECD; Raymond Lowenfield of Corentyne, Berbice; Larry Gursahai of Kitty, Georgetown; Arshad Rahim of Bush Lot, West Coast Demerara (WCD); Samuel Ming of Prashad Nagar, Georgetown and David Kunath of Lodge,

winners, noting that the promotion was off to an amazing start with an overwhelming number of entries for the first draw. Yussuf added that this promotion was STAG Beer’s second annual promotion in which the brand was rewarding its customers with prizes of their desire and given the great response from the 2014 promotion,

persons aged 18 and older are required to place four STAG Crowns with their name, telephone number and address in an envelope and drop it into entry boxes provided nationwide. In 2014, ANSA McAL held the STAG “Command Centre” promotion which awarded 55 persons with fabulous prizes inclusive of a Toyota Tacoma.

news

monday, june 29, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Risks

NY Guyanese call for dialogue with India’s US Ambassador L

From left Dr (Mrs) Maina Chawla Singh, Ambassador Shri Arun K Singh, GOPIO President Ashook Ramsaran and Consul General of New York Ambassador Dnyneshwar Mulay, who hosted the reception

Dear Editor, Guyanese are seeking a dialogue with newly appointed Indian Ambassador to the United States. The new India Ambassador Arun Kumar Singh was introduced to the Indian diaspora in New York, earlier in the month. At an event at Indian Consulate and a separate special dinner held in his honor, he met with leaders of Indian diaspora organizations in New York. This is the first time the newly appointed Ambassador is meeting members of the public in the greater NY area since he was appointed on April 30 as the Ambassador to Washington. Several prominent Guyanese were invited for the special reception held at a posh hotel in Manhattan. Ambassador Arun Kumar Singh hails from Uttar Pradesh where most Guyanese Indians trace their roots. His wife, Dr Maina Chawla, a Punjabi, is a resident scholar at the

American University in Washington, DC. Singh was trained as a Foreign Officer in 1979 in Delhi; several Guyanese and representatives of other nations were also trained in Delhi on scholarships provided by the government of India. Arun Kumar Singh is familiar with the IndoCaribbean diaspora having served in NY as Counselor from 1993 to 1997 and interacting with Guyanese and other West Indians at public functions hosted by the Consulate, as well as during issuance of visas for Indo-Caribbeans to travel to India. Arun Kumar also served as a diplomat in Israel, Moscow, Ethiopia and Tokyo. Singh visited NY last week to meet with leaders of the Indian diaspora communities. Berbician Ashok Ramsaran, Head of GOPIO, was given the privilege to welcome Ambassador Arun Singh on behalf of the

Indian American and IndoCaribbean communities of the region and on behalf of GOPIO. He presented a suitable memento to Ambassador Singh. Mr Mridul Pathak, GOPIO Life Member and Director of Diaspora Development, presented a welcome gift to Dr (Mrs) Maina Chawla Singh. In welcoming Shri Arun K Singh, Ramsaran stressed “the significant population of NRIs and PIOs in the region, their remarkable progress in every segment of American society, and looking forward to continuous interaction and dialogue with the incoming Indian Ambassador especially at this important time of USIndia relationship”. At a follow up meeting in Washington, DC last Monday, Ramsaran held discussions with Ambassador Arun Singh on pertinent topics such as: US-India relations, issues and opportunities for the IndianAmerican community, up-

coming RPBD 2015 in Los Angeles, engagement with PIOs from the Caribbean region, an engaging IndianAmerican lobby and advocacy group, and the influence of Gandhi on US Civil Rights, and benefits for Indian migration to USA. The Ambassador has agreed to meet with IndoCaribbean leaders in the fall in NY to discuss issues of importance to them. The Ambassador, during his remarks in NY, thanked the Indian-American community for the warm welcome accorded him. He also praised the Indian diaspora for its varied achievements in the U.S. The Ambassador touched on various initiatives being undertaken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to expedite development in India that would benefit the global community including the diverse Indian diaspora communities in America and around the world . Vishnu Bisram

Workers still not permanent at this company Dear Editor, A company (name given) employs a large number of Guyanese workers on short term contracts. Some other workers are working over a number of years as causal workers. But the company classifies the said workers as permanent causal when this union asked the company to address the issue. The company maintains that they are not in breach of the laws of Guyana. The company is using the employment contracts and the causal classification as a mechanism to rob Guyanese workers of their benefits and welfare. When the workers go to the bank for house loans, the loan officer normally tells

them that the bank cannot grant them loans because the short term contracts do not guarantee any long term employment. The said contracts contain clauses that provide for the company to terminate workers’ employment service at any time without any given reason. As such, the contracts do not guarantee any job security. Some workers don’t even have any contracts. They are just working at the will of the company. They can’t even approach the bank for a loan, since they don’t have any signed or written employment agreement. Some of these workers are working with the company over a numbers of years.

The union’s draft Collective Labour Agreement (CLA) with the company provides for all the workers to be permanently employed after serving three months’ probationary period of satisfactory performance . The union and the company are still in negotiations to have the CLA agreement signed on to, but the company stated that when the CLA is concluded, the company will still issue to all workers employment contracts. The union in the process of reviewing the Guyana’s labour laws. Upon completion, the union will be making proposed amendments to the AFC+APNU govern-

ment that will eliminate all deficiencies and loopholes. The union welcomes foreign companies’ investment in Guyana which provides jobs for citizens and also to make profits to continue operation in a sustainable manner. But at the same time no company can function in a sustainable and productive manner without a good labour force. So workers deserve to be compensated for their labour. Micah Williams General Secretary The People United and General Workers Union

ife is surely all about risks. For example, we all take some sort of a risk every day and we also avoid some as well. In other words, there’s that chance that we may never make it again to see another day or there is that chance where we might not get to see the ones we love ever again or the chance of seeing tomorrow may never come. One thing we must remember is that the life we live really depends on Narine Dat Sookram the choices and risks we take. In life itself, we probably will get turned down more often than we would like to, but it’s not always because of us, sometimes it’s because of the person who is rejecting us. For example, people we know for a long time might turn us down. We’ll always meet a few who will refuse to even pay us any attention. The though as humans, we really don’t like being rejected, but, if we don’t keep asking, then we’ll basically still getting the answer no, but a good way to look at it is that we are moving our chances of not being rejected. One very common rejection is our dream job. For sure we won’t always be the best qualified person for the job and not the smartest as well and worth yet, there also might be a time when we are fully qualify for the position and we might still get turned down. Life is that way sometimes, but we still need to put our lives at risk of being turned down until we fulfil our dream in getting the ideal position we really want. The thing is, risking not getting the job is no different than actually risking getting it. We live in a society today where everyone keeps judging everyone. This is what we do as humans. The truth is, once we put ourselves out there, we will be judged. But if we are not selling ourselves to anyone, then no one people will be a significant part of our lives. Which means that their opinions doesn’t really count. Though we do it ourselves, we certainly don’t like being judge. Sometimes we are too much caught up with friends, which makes it very difficult to take the time that we need to get things done, the important things that is. However, true friends should support us no matter what the circumstance would be. In fact friendships is a good thing, but at the same time it can have a challenge as well. However, our dreams in live should be given first priority. The worst part is that often times we worry too much when we fail, not realizing that it’s an opportunity to grow. This reminders me of the old saying, a bump is never the end of the road, but an opportunity to improve. Failing in itself is probably the worst and best thing that can happen to us, because when we don’t fail, we succeed and when we do fail, we are successful at figuring out other ways of not doing it. For questions, comments, or feedback, send them to mcnarine@rogers.com

guyanatimesgy.com

monday, june 29, 2015

ARCHIE

Find a way to soak up new information. Endless oppor(March 21April 19) tunities are waiting to be discovered. Travel and adventure should be your goal, in order to expand your mind and opinions.

ARIES

Overspending is to be TAURUS avoided. Steer clear of anyone (April 20- asking for donations or loans. May 20) You may be tempted to contribute more than you can afford, causing personal financial difficulties.

dilbert

Fend off boredom. Spend GEMINI time enjoying the company (May 21of people who intrigue you. June 20) Intellectual interplay will lead to an interesting partnership and a spectacular collaboration. CANCER (June 21July 22)

Peanuts

Don’t hesitate to ask for help if you can’t meet a deadline. Honesty is key. Trying to skirt the issue or making unrealistic promises will compound the problem. Share your thoughts and

LEO beliefs. Widen your scope. (July 23- Your intuition is strong, Aug. 22) and your creativity will be sparked by discussions with people who share your dreams, hopes and wishes.

Calvin and Hobbes

Tread carefully. You could VIRGO end up being manipulated by (Aug. 23a canny operator if you are too Sept. 22) trusting. Don’t share your financial status or personal information, and keep your possessions in a safe place.

Friendships will fluctuate. LIBRA (Sept. 23- If it isn’t possible to get togethOct. 23) er with old friends due to distance or other impediments, you should do things you enjoy and make new friends.

SUDOKU

You are in need of a SCORPIO change. Be aggressive if a (Oct. 24Nov. 22) position opens up that interests you. Seize the moment, strut your stuff and let everyone know that you mean business. Face the music. That probSAGITTARIUS lem you have been avoiding (Nov. 23needs to be dealt with now, Dec. 21) before you lose any more sleep over it. The outcome will not be as poor as you think.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

A small windfall is headed CAPRICORN your way. A loan, repayment (Dec. 22or found money will brighten Jan. 19) your day. If someone is belittling you or making you feel guilty, it’s time to sever the relationship. AQUARIUS

Join a cultural or crea(Jan. 20- tive group that interests you. Feb. 19) You are giving others permission to run your affairs if you don’t speak up. Stand up and be counted.

PISCES Don’t let anyone take cred(Feb. 20- it for your work. Put your perMarch 20) sonal stamp on all of your projects. Your efforts will be wasted if you allow yourself to be overlooked.

monday, june 29, 2015

Champion Kvitova talks Ferrer withdraws from Wimbledon with elbow injury up title rival Serena E P

etra Kvitova is not the type to talk herself up even if she does arrive at Wimbledon as the defending champion. Instead the powerful Czech second seed said world number one Serena Williams has a great chance to complete a calendar year grand slam this year, having already bagged the Australian Open and French Open titles. "I think that Serena has really great chances to do it. I think she is really a big champion. She's always trying to find a good form for the important points. "We'll see. I think that she's really in the good way." No other player apart from Serena or sister Venus, who also has five Wimbledon titles, has retained the Wimbledon crown in the last 19 years, but Kvitova appears stronger mentally than when she stormed through the pack to win in 2011. Ranked second in the world she beat Serena in Madrid this year on her way to the title having taken a

Serena Williams (right) shakes hands with Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic in one of their encounters

break earlier in the season, missing the Indian Wells and Miami tournaments to re-charge her batteries for the slams. "I think a lot of athletes want to have a break, but they didn't do it," Kvitova told reporters. "But anyway, I mean, I feel much better than before. I'm really happy to be back on the court to play tennis, to really do what I love. That's the important thing. "I think it was a real-

ly tough decision for me to miss the two big tournaments during March. I'm glad that I did it." Kvitova faces big-hitting Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands in the first round on Tuesday, when she hopes to have shaken off a cold that forced her to pull out of the Eastbourne championships last week. "I hope on Tuesday I will be ready 100 percent, but of course, I missed a few days practice. But that's how it is," she said. (Reuters)

ighth seed David Ferrer has pulled out of Wimbledon with an elbow injury. He was set to play Britain's James Ward, 28, in the first round, but will be replaced by a lucky loser from qualifying, Italy's Luca Vanni. World number seven Ferrer, 33, reached the quarter-finals at SW19 in 2013. His exit opens up the draw for Rafael Nadal, who could have faced his fellow Spaniard in the fourth round, with a potential quarter-final against Britain's

David Ferrer

Andy Murray for the winner. Wimbledon begins today, with defending men's cham-

pion Novak Djokovic opening play on Centre Court against Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber. (BBC Sport)

Gatlin sets 5th fastest 200m time in history in US Trials win

ustin Gatlin breezed to the 200-meter title in the U.S. championship in a meet-record 19.57 seconds Sunday. Gatlin pointed at the clock after finishing, just to make sure everyone saw his speedy time. He dominated the race, taking the lead before the turn. Training partner Isiah Young was second and Wallace Spearmon third. Michael Johnson has the American record of 19.32 and

The 33-year-old Gatlin entered the competition with fresh legs after skipping the 100 because he had an automatic bye into the world championships courtesy of his Diamond League title. That sets up a showdown in both events with Bolt in Beijing this summer. Oregon standout Jenna Prandini won the women's 200 in 22.20. Candyce McGrone was second and Jeneba Tarmoh third. (ESPN)

Baptiste, Bledman claim national sprint titles Powell worried by form

Kelly-Ann Baptiste

elly-Ann Baptiste equaled her own national record and smashed the championship one, while Keston Bledman equaled his personal best, as they copped the sprint titles at the National Championships in Trinidad on Saturday night. The 28-year-old Baptiste clocked 10.84 seconds to take the women’s 100 metres head of defending champion Michelle-Lee Ahye who was second in 11.17 seconds.

Reyare Thomas captured bronze in a personal best 11.22 seconds, with Semoy Hackett finishing fourth in 11.23. Bledman, meanwhile, raced to a superb 9.86 seconds to clinch the men’s equivalent, with Marcus Duncan finishing second in 10.15 seconds and Rondel Sorrillo, third in 10.16. Emmanuel Callender was fourth in 10.21. National record holder Richard Thompson pulled out of the contest after qualifying as the fastest loser from his semi-final while there was disappointment or Darren Brown, who was disqualified for a false start. There was controversy in the men’s 400 metres as Machel Cedenio dismissed his field to win in a time of 44.29 seconds but was later disqualified for running out of his lane. Renny Quow, a bronze medallist at the Berlin World Championships six years ago, was subsequently promoted to gold with the previously third placed Jarrin Solomon handed silver in 45.58. Lalonde Gordon, a bronze medallist at the London Olympics three years ago, claimed third spot in 46.45. In the women’s equivalent, Janeil Bellille successfully defended her title, clocking 53.39 seconds en route to an easy win. (CMC)

Justin Gatlin

Usain Bolt the world mark of 19.19.

of Jamaica sprinters

Asfa Powell

orld’s fastest man Asafa Powell has admitted concern for the form of Jamaica’s sprinters ahead of the Beijing World Championships, but believes the country will still have what it takes to dominate the sprints. Powell claimed the men’s 100m title at the Jamaica National Trials on Friday, clocking a brisk 9.84. The time added to other fast clockings of 9.84 and 9.98, which has led to an unbeaten run in athletics’ showcase event, but Powell, as far as Jamaican speedsters are concerned, has been the only one in form. Particularly, the struggles of the world’s

fastest man Usain Bolt has been well documented, with the sprinter failing to approach anywhere near top gear. Coming off two consecutive seasons plagued by injury his training partner Yohan Blake has also struggled to find form. Blake will not run at the World Championships in Beijing after failing to make the final of the men’s 100m, a situation which left Powell feeling sorry for his countryman. The world’s fastest men Bolt and Blake have accounted for every 100m and 200m gold medal at both the World Championships and Olympics since 2008. “Funny enough I just told the two guys [Ashmeade and Bailey-Cole] that I was worried [about the form of Jamaican sprinters] before and I’m very happy that they came out here and ran sub-10 seconds. Usain [Bolt] has a way to go but I think he can come back for the World Championships,” Powell told regional publication Jamaica Gleaner. “It’s sad what’s happening to Yohan Blake I feel really sorry for him but he just needs to take his time. Next year is the Olympic Games so he just need to focus on that but we [Jamaicans] still have it, we have been on top of the world for a number of years now and we will continue that trend,” Powell added. (Digicel Sportsmax)

guyanatimesGY.com

MONday, june 29, 2015

Prasad shines as SL seek 153 to level series F

ast bowler Dhammika Prasad's 4 for 92 helped Sri Lanka pull ahead in the second Test as they dismissed Pakistan for 329 to leave them needing 153 to draw level in the three-match series. His bowling also blunted the impact of Azhar Ali's ninth Test century, which had anchored Pakistan, helping them wipe out a significant deficit and then putting them in the lead. Sri Lanka's chase, however, will only get underway on the final day after heavy rain wiped out the entire third session. Prasad reaped rewards for his discipline and accuracy and played an important role in breaking the overnight partnership between Younis Khan and Azhar at the start of the day, inducing edges from both batsmen. His accuracy helped unsettle Younis Khan who eventually fell caught behind to Angelo Mathews for 40 with a halfhearted edge. That wicket brought an end to a 73-run partnership between Younis and Azhar, but with the score at 202 for 3, Pakistan still had a chance to build

man was left stranded down the pitch when Chandimal whipped the bails off, ending his innings at 117, which had only six fours. The tone and pace of his innings on the fourth day was similar to the way he played during the 120-run partnership with Ahmed Shehzad on day three. There weren't too many boundary balls on offer, and with a slow outfield, it became imperative for Azhar to turn the strike and ensure the side was not bogged down. He continued

SCOREBOARD

Dhammika Prasad's four-for took his match haul to a career-best seven wickets.

a larger total. Instead, the rest of the line-up failed to bat long enough with Azhar to leave an impact. The side lost their last six wickets for 55 runs. The wickets came just as the batsmen began settling down. Misbah-ul-Haq was on 22 when he was trapped in front by Prasad, soon after Sri Lanka had taken the new ball. Misbah reviewed but replays showed the ball clipping the top of the stumps. After Asad

Shafiq turned Dushmantha Chameera into the keeper's hands down the leg side, Prasad got the wickets of Sarfraz Ahmed and Yasir Shah in successive overs. The Pakistan wicketkeeper was caught behind at the start of a fresh spell, and Yasir was yorked for an 11ball duck. Prasad did slip in a few loose ones down the leg side and attempted yorkers that ended up as full tosses but he was beating the bats-

doing that even as wickets fell around him, but he was also lucky to be given a few reprieves. In the fourth over of the day, he came close to being dismissed on 68 when Prasad drew him forward, but the edge - more a keeper's catch - was dropped by Kumar Sangakkara at first slip. A few edges in the first session also fell short of fielders. Azhar raised his century with a punch through midoff for two off Chameera. It was also his fifth Test century against Sri Lanka. (Cricinfo)

men regularly, drawing them forward with length and fuller deliveries, while mixing the odd short delivery. He kept the pressure up through an extended second session, peppering the Pakistan tail-enders with quick yorkers. His returns in the second innings took his match haul to a careerbest seven wickets. Rangana Herath delivered a big blow when he drew Azhar out of his crease a tad early. The bats-

Pakistan 1st innings 138 Sri Lanka 1st innings 315 Pakistan 2nd innings Mohammad Hafeez c Sangakkara b Mathews 8 Ahmed Shehzad c †Chandimal b Prasad 69 Azhar Ali st †Chandimal b Herath 117 Younis Khan c †Chandimal b 40 Mathews Misbah-ul-Haq* lbw b 22 Prasad Asad Shafiq c †Chandimal b Chameera 27 Sarfraz Ahmed† c †Chandimal

16 b Prasad Yasir Shah b Prasad 0 Zulfiqar Babar not out 7 Junaid Khan c †Chandimal b Chameera 3 Wahab Riaz lbw b Chameera 6 Extras (b 2, lb 2, w 5, nb 5) 14 Total (all out; 118.2 overs)329 Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-129, 3-202, 4-234, 5-274, 6-301, 7-303, 8-313, 9-323, 10-329 Bowling: KTGD Prasad 29.33-92-4, AD Mathews 11-5-152, HMRKB Herath 34-7-89-1, PVD Chameera 18.5-1-53-3, PHT Kaushal 25-3-76-0.

Allyson Felix wins 400 at US event A

llyson Felix's dalliance with the 400 meters has led a dilemma of whether she will run the event at worlds or hand off the spot to a teammate. That decision could take days, maybe even weeks, to make. Felix needed just 50.19 seconds -- along with a powerful kick and a lean at the finish -- to edge Natasha Hastings on a scorching Saturday at the U.S. championships. The schedule at worlds is just too tight for Felix to consider racing the 400 along with the 200, which is her signature event and one she doesn't have to run at nationals because she already has an automatic bye in the event in Beijing later this summer. Hanging in the balance is Francena McCorory, who had the fastest time in the world heading into the race, but struggled around the track and finished fourth. The top three qualify.

Should Allyson not run the 400 at worlds, McCorory would likely take her place. "I would hope to get a decision pretty quickly, just to let the next person know," Felix said. This was a difficult event to earn a spot, so much so that Olympic gold medalist Sanya RichardsRoss didn't even qualify for the final. Felix was behind most of the way Saturday before turning it on with the finish line in sight. "I just buckled down and went for it," Felix explained. That describes Justin Gatlin's speedy race, too. He really didn't mean to run this fast, either. His legs just took over. Gatlin exerted little energy in his first race at nationals, easily winning his opening heat of the 200 with a blazing time. The 33-year-old sprinter finished in 19.92 seconds on a steamy afternoon. According to USA Track and Field, it's the fourth-fastest

Allyson Felix

time in the first round of a 200. After the race, sprinter Curtis Mitchell cracked: "Hey, Gat. Slow down, bro!" Wallace Spearmon also greeted Gatlin with, "Why so fast?" Gatlin just grinned and responded: "I didn't know what I was running." The polarizing sprinter with a doping past was feeling particularly fresh after skipping the 100

because he has an automatic bye to worlds from his 2014 Diamond League title. "My coach said take to take it easy through the rounds," Gatlin said. Gatlin didn't listen, of course. The only sprinters to run a 200 prelim faster are Carl Lewis (19.84), Shawn Crawford (19.88) and Michael Johnson (19.89). Isiah Young had the secondfastest time of the afternoon, finishing 0.07 seconds behind Gatlin. The sprinters train together in Florida. Amped up before the race, Gatlin was raring to go. He was a spectator Friday night when Tyson Gay cruised to the win in the 100. Gatlin thinks if he would've been racing, he might have run 9.6 seconds on the super-fast Hayward Field track. That sort of time would've beaten Gay -- who's not running the 200 -- and broken Gay's American record of 9.69 set

in 2009. That's all conjecture, though. A little brash, too. "The 100, that's what I've been working on, steadily but surely," Gatlin said. There's a certain sprinter some 3,000 miles from Eugene surely taking notice -- or about to anyway. Usain Bolt, the world recordholder in the 100 and 200, isn't running this week at the Jamaican nationals, taking the opportunity to hone his technique since he already has automatic byes into both events being the world champion. Gatlin can't fault Bolt for squeezing in some extra work. "Why go out there and feel the pressure from young guys trying to beat you, trying to get their confidence up?" said Gatlin, who served a four-year ban after testing positive for excessive testosterone in 2006. "Go home, train, get ready for Beijing and come out like a champion.” (ESPN)

Bromell makes history as Tyson Gay wins T yson Gay won the 100m at the US trials as 19-year-old Trayvon Bromell became the first teenager to qualify for an American World Championships team. Gay, 32, clocked 9.87 seconds and will return to the Worlds in Beijing in August for the first time since 2009. Bromell ran 9.84 in the heats, making him the 10thfastest man in history, and was second in the final with 9.96. Diamond League champion Justin Gatlin has a bye for the 100m in Beijing but will still race in the 200m trials. Gatlin, 33, has run 2015's fastest 100m and 200m - 9.75 and 19.68 seconds respectively - while

Tyson Gay edges Trayvon Bromell

double-Olympic champion Usain Bolt has posted 10.12 in the 100m so far in 2015

after coming back from injury. Bromell, who ran a wind-

assisted 9.76 seconds in his semi-final, had the advantage over Gay early in the

trials final but the 2007 world champion powered through in the final 30m and won by almost a tenth of a second. "That kid - he's tough," Gay said of Bromell. "He got out good. It was just one of those 10 years of experience, dig-down moments I had to get him. It felt good though. "This win right here may be my most important win. I feel like it was the toughest." Mike Rodgers claimed third in 9.97 seconds and also qualified for Beijing. In Thursday's heats, 10 Americans ran the 100m in under 10 seconds. Though all of those sub-10 performances were wind assisted - half of them beyond the permitted two metres per

second - the obvious depth in American sprinting will fuel their hopes of threatening Jamaica's recent dominance. Meanwhile at the Jamaican trials in Kingston, former world-record holder Asafa Powell surged to the 100m title but 2011 world champion Yohan Blake failed to make the final. Powell, 32, pulled away from the field in the last 20m to equal his season best of 9.84. However Blake, 25, was sixth in Powell's semi-final in a time of 10.36. The 2012 Olympic 100 and 200m silver medallist won the world title in 2011 when Bolt was disqualified for a false start. Bolt withdrew from the trials on Thursday. (BBC Sport)

sports

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Bradley Jr defeats Jessie Vargas by unanimous decision

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Timothy Bradley Jr lands a hard shot to the chin of Jessie Vargas.

he last time Timothy Bradley Jr was in the ring at the StubHub Center, he was one half of an epic collision with Ruslan Provodnikov that was the consensus 2013 fight of the year. While he and Jessie Vargas did not turn in a fight of the year, Bradley turned in a strong performance in a fast-paced and exciting fight to win a unanimous decision and a vacant interim welterweight title before 4,711 on Saturday night. But there was tremendous drama and confusion in the final moments of the fight, when it appeared to many that Vargas had scored a miracle comeback knockout. Bradley, seemingly with the fight well in hand, got badly rocked by a Vargas overhand right in the waning moments of the 12th round. He was staggered, and when a ringside official then slammed together the clapper to signal 10 seconds were left in the round, referee Pat Russell thought the final bell had sounded and stopped the fight. The crowd -- and Vargas -- thought he was calling it a knockout when, in fact, he was stopping the fight because he thought the round was over. But Vargas leaped onto the ropes thinking he had won, and the crowd went wild. But moments later, ring announcer Lupe Contreras set the record straight and read the scores, 117-111, 116-112 and 115-112, for Bradley. ESPN.com also had it for Bradley, 118-110. "He caught me with a good shot at the end," Bradley said. "The ref thought that he heard the bell. I was good enough. I could have maintained. I grabbed hold of him toward the end of the fight and I was squeezing him so tight it was like his mom was holding him. "Hey, we can do it again." After the scores were announced, Vargas asked

Bradley, "Can I get a rematch, man?" Bradley responded, "I told you. Talk to your people. Let's do this. It was a great shot, man. You caught me and you hurt me. But I would have finished -- I ain't going to lie -- with 10 seconds left." Bradley is likely to become a full titleholder after Friday, the WBO-imposed deadline by which champion Floyd Mayweather must pay the sanctioning fee from his May 2 title unification victory against Manny Pacquiao and vacate his two junior middleweight alphabet belts, because the WBO prohibits fighters from holding titles in multiple weight classes at the same time. Bradley had already won four other world titles between the welterweight and junior welterweight divisions. Russell, long one of boxing's elite referees, said ending the fight at the clapper rather than the final bell was an honest mistake. "It was very loud in that 12th round and I thought I heard the bell and the fight was over when the bell went off," Russell said. Upon watching the replay of the ending sequence, Russell added, "[Bradley's] hurt. He's still hurt and still on his feet. He's working a bit, he's in it. Sounded like the bell to me. But you don't always hear the 10-second warning. You'd like to, but what I thought I heard was the bell. I made the call that I made based upon what I heard. That's all I can say. It was an honest call based on an honest reaction." Vargas, a junior welterweight titleholder who was moving up in weight, said he thought he had scored a knockout and was disappointed with the ruling. "It was over. I heard something and I hit him with a shot," Vargas said. "I came up and threw three to four shots. We were in the clinch so I still let my hands

go and he was still very wobbly and [Russell] stopped the fight. But the fight was still going on. That was just the 10-second mark. "[Bradley] was out. Was he not out? All I needed was one shot and that's what I was looking for. Pat Russell came in and it was an honest mistake on his part. I think we all acknowledge the fact that it was a mistake, but I think those 10 seconds cost me the fight." Vargas had not done a whole lot leading up to the dramatic final moments, however, even though the CompuBox punch statistics were fairly close. Bradley landed 232 of 676 punches (34 percent), and Vargas connected on 203 of 630 (32 percent). By the fourth round, an increasingly dominant Bradley bloodied Vargas' nose and forced him to hold when he landed clean shots with both hands. They also missed some wild haymakers. Bradley (32-1-1, 12 KOs), 31, of Palm Springs, California, was bouncing on his toes late in the fifth round when he and Vargas got into a heated exchange. Vargas (26-1, 9 KOs), 26, of Las Vegas, rocked Bradley, but Bradley came right back. Bradley continued to go at Vargas and landed a heavy overhand right in the sixth round. Vargas smiled, but it landed cleanly and Vargas had no answer. Bradley did not let up, either. By the seventh round, Vargas' face was showing the impact of the punches. His defense was poor and Bradley seemed to find every opening. After Vargas appeared to have an excellent seventh round, Bradley was back in control. He had a strong showing in the ninth, landing solid jabs and overhand rights. Vargas, who raised swelling around Bradley's left eye, rarely could blunt his relentless attacks. (ESPN)

guyanatimesGY.com

monday, june 29, 2015

Digicel’s National Senior Squash Championships

Fernandes, Joseph claim titles on final day N

yron Joseph recovered from a remarkable two games down to win three games on the trot to become the 2015 Digicel Senior National Squash Champion on Sunday at the Georgetown Club Squash Courts. In the marathon fivegame outing, Joseph, who is the reigning Junior National Champion, started slowly, managing to win only six points in the first two games and was on the brink of losing the third straight when he was down 9-10 to Jason Ray Khalil. What followed was a determined comeback which saw the younger Joseph take the third game 12-10, amid several calls which the players contested as tensions rose. The fourth and fifth games were almost too close to call as the players battled for point after point with

impressive rallies, interrupted by close calls on ‘lets' and 'strokes', which clearly unsettled each player. In the end, Joseph showed tremendous commitment in a final point that featured everything from powerful cross-country drops, dives, and eventually an impressively paced drop that proved the deciding stroke in the match to earn Joseph the game 11-8. Meanwhile, in the female final, Nicolette Fernandes was supreme in a 3-0 victory over Ashley Khalil, who showed she would be no pushover as she battled through the second game, threatening to even take a game off the world number 29. In the end, Fernandes held her nerve to win that game 15-13, with all the poise and composure expected of a senior professional. Her pedigree was evi-

Nicolette Fernandes plays a stroke during her final against Ashley Khalil (Treiston Joseph photo)

dent in the final game as she near perfectly executed each stroke to take it 11-5. The female third-place playoff between Akeila Wiltshire and Ashley DeGroot was high in tension as the players started uncharacteristically lethargic and kept getting in the

way of each other's strokes, resulting in a plethora of 'lets' , clearly unsettling each player. The usually halcyon style of the left-handed current Junior National Champion Wiltshire progressed to a blitzkrieg of discontent as both players

briefly lost their composure. In the end, she showed better execution amidst the pressure as she recovered from being one game down to take the match 3-1. At the presentation ceremony, Guyana Squash Association (GSA) representative Tiffany Solomon

extended gratitude on behalf of the Association to its premier corporate sponsor Digicel, and to the Georgetown Club for playing host to yet another national squash tournament. Complete Results: Regan Pollard beat Peter Michael DeGroot 3-0 (11-6,11-8,118); Akeila Wiltshire beat Ashley DeGroot 3-1 (4-11,115,11-8,12-10); Rebecca Low beat Makeda Harding 3-2 (11-3,5-11,10-12,11-8,11-9); Nicolette Fernandes beat Ashley Khalil 3-0 (11-7,1513,11-5); Adam Alves beat Anthony Islam 3-0(11-7, 11-1,11-9); Joshua Abdool beat Jonathan Hohenkirk 3-1 (15-13,8-11,12-10,112); Deje Dias beat Alec Melville 3-0 (11-7, 11-6,117); Larissa Wiltshire beat Taylor Fernandes 3-1 (118,8-11,11-5,11-3); Nyron Joseph beat Jason Ray Khalil 3-2(1-11,5-11,1210,14-12-11-8).

Goodluck, Primo capture GBTI Novices Doubles

he Novice Doubles final concluded on Sunday with the familiar pair, Jamal Goodluck and Tandy Primo, winning the 2015 Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) title. They outplayed their opponents in the round-robin competition Fiona Bushell and Martin Campbell. In the Novices singles category, Goodluck, who is in top form, won the final against Akeem Bailey to emerge as a top young talent in the sport.

Goodluck opened the account of the match with a hold and a break for a 4-2 lead. It appeared that the novice title was in his reach until Bailey had yet another comeback. Bailey mounted a counterattack with heavy loops and deep shots to put Goodluck on the defence. With the game tied at 5-5, Goodluck regrouped and served his first ace of the match which seemed to refuel him. He then launched an attack to hold serve and set up

two match points to clinch the 2015 title. Meanwhile, in the Men’s Open quarterfinals, Andre Erskine topped Chethan Narayan 2-1 for the win. In the battle of flat ground strokes and consistency, Erskine fell in the first set 6-4 to Narayan, who was looking in great touch. However, Erskine dominated the second set to win 6-1 before prevailing in the deciding third set 6-4 with a number of rallies that had the small gathering going. Benjettan Osborne wast-

ed no time in his rematch against Rudy Grant hitting winner after winner. He has racked up the most winners so far in the tournament. His flat corner seeking shots made it difficult for Grant to impose himself. Osborne progresses with a win of 6-1, 6-3. Philbert Clark tried to make his first quarterfinals but was denied by Keimo Benjamin, 6-1, 7-6(7-4). Although Clark had a 4-0 lead in the second set, he failed to keep the pressure on Benjamin. The other quarterfinal winners were Seadean David-Longe and Anthony Downes. David-Longe defeated Harry Panday 6-2, 6-3 which was an accomplishment for him since Panday had once defeated him as a junior. Downes looked solid with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Kester Abrams. Nicolas Glasgow and Nicola Ramdyhan played Berbicans Carol Humphrey and Godfrey Lowden in the quarterfinals of the Mixed

From left: Tandy Primo and Jamal

Doubles. The veteran Berbicians played with a touch of class to win 6-2, 6-4. Daniel Lopes and Areta Dey had a battle in their match against Grace McCalman and Leyland Leacock. There were numerous opportuni-

ties for McCalman/Leacock to win the first set, but the many unforced errors cost them the set. Lopes and Dey took the set at 7-5 and McCalman/Leacock retired in the second set after being on court for one hour and 45 minutes.

Murray working with psychiatrist to help Wimbledon bid

ndy Murray has coped magnificently with shouldering his country's hopes at Wimbledon for the past decade but has sought some extra help this year in the shape of a psychiatrist. Top-level athletes, especially in individual sports, quite often work with sport psychologists, but 28-yearold Murray wants to understand the deeper mechanisms of his mind as he bids to win the prestigious title for a second time. Should he reach the final and face world number one Novak Djokovic, who he beat in the 2013 title match but has lost to in their next eight

meetings, any mental edge could prove crucial. "I don't use a sports psychologist. It's a bit different to that. I'm more interested in learning the signs behind it and why the brain works in certain ways and why you may react or say things at certain times," he was quoted in British media on the eve of the tournament he cherishes so much. "I just tried to learn and understand myself better. When you do that you know you can cut yourself some slack sometimes. As you go along, you learn. "I used a lot of sports psychologists when I was younger. Sometimes it helped and

sometimes it didn't feel like it did. "But now I'm interested in learning about how the brain works, rather than being told how to count to 10, or whatever it is, to calm yourself down -- which, for me, didn't help." Murray's early career was marked with rapid emotional swings in matches but he seems more stable these days and the world number three arrives at Wimbledon in sparkling form. Murray says knowing how he reacts to certain situations, such as a double-fault or a missed break point opportunity at the crucial stage of a match, was a big help.

(Reuters)

guyanatimesGY.com

monday, june 29, 2015

GCF National Championship

Eastman, Crawford and Fraser-Green are champions

amzah Eastman, Romello Crawford and Claire FraserGreen were crowned champions of the Senior, Junior and Ladies categories respectively when the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) held its annual National Championship on Sunday. Brighton John (Juvenile), Junior Niles (Veteran Under-45) and Talim Shaw (Veteran Over-45) emerged as the winners of the other divisions.

The National Championship was contested for the first time as a circuit race, starting on the southern carriageway outside the Ocean View International Hotel, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown. The race continued West along the roadway, turned at the Russian Embassy, proceeded along the Kitty Public Road, turned right on the Kitty Public Road and Vlissengen Road junction,

Ravens crowned “King of the Hard Court”

Ryan Gullen

Ryan Stephney

By Treiston Joseph

Vincente contributed 14 points. Travis Burnett led the Pacesetters with 21 points while Ruel Ritch, Stephon Gillis and Travis Williams chipped in with 10 points each. Meanwhile, in the earlier game of the evening, Republic Bank Nets crushed West Side Warriors by 117-53 in a game that saw the Nets drilling 17 three-pointers. Guard Pelham Doris top scored in the rout with 22 points, while Mortimer Roberts, Michael Richards, Fabian Johnson and Mortimer Williams netted 21, 21, 19 and 14 points respectively. Devon Murray was the high point man for the losers with 24 points and was assisted by Orin Joseph who scored 12 points. The presentation ceremony will be held on Wednesday, July 1 from 10:30h at Starr Computer.

he Dynas Ravens were crowned as the first-ever champions of the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) First Division hard court championship that concluded on Saturday at the Burnham Hard Court. Ravens defeated archrivals Trinity Grid Holding Pacesetters 74-61 to claim the inaugural title. Both teams had their opportunities to pull away with various runs in a hard-fought game; however, Ravens’ 19-5 run in the first quarter was the critical period of the game as it allowed them to hold off the Pacesetters for the remainder of the encounter. Ryan Gullen topscored with 21 points to help Ravens remain unbeaten throughout the tournament, while Ryan Stephney was the next best scorer with 18 points. Dominic

CFU Olympic Qualifier…

Guyana salvage pride with 5-0 whipping of Aruba

uyana defeated Aruba 5 – 0 on Sunday to wrap up their Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Olympic Qualifier tournament participation in Antigua and Barbuda. The Guyanese fell 2- 0 against the hosts and Cuba and wanted to finish on a high note against the Dutch speaking Island. Both Cuba and Antigua crushed Aruba 11 – 1 and 7 – 0 respectively, leaving the two sides to play for the top spot in Group 2. Only one team will advance to the next round. Head Coach Jamaal

Jamaal Shabazz

Shabazz prior to Sunday’s game, said that Guyana will be playing to pride; to not leave the Island empty handed. (GFF online)

Senior champ Hamzah Eastman (centre) with Alanzo Greaves (right) and Geron Williams

Ladies champ Claire Fraser-Green (centre); Marica Dick (right) and Toshawna Doris share the podium

proceeded to Sparendaam, then turned right and returned to the point of origin. The seniors were required to complete 13 laps, which are equivalent to 149 kilometres (km), while the Veterans were mandated to do seven laps (79.96km); juniors, six laps (69km) and Juveniles/Ladies, three laps (34km).

Jamal John and Kemuel Moses, who took second and third respectively. England-based FraserGreen took the Ladies category for the third year in succession, clocking one hour, two minutes, 34 seconds (01h: 02m: 34s). Marica Dick took second and Toshawna Doris third. In the other categories,

Team Coco's Eastman completed the course in a time of three hours, 40 minutes, 37.67 seconds (03h: 40m: 37.67s). Alanzo Greaves took second spot, while overseasbased Guyanese pro rider Geron Williams finished third. In the Junior Division, Crawford prevailed over

the top three finishers were: (Juvenile) Brighton John, Kemo Logan, David Samson; (Veteran U-45) Junior Niles, Godfrey Pollydore, Warren McKay; and (Veteran O-45) Talim Shaw, Kennard Lovell, Shameer Baksh. The event was the first organised by the new executive of the GCF, led by Horace Burrowes.

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

monday, june 29, 2015

Gayle fireworks stun Zouks C

hris Gayle’s spectacular unbeaten 90 blew away St Lucia Zouks and fired Jamaica Tallawahs to their first win of the 2015 Caribbean Premier League on Sunday. Tallawahs restricted Zouks to a paltry 118 for nine off their 20 overs and then raced to their target off a mere ten overs, to complete a convincing ten-wicket victory at the Beausejour Cricket Stadium. The left-handed Gayle was at the forefront of the triumph, imposing himself on the Zouks attack with six fours and nine sixes in an innings consuming a mere 36 deliveries. Such was his assault, he easily overshadowed opening partner Chadwick Walton who finished on a run-a-ball 25 not out with two fours and a six. Tallawah’s victory was set up, however, by three-wicket hauls from South African seamer Rusty Theron (3-19)

Chris Gayle plays a shot during his spectacular innings of 90 off 36 deliveries. (CPL Facebook photo)

and Jamaican left-arm pacer Krishmar Santokie (3-24), while fast bowler Jerome Taylor took two for 17. Opener Johnson Charles continued his good form with 29 and Englishman Kevin Pietersen got 26 but no other Zouks batsman made it past 14, as the hosts lost their last seven wickets for 24 runs. Sent in, Zouks prospered as Charles and Andre Fletcher (14) put on 39 from

34 balls for the first wicket. While Charles gathered five fours off 24 deliveries, Fletcher struggled to get the ball away in a 17-ball knock that included one four. Charles departed in the sixth over, bowled by a full length one from Taylor and Fletcher followed 11 balls later, brilliantly caught onehanded by veteran New Zealander Daniel Vettori at mid-wicket in Theron’s first

over. Kyle Mayers made 13 from 14 deliveries before holing out in the deep off leftarm spinner Nikita Miller at 67 for three in the 11th over. Pietersen arrived to strike a four and a six off 25 balls in adding a cautious 27 from 26 deliveries for the fourth wicket with and Ross Taylor (8), in a stand that seemed to be setting up the innings for a late charge. However, once Theron removed both in his third over, the 16th of the innings, Zouks went into decline and never recovered. Gayle then negated any lingering ideas of a Zouks comeback, with an exhilarating innings. Attacking from the outset, he launched a ferocious assault on the Zouks bowlers, racing to his half-century off just 19 balls. He signalled his intentions from the opening over which went for 12, hitting speedster Shannon Gabriel straight for four and then over mid-wicket for six. The second over, sent down by pacer Fidel Edwards, leaked 18 runs and Gayle plundered anoth-

er 15 runs from the following over, as Tallawahs sped to 45 without loss. Only 14 runs came from the next two overs but Gayle opened up again in the sixth over, slamming seamer Kemar Roach for two sixes – the second of which raised his fifty. With Gayle hitting everything cleanly, it became only a matter of when Tallawahs would win, and

the Jamaican star ended the run chase in style – bludgeoning three sixes and a four from off-spinner Liam Sebastien’s first over which cost 23 runs – to take his side over the line. Zouks remain second on five points after four games, one behind leaders Barbados Tridents. Tallawahs are third on two points, ahead of St Kitts and Nevis Patriots only on net run rate. (CMC)

SCOREBOARD ST LUCIA ZOUKS J Charles b Taylor 29 +A Fletcher c Vettori b Theron 14 K Mayers c Lynn b NO Miller 13 K Pietersen c Santokie b Theron 26 L Taylor lbw b Theron 8 H Davids c Gayle b Santokie 10 *D Sammy b Santokie 0 L Sebastien b Santokie 0 K Roach lbw b Taylor 0 F Edwards not out 10 S Gabriel not out 1 Extras (lb3, w4) 7 TOTAL (9 wkts, 20 overs) 118 Fall of wickets: 1-39 (Charles), 2-48 (Fletcher), 3-67 (Mayers), 4-94 (Taylor), 5-95 (Pietersen), 6-103 (Sammy, 16.1), 7-103

(Sebastien, 16.5), 8-104 (Roach, 17.2), 9-111 (Davids, 18.5) Bowling: Santokie 4-0-243 (w1), Vettori 4-0-26-0, Taylor 4-1-17-2 (w1), Theron 3-0-19-3 (w2), Miller 4-025-1, Russell 1-0-4-0, JAMAICA TALLAWAHS *C Gayle not out 90 +C Walton not out 25 Extras (b1, w4, nb1) 6 TOTAL (without loss, 10 overs) 121 Did not bat: C Lynn, M Jayawardene, H Miller, A Russell, D Vettori, J Theron, J Taylor, K Santokie, N Miller. Bowling: Gabriel 2-0-270, Edwards 4-0-42-0 (w2), Roach 3-0-28-0 (w1, nb1), Sebastien 1-0-23-0

Chanderpaul not obsessed WICB confirms Zimbabwe with chasing Lara’s record tri-series in August

Shivnarine Chanderpaul

iscarded West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul insists he is not obsessed with breaking Windies batting legend Brian Lara’s record, but is not quite yet ready to hang up his tips. Chanderpaul was controversially left out of the regional team’s matches against Australia last month, a series which they not only lost 2-0, but were

handily beaten. Ahead of the series West Indies chairman of selectors Clive Lloyd had revealed that the panel believed a declining Chanderpaul could no longer command a place in the team on merit. The 40-year-old batsman struggled in two prior series against South African and England. Sitting only 87 runs shy

of eclipsing Brian Lara as the region’s all-time Test runs scorer, many believe that Chanderpaul should have been given a chance to chase the record or at least be given a farewell tour. "Well I am not thinking too much about that," Chanderpaul said of breaking the record. "You can't have all these things at the back of your mind but if it happens it happens, but if it doesn't it doesn't." The batsman who is currently playing for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) intends to compete for at least the rest of this year. "Definitely, but I am on the outside just waiting to see what is happening," Chanderpaul said of the current situation with the team. "Retirement isn't on the cards at the moment. Not for now, probably the ending of the year maybe then." (Digicel Sportsmax)

West Indies will need to win in order to qualify for 2017 Champions Trophy.

est Indies will take part in a triseries in Zimbabwe in AugustSeptember along with the hosts and Pakistan, the WICB has confirmed. It means there could be a straight contest between the two visiting sides for the eighth and last Champions Trophy spot, although the PCB and Zimbabwe Cricket are yet to confirm the scheduling of the series. West Indies and Pakistan are currently ranked eighth and ninth in the ICC ODI rankings, with only a point separating them. Only the top-seven sides as on September

30, apart from hosts England, will make it to the 2017 Champions Trophy. Bangladesh are ranked seventh and their recent win against India has given them a reasonably comfortable five-point lead over West Indies, with a three-match home series against South Africa to follow in July. Pakistan have five ODIs against Sri Lanka in July but the Zimbabwe tri-series will be the only time West Indies play oneday cricket before the Champions Trophy cut-off date. The Caribbean side has not played any ODIs since the World Cup. (Cricinfo)

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