Guyana Times Daily

Raksha P12 Bandhan being observed today Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 1867 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

PRICE

Bioethanol demonstration plant commissioned See story on page 3

GuySuCo technician Sharma Dwarka (left) doing a demonstration in the presence of President Donald Ramotar (second left); Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy (second right); National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) Director Oudho Homenauth (third right); and BK International Managing Director Brian Tiwarie (centre, blue shirt) and others at the opening of the $85 million dollar bioethanol plant on Tuesday at Albion Sugar Factory, Region Six

Amerindian Contract groups urge signed for PAC APNU to support headquarters hydro project See story on page 19

See story on page 7

$60 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

CBU wraps up two-day workshop P9 Wanted P10 bulletin issued for woman who allegedly murdered reputed husband Political P12 commitment key if Guyana is to achieve MDG on HIV reduction – UNAIDS Police probe suspected P12 murder at Friendship KFC Vlissengen P13 Road branch, Pizza Hut closed for maintenance

Packed P19 programme to celebrate Heritage Month

2 news

wednesday, august 21, 2013 | guyanatimeSGY.com

Innovation is alive and well at CARIFESTA XI T

wo of the most innovative aspects of CARIFESTA were declared open on Monday in Paramaribo, Suriname – the Caribbean Market Place for the Arts and the Youth Village.

Suriname’s President Desire Bouterse, First Lady Ingrid Bouterse and Caricom Secretary General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, left their vehicles behind and led a group of bicycle riders into the Youth Village at CARIFESTA XI, symbolising the environmentally-friendly theme of the village.

In his statement de-

Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque

claring the village open, President Bouterse stated he was “especially proud that our youth decided to incorporate an environmental vision for the set-up of this village”.

The president, who is Caricom’s lead head of government for community development and culture (including gender, youth and sport), informed his audience that he had given the organisers of CARIFESTA a special mission a year ago: “make sure that our youth is involved at all levels during CARIFESTA XI”.

That mission had been

accomplished with close to 1000 young people trained and participating actively in the festival, according to the president.

The idea for a green village had been put forward by the youth and President Bouterse noted that it was humbling to see that the young people were not waiting passively, but demonstrating actively their vision for the future.

Earlier in the morning, Secretary General LaRocque, had declared open the historic Caribbean Market Place for the Arts. The marketplace is intended to bring

artists and international promoters and booking agents together to network and develop business partnerships.

The exchanges over the four days of the marketplace, the secretary general said, “will ensure that that we continue to carve and secure our space in the global market place and create pathways for new and emerging artists to realise their dreams and make us proud”.

The secretary general noted that while CARIFESTA was an important cultural space to celebrate and enjoy amazing performances, it was also an

event that had the potential to serve as a catalyst for creative and cultural industry development in the community.

“The Caricom Secretariat is therefore committed to assisting member states in creating the enabling environment to support the development of artists and the sector,” he added. The marketplace has been supported by the United Nations Development Programme, Caribbean Export, the government of Suriname and the German Society of International Co-operation (GIZ).

New Amsterdam Special Needs School gets $2M gift

T

he New Amsterdam Special Needs School is now in a better position to serve its student population following a donation of equipment worth some $2 million.

The donation was made on Monday by the Giving Abundantly In Life (GAIL)

Foundation Inc, and part of the good gesture includes a new playground and educational tools for the therapy room.

Founder of GAIL Foundation Gail Seeram, a Florida-based Guyanese, said initially she wanted to build a playground only,

but later decided to also donate tools for the therapy room after realising that there was a dire need for equipment.

“I took a tour of the building and when I got in front of a classroom, I was told that that box of books was the school’s library and

Head of the GAIL Foundation Inc Gail Seeram (right) and Yvonne Hinds cut the ribbon to open the new playground

I thought that it is not acceptable; this is a special needs school and these children can do anything that they want, but we have to equip them with the tools.”

Seeram noted that she approached several donors and got the tools which include books, toys, a projector, a laptop, desktop computer and several DVDs. Meanwhile, Guyana Relief Council (GRC) Chairman Yvonne Hinds, who met Seeram during a fundraiser held by the GRC,

expressed gratitude for the donation.

Hinds, who assisted with the traditional cutting of the ribbon, said the GAIL Foundation was handing over its third playground in Guyana, and the therapy room is its third such project.

“Today, I would like you to join me in applauding the sterling efforts of this young woman of whom we are very proud, a woman who shares her God given gifts and resources with the less fortu-

nate of the world.”

Hinds said the GAIL Foundation is a reminder that Guyanese abroad are willing to support local charitable projects.

The New Amsterdam Special Needs School was built in 1986 and currently has a population of 75 fulltime and part-time students.

Initially, the school started with 15 students, mainly with disabilities such as low vision, hearing impairment and mental retardation.

3 Bioethanol demonstration plant commissioned News

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Wednesday, August 21 from 14:30h to 16:00h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Wednesday, August 21 from 15:50h to 17:20h.

WEATHER TODAY

Countrywide: Thundery showers are expected during the day, with clear skies in the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East north-easterly to easterly at 3.57 metres per second.

High Tide: 04:28h and 16:51h reaching maximum heights of 2.80 metres and 2.77 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 10:25h and 22:43h reaching a minimum height of 0.42 metre.

saturday, August 17, 2013

LOTTERY NUMBERS C 17 06 28 21 07 22 03 FREE TICKET Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Daily Millions

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Draw De Line 16 01 03 13 18 07 11 DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS IN PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE HOTLINE FOR CONFIRMATION - TEL: 225-8902

wednesday, august 21, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

By Svetlana Marshall

G

uyana’s first bioethanol demonstration plant was commissioned by President Donald Ramotar and Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy at the Albion Sugar Factory on Tuesday.

The $85 million plant funded by the InterAmerican Development Bank-Japanese Special Fund for Sustainable Energy and Climate Change and the government of Guyana was developed through a technical cooperation. It was designed to fulfil three primary objectives: demonstrate the production of fuel grade ethanol locally, provide fuel for future demonstration of use of ethanol as a vehicle source, and develop the facility for training of local personnel in bio-fuel technologies.

In delivering the feature address, President Ramotar said the plant signals the great potential that lies within the country’s energy sector. In wake of the many challenges faced by the sugar industry, the president remains a strong believer that it is the gateway to greater industries, as he alluded to alternative sources of energy. “It has remained fundamentally the producer of raw sugar, but it has enormous potential, so we can produce many other things from the sugar industry. One of it is fuel,” he said.

Reflecting on the late 1990s when the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) had developed the concept of the Skeldon Sugar Factory, the president said the company had underscored the importance of building the industry into one that was multi-faceted, as it took into consideration a range of projects, including the production of fuel.

Today, the commissioning of the bioethanol demonstration plant is the manifestation of government moving a step closer to realising its goals. “This demonstration plant has con-

President Donald Ramotar cutting the ribbon to commission Guyana’s first bioethanol demonstration plant on Tuesday at the Albion Sugar Factory

firmed that the plans that we have are feasible plans,” he lamented.

Bioethanol, like hydropower energy, is an alternative source of cheap and reliable energy, which is critical to the development of the country’s commercial sector. The usage of alternative energy also aids in the fight against climate change and global warming, he stressed.

Minister’s Office has been working on the Transport Fuel Policy that includes at a minimal, an E10 formula in the future. The plant will allow us to do the feasibility study on the use of E10 in Guyana,” Minister Ramsammy reported.

He said his ministry continues to push for an energy policy which has been long in the making.

Energy policy

The demonstration plant is a two-component system – the first produces hydrous ethanol (95 per cent from molasses) and the second; anhydrous ethanol (99.9 per cent) which uses membrane technology. These systems were designed by Green Bio of Porto Alegre in Brazil and the second by White Fox from Calgary, Canada. The plant will be run by GuySuCo technician Sharma Dwarka.

GuySuCo Chief Executive Officer Paul Bhim; the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute chief Dr Oudho Homenauth, the Agriculture Ministry Bio-energy Programme Coordinator Dr Clairmont Clementson, Green Bio representative Bruno Mallman and White Fox representative Dr Stephen Blum were among the other officials present during the commissioning ceremony.

Dr Blum, who had led the team for the construc-

Dr Ramsammy said while Guyana has produced bioethanol before, it is the first time the country has produced almost pure bioethanol. “DDL and others have been producing ethanol at a purity of about 95 per cent.... but this plant is producing greater than 99 per cent.”

Additionally, the People’s Progressive Party government has aided in the production of small amounts of biodiesel, which was used to fuel vehicles in Region One. The bioethanol produced by the plant will be used in GuySuCo’s laboratories and industrial processes. Further, a small number of vehicles from the sugar corporation and the Agriculture Ministry would begin using an E10 mixture – a 10 per cent ethanol blend of gasoline. The agriculture minister’s vehicle is not an exception.

“I do know that the Prime

Cornerstone

tion of the demonstration plant, said it is a cornerstone to Guyana’s development. “For us at White Fox, we see this as a very, very important project and we believe that it actually gives you a wide variety of opportunities,” he said, noting that the plant is the first of its kind the company has created in the world.

According to the White Fox representative, the demonstration plant is easy to operate, pointing out it is possible to scale up the plant without major changes. “It gives you the capacity to produce ethanol within any range and quantity that you want.”

A seminar on expanding bio-energy opportunities in Guyana in August 2007 had sparked an interest in the production of biodiesel and bioethanol, in wake of increasing fuel prices.

“A competitive agro industry sector gives rise to the possibility of increased financial returns on investments related to the sugar cane industry through the sale of carbon credits derived from the reductions in CO2 emissions,” Dr Homenauth posited as he gave a backdrop to the project. According to him, the reductions can be obtained directly and indirectly through the use of bioethanol and biodiesel, cogeneration with bagasse and methane abatement from biofuel wastewater treatment and processes. (svetlanam@guyanatimes.com)

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guyanatimesgy.com

wednesday, august 21, 2013

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

Local govt elections

W

e are indeed pleased that, after all the political manoeuvrings in the National Assembly, the local government bills key to the holding of local government elections were passed.

The Fiscal Transfers Bill 2012, the Municipal and District Councils (Amendment) Bill 2012, the Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2012 and the Local Government Commission Bill were passed unanimously in Parliament last week with the support of all political parties. The passage of the bills will now await the assent of President Donald Ramotar before local government elections could be held.

It is this kind of approach that citizens want to see replicated in other areas of national development by our leaders. As expected in any competitive political environment, there will be efforts by parties to gain political points. Everyone wants to come out looking good. What is important is that at the end of the day, political leaders should put their differences aside and work in the national interest.

It is this sort of mature behaviour citizens were expecting to see in the debates on the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project (AFHEP). Citizens wanted to see intelligent and serious discussions on the project itself and the benefits that could be derived from it. For example, how each consumer would benefit and how the national economy would be impacted in general.

In all fairness to the government, while they have made every effort to provide the opposition with answers to their questions, they (opposition parties) were bent on looking at the issue from a partisan perspective, and from all indications are not willing to budge from their previous position.

While it is not our intention to rehash the numerous benefits of the AFHEP to ordinary consumers as they were already detailed in various media publications, and the justification for such a project, we cannot help noticing the short-sightedness of the A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) or as some may put it, their lack of vision in terms of what is good for Guyana.

However, back to the substantive point – with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) now saying that the elections machinery is oiled and ready to run off these elections, nothing should hold the nation back from engaging in this democratic process.

There is certainly no valid justification in further delays and the nation expects that all stakeholders, especially political parties, will support GECOM in carrying out its work with the highest level of professionalism and transparency.

Certainly, we cannot boast of being a democracy and not have local government elections in almost 20 years. Citizens are crying out for better services. They want to see drains dug and trenches and canals cleaned. They want safer and more prosperous communities.

They want to have more facilities for sports in their communities and they want their views to be well represented at the national level so that central government would become aware of the issues which need to be addressed. In essence, many communities have been left to deteriorate due to a lack of competent elected representatives at the local level to get the job done.

As we had stated some time ago, we believe that effective and efficient public administration coupled with healthy local governance can drive development efforts. Local government institutions bring government closer to the people, fostering greater inclusion, civic responsibility, empowerment and participation. In fact, local government offers one of the most important avenues for women and other groups typically under-represented to participate in the development of their communities and influence decision-making processes that directly affect their lives.

That being said, the public awareness and education campaigns should kick off in communities across Guyana. This is a key element for successfully holding these elections. If persons are not fully informed about the process and what it means or how it will impact them and the development of their own communities, they will not participate in the process.

Guyana has made great strides in almost every aspect of national development and citizens are enjoying a higher quality of life, but the continued absence of democratically elected and effective local government remains a crucial issue which must be addressed forthwith.

Only when people have transparent and accountable institutions at all levels of government – national, regional and local, will they have confidence in their future. Put simply, local government elections is a key element of democracy.

In India, a woman sells coconuts amid images of deities left on the banks of the River Sabarmati at the end of the Dashama festival in Ahmedabad. The 10-day festival culminates with the immersion in the river of the images of Hindu goddess Dashama (BBC News)

We should look out for one another

Dear Editor, I was shocked when I read of what took place in Springlands, Corentyne.

The press details show that there was the discovery of skeletal remains of a human being in a house once occupied by a Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) employee.

This comes over as very upsetting and I think of the many little things that we can do to make a great

neighbourhood out of where we are living. My good neighbour has copies of my house and car keys. He is good and we reciprocate. This is what I advocate for a better and safer neighbourhood.

The deceased was not missed at all? How come? In my street also, there is an octogenarian and she has no close family member in the country. She is quite comfortable financially, but at her age, living all alone is

quite chancy.

So, we have this lookout thing going for her.

Never a prolonged period passes without a call for her, if she is not noticed.

This is not hard to do and it brings that personal level of fulfilment.

I really hope that we can become more neighbourly in a non-obtrusive manner too.

There are small gestures that can turn a collection of mere houses into a real com-

munity.

We have community policing groups and there is every possibility that this can extend into the old fashioned neighbourhood watch groups. The first can be used exclusively for crime fighting; the latter has that healthy social element where everyone looks out for one another.

Yours sincerely, Leslie Robinson

Nature camps can make a major contribution Dear Editor, The Environmental Community Health Organisation (ECHO) is on a high and it is encouraging children and young adults to become part of its force, so as to help protect and keep the environment healthy and safe. This is a very noble calling and I hope that parents, guardians, adults and schools will seize the opportunity by recommending

and urging the younger ones to get involved.

Just last week, ECHO successfully concluded a four-day nature camp on the Soesdyke Highway, attracting children from different regions. The children were deeply sensitised on the importance of the natural environment to human society.

They were also encouraged to explore and interact with nature and to develop a keen

alertness on environmental issues.

What I like about this camp was that it was conducted in a very friendly and fun-filled atmosphere.

There were things like nature walks, construction of a nature table, swimming, outdoor and indoor nature games and talks about the conservation of environmental resources.

I take it that if ECHO,

with our children, can be so enthused about the environment, why don’t the adults and other stakeholders move in this direction? Even if we are saying that we are busy, then we can sponsor a few children when more camping sessions are held.

We all have a part to play.

Regards, Oma-Devi Singh

More can be done to stop TIP Dear Editor, A very sad story has unfolded in court, where a husband and wife have now been sentenced to five years in jail for trafficking four teenage girls.

There has been plenty of talk, including in the media, recently about Trafficking in Persons (TIP). These girls

should have been capitalising on free and quality education here in Guyana. Parents and guardians must be made to answer for allowing a child to miss out on education.

What was really ironic too is how these two, now convicted, tried for some kind of mitigation. The husband and wife asked for leni-

ency and informed the court that they have a two-monthold baby.

So they can abuse other people’s children, but want protection for their own? It is time people start to think like this before they do anything else. We like to put people in their places, but I think we should put our-

selves in their places and see how it is likely to feel.

It would be great if more sensitisation programmes can be conducted. TIP is everybody’s business and we must be mandated to learn about it.

Yours faithfully, Irene Philander

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesday, august 21, 2013

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Excuses for violent Comparison of electoral systems in Germany and Guyana behaviour

Dear Editor, It is very funny to read about the violent outbursts of some people and the silly excuses they offer. Recently, one man reportedly stabbed a friend because something was said something about his mother.

I will not condone cursing out anyone. However, this is never an excuse for a violent outburst, even if the expletives are directed at one’s loved ones, namely a mother or wife. Normally,

people manifest violence when there is no restraining factor.

Even if these two buddies mend fences, that is no reason for charges not be to be filed against this man – he stabbed another man three times, sending him to the hospital. His act must be seen and treated as a criminal one. The law must take its course.

Yours faithfully, Imran Jaleel

Go hard on illegal gun holders

Dear Editor, Again our police made some raids and they were successful. On one of their raids, a .25 starter pistol was recovered and the matter is now being investigated.

How come the police are arresting people all the time for being in possession of guns and ammunition?

Something has to be done to put an end to guns and ammunition being on our streets.

Trinidad and Tobago’s security forces now believe that draconian gun control legislation must be brought to the parliament as a possible solution in stemming the wave of murders in the country.

“There must be draconian measures for those who have firearms without a licence and it must not only be jail time, but a lengthy period,” is how a leading sociologist of the country expressed it in Sunday’s Newsday in an interview. “There must be real tough gun control measures.

People must think twice about attempting to carry a gun.”

Here in Guyana, it must be no different. Recently, Berbice has been plagued with gun crimes. We have

cases here also where businessmen and bandits have been engaged in gun play.

Just a few months back, three bandits were caught in Coldingen, but not after firing back at the police. You see, illegal guns also mean that our police are in grave danger. There must be no more dilly-dallying. When an illegal gun is intercepted, the punishment must be very harsh. If Guyana is going to inspire its people to remain and build, crimes must be at a minimum.

In Jamaica, tourism fell off and the reason offered was that crime escalated.

So far we have not reached that zone, but this is no reason to get soft. The pressure must be kept up and more and more raids must be made.

I know that, in Trinidad and Tobago, the opposition is very willing to work with the government in this area.

We have a bad history here, but I am hoping that our joint opposition will work with government now on this one.

We all want to be safe and there is no excuse for crime.

Regards, Janice Yearwood

Dear Editor, I am in Germany, which goes to the polls on September 22 to choose a new parliament. Opinion polls project the ruling coalition, Christian Democrat Union-Free Democrat Party (CDU-FDP) heading for reelection, but the ordinary voter in the street feels the election is a lot closer than the polls suggest. They describe the election as tight and are certain there will be a coalition government as no party is expected to win an outright majority.

The electoral system in choosing the German parliament is similar to ours in Guyana with proportional representation. However, the government is formed differently.

In Guyana, whichever party wins a plurality, or most votes, forms the government with the president as the head or chief executive.

In Germany, the chancellor is head of government with a separate head of state in the form of the president, who does not really have any power like the president of Guyana. The president’s power in Germany is similar to that of pre-1980 Guyana.

The chancellor, equivalent of the prime minister in pre-1980 Guyana, is chosen by parliament similar to how the Guyanese prime minister was chosen by parliament before the 1980 Forbes Burnham constitution that created the executive presidency through fraud.

The head of a party or coalition of parties is automatically chosen as the chancellor, similar to selecting the prime minster in pre-1980 Guyana. The chancellor can be brought down in a no confidence motion similar to Guyana’s pre-1980 constitution.

Currently, a two-thirds majority is required to bring down the president of Guyana, although a simple no-confidence motion can also topple the government, as is the rejection of a budg-

et – the same in Germany.

With regard to winning seats in parliament, there is a major difference to Guyana. A party needs to garner a minimum five per cent threshold to qualify for seats in Germany’s parliament or provincial legislature, unlike in Guyana where less than one per cent of the votes can get a party a seat.

Several provinces are also holding elections to choose their legislature that elects a premier to run the affairs of the province. In Germany, it is possible for a party to acquire a higher percentage of seats in parliament than what it obtains in the popular vote, because parties with less than five per cent votes are not given seats and the seats are distributed to the other parties.

The results of the latest opinion poll released by ZDF German public television recently give the current coalition of Chancellor Angela Merkel 46 per cent – that is unchanged from a poll two weeks ago. This is eight per cent higher than the opposition coalition of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the German Greens, who together had 38 per cent support that saw a slight increase at the expense of the smaller parties.

This poll also shows that Germans prefer Merkel over SPD Challenger Peer

Steinbruck. A month is a long time in politics and opinions could change by then. It is possible for a CDU-SPD coalition that previously governed for four years after the 2005 elections, with Merkel as chancellor and Steinbruck heading finance.

Germany has been steadily changing since I first visited in 1989 and again in 1991, when there was an East and a West existing as two separate countries. I passed through the West a few times thereafter to examine its economic progress – most recently last December – when opinion was against the incumbent government, which many thought would be defeated in the election. But opinion has changed and the incumbent appears set for reelection.

The good news in Germany for minorities and immigrants is all the polls show that the racist antiimmigrant parties have not been making gains as happened in the last two national elections. And the minorities have been supporting all the mainstream parties, which are also fielding candidates from among Arabs, Turkish and Ethiopian groups.

Oh, there are very few Guyanese in Germany and those I met or heard about are males married to German women and have

families. They have had a most challenging time acquiring German citizenship and they are quite familiar with the hardship of the Burnham era, as well as the economic progress since the restoration of democracy in 1992.

There is talk of a female from Essequibo married to a German, but the source was not certain. One woman who is married to a Guyanese and lived in Guyana for several decades has remigrated. Several Guyanese studied on scholarships in the East, with almost all of them returning home.

Among the issues determining how people vote in next month’s election are fair wages, working conditions, financial security in old age, and maintaining living standards – very different from how we vote in Guyana and not different from issues that influence how Americans vote.

The opposition has been trying to inject the Edward Snowden spying affair into the campaign to win votes, but it has not been gaining sympathy and votes. Bread and butter issues, as in Guyana, trump foreign affairs even though Germany seems to be doing a lot financially better than all other European nations.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

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wednesday, auGust 21, 2013

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Foundation

secrets to raising good listeners

BY JANET LANSBURY

L

guyanatimesgy.com

istening skills are essential to learning.

Children who listen well not only develop strong language abilities, they find gaining knowledge in any subject easier, less stressful and more successful.

Since attentive listeners retain most of what they hear in the classroom, they don’t need to study as much (a big plus, especially in middle and high school).

But listening is a growing problem for young children to the extent that preschools are now finding it necessary to “teach” listening in some Pre-K programmes. A parent recently left this comment on the post A Baby Ready For Kindergarten, College And Life: “I was chatting with one of the teachers at my daughter’s preschool. I asked her what they do differently at that age. She said, ‘we don’t worry about letters or numbers per se in terms of kindergarten readiness. We want our children to learn listening skills.’ She said that is what they need for kindergarten. She also said they do teach letters and numbers as well as art, music etc… but the goal in the older class is to get the children to listen… the other

stuff will come easily then.”

True, but troubling.

Why the need as early as preschool to try to “get children to listen”?

The typical baby is a born listener. In fact, a newborn baby’s auditory system is the most strongly developed of all the sensory systems. Hearing may be slightly impeded by fluid in the baby’s inner ear, but in her eagerness to engage she’ll work around that.

Infants tune in to their parents’ voices from the womb and are highly motivated to continue doing so. Their

erything else that’s going on in their immediate world).

This is probably the most simple and profoundly beneficial advice infant expert Magda Gerber offers, but it continues to be challenging for new parents. I think that’s because it feels unnatural, awkward and a little embarrassing (especially in front of other adults) to say “Now I’m going to pick you up” to someone who won’t be able to talk back for a long time.

But once it becomes habit it seems bizarre not to do.

And it is a habit so worth

engage your baby in…

Meaningful dialogue

Babies love to be talked to, sung to, or receive our attention, period. But they are especially encouraged to keep listening when we focus our dialogue on important, pertinent things, like where babies are, what’s happening with their bodies, what they are touching, seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, etc. And don’t skimp on the details – they want to hear and know it all.

But that doesn’t mean we need to ramble or give a running commentary on our every thought…

Create a peaceful atmosphere

A generally peaceful environment encourages babies to tune in, whereas too much auditory stimulation has the opposite effect.

Babies are sensitive and easily over-stimulated. survival depends on the ability to listen and learn to communicate needs. So, what happens between birth and kindergarten?

The answer is unclear, but here are some ways to ensure the development of healthy auditory skills…

Tell babies before you pick them up (and about ev-

forming. It is not only respectful – because it teaches babies that we consider them worthy of knowing what’s going on – it also encourages attentive listening.

Furthermore, it is the natural and best way for babies to learn language, because these words really matter to the child. In other words,

Talk slowly and respectfully

Babies are encouraged to listen when we speak slowly enough for them to at least begin to understand. And babies sense when they are being talked down to. They are more inclined to listen when they know that we are taking them as seriously as they take us.

Acknowledge sounds

Especially when you sense your baby has heard the dog barking or the garbage truck, acknowledge and describe the sounds, “That dog barked loudly, didn’t he? I heard it, too.”

And comment on the sounds he makes himself, “I hear you patting the wood floor.”

The baby learns not only that words are meaningful, but so are other kinds of sounds.

Don’t talk about babies as if they don’t hear

A baby as young as three or four months of age will, without fail, suddenly look at me when the parent begins talking about him. The child knows exactly what is going on. Either the parent or I (or both) will always acknowledge, “Your mommy’s telling me about you not sleeping well last night. You cried.” If we don’t include a baby in our conversation, especially when it pertains to him, we discourage his participation and his motivation to listen.

Minimise exposure to back end conversations

Equally discouraging is constant exposure to onesided conversations that are

impossible for a baby to understand. Make phone calls while the baby sleeps or out of earshot whenever possible.

Use “no” sparingly

Our child is encouraged to listen to our words when they have something to offer him… a description, an explanation, something that helps him learn and understand.

Sometimes, without question, that word is “no”. But there are also times when we can say no in a more explicit way, that is, “You want to keep playing outside, but I can’t let you. It’s time to go in.” Or, “That leaf isn’t safe to put in your mouth. I’m going to hold it for you to look at.”

Tell stories, play music and/or sing, listen to stories on CD, read books.

Not only do these activities encourage active listening, they foster creativity (especially the first three) because children make their own mental images for the words or sounds.

Be aware that screens are a listening turn-off

I list this last, but it’s definitely not least. In fact, if the inability to listen well is an increasing concern, my hunch is that the increased use of screens is to blame. The visuals in movies, TV and video games are overwhelmingly engaging.

Our child doesn’t really listen because he doesn’t need to, and the inferior language models usually offered aren’t worth hearing anyway. Screen time, even if it’s “educational”, can train children not to listen.

In a section about phonics in her fascinating book, "Endangered Minds – Why Children Don’t Think And What We Can Do About It," brain researcher Dr Jane Healy notes, “These auditory systems are in a period of critical development during the very preschool years when so many youngsters are watching the tube.

Researchers agree that when given both visual displays and dialogue, children attend to and remember the visual, not the “talk”.

(Even for most adults, listening can’t compete with looking if the brain is given the chance to do both at the same time.)

Yet, if auditory processing skills aren’t embedded in the brain during the critical early years, it is much harder, if it is even possible to insert them later.” (www.ja-

netlansbury.com)

News

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wednesday, August 21, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

Amerindian groups Albouystown miner stabbed to death urge APNU to support A hydro project

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everal Amerindians organisations have called on the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) to end its game of political football with the Amaila Falls Hydro Power Project and to return to the discussion table with the government to make the project a reality.

The call by the entities come ahead of the commencement of Amerindian Heritage Month and on the heels of stern condemnation from civil society organisations and other groups with respect to the opposition parties’ posture on the project.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, three of the Amerindian activist associations said that they strongly support the project as it would significantly aid national development.

National Toshaos Council Chairman Derrick John expressed the view that the non-support exhibited by the APNU has crippled the development of Guyana while stymieing efforts aimed at supporting initiatives that are good and environmentally-friendly for the country.

“If we were to pursue the LCDS (Low Carbon

Development Strategy) and make Guyana a green economy, we feel the Amaila Falls play a big role in this.”

He called on all stakeholders and political parties to be mature and put petty politics aside and work together in the best interest of the country.

“Communities would have benefited from the access road by having better transportation service and job opportunities for communities.”

Meanwhile, National Amerindian Development Foundation (NADF) President Ashton Simon also expressed disappointment about the ruthless political axing of the Amaila project. He said the NADF is of the view that strategies by the combined opposition, the APNU and the Alliance For Change (AFC) are more centred on an ambition to cripple the development strategy of the government, and to demonstrate their existence as a power house.

“The thought that Guyana had overcome its political setbacks of the past and our politicians had matured enough to harness the opportunities open to them has been shattered, and in so doing, have failed the Guyanese people, particu-

larly the youths of today and the new generations of tomorrow.”

Simon said axing the project is another milestone in Guyana’s failure to politically mesh ideas and support a national project designed to propel its economic growth and be on par with other developed countries.

He underscored that the AFC should be blamed equally as the APNU, contending that if it had backed the project initially, the situation would have been different.

“They waited until the last minute to pull themselves out as the clean cat and leave the APNU as the bad ones, they assisted the APNU.” The Amerindian Action Movement of Guyana (TAMOG) President Peter Persaud said the project is not a political football, but a flagship project of Guyana’s LCDS where, upon its completion, the people of Guyana would have the benefits of cheap, reliable and clean power, and Guyana will be positioned on the threshold of economic growth and expansion.

“Guyana’s peoples are terribly disappointed with APNU’s irresponsible behaviour,” he said.

fall out over the making of jewellery between two men has resulted in one of them being stabbed to death Tuesday morning in Albouystown, Georgetown.

The dead man, Tolasicy Marshall had reportedly given his assailant some money to make jewellery, but the man never did. The D 11 Hogg Street, Albouystown resident was stabbed twice to the left side chest, sometime around 11:00h at School Street, Albouystown.

After being stabbed, Marshall was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he succumbed while receiving medical attention.

The deceased, who was a diamond miner, had only come out of the interior about two months ago.

According to a statement from the Georgetown Public Hospital, the man arrived at the hospital about 11:20h with multiple stab wounds to his chest, and despite the efforts to save him, he succumbed about 11:35h. The murder suspect has been identified as “Omar” of School Street, Albouystown.

Speaking with Guyana Times, the twin brother of the deceased Triski Marshall said Tolasicy’s killer owed him money, and that is why he was murdered.

He explained that his brother had given $250,000 to Omar to make some jewellery for him and about a week later after noticing

that the man was not delivering the jewellery, the two of them confronted him.

Marshall said that he approached the suspect and enquired from him about the jewellery but was told that Omar took the money and bought “weed”.

However, he promised to return the money in a week’s time. After a week passed, and the two brothers went to collect the money, Marshall stated that his brother snatched a chain from Omar’s neck and told him that it is part of the payment and to find the rest of the money.

Attacked

The traumatised brother said on Tuesday morning, his brother was walking on the road and Omar was in a yard, when he ran out and stabbed his brother twice from behind. He disclosed that one stab wound was around the region of the heart while the other was under his arm.

Marshall stated that persons around the area saw the incident, but are refusing to acknowledge that they did.

He explained that after Omar stabbed his brother, he ran into a house, which was being guarded by two men.

However, Omar managed to get out of the house and escape in a motor car.

According to a friend of the deceased, he was at-

Dead: Tolasicy Marshall

tacked by the suspect who chopped him behind his right ear a few days ago.

“He come and chop me behind meh ear just like that, he say that how I gave Talo de bicycle fah ride away with when he tek he chain,” the friend said.

When Guyana Times visited the Marshalls’ home, neighbours and friends were gathered there to share the family’s grief. They were all shocked about the incident, venting their anger over the suspect’s actions. Tragedy never seems to elude the Marshall family, since sometime last year, the men’s sister Shavon Marshall was killed in an accident.

The body of the 28-yearold man is at the Georgetown Public Hospital mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination. He was described as a friendly and hard working person. Meanwhile, the suspect Omar, a father of two, is still on the run.

8 news Gold miner charged with murder wednesday, august 21, 2013| guyanatimesGY.com

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gold miner accused of murdering a fellow miner in Ikawana Backdam, Cuyuni River was brought before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Tuesday.

Seaford Overmuller was not required to plead to the charge of murdering Elson Prince on May 23, 2010, since it is indictable.

On the day in question,

about 20:30h, the accused and Prince had a misunderstanding, which resulted in Price hitting the accused on his forehead.

Overmuller became annoyed and allegedly picked up a four-foot piece of wood and hit the virtual complainant several times to his head. Prince was taken to the Bartica District Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The accused was arrested and a caution statement

was taken.

The matter was first heard on May 28, 2010 at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court when two persons testified at the preliminary inquiry and Overmuller was committed to stand trial at the High Court.

However, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution ordered that the matter be discontinued under Article 1871C of the Constitution, because the

magistrate did not hold a voir dire or make a ruling as to whether the caution statement was given voluntarily.

Overmuller, who was unrepresented, told the court that he is a 27-yearold gold miner with a permanent place of abode at Pomeroon Block.

The matter was transferred to Court One for September 19, and the accused was placed on remand.

Woman stabbed by reputed husband

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27-year-old woman has been admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital after being stabbed by her reputed husband.

The incident occurred sometime around 18:00h on Wednesday.

The injured woman, Shaneeza Mohammed

of Second Field, Sophia Squatting Area, Greater Georgetown, was taken to the medical institution sometime around 18:19h with stab wounds to her chest. Her face also bore marks of violence.

According to information reaching Guyana Times, Mohammed was

badly beaten by her reputed husband on Tuesday morning which left marks of violence on her body. She then went to report the matter to the police station and her husband was taken into custody; however, he was released on $10,000 station bail later that day.

Based on information received, the man went home and stabbed the woman in anger.

The injured woman alerted her neigbhours, who rushed her to the medical institution where she is receiving medical attention and is listed as stable.

Eyew tness Cherrypicking...

O ...on democracy

ne of the demands of normative terms like “freedom” or “democracy” is that because they bundle together a host of values, there’s always the danger of degutting them once you start cherry-picking those values. And this is what the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is doing right now when they talk about “democracy”.

An integral part of democracy, for instance, is the rule of law. Meaning that when we enact laws they must be applied uniformly and not capriciously. Also that the law is the law until the people choose to change the law – democratically.

So here it was, the People’s National Congress (PNC), alterego of APNU, enacted the constitutional provision in 1980 that the party gaining a plurality of votes chooses the president.

That president is the president! Period. Like being pregnant, it’s either you are or you aren’t. In 2000, when the entire constitution was being revised, PNC voted once again to keep that provision. It’s the law of the land. So where do they get off now talking about a “minority president”???

Come to think of it, this is taking cherry-picking to a whole new level. They’re twisting an article of the constitution to justify their power grab.

Then there’s the call for local government elections to be held after a 19-year hiatus. (If nothing else but to rid us of Hamilton Green.) Everybody, and their uncle, wants local government elections. When the U.S. and other ABC (America, Britain, Canada) ambassadors backed this democratic call, APNU fell all over itself to support them. The U.S., it said, represented the quintessence of democracy.

Well, how come that now the U.S. ambassador has called upon “all parties” to get together and discuss the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project (AFHEP), there’s a deafening silence from APNU?? The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) – in the person of no other than President Donald Ramotar himself – has called for such a sit down – only to be rebuffed by APNU. Democracy involves a process – a process of give and take – which is conducted in discussions, not through press releases.

Let’s see if once again APNU will cherry-pick not only what principle of democracy they choose to traduce, but which suggestion of the “quintessence of democracy” – in the person of the U.S. ambassador – they choose to heed.

...to help or rob

Continuing the carnage on our roads, one person is now dead as a result of the horrific crash at Agricola on Sunday evening. Several are still critical. The story is one that’s all too familiar to all of us: one bus, overloaded with 17 passengers, returning from a fun and frolic outing, gets into a drag racing contest with another vehicle. On the busiest stretch of highway in all of Guyana – the East Bank Demerara public road.

The bus clips another bus, cartwheels several times and is pinned to the median. But what is more shocking than even that tragedy is what followed. According to one news report, a band of youths from the village, rather than helping the trapped and injured passengers, actually robs them. “Gleefully”.

As one observer asked, what kind of people are these?

When bands of British youths looted stores in London following protest riots, the mayor dubbed them “feral youths”. If stealing television sets and other electronics makes those youths “feral”, what does robbing the maimed and the injured make these youths??

But one just as interesting fact is that none of the print press followed up on this story – preferring to deal with the accident and the injuries only. These are newsworthy – but investigating our descent into the abyss is even more so.

...legitimacy

As if cherry-picking the tenets of democracy wasn’t enough for APNU, looks like it’s willing to do the same thing for the partner of democracy, the free enterprise system.

The latter exists only in the activity of its practisers – the business community. But APNU has steadfastly refused their plea to get together with the government on Amaila.

news

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wednesday, august 21, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

CBU wraps up two- Littering regulations up for consideration when Parliament reconvenes day workshop

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two-day Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) workshop concluded on Tuesday with discussions focused on the standards that broadcasting entities should employ when converting from analog to digital transmission.

Speaking with Guyana Times, Commonwealth Broadcasting Association (CBA) Project Manager Adam Weatherhead explained that two of the world’s largest media standards entities were present during the CBU workshop hosted at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

He said participating countries were informed of the standards that can be used when they convert to digital operations.

Weatherhead, who is the organiser of the workshop, said the presentations were made with the aim of allowing broadcasting entities to choose. “We invited speakers from all the standards, unfortunately, the ones from Japan and China couldn’t make it, but the two biggest standards in the world, that’s DVBT 2, which was developed in Europe and ATSC, which was developed in the United States, they both came, so we had a bit of a debate between the two of them as to which would be the best standard for the Caribbean to adopt,” Weatherhead said.

He added another objective of the workshop was to highlight the prevalence and usefulness of social media and how broadcasters can adopt these new platforms in their agenda.

“Just because it’s new platforms, and new media, it doesn’t make what we might call traditional legacy broadcasters old,” he noted.

Social media The CBA project coordinator noted that based on discussions, some entities were a bit hesitant in embracing new digital technologies at first, which he said can be harmful to them. As such, Weatherhead noted that the CBU workshop sought to enlighten Caribbean broadcast entities on how they can incorporate new digitalised media to make a profit.

“So it’s to encourage normalisation of the idea of adopting Facebook and YouTube and incorporating them and seeing how revenue can be made from new platforms such as mobile phones,” he outlined.

Currently, the United States of America and the United Kingdom have already converted to digital broadcasting. However, a deadline of 2015 has been set out by the International Telecommunications Union for developed countries to implement the analog-digital switchover. Based on discussions, Weatherhead expressed the view that the more developed countries of the region will have an upper hand and a better advantage of implementing the switchover sooner than least developed nations.

He also added that the discussions and debates that emerged during the workshop bode well for participants and helps them in the conversion process.

N

atural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud said regulations against littering have already been sent to the National Assembly, and it is expected that they will be dealt with as soon as the House reconvenes after the recess.

The regulations, which were approved by Cabinet, were signed on June 5 (World

Environment Day) under the Environment Protection Agency Act. Additionally, the ministry has already sought and obtained the green light from the judiciary for the establishment of an environmental court to prosecute businesses and individuals who are in breach of regulations.

Fines and a ticketing system will also be instituted.

There will be a grace pe-

Woman drowns after falling overboard

FAO highlights potential of South-South Cooperation

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young woman drowned on Tuesday afternoon after she fell into the Barima River, North West District.

The dead woman has been identified as 19-yearold Shevonne Anthony of Port Kaituma, North West District. The incident occurred sometime around 15:30h on Tuesday.

According to a police report, the boat in which Anthony was travelling hit a log and the impact caused the woman to fall overboard. “A boat ferrying passengers from Port Kaituma to Mabaruma struck a log in the Barima River, NWD, causing passenger Shevonne Anthony to fall overboard,” the release stated.

The body of the young woman was recovered a few hours after she went missing.

Her body, which is at the Port Kaituma Hospital, was identified by relatives.

F

ood and Agriculture Organisation Director General José Graziano da Silva highlighted the potential of South-South Cooperation and reiterated the commitment of the organisation “to strengthen and channel the exchanges between Latin America and SubSaharan Africa with the aim to adopt, adapt and broaden best practices that promote agricultural development”.

Graziano da Silva was attending a second sub-Saharan and Argentinean Agriculture Ministers Meeting on “Efficient agriculture for a sustainable agricultural development”. The ministers met to reinforce agricultural South-South Cooperation between emerging countries.

“It is time for Latin America to increase its contribution to African development,” said Graziano da Silva, highlighting the opportunity to reinforce two-way agricultural cooperation between countries that share

riod between the signing of the regulation and the stage of implementation, during which public awareness will be intensified. Despite the calls for citizens to dispose of their waste in a responsible manner, the pile-up of garbage in various areas across the country, especially in the city of Georgetown continues unabated.

To this end, the Natural Resources Ministry launched

similar challenges as well as geographic, climate and social characteristics.

He also emphasised that international and multistakeholder cooperation plays a crucial role in meeting the zero-hunger challenge, launched

by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. In this context, the FAO director general praised the example of the High Level Meeting of African and International Leaders, which was held in July this year, in Addis-Ababa, under the auspices of the African Union, the FAO and the Lula Institute.

During the Addis meeting, African heads of state and government, together with representatives of international organisations, civil society organisations, private sector, cooperatives, farmers, youths, academia and other partners unanimously adopted a declaration to end hunger in Africa by 2025 that calls for a coordination of policies to promote sustainable agricultural development

its “Pick It Up” campaign in June 2012, which speaks to citizens’ social responsibility towards maintaining a clean environment. Since its launch, the campaign has received tremendous support from individuals, groups, and communities at all levels. It has also been getting the support of the business community by way of participation in clean-up exercises and through donations.

with social protection.

Working against hunger

Graziano da Silva stressed the need for international cooperation to fight hunger.

“International cooperation plays an important role in achieving the sustainable and hunger-free future we all want because, in the globalised world we live in today, it is impossible to achieve the eradication of hunger and extreme poverty without working together,” stated the director general.

In the international context, South-South Cooperation has grown in importance in recent years and offers a different way of working. Since the creation in 1996 of the FAO South-South Cooperation initiative, more than 50 SouthSouth Cooperation agreements have been signed and more than 1600 developing country experts and technicians have been deployed to support other countries’ food security initiatives.

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wednesday, august 21, 2013

News

138 youths complete swimming programme at Colgrain Pool

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he Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry in collaboration with the National Sports Commission recently concluded their annual swimming programme in which 138 youths between ages six to 17 successfully participated.

The initiative is part of the ministry’s annual summer camp programme which gives youths the opportunity to participate in different activities during the August vacation.

Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony was pleased with the number of children who participated in this event. Speaking at the closing ceremony which was held at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal, Minister Anthony urged the youths to remain in the sport because of its many physical and mental health benefits.

“We at the ministry are extremely pleased that so many children started the

Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony

programme and stayed with the programme… I hope that the programme will help to introduce them to swimming and in a more general way, introduce them to sport, because we think that is very important,” Minister Anthony said.

While the programme is

an introductory one, participants must continue being actively involved in order to be balanced. “Sometimes as parents, we focus more on the academic side and sometimes we take for granted that the child will somehow develop in the other areas,” he added.

That cannot be taken for granted, he said, because the child will grow up to become an adult and may not value the importance of sports.

The minister also stressed that the programme will eventually enable more persons to be qualified to use the National Aquatic Centre’s 50-metre swimming pool that can accommodate international competitions.

“We want more people to use the aquatic centre and to take advantage of it… the pool will afford swimmers to compete with others in the world, and at the same time can produce champions,” Minister Anthony pointed

out. Parents were also advised about the importance of exercise on a daily basis and urged that they should spend at least 30 minutes per day exercising in order to avoid illnesses such as non-communicable diseases.

Minister Anthony charged the parents to not just enroll their children in a sporting group or organisation, but rather to be closely involved in their development.

Meanwhile, Sport Director Neil Kumar expressed appreciation to the coaches and parents for their interest shown throughout the programme, thus, making it a success. Kumar urged the youths to put what they learnt into practice.

Twenty-six students from the programme were singled out to be involved in a threemonth training course at the Colgrain Pool while one was accredited to the National Aquatic Centre.

Girl stabbed by teen lover

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teenager was stabbed twice on Monday morning along the Golden Fleece Public Road, West Coast Berbice (WCB) after she allegedly refused to answer questions posed to her by her teenage lover about her whereabouts.

Tia Wilson, 16, of Lot

15 Golden Fleece Village, WCB, is now nursing a stab wounds to her left elbow and the right side of her back which were inflicted by her assailant who used a knife.

Reports received suggest that Wilson and her teenage boyfriend, Travis Dutchin, 16, of Number 28

Village, WCB have been dating for quite a while, but on Sunday evening, she reportedly went to visit a friend unknowing to him.

As the teenager was returning home about 01:30h on Monday, she was confronted by the young man who enquired about her

whereabouts, but she refused to answer.

A heated argument ensued between the teenagers during which Dutchin pulled out a knife from his waist and dealt the victim two stabs. She raised an alarm and her assailant made good his escape. She was taken to the Fort Wellington Public Hospital, where she was examined by a doctor and admitted a patient in the female ward.

Her condition is regarded as stable. The matter was reported to the police some 10 hours later. The attacker remains on the lam.

The Naga diaries...

S

atiricus was having the time of his life. And why shouldn’t he? His favourite cricketing Warriors were at the top of the hill...headed for the semis. “And for the finals,” he grinned to himself. He had a beer in one hand and the diary of the Naga Man in the other. His wife’s trusty niece, maid to the big-time funded opposition, had been a bit lax recently with the purloining of the opposition diaries for his perusal. How was he to keep up with his inside scoops on politics?

Dear Diary, Ah cyaan tek it no mo. Even Lot didn’t have to bear so much like me. Ah wonder if the Big Man testing me? Is wha Ah do He? The only thing is Ah does drink every Sunday... that ain’t so bad, is it Dear Diary? After all He should know that even when Ah does go to church, Ah used to think abut the drink more than the sermon.

But lemme tell you about me worries. After all the scheming Ah plan – to throw out the Rum Jhaat from the KFC leadership and me and NoGel gon tek over for the next election, look what stupidness NoGel get heself in!!

He turn secretary for the same company we in KFC cussing down – till it don’t have water to wash it.

He don’t listen to me. He think because Ah just come out from law school Ah don’t know anything. But I know enough that I only cuss down NoCIL after Ah collect me $7 million from them. NoGel don’t realise that Ah got graduate degrees in lying – which is my main qualification to become a lawyer. So now Ah got to start all over again to find somebody to help me throw out the Rum Jhaat and show people KFC “multiracial”.

And Ah turn President. (Ah is all right, Dear Diary. Ah had to tek a “tupps”. Is bush rum dem boys in Canje give me.)

And as soon as that story ease up – look what happen.

Rodee turn general secretary of the party. Can you believe that, Dear Diary? Is enough to turn me stomach. The general secretary is supposed to be the “brains man” in the party. I is the brains man. Rolf used to think he got brains, but he ain’t got brains.

He know some book stuff, but Ah got street smarts. And now that I turn lawyer in me old age, I got book smarts plus street smarts. You know, Dear Diary, I coulda been a contender. If only Ah coulda keep me mouth shut. Ah shoulda tell merely “Keep yuh so and so mouth shut!”

(Excuse me Dear Diary...Ah go to finish the bush rum.)

Wanted bulletin issued for woman who allegedly murdered reputed husband

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acia Alida Bourne is wanted by the police for questioning in relation to the August 14 murder of Clifford Singh, her reputed husband.

Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Bourne is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 225-6411, 2266978, 229-2569, 229-2702, 229-2557, 911 or the nearest police station. Bourne’s last known address was given as Lot 19 Prince William Street, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara.

Singh, 34, of Lot 28 Prince William Street, Plaisance, ECD, was reportedly stabbed several times in the vicinity of the heart and lashed to the head by

Wanted: Dacia Alida Bourne

Bourne, who was allegedly assisted by a man. The man, whose name was given as “Jumo”, was initially arrested.

It was reported that on the morning of the fatal stabbing, the couple was involved in a heated argument about 01:00h in the middle of the street, when she reportedly called out another man who occupied the same house and the two allegedly attacked Singh.

About 02:00h, his body was discovered on the said road in a pool of blood by passersby who raised an alarm.

He was reportedly lashed to the face with a piece of wood, which was later discovered and taken by police as evidence. A knife suspected to be the murder weapon was also discovered in a clogged drain. The couple has a 10-month-old child.

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wednesday, august 21, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

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wednesday, august 21, 2013 | guyanatimeSGY.com

Political commitment key if Guyana is to Raksha Bandhan being observed today achieve MDG on HIV reduction – UNAIDS

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Raksha Bandhan – an immaculate bond between brother and sister

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indus across the country will today observe Raksha Bandhan – a day where siblings strengthen their bonds of love and friendship.

The observance usually falls during July–August on the full moon day of Shrawan, an auspicious month of the Hindu calendar. The festival is dedicated to the beautiful relationship which exists between a sister and brother. Implicit in the raakhi, the delicate silken cord, is the abiding and chaste bond of love between brother and sister.

Raakhi is a thread given as protection against harm.

The raakhi is tied on the wrist of the brother by the sister after application of chandan (fragrance paste) on the forehead and the waving of the lighted thali (plate) over the brother’s head.

The brother is then fed sweetmeat made by the sister. With the tying of the raakhi, the sister seeks the personal protection of her brother at all times in any adverse situation.

While the raakhi is tied on the wrist of biological brothers, from its very inception, it has been extended to any person, a girl or woman feels she reveres and respects as a brother and so the silken thread transcends one’s kith and kin. It is giv-

en sparingly to only those whom that real and true brotherly affection can be given.

Raksha Bandhan is an ideal day to commence study of the Vedas and the best day for boys to enter Gurukul (residential religious school). It is also the most appropriate day for changing the janeo or sacred thread. Above all, it is the best day to renew filial love for each other.

Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha President Dr Vindhya Vasini Persaud called on brothers and sisters to strengthen and deepen their relationship; to live in love, harmony and peace; to be supportive of each other; and to contribute to stable family foundations.

She noted how distressing it is to see and read of brothers and sisters living in total discord over trivial matters and how beautiful it is to observe the unifying effect the raakhi has in building a strong and loving sister/brother relationship which augurs well for a family and society as a whole.

“The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha would like to extend greetings on this special day which brings brothers and sisters closer and ushers in the message of unity, harmony and love,” she added.

NAIDS Country Director Dr Roberto Brant Campos said strong political commitment is a prerequisite if Guyana is to significantly reduce HIV as outlined in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

“We need strong political commitment for now until the post-2015 agenda to discuss the new development goals for the future.

“HIV is important to stay on the agenda and Guyana is no exception,” Dr Campos said during an HIV Estimates Consensus meeting held at Cara Lodge on Tuesday.

Quality data collection and availability of funds are also key to the elimination of HIV/AIDS in Guyana and around the

world, he said, noting that “study in the recent past indicates that the end of AIDS is possible”.

Head of the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS) Dr Shanti Singh said there is a constant reduction of HIV cases with an estimate of less than 500 new cases recorded at the end of 2012.

In a detailed presentation, Dr Singh explained that since the inception of the epidemic in 1987, only AIDS cases were diagnosed.

However, with the introduction of volunteer counselling and testing from 1998, HIV cases were diagnosed.

“In 2006, there was a peak when we had a little over of 1200 cases, but starting from about 2009, we have seen there is a reduction, a constant yearly reduction,”

she reported.

Initially, the epidemic affected mainly the male population, however, since 2000, the ratio has equalised between male and female. “We saw an equaling of the epidemic; a ratio of about 1:1 right up to the end of 2012,” Dr Singh said.

The productive workforce remains problematic, accounting for 80 per cent of all the cases. “At the end of 2012, we have a total of 649 cases reported within the combined age group of 20-49. Those 649 cases actually accounted for 80 per cent of all our cases coming into the Ministry of Health at the end of 2012.”

This trend has been evident for the past five years, the NAPS director posited.

The Health Ministry in collaboration with the Labour

Ministry, the International Labour Organisation and Guyana Business Coalition on HIV, has been working earnestly to bring the figures down.

Like the productive workforce, Region Four continues to be problematic when compared to the nine other administrative regions. “Region Four continues to account for the majority of our cases... At the end of 2012, this is no different, as all newly reported cases to the Ministry of Health accounted was 63.3 per cent at the end of 2012.”

Due to the growing trend, the Health Ministry has put Region Four on its priority list, along with the female commercial sex worker population and the men who have sex with men population.

Cocaine discovered in rice shipment from Guyana

T

he Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) has launched an investigation into the discovery of 69 kilograms of cocaine in a shipment of rice which left Guyana destined for Venezuela.

The discovery was made on August 12 by law enforcement officers in the Dominican Republic in a container of rice being shipped by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB).

Guyana Times understands that the shipment of rice left Guyana, was in tran-

sit in Jamaica, and then went to Dominican Republic where the discovery was made.

Guyanese authorities are to determine if the cocaine left Guyana in the shipment of rice or it was sneaked into the container when it was in transit in Jamaica.

In addition, this publication learnt that the container was not scanned and checked by Guyana Revenue Authority’s Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), before it left Guyana making the investigation even more complicated.

Jamaica and the

Dominican Republic are two countries that are known to be major trans-shipment points for cocaine and authorities are claiming that it could have been unloaded onto the container at any given time when it stopped at the ports.

CANU, after receiving the news of the find, immediately launched a probe, questioning several persons.

Guyana Times was also told that it is not normal to ship rice to Venezuela via Jamaica and the Dominican Republic but owing to the large amount, that route

was taken.

Both Jamaica and the Dominican Republic are conducting independent investigations.

Early last week, the Police Narcotics Branch intercepted more than 15 kilograms of cocaine in a shipment of ochroes at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport. The cocaine was discovered in several boxes of ochroes amongst other boxes which contained other vegetables. One man was later jailed for four years and fined $40.5 million for shipping cocaine.

Police probe suspected murder at Friendship

P

olice have arrested one man as they probe a murder at Friendship, East Bank Demerara (EBD)

early Tuesday morning.

Police in a release said about 02:30h on Tuesday, the body of Victor Ramsabad,

32, of Diamond, EDB was found with suspected marks of violence in a compound at Friendship.

A man has been arrested and is in police custody assisting with the investigations.

FAO launches World Food Day 2013 poster competition

T

he Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations is inviting entries for their World Food Day 2013 poster competition.

According to an FAO release, the competition is open to children ages five to 17 years old and prizes will be awarded to the winners in three cate-

gories: ages five to eight, ages nine to 12 and ages 13 to 17.

This year, the theme for World Food Day is “Healthy food systems – how we grow, process, package, transport, store, market, purchase and eat our food”. Background information about the theme, including a short video, as well as contest rules

and prizes can be found on the FAO website at www. fao.org/WFD-poster-contest.

Participation from children of the Caribbean has traditionally been low and the FAO’s Sub-regional Office for the Caribbean is encouraging schools, summer camps, parents and teachers to get involved in

helping children learn about the theme and express their ideas through art.

All entries are to be provided as digital files uploaded to the FAO website. Digitally produced artwork, scans or photos of artwork are all acceptable.

Deadline for submissions is September 30.

Sandvoort community library seeking books

T

he Foundational Community Library to be located in Sandvoort, West Bank of the Canje River, will be completed by October of this year, Peace Corp Community Educator Matthew Cusimano said.

“We purchase books from the Guyana Book Foundation… we also received books from the National Library, but it’s an entire library we have to fill,” Cusimano said a re-

cent interview with Guyana Times.

The community library is expected to be a great boost to literacy at Sandvoort.

“We welcome any donation of books… it will make the children happy and boost the entire concept of having a community-based library initiative,” the Peace Corp volunteer said.

It was noted that the project seeks to push the community to achieve its own learning tools and enhance

literacy, which is much needed.

Meanwhile, speaking with this publication, a resident from the area, Zaheer Osman said the project will bring the community together.

“It’s a Guyanese project and belongs to the community,” Osman said, adding, “I hope the initiative will motivate others to do the same for their communities.”

According to the volunteer, it took eight months to

garner the necessary funding to construct the library.

Students in the community are currently using a space at the Sandvoort Primary School as a library.

Cusimano pointed out that the library was a community project and the idea stemmed from calls from community members.

Sandvoort is a tiny village, covering an area of about 1000 acres, and is home to a population of about 275.

news

13

wednesday, august 21, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

BIT trainers in competency KFC Vlissengen Road branch, Pizza Hut closed for maintenance workshop

Some of the participants at the BIT competency-based training workshop

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he Board of Industrial Training (BIT), in association with the Technical Vocational Education and Training Council, has embarked on a Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) workshop educating facilitators on how to deliver this new model of training.

The workshop began on Tuesday with an opening ceremony, followed by the first session of the workshop. Its objectives are to inform stakeholders about CBET, prepare trainers to deliver CBET, re-organise training facilities to support the delivery of CBET, and plan programmes for the marketing of CBET. Participants of the workshop include BIT inspectors, and trainers attached to organisations and industries. The workshop will last for four days and is being held at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) building in Kingston, Georgetown.

In his opening address, BIT member Jairam Petam told the participants that the training workshop will develop their technical competency along with their conceptionalising skills so that they will be able to deliver what they know. “You can have technical knowledge, but your ability to impart that knowledge in such a manner that those who you impart your knowledge to, inculcate that knowledge and make themselves

fully functional and actively engaged in employment, [is lacking],” Petam stated, adding that this philosophy of the workshop forms the foundation of BIT. The BIT member encouraged the participants to get involved in the workshop by having dialogue with the facilitators. He noted that meaningful learning cannot be accomplished by a monologue workshop. The board member stated training can only be successful if the facilitators are capable of delivering what they want to do and this is judged entirely on how well the trainees emerged from the training.

Investment in human capital

Petam highlighted that training should be held as an investment in human capital and not an expense.

He noted that he is a strong advocate for training, which can only be successful if it makes a difference in society, to the trainees, and to the country. The BIT member mentioned several key points that the participants should adopt when applying the CBET. Senior TVET Officer Jerry Simpson said the participants of the workshop will be brought up to date with the competency-based education model and will be able to deliver same to their trainees. This type of training, he noted, is in keeping with the thrust of Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME), which allows for

the free movement of skills across the Caribbean.

The TVET officer recapped the objectives of the workshop, informing the participants that he will educate them on how to adopt and execute CBET. “Competency-Based Education and Training is new to Guyana; however, it is the mode of delivery that is used to satisfy the industry and employers internationally. Industries and employers need persons who are competent to do the work and over the years, have moved away from academic qualifications to competency-based qualifications,” Simpson noted. He pointed out that Guyana and the Caribbean are now embarking in that direction and in doing so, trainees will fall in line with the requirements of the Caribbean Vocational Qualification and can obtain certificates which will make them employable anywhere in the Caribbean.

“During the workshop, you will be given information on CBET and as facilitators, it will help you to sell CBET and since it is relatively new, it will take you some time and preparation.

After the workshop, you will see that it is necessary to make adjustments to accommodate CBET,” the TVET officer stated. Simpson noted that he will advocate for Caribbean Vocational Qualification certificates to be given to the participants at the end of the workshop.

Boy in serious condition after colliding with motorcycle

A

nine-year-old boy is now a patient at the New Amsterdam Hospital after he collided with a motorcycle on Monday on the Mount Sinai Public Road, West Canje Berbice.

Anil Barrett of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam is nursing a possible fractured leg, hand and head injuries.

According to information reaching Guyana Times, the motorcycle bearing registra-

tion number CF 5482 was reportedly proceeding along the roadway about 45 kilometres per hour when the lad ran from in front of a motor car which was parked on the other side of the road, and into the pathway of the motorcycle.

The rider applied the brakes and the front wheel came into contact with the child, resulting in both the motorcyclist and the pedes-

trian falling onto the roadway. They both suffered injuries about their bodies.

They were picked up and taken to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital where they were examined by a doctor on duty. The youngster was admitted a patient of the medical institution and his condition is said to be stable, but serious, while the motorcyclist was treated and sent away.

When Guyana Times visited the outlets not a customer was in sight, with the sign on the Pizza Hut door saying “Sorry. We’re closed”

T

he Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets at Vlissengen Road were on Tuesday closed for maintenance amid reports of unsanitary conditions.

Customers were turned away after supervisors and staff at the outlet assured them that the businesses were under repair and maintenance works were being carried out.

According to reports from sources, a top official of the

KFC Regional Branch had paid a visit to the outlets and found that they were not well-kept.

When Guyana Times visited the business places, employees were sitting in the closed outlets and immersed in conversation. Neither the manager nor the staff would offer a word to the media on the recent development, as they were told not to divulge any information.

One of the employees in a telephone conversation with

this paper said the business had been closed owing to the fact that maintenance works were being carried out. The KFC Vlissengen Road outlet was the only one that was closed. The other outlets are in full operation.

Efforts to contact Managing Director Deo Singh proved futile. Guyana in 1994, through DIDCO, opened its first KFC outlet in Stabroek and later extended its reach and services to the people of Guyana.

14

wednesday, august 21, 2013

guyanatimesgy.com

Regional

Some 75 Jamaicans being TT: Warner’s sex, food card deported from U.S. every month claims baseless, says minister

P

J

amaica’s ambassador to the United States Stephen Vascianne has expressed concern over the large number of Jamaicans being deported from the United States back to Jamaica on a monthly basis.

“Far too many Jamaicans are stepping on to the deportation train. Each month about 75 Jamaicans are sent home for indulging in unlawful activities,” Vascianne pointed out.

The Jamaican envoy to Washington said over 800 Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica who attended the Jamaica Independence Celebration Foundation (JICF), Jamaica 51 Independence Ball in Manhattan, New York, on Saturday that, “Jamaica believes that there are some problem with the deportation system as in certain instances, persons are sent to Jamaica when in fact they have no earthly ties to the country. They may have come to the United States as children, live their lives there and now they are re-

eople and Social Development Minister Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh said on Monday he was again considering legal action over Independent Liberal Party (ILP) interim leader Jack Warner, this time following accusations that a sex ring was operating in his ministry.

Calling the accusation made by Warner baseless, Dr Ramadharsingh said: “My lawyers are looking

at all of that. I will not respond to baseless accusations.” At an ILP meeting in Sangre Grande on Saturday, Warner claimed a government minister was running a “sex ring” at his ministry. Warner said: “Employees are forced to have sex for favours.

I have names and places and dates of the persons involved.”

He said an employee was fired after she com-

plained and accused the minister of condoning the sex ring. He also accused the minister of allowing an abuse of the food card system.

The TT Card programme falls under Dr Ramadharsingh’s ministry. On Monday, Dr Ramadharsingh called a press conference at his Port of Spain ministry to clear the air on the food card issue. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Caymanian economic zone focuses on local employment Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States Stephen Vascianne

quired to fend for themselves in unfamiliar territory.”

Vascianne argued that the deportation system may actually be counterproductive to both Jamaica and the United States because it sets in place a loop for criminality. He pointed

out that persons are sent back to Jamaica with no means of economic survival and so they become more entrenched in criminality, which creates instability at home and they sometime export their criminality back to the United States. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

N

ewly-elected Cayman Islands Education Minister Tara Rivers recently met with the board of Enterprise Cayman, Cayman Enterprise City’s (CEC) career development bureau, to begin the process of implementing an initiative to aid the training, employment and advancement of Caymanians in the special economic zone.

The initiative was part of

the definitive agreement between CEC and the Cayman Islands government. The Enterprise Cayman board, which includes two members appointed by the government and three named by CEC, has been meeting on a regular basis since January and has developed a strategy document for the initiative to cover short, medium and long term goals.

The purpose of the meet-

ing was to discuss the strategy document outlining the function and goals of Enterprise Cayman. The primary objective is to raise awareness among young Caymanians of the opportunities that will become available to them within the zone as it develops, and to assist them in getting the exposure and training they need to apply for these jobs in the coming years. (Excerpt from Caribbean News

Now)

Fidel Castro Isolated Peru tribe Ex-army chief asks for food amazed to admits Chile M be alive adoption embers of one of the most isolated tribes on Earth have briefly emerged from the Peruvian jungle to ask for food, according to local activists.

A group from the MashcoPiro tribe made contact with villagers, apparently sparking a tense stand-off.

The tribe, which numbers in the hundreds, has had virtually no contact with the wider world.

Campaigners say logging and urban development have diminished the area in which the tribe can live.

The Mashco-Piro are one

Former Cuban President Fidel Castro

I

n an essay published Wednesday by official media, Cuba’s iconic revolutionary leader and former President Fidel Castro said he did not expect to live long enough to turn 87 this week after grave illness forced him out of office in 2006.

In a wide-ranging article spread over three pages of Communist Party newspaper Granma, Castro recalled being stricken with a nearfatal intestinal ailment on July 26, 2006.

“As soon as I understood that it would be definitive I did not hesitate to cease my charges as president... and I proposed that the person designated to exercise that task proceed immediately to take it up,” he said, in reference to his successor

and younger brother Raul Castro.

“I was far from imagining that my life would be prolonged seven more years,” the retired leader, whose birthday was on Tuesday, added.

Castro, who stepped aside provisionally that year and retired permanently in 2008, is rarely seen in public these days, although pictures and videos of him are released intermittently by official media.

The retired leader’s essay was his first in over four months. His frequent columns, titled “Reflections”, trailed off last year, reappearing after nine months in April with an article urging restraint as tensions elevated on the Korean Peninsula.

(Excerpt from Caribbean360)

of several tribes designated by the government as “uncontacted people”.

The government forbids direct contact because the tribes’ immune systems are not thought able to cope with the type of germs carried by other Peruvians.

Anthropologist Beatriz Huertas told the Associated Press news agency that the tribe could sometimes be seen migrating through the jungle during the dry season.

But it was strange to see them so close to the village across the river, she said.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

PM defends Barbados government socioeconomic policies

P

rime Minister Freundel Stuart has again defended the policies of his ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP) government and is promising Barbadians that the projects outlined in the 2013 national budget will be implemented despite the ongoing economic situation in the country.

Addressing DLP supporters at the party’s annual conference on Sunday, Stuart said that his administration is also moving to decrease the “implementation deficit” over which his administration had been criticised in the past.

“The minister of finance has put in place… a set of

programmes and policies to be pursued and, as prime minister, I will ensure that the phrase ‘implementation deficit’ will become something of the distant past because people will do what they are supposed to do.”

He told delegates to the conference, the first since the party was re-elected in the February general election, that he had full confidence in Finance Minister Chris Sinckler.

He said the situation confronting the island requires strong leadership and that his government was dealing with the matter against the background where the population felt that things would always be easy. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

General Juan Emilio Cheyre rose through the ranks under General Pinochet’s rule

C

hile’s former army chief has admitted handing over for adoption the child of murdered left-wing activists after Augusto Pinochet’s 1973 military coup.

Juan Emilio Cheyre, who is the current head of the electoral commission, told El Mercurio he took the twoyear-old to a convent and handed him to nuns.

The boy, Ernesto Lejderman, was raised in Argentina by his grandparents.

Lejderman, now 40, said he did not think Cheyre should face charges over the incident.

The BBC’s Gideon Long in Santiago said it is the first time Cheyre has spoken publicly about the case.

He told the newspaper he was only 25 years old at the

time, and was only following the orders of his superior.

But his critics want him to resign as election chief.

Thousands of left-wing activists were killed or disappeared in Chile under General Pinochet’s 1973 to 1990 rule.

Lejderman’s parents, Argentine Bernardo Lejderman and his Mexican wife Maria Avalos, were leftwing activists who fled to a remote mountain valley after General Pinochet came to power.

Within months, the military had hunted them down and killed them.

Lejderman was with his parents but survived the attack.

After being cared for in the convent, he was sent to Argentina to be brought up by his paternal grandparents.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

15 Around the World

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesday, august 21, 2013

Erdogan Cairo court sets trial Turkey’s claims Israel behind date for ElBaradei Morsi ouster A Cairo court has set a September trial date for Mohamed ElBaradei, the recently-resigned interim vice president for foreign affairs, on charges of “breaching national trust”.

The charges against ElBaradei were filed by a law professor at Cairo’s Helwan University, according to a report in the staterun Al-Ahram.

He stands accused of “betraying” the public by resigning on August 14, a misdemeanour charge that could carry US$1430 fine if he is convicted.

Khaled Dawoud, a former spokesman of the National Salvation Front of which ElBaradei was one of the founders, told Al Jazeera that the prose-

Mohamed ElBaradei

cutor general’s decision to refer the case to court was probably a consequence of the current atmosphere

of polarisation in the country.

“This is a reflection of the atmosphere in Egypt

right now. You cannot take your independent stand or otherwise you will be considered breaching national trust” Dawoud said.

“The complaint against ElBaradei is ridiculous. I just even could not believe this kind of case will be filed.”

The longtime diplomat stepped down hours after security forces brutally dispersed two protests in support of deposed President Mohamed Morsi, killing at least 830 people, according to official figures.

In his resignation letter, ElBaradei lamented the violent crackdown, warning of a “state of polarisation and grave division... the social fabric is threatened as violence breeds violence”.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

In relentless campaign, Egypt arrests Muslim Brotherhood leader

E

gypt’s army-backed authorities detained the Muslim Brotherhood’s leader on Tuesday, signalling their determination to crush the group and silence protests against the ousting of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.

The arrest of Mohamed Badie, 70, the Brotherhood’s general guide, followed the bloody suppression of rallies demanding the reinstatement of Egypt’s first freely elected president, who was toppled by the military last month.

Egypt is enduring the worst internal strife in its

Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed Badie sits at a police station after being arrested by security forces in Cairo

modern history, with about 900 people killed, including

100 police and soldiers, after security forces broke up

protest camps by Morsi’s supporters in the capital on August 14.

A spokesman for a proBrotherhood alliance put the death toll amongst its followers at about 1400.

The turmoil has alarmed the United States and the European Union, but Israel and some Gulf Arab states led by Saudi Arabia have pressed the West not to punish Cairo’s new rulers.

Qatar, the only Gulf state seen as sympathetic to Morsi, sent another tanker of liquefied natural gas to energy-strapped Egypt this week despite the army takeover. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Tsvangirai in Journalist’s partner judges insult suing UK over Heathrow detention probe

Z

imbabwe’s opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai may face contempt of court charges for “disparaging remarks” he made about the judiciary.

High Court Judge Chinembiri Bhunu said prosecutors would be informed.

His comments came as Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party lost two court cases relating to the disputed July 31 election.

The Constitutional Court said President Robert Mugabe’s re-election was “free, fair and credible”.

Mugabe won with 61 per cent of the presidential vote against 34 per cent for Tsvangirai.

The two had been part of power-sharing government

formed in 2009 under pressure from regional leaders following elections the year before marred by violence and allegations of rigging.

The Constitutional Court made its ruling on Tuesday despite the MDC withdrawing its case last Friday, alleging it would not get a fair hearing.

The MDC’s separate case before the High Court seeking full details of the results from the electoral commission was also dismissed on Tuesday.

Justice Bhunu said the High Court did not have the jurisdiction to rule on the matter, adding the case had no merit because of the applicant’s “gross conduct in soiling the dignity and integrity of this court”. (Excerpt from

BBC News)

T

he partner of U.S. journalist Glenn Greenwald – who has written reports based on leaks by Edward Snowden – has begun legal action to stop the British authorities inspecting data they seized from him, his lawyer said on Tuesday.

David Miranda, a Brazilian citizen in transit from Berlin to Brazil, said he was released without charge after nine hours of questioning but minus his laptop, mobile phone and memory sticks.

Miranda’s lawyer Gwendolen Morgan said her client was seeking a judicial review of the legal basis for his detention at London’s Heathrow Airport on Sunday under anti-terrorism laws and wanted assurances from the authorities that property

seized from him would not be examined before this.

“We’ve sought undertakings that there will be no inspection, copying, disclosure, transfer or interference in any other way with our client’s data pending determination of his judicial review,” Morgan told Reuters.

“We’re waiting to hear back this afternoon from both the defendants. Failing that we will be left with no option but to issue urgent proceedings in the High Court tomorrow.”

She said the “letter before action” had been sent to London’s police chief and the home secretary. It also demanded that they detail whether Miranda’s data had already been passed on to anyone else, and if so, who that was and why. (Excerpt from

France24)

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan

P

rime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has claimed that Israel was behind the July 3 military coup in Egypt, adding that Ankara has evidence as to the country’s involvement in former President Mohammed Morsi’s overthrow.

“Now the West starts to say democracy is not the ballot box or not only the box but we know that

the ballot box is the people’s will,” Erdogan said at an expanded meeting of the provincial chairs of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

The prime minister criticised Western countries’ stance vis-à-vis Egypt’s coup, saying, “The West should [understand] the description of democracy, they need to learn it.”

(France24)

Pakistan’s ex-ruler Musharraf indicted in Bhutto’s killing

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Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf

Pakistani court on Tuesday indicted former President Pervez Musharraf in the killing of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, the first time charges have been filed against an ex-military chief in the South Asian nation.

Bhutto, Pakistan’s first female prime minister, was assassinated in a gun-suicide attack in December 2007, shortly after she came back to Pakistan from selfimposed exile to take part in the 2008 general elections.

Musharraf was president at the time.

Musharraf’s government blamed former Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud for the assassination, saying he had paid a network of Islamist militants to carry out the killing.

But Musharraf and his security forces were previ-

ously accused of failing to do enough to protect Bhutto, a political rival.

The former military ruler has denied having anything to do with Bhutto’s killing.

“The politically motivated indictment filed against former President Musharraf implicating him in the unfortunate assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is not only false, fabricated and fictitious, but is also an undignified attempt to smear the honour and integrity of the former president on the world stage,” Musharraf spokesman Raza Bokhari said in a statement Tuesday.

After the general elections in 2008 where his party was trounced, Musharraf stepped down as the governing coalition began taking steps to impeach him. (Excerpt from CNN)

16

wednesday, august 21, 2013

guyanatimesgy.com

Africa

Caribbean

Look to the microfinance industry Kenyan expert sees China-Africa to address unemployment relations growing

C

hairman of the Development Bank of Jamaica Joseph M Matalon says a strong microfinance industry is critical to reducing Jamaica’s unemployment. Matalon, speaking on Monday against the background of figures released by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) that showed the unemployment rates in Jamaica at 16.3 per cent, up to April, said that “the micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurship are the primary engine for economic growth

and job creation in Jamaica and the region”.

His views were supported by Therese Turner-Jones, country representative, Inter-American Development Bank and Cesar Valor Ange, chargé d’affaires, Delegation of the European Union, at the DBJ’s Kingston offices, where they addressed the media launch of the Fifth Caribbean Microfinance Forum (CMF) scheduled for Suriname, November 4-7, 2013.

The CMF is an annual event that has been supported since 2009 by the Caribbean Capacity Building Microfinance Project

II (CARIB-CAP II), managed in Jamaica by Development Options Ltd and Triodos Facet from the Netherlands. CARIBCAP II the second phase of an effort to provide much-needed support to strengthen financial performance and improve client outreach for a group of microfinance institutions in the region, is jointly funded by the Multilateral Investment Fund (a member of the InterAmerican Development Bank), the European Union, Caribbean Development Bank and the Citi Foundation. (Jamaica

Observer)

North America

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elations between China and Africa will continue to expand, depending on the people-to-people understanding and the sustained government-to-government contact, an African policy expert says.

Executive Director of Institute for Democracy and Leadership in Africa Denise Kodhe told Xinhua in a recent interview that Africa has a lot to learn from China’s experience, especially in ways to promote economic, innova-

tion and infrastructure development and political stability.

“China-Africa relations is a two-way traffic and therefore it is an opportunity for the two partners to benefit from each other, “ he said in Nairobi on Tuesday.

Kodhe said issues like the widening trade imbalance between China and Africa need to be addressed urgently by creating an understanding among African business people on the export market opportunities available in

China.

“All countries with well developed middle class like China believe a lot in quality and therefore Africa must thrive to ensure that they offer quality products to China,” the expert insisted.

African leaders, he said, also should ensure that they have a clear agenda when dealing with China, so as to get the maximum benefits from the relations as China is doing. (allAfrica)

Asia

Indian rupee falls further amid Wall Street rebounds from string Fed stimulus concerns he Indian rupee has fall- vened to stem the slide in the cent and South Korea’s Kospi of losses; retailers gain en to a new all-time low currency. dropped by 1.6 per cent.

S

tocks, snapping the year’s longest losing streak, rose on Tuesday on gains by Best Buy Co, JC Penney and other retailers.

Gains accelerated in afternoon trading due to large-cap technology stocks, including Intel Corp and Cisco Systems, which lifted the Nasdaq composite index more than one per cent.

But U.S. Treasuries yields, although down from Monday, were still at two-year highs, encouraging investors to dump

riskier assets like stocks and buy U.S. government debt.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year note dipped to 2.83 per cent on Tuesday from 2.88 per cent on Monday. Best Buy, Home Depot and JC Penney rose after they posted results.

Consumer-focused shares had recently been battered as retailers which reported earnings earlier in the period disappointed investors.

Intel shares were up 1.4 per cent at US$22.60, the big-

gest gainer on the Dow, while Cisco Systems jumped nearly one per cent to US$24.49.

Investors have been grappling with uncertainty over when the Federal Reserve might begin to wind down its stimulus measures. On Wednesday, they will be able to study the minutes from the U.S. central bank’s July meeting, which will be released and might provide clues about policymakers’ plans for so-called quantitative easing. (Reuters)

Europe

UK banks defer bonuses to beat top tax rate

B

ritain’s banks delayed handing over bonuses to highly paid staff until April this year to take advantage of George Osborne’s cut in the top rate of tax to 45p, according to evidence collected by the Office for National Statistics. Official data showed that bonuses across the economy were all but flat in the year to March 2013, increasing by just one per cent compared with the same period a year ago, to

£36.9 billion. Within the finance and insurance sector, payouts were virtually unchanged at £13.3 billion.

But the ONS said the picture had been distorted by businesses within the finance sector choosing to pay out bonuses in April, instead of March this year, when workers earning over £150,000 a year would pay income tax at 45p instead of 50p. Measured from May 2012 to April 2013, so that these deferred pay-

Market statistics

Gold Prices – Guyana Gold Board

Cambio Rates Bank of Guyana

Cur

ments were included, bonuses were up by four per cent on a year earlier, at £38.6 billion.

Labour has repeatedly derided the coalition’s decision to reduce the top rate as a “tax cut for millionaires”, and official confirmation that there was widespread deferral of bonuses into the new financial year will strengthen the opposition’s argument that the wealthy are reaping all the benefits from economic recovery. (The Guardian)

Fixed as at July 24, 2013 Calculated at 94% purity

Buying

Selling

U.S.

$1335.00

GBP

$320.13

$324.14

Cambio

CAN

$197.23

$199.50

Gross

$254,331

$206.92

Net

$236,527

Selling

$262,426

$204.49

USD

$202.67

Indicators as on August 20, 2013 Live Spot Gold Bid/Ask

$1371.00

$1372.00

Low/High

$1363.40

$1379.50

+5.40

Change

+0.40

USD GBP EUR

AM

1365.75 871.29 1020.28

Aug 19

AM

Price Silver

US$ per barrel

Change %

$109.90 USD per Ounce

-0.45

23.03 $1514.00

Change %

-0.16 +11.00

PM

1372.00 875.43 1021.43 PM

Last: 15002.99

1365.00 872.54 1022.70 Changes: -7.75

% Change: -0.05

Open: 15011.82

High: 15074.92

Low: 14992.16

% YTD: +14.49

52Wk Hi: 15658.43

52 Wk Lo: 12035.09

USD GBP EUR

1375.25 878.47 1031.39

Crude Oil

Platinum

London Gold Fix

Aug 20

Indicators

USD Per Once

T

against the U.S. dollar, amid concerns the Federal Reserve will soon scale back its stimulus measures. It dropped to 64.13 against the U.S. dollar in early trade on Tuesday.

Foreign investors have been pulling money out of India, as the economy has slowed and the cost of borrowing in dollars has risen. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is rumoured to have inter-

Middle East

The Indian rupee has declined by nearly 16 per cent against the U.S. dollar since May and is Asia’s worst performing currency so far this year. Its further decline on Tuesday was mirrored by falls in markets across other developing markets, particularly in Asia. On Tuesday, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index fell by 2.6 per cent, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was down 2.2 per

The Indonesian stock market fell 4.9 per cent on Tuesday, pushing it into a formal bear market – meaning it has fallen by more than 20 per cent since its last peak. Minutes from the the Federal Reserve’s latest meeting are due to be published on Wednesday, and may set out more details about the rollback of its “quantitative easing” stimulus programme.

(BBC News)

Top 10 locations for Dubai’s future mega projects

D

ubai could be set for another round of bigticket developments with a host of lucrative plots currently up for sale and ready for the next superlative-laden project launch.

An analysis of land listings on website Dubizzle.com has found plots for sale at indemand areas such as Wafi, Palm Jumeirah, Dubailand and Business Bay, as well as a coastal offering in the emir-

ate of Ras Al Khaimah.

Prices range from US$266 million for almost one million square feet in Wafi to US$39.5 million for 100,000 square feet in Dubai’s Downtown district.

Lannhill real estate commercial property agent Gavin McNally said most of the interest in land sales in the past six months had come from Indian investors, while interest was also coming from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and

Investors' guide

within the UAE. McNally said Business Bay was “hot” at the moment for developers looking at tower projects, while smaller developers were focusing on townhouse-style projects in Jumeirah Village Circle.

FAM Properties property consultant and broker Peter Sleiman said location was the key factor when developers were looking to invest their money. (Arabian Business)

Keeping an eye on your competitors CONTINUED FROM TUESDAY

First of all, be aware of your competitors. Companies often get blindsided by a company which wasn’t perceived as a real competitor until it is too late. An obvious example is cell phone maker Nokia’s fall at the hands of Apple, which had long been perceived as a personal computer company with no interest in mobile handsets. Google also blindsided invincible software giant Microsoft by rapidly transforming from a search engine into a cloud-based software company.

In turn, social networking site Facebook hit Google in a blind spot by outgrowing its status as a social site and branching out into all the nooks and crannies of the

web, a final frontier which Google had laid claims to. The lesson gathered here is that your competitors aren’t always who you think they are.

Besides your normal industry peers, be aware of which hidden companies are threatening to cross over industry lines to threaten your business.

Find several major competitors to follow. Commit your workforce to follow their every move, and try to gauge their business strategies based on their current products, supply chain, pricing and financial condition, if the company trades publicly. For example, Google has been struggling to follow in Facebook’s footsteps with

its social network, Google+.

You can bet that both companies are thoroughly evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the other. Facebook has “Like”, therefore Google has “+1”. Google is changing groups into a more userfriendly “Circles” format, so Facebook strikes back by revamping its Groups pages into a new, simpler format. iPhone and Google Apps? Check.

Instant photo sharing from smartphones? Check. This kind of rapid fire tit-for-tat is what your company needs to stay competitive and ahead of your competitors. Make sure your products have everything your competitor promises and more – hopefully at a lower price. (Business Dictionary)

Business concept – Statistics Branch of mathematics concerned with collection, classification, analysis, and interpretation of numerical facts, for drawing inferences on the basis of their quantifiable likelihood (probability).

Statistics can interpret aggregates of data too large to be intelligible by ordinary observation because such data (unlike individual quantities) tend to behave in regular, predictable manner. It is subdivided into descriptive statistics and inferential statistics.

To

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wednesday, august 21, 2013

thursDAY, march 11, 2010 | guyanatimesGY.com

archie

By Bernice Bede Osol

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19) Take a different approach to your daily chores and you will inspire those around you to follow suit. Money will come to you from an unusual source.

dilbert

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19) Partnerships will be tense if you don’t make a concerted effort to discuss your feelings openly and honestly. You cannot improve your life if you don’t address what’s bothering you.

Calvin and Hobbes

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Your unusual approach to financial and personal affairs will lead to all sorts of interesting and unique opportunities. Expect to be very busy.

CANCER (June 21July 22) Too much of anything will cause problems at home and at work.

Discipline will be required to offset your desire to indulge physically, emotionally and financially.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22) Get together with people who make you think in unusual ways. Make personal improvements that help you focus on and improve what you have to offer. Don’t be afraid to step out on a limb when it comes to love.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22) Confusion in your emotional relationships will surface if you aren’t specific about your likes and dislikes. Communication will be key to keeping your options open and your life journey on track.

Peanuts ARIES (March 21-April 19)

SUDOKU

Your changing mood and unpredictable nature will cause others to question your methods. Check to make sure you are being practical before it’s too late.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) You are in a cycle where big decisions can be made regarding how you spend your time and whom you spend it with. A move may be necessary – don’t fear it.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23) Problems getting things accomplished will hamper your ability to deliver. Don’t promise what you cannot provide, even if it means disappointing someone. Gauge your time wisely.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22) You’ll have the drive to get things done, but interference may stand between you and success.

Alter your living space to allow you to finish projects in the comfort of your home.

Tuesday's solution GEMINI (May 21June 20)

SAGITTARIUS

Take some time to shop and pamper yourself. Enjoy the company of someone special and share your plans for the future. Romance will lead to optimism.

It’s a good day to engage in activities that require your talents, skills and expertise. You’ll impress someone who can boost your reputation and bring some major changes.

(Nov. 23Dec. 21)

news 19

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Contract signed for PAC headquarters T

wednesday, august 21, 2013

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he Natural Resources and Environment Ministry on Tuesday signed two agreements that will bring significant impetus to the sector. A $4 million one-year co-financing grant was signed with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF); while the second is a $28 million contract for construction of a head office to house the newly-formed Protected Areas Commission (PAC).

According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) release, Minister Robert Persaud said at the signing that these two initiatives speak to the ongoing collaboration that the ministry has with local and international stakeholders to build the necessary capabilities to better manage the country’s natural resources, while protecting the environment.

The contract for the construction of the PAC’s building was awarded to Satar Mohammed and Son Construction and Hardware and Supplies after a competitive bidding process. The works are expected to be completed in six months; however, the contractor is optimistic that the building can be completed by the end of the year.

Minister Persaud highlighted that the formation of the PAC was a bold initiative by the government to ensure sustainable environmental management. This project is being executed through support from the German government under phase 11 of the Guyana Protected Areas System (GPAS).

A US $6.2 million agreement for phase 111 of the project was recently reached between the governments of Guyana and Germany.

Implementation of this phase will commence in 2014. The

minister said that this will allow the PAC to have a home of its own; currently it is occupying a part of the National Parks Commission (NPC).

PAC Commissioner Damian Fernandes said the construction of a base for the commission will no doubt strengthen its ability to implement its charge and will result in more efficient functioning.

German Consul Ben Ter Welle said that they are working with the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) to install a photovoltaic system on the roof of the new building that is not included in the contract. The building at Thomas Lands, which currently houses the NPC, will be extended and upgraded to accommodate the PAC’s office. The former will eventually cease to be an independent entity as its functions will be absorbed by the latter.

EPA regulations

With regards to the agreement with the WWF, Minister Persaud explained that there have been several complaints about the operation of factories, the extractive industry and business entities causing discomfort to residents.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is tasked with addressing such issues; however, when environmental permits are granted, the agency’s ability to ensure that people adhere to the conditions of the permit is limited.

As such, whenever there are breaches, the EPA is left with no alternative but to take the offenders to court. This process, Minister Persaud said, can be very costly and time-consuming. “There is another mechanism, we can have regulations whereby we

EPA Executive Director Dr Indarjit Ramdass and PAC Commissioner Damian Fernandes at the contract signing can give the EPA more teeth, to not only respond to breaches, but also take actions against persons who commit infractions and are causing environmental harm and damage,” the minister stated.

This co-financing grant, which is provided under the WWF Guianas Gold Mining Pollution Abatement Programme, will see the development of the agency’s Environmental Protection Compliance and Enforcement Regulations in support of the Environmental Protection Act of 1996.

Minister Persaud disclosed that last year, more than 400 complaints of infractions were made, excluding those the EPA detected.

“Imagine if we were to have 400 such cases in court, we would need a full-time legal division within the EPA to deal with this. Then too, persons go to court and get injunctions and stay order and they continue to carry on their activities; causing nuisance and environmental harm and the EPA’s hands are more or less tied,” Minister Persaud explained.

He added that while economic activities must go on, they must be done in an environmentally -sustainable way. “… we have to ensure that we do not inflict damage to the environment; it is not to hold back development but rather to ensure that development takes place in a sensible way.”

EPA Executive Director Dr Indarjit Ramdass said this initiative will allow for more direct response from the agency, such as issuance of charges and seizing of equipment. The EPA hopes to begin implementing these regulations by year-end.

WWF representative Sophie Edghill pointed out this support complements the technical and financial assistance that her organisation has given to the EPA over the past several years to strengthen its managerial capabilities to protect Guyana’s environment.

This project involves the contracting of a legal expert to develop the regulations and to provide sensitisation training sessions with EPA officers and relevant stakeholders.

Packed programme to celebrate Heritage Month

T

he Amerindian Affairs Ministry on Tuesday unveiled the calendar of events for this year’s annual Heritage Month celebrations which features a range of activities to reflect the way of life of the first people.

The month will be observed under the theme “Honouring our culture, advancing our future”.

The month will commence with an interfaith service at the Umana Yana on August 31 at 17:00h, followed by the grand launch on September 1 at the Amerindian Village, National Exhibition Complex, Sophia at 17:00h.

The programme will include several cultural items from the nine Amerindian tribes of Guyana and President Donald Ramotar is expected to deliver the feature address while Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai will give brief remarks.

Coordinator of the launch, Jude Da Silva said more than 500 persons are expected to be in attendance. “We look forward to have persons from the various ethnic groups to come and join in celebration.”

There will also be a craft and food exhibition at the Amerindian Village from September 2 to 5, from midday to 22:00h, which will display and have for sale bamboo, tibisiri and balata products, as well as in-

Members of the head table at the launch of Amerindian Heritage Month. From left to right: sports organiser Eghen Mayers, Heritage Village coordinator Alexi La Rose, ceremonial launch coordinator Jude Da Silva, Amerindian Affairs minister adviser Yvonne Pearson, Stephen Campbell Reflections coordinator Sharon Hicks, pageant coordinator Jolene Brown and heritage coordinator Claire Emanuel digenous jewellery, such as beads and necklaces while the food exhibition will afford Guyanese the opportunity to taste a wide variety of dishes prepared by Amerindians.

There will also be cultural nights from September 1 to 5 at the Amerindian Village from 17:00h.

This year, the highly anticipated Heritage Village celebration will be held in Karasabai, Region Nine on September 7, with numerous activities planned. The heritage walk will also be held at Karasabai. There will also be a reflection on the life and achievements of Stephen Campbell, the first Amerindian to be a member of Parliament on September 10, at 10:00h. Coordinator of

the activity Sharon Hicks said this year will be more educational for young people, highlighting that the presentations will be done in the form of two dramas.

The heritage dinner and fundraiser will be held at the Georgetown Club on September 15 at 19:00h.

Tickets for this event cost $7000. The funds raised will assist Amerindian patients seeking medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The Arawak Language Revival Project, which will be funded by the Amerindian Affairs Ministry, will be launched on September 19, at Capoey Village, Region One. Sporting activities will be held from September 21 to 22

at GNS ground and athletes from the 10 administrative regions will compete in games such as cricket, football and volleyball. Tickets will be sold at the gate and will cost $300 each.

Bringing down the curtains for the month of celebrations will be the Miss Amerindian Heritage Pageant on September 28 at the National Cultural Centre at 18:00h.

Ten ladies from the 10 administrative regions will vie for the crown. Tickets cost $1500, $2500 and $3000 and will be available at the National Cultural Centre and Amerindian Affairs Ministry from August 31. The contestants will be sashed at the Heritage Dinner.

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wednesday, august 21, 2013

England seek crushing final blow

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Matt Prior, Alastair Cook and Stuart Broad train ahead of the fifth Test

ot since 1981 have England arrived at The Oval for the last Test of an Ashes summer with the series already won.

The possibility that lies tantalisingly before them is even rarer. Never before have Australia been beaten 4-0 by England and only once have they lost by such a wide margin (the 5-1 home defeat in 1978-79, when Packer was a dirty word). After a demoralising six weeks, when Australia have regularly misplaced their key moments, they will have to find extra reserves if they not to be swept away by an English tide.

Metaphor aside, Australia have again delved into their squad to supplement an ever-changing cast, with James Faulkner called on to make his Test debut. Only Mathew Wade of the original 16-man party has not been utilised and, with the additions of Ashton Agar and Steven Smith, Australia will have used 17 different players over the course of the series - not to mention a batting order that has changed with every Test.

England, by contrast, have been their usual, methodical selves and only an injury to Tim Bresnan will force them to alter the team for the first time since Steven Finn was dropped for the second Test at Lord’s. It is not only the scorelines that have changed in Ashes cricket.

It may not be the cauldron of expectation experienced in 2005 and 2009, then, but The Oval has a recent record of producing memorable finales. Despite England’s supremacy, this series has at times brought to mind the joke from Annie Hall about a conversation between two elderly women at a resort in the Catskill mountains: “One of them says, ‘Boy, the food in this place is terrible.’

The other one says, ‘Yeah, I know, and such small portions.’”

There has been a shortfall in quality on both sides - only Ian Bell, Graeme Swann and Ryan Harris can claim to have had outstanding series - but the Investec Ashes continues to serve up irresistible moments.

Jonny Bairstow has been attempting to nail down a spot in England’s Test side for over a year now but, despite frequent encouraging episodes, the hammer keeps descending at a crooked angle. His 67 at Lord’s was crucial in helping to right England’s first innings and 203 runs at 29.00 in the series puts him above both Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott but doubts about his technique and temperament persist. England have not had a century from their No. 6 batsman since Eoin Morgan in 2010 but it feels like Bairstow needs a threefigure score to be sure of his place this winter.

When you have backers like Shane Warne in your corner, big things are expected and James Faulkner has provided plenty of evidence of his talent since his debut for Tasmania as an 18-yearold. Now 23, Faulkner averages 30.31 with the bat and 22.87 with the ball in first-class cricket and his feisty, competitive spirit has been to the fore in a handful of limited-overs appearances for his country. That aside, Australia may hope the fact Faulkner hails from Launceston, hometown of Ricky Ponting, is enough to make England edgy.

Alastair Cook said that Chris Tremlett has a “good chance” of coming back into the side for a first Test appearance since January 2012. Bresnan’s back injury means a space has opened up in the attack and Tremlett will be up against Chris Woakes - more of a like-for-like replacement for the all-round talents of Bresnan and Finn. Giving Simon Kerrigan a debut alongside Graeme Swann remains an outside possibility, though England have not played two spinners at home since Cardiff 2009. (Cricinfo)

Ryder banned for six months after failing drug test

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ew Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder has been banned for six months after failing a drug test in March. He will be available to play again after October 19, once the retrospective penalty ends.

Ryder underwent a routine drug test while playing a Ford Trophy match for Wellington on March 24. He tested positive for 1-Phenylbutan-2-amine (PBA) and N, alpha-diethyl-benzeneethanamine (DEBEA), which are banned in sports.

Ryder was informed of the result on April 12 and attended a hearing before the New Zealand Sports Tribunal earlier this month, where the ban was handed down.

The batsman will not contest the decision of the tribunal.

According to the Tribunal, Ryder “’may not during the period of ineligibility participate in any capacity in a competition or activity authorised or organised by New Zealand Cricket or a cricket club or other member organisation’’.

The mandatory punishment for a drug violation is a two-year ban, but Ryder was given a lighter sentence because he could establish that he did not use drugs to improve his performance. He was also able to attribute the source of the drugs to a dietary supplement that he was taking as part of a weight-loss programme.

According to news reports, Ryder made some enquiries about the supplement on his own and decided to take it after concluding that it did not contain any banned substances. However, he did not contact Drug Free Sport, an anti-doping organisation, to check whether the product was on its list of banned substances. After he tested positive, he commissioned an independent forensic analysis, which confirmed the presence of the substances and traced them to the dietary supplement.

In a statement released by

Jesse Ryder

the New Zealand Cricket Players’ Association, Ryder said: “I’m devastated by this situation. I’ve never taken drugs and to be in this situation distresses me greatly. I simply took the supplement alongside a training programme I was completing to help me lose weight.

I have attended anti-doping education seminars during my time in cricket and am a strong supporter of Drug Free Sport New Zealand. I’m aware of the precautions you need to take; I did take steps to check the supplement but ultimately it was my responsibility and I accept that. Whilst everyone is aware of my well-documented battles with alcohol, it’s important for me to state that I abhor drug use of any kind, both recreational and performance-enhancing in sport.’’

Ryder, who has played 18 Tests and 39 ODIs for New Zealand so far, took a sabbatical from international cricket in 2012, choosing to focus on his fitness and domestic cricket. Earlier this year, Ryder was assaulted outside a bar in Christchurch and spent two days in a medically induced coma before making a recovery. In July, Ryder announced his decision to leave Wellington and represent Otago in the forthcoming domestic season.

(Cricinfo)

Celtic hopes dented by Shakhter C eltic’s hopes of reaching the Champions League group stage suffered a severe blow as Shakhter Karagandy took control of their play-off tie on Tuesday.

The Kazakh side gained an early lead through Andrei Finonchenko’s closerange finish.

Kris Commons struck the bar and Georgios Samaras headed wide as the visitors tried to force a leveller.

Emilio Izaguirre and James Forrest also threatened for Celtic before Sergey Khizhnichenko headed Shakhter’s second.

Celtic will seek to overturn their deficit in next Wednesday’s return meeting in Glasgow.

The first-leg fixture took place at the 30,000seat Astana Arena in Kazakhstan’s capital instead of Shakhter’s smaller capacity ground in Karagandy.

And, like Celtic’s previous two qualifying rounds, the Scottish champions were

playing their away leg on an artificial surface.

Neil Lennon’s side had secured aggregate wins against Cliftonville and Elfsborg without conceding a goal but a new defensive line-up looked vulnerable as Shakhter took the lead.

Nikola Vasiljevic headed on Gediminas Vicius’ long throw-in and Finonchenko slid in to tuck the ball past goalkeeper Fraser Forster.

Earlier, Virgil van Dijk had twice threatened to mark his first Celtic start with a goal.

Aleksandr Simcevic cleared off the line after the Dutchman outmuscled keeper Aleksandr Mokin at a corner before the 22-yearold had a header saved.

And the home side had another narrow escape when Commons’ superbly struck shot hit the underside of the bar and bounced back into play off the goal-line, with the officials deeming the ball had not gone in.

Samaras headed Charlie Mulgrew’s free-kick narrow-

ly wide moments later.

Izaguirre may have done better after latching on to Commons’ diagonal ball early in the second half, the full-back scooping his shot over from near the penalty spot.

Throw-ins from Vicius continued to cause Celtic problems and Shakhter’s confidence in open play was evident as Khizhnichenko tested Forster at the end of a sweeping move.

And, after Mokin did well to block Forrest’s header from an inviting Izaguirre cross, Khizhnichenko rose to direct Vicius’ wayward shot past Forster.

Celtic’s late push for an away goal proved fruitless with Mulgrew unable to keep his header down in injury time.

Shakhter will now travel to Celtic Park hopeful of reaching the group stages of the competition for the first time, while Lennon’s men will drop into the Europa League if they cannot recover the deficit. (BBC Sport)

wednesday, august 21, 2013

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Jamaica romp to Under-19 One Day title

WICB happy with success of Limacol CPL

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S

havi Spencer and Nicholas Walters rescued Jamaica to help their team remain unbeaten and effectively seal the Regional Under-19 title. Jamaica were in all sorts of trouble against the ICC Americas early on in their innings, being reduced to 51/6 in 22 overs.

Spinner, Farhan Malik, had led the destruction for the ICC Americas with figures of 4-18. But Spencer and Walters combined in a sensation stand got the Jamaicans back on track.

They put on 81 runs together for the seventh to take the 159/8 in the 44th over.

Spencer made 54 while Walters hit 33. Jamaica had staged a major recovery and had stolen back the momentum from the ICC Americas.

They were 203 all out by the end of their allotted 50 overs.

Malik finished with 4-24 while Abraash Khan had figures of 2-49. In response, the ICC Americas faltered in their chase, stumbling to 130/9 from their 50 overs.

Walters and Spencer again combined, this time to lead the destruction with the ball. Walters took 4-25 while Spencer had figures of 2-22.

Marquino Mindley also had a couple of wickets. Kamau Leverock top scored for the Americas with 33, while Tre Manders scored 22. Jamaica went on to take the title by 73 runs.

Guyana v Leeward Islands

Guyana piled more misery on win-less Leeward Islands to end their Regional Under-19 campaign with a comfortable three-wicket win. After winning the toss and electing to bat first, the Leewards were in early trou-

ble losing Keacy Carty for 11.

The hosts were 25/1 after five overs.

There situation didn’t get any better, and nor did their run rate. They moved from 25/3 to 56/3 in 17 overs.

In 12 overs, they had scored just 31 runs and lost two wickets. At that stage, Ross Powell was looking solid on 19, while Jeremiah Louis was on 15. Saeed Williams and Avier Christian followed back Carty to the pavilion for three and 10 respectively.

Powell tried his best to anchor the innings.

By the 40th over, he was 36 not out with his side 104/7. At that stage, Vishoal Narayan had 2-18 while Shawn Pereira had 2-24. Powell would end up on 50 as the Leeward Islands asked Guyana to make 144 runs for victory. Pereira ended with 3-27 while Narayan and Romario Shepherd both had two wickets each.

The Guyanese endured an early stumble in their chase, being reduced to 61/4 in 19 overs. Shimron Hetmyer had gone for nine while Kamesh Yadram made 10.

Pereira went without scoring. But Tagenarine Chanderpaul stood firm for his team. At that stage, he was on 22 not out.

Theron Bassue had 2-3. But Chanderpaul rallied, getting to 50 not out as the Guyanese reached to 133/5 in 40 overs.

Narayan was giving him

good support at that stage, unbeaten on 12. Guyana would lose two further wickets with Chanderpaul going for 56 while Ashkay Homraj made a solid 25. But the Leewards couldn’t quite defend such a small total, as the Guyanese won by three wickets.

Bassue finished with 2-37 while Tristan Hanley had 2-25. Jeremiah Louis took 2-28.

Barbados v Windward Islands The Windward Islands and Barbados locked horns in a tight encounter in the final round of the tournament.

After being asked to bat first

by Barbados, the Windward Islands started solidly at 19/0. But there progress slowed as the innings wore on reaching 50/2 in 19 overs.

Both openers, Gian Benjamin and Keone George were gone for 13. Tonius Simon and Taryck Gabriel tried desperately at that stage to rebuild the innings.

At that stage, Gabriel was on 15 while Simons was on 28.

Both batted well to get the Windwards back on track to a healthy total. As the 42nd over approached, Simon was out for a well played 48.

Gabriel had topscored with 65.

But it was a hatrick from Aaron Jones that swung the game back for Barbados. He had 3-32 as the Windwards were 158/6 at that stage.

Jones would finish 3-43 while Jofra Archer had 2-32.

Chasing 214 runs for victory, the Bajans found themselves in early trouble at 5/1 after just four overs.

Barbados would slip into deeper trouble as the chase progressed, collapsing to 137/7 in 38 overs. At that stage, they needed 75 runs from 72 balls. (WICB)

– President Cameron heartened by response to tournament t John’s, ANTIGUA – President of the West Indies Cricket Board Whycliffe “Dave” Cameron said he is very pleased with the success of the inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL) T20 Tournament so far, and impressed with the response the League has received both regionally and internationally.

The WICB signed an agreement with LCPL with the goal of further developing and strengthening West Indies cricket by expanding the global fan base as well as increasing the number of West Indian cricketers under regional retainer contracts, and showcasing the talent and beauty of the Caribbean internationally.

Cameron says he believes these objectives are being met.

“The support of the Limacol CPL by the West Indian fans has been overwhelming and this is evidenced by the sold out crowds at each and every match so far. That says to me that the interest and passion for the game is still there, and it’s our responsibility to continue to nurture that love which is what the LCPL is all about,” said Cameron.

“In addition, the entire world has come to play through the global reach and appeal that the Tournament has achieved. The combination of some of the best regional and international T20 players with the amazing carnival, party-like atmosphere for which the Caribbean is renowned has turned the eyes and ears of the world to our shores, and we could not be more pleased about that exposure”.

Whycliffe “Dave” Cameron

The Limacol CPL is being broadcast on television in India, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, the Caribbean and the USA, reaching millions of viewers through such networks as ESPN3, Fox Sports, BT Sports and Sony. ESPN Caribbean also produces a weekly highlights show of the Tournament which airs on the ESPN Caribbean television network and online at ESPN Play. In addition, the Line and Length Radio Network offers live ball-byball commentary of all the matches which airs on 22 radio stations in the Englishspeaking Caribbean and reaches over 850,000+ listeners.

The Limacol CPL has also developed a strong presence on social media networks Facebook and Twitter with thousands of fans and followers keeping up to date on the latest news and match information from the six franchise teams. Celebrities such as actor Mark Wahlberg – part owner of the Barbados Tridents – and Virgin Group Chairman Sir

Richard Branson – sponsor of the Antigua Hawksbills team – who tweet about the Tournament have added to the interest.

Cameron said that he is impressed by the hidden talent that is emerging as a result of the League.

“Players like young Nicholas Pooran (Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel) and the likes of Rayad Emrit (Barbados Tridents), Sheldon Cotterell (Antigua Hawksbills) and Steven Jacobs (Guyana Amazon Warriors) to name a few, that may have flown under the radar or been overshadowed by the bigger names in the region have now been given their time to shine, and they are indeed taking advantage of that opportunity. I expect that the Limacol CPL will open many doors for these young men to play cricket all over the world and it’s satisfying to know that it all started with the LCPL.” Limacol CPL Chief Executive Officer Damien O’Donohoe agrees. “As the Governing Authority for cricket in the region, the WICB have shown great foresight and support in how they have partnered with us to develop the LCPL. While in our inaugural year of the Tournament we recognise we have a long way to go to build and achieve all our mutual goals, we are warmed by the reception that the WICB and all local territorial boards have provided throughout and the passion with which they have interacted with us concerning our future development programmes which we think will yield far reaching results for the sport in the region.” (WICB)

James Faulkner to make Australia Test debut A

ustralia all-rounder James Faulkner will make his Test debut in the final Ashes match against England at The Oval, starting today.

Faulkner, 23, will replace batsman Usman Khawaja, while left-arm paceman Mitchell Starc is recalled at the expense of Jackson Bird.

England have already won the Ashes, holding an unassailable 3-0 lead going into the final Test of the series.

“James is a tough competitor,” said Australia captain Michael Clarke.

“He is an all-rounder. He provides that package for us which the selectors believe will play a big part in helping us take 20 wickets and score the runs we need to win this Test match.”

Shane Watson will bat at number three, with wicketkeeper Brad Haddin moving up one place to six and Faulkner, who

has played eight one-day internationals and three Twenty20s, coming in at seven.

Faulkner, a key member of Tasmania’s Sheffield Shieldwinning side last season, has taken 127 first-class wickets at an average of 22.87 but has not scored a hundred in any form of senior cricket.

He has played in all four of Australia’s tour matches, only getting out once in five innings and striking eight times with the ball.

“Like a lot of our young players he’s a wonderful young talent but I think he has the toughness to mix it with any opposition in any form of the game and at the highest level,” added Clarke.

“He is a fighter, a competitor - he might not look the best all the time but he’ll find a way to stay out there and help his partner go on and make a hundred or help the tail through.

“With the ball he’s extremely

James Faulkner

competitive and will find a way to take wickets as he has done so far on this tour and in the shorter forms of the game.”

Australia’s latest reshuffle means the tourists will have

fielded a different batting order in all five Tests.

Watson, who started the series as an opener, was lowered to number six for the fourth Test at Chester-le-Street before mov-

ing up to number three in place of the struggling Khawaja.

Back-up wicketkeeper Matthew Wade, who has scored centuries in two of Australia’s last four Test victories, continues to be overlooked.

Clarke, meanwhile, said Australia will look to emulate their level of performance in the third Test in Manchester, when they dominated England but were denied victory by rain on the final day.

“We’ve lost the series but we still have a lot to gain,” added Clarke. “We need to show a lot of people that if we play like we did at Manchester we can beat any team in any conditions.”

Defeat for Australia would be their eighth loss in nine Tests, the Baggy Greens’ worst sequence since 1887 to 1890.

But Clarke, who also presided over a 4-0 whitewash by India in March, insisted he has no plans to quit the role. (BBC Sport)

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wednesday, august 21, 2013

guyanatimesGY.com

Guyanese cricketers continue to shine in Canada

By Ravendra Madholall in Toronto

S

everal Guyanese cricketers continue to dominate in Canada after a number of impressive, individual performances over the weekend for the annual Toronto and District Cricket Association Elite and Premier divisions at King City ground.

Former Guyana Under-19 captain Eugene LaFluer captured a five-wicket haul in the Premier League division for Victoria Parks Cricket Club while his compatriot Travis Blyden chalked up an attractive century (122*) for Civics Cricket Club.

Soraine Durand also waltzed his way to an unbeaten 118 for Vikings while former Guyana and West Indies batsman Royston Crandon turned in with a fine all-round performance for Vikings making 33 runs and picking up three wickets.

Left-arm orthodox spinner LaFluer spun web around Mississauga Ramblers batsmen to collect five wickets for four runs from his economical four-over spell.

In another game, he snatched three wickets to help Victoria Park beat Lords by 17 runs. His team batted first and made 179 all out with former Canada Under-19 batsman Ryan Lall topscoring with 61.

Islanders Cricket Club had mixed fortunes on Saturday and Sunday. They lost to Brampton by a mas-

Eugene LaFluer

Travis Blyden

sive 182-run margin while they rebounded on Sunday to defeat Toronto Cricket Club by five wickets.

Former Guyana Under-19 and Canada fast bowler Eion Katchay proved his batting capability by making a fighting 44 on Saturday while Shan Shadrose compiled 46 runs the following day.

Meanwhile, Blyden, who has scored four centuries this year so far in different competitions, expressed delight with his form, thanking former Guyana and West Indies batsman Keith Semple for his support.

Semple, who captained Guyana at the highest level, was with him on 33 while fellow Guyanese Fredi Pestano chipped in with 30. Offspinner Elton Baker, another Guyanese, grabbed four wickets for 19 runs from five overs when they bowled out the opposition cheaply.

Ex-West Indies opening batsman Ryan Ramdass also

showed rich form with his consistency in the Etobicoke and District Cricket League with another composed halfcentury (69) on Sunday.

The right-hander so far has cracked two centuries, including a double, and four half-centuries.

Other Guyanese Ricardo Jadunauth, Dominick Rikhi, Anthony D’Andrade, Rajindra Chandrika, Harrinarine and Hemnarine Chattergoon, Krishna Deosaran, Ian Gonsalves, Zaheer Haniff, Trevor Henry, Rakesh Goberdhan, Trevor Garraway, Garvin Singh, Ejaz Mohamed, Wasim Haslim, Arjune Nandu, Troy Gobin, Kenneth Wong, Rovendra Mandolall, Damodar Daesrath, Jeremy Gordon, among others are plying their trade in the competition as well.

The action continues on Saturday and Sunday with a number of matches across the Greater Toronto Area.

Albion cricket academy underway T

he 13th edition of the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club’s cricket academy was launched on Monday with club President Lloyd Kanden challenging the participants to make use of the opportunities being offer to them.

Kanden informed the young cricketers that the club is investing heavily in youth development, according to a press release.

“The aim of the club is to make sure that the club continue to be the breadbasket of Berbice and Guyana’s cricket, while making sure that every player who represents the club fully understands his/her roles as role models and sport ambassadors,” Kanden declared.

Declaring the one-week academy open, Human Resource Manager of Guysuco’s Albion/Port Mourant estate Vemen Walter, told the participants that the academy will assist them tremendously in the development of all aspects of

Vemen Walter

their game.

Walter also pointed out that the game has evolved so much over the years, and, as such, young cricketers have to be prepared for the challenges ahead if they are to succeed at the highest level.

He urged participants to pay keen attention during the academy to ensure that whatever is learnt is put into practice.

He congratulated the president and executive of the Albion Community

Centre Cricket Club for organising the academy for the past 13 years.

The academy’s coordinator, Orvin Mangru, disclosed that the aim is to expose young cricketers to the fundamentals of the game and other interesting topics which will ultimately aid their personal development.

He stated that during the programme, participants will benefit from a packed programme, starting in the morning with lectures on discipline, the cricketer as a role model and as an ambassador, etiquette and social grace, importance of fitness, laws of the game, importance of education, leadership, HIV/AIDS, history of cricket, among others, while in the afternoon, they will be exposed to the basics in batting, bowling and fielding.

The academy, which commences at 08:00h daily and concludes at 16:15h, is opened to young cricketers, male and female, between the ages of 10 and 19 years old.

Dilshan replaces injured Guptill... from back page

Dilshan was also named player of the tournament in the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 when Sri Lanka finished as runners-up to Pakistan and during that event he pioneered the shot that has become known as the ‘Dil-scoop’, an audacious flick-cum-sweep over both his and the wicketkeeper’s heads.

In addition to his blazing batting, Dilshan has also shown himself to be

a canny operator with the ball. He has 35 wickets in Twenty20 cricket and a total of 120 wickets in internationals.

Guyana Amazon Warriors coach Roger Harper said: “While it is sad to lose a player of Martin Guptill’s ability at this stage of the tournament, we are delighted to have secured a top-quality replacement in Tillakaratne Dilshan.

“He offers so much to any side he plays for, as an

attacking batsman, a useful bowler and also someone who is outstanding in the field. We look forward to him linking up with us ahead of Thursday’s semifinal and his big-match experience will be a great asset to us.”

The inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League runs until Saturday with the two semi-finals taking place on August 22 and 23 August at the Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago.

wednesday, august 21, 2013

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23

GCB confirms teams for T20 exhibition matches – tickets go on sale Friday

G

uyana Cricket Board (GCB) has confirmed the names of the teams to play in the exhibition matches ahead of the Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago T20 games on August 30 and 31 at the Guyana National Stadium.

Secretary of the GCB, Anand Sanasie told Guyana Times Sport on Tuesday that Universal DVD Berbice Titans, Demerara Cricket Club XI, Suriname Select XI and Marvex West Demerara will play the exhibition matches.

According to Sanasie, Universal DVD Berbice Titans will play the Demerara Cricket Club XI on Friday while the Suriname Select XI will oppose West Marvex Demerara on Saturday, from 14:00h both days. The feature matches begin at 19:00h. The games are organised as part of preparation for the Trinidad and Tobago team ahead of their participation in the T20 Champions League in India from September 17 to October 6.

Tickets and security

Meanwhile, tickets go on sale from Friday and will cost $1000. However, patrons who

Anand Sanasie

Robin Bacchus

Ramnaresh Sarwan

Rajiv Ivan

purchased three grass mound (Party stand) tickets will receive one ticket free. Tickets will be available at the GCB ticket office on Regent Street.

On the other hand, Sanasie the regular security measures will be in place where spectators will be scanned before entering the stadium. Also, no glass bottles and weapons will be allowed in the stadium.

Meanwhile, Ramnaresh Sarwan has been appointed Guyana Captain, replacing Test left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul, who skippered the Guyanese in this year’s Caribbean T20 tournament.

The former West Indies captain has led Guyana to two T20 championships in 2006 and 2010 and is presently

leading the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Limacol Caribbean Premier League

T20 tournament.

The only newcomers to the Guyana team are open-

er Robin Bacchus and Rajiv Ivan. Bacchus, 24, is a left-hander who plays for

GFF looking to partner with key stakeholders

A

Christopher Matthias

s part of its effort to improve the standard of football at every level, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) expressed at its recently launched season that it is seeking to partner with key stakeholders.

According to newly-elected president Christopher Matthias, the GFF has spent the last few months laying the groundwork, and the federation is now ready to swing into action with a number of areas to be brought into sharp focus to ensure the holistic development of football.

During the season the focus will be on coaches and referees’ development, proper structuring of the sub-associations and clubs and the development of players and infrastructure, according to Matthias.

The season was launched on August 11 at the GCC ground, Bourda, with the recurring theme being the “dawning of a new era” for

football.

With this in mind, the Matthias-led administration is inviting interested persons, organisations and businesses to partner with the GFF to develop the game, on and off the field. According to the GFF, it is acting in pursuance of the development of the discipline of football, in accordance with the statutes of FIFA, CONCACAF, CFU, the constitution of the GFF and the mandate of its Congress.

Against this backdrop, it is inviting expressions of interest for sponsorship of the inaugural 32-team Nation’s Cup knockout tournament, the 16-team Premier League, the Interassociation Under-13, Under-15, Under-17, Under-20, Under-23 and senior tournaments, as well as the Inter-Association Women’s, Futsal and Beach tournaments.

This publication also understands the GFF has planned a number of courses/seminars for coaches/referees’ development and it is looking to unearth new officials to serve the sport. The GFF is also calling on interested resource personnel to offer their expertise at the courses/seminars, which are scheduled to be held before the end of 2013.

Further information on the GFF’s various undertakings can be obtained by calling the office on 227-8758, 227-4110 or 225-0892.

Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) cricket while Ivan play in Berbice.

Guyana team reads: Ramnaresh Sarwan (captain), Trevon Griffith, Robin Bacchus, Leon Johnson, Narsingh Deonarine, Christopher Barnwell, Steven Jacobs, Anthony Bramble, Veerasammy Permaul, Devendra Bishoo, Rajiv Ivan, Paul Wintz, Keon Joseph, and Zaheer Mohamed. The coach is Esau Crandon while the assistant coach is Orin Bailey. The manager is Alvin Johnson.

wednesday, august 21, 2013

TOP SCORES

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

Jamaica Tallawahs 134-7 beat Red Steel 133-8 by three wickets

Hafeez hopes to be back for LCPL after stint with Guyana Amazon Warriors S

t John’s, ANTIGUA – Pakistan Twenty20 International captain Mohammad Hafeez has said he would love to return for next year’s Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL) after piloting the Guyana Amazon Warriors to the semi-finals of the inaugural tournament.

Hafeez blasted a spectacular unbeaten 50 from just 23 balls against the Antigua Hawksbills on Saturday night, his last action before linking up with the Pakistan tour of Zimbabwe.

It sealed an impressive league campaign for the Warriors who topped the sixteam table with five wins from seven matches and they now face Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel in the first semi-final at the Queen’s Park Oval on Thursday.

“It all depends on the international schedule (next year) but if I can then I will definitely come back,” said Hafeez.

“To be honest, I was very sure the Limacol CPL tournament would be a success because the crowd here is very passionate about cricket. The crowd response to the whole tournament has been exceptional.

We saw that, and I personally believe the tournament will get more and more success.”

Hafeez said he was fully committed to the Pakistan cause but his departure ahead of the business end of the tournament left him with a bittersweet feeling after having a

Mohammad Hafeez

thoroughly enjoyable time as part of a successful squad.

“I am definitely sad to be leaving and I am going to miss it but international duties always come first,” he said. “I was happy to join and in the same way I am happy that I am leaving on a happy note. The (Guyana Amazon Warriors) team is a very good one, the franchise is good and the teammates are happy and supporting each other.

“Martin Guptill, James Franklin, Sunil Narine, RamnareshSarwan, these players are all top players and it has been great to get together and play for each other, and (coach Curtly) Ambrose is a great cricketer who gives us lots of confidence before and after each game, always encouraging us.”

Hafeez signed off with a spectacular display of highclass hitting to dump the

Hawksbills out of the competition, blasting two fours and four sixes in his swansong match for the season, and breaking the hearts of the majority of the capacity crowd at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

He got his side home despite an asking rate that never dipped below ten runs per over all the time he was at the crease.

“When I went in I knew I had to take a chance but in a technical way,” he said. “If I tried too hard I knew I wouldn’t get it (right).James Franklin played a good role. Early on he shifted the momentum, then I was thinking to believe in myself, playing to my strengths. I tried and it worked for me.”

And does he now think the Warriors’ name is on the trophy for the inaugural event?

“I know my replacement (Lasith) Malinga is coming into the side and I hope his arrival will give us more confidence to lift the trophy,” he said. “The belief in each other is a strength of our team and I hope we can continue that belief.I wish and believe this tournament belongs to Guyana and I hope in the last two matches the boys will finish the games for me and the Guyana people.”

The inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League concludes on Saturday; the two semi-finals take place on Thursday and Friday in Trinidad.

Dilshan replaces injured Guptill in Amazon Warriors line-up

S

Tillakaratne Dilshan

t John’s, ANTIGUA – Former Sri Lanka captain Taillakaratne Dilshan has become the latest Sri Lanka player to link up with the inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL) after agreeing to take over from the injured Martin Guptill for the

Guyana Amazon Warriors.

The dynamic righthander, who has played for the Delhi Daredevils and the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League, is set to step in for Guptill, who broke a bone in his right hand against the Antigua Hawksbills on Saturday night.

The 36 year-old Dilshan is the fifth topclass Sri Lanka star to sign up for the event, following on from Muttiah Muralitharan and Kumar Sangakkara (Jamaica Tallawahs), Mahela Jayawardena (Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel) and Lasith Malinga (Guyana Amazon Warriors).

Dilshan brings with him a wealth of experience with 87 Tests, 267 OneDay Internationals and 50 Twenty20 Internationals to his name.

He has scored a total of 34 international hundreds, including one in T20Is, against Australia in Pallekele in 2011. That innings, an unbeaten 104, occupied just 57 balls and included 12 fours and five sixes. turn to page 22

WICB happy with success of Limacol CPL

See story on page 21

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