Guyana Times Daily

Katherina Roshana P13 gets role in local movie Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 1910 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Govt approves SWAT team to tackle crime See story on page 3

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

One dead, another P3 seriously injured in Linden accident P11 Four immigration officers arrested in U.S. visa forgery case

Essequibo couple may not have P11 been targets in Kitty bar shooting – crime chief

GuyExpo business forum to secure new deals, linkages

Unattended kero stoves in oven explode, P12 damage Sandvoort house

See story on page 7

All is set for the grand opening of GuyExpo 2013, Guyana’s premier trade show and exposition, at the Sophia Exhibition Complex, Greater Georgetown today (Carl Croker photo)

GRA condemns APNU admits protests have misleading Kaieteur not been helpful News report See story on page 7

See story on page 15

Stewartville residents P17 protest deplorable roads Trotman wants more consensus P17 in Parliament

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News

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Thursday, October 3 from 14:30h to 16:00h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Thursday, October 3 from 15:25h to 16:55h.

WEATHER TODAY Countrywide: Heavy rain 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 25 and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly at 4.02 to 2.68 metres per second.

High Tide: 03:13h and 15:30h reaching maximum heights of 2.64 metres and 2.69 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 09:05h and 21:24h reaching minimum heights of 0.62 metre and 0.63 metre respectively.

wednesday, october 2, 2013

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Govt approves SWAT team to tackle crime I

n light of the recent increase in criminal activities throughout Guyana, Cabinet on Wednesday gave the greenlight for the establishment of a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit for the Guyana Police Force to strengthen its law enforcement capabilities.

It is envisaged that with a SWAT Unit, the force would be more equipped to make specialised interventions, thereby ensuring law and order is maintained and prospective threats are neutralised.

The Home Affairs Ministry in a statement said it has engaged the services of The Emergence Group (TEG), a Washington-based consultancy firm, to obtain the requisite assistance in this initiative.

It further disclosed that the process will commence shortly with an organisational needs assessment to be done by experts from the consultancy firm. The statement added that curriculum development and training, including mentoring, will also be undertaken by the consultancy firm.

“The establishment of a SWAT team has received the full support of the lead-

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The crime chief added that once these issues are addressed, then the members of the proposed SWAT team will be pulled from the existing police complement.

Opposition Leader, retired Brigadier David Granger disclosed that discussions on the SWAT Unit has been in the making for the past 12 years, and more so, he recalled that a specific team of police men had been trained by U.S. experts, but were never put into action.

Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee

ership of the Guyana Police Force,” the statement highlighted.

Crime Chief Seelall Persaud said the police force, a number of years ago, had proposed the establishment of such a unit and he is elated that it will now become reality. The unit, he said will boost the force’s intelligence and responsive capabilities.

Persaud explained that before the unit becomes operational, a number of factors have to be taken into consideration, including the identification of a school to train the prospective members, the procurement of equipment required, among other things.

Support

Meanwhile, at recent press conference at his Brickdam office, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee said, “Whether it is string of incidences, robbery under arms, resulting in deaths or whether it is an individual incident, the Home Affairs Ministry will always be concerned about those matters, we are not insensitive, we are not numb to such eventualities.”

Rohee said the ministry has been ensuring that adequate resources are presented through the budget to the police force to make sure it has the resources it needs to fulfil its lawful responsibilities.

He said also that the ministry has been making

Opposition Leader David Granger

resources available to ensure that the policy of the force, as distinct from the operations, is reflective of central government’s thrust in fighting and detecting crime.

Government has been regularly increasing budgetary allocations to the security sector, and Minister Rohee has been implementing a series of measures to modernise the local service, with a focus of giving it a technological edge.

These interventions aim to address the force’s lingering deficiencies, and improve its capacity to respond to a more sophisticated type of criminal operative.

One dead, another seriously injured in Linden accident

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minibus conductor is now dead, while the motorcyclist who struck him down remains in critical condition at the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) Intensive Care Unit (ICU) following an accident on Tuesday evening.

Dead is Neberne “Challo” Charles of One Mile, Wismar, Linden, who succumbed to head and bodily injuries at the LHC ICU ear-

ly Wednesday morning. The accident occurred approximately 21:45h on Tuesday evening. According to reports, Charles was at the said time standing along the roadway near a wash bay located at “Sodom Corner”, One Mile, Wismar, Linden and was awaiting a minibus which was being washed at the said time when he was hit from behind by the motorcycle which was driven

by Revon Austin of Canvas City, Wismar.

Austin was reportedly racing along the One Mile Public Roadway with another motorcyclist, when he swerved the motorcycle to avoid hitting a dog which had ran onto the said roadway. An eyewitness revealed that Charles, after being struck, was flung several yards away upon impact and landed headfirst

on a concrete bridge located along the roadway.

Both Charles and Austin were admitted to the LHC ICU on Tuesday evening shortly after the accident, however, Charles, who was a well known minibus conductor in the Linden community, later succumbed to his injuries, while Austin remains in critical condition in the ICU as he also reportedly sustained serious injuries.

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

Editorial

Closing the skies T

he news that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has denied permission to Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) and Fly Jamaica (FJ) to fly directly from Guyana to New York is very disturbing. According to the criteria announced by the DOT, the airlines would have had to show “a need for the service, that there would be a negligible impact on U.S. flag carriers, and the proposed operation is limited in scope” – all of the foregoing operationalised within the overarching goal of serving the U.S. “public interest”.

But if the criteria are applied objectively and impartially, it is clear that there are other considerations that must have influenced the negative decision. If we begin with the first criterion – the “need for the service” – there can be no question that this is satisfied. The New York-Georgetown route is very heavily patronised. When the U.S. carrier Delta Airlines plied the route, it routinely racked up a seat occupancy rate exceeding 80 per cent – above the international average, even though several other carriers, including CAL, serviced the route.

This “need for the service” remains extant and will intensify because of the Guyana government’s stimulation of eco-tourism, which draws a large market from the U.S. In terms on the “impact on U.S. flag carriers”, the high seat occupancy of Delta, as well as that of the previous North American Airlines’ guarantees that, if they or any other U.S. carriers were to return to the route, they will certainly not be negatively impacted.

But somewhat ironically, in reference to “negative impact”, the DOT acknowledged that the factor that might have been most material in the decision of Delta to cease servicing the route – fuel subsidies by the government of Trinidad and Tobago to CAL – will be discontinued later this month.

Concerns about “level playing fields” have thus been addressed. Not incidentally, such concerns had also been raised within the Caribbean Community (Caricom). As far as “limited scope” of the requested direct flights, CAL had always deployed a number of its flights from Georgetown to New York through Piarco. While this number would have decreased in the short term if DOT permission had been received, it would eventually have returned to its original levels with the return of other carriers.

But it is noteworthy at this point that now that the government of Guyana has designated CAL as its official “flag carrier”, the U.S. is being quite of step with the “open skies” policy it has pushed in the international airline industry. Its draconian decision to foreclose Guyana’s direct flights by CAL between Georgetown and New York goes against the grain of the “free market” approach that is supposed to guide the “open skies” policy.

Another troubling feature of the DOT’s decision is its very restrictive usage of the term “U.S. public interest”. Most of the “public” that fly the New York-Georgetown route are people of Guyanese origin who have overwhelmingly chosen to become naturalised U.S. citizens. They are now being inconvenienced by the DOT by the routing through Piarco where they have to disembark, go through customs and then re-embark on both legs of the trip.

There have been numerous complaints by U.S. citizens of the harassment they have to face because of this procedure.

We hope that the interest of these naturalised U.S. citizens are given equal rights as part of the DOT’s interpretation of “U.S. public interest”.

Finally the DOT’s decision is part of an unfortunate syndrome afflicting the major developed nations, and recently alluded to by President Donald Ramotar at the United Nations, to place barriers in the face of smaller nations to develop institutions that would make them achieve development goals – those same developed countries purport to support.

For instance, there has been a complete abandonment of the practice of “special and differential” (S&D) treatment of small and vulnerable states.

Even with their feet broken, they are expected to run the race “equally”.

President Donald Ramotar receives a copy of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) 50th Anniversary Souvenir Magazine from publisher Lokesh Singh. The presentation was made at the GMSA anniversary dinner at the Pegasus Hotel on Wednesday evening

You do not have to be violent to obtain justice

Dear Editor, I must commend my friend Dr David Hinds for taking the initiative to lead the charge for African Guyanese to empower themselves and to become selfreliant.

Also, I am also quite pleased that the bigots have not crawled out of the woodwork to label him the way they did Ravi Dev, when Dev was talking about the need for Indian ethnic security, a need that has become even more urgent in the wake of the recent upsurge of robbery with violence and executions.

A similar treatment was meted out to those, including myself, who organised the first Indo-Caribbean Awards in New York City. Yet, ironically, many Afro-Caribbean awards programmes had been held for years prior to that, and continue to be held afterwards.

Given the mission by Dr Hinds and company, I now take this opportunity to appeal to Dev, Ryan Shaw and others to do the same for Indians in Guyana.

For the stark reality is that Indian communities suffer from the same economic maladies and social pathologies that African communities experience – among them poverty, deteriorating local infrastructure, unemployment and underemployment, alcoholism, domestic and relationship violence, and a growing incidence of drug abuse.

Also, while Afro-centric writers have been lamenting the African condition and calling for African activism and militancy for decades, Indians only recently started doing so and in very small numbers.

Yet many of these Indo-centric writers, especially Dev, have also been labelled racists.

Now that African activists regularly call for African activism and militancy without being deemed racists, it is hoped that Indo-centric writers will be viewed through similar lenses, so that more Indians can take up the cudgel on be-

half of fellow Indians and help Indian communities to also become empowered.

The simple fact is that once communities are empowered and self-reliant, then the nation advances socially, economically and otherwise and everyone benefits.

Furthermore, I would like to place the ball centre stage by replicating Dr Hinds’ call and directing it to fellow IndoGuyanese. It is time to stop abusing and killing our women folk and children. Women are the glue that holds families together and the pivots of the socialisation process.

Let us give them pride of place in our homes and our communities. Children are an extension of us, and the reason for our being. For what we build will be their foundation after we say our goodbyes, a structure that will be enhanced by them as life continues and new generations spring up.

Community organisations and local leaders also need to start focusing on the twin evils of alcoholism and suicide.

Alcoholism invariably leads to violence and heartbreak.

Suicide has become the regular and normal response to problems of every kind.

Our Mandirs, churches and mosques, our community leaders and professionals must join hands to address these two ills that are eating away at the entrails of our communities.

If our communities can organise to tackle alcoholism and suicide, then the resources made available by the government and non-profit organisations can be harnessed in this thrust. Our population is too small and lives too precious for us to sit back and allow the havoc that results from alcoholism and suicide.

Additionally, I call upon Indians to stop being robotic followers of religion, unless the religion helps you in concrete and pragmatic ways to better your lives and the lives

of your families and communities.

However, this does not mean that you cannot embrace your spirituality. For a truly spiritual person would live an ethical and moral life that does not encourage abuse, dishonesty, cheating and lies.

Instead a spiritual person is compassionate, kind, caring, honest, truthful and helpful. And these are the qualities that are necessary in order to empower yourselves and your communities. Such qualities will force you to not condone wrongdoing and to speak out against oppression, suppression, fraud, bribery, corruption and wastage.

For when you allow these creatures to sit among you, you lose your dignity, your courage, your self-reliance and your self-independence.

However, my call to East Indians differs from Dr Hinds with respect to spending money.

I want to tell Indians to spend your money where you get the most value for it and where you can obtain that which you need at the best possible price. For this is the only way in which economic endeavours can thrive and consumers can benefit most.

I will also add that Indians must begin to act smart as they go about their daily lives. For example if you run a business, never keep large amounts of cash at home and never carry large amounts of cash on you.

Find alternative ways – checking, debit and credit cards, money transfer via banks, whatever – so that you do not become a target to those who make a living by preying on you.

Take all necessary measures to secure your homes from invasion. And never be predictable or set a pattern with respect to activities and your daily lives, for then you become an easy target.

Be alert always and think safety first, last and always.

And be each other’s keepers

so that all of you can help each other protect your lives and your property.

The ethnic security dilemma so cogently spelt out by Dev almost two decades ago (and recently mentioned by Malcolm Harripaul, but who failed to give Dev due credit), is still an urgent imperative.

Also, I want to tell my Indian brothers and sisters that while charity begins at home, you do not live in isolation from other ethnic groups in Guyana.

And so the best way for you to empower yourselves and address the range of problems that beset your communities is by extending a hand to other communities and ethnic groups, because they also essentially face similar issues.

The reality is that while Guyana’s politics has always been contentious, ethnic divisiveness and conflicts have never suffused our nation.

Rather communities of all shades and tints have always worked together, especially in the rural areas, in spite of the machinations of politicians.

Thus, our history speaks of strength and safety in numbers. Besides we have a track record premised on the adage that “it takes a village to raise a child”.

By extending a hand to other groups and communities, you build goodwill and strengthen the capacity to seek redress, develop self-reliance and advance your communities – together and collectively. At the end of the day a nation moves forward when all communities are safe, strong and empowered.

Above all else may I remind my Indian family that the Mahatma, Mohandas K Gandhi, has proven by example that you do not have to be violent to obtain justice – you simply have to be organised and “be the change you want to see”.

Sincerely, Annan Boodram

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You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Some social problems Condemn the Westgate terrorists are left for too long Dear Editor, We have a social scourge in this society and we have to admit it before we can even begin to address some kind of recourse. There is the recent case of the begging child, who was eventually removed from the Anna Regina Car Park, Essequibo Coast.

The matter was looked into only after a letter writer consistently exposed it in the media. The authorities, maybe embarrassed, deemed the writer’s attitude as a true reflection of the type of response that is needed from community members – of not relenting until help is received.

We should all play our part in bringing issues to the fore, but the response is what bothers me.

People in privileged or leadership positions, whether by profession or

voluntarily, must take the accompanying responsibilities of these positions in a most serious manner.

They must be proactive and they must take the initiative. Right now, along the streets in Georgetown, I see every single day, a woman with three children.

They go about asking alms.

On Vlissengen Road, leading northward toward Lamaha Street, there is another woman there with a child.

This is common knowledge and this has been going on for quite some time now.

Here is another scenario: on the Railway Embankment, leading away from the eastern turn off of Sheriff Street, there is a tragedy waiting to happen. Every Saturday and Sunday – I do not know about the other days – I see

about three amputees hopping up and down, begging right in the middle of the road.

The first time I was confronted by this, I almost brushed one of them.

Remember, these amputees are using crutches and medium sized boxes. They cannot run out of the way of traffic. So what are we going to do about this?

The point I want to bring across is that various authorities know about many of our social problems, but they do nothing until and unless a serious incident takes place.

I am calling on those in government and the humanitarian groups to start by targeting people in need, especially those who are on the streets.

Yours sincerely, Corrine Thomas

Taking poverty by the scruff of the neck Dear Editor, President Donald Ramotar quite rightly said at the United Nations General Assembly that there was still a lot of work to be done in closing the poverty gaps globally. When it comes to the poverty question, I like to make it personal. I believe that people must learn to live within their means – even a little below that, in fact.

We have to take responsibility at the personal level. What still baffles me is the fact that although many governments give away money to those with reduced incomes, poverty for these beneficiaries is as bad as always.

Their lot never seems to improve. They pick up a dependency syndrome. Most of them complain about lack of employment, but

when that ploy is debunked, they talk about salary scale, transportation issues and not having aptitude. If any man wants to work, he will find work.

Guyana has been investing increasingly in people development programmes.

An examination of our national budget would reveal that some 30 per cent of our expenditure goes to the social sector. We have achieved universal primary education and are close to achieving universal secondary education.

Tackling poverty will not be successful if we look for a quick fix. It is via putting ourselves in marketable po-

sitions and the best way to do so is via education. So far, Guyana has slashed poverty by more than half, but we must keep plugging away.

We are no longer entitled to concessionary financing. We can clamour for a rethink of this position, but in the meantime, we have to tell ourselves whether or not we get any kind of aid, we will make it.

How? Simple – we work hard, stick with education and training, and live austere lives. Poverty loves to swallow the lazy and the incontinent.

Yours truly, Euline Jones

Dear Editor, This is in reference to your editorial, “Kenya’s Westgate Mall” (Guyana Times, September 29). Such a heinous killing must be condemned, as also the attack on a church in Peshawar, Pakistan, that killed dozens of worshippers.

At Westgate, people were singled out and killed. They were separated based on their religion and executed.

Scribes described it as a massacre of Kenyans of Indian origin. Our fellow Caribbean Community (Caricom) national Ravindra Ramrattan, a Trinidadian, was cut down in the prime of his life.

Ramrattan was in Kenya, working with a nongovernmental organisation (NGO) to help alleviate poverty when he was shot in cold blood. He was an unbelievable scholar. He hid in a store and texted his sister that he was safe. But the killers found him and executed him.

Westgate was Kenya’s worst mass killing based on religious fanaticism. The mall is located in one of the most affluent and cosmopolitan neighbourhoods in Kenya and is a host to several international events. It is in the heart of the Indian diaspora communities in Nairobi, the capital.

Crazed Jihadists took the lives of several nationalities, but the largest number (at least 30) were of Indian or South Asian descent or from the Indian diaspora. Kenya is home to a large number of people of Indian descent.

The British brought them to build East Africa’s railway network. There were several engineers and who man-

An image grab taken from AFP TV shows military forces taking position inside a shopping mall following an attack by masked gunmen in Nairobi on September 21

aged the rail stations, as well as worked as rail-guards and engine drivers.

About a century ago, an Indian, Girdhari Lal, set up the Colonial Times newspaper and he advocated for Kenyan independence similar to Jomo Kenyatta.

In time, the Indian diaspora settled around Parklands where Westgate is located and built hospitals, schools and community centres. The Westgate Mall was a hub for the Indian community. It was designed and built by Indians and many visit it.

Some 25,000 people visit the mall on weekends. There is a two-storey Indian-owned Nakumatt grocery store that attracts a lot of shoppers. It was destroyed by the terrorists.

There are also banks, shops, restaurants and a multiplex. When the attack took place, rescue operations were organised from the Oshwal Community Centre, owned by Indians.

Many of the injured, from all

ethnic groups, were rushed to the Indian built hospitals. Keshubhai’s company, Bakpharm Wholesalers, provided free medical supplies and foods. Indian medics cared for the almost 200 who were pierced by bullets, shrapnel, granite chips and glass shards.

Indian diaspora community service joined hundreds of Kenyans in providing free refreshments to the troops.

The attack on the Westgate’s cosmopolitan shopping mall shows no place is safe from Jihadist terrorists. Those who indulged in such gruesome activities have no moral values and cannot be called humans and they must be condemned.

The world must rally against such religious extremism. And I am so proud of the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) coming out and condemning the terrorists.

Yours faithfully, Vishnu Bisram

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Foundation

Why girls and women should participate in sports Women without sports experience are disadvantaged in the work setting

The existing American business model is a male model of organisational structure and human relationships. Males learn the rules of human organisations and interactions from sport. Sport is one of the most important socio-cultural learning environments in our society and, until quite recently, has been reserved for boys and men.

This is not to say that the male model of business or organisations is the preferred model.

In fact, women are bringing new strengths to business and organisations that are based on their skills in group process, preference for cooperation models and sensitivity to human needs.

Eventually, as women rise to executive positions, the organisational models of business will reflect more female characteristics and become androgynous.

Right now however, women who don’t know the written and unwritten rules of sport are at a disadvantage in understanding business models of organisation based on sport. How important is it that our daughters learn the same rules as our sons? It’s critical. The most important of those rules are: * Teams are chosen based on people’s strengths and competencies rather than who is liked or disliked. This seems like such a simple concept, yet women have traditionally learned to pick their friends and emphasise human relationships rather than skill competencies.

* Successful players are skilled in practicing the illusion of confidence. Boys are taught at an early age and through their participation in sport that it is not acceptable to show fear. When you get up to bat or play any game, it is important to act confident and not to let your teammates know you

are acknowledged immediately by each player and players are expected to fix their errors and not dwell on them or take criticism of errors personally. During a game is not the time to have a long conversation about what you should do or how you might correct an error. That is something you do during practice be-

are afraid, nervous or have a weakness – even if you are not confident. Employees who are skilled at practicing the illusion of confidence – calmness under pressure, acting sure of self and abilities, etc – get to play the most important positions and are more likely to be starters.

People who are practicing the illusion of confidence make everything look easy and don’t need constant reinforcement or support. * Errors are expected of people who are trying to do new things. The most important thing is never make the same mistake twice. Errors

fore or after the game. * Loyalty to your teammates is very important.

Many women don’t understand it when a man who is not doing his job is protected rather than dismissed. Boys learn from sports that every person on the team has a role to play. Even the players who sit the bench are positive forces on the team as long as they are good sports and encourage teammates who play.

Players who are satisfied sitting the bench and waiting their turn to play are valued because they promote team harmony by not complaining. Not everyone can be successful players. Few men

(CONTINUED FROM TUESDAY)

will criticise their teammates.

They will always promote the strength of their teammates and not mention weaknesses. Women who don’t play sports are much more critical of each other and much more likely to point out a team mates’ weaknesses if asked to do so. When women do this in business organisations, they are perceived as disloyal. This is not to say that we must tolerate incompetence. What is important is how we do it. If we have an incompetent employee, then good teammates need to find a position he or she can play or trade that player to another team.

This means that we need to help relocate employees we no longer wish to keep. * “I will” equals “I can”.

Boys playing sports are taught that being “good at a position” is a function of the will to achieve and working on the basic skills required for that position. They also learn that you need to play the position in order to become adept at that position. Thus, boys grow up thinking that they can achieve anything they commit themselves to achieving. It is not an inflated ego or an accident that men apply for jobs for which we may think them under-qualified. It is simply that they have been trained to believe that they “can” meet a new challenge of a new position and can learn by doing. Women, on the other hand, believe that advancing to a new position requires certification, classroom training, degrees or something tangible that says “I am qualified,” in addition to being confident that they can meet the demands of a new position. (Education.com)

Teaching children to learn from failure

BY DEBORAH SKOLNIK

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o one wants their children to experience failure, but it’s one of the most important life lessons you can teach them.

What’s the F word you’re always shielding your child from? We’re thinking of a different F word right now: “failure.” Because what’s more important than protecting your little one from situations in which he feels he doesn’t measure up?

Turns out there is something more important – and that’s to go ahead and let him experience a letdown or two. Yes, believe it or not, a little bit of defeat can be a stepping-stone to triumph.

“Think of the things you learn when you encounter and move beyond failure,” observes child psychologist Rahil Briggs, Psy D, director of the Healthy Steps programme at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in the Bronx, NY. “You learn how to tolerate frustration, how to get creative and take different approaches to tasks, and also how to ask for help – all things that are necessary for long-term success in life.”

If that’s true, why do so many of us try to eliminate failure from our childrens’ adventures?

Ashley Merryman, coauthor of NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children, says it’s because we have the mistaken idea “that children are very fragile and that any bad outcome they experience, no matter how big or small, could damage their developing self-esteem.” But, she adds, “Science has proven that it’s just not true.

Achievement builds self-esteem, not the other way around.” The takeaway: Bring on the fallen block towers and food spills! The scenarios that follow are ones you’re sure to come up against.

Here’s how to handle them with aplomb when you do.

Fed up

You’ve got a toddler? Oh yeah, Mama, you’re gonna have some feeding fails, like the ones that sometimes happen at Goldina Erowele’s house. “My husband and I will gather around our table with our eight-year-old twin girls and our two-yearold, Chizara, for a breakfast of oatmeal,” says Erowele, of Missouri City, Texas. But Chizara can sometimes find the meal, well, gruelling: “She gets frustrated with trying to scoop her oatmeal.

She’ll aim for her mouth, but then she’ll fumble and it will go all over her,” Erowele says.

From hot mess to success: “My husband is a softie, and he’ll try to help the baby,” Erowele says. “But I’m not as fast to rescue her.

I say, ‘It’s OK, Chizara!

You can do it! Try again!’ I noticed that just this past Saturday, she had a little bit more confidence.”

Extra tips from the experts: By being a cheerleader – not a feeder – Erowele’s on the right track, says Robert Epstein, PhD, a research psychologist who’s studied success and failure extensively.

“You want to be supportive without rushing to do everything for her, since this is a task she can only learn through trial and error.”

(Parenting)

(TO BE CONTINUED)

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GuyExpo business forum to APNU admits protests have secure new deals, linkages not been helpful moving it another notch, this is to the extent that we are going to have a symposium, participants will then proceed to the site after this forum and work towards building their linkages,” Williams said.

He noted that the GMSA is currently working with Go-invest on a visitation programme and hopefully by the end of it all, the targets set out for GuyExpo 2013 will be achieved.

BY WHITNEY PERSAUD

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ne of the major highlights of GuyExpo 2013 is the Investment Forum aimed at preparing investors to engage other countries while tapping into traditional and non-traditional markets.

This is part of the move by the government and private sector to add several new features to complement the expo. It is aimed at enhancing the expo, creating new opportunities and partnerships between local and international markets.

Sold

Acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali said the private sector has expended a huge sum of money on the hosting and addition of new features to the event.

The minister said the expo has had a history of innovation by bringing together the business community and consumers in one environment.

GuyExpo has been rapidly growing over the years, and is now one of the Caribbean’s largest and diversified expos, with a wide-ranging focus.

“It focuses on all the sectors, agriculture, manufacturers, mining sector, furniture industry and I think that GuyExpo has provided the opportunity for many businesses to advance products as well,” Ali stated.

Feedback

Acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali

He added that the international pavilion this year is sold and will feature over 60 booths. “A number of them that are coming and they will be competing outside of non-tradition services and products that what we offer,” the minister noted.

Alluding to an example of one of the participating countries, the minister said the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) has onboard the Chinese exhibitors and they will be bring assets that the agro, cottage and manufacturing sectors can use in moving towards more aggressive agro-processing initiatives.

The event has provided the opportunity for many businesses to advance products and enter new markets.

On another note, Ali admitted that sometimes the

GMSA President Clinton Williams

coordinators stray way too much in terms of entertainment, however, a review process was carried out after last year’s event and the satisfaction rate has been high.

“We also have very strict rules in relation to noise level. GuyExpo has its own segments now and what we have seen from last year to now is a greater appreciating of what GuyExpo has to offer,” Ali said.

Next level

Meanwhile, the GMSA President Clinton Williams noted that the main objective is to take GuyExpo to a new level.

Williams spoke extensively on the investment forum while disclosing that a number of countries will be participating in the meeting.

“What we are doing is

Williams said there has been a huge feedback from civil society on ways to better the event, while maintaining that this was not to be seen as a form of disrespect to the tourism minister.

“There have been complaints about direction of GuyExpo and the way in which it was heading, it is an opportunity for us to host this forum as the theme says, productivity, expansion and modernisation of our businesses,” he stated.

Williams said from this forum, there will be the building of linkages and matchmaking among countries.

The GMSA president is also hopeful that there will be the signing of memorandums of understanding to secure and formalise partnerships.

GuyExpo has contributed significantly to a number of new businesses. (whitneyp@guyanatimesgy. com)

Brazilian national sentenced to 24 months for larceny A Brazilian national was brought before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to the charge of simple larceny.

It was alleged that on September 26, at New Garden Street, Queenstown, 30-year-old Rodrigues DaSliva stole one Nokia cellphone, one BlackBerry cellphone and one wristwatch totalling $77,000; property of Arthur Murray. DaSliva, with the help of a translator, plead-

ed guilty to the charge read against him.

According to Prosecutor Vishnu Hunte, the complainant is a security guard. On the day in question, around 15:00h, Murray was going about his duties at a premises on New Garden Street when he went to the back to make his usual checks.

While at the back of the premises, he heard the front gate open and upon checking, he saw the defendant leaving the yard with his haversack. Arthur

challenged him which resulted in DaSliva throwing the bag in a nearby yard.

The matter was reported to the police and the defendant was arrested and charged for the offence.

With the help of a translator, DaSliva told the court that he is married and is the father of two children in Brazil. He said that he was working in Venezuela and his boss brought him to Guyana to do mining in the Tamakay area, Mazuruni.

He admitted that the facts of the prosecution

were true and added that he was desperate for money because he had been out of a job for one month, since he came to Georgetown to get treatment for malaria.

He also asked the court to be lenient with him.

Magistrate Latchman considered that he has two minor children, the fact that the act was well organised and the prevalence and seriousness of this offence before she made her ruling. She sentenced him to 24 months imprisonment.

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Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament (MP) Basil Williams said the coalition will not go down the road of initiating protests to persuade President Donald Ramotar to assent to the local government bills.

He was at the time responding to questions on what measures APNU would take if the president declines to assent to the recently passed local government bills at a press conference on Wednesday.

“If you are asking me about those sounds that are being made by certain desperate elements that we are not working, unless we are on a marching band on the road, I disagree with that, because you can’t talk to us about marching, we’ve been there and done that,” Williams said.

The APNU MP said he has already highlighted that time has not begun to run out against the president to sign the bills.

He underscored that since work is already being done in Parliament to iron out conflicting issues, the coalition does not see staging protests as necessary.

Protest by the opposition in the past have been heavily criticised as some had turned violent, resulting in looting by rogue elements.

Williams said these protests have been unhelpful, and the coalition is resorting to different strategies to get results.

“A decision was taken since we are Christians and we are advised by the Bible with many things that we

APNU MP Basil Williams

do and Ecclesiastes tells us that there is a time and season for everything, and when it is time for us to return to extra parliamentary activities, I’m sure we will not show up for it,” said Williams.

In order for local government elections to occur, the president must assent to the four local government bills before him.

These bills are the Fiscal Transfers Bill, the Municipal and District Councils (Amendment) Bill, the Local Government (Amendment) Bill and the Local Government Commission Bill Recently, the ruling People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) indicated its readiness for the impending polls.

Local government elections were last held in 1994, but the recent passage of a suite of legislation critical to the holding of the elections under a reformed system has given citizens some hope.

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Limited subvention a major constraint for municipalities

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inister with the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry Norman Whittaker has noted limited subventions are one of the major constraints municipalities across the country face, it was important that these divisions manage their resources proficiently.

He was at the time speaking at a workshop, where about 30 financial representatives from the various municipalities were trained in the area of financial management with the aim of ensuring municipals prepare their annual estimates of revenue and expenditure in conformity with the standardised format and to ensure effective municipal financial management.

The minister noted “resources are limited relative to people’s demand and therefore, it is imperative that we utilise those resources in the most effective and efficient manner.”

He posited that systems of accountability must be put in place to ensure this is done, noting that for this to be done

Live and let live...

O Participants of the workshop paying keen attention during the first session

successfully records must be kept.

He added that planning and consultation are essential in utilising limited resources since persons will be able to budget their resources better if they know their needs and wants. “We engaged the people; listen to them and we sit as an elected body to prioritise based on anticipated resources.”

Subsequently, he reminded the various representa-

tives that their municipalities have up to November 15 to submit their 2014 budget proposals.

He highlighted that the workshop is about improving the way financial issues are handled as it relates to taxpayers’ money. “How we record it, how we use it, we account for it, and how we can use it for making comparisons and so on.”

The minister told the participants that he hoped they

would share their knowledge and experiences, which will better inform the ministry if the existing financial machinery is working for them and how deficiencies can be improved. The workshop was held under the theme, “Promoting Effective Financial Management”.

The ministry often holds such workshops for its staff in order to build capacity and carry out its duties competently.

Retrial for West Dem man accused of wife’s murder

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West Demerara man accused of killing his wife will be retried after the jury panel could not have arrived at a unanimous decision.

Ganesh Narine, 50, of Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara, is indicted with the June 12, 2009 murder of his wife, Krishndai Narine. He was being represented by Attorney Latchmie Rahamat in association with Attorney Peter Hugh.

The trial, which was before Justice James BovellDrakes, began last August and the prosecution was led by state counsels Natasha Backer and Dhanika Singh.

They had called several witnesses to testify against the accused; however,

they could not have located their main witness, the couple’s daughter, Amanda Singh, who reportedly saw the gruesome incident.

Nevertheless, the prosecution made an application under Section 95 of the Evidence Act, to have the daughter’s deposition (evidence taken at the magistrate court) read in court.

Justice Bovell-Drakes granted the application, and the evidence was read twice to the jury; once by a police officer and the other by a court clerk. In her deposition, Singh said on the day in question, her father went home intoxicated and began cooking. She noted that as he was preparing his ingredients, he began “cussing” her moth-

er, and told her that he will kill her then burn the house down.

Singh said that the accused then attacked her mother with a knife and stabbed her just under her breast. She said her mother was rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Approximately a month after the trial began, the prosecution closed its case and last week, both the prosecution and defence attorney made their closing addresses to the jury.

On Wednesday, the judge summed up all the evidence presented during the trial after which the panel retired to the jury room to deliberate on

a verdict. Close to three hours later, the panel returned, informing the court that they could not reach a unanimous decision.

The jury was deadlocked on a 9-3 vote, nine in favour of a not-guilty verdict and three in favour of a guilty verdict. Justice Bovell-Drakes then remanded the man back to prison and ordered a retrial in the next criminal session.

In arriving at a verdict, the jury could have found the accused guilty of murder or not guilty. They could have also found him guilty of manslaughter; however, this decision had to unanimous, otherwise it would result in a hung jury, as in this case.

Construction worker charged for wounding

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construction worker was on Wednesday placed on bail after he appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore to answer to the charge of unlawful wounding.

Thirty-eight-yearold Cecil Bowler of Lot 27 Fort Street, Kingston, Georgetown, pleaded not

guilty to the charge which stated that on September 30 at Georgetown, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Mohamed Ajib. Bowler also asked the court to be lenient with him.

According to Prosecutor Ramsahoye Rambaju, both men have known each other

for 10 years and on the day in question, around 19:30h, Ajib was walking along Fort Street, Kingston when he was confronted by Bowler who accused him of taking persons to a shop to commit a robbery. Bowler then dealt the complainant several “broadsides” and two chops to the

left shoulder with a cutlass.

The matter was reported and Bowler was subsequently arrested and charged.

There were no objections to bail and it was granted in the sum of $30,000. The matter was transferred to Courts Eight and Nine for October 18.

Labourer fined for narcotics possession

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n Wednesday, a labourer appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts after he was charged with possession of narcotics.

It was alleged that on September 30 at West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, 34-year-old Dwayne James

Eyew tness

of Lot 559 West Ruimveldt, had in his possession two grams of cannabis. He pleaded guilty to the charge as it was read to him.

According to the facts, on the day in question, around 18:30h, the police arrested the defendant on an affiliation warrant. A search was carried out on his person

and two ziplock plastic bags containing leaves, seeds and stems were found in his right side pants pocket. He was told of the offence and was escorted to the police station where he was later charged.

He told the court that he is a father of three. He added that he was first arrested

by the police after the mother of his children took out a summons against him. He said that he does not sell or do drugs and is very sorry for committing the act.

Magistrate Azore fined him $5000 and sentenced him to three months of community service – two hours, every Friday.

...at UG ne the day before Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday, President Donald Ramotar decided to hold out an olive branch to the opposition at the 50th anniversary bash of the University of Guyana (UG). Maybe he was inspired by the man who practically invented the term “non-violence”. But then again, the president’s always been a peaceful kinda guy.

So UG’s now 50 years old. Imagine that! With Oxford University still going strong at 900-plus years, UG might be a spring chicken to some. But 50 isn’t a bad number to hit.

It should’ve had some time to consider where it’s been at – and where it’s headed. You’d think. In Guyana, however, you never know. Especially when all universities have their share of fighting and infighting. It’s part of the human condition.

Didn’t Wallace Sayre’s law declare that, “In any dispute the intensity of feeling is inversely proportional to the value of the issues at stake?” And by way of corollary, added: “That’s why academic politics are so bitter”? But in UG, it wasn’t just “academic” politics... the “real” politics of the country was transplanted lock, stock and barrel there from the word “go”.

And the word “go” was given by the People’s National Congress (PNC) who moved UG from its temporary home at Queen’s College in 1970.

Dr Cheddi Jagan, of course, had set it up in 1963, ever suspicious of British institutions like the University of the West Indies (UWI), which the colonial power had established by 1948. It was derided as “Jagan’s night school” by the critics, but Jagan wouldn’t have minded. While he’d gotten his dental training at Northwestern, the “training” that made him who he was, was gleaned from night school he’d attended at.

But while the PNC, to its credit, erected the buildings for UG, to its eternal disgrace, it irretrievably politicised the institution after 1974. This was when it first offered a job to world renowned historian Dr Walter Rodney, then rescinded the offer and finally banned him from ever working there.

Dr Rodney wasn’t just any academic off the street: he’d become a cause célèbre after he’d been banned by the Jamaican government back in 1968. But just as important, he had impeccable academic credentials.

Another shot in UG’s foot was when they insisted that all students – including females – had to serve in the national service, so as to graduate. Half of Guyana felt it was a political act. Sliding into the present, many lecturers and staff have worked assiduously to push a partisan agenda in the university. As the president said, isn’t it time we all live and let live?

...in schools And while still on the subject of “education” (which presumably institutions like UG are supposed to be about), have you caught some of the details coming out from the “first day” contretemps in several of our schools. Even your Eyewitness was caught flat-footed. We thought it was a case of these pointy-headed bureaucrats standing on ceremonies and being unwilling to open the classrooms “by any means necessary”.

Little did we know that the “war by other means” had now spread from UG into the primary and secondary divisions.

Well if this rot is allowed to spread, expect the slackness that prevails at UG to become the norm nationwide.

We never knew that Kathy Hughes is the head of the board of governors at St Roses High School. And that she was behind the decision to lock out the small children of St Agnes that shares a common building.

But then, as was the case with her public relations job with Synergy Holdings, maybe she was able to separate her role as an executive of the Alliance For Change (AFC) with that as a board member. No wonder schizophrenia is spreading! Let her be. ...at Promenade Gardens A disciple of the Mahatma has organised a one day fast at the Gandhi Statue to condemn the scandalous attack by Freddie Kissoon on the great man. Forgive Kissoon – he’s trying to resolve his own issues.

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The 144th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi (part two)

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by swami aksharananda

s he was about to embark on the historic Salt March, Gandhi stated that he was once upon a time a “believer in the politics of petitions, deputations, and friendly negotiations. But all these have gone to the dogs, famously, he declared, “Sedition has become my religion”.

Unlike many of our activists known for their violent postures and hateful condemnations who are irrelevant if they do not direct their invectives against individuals, the righteousness of the cause of the Indian people and the purity of the means employed to bring about justice was of equal importance to Gandhi.

Non-violence

He would tirelessly remind his fellow satyagrahis, “where the means are clean there God is undoubtedly present with His blessings”.

In no situation were they to forsake truth and non-violence.

On another occasion during the same march, and drawing deeply from his spiritual heritage, especially the Bhagavad Gita, he stated, “The plan of civil disobedience has been conceived to neutralise and ultimately displace violence, and enthrone non-violence in its stead, to replace hatred by love, to replace strife by concord.”

To fight with all his might against evil, with determination and enthusiasm, curbing the temptations of the ego, without hatred and rancour, with truth and non-violence as the weapons, and with a heart full of purity and compassion for all, including the opponent, this will always be Gandhi’s challenge to all who see themselves as struggling against injustice.

For him, the means was as important as the end.

There is another important component of Gandhi’s satyagraha that many, who invoke him, ignore. He was absolutely adamant that the person involved in action has to be morally equal to the challenge. In this regard, he would ask of all to inquire into their motives.

Prayer and fasting were always part of the method of the struggle. Purity of means implied the purity of the individual.

Atonement

To demonstrate his commitment to this principle it is known that whenever violence broke out as a result of satyagraha, Gandhi would not only call off the movement but would invariably embark on a fast of atonement, and would urge other satyagrahis to do the same.

He was the most severe judge of himself and would take upon himself the full

Goats continue to be most common stray animals

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Goats and a cow being left to stray on the streets

he Home Affairs Ministry has reported that some 201 stray animals were impounded by the stray catching units during September.

The ministry in a release said operations were conducted on the East Bank Demerara and the Corentyne areas.

The release stated that 56 goats, 54 cows, 48 sheep and 43 horses were impounded.

“The ministry continues to appeal to cattle own-

ers to ensure the safety of their animals against being involved in vehicular accidents.

“Also, cattle owners are reminded to ensure that a calf six months old must be branded.

“Further, persons are advised that everyone, who releases or attempts to release any stray taken for the purpose of being impounded, shall be liable to a fine of not less than $10,000 and not more than $20,000,” the release concluded.

Mahatma Gandhi

moral responsibility, and intensely search his own heart and reach for what he called his, “Inner Voice”. Prayer, meditation, chanting the name of Rama (ramanama), solitude, and fasting would follow in the wake of any violent response by any satyagrahi.

If Gandhi was relevant then, he is much more relevant now. One of his greatest disciples and a satyaghrahi in another context,

Martin Luther King, Jr, had this to say of Gandhi: “Gandhi was probably the first person in history to lift the love ethic of Jesus above mere interaction between individuals to a powerful and effective social force on a large scale.

The intellectual and moral satisfaction that I failed to gain from the utilitarianism of Bentham and Mill, the revolutionary methods of Marx and Lenin, the social contract theory of Hobbes, the ‘back to nature’ theory of Rousseau, and the superman philosophy of Nietzsche, I found in the non-violent resistance philosophy of Gandhi.

If humanity is to progress, Gandhi is inescapable.

Hero

He lived, thought and acted inspired by a vision of humanity evolving toward a world of peace and harmony. We may ignore him at our own risk.”

For Romain Rolland,

“Gandhi is not only for India a hero of national history, whose legendary memory will be enshrined in the millennial epoch. Gandhi has renewed for all peoples of the West, the message of their Christ, forgotten or betrayed.

For many, he was like a return of Christ…” And, the historian and philosopher, Will Durant echoing these words proclaimed that, “Not since St Francis of Assissi has any life known to history been so marked by gentleness, disinterestedness, simplicity of soul and forgiveness of enemies.”

George Bernard Shaw, known for his caustic iconoclasm, has this to say in his own inimitable and unique pithy literary style, Impressions of Gandhi.

“You might as well ask of someone’s impression of the Himalayas.” And on Gandhi’s death, Shaw remarked, “It shows how dangerous it is to be good.”

Another redoubtable

“peacenik”, Albert Einstein, spoke of Gandhi as, “a man who confronted the brutality of Europe with the dignity of the simple human being, and thus at all times risen superior”.

Belief

He added, “It was his unshakable belief that the use of force is an evil in itself, that therefore it must be avoided by those who are striving for supreme justice to his belief…. He has demonstrated that a powerful human following can be assembled not only through the cunning game of the usual political manoeuvres and trickeries, but through the cogent example of a morally superior conduct of life.”

And in what has become one of the most memorable tributes to Gandhi, Einstein concluded that “Generations to come, it may be, will scarcely believe that such a one of this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.”

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PYARG to honour 804 during 15th anniversary celebrations

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he President's Youth Award: Republic of Guyana (PYARG) will be celebrating its 15th anniversary during October with a series of activities.

The award has been operating in all 10 administrative regions. The success of the programme is mainly due to the support given by unit leaders, regional award leaders, parents, volunteers and all who give their time, efforts, skills and facilities to ensure the development of young people.

A total of 804 participants are expected to receive the bronze, silver and gold awards at the presentation ceremony on Saturday, October 26 at the National Cultural Centre.

Additionally, there are a number of activities to mark the 15th anniversary.

The ceremony is expect-

President Donald Ramotar

ed to be attended by PYARG patron, President Donald Ramotar and Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony.

Fifteen years ago, the Guyana National Award Scheme now called the PYARG was launched by its first patron, and late president, Janet Jagan,

Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony

on October 3, 1998. Since that time, teens and young adults from across Guyana have and continue to benefit greatly from the life-changing experiences and services provided by the programme.

The PYARG is not just a membership organisation, but rather provides a set of

activities designed for young people between the ages of 14 to 25.

The award aims to establish a life-long ability to set and achieve personal goals and, in doing so, to encourage personal discovery and self-knowledge; self-reliance and self-discipline; motivation and enterprise; perseverance, determination and voluntarily ‘going the extra mile’; initiative, enthusiasm and creative vision; definition of purpose, accurate thinking and time management; community involvement and social responsibility; a sense of values and an understanding of their place in decision-making; the spirit of adventure and team work; sound physical and mental health; vocational, cultural and family life skills; and international understanding and awareness.

De mayor-fuh-life and de rubbish

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t got two kinds of people in this world. Guyana is a part of de world so dem deh right hey in Guyana. It got people who does avoid talkin bout some tings, especially when dem guilty of de same tings. Dem is de kinda people who does try to hide from dem wickedness. And it got another kinda people who does do de opposite. Dem does talk nuff bout whah ever dem guilty of. That is a way to cover up fuh dem dutty deeds.

De two ambassadors is one type. Dem talkin bout corruption in Guyana, but dem conveniently fuhget that corruption deh more plenty right wheh dem come from. In long time days, old people woulda call these ambassadors bare face, or dem woulda seh that these ambassadors tek dem kiss-meh-ass eyes and pass de Guyanese people.

De mud paper man at de Kocheur – who run backtrack, thief people money and now payin soup drinker to write fuh he – is another one. He got split personality. He does display both types of people. On de one hand, he don’t talk bout backtrack. Since de U.S. expose he backtrackin ways, he does avoid that subject. On de other hand, he like accuse people of thiefin. That is whah de old people woulda call bare face and kiss-meh-ass eye pass all in one.

And de soup drinker tek on some of these traits already, because a lotta whah de mud paper man do – and a lotta what de mud paper man got – does rub off pun de soup drinker.

Now, de mayor-fuh-life Green Ham finally use de word “rubbish”. De only problem is that he wasn’t talkin bout de GT rubbish, or de rubbish whah he got at de **ity council, or heself. Green Ham was tryin to tek he own **it and put it pun another man bottom!

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie!

After all, yuh can tek de mayor-fuh-life outta de rubbish, but you can’t tek de rubbish outta de mayor-fuh-life.

Agri Ministry using surveillance system to detect plant diseases

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n an effort to effectively monitor diseases that affect plants, Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy noted that one of the strategies used by the ministry was to implement some of the same surveillance techniques used by the Health Ministry to detect diseases that are present and those that might arise in the future.

He explained that in the past and in many countries, it is only when a problem arises that programmes are put in place. “We are being overtly opportunistic in our approach so that we can stop something in its tracks rather than deal with postmortem,” the minister said.

With regards to appearance of the coconut red mite, Minister Ramsammy stressed that the ministry always had a surveillance programme and to verify claims of the outbreak, a specific programme was set in motion.

“This saw coconut farms across the country being visited and indeed there are locations where the pest has been identified. Actions were taken to ensure that where it exists, it was eliminated so as to make sure it does not spread. So we do not have a large-scale coconut mite problem in Guyana

at this time; like every other country, you will occasionally find things but what is good about the present situation is that we did not have to find out after major damage,” he added.

The minister indicated that the coconut red mite is a big problem for many countries around the world; hence, the importance of the surveillance programme.

Due to the raising importance of coconut and its products to the country, farmers are encouraged to wash the nuts before transporting it.

Minister Ramsammy illustrated that with the paddy bug, it has not appeared to be a problem in this crop so far since one would expect that it would have been at a crisis level, a Government Information Agency (GINA) report quoted him as saying.

Further, the ministry has changed the weekly reports of extension officers to twice per day.

Using this method, if a couple of bugs are seen anywhere, a rapid response team can be sent out. “And that is what allowed us to bring it under control,” he emphasised.

He added that once the surveillance efforts continue, the pest will not affect the industry in any way.

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Fly Jamaica blocked from making direct flights to U.S. from Guyana

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The Fly Jamaica aircraft on its inaugural flight from Guyana

he recent move by the U.S. Department of Transportation to deny permission to Fly Jamaica to operate direct flights from Georgetown to New York could affect the airline’s operation here.

It was reported that the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) and Airlines for America (A4A) of the United States had protested the move by both Fly Jamaica and Caribbean Airlines to apply to operate direct flights.

Reports are that both airlines had presented letters with their applications stating that they were granted flag carrier status by the government of Guyana.

Caribbean Airlines official Carl Stewart told this newspaper on Wednesday

that the company’s operations here will not be affected, as it operates flights from non-stop flights Guyana to the U.S. with a stopover in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

Fly Jamaica, when contacted, said an official response will be made on this matter by the airline in the form of a press statement to be dispatched later.

However, the airline is likely to be affected by this move, since plans were in place to operate direct flights to the New York route. This could possibly affect ticket prices.

Recently, acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali said the introduction of two new air carriers this year is a significant boost to the local air transportation sector. He revealed that the government

has been working hard to build and maintain capacity in the air transport sector.

The minister noted that with the introduction of Fly Jamaica and the return of TravelSpan later in the year, there will be a further boost of airlift.

Guyana, since the beginning of the year, has been facing challenges in the air transportation sector, notably unfair competition and high ticket prices.

Several airlines had established operations here, but left for various reasons, including EZjet and REDjet.

Government wants additional airlines to boost capacity on the GeorgetownNew York route.

A significant per cent of the Guyanese diaspora live in or near New York.

Essequibo couple may not have been targets in Kitty bar shooting – crime chief

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s investigations continue into the Mambo Bar shooting on Saturday evening last which left one dead and several injured, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud on Wednesday told Guyana Times that the Lalls and their friends might not have been the targets, but rather one of their close associates.

Persaud, nevertheless stated that police are continuing their investigations into the shooting, which also left Raymond Lall, 36; Parmanand Persaud, 32, of Lot 27, Block B Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara and the Lalls chauffeur, Badatunde Nedd, also called “Reggae” of Parika, East Bank Essequibo, injured.

This publication understands that the target might have been a man who was in the company of the Lalls on the night of the shooting.

Several close friends were hanging out together at the bar when the incident occurred.

Investigations

The crime chief added that based on investigations so far, the police have strong reasons to believe that the Lalls and the others who were shot were not the targets.

He also stated that since the shooting incident which claimed that life of Shelliza Basir-Lall, 33, of Lot 2 Charity, Essequibo Coast, the individual who is believed to have been the target has not been seen or heard from.

The police, he noted, has made several attempts to contact the man, but to no avail.

From reports gathered, the man was seen at the bar on the night of the shooting, and was reportedly on the dance floor with a relative of the dead woman.

Persaud also confirmed

Dead: Shelliza Basir-Lall

Injured: Raymond Lall

was shot.

After a while, police arrived at the scene and cordoned off the area. This publication understands that at least 19 9mm spent shells were recovered. Two persons were detained and questioned for the attack, but were reportedly released.

The shooting incident was committed on Saturday evening last about 23:45h at Mambo Bar, Barr Street, Kitty, Georgetown.

Crime Chief Seelall Persaud

Armed men

Meanwhile, from his home on Monday, the businessman recalled that about 23:00h on the fateful night, he went to Mambo Bar with three friends to hang out for a while.

As midnight approached, a white Toyota Carina AT 212 motorcar pulled up and two masked men exited and started to shoot. He added that his wife got up and was running for safety when she

Reports gathered revealed that Lall, his wife and Persaud were at a table while a female relative and the man believed to have been the target were on the dance floor when one of the armed men walked into the bar, pulled out an UZI automatic gun and cranked it in an attempt to begin shooting, but the gun reportedly malfunctioned.

The businessman, from reports received, thought that it was one of the guys playing around and he ignored the gunman. However, within a few seconds, gunshots rang out. None of the injured men had the opportunity to use their licensed firearms since by then, they were all injured.

tion with assistance from various stakeholders.

Guyana Times understands that the three persons were arrested in Suriname while going through the immigration department. The three Guyanese are in the custody of Surinamese law enforcement authorities and are expected to be extradited shortly.

In addition, it was gathered that four female immigration officers requested $60,000 from the three people in exchange for not reporting the matter to authorities. The money was reportedly paid and the three persons were allowed to pass. The offence was reportedly committed on September 30 at the CJIA.

Nevertheless, Persaud stated that the immigration officers are still employed with the Guyana Police Force since they were hired under the public service regulations, but are being grilled and based on the outcome, a decision will be taken.

He also added that others might or might not be questioned in relation to the incident. The four women were up to late Wednesday afternoon being interrogated at the Criminal Investigative Department (CID).

This publication understands that the immigration officers are intermittently shuffled between the Central Immigration Office and the CJIA to perform duties.

that the 19-year-old man who was arrested a few hours later with a 9mm Lugar Pistol on Mandela Avenue, Georgetown was not a part of the heinous crime. Tests were conducted on the gun and on the hands of the man.

Hang out

GTM to formally open Four immigration officers arrested in U.S. visa forgery case branch at Montrose T

he Guyana and Trinidad Mutual Fire and Life Insurance Companies (GTM) will formally open a branch at Montrose, East Coast Demerara on Friday.

The insurance company in a release said it is conscious of the fact that many people are now living outside of Georgetown and commuting in and out of the city has become very time consuming because of the increase in the number of motor vehicles on the road.

In recognition of this, and the resultant rapid change in demographics for the East Coast Demerara area, GTM said it sees the

need to establish a presence on the lower East Coast area with the establishment of the Samlall’s Agency.

“This agency, like all of our other locations, will deliver superior customer services in keeping with our vision to be the premier

customer-oriented insurance services provider in Guyana and the Caribbean.

Our ultimate goal is to offer at all of our offices a ‘one stop’ shopping experience. As a result, we have put into place at this agency the facilities to sell and service general, motor, accident and liability, life and health insurance products,” the release said.

Agency Manager Mohan Samlall, has been in the insurance industry for over 30 years, and as such, has the experience and knowledge to sell and service all of the various classes of businesses sold by the GTM Group of Insurance Companies.

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t least four immigration officers stationed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) are in police custody after they were accused of collecting monies to allow three persons to pass through immigration with forged U.S. visas.

This was confirmed

by Crime Chief Seelall Persaud on Wednesday, who stated that the police are in the process of verifying if the visas were valid. He said that based on investigations, the persons whose names were submitted to the police were on the manifest to travel out of the country.

Based on the sensitivity of the issue, the police are continuing their investiga-

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Fertiliser shipment from Venezuela not yet finalised

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g r i c u l t u r e Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy said the shipping arrangements for the 5000 tonnes of fertiliser from Venezuela are yet to be finalised.

The minister in an interview on Tuesday said the ships with which arrangements were made have now informed the ministry that they would not be available for the set dates.

These would have seen one shipment arriving between September 23-24 and another the following week.

Regulations The minister posited that it would have been good if the ships with rice, which sailed to Venezuela, would come back with the fertiliser, “but such cannot be done because of the regulations which stipulate

that’s a major saving for farmers who presently pay between $8000-$10,000 per bag,” Minister Ramsammy said.

Rice farmers, depending on where they are located, currently pay between $7000 and $10,000 for a 48 kilogramme bag of urea.

Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy

that only a special [type] of ship can be used. This is in accordance with the PetroCaribe agreement”.

“The fertiliser is available at still a very good price

that will allow us to make it available to the farmers at a cost that is under $5000 per bag, which means farmers will save between $3000- $5000 per bag and

Benefit The minister explained that the ministry is developing a model for the distribution of the fertiliser which will benefit every farmer, whether small or large. However, how much they get will be dependent on the equation being developed.

“The small farmer will benefit the most because they will meet close to 100 per cent of their need, whereas, as you get to the bigger farmers, the allot-

ted percentage will become less. So at this point, the large farmers will not meet all of their needs through the provision of this, so they will have to buy some fertiliser on the present market that exists and it is possible that some of the large farmers will meet all their needs,” Minister Ramsammy indicated.

With regards to the payment arrangements, the present shipment of fertiliser was paid for by the government.

“The price of fertiliser is a controlled price that is determined on a daily/ weekly basis by the global authorities so the prices are set… I could tell you that those who are marketing fertilisers today can be wealthy. The price being charged to the farmer makes a good profit. We are not going to be making

a profit. We are going to have a small mark-up for handling charges to cover shipping, etc…,” the minister pointed out.

Final cost However, the final cost will be determined when the shipment arrives, and the date of shipping will also determine the price because it is worked out on that exchange.

At the moment, Guyana’s rice farmers require about 20,000 tonnes of fertiliser.

During a recent visit to Venezuela, the minister succeeded in getting manufacturers to agree to supply Guyana with 5000 tonnes of fertiliser. During the recent visit of President Nicolas Maduro to Guyana, a decision was made to extend that previous agreement to two shipments.

Unattended kero stoves in oven explode, damage Sandvoort house

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The stove damaged by the explosion

n unattended lit oven resulted in the upper flat of a two-storey building being partly damaged by fire on Tuesday.

However, quick response by residents of Sandvoort prevented the blaze from ravaging the building.

Guyana Times was told that around 11:00h, neighbours responded to calls for fire and rushed to the home of Juanita Chisholm, who was not at home at the time, and immediately formed a bucket brigade to extinguish the blaze.

According to one eyewitness, the fire was seen coming from the gas stove and had spread to the walls of the house. Within minutes, the alert residents were able to put out the fire.

Chisholm’s mother, who lives in the same village, said there was a 45-gallon drum of water under the house, with an overhead water-tank which was full. “They didn’t have difficulty getting water.”

By the time the fire service arrived, the fire was already extinguished. One resident, Clinton Forsyth commended the firemen for their quick response.

“Although the fire was out before they came, I am surprised that they arrive so fast,” he said.

Chisholm told Guyana

Times that she had placed two lit kerosene one burner stoves into the gas stove and was baking bread when she left the house.

The woman said she was at a relative a few houses away. However, neighbours said she had gone to the health centre, which is about 500 meters away. One resident reported that she went to the health centre to inform Chisholm that her house was on fire.

“We does tell she bout this walk and talk business. She must stay home,” another villager told this publication.

According to Chisholm, one of the stoves exploded and started the fire inside the oven. Residents said the fire is the second they are aware of in the village, the first they can remember occurred more than 60 years ago.

Meanwhile, in wake of Tuesday’s fire, Guyana Fire Service Divisional Officer Compton Sparman has launched an appeal for persons not to leave stoves unattended while cooking or baking.

He said the best tool in fighting fires is prevention.

The appeal comes ahead of Fire Prevention Week, which will be observed under the theme “Be alert, be committed – make fire safety your priority”.

news

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Guyana observes Katherina Roshana gets role in local movie Gandhi’s 144th P birth anniversary

The statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Promenade Gardens, Georgetown

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everal Guyanese gathered at the Promenade Gardens in Georgetown on Tuesday to observe the 144th birth anniversary of the late Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

Indian national Durai Vaiyapuri organised the day’s event, which attracted persons from all walks of life and many fellow Indian nationals.

The commemoration commenced at 07:00h with the laying of floral tributes at the foot of the monument honouring Gandhi. Indian High Commissioner Puran Mal Meena was present. After the laying of floral tributes, sweets were distributed to children.

Vaiyapuri said devotees fasted in condemnation of Freddie Kissoon’s ill-conceived and untrue writings about Gandhi earlier this year.

Guyanese of all ilk had come out in unity at the gratuitous and vicious attack.

Meanwhile, the Indian Arrival Committee (IAC), in a press release, urged Guyanese to remember the life and works of Ghandi, especially his teachings on the use of non-violent behaviour to solve difficult problems.

Great soul

Gandhi (October 2, 1869-January 30, 1948) was the preeminent leader of Indian nationalism in Britishruled India. He was a barrister-at-law, social worker, philosopher, politician, and peace activist.

Employing non-violent civil disobedience methods, Gandhi, known as Mahatma (great soul) or Bapu (father), led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world.

The legacy of Gandhi cannot be defined by a single act or idea in the way that most great personalities who have left their mark throughout history can be characterised by specific works of art, inventions, philosophies, or battles.

What distinguished Gandhi, who stated that “ac-

tion is my domain”, was that he never failed to put theory into practice and throughout his life, his words were authenticated by the consistency between thought and deed.

His intention was to inspire people by the example of his own actions. When he confronted the horrific plight of untouchables in Indian society, he broke traditions that had existed for thousands of years by doing the work himself – work that had always been reserved for dalits (the lowest of the castes).

Search for truth

The search for truth underpinned all of Gandhi’s actions, but he did not think it was possible to ever know absolute truth; consequently there was no Hindu, Muslim or Christian truth, though each form part of an absolute truth.

Gandhi’s commitment to non-violence came out of his belief in the ancient Hindu idea of Ahimsa, which led him, especially after his professional, social, and political experiences in South Africa between 1893 and 1915, to devise a unique mode of peaceful struggle which he named “Satyagraha”.

Following his return to India in 1915, Gandhi spent the remaining years of his life working for the independence of British India and resisted all efforts to split the country along religious line – this conviction would lead to his death.

Five months after the British granted India independence in August 1947, by splitting its Indian Empire into two dominions, a Hindumajority India and Muslim Pakistan, Gandhi was assassinated, by a Hindu nationalist who thought he was too accommodating.

Gandhi’s seminal work Hind Swarag or Indian Home Rule greatly influenced the political ideas of Dr Cheddi Jagan who fought for the independence of British Guiana following his return from studies in the USA in 1943.

opular local movie director Bonny Alves and producer/songwriter/ stage performer and singer Charmaine Blackman has contracted Miss India Guyana 2013, Miss India Worldwide Most Beautiful Skin, and now Miss Universe Guyana contestant Katherina Roshana, for their next local movie, “The Convert”.

Roshana is now being sponsored by NEW GPC INC for the Miss Guyana Universe 2013 pageant as Miss Limacol.

In the movie, Roshana is to play a leading role of a philosopher/teacher, and self-defence expert, who will come to the aid of a mentally and physically abused woman, who was accustomed to difficulties and constant inhuman torture by her husband.

Incidentally, Roshana is in reality trained in karate to an advanced stage, since early childhood.

In accepting the role, Roshana said she is happy to accept the role, and to showcase her talents as an actress, which she had refined at her high school in Guyana,

Katherina Roshana with Bonny Alves and Charmaine Blackman looking over the script of “The Convert”

the Georgetown International Academy, and by encouragement from her mentor and English teacher Kelly Mekdeci.

But she accepts the offer mostly because of the positive message of the movie, and the role brings out a serious social malaise in the country, sadly of women abuse, and to an extent child abuse, by men they give their love and service to, at times for decades and even a lifetime.

Roshana said she believes

women must be equal partners in a home and relationship, and neither has a right to abuse the other. Both partners must together raise mentally healthy, psychologically and physically strong children.

“Our children, our youths of today are the nation’s tomorrow who can and must help build a strong Guyana, with a wise and prosperous national identity. This can only come about with healthy family lives,” Roshana said.

She thanked movie pioneers in Guyana, SSignal Productions Director Bonny Alves and Charmaine Blackman for offering her the role in the movie expected to be released later this year.

The beauty queen promises to provide excellent acting skills, and to cooperate and learn further from SSignal Productions and the management team, and the experienced, seasoned actors and actresses.

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Regional

Belize chastises rich nations “Green economy” key to advancing sustainable development agenda for abandoning global partnership for development in Barbados

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eveloped nations have not honoured their commitments to provide the assistance poor countries need to achieve the global anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the foreign minister of Belize told United Nations member states on Monday, stressing that the future development agenda must not suffer the same fate.

Agreed by world leaders at a UN summit in 2000, the MDGs set specific goals on poverty alleviation, education, gender equality, child and maternal health, environmental stability, HIV/AIDS reduction, and a global part-

Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington of Belize

nership for development.

“It is evident that for some inexplicable reason, the developed countries

abandoned goal eight,” Wilfred Elrington told the General Assembly’s highlevel debate, referring to the MDG on a global partnership for development.

“We note with disappointment, that the rich countries have not even been able to bring themselves to honour their commitment to contribute even the 0.7 per cent of their gross domestic product as official domestic assistance to poor countries,” he said.

In addition, the resources being provided by the international and other financial institutions and by private donors “fall far short” of what is needed by poor countries to attain the MDGs. (Excerpt from

Caribbean News Now)

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policy of sustainable development is a matter of survival for Barbados, its minister told the United Nations General Assembly on Monday, highlighting also debt sustainability and efforts to support the international financial service sector.

In her statement, the minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade, Maxine McClean, noted that Barbados has special needs as a small island developing state (SIDS), and that its development is inextricably linked to ocean resources.

She quoted Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, who had said, “The green economy debate recognises our structural vulnerabilities, offers a model to assist

Maxine McClean, minister for foreign affairs and foreign trade of Barbados

us in further realising our sustainable development aspirations and creates the institutional platform that would enable us to participate in innovative partnerships in the fight to save our

planet, against mounting unsustainable consumption and production patterns.”

SIDS, as a group, has made less progress than many other groupings on the anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), McClean noted.

Of particular concern, she said, was poverty reduction and debt sustainability which remains a “major constrains to SIDS achieving sustainable development.”

She urged the international community to convene a special meeting for SIDS related to debt sustainability ahead of the Third International Conference to be held September 2014 in Samoa.

(Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

U.S. to expel Venezuelan Mother of St Lucia’s Brazil’s protests: Rio witnesses diplomats in retaliation prime minister dies teacher strike violence

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hree Venezuelan diplomats are being expelled from the U.S. after Caracas expelled three American officials, the U.S. State Department says.

The diplomats, who include charge d’affaires Calixto Ortega Rios, have been given 48 hours to leave.

On Tuesday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accused the U.S. diplomats of plotting to sabotage the economy. He said he had evidence they took part in a power-grid sabotage in September and had bribed firms to cut production.

He gave the three – charge d’affaires Kelly Keiderling, David Moo and Elizabeth Hoffman – 48 hours to leave, saying: “Yankees, go home!”

However, the U.S. State Department rejected the allegations. An official told the BBC: “It is regrettable that the Venezuelan government has again decided to expel U.S. diplomatic officials based on groundless allegations, which require reciprocal action.

“It is counterproductive to the interests of both our countries and not a serious way for a country to conduct its foreign policy.” As well as Calixto Ortega Rios, the Venezuelan diplomats being expelled are Second Secretary Monica Alejandra Sanchez Morales at the Washington embassy, and Consul Marisol Gutierrez de Almeida at the Houston consulate. (Excerpt from BBC News)

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he 93-year-old mother of St Lucia Prime Minister Dr Kenny Anthony has died after ailing for a short period.

Press Secretary Jadia Jn Pierre-Emmanuel confirmed that Andrazine Anthony passed away at the Tapion Hospital, on the outskirts of the capital on Tuesday.

The ruling St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) said “Andraz”, as she was affectionately known, had “always been a tower of strength for her children.

“No one can grieve as a child can; no one other than a child can know the hurt of losing a mother, but the prime minister can derive some tiny grain of comfort in knowing that his friends and colleagues within the Saint

Labour Party share his sorrow and that of his family.

He can also take comfort in knowing that his mother is in a better place. That after her long 93-year earthly journey, she is now free from pain and worry,” the party said in a statement.

Former Prime Minister Stephenson Kin, whose mother died four months ago, said in a condolence message that while it is a difficult time for Prime Minister Anthony “I am confident, if you call on the Lord, He will provide you with strength and guide you through this most painful period. “Having lost my own beloved mother, only a few months ago, I can truly understand your pain and grief at this time.” (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

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lashes broke out in Rio de Janeiro’s on Tuesday as police skirmished with striking schoolteachers.

Teachers pressing for better pay had gathered in front of City Hall, where a vote on Mayor Eduardo Paes’ salary proposal was expected. The strikers oppose the proposal, which they say does not go far enough in addressing their demands.

Protesters opposed to the mayor’s pay proposal invaded the building trying to disrupt proceedings and police repeatedly sprayed strikers in the city’s busy commercial district with clouds of tear gas, rubber bullets and

percussion grenades.

Negotiations between the city and the teachers’ unions have been acrimonious, and Tuesday was the strike’s 46th day.

Rio’s police forces have come under criticism in recent months for their forceful responses to a series of street protests that have swept the city since June, when small demonstrations against a subway and bus fare hike in Sao Paulo snowballed into a nationwide movement.

The head of the military police was replaced, but allegations of police brutality against demonstrators have persisted under his successor. (The

Telegraph)

Time to turn economic, social systems inside Land/ocean conference opens out, urges Dominican Republic minister

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he time for words and promises is over; the time for action is now, a Dominican Republic minister told the United Nations General Assembly on the final day of its high-level debate, calling for inclusive development and social justice in a post-2015 sustainability agenda.

In his statement, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs José Manuel Trullols said that in order for development to be sustainable, “we must undertake structural reforms that will change many of our policies and our economic and social systems, turning them inside out, the way a sock is turned inside out.”

The UN is currently working with governments,

The Dominican Republic’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Trullols

civil society and other partners to build on the momentum generated by the MDGs and carry on with an ambitious post-2015 development agenda.

Trullols said that depending on what is decided will foretell whether the future of humanity will be “promising or miserable.”

He noted that while eradication of extreme poverty correlates to an income of less than US$1.25 a day being elevated to US$2 per day, “the difference in hardships between the one income range and the other is not very noticeable.”

The deputy minister urged the international community to turn good intentions into action and political decisions. (Excerpt from UN News Centre)

in Montego Bay

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he Second Global Conference on LandOcean Connections (GLOC-2) opened Wednesday morning at the Hilton Rose Hall in Montego Bay with over 200 delegates from 50 countries in attendance.

The three-day gathering of scientists, experts, policymakers and NGOs, under the theme “Building Bridges through Partnerships” will see recommendations made towards the implementation of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities.

GLOC 2 will explore current and emerging environmental management chal-

lenges that result from land-based activities, with a priority focus on the management of marine litter, waste water and nutrients, as well as identifying possible solutions and the associated opportunities that exist in managing these issues at global regional and national levels.

The conference was organised by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Jamaican government through the National Environment and Planning Agency.

A concurrent media workshop on the issues is also underway. (Excerpt from Jamaica

Observer)

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thursday, october 3, 2013

GRA condemns On International Day, Ban calls on world’s citizens to practise non-violence misleading Kaieteur News S report

The GRA has condemned the Sunday, September 29 Kaieteur News article titled “Only 17 lawyers in Guyana authorised to charge fees" as misleading

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he Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is gravely concerned about the media report that appeared in the Sunday September 29 edition of Kaieteur News entitled “Only 17 lawyers in Guyana authorised to charge fees”.

The genesis of the report is a notice issued by the GRA which carried the names of the latest batch of professionals who were issued with tax practise certificates as recent as September 15.

The GRA finds the article very misleading and mischievous, to say the least, and believes that it was designed to cause confusion, particularly among those professionals who have complied with Section 39 of the Tax Act Chapter 80:01, and are in possession of their Tax Practice Certificate.

Manipulative

The GRA is appalled at the manipulative use of its notice by the newspaper to contrive an inglorious article for its own ends.

GRA Commissioner General Khurshid Sattaur penned an apology for the embarrassment caused by Kaieteur News abuse of press freedom, to the bitter end of having parts omitted and the remainder twisted to suit the aims of the paper.

The Kaieteur News, rather than taking responsibility for the humiliation it caused, sought to do more harm with its publication of a distorted apology.

The GRA is calling on the Kaieteur News to desist from these unethical practices.

Even more outrageous and erroneous is the contemptuous deduction by the Kaieteur News that because a particular professional’s name did not appear on the list, that person did not pay their tax.

While payment of tax and filing of returns are part of the criteria to obtain a Tax Practice Certificate, one should not make such an assumption, since persons must make an application; and there are a number of reasons why they may not do so.

Notwithstanding, it is an offence under Sub-Section 9 (a) of Section 39 of the act, Chapter 80:01 for any person to practice his profession privately for reward without a certificate of practice.

Persons were simply being given a warning not to be found in breach of the act and encouraged to comply as those whose names were published.

Official Gazette

The commissioner general is required by the said act to publish in the official Gazette on March 15 and July 1 of each year, a notice containing the names of all persons to whom certificates were issued for the year.

Additional names would be posted as soon as practicable thereafter.

The first publications of the list of professionals who were issued with tax practice certificates were done on March 16 and 23 in the official Gazette as required by law.

Professionals such as lawyers, doctors, dentists, physiotherapists, veterinary surgeons, engineers, accountants, auditors, surveyors, architects, pharmacists and optometrists (as set out in the First Schedule of the Tax Act, Chapter 80:01) who are engaged in practice for reward, privately or independently of the state are required to have a tax practice certificate.

However, professional persons employed by the state and who do not in any way engage in private practise are exempt.

Hence, any person who practises as a professional in the course of being wholly employed in the service of another person whose undertaking or business does not comprise the rendering of services of the nature of such practise would not be required to have a certificate, for example, a medical doctor employed solely by a mining company, an accountant employed solely by an engineering firm or an attorney employed solely by an insurance firm.

ecretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called on people all over the world to have the courage to turn their backs on violence and stand up for peace and justice, marking the International Day of Nonviolence.

“I call on global citizens everywhere to be inspired by the courage of people like Mahatma Gandhi. Turn your back to division and hatred; stand up for what is right and just. Work with your fellow women and men for a world of lasting justice, peace and prosperity for all,” Ban said in his message for the day.

The International Day of Non-violence marks

“Non-Violence,” a sculpture by Karl Fredrik Reutersward, sits permanently outside UN Headquarters in New York

the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of India’s independence movement, whose non-violence philosophy and tactics have been

adopted by leaders around the world. It was established by the general assembly as an occasion to “disseminate the message of non-violence,

including through education and public awareness,” and has been observed annually since 2007.

Ban noted that non-violence is “neither inert nor passive,” and stressed that it requires resolve to stand against injustice, discrimination and brutality and to demand respect for diversity and fundamental human rights.

“It also requires courage to move from conflict and embrace peaceful negotiation. Non-violence needs leaders – across nations and in communities and homes – backed by an army of brave people prepared to demand peace, freedom and fairness.” (Excerpt from UN News Centre)

UN urges immediate aid access to Syria

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he UN Security Council has urged the Syrian government to allow cross-border aid deliveries, calling on all parties to Syria’s conflict to agree on humanitarian pauses in fighting and key routes for aid convoys.

More than two million Syrians, mostly women and children, have fled during the 30-months conflict, which the UN says has

killed more than 110,000 people.

Millions more inside Syria are in desperate need of help, but aid has slowed to a trickle because of violence and excessive red tape. The 15-member Security Council on Wednesday agreed to a non-binding statement in a bid to boost aid access, drafted by Australia and Luxembourg.

The statement urged

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s authorities to “take immediate steps to facilitate the expansion of humanitarian relief operations, and lift bureaucratic impediments and other obstacles”.

This includes “promptly facilitating safe and unhindered humanitarian access to people in need, through the most effective ways, including across conflict lines

and, where appropriate, across borders from neighbouring countries”.

Only 12 international aid groups had been approved by the Syrian government to work in the country and convoys of aid trucks struggle to meet demand, delayed by having to negotiate dozens of government and opposition checkpoints, UN officials say.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Russia charges two Greenpeace activists with piracy

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ussian authorities charged two Greenpeace activists with piracy on Wednesday over a protest against Arctic oil drilling at a platform owned by state-controlled energy company Gazprom, the environmental group said.

The piracy charges, which Greenpeace said were absurd, are punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

The two who were charged, Brazilian crew member Ana Paula Alminhana and British freelance videographer Kieron Bryan, were among 30 arrested after the protest last month in

Greenpeace ship “Arctic Sunrise” is seen anchored outside the Arctic port city of Murmansk

which a Greenpeace icebreaker approached the Prirazlomnaya platform and two activists tried to scale it.

“It is an extreme and

disproportionate charge,” Greenpeace International executive director Kumi Naidoo said. “A charge of piracy is being laid against men and women whose only

crime is to be possessed of a conscience. This is an outrage and represents nothing less than an assault on the very principle of peaceful protest.”

A court in the northern city of Murmansk last week ordered all 30 to be held in custody for two months pending further investigation, and charges against the other 28 were expected to be filed soon.

The environmental group says the protest was peaceful and posed no threat, and that piracy charges against the protesters have no merit in international or Russian law. (Excerpt from MSN News)

Obama shortens Asia trip due to U.S. shutdown

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resident Barack Obama has postponed two stops on his fournation Asian tour because of the government shutdown.

The White House said it was “logistically... not possible” to go ahead with the trips to Malaysia and the Philippines at the end of his tour.

But he would still be at-

tending regional summits in Indonesia and Brunei, the White House added.

The U.S. government has partially shut down after the two houses of Congress failed to agree a new budget.

More than 700,000 federal employees face unpaid leave, and national parks, museums and many buildings are closed. Obama on

Tuesday vowed not to allow Republicans to undermine his signature healthcare legislation as a condition to restart the U.S. government.

“They’ve shut down the government over an ideological crusade to deny affordable health insurance to millions of Americans,” he said at the White House. “In other words, they demanded

ransom just for doing their job.”

Obama had been scheduled to begin his four-nation Asian trip on Saturday, heading to Bali for an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit and Brunei for the East Asia summit before travelling on to Malaysia and the Philippines. (Excerpt from BBC News)

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Africa

Caribbean

TT’s SMEs an engine of growth U.S.-Africa trade mostly benefits – Tewarie oil, textile companies

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contributed about 22 per cent to India’s GDP. Our goal should be to rival Germany, U.S. and Japan and Korea where SME’s contribute to 50 per cent of the GDP of these economies,” he said in his address at the 2013 Idea 2 Innovation Competition and Distribution of Grants at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain.

T’s Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sector is an important engine of economic growth, Planning Minister Bhoe Tewarie said, employing about 200,000 people and contributing about 25 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“This compares favourably to India and in 2012 SME’s

Dr Tewarie said in the United States millions of SME sector jobs are created from the entertainment industry and TT must also be creative like that in diversifying the economy, he said TT must look for new markets and think outside the box to survive in a very competitive global order. (Trinidad Guardian)

North America

Marc Jacobs steps down as Louis Vuitton’s creative director

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esigner Marc Jacobs is leaving the luxury goods firm Louis Vuitton, to focus on his own brand. The announcement came in an interview given to Women’s Wear Daily, by LVMH boss Bernard Arnault.

The Marc Jacobs label is jointly owned by Jacobs, his business partner and LVMH. The three are preparing to take the brand public with a share offering expected within three years.

LVMH have yet to name a replacement for the high profile Louis Vuitton job.

The luxury goods empire also owns Givenchy, Pucci, Moët and Chandon, Christian Dior perfumes and cosmetics, and Bulgari watches and jewellery.

The American designer spent 16 years at the company, where he helped it grow into a global brand which generates more than seven billion euros of revenue a year, half of

LVMH’s operating profits.

Jacobs presented his last collection for Louis Vuitton earlier on Wednesday.

It was an all-black show with references to his past work such as the train station he reconstituted and the white carousel carrying models, including Kate Moss, two years ago.

Nicolas Ghesquiere, who left Balenciaga last year having revamped the Kering fashion brand, is seen as a top contender to replace Jacobs. (BBC News)

Europe

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ith a key U.S.-Africa trade agreement up for renewal in 2015, advocates on all sides of the issue say current policies are rife with shortcomings that leave many African businesses out in the cold.

Since its enactment in 2000, the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has sought to create trade opportunities for small- and medium-sized African businesses by helping them export their

products to the U.S. market.

But policymakers and activists alike are currently increasing focus on AGOA’s failures at empowering Africa’s poorer communities, and whether the act can be tweaked by 2015.

“AGOA has been successful, but only within its limited parametres,” Kimberly Elliott, a senior fellow and expert on trade policy and globalisation at the Centre for Global Development (CGD), a think tank here, told IPS. “The bill

has been relatively effective in removing U.S. barriers to African trade, but it hasn’t addressed the fundamental competitiveness issue in Africa.”

And while African exports to the United States have tripled over the last decade, “only as little as 1.3 million jobs have been created on the African continent since the enactment of AGOA,” Ambassador Michael Froman, the U.S. trade representative, recently warned. (allAfrica)

Central America

Mexican conservatives show openness on reform tied to energy bill

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exico’s main opposition party has signalled it is ready to compromise over demands for electoral reform that risk impeding a government bill to liberalise the oil industry.

Last month, the conservative National Action Party (PAN) proposed an electoral reform that seeks to curb the power of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, which has dominated Mexican politics for most of the past cen-

tury.

Until a deal is reached to revamp the electoral system, the PAN said it would not back the government’s plan to open up the oil industry to more private investment, which President Enrique Pena Nieto says is vital to reverse declining crude output.

However, Jose Maria Martinez, deputy leader of the PAN in the Senate, told Reuters in an interview late on Tuesday his party was not drawing lines

in the sand over the reform.

Among the PAN proposals are to introduce a second round run-off between first and second-place candidates in presidential elections. That would allow the opposition to join forces against the PRI, many of whose lawmakers are wary of the idea.

“There’s nothing off the table for the PAN in terms of the discussion on electoral reform,” he said when asked if the second round run-off had to be part of the final bill. (Reuters)

Bank of England warns borrowers Middle East and lenders not to overstretch UAE bourses set to merge themselves

T

he Bank of England has warned it is keeping a close eye on developments in the housing market and said borrowers and lenders should be careful not to overstretch themselves.

Paul Fisher, Threadneedle Street’s executive director of markets, rejected the idea that a property bubble was emerging but stressed that the bank was alert to the risks to the economy from another boombust. Fisher said the housing

market was clearly gathering momentum after years in the doldrums and prices had again started to hit the headlines.

“I must say that I don’t see any evidence of bubble behaviour as yet, with mortgage lending still subdued relative to what is likely to be normal levels of activity.

The housing market is recovering from a number of years of very low transactions, with house prices having risen well below the inflation rate.”

Recent house price surveys have shown that the cost of property is increasing by around five per cent for the UK as a whole and by 10 per cent in London.

Fisher said: “It is not surprising if we see an adjustment of relative prices when the market recovers and of course London has special demand pressures which are not present elsewhere in the UK, especially for high-end housing. (The Guardian)

Market statistics Cambio Rates

Gold Prices – Guyana Gold Board

Bank of Guyana

Cur GBP CAN USD

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

Buying

Selling

U.S.

$1335.00

$331.93 $198.20 $204.99

$336.09 $200.48 $207.43

Gross

$254,331

Net

$236,527

Selling

$262,426

Cambio

$202.67

Indicators as on October 2, 2013 Live Spot Gold Bid/Ask

$1316.30

$1317.30

Low/High

$1297.00

$1325.10

Change

+28.80

+2.24

USD GBP EUR

Oct 1 USD GBP EUR

Crude Oil Price Silver Platinum

London Gold Fix

Oct 2

Indicators

USD Per Once

AM

PM

1293.75 797.92 955.93

1306.25 804.00 961.04

AM

PM

1332.25 819.85 983.14

1290.75 796.12 953.50

US$ per barrel

Change %

$107.94 USD per Ounce

-0.40

21.73 $1387.00

Change %

+0.57 +9.00

Last: 15133.14

Changes: -58.56

% Change: -0.39

Open: 15182.65

High: 15182.65

Low: 15044.71

% YTD: +15.48

52Wk Hi: 15709.58

52 Wk Lo: 12471.49

A

bu Dhabi and Dubai have hired banks to advise on a possible merger of their two main stock exchanges, a state-backed deal that could energise financial markets in the United Arab Emirates, sources familiar with the plan said.

Any merger of the exchanges would be one of the biggest reforms in the country’s financial industry in recent years; by making it easier for investors to operate across the markets, it could stimulate trade and attract more foreign investment.

Talks on a tie-up between the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) and the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) have occurred on and off since at least 2010, but they have been hindered by differences over valuations and Dubai’s 2009-2010 corporate debt crisis.

With a renewed focus on cooperation between the two emirates in several fields, the idea of a merger of the two bourses has once again gained traction, banking and industry sources said in June.

Abu Dhabi, the richest emirate in the UAE, has hired U.S. investment bank JP Morgan Chase and local lender First Gulf Bank to advise on the merger, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity as the matter is not public.

One source said Abu Dhabi’s mandate had come from the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, the top policymaking body in the emirate. The council did not respond to calls and emails seeking comment.

(Arabianbusiness)

Investors' guide The basics of finance and how it determines success

O

wning a business can be one of the most rewarding and satisfying ways of meeting financial goals and ensuring that a person’s future is secure and fulfilling. Today’s economy yields many opportunities to people with different skills and strengths.

One of the most basic aspects of running a business that is often left by the wayside is that of financial management. Usually only an afterthought, it is the financial management of a company that determines success.

The perfect product or service doesn’t mean anything if the money generated goes into the business only to be

misused or unaccounted for.

Spending the money earned wisely and knowing when to save or invest in growth should be of paramount concern for a business.

Everyone is aware of the fact that most businesses fail within their first year of operation. Often a major contributing factor that leads to failure is poor financial management.

A review of the financial information for many failed businesses shows that the business would have actually been quite successful if the owners had just made sound financial decisions in all aspects of the business.

It is always recommended to employ the help of a professional like a banking institution, fi-

nancial planner or accountant.

However, a business owner should understand, at the very least, the basic principles regardless of whether a professional is hired or not. This protects the business and the business owner from fraudulent activities.

Keeping up to date with the finances and being aware of the principles involved will also beneficially affect other aspects of running a business.

For smaller businesses it may not be practical to hire a professional for all of the financial work, but there several software programs available that help to educate the owner on basic bookkeeping techniques.

(Business Dictionary)

Business concept – Correlation

To be continued

Degree and type of relationship between any two or more quantities (variables) in which they vary together over a period; for example, variation in the level of expenditure or savings with variation in the level of income. A positive correlation exists where the high values of one variable are associated with the high values of the other variable(s).

news

17

thursday, october 3, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

Stewartville residents protest deplorable roads

R

esidents of Stewartville, West Coast Demerara are calling on their Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) to repair the roads in the village, contending that they are in a deplorable state.

When Guyana Times visited the village on Wednesday, residents say the condition of the roads is going from bad to worst.

According to residents, a construction company came sometime in April and dug up the Stewartville Railway and Embankment Road, leaving only loam; however, because of the inclement weather in May/June, they had stopped working and have not returned despite a lengthy period of good weather.

Worsening condition

The railway and embankment is the main road in that part of the village, and so with vehicles traversing on a daily basis, the condition worsens, especially when it rains.

This newspaper was told that the construction workers had left all the equipment in the village, with a promise that they would return to resume work, but they returned and took away their machinery.

Villagers are complaining

that it is not just one road, but all of the roads in Stewartville are in a deplorable state.

They vented their anger at the village’s NDC for not paying heed to their plight. The residents told this publication that the condition of the roads causes a lot of inconvenience in their day-to-day lives.

An elderly woman, Jasmine Deosarran, said she rides a bicycle to work every day and the condition of the roads makes it difficult for her to traverse.

Potholes

“That road very bad and nothing na do… I work from seven to seven, I leave home in the morning and come back seven in the night, I have to push my bicycle when I going home because morning I could ride but night time I can’t see and does end up in all the potholes them,” she said.

Another resident, Priya Jaisingh, related that if the contractors knew they could not have finished the road, then they should not have started works on it.

“What we are saying is that they should not break the road and leave it like this; they dig out... all the stones and build up the side of the road with it leaving only mud and loam so when rain fall,

Part of the deplorable Railway and Embankment Road at Stewartville, West Coast Demerara

the whole place left in a mess,” Jaisingh said.

The residents also complained that because of the deplorable state of the roads in the village, some taxi drivers raise their fares while others refused to do drops in the village.

Damage to vehicles

One taxi driver told this newspaper that the state of the roads has caused excessive damage to vehicles.

“I work all over this village and people does complain that de children them does reach late to school, but is na me fault, is the condition of the road. From the

school till down to de back at Bangladesh, the roads them bad,” said the taxi driver.

He pointed out that the other neighbouring villages do not have this problem.

The residents claimed that because of the rains, the state of the roads has worsened, making it difficult to traverse.

They noted that the huge potholes on the roads even prevent children from going to school.

The residents are calling on the NDC, the Regional Democratic Council and government to look into the matter and have the roads fixed so they can go about their lives with some level of comfort.

Trotman wants more consensus in Parliament

S

peaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman is calling for more consensus in Parliament, given the ongoing division that continues to dominate every sitting.

Trotman said that consensus is essential in moving the nation forward, on a path of development, and one that will secure a brighter future for all.

He admitted that there is room for improvement, but said the current state of Parliament is not terrible, neither one that is performing to the optimum.

The Speaker noted that work in this regard has started, and he is hoping that change will take place.

“One of the bugbears that we have also is members of Parliament (MPs) for the most part are parttime and we don’t have offices in the building and that is something that will have to be addressed at least in the next decade,” Trotman stated. He also believes that the chair of committees should be fulltime MPs. Over the past year, Guyanese have witnessed the division among MPs on various issues.

More recently, the Parliament remained divid-

ed on the passing of monies critical for the continuation of one of Guyana’s largest projects, the Amaila Falls Hydro Electricity Project.

There continues to be clear division on a number of other matters, including the construction of the Marriott Hotel, the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and the Specialty Hospital project.

President Donald Ramotar has stressed the importance of members of the House working together in the best interest of all citizens, in the wake of the new parliamentary dispensation wherein the ruling People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) singularly has the most seats, but the combined opposition has a oneseat majority.

He acknowledged that moving forward would require maturity and political cooperation in the interest of development of Guyana, despite differences among parliamentarians.

Ramotar has reiterated that his government will not be held to ransom “by any intractable posture by the opposition”, and assured that, within his administration, there is the political will to ensure that the people of the country are put first.

GIS key to advancing national policy Guyana hosts consultation on – natural resources minister national climate communication plan

G

overnment has recognised the importance of the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in advancing a national policy that is bolstered by modern day technologies.

And against this background, a public consultation on Guyana’s draft of the National Policy on Geographic Information was held on Wednesday to update the information documented with technologies of today.

The consultation was also intended to provide feedback from civil society to add to the draft.

Data

GIS provides the necessary framework for identifying key datasets needed for socioeconomic development, and specifies the mechanism for data collection, storage and dissemination.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud said there is an urgent need to create GIS ready datasets, and use geographic information applications for nation building.

“The aim is to fill the gaps within the policy document as we deliberate on it while identifying the in-

dress challenges associated with natural resources,” Persaud said.

He warned that if steps are not taken to implement the policy, it will be an injustice to Guyana since the country would be losing out on tremendous benefits.

Benefits

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud

puts of the GIS,” the minister added.

He said this is becoming more evident as government officials and other stakeholders have identified GIS as a tool to analyse, manage and present all types of geographical data.

Minister Persaud urged that Guyana move quickly to develop a policy that reaches the satisfaction of all stakeholders.

“The importance has been recognised and more at the level of the governmental perspective and we have identified that this is very crucial if we are to ad-

“There are tremendous benefits coming out of the GIS and we have no option but the option of going forward and taking steps to advance the national policy,” the minister emphasised.

Also addressing the consultation was University of Guyana Vice Chancellor Dr Jacob Opadeyi, who stressed the importance for government and stakeholders to move in this direction.

On this note, he stated that in order to efficiently manage the consequences of climate variability, there is a need for historic, current and accurate data on natural and physical assets supported by a national GIS policy, without which adaptation actions will be vague and of little impact.

Minister Persaud also suggested that Professor Opadeyi chair the policy implementation committee.

A

s part of Guyana’s international obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the country is expected to submit its third national communication document.

In light of this, the Office of Climate Change hosted a stakeholder consultation for preparation of the document on Tuesday at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC).

Addressing stakeholders at the forum, Office of Climate Change head Shyam Nokta thanked the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for its support in helping Guyana to satisfy its obligations.

Since signing onto the UNFCCC in 1992, Guyana submitted its national communication plan in 2002 and 2012.

He noted that the document presents an opportunity for Guyana to outline national steps taken to address climate change.

“This third national communication process is

happening at a time when climate change is being underscored as the most important global issue that we are facing today… climate change is like a runaway train and right now this train is only gaining momentum and even if it reduces speed, we are still heading for catastrophe,” Nokta said.

Under the country’s partnership with Norway, Guyana is implementing the second largest interim REDD+ mechanism, and has successfully recorded three consecutive years of good performance, for which it received funds.

Carbon footprint As such, the audit for the fourth payment has already been completed.

“Through the implementation of the LCDS, we are seeing projects moving to implementation that will help us not only to diversify the local economy, but to reduce our carbon footprint and improve our ability to adapt to climate change,” he said.

UN Resident Representative Khadija Musa applauded Guyana for its success in reducing carbon through the preservation of its forests.

Office of Climate Change head Shyam Nokta

The national communication documents provide a general status of the key aspects related to climate change in Guyana such as national circumstances, national greenhouse gas inventories, and programmes containing measures to mitigate climate change, among others.

At the recently-concluded UN General Assembly, a call was made by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to convene a special summit in 2014 with the aim of stimulating greater action on climate change issues.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

thursday, october 3, 2013

thursDAY, march 11, 2010 | guyanatimesGY.com

archie

By Bernice Bede Osol

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19) Extra time put in at work will boost your reputation and can lead to advancement. An interesting position that is posted will tempt you to send your resume.

Romance will bring positive results.

dilbert

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19) Don’t get all fired up over what others do or say.

Concentrate on what you need to accomplish, and stay within your budget.

Aggressive behaviour will lead to trouble.

Calvin and Hobbes

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Share your thoughts and plans for the future.

Making a promise to someone you want to spend more time with will lead to greater options and a change in status.

CANCER (June 21July 22) Look for an alternative way to reach your destination. Whether you are learning, on a trip or just trying to accomplish one of your goals, you are best to take the road less travelled.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22) Unpredictable situations will cause confusion.

Expect to be confronted by someone feeling uncertain about what you are doing or where you are heading. Do what’s best for you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22) Keep busy, engage in joint ventures and share your ideas and solutions.

Love is in the stars, and romance should ease your stress at the end of the day.

Peanuts

SUDOKU

ARIES

LIBRA

(March 21-April 19)

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Focus on work and getting along with your peers.

An unexpected turn of events will leave you feeling uncertain about a partnership. Keep life simple and indulgence to a minimum.

Personal problems will develop if you don’t keep a secret entrusted to you.

Pressure due to a change of plans will leave you in an awkward position.

Focus on work and avoid interference.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Stabilise your position and express your thoughts regarding what’s expected of you and what you can offer. Learn something new that will attract attention and make you more marketable.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22) Don’t complain if someone asks you to do something. The fuss it will cause won’t be worth the aggravation. Get the job done and move on to the things you’d prefer to do.

Wednesday's solution GEMINI (May 21June 20)

SAGITTARIUS

Excessive socialising can lead to jealousy and relationship troubles.

Don’t meddle or intrude if you want to avoid an argument that can hurt your reputation as well as your feelings.

Look for adventure and indulge in activities that challenge and excite you. Altering where or how you live will lift your spirits and ensure that you bypass unwanted emotional encounters.

(Nov. 23Dec. 21)

news 19

YELLOW PAGES

Agriculture Month 2013 launched

thursday, october 3, 2013

ACCOMMODATION

Tourist villa apartments 1, 2 & 3 bedroom, long & short term, and car rental service. Phone: 227-2199, 227-2186

dentistry Dentures provided in 72 hours from as low as $4500. Contact Dr B Stuart, 209B Charlotte St, Lacytown. Tel: 225-5034

EDUCATION Electronics course - hands-on training, starting October 2, Abdul Electronics.

Phone: 226-6551, 225-0391.

Learn to play the guitar, keyboard, drums, and train your voice at Foundation 7. Phone: 225-1151 or 617-4200.

flowers Available: Fresh long-stemmed roses, fresh dried and silk floral arrangements, gift items, bridal boutiques and wreaths. Nesha’s Flowerland. 78 Church Street (opposite St George’s Cathedral). Tel: 227-3553/225-3315

immigration Immigration & Visa Services We handle all Canadian, USA and UK immigration and visa matters. Self sponsorships, holiday/visitor’s visas, work permits, students visas, family, class, immigration forms, embassy enquiries, appeals for refused cases, US green card lottery, business class waivers, pardons, etc. Get your visa approved.

High success rate. Balwant Persaud & Associates. Certified Immigration Consultants, 68 Sixth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown (Between Cummings & Lights Sts) Tel: 2251540, 622-8308, 655-3105. Email: balwantpersaud@yahoo.ca U.S. Green Card Lottery 2013. We are now accepting entries for the Annual Green Card Lottery sponsored by the U.S. Government. Enter now for a chance to become a permanent resident of the USA. Closing date November 2, 2013. Contact Balwant Persaud Immigration and Visa Services 68 Sixth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown (Between Cummings and Light Sts.) Tel: 225-1540, 6553105, 622-8308

Mixed breed pups. Phone: 2533114, 692-0126 One 320CL Excavator located at Mahdia; excellent working condition. Owner migrating, call 6820365 or 614-1669 Gold Land, excellent investment.

Priced to sell, call 682-0365, 6141669 Wine vessel (jue) Shang dynasty, old Chinese painting, old Ming prints, Ming dynasty Chinese painting on bamboo, Qi Baishi orginal painting, rare bowls and pots, all Chinese antiques. Phone: 592-623-7029 Pure bred American Akita puppies for sale $200,000. Phone: 639-8924, 227-4674 Mercury in large quantities 99.9999% purity. Call: 679-1985, 219-4535, 693-5004 1 Canon copier (Image Runner 6020) with finisher. Call 647-5150, 694-5738 Cheap earth. Delivery to spot, ECD and EBD. Phone: 627-9977 Clean garden earth & builders waste.

Also bobcat rental, excavating, clearing & leveling done. Phone: 6160617, 663-3285.

Gas station. Phone: 625-7582, 6445128, 681-9293 Cellphone accessories and spares for all smart phones: Blackberry, Samsung, Nokia, Motorola, HTC, iPhone, Sony Ericsson, LG at Halema’s Fashion 104 Regent Street, next door to the Multiplex Mall. Call 622-7740/696-4008 One music set with three power amps with a total of 5,500 watts, etc. for more information please call, 682-3481. Price negotiable.

health Healthworld Holistic Centre: Psychotherapy available for all types of abnormal behaviors – addictions, emotional, suicidal, anger, relationships and sexual problems. Treatment of stress disorders, depression, fear, low self-esteem, insomnia, trauma, psychosomatic sicknesses and children's disorders. We also conduct IQ evaluations and behavioral assessments.

By appointment only. Clinic hours: 11:00 - 17:00h. Tel: 592-621-0552.

Email:healthworldhc@gmail.com Ayurvedic herbal treatment for all chronic genetic/none genetic diseases, including HIV, Cancer, diabetic, pregnancy, sexual (weakness), etc. Phone: 685- 3220.

Are you pouring on pounds? Then call Raul /Carol Wilson: 660-6818, 641-5923, 216-3016, 216-3601 for your healthy eating package.

Stay healthy and flexible with yoga.

Phone: 693-2233

Tattoo & body piercing by professional artist with best prices; visit Halema’s Fashion 104 Regent Street, next door to the Multiplex Mall. Call 622-7740/696-4008 Dutch healing and upliftment, for clearing of land, dredging and ground work (strictly interior operation). Phone: 662-1247.

J Eastman & Associates Financial Services: Taxation, VAT Compliance, Accounting & Consultancy, and Cash Flow Projection. Address: 190 Church St, S/Cburg (East of Austin’s Book Store) Phone: 662-7467, 223-2105 Lethem – Rupununi Heritage Month event September 27-29.

Visit: Iwokrama, Rock View Resort, Bonfim - Brazil, Moco Moco & Kumu Falls, St Ignatius - Lethem.

Package $150,000. Phone: 6623665 House plans starting at $9,000 Phone: 674-0725, 266-2154.

spirituality KEY CUTTing

FOR SALE

and iPhone. Halema’s Fashion 104 Regent Street, next door to the Multiplex Mall. Call 622-7740/6964008

Professional Key Shop, 125 Carmichael Street, Georgetown.

Phone: 225-3923, mobile: 6213249. We cut any type of key, service and repair all types of locks. Get your extra key today.

lAND FOR SALE Parfaite Harmonie $1M and $1.2M phone: 675-7292 46 houselots in residential area between Charles & Peter Streets, Parika, EBE. Phone: 6226971/6612289 Gas station land. Size: over one acre Phone Ms Liverpool on 625-7582, 681-9293. optician

Da Silva’s Optical. For Your Eyes Only, Look Better See Better. Phillip A Da Silva OD, Shannon L Da Silva OD, Natalie Da Silva OD. 248 South Road, Bourda. Phone: 227-3529, Linden: 444-6376, Corriverton: 339-3536, Meten-Meer-Zorg: 275-0322, Grand Cayman Islands: (345) 943-1515 for the perfect trendy touch.

PENPAL Retired Engineer aged 66 would like to know a single female over the age of 50. Phone: 604-7022

property for sale One business property, Lamaha Street. Phone: 669-3313, 2314586, 695-4382.

Properties for sale. Phone: 6422116 2-storey concrete house 32’x 55’, 4 bedrooms, block 8 Mon Repos, ECD, $35 million. Phone: 642-2116 EXECUTIVE TWO STOREY BUILDING 3 BEDROOMS WITH ALL MODERN CONVIENCES, MEADOW BROOK GARDENS, MR NARAINE. PHONE: 696-8230

services Cellphone repairs, unlocking & spares of all smart phones: Blackberry, Samsung, Nokia, Motorola, HTC, iPhone, Sony Ericsson, LG & any brand you own.

Installation of BBM on Samsung

Suriname astrology palmist and Djuka healer. The most powerful spiritualist in the world. Are you suffering from the following problems? (any religions) love, marriage, family, health, business, husband and wife relationships, property, court, children, promotion, visa, pregnancy, education, depression, job, sexual, jealousy, enemy, money, drinking, also you can have all evil forces destroyed such as black magic, witchcraft, voodoo, obeyah, etc, and gives powerful protection. Private and confidential. Phone: 674-2112.

Dutch Spiritual work. Unite lovers, get rid of evil, enhance prosperity, good luck baths and charm bowu guards, etc. Phone: 220-0708, 612-6417, 687-5653 Divinations and cleansing of spiritual problems of all kinds.

Powerful Ifá and Khemetian spiritual guards, pendants, crystals and rune stones to help you overcome problems with love, relationships, legal, sexual, pregnancy, business, sickness, jobs, enemies, work, money and many more. Call 10:0016:00h on: +592-690-1824. Email: anew-life@live.com Cleansing of spiritual problems of all kinds. Powerful Ifá protection against evil. Get help to overcome problems with love, relationship, legal, sexual, pregnancy, business, sickness, jobs, enemies, work, money. Call 10AM - 4PM. Tel: 592-690-1824. Email:anew-life@ live.com Are you suffering from abnormal behaviors, addictions, stresses, or psychosomatic sickness? Feeling suicidal, low self-esteem, loneliness, unloved, anger, conflicts and relationship problems? For appointments call 592 621 0552.

12:00PM –6:00PM Email: healthworldhc@gmail.com

Agriculture Ministry staff at the launch of Agriculture Month at the ministry on Wednesday

VACANCIES One customs clerk with at least three subjects CXC including English Language, mathematics. Applicant must be computer literate. Please submit application before the October 11, 2013 to email: windsortechhomes@ gmail.com or call 669-6874 or 682-3481

VEHICLES FOR SALE One Honda Cappa (Yellow) ideal for taxi or private use. Leather seats and roof, alarm, reverse camera, DVD/TV/CD player, mag rims.

Also Motorola Base Radio with Antennae. HC series; immaculate condition; give away price $1M. Call 647-2491.

One black scooter for sale, excellent condition. Phone: 602-7277, for information.

One new Yamaha R1 Motorcycle 1000cc (candy red & black) recently registered 2013. Latest double exhaust, bug lights, immaculate condition. Give away price, call 647-2491 JUST ARRIVED: TOP QUALITY RECONDITIONED VEHICLES; TOYOTA PREMIO; TOYOTA SPACIO; TOYOTA VITZ (NEW SHAPE); TOYOTA NOAH; SUZUKI SWIFT; MERCEDES BENZ C200 COMPRESSOR; BMW 318i; COROLLA AE100 WAGON; LAND CRUISER (FULLY LOADED); MAZDA PROCEED; TOYOTA HILUX 4WD EXTRA CAB PICKUPS - 3RZ, 5L, SOLID DIFFERENTIAL; MITSUBISHI CANTER TRUCKS 3, 3.5 TONS OPEN TRAY; 2 TONS 4WD; 3 TON DUMP TRUCK. PRE-ORDER YOUR UNITS EARLY AND GET THE BEST PRICES. FULL AFTER SALES SERVICE AND FINANCING AVAILABLE. DEO MARAJ AUTO SALES, 2 CHIMNEY ROAD, CHATEAU MARGOT, ECD. 624-0762, 220-5177. A NAME AND A SERVICE YOU CAN TRUST. 1 Bedford truck. Phone: 616:0617, 663-3285.

WANTED One Bedford truck Phone: 6279977

TO let

3 bedroom bottom flat for rental situated on the ECD. Phone: 6699384, available for viewing after September 27 after 4:00pm. No animals.

Vacancy exists for two cashiers/ office clerks and two porters, cashiers/clerks must be literate, apply in person with written application to May’s Shopping Centre, 98 Regent Street, Georgetown.

One house located in Lamaha Gardens, hot and cold water. Call 219-4535 EXECUTIVE TWO STOREY BUILDING 3 BEDROOMS WITH ALL MODERN CONVIENCES FURNISHED/ UNFURNISHED, MEADOW BROOK GARDENS, MR NARAINE. PHONE: 696-8230 Two-bedroom self contained apt.

Caneville, Grove. PHONE: 669-1954

Classified Ads $5+VAT per word Call: 226-9921

A

griculture Month was officially launched on Wednesday by Dr Leslie Ramsammy under the theme “Linking the Caribbean for Regional Food and Nutrition Security and Rural Development”.

In observing Agriculture Month, Guyana is joining with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to celebrate World Food Day and the 12th Caribbean Week of Agriculture.

Minister Ramsammy highlighted that over the years, Guyana has hosted Agriculture Month, and it has been successful, not only touching the lives of Guyanese, but persons around the world.

“Guyana is known for its agriculture. We have historical impacts on people around the world. The best known products in Guyana are in fact our agricultural products and it is not a new thing. What is new about the impact we have made is that in some areas we are improving our products and in some areas we are adding new products,” pointed out Minister Ramsammy.

He added that the ministry will reaffirm the commitment and belief that Guyana will be known for many more things than just sugar, rum and rice. More products will be added so as to produce more in the country for the people. Most of the products that Guyana has been importing are now produced locally such as broccoli and corn.

Guyana has also been exporting more fruits and vegetables

than before.

According to Minister Ramsammy, Guyana is known for being a food secure nation and is working to ensure that the country produce higher quality agriculture products that are more nutritious.

“This year, on World Food Day, we highlight that the agriculture sector works closely with the ministries of health and education to keep our children healthy, keep our people healthy,” he added.

The ministry has been looking at systems that supports from the farm to the table and this year persons from the University of the West Indies, among persons from other countries, are coming to work with the ministry.

“We would want to host a Caribbean Week of Agriculture that everybody will say that it will be difficult for us to beat Guyana and when they get it right, we will host it again and set new standards and that’s what Guyana does all the time,” said Minster Ramsammy.

During Caribbean Week of Agriculture, the ministry will also be signing a number of agreements. Highlighting that the Jagdeo Initiative will be continued, the minister said the Caribbean needs to know about this flagship programme.

World Food Day is celebrated on October 16 and will be hosted at Mon Repos, with a celebration of a Cassava Festival while Caribbean Week of Agriculture begins on October 6.

525 students graduate from SCCP

S

ome 525 students graduated from the Secondary Competency Certificate Programme (SCCP) when the SCCP Unit held its third graduation for the year at the National Cultural Centre on Wednesday.

Due to the large number of students who have completed the programme this year; the SCCP Unit has had to hold three graduation ceremonies.

On August 2, graduation ceremonies were held for students in Regions Two, Five and Six. On Wednesday, 525 students from secondary schools and practical instruction centres in Georgetown and Regions One, Three, Four, Seven, Eight and 10 were presented with their certificates.

This brought the total number of graduates to 1010.

Some of the schools included Freeburg Secondary, St Mary’s High and Carmel Secondary in Georgetown;

North West Secondary in Region One; Parika Salem Secondary in Region Three; Plaisance and Diamond secondary in Region Four; Bartica Secondary in Region Seven; Paramakatoi in Region Eight; and Wisburg and Kwakwani secondary schools in Region 10.

The SCCP seeks to improve students’ attendance, reduce school dropouts, shoreup equity and enhance quality and relevance in the area of technical and vocational education at Grades Nine and 10.

The competency-based modularised programme is designed with strong emphasis being placed on what students can do in the workplace after completion of training.

It also serves as an alternative pathway for the acquisition of knowledge, skills and desirable attitudes to prepare students for further training and/or the world of work.

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thursday, OCTOber 3, 2013

Explosive Mumbai thrash Perth, knock out Otago M umbai Indians boast of some of the biggest hitters in T20 cricket in their lineup and they fired in unison to storm into the semi-final of the Champions League, achieving their target in just 13.2 overs on Wednesday.

The target was 150, but in order to topple Otago on net run rate, they needed to achieve it within 14.2 overs.

The strategy was clear and Dwayne Smith and Rohit Sharma made it look ridiculously simple against a Perth Scorchers attack that failed to contain a determined top order. It meant that the semi-final line-up had three IPL teams in it.

The scenarios were clearly spelt out for Mumbai ahead of the game as to what they required to keep Otago out of the semi-final race. It’s common for captains to prefer to chase in such situations and Rohit decided to do just that. The required rate for qualification was over ten an over and Mumbai approached it as a 14-over game.

Sachin Tendulkar was not in the best of form but he was sent to open any-

Dwayne Smith

way. There was the possibility that this would be his last T20 match in the event

of them failing to qualify. He fell for a second-ball duck, flicking to deep square leg

and there was a hush around the Kotla as he walked back.

Smith provided the big hits starting from the second ball of the innings, which he slogged over mid-on before dispatching another over the rope at long-on.

Scorchers had three leftarm spinners in their lineup, including the experienced Brad Hogg, but their one-dimensional spin attack was demolished by a rampaging Smith. Flighted deliveries were slogged and smashed over the covers and anything dropped short was pulled over the leg side at breakneck speed. The flatter and quicker deliveries kept him quiet on occasion but Scorchers were guilty of bowling the wrong lengths.

The left-arm seamers, Joel Paris and Jason Behrendorff, came in for similar punishment. Paris’ first over leaked 19, with an effortless six by Rohit over fine leg followed by an outside edge past the wicketkeeper. Hogg bowled two long hops, the first of which was smashed by Smith over deep midwicket. The second was pulled flatter, but Behrendorff timed his jump

to perfection at deep square leg to pull off a sharp catch to send back Smith for 48.

Another hush enveloped the ground as Smith walked back but Rohit was in sublime form at the other end. He ensured the run rate stayed around ten an over, slogging the spinners and launching Paris several rows over long-off to speed towards his fifty. At the end of ten overs, Mumbai raced to 117 for 3 and held the edge.

Kieron Pollard had moved to a relatively pedestrian 12 off 12 balls but two solid blows in an over off Behrendorff eased any pressure that may have crept up. Tension started to build in the dugout when Pollard was bowled in the 13th over with Mumbai still needing 13 off 11. Ambati Rayudu sealed the win with consecutive sixes and Mumbai qualified with an over to spare.

(Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD Perth Scorchers innings A Agar b Ojha 35 S Katich* b Ojha 13 H Cartwright b Coulter-Nile 28 S Whiteman not out 51 A Turner lbw b Coulter-Nile 0 M North c Pollard b Coulter-Nile 3 T Triffitt† b Dhawan 1 J Behrendorff not out 1 Extras: (b 5, lb 7, w 3, nb 2) 17 Total: (6 wkts, 20 overs) 149 Fall of wickets: 1-55, 2-56, 3-114, 4-114, 5-130, 6-143 Bowling: Harbhajan Singh 4-0-31-0, N Coulter-Nile 4-019-3, R Dhawan 4-0-30-1, K Pollard 3-0-26-0, G Maxwell 3-0-14-0, P Ojha 2-0-17-2

Mumbai Indians innings D Smith c Behrendorff b Hogg 48 S Tendulkar c Whiteman b Behrendorff 0 G Maxwell c Hogg b Behrendorff 10 R Sharma* not out 51 K Pollard b Hogg 23 A Rayudu not out 14 Extras: (lb 2, w 4) 6 Total: (4 wkts, 13.2 overs) 152 Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-34, 3-72, 4-137 Bowling: M Beer 4-0-340, J Behrendorff 3-0-31-2, J Paris 2-0-36-0, G Hogg 3-026-2, A Agar 1.2-0-23-0

Confident New CSA likely to introduce quota for Zealand arrive black African players

K

ingston, Jamaica New Zealand’s Women’s cricket coach, Katrina Keenan, said after taking the off-season to rebuild and prepare, they are looking forward to a rematch with West Indies Women.

The two, who are set to face off in a three-match One Day International series beginning on Sunday at Sabina Park, met during the Super Six stage of the ICC Women’s World Cup in February.

Led by a player-of-thematch performance from Trinidadian off-spinner Anisa Mohammed, West Indies came out on top by 48 runs and with the victory, progressed to the final.

For New Zealand, who were held to 159 in search of 208 for victory, the result also ended their campaign, which had them as favourites to advance to the final along with Australia. The Australians eventually defeated West Indies in the final.

“We lost to the West Indies in the World Cup, however, since then, we have had a comprehensive build-up over the off-season,” said Keenan, who, along with members of the team, arrived in the country yesterday.

“We are, therefore, confident in our preparations and are looking forward to the rematch, which we hope will end with us coming out on top.”

Balanced unit The series, which will see the second game being played next Tuesday and the final game next Thursday at the same venue, will, according to Keenan, see the White Ferns parading a strong and bal-

anced unit.

“We have a well-balanced team with a mixture of experienced players, and with the likes of Suzie Bates, who is ranked as the number one in the ODI batting rankings, Nicola Browne, Suzie Bates, and Amy Satterhwaite.

New Zealand Women Squad: Suzie Bates, Erin Bermingham, Nicola Browne, Rachel Candy, Sophie Devine, Natalie Dodd, Maddy Green, Frances Mackay, Morna Nielsen, Katie Perkins, Rachel Priest, Sian Ruck, Amy Satterthwaite, and Lea Tahuhu.

Setback

Rain over the past four days has severely affected the preparations of the West Indies Women’s team. The Women, who are preparing to face New Zealand at Sabina Park this weekend, were left disappointed after a warm-up match was entirely washed out on Monday. Then yesterday a scheduled training session was also called off.

Last Saturday, Merissa Aguilleira’s XI reached 142 for two off 35 overs, replying to Stafanie Taylor’s team’s 161 for eight off 55 overs when the rain stopped play. Again, Sunday’s light training session was brought to an early end because of showers.

Head coach Sherwin Campbell said they would have liked to have put in more practice but “we have no control over the weather.”

Weather permitting, the West Indies Women will have another warm-up game today at Up Park Camp. (First published in the

Jamaica Gleaner)

O

n the same day South Africa’s domestic season gets underway, CSA will vote on a proposal which could change the way it looks.

At their October 11 meeting, a decision will be taken on introducing a quota which will require franchise teams to play two black African players and provincial teams to field three. A senior official expects the motion to be approved.

The idea was one of many which came up at CSA’s transformation indaba (conference) - the first one addressing racial issues they held in a decade.

ESPNcricinfo has learned it was overwhelmingly welcomed at the meeting in the face of South Africa’s poor record of Africanisation in the 22 years post readmission.

Drastic measures

“Everybody agreed that we have failed in terms of black African players and that drastic measures must be taken,” Norman Arendse, CSA’s lead independent director who is also chair of the transformation committee, told ESPNcricinfo.

Since 1991, only five black African players have represented South Africa at Test level even though black Africans comprise almost 80% of the country’s population. Makhaya Ntini is the only one who has played more than 100 Tests, with his number of caps coming in at 101, while Mfuneko Ngam, Thami Tsolekile, Monde Zondeki

and Lonwabo Tsotsobe have appeared in 17 matches all told.

By contrast, nine mixedrace players have donned the whites and three of Asian origin, including Pakistaniborn legspinner Imran Tahir. Arendse said those cricketers, including the likes of Vernon Philander and Hashim Amla, illustrate the success of targets.

Quota

South Africa introduced a quota system in 1998 to address the racial discrimination caused by the Apartheid system. The stipulation then was that every team had to field four players of colour - a term which encompasses black Africans, mixed-race people and those of Asian descent. It was officially removed in 2007.

While Arendse hailed its achievements, he also explained that it shed light on the true nature of racial segregation in South Africa. “It showed us the stark disparity caused by Apartheid and how the black African community often had it a lot worse,” he said.

“There are two obvious reasons why we don’t see as many black African players coming through. One is the socio-economic conditions facing black African youngsters compared to their counterparts, especially as cricket is still very much a middle-class game. And the other is downright racism. There is enough black African talent but it seems to get lost.”

A recent report present-

Makhaya Ntini is the only black African player to have played a considerable number of Tests for South Africa (Getty Images)

ed to CSA contained information that most black African players give up the game between the under-19 and provincial level, at an age at which, if they are not contracted, will need to find jobs. Arendse’s other point was also underlined in the report as it revealed when black African players do get into the system, they are often further sidelined.

Only two black African players turned out in more than 80% of their franchises’ games last season and when they did, they bowled less

overs and batted lower down than players of other races.

CSA is hopeful this will change if the proposal is approved next Friday, the same day the domestic one-day cup gets underway. Although the ruling, if passed, will not apply for the first round of matches, it could be implemented immediately thereafter and may raise concerns about the practicality of such a decision for franchises.

In reality, all franchises except the Cobras would be able to meet the requirement immediately. (Cricinfo)

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Dominant Bayern beat Man City J

oe Hart’s poor form continued as Manchester City’s England goalkeeper suffered a nightmare in this comprehensive Champions League defeat

by Bayern Munich at Etihad Stadium.

First he fumbled Franck Ribery’s long-range effort into the net as the holders took an early lead, then he was too easily beaten at his near post after the break as Arjen Robben wrapped up a thoroughly deserved win for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Thomas Muller scored Bayern’s second in between Hart’s errors and a fine late strike from City substitute Alvaro Negredo could not put any gloss on a wretched night for Manuel Pellegrini and his team.

Former City defender Jerome Boateng was sent off for hauling down Yaya Toure as the hosts mounted a late rally of sorts, but there was little by way of consolation to be salvaged

Thomas Muller scored Bayer’s second goal

from this experience.

And after a display that only underlined the decline in his performances, much of the spotlight will be on Hart, who is simply making too many mistakes for the comfort of club and country.

Pellegrini’s predecessor

Roberto Mancini was running short of patience with Hart, 26, before his sacking and the Italian’s departure has not inspired any visible upturn in form.

The goalkeeper was slow to react for Andreas Weimann’s winner for Aston

Villa last weekend, was beaten at a corner by Cardiff striker Fraizer Campbell in August and allowed a shot from James Morrison to go straight through him during England’s victory against Scotland at Wembley.

City’s manager must

now decide whether to keep faith with Hart or replace him with Costel Pantilimon when Everton visit on Saturday.

England boss Hodgson faces a similar dilemma over whether to drop Hart - who has won 35 caps for his country - for the decisive World Cup qualifiers against Montenegro and Poland at Wembley later this month.

Hart was not alone in being off-form, however, as Bayern threatened to run riot. They ruled in all parts of the field, demonstrating the class that won them the Champions League last season and makes them hotly tipped to retain the trophy.

Hart’s night of misery began after seven minutes when Rafinha’s long pass found Ribery in space on the left. He cut inside and delivered a shot that carried pace and power - but was assisted into the net by a feeble attempt at a stop from

the keeper, who got a hand to the effort as it went past him.

It was an error of such magnitude that it prompted loud groans when it was replayed on the big screens and instantly deflated an atmosphere that had been vibrant before kick-off.

David Alaba almost fashioned a second when he again found space on the left.

Hart parried his initial cross back to him and the keeper was grateful when the return bounced back into his arms off Matija Nastasic.

If there was any hope for City after a desperate firsthalf performance it came in the form of the scoreline.

Bayern’s superiority should have put them out of sight and given them more than their one-goal advantage.

City never looked remotely like making a recovery after the interval, however, and it was no surprise when Bayern doubled their lead. (BBC Sport)

T&T top table, reach semis Man United held to draw after thumping victory

by Shakhtar

T

rinidad & Tobago are the only team from outside the three countries that own a stake in the Champions League to be given direct entry to the tournament, a special status they justified by topping the league table after hammering one of the CLT20 favourites, Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday.

The already-qualified Super Kings’ famed batting had a rare off day, and the team were bowled out for only the seventh time in 117 matches. Having been rolled over for 118, Super Kings could not prevent T&T from completing the chase within 17.4 overs, which meant they surrendered the top spot in the group. It left them facing the challenge of breaking Rajasthan Royals’ 12-game winning streak at home in the semi-finals.

It was a day when almost everything went right for T&T, epitomised by the game Man-of-theMatch Lendl Simmons had.

Simmons came into this match on the back of two ducks but contributed with bat, ball and in the field in T&T’s dominant performance.

Simmons’ first contribution to the game came in the 9th over, by when Super Kings had got off to a familiar solid start. M Vijay and Suresh Raina were stroking the ball around and another tall total looked on the cards, but Simmons struck first ball with a loosener well outside off that Vijay insideedged onto the stumps.

In his next over he had Raina squandering his wicket by helping a gentle legstump delivery to short fine leg.

Then came the biggest wicket of them all, MS Dhoni’s, just when the Super Kings captain was looking to cut loose. In the 17th over, Dhoni top-edged an attempted big hit and the ball swirled towards Simmons at long-on.

Simmons settled under it but the ball bounced off his palm and onto his neck; he kept his eyes on the ball and grabbed it on the second attempt. After that, instead of the usual final flourish, Super Kings made only 16 runs in the concluding three overs.

Simmons had fortune with bat as well, cluelessly edging the first ball of the chase from R Ashwin between the keeper and slip, and surviving a stumping shout after being beaten off the second.

His innings only switched to top gear in the 10th over when Ravindra Jadeja conceded 19 to extend a horrendous run in the tournament.

Simmons was also dropped just before reaching his halfcentury but a series of brutal hits had already eased T&T towards victory.

There was plenty of support for Simmons: opener Evin Newis had another good game with the bat to ensure Super Kings didn’t pull off a heist, Ravi Rampaul began the Super Kings collapse with a screamer to dismiss the uber-consistent Michael Hussey, Sunil Narine was at his miserly best and three Super Kings batsmen were run out as the team collapsed from 78 for 2 to 118 all out.

In the four times they have played the CLT20, T&T have had only one bad campaign - last year when they were knocked out after one loss and a washout in the qualifiers - and this table-topping performance underlined why they are among the best T20 sides in the world. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD Chennai Super Kings innings M Hussey b Rampaul 1 M Vijay b Simmons 27 S Raina c Rampaul b Simmons 38 MS Dhoni*† c Simmons b Emrit 25 DJ Bravo c †Ramdin b Emrit 2 R Jadeja run out (Ottley) 3 J Morkel b Rampaul 4 S Badrinath run out (Simmons/ †Ramdin) 3 R Ashwin run out (Stewart/ †Ramdin) 9 J Holder c Simmons b Emrit 0 M Sharma not out 0 Extras: (lb 3, w 3) 6 Total: (all out, 19.4 overs) 118 Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-62, 3-78, 4-84, 5-88, 6-102, 7-106, 8-116, 9-117, 10-118 Bowling: S Badree 4-0-24-

0, R Rampaul 4-0-31-2, K Ottley 2-0-17-0, R Emrit 3.4-0-21-3, L Simmons 2-010-2, S Narine 4-0-12-0 Trinidad & Tobago innings L Simmons c Sharma b Ashwin 63 E Lewis lbw b Raina 38 DM Bravo not out 11 K Ottley not out 1 Extras: (b 5, lb1) 6 Total: (2 wkts, 15.1 overs) 119 Did not bat: D Ramdin*†, N Pooran, SP Narine, RR Emrit, ND Stewart, S Badree, R Rampaul Fall of wickets: 1-79, 2-116 Bowling: R Ashwin 4-0-24-1, J Morkel 2-0-18-0, R Jadeja 2-030-0, S Raina 4-0-16-1, J Holder 2-0-17-0, DJ Bravo 1.1-0-8-0

B

razilian striker Taison denied Manchester United their second Champions League win with a secondhalf equaliser for Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday.

United took the lead early in the first half when Danny Welbeck poked in from Marouane Fellaini’s low ball.

The equaliser came 14 minutes from time when Nemanja Vidic failed to clear Yaroslav Rakitskiy’s cross, allowing Taison to pounce and fire home.

David De Gea produced a great save late on to stop Taison scoring the winner.

The result means United, on four points, still lead Group A on goal difference ahead of Shakhtar. Bayer Leverkusen are a point behind, following their 2-1 win over Real Sociedad.

David Moyes’s men had offered little threat during the opening 15 minutes of the first-half, with Robin van Persie going closest to troubling the Shakhtar goal with a curling shot that comfortably cleared the crossbar.

United’s early strike came as a surprise and there was a large element of luck about it.

After Antonio Valencia won a throw-in that should have been awarded to Shakhtar, Fellaini turned his marker and delivered low into the area.

Ukraine defender Rakitskiy slipped as he attempted to clear, allowing England international Welbeck to poke in for his sixth goal of the season in all competitions.

Welbeck impressed defensively as well, keeping

Danny Welbeck

tight to Shakhtar captain Darijo Srna on the right, although when the Croat and his team-mates found space they were guilty of poor deliveries in the opening 45 minutes.

The Ukrainian side’s best chance of the half fell to Alex Teixeira, who scored twice in their opening 2-0 win against Real Sociedad, when he twisted and turned to make himself some space before firing a tame shot from 20 yards that De Gea easily collected.

United looked comfortable for much of the second half too, with Shakhtar’s final ball letting them down on countless occasions as they pressed forwards.

Prior to the equaliser, the only time coach Mircea Lucescu’s side caused panic in the United defence was when Vyacheslav Shevchuk’s dangerous low pass was brilliantly and bravely cut out by De Gea. United only carved one decent opening after the break when Rafael surged

down the right and pulled the ball back to Van Persie in the area. The Dutchman turned before firing in a low shot that came off the boot of Rakitskiy.

And perhaps they paid the price for their lack of adventure when Rakitskiy made amends for his earlier error by firing in a low ball that Vidic could only clear to Brazilian forward Taison, who smashed his shot into the roof of the net.

The 25-year-old came close to scoring the winner with a few minutes remaining when his deflected angled shot was brilliantly tipped over the bar by De Gea. In what was a largely unremarkable match, there was a remarkable moment in the 66th minute when 39-year-old Ryan Giggs came on for United.

The veteran’s 145th game in the Champions League saw him surpass Raul’s record number of appearances in the competition. (BBC Sport)

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Brathwaite, Fudadin click on meandering day A

n enthusiastic holiday crowd of over 10,000 packed under - and on - the trees that surround the cricket ground of Shimoga’s Jawaharlal Nehru College of Engineering, but what happened on the field of play did not match their enthusiasm on Wednesday.

The pitch was pancake flat and slow, the disheartened India A bowling a little listless, and the fielding poor. However, West Indies A balanced it out by throwing away wickets, not taking full advantage of three dropped catches, and failing to convert two half-centuries into hundreds. They ended at 283 for 6 with Kraigg Brathwaite and Assad Fudadin scoring fifties, and Leon Johnson and Chadwick Walton cushioning the blow of two quick wickets with a 68-run partnership for the sixth wicket.

The day began with pleasantries for West Indies A. First they won the toss on the benign pitch, and then as they waited to go out to bat they were treated to a rendition of “Rally Round the West Indies”. Similarly hospitable bowling followed from Mohammed Shami and Zaheer Khan, who couldn’t

Johnson and Walton began to accumulate runs again.

Both of them showed preference for clearing the infield, and kept managing to find vacant spaces to put the ball in. Johnson did that five times in one Rasool over, taking 20 off it. He ended the day unbeaten on 36.

India A didn’t claim the new ball, but in the 88th over of the day Walton handed them fillip by trying to square-drive a wide ball and offering Uday Kaul an easy catch. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD Kraigg Brathwaite

manage movement in the air. There wasn’t going to be much off the pitch anyway.

The openers got through the quicks’ opening spell without having to play at many deliveries.

Against spin, though, Kieran Powell and captain Kirk Edwards lost their heads. Powell holed out to cow corner, and Edwards walked past one soon after he was dropped and hit a six off left-arm spinner Bhargav Bhatt. Narsinh

Deonarine played across the line to Zaheer, and was given out lbw.

West Indies A had gone from 55 for 1 to 98 for 3, but Brathwaite wasn’t about to lose his mind. He ground the runs out with the spinners Bhatt and Parvez Rasool offered enough cutting and driving opportunities, sometimes off successive deliveries. Fudadin wasn’t as alert as Bratwaite, but he was dropped by VA Jagadeesh and Mohammad Kaif on 12

Assad Fudadin

and 27 at square gully and backward point. Abhishek Nayar and Shami were the unfortunate bowlers.

Either side of tea, the two added 117 runs. After the drops, the game settled into a lethargic little stroll with easy runs for the two.

Zaheer bowled a third spell, but wasn’t effective. After Zaheer was taken off af-

ter two overs in that spell, spin came on at both ends, and pretty much only a mistake was going to get any batsman out. The mistakes duly arrived. Fudadin fell lbw while sweeping Bhatt, and Brathwaite edged to the keeper while cutting Rasool.

The twin breakthrough didn’t buoy India A enough to overcome conditions, and

West Indies A 1st innings K Brathwaite c †Kaul b Parvez Rasool 82 K Powell c Kaif b Bhatt 33 K Edwards* st †Kaul b Bhatt 18 N Deonarine lbw b Khan 12 A Fudadin lbw b Bhatt 63 L Johnson not out 36 C Walton† c †Kaul b Mohammed Shami 30 N Miller not out 0 Extras: (lb 2, nb 7) 9 Total: (6 wkts, 90 overs) 283 Fall of wickets: 1-55, 2-77, 3-98, 4-215, 5-215, 6-283 Bowling: Z Khan 16-544-1, Mohammed Shami 16-2-59-1, A Nayar 11-431-0, Parvez Rasool 26-771-1, B Bhatt 21-2-76-3

Ajmal apologises over Daniels’ House retain title at TASS Inter-House championships Whatmore remarks

D

aniels’ House retained their championship title when Tutorial Academy Secondary School (TASS) held its annual InterSchool track and field champions last Friday.

The defending champions were almost unchallenged, recording 849 points; their closest rival, Williams House registered 641 points. In the third spot was Solomon House with 490 and

Chechister House ended in the cellar position on 432 points.

The champion athlete was Omar Crawford who won the boys’ U-14 long jump, 100m, 200m and 400m events while on the female side Omar Crawford, also from Daniels House, won the girls U-20 800m, 400m and 200m; she second in the long jump.

Other outstanding athletes were Tyrell Peters

who won the boys U-16 100m and 200m events, Denella Joe, who won the girls U-16 long jump, 100m and 200m events, along with Brianna Trotzman who won the girls U-14 100m and 200m races.

The school will now select a team to take part in the InterSchools championships in the New Amsterdam/ Canje District. (Andrew Carmichael)

decided to play completely aggressive, and the balls are going with the right directions, it’s very difficult to stop.”

Fognini thrashed Lleyton Hewitt 6-0 6-2 to reach the last eight, while eighth seed John Isner of the US beat Argentina’s Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2 6-7 (3-7) 6-4.

Top seed Djokovic will play his third-round match against Spain’s Fernando Verdasco today.

Radwanska took one hour and 15 minutes to beat 18-year-old American Madison Keys 6-3 6-2, while Li impressed in front of her home crowd with a 7-5 6-4 win over Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki.

Li will face Petra Kvitova in the quarter-finals after the Czech beat

Italian Sara Errani 6-4 6-7 (7-3) 6-3. It was Kvitova’s 23rd three-set win of the year.

Germany’s Andrea Petkovic, the world number 43, followed up her opening win against top seed Victoria Azarenka with a 4-6 6-4 6-1 victory over former US and French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.

“This is the first tournament that I’ve been able to really keep up my intensity and keep up my focus.

I think I played two good matches,” said Petkovic, who has been beset by injuries in recent years.

“For me, just personally, it’s really important to see that I can still beat the players on the top level, two past Grand Slam champions.” (BBC Sport)

Dav Whatmore

Saeed Ajmal

controversy over the remarks made by Saeed Ajmal, the Pakistan spinner and one of the team’s senior players, on the national coach Dav Whatmore seems to have blown over after Ajmal apologised to the coach.

Whatmore had tweeted his displeasure over Ajmal’s comments, after which the PCB had advised Ajmal to meet the coach to clear the air. “I immediately went up to Dav and apologised and explained the context and circumstances in which I made certain remarks,” Ajmal said in a PCB media release.

“Dav has worked tirelessly with the Pakistan team and it would be extremely unfair not to recognise his services. I enjoy very good relations with Dav and am hopeful of continuing this in the coming series.”

Pakistan have not won a Test series since Whatmore, a former Australia international and World Cup-winning coach with Sri Lanka, took charge in 2012. That was on the back of Pakistan whitewashing England in the UAE under Mohsin but, ahead of their re-

turn to the region to host South Africa, their most recent result was a 1-1 draw with Zimbabwe.

Asked about having a foreign coach - Whatmore was born in Sri Lanka and grew up in Australia - Ajmal said during a lengthy interview with Geo TV: “There is no difference, just that we are paying more to him, otherwise there is no difference. Waqar handled us better. He used to stress on fitness and he used to say that if your fitness is good then you are 80% okay on the ground, but if it’s only 20% then you cannot do anything on the ground.

“Mohsin did well. He would scold in front [of the team] if anyone is not taking wickets or a batsman is not scoring, irrespective of if he is senior or junior. If a junior was not performing then he would say that if you don’t, then you will not be able to keep your place.

“Dav is a foreign coach, he doesn’t know our language much, but he is a coach and has done coaching for various countries and has helped other teams win, he is not that bad. We had our coaches, we have our language.” (Cricinfo)

Nadal through to last eight at China Open A

R

afael Nadal took another step towards regaining the number one ranking with a hard-fought win over Philipp Kohlschreiber at the China Open on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old Spaniard won 6-4 7-6 (73) to set up a quarter-final against Italy’s Fabio Fognini in Beijing. Nadal will replace Novak Djokovic as number one if he reaches the final, or the Serb fails to win the title.

In the women’s draw, third seed Agnieszka Radwanska, fourth seed Li Na and ninth seed Petra Kvitova all won. Nadal beat Kohlschreiber on his way to victory at the US Open last month but was taken to four sets in New York, and the German tested

Roxanne Gill

him once again at China’s National Tennis Centre.

After getting the better of five breaks of serve to edge the first set in 58 minutes, Nadal fought off three break points in the second before taking control of the tie-break.

“Today (Wednesday) the serve, in my opinion, helped in the important moments,” said Nadal.

“But it’s true that his level of tennis I think was just brilliant tonight (last night).

“I won because I played a great match. If not, I would not be here with a victory.

“He [Kohlschreiber] played great. I didn’t serve bad, but his return was amazing.

“When you have a player in front of you that has

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23

karatekas IGG female basketball 93 participate in team named GKF karate

T

he female InterGuiana Games (IGG) basketball team was named recently for the the 2013 edition of the event to be held in Suriname from October 17.

After a long training camp that consisted of male and female players, the Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) organisation that runs the National School

championships

Basketball Festival (NSBF), selected the junior national side. The male team is expected to be named before the week is out.

The eight-member team consists of three forwards, four guards and one center/ forward while Kwakwani’s head coach Ann Gordon has been named as the coach of the team.

IGG female profiles:

T

Tamara Hunter Ag 18 Height 5’5” Weight 150 POS. Guard Sch. University of Guyana IGG. Experience: 5 years

Ginelle Ifill Age 18 Height 6’3” Weight 142 POS. Forward/Center Sch. Chase Academy IGG. Experience: 6 years

Kadian Rowe Ag 19 Height 5’8” Weight 139 POS. Forward Sch. Chase Academy IGG. Experience: 4 years Makeida Rogers Ag 15 Height 5’0” Weight 125 POS. Guard Sch. Kwakwani Secondary IGG. Experience: Nil Ann Gordan (COACH) Kwakwani Experience: The only coach that has coached in every NSBF championship (8).

Gordan has taken Kwakwani to seven of the eight national finals and has won three seniors and three Under-16 titles. This is her first outing as coach for the national U-19 team (under 19).

Kenesha Leacock Ag 14 Height 4’10” Weight 127 POS. Guard Sch. Kwakwani Secondary IGG. Experience: Nil

Police annual gymkhana moves to WCD this Sunday

P

atrons from the West Coast Demerara area will have an opportunity on Sunday to witness and be a part of the annual Guyana Police Force’s Gymkhana, is expected to see policing with a difference, featuring a number of breathtaking displays.

The event is slated for the Uitvlugt Community

Centre ground.

The gymkhana, which is a regular feature on the force’s calendar of activities, will see ranks from the various departments performing stunts and other daring displays.

The police mounted and canine branches are expected to take center stages when they take to the

winner while Doodnauth Jairam was second and NeYo Thomas, third. In the kumite Shamar Prince won, leaving Stephon Prince and Akeino Abrams for second and third respectively.

In the female kata category Safiyyah Baksh was the winner, Rachael Ramlal was second and Rianna Rodney, third. In the kumite Sierria Evans was the champion while Jasmin Hodge and Sadelli Britton were second and third respectively.

In other results:

9-11 Male Kata Male/Under -40kg Kumite 1ST John McGrath 1st Joshua Campbell 2nd Dianiel Jailall 2nd Daren Babb 3rd Khushal Lam 3rd Shay Britton

9-11 Female Kata/Male 40kg+ Kumite 1st Hannah Farinha 1st Shamar DeGroot 2nd Nizi Realine 2nd Daiquon Burnett 3rd Rebecca Ramlal 3rd Sruti Jairam

Jenelle Belle Ag 14 Height 4’11” Weight 130 POS. Guard Sch. Kwakwani Secondary IGG. Experience: Nil

Necosia Mitchell Ag. 17 Height 5’10” Weight 155 IGG. POS. Forward Sch. Kwakwani Secondary IGG. Experience: 3 years

Kristy Roberts Ag 19 Height 5’9” Weight 170 POS. Forward Sch. Police Training School IGG. Experience: 2 years

he Guyana Karate Federation concluded its National Junior and Senior Karate Championships over the weekend with some quality performances at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Eliminators were held on Saturday and finals, on Sunday from 10:00h; 93 karatekas participated in the event.

In the 6-8 year old male category for kata Matthew Gurahoo emerged as the

arena and carry their animals through various routines including drills, jumping through fire and musical chairs. The tracker dogs will also show what they can do. A number of majorettes’ groups will also take to the sward for their drill and physical displays.

The bikers from the various police motorbike divisions

including traffic, dirt bike will also be doing their stuff.

A number of novelty events including foot drills, late for work, physical displays, Lime and spoon, needle, three legged race and many more including the police military band will also be on show.

The action starts at 11:00h and admission to the venue is free.

9-14 Female Kumite/12-14 Male Under -45kg Kumite 1st Atashieha Bovell 1st Alexander Cheeks 2nd Kelly-Ann Fortune 2nd Brandon Dhanny 3rd Theresa Sampat 3rd Dwight Peters 12-14 Female Kata/12-14 Male 45+kg Kumite 1st Theresa Sampat 1st Nixon Cheeks 2nd Kelly-Ann Fortune 2nd Lennox Brumell Jr 3rd Briteny Bettencourt 3rd Shawn Campbell 12-14 Male Kata 1st Alexander Cheeks 2nd Nixon Cheeks 3rd Armand Ramdhani 15-17 Male Kata/15-17 Female Kumite 1st Shane Wilkinson 1st Ayodeli Bovell 2nd Shaquille Agard 2nd Salima Bhagwandeen 3rd Bharat Jhiant Female Open Kata/15-17 Male Kumite 55+kg 1st Clair Martelly 1st Shane Wilkinson 2nd Sabina Bhagnandeen 2nd Prince Alguedowan 3rd Ayodeli Bovell 3rd Shaqueill Agard Male Open Kumite 60kg/Male Open Kata 1st Martin Bridgelall 1st Roger Peroune 2nd Alfred Hescott 2nd Shane Rahaman

3rd Dr Guy Low Male Kumite - 67kg/Female Kumite – 55kg 1st Roger Peroune 1st Sabina Bhagwandeen 2nd Lloyd Gibson 2nd Kimberley Pyneandy 3rd Joshua D’ornellas Male Kumite +84kg/Male Kumite 84kg 1st Keith Beaton 1st Shane Rahaman 2nd Lennox Brumell Sr 2nd Junior Adonis 3rd Gordon Barker Team Kata 1st GJKA (Roger Peroune, Shane Rahaman and Lloyd Gibson) 2nd GKC (Dr Guy Low, Aubrey Bettencourt and Kenrick Cheeks)

GSCL Inc says thank you to sponsors

F

ollowing the successful hosting of their second 12/12 championship, the executives of the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc. (GSCL) wish to say thanks to the sponsors who made the event possible.

Regal XI and Wolf Warriors were declared joint winners at the Everest

Cricket Club ground last Sunday.

Special mention was made of Trophy Stall of Bourda Market and Hadi’s City Mall, who, along with Goodwood Racing Service, provided the trophies that were up for grabs during the tournament. The final, however, was abandoned without a ball being bowled be-

cause of rain and gusty winds.

Other sponsors who made contributions are: Memorex Enterprise, Five Star Minerals, Romain Car Wash, Chung’s Global Enterprise, Star Party Rentals, Global Marketing Agency, Chunilall Baboolall, Hopkinson Mining, Dale Scott Gas Station, Mike’s

Copy Centre, Elegant Jewellery and Pawn Shop.

There were also King’s Jewellery World, Digimax, Fabulous Homes Realty, Better Value Realty, Aagman Indian Cuisine, the management of Everest Cricket Club and the management and staff of Regal Stationery and Computer Supplies, especially

their Managing Director Mahendra ‘Anil’ Hardyal, who has been the driving force behind the GSCL Inc. A group of inmates from the Georgetown prisons worked along with the ground staff of Everest Cricket Club to get the ground in shape for last weekend’s quarter-finals, semi-finals and final, as well

as individuals such as Mario and those whose names are too many to mention, who worked assiduously to make the tournament a success.

The GSCL Inc. also expresses heartfelt gratitude to the abovementioned businesses and individuals, and looks forward to their continued support for future tournaments.

thursday, october 3, 2013

TOP SCORES

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

Trinidad &Tobago 119-2 (Simmons 63, Lewis 38) beat Chennai Super Kings 118 by eight wickets; Mumbai Indians 152-4 (Rohit 51*, Smith 48) beat Perth Scorchers 149-6 (Whiteman 51*, Coulter-Nile 3-19) by six wickets

Anthony optimistic cricket bill will be hot button issue when Parliament reconvenes

By Rajiv Bisnauth

S

port Minister Dr Frank Anthony remains optimistic that the second reading of the Cricket Administration Bill will receive the requisite attention from the National Assembly when parliament reconvenes later this month.

The bill was brought up for discussion in the National Assembly on August 7, but was deferred until the parliamentary recess ends later this month.

“As you know the report has been completed and I hope as soon we resumes in parliament this would be one of the things will go on the parliamentary agenda.

"We have completed all the work in the parliamentary sub-committee and we had it ready to be tabled in parliament itself, but unfortunately on the last day of parliament we had a back agenda and that bill did not come up,” Dr Anthony said during an exclusive interview with this publication on

Tuesday.

“We hope when parliament resumes we will bring that bill further,” the minister concluded.

The bill seeks to establish the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and county boards as corporate bodies and was tabled by government in December 2012 in a bid to end the impasse over the national game here.

In the bill there are provisions for the drafting of new constitutions for the GCB, the Demerara, Berbice and the Essequibo cricket boards.

Corporate structure

The absence of a corporate structure for the county boards had been exposed when secretary of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) Angela Haniff challenged the validity of the GCB elections of June 10, 2011.

Chief Justice Ian Chang threw out the matter on the ground that all of the associations embroiled in the matter were legal non-entities and had been so from the

INSIDE TODAY’S SPORT

WICB. In relation to elections to the executive committee, Part 11, Clause 7 of the bill states that the first elections shall be held in accordance with Section 17 on the date appointed in writing by the minister acting in consultation with the WICB.

Consultations

Dr Frank Anthony

Angela Haniff

inception. Therefore, they could not sue or be sued. The bill, tabled by Dr Anthony, seeks to remedy this.

Several amendments have been made to the bill, including changes to provisions that the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) had objected to.

In the initial document, one of the provisions stated that the “rules, regulations, bylaws and constitutions of the former GCB are replaced

by the constitution of the GCB” and further that “each and every office established under the rules, regulations, bylaws and constitutions of the former GCB shall cease to exist at the commencement of this act”.

This provision was the crux of the cricket impasse since the WICB maintained that it will not recognise any dissolution of the GCB, regarded as the body to carry out the mandate of the

Further, the minister, after meaningful consultations with the WICB, shall be responsible for the appointment of a cricket ombudsman, who shall be responsible for the verification of the register of clubs and for performing the functions of a returning officer.

Following the first election, the bill makes it clear that the minister has no part to play in respect of the holding of subsequent elections of the GCB and the election and appointment of the ombudsman.

The ombudsman, the bill says, shall hold office for a period of three years after he/she has been elected by

a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting at an extraordinary meeting of the GCB. The bill makes provision for the books of the GCB and county boards to be audited and the report shall be laid before the National Assembly within a month of the completion of the audit.

The bodies, not later than May 31 every year, shall present to the National Sports Commission (NSC) copies of the auditor’s report and the annual report on its work and activities for a period of 12 months preceding the date of the report, and the plan of action and activities of the board for the ensuing 12 months.

Meantime, the constitution of the GCB sets out term limits for the president who shall serve for a period not exceeding three terms. A term is two years. There are no term limits for other executive committee members.

If the bill is passed fresh elections will have to be held.

T&T top table, reach semis after thumping victory

IGG female P23 basketball team named

See story on page

21

Lendl Simmons contributed with bat, ball and in the field (BCCI)

Rayad Emrit

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