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Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 2059 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Monday, March 3, 2014

Collusion between pirates and fishermen – $1M settlement paid in recent attack

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

47 police P7 cadets languishing for promotions – Ramnarine

See story on page 3

Nandlall's attorney writes KN on libellous "Dem boys P9 seh" articles

Ramotar inspects CJIA project See story on page 17

President Donald Ramotar and Public Works Minister Robeson Benn at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion project site

Guyana Times reporter accosted by police for taking photo See story on page 7

Give every traffic cop a radar gun – Hinds See story on page 10

Govt awaiting Hardt’s return P9 for LEAD project meeting Three held after Parika drug raid

P10

President ushers in Holi festival with Chowtaal Samelaan P12

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Monday, March 3, 2014| guyanatimesGY.com

Shot businesswoman Namilco donates 15 breathalyser “recuperating nicely” kits to police

F

ifty -seven-yearold Sasewantie Bhagwandas of 51 Oleander Avenue, Bel Air Park, who was shot by a bandit on Saturday night is out of danger, relatives have confirmed.

In a telephone interview on Sunday, a relative reported that the woman is “recuperating nicely”. The relative disclosed that the woman is presently admitted to the Dr Balwant Singh Hospital nursing a gunshot injury to her abdomen. The businesswoman was shot on Saturday evening about 19:15h by an armed bandit during a robbery.

According to police, three men attacked the businesswoman and her husband, Bahadur Bhagwandas, 64, as they arrived at their residence in Bel Air Park. Based on reports, the couple had returned home and stopped briefly at the gate when the men pounced on them.

The three men, one of

whom was armed with a handgun, attacked the businesswoman’s husband demanding money.

From all indications, the men thought that the couple was carrying a large sum of money. Bahadur reportedly put up a fight with the man during which he discharged several rounds with one hitting the woman, who was in the front passenger’s seat, in the abdomen. After the gunshot was heard, persons who were in the house ran out to inquire and saw the woman holding her abdomen with blood oozing from it.

The three men had no alternative but to escape from the scene. The perpetrators were unsuccessful in relieving the couple of their valuables. The woman was rushed to the private medical facility where she was admitted.

Guyana Times understands that the bullet reportedly enter the woman’s body and exited. A police source disclosed that the

man was robbed a few weeks ago in a similar manner and investigators are working on the theory that the persons who carried out the attack on Saturday evening might be linked to the previous robbery. During that robbery, Bahadur was severely beaten in the head.

Attempts to get a comment from Bahadur proved futile. The police are continuing their investigations.

Less than two weeks ago, Bridgelall “B Boy” Persaud was shot and killed after he was attacked by two gunmen on Lombard Street, Georgetown. He was shot twice, once to the abdomen and in the head. The perpetrators then reached into the man’s car and took away a bag containing $1 million.

Thus far, the police had arrested a businessman, but he was subsequently released and investigators are hunting for two men who they believed were the perpetrators.

Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell receives one of the breathalyser kits from Namilco Managing Director Roopnarine Sukhai. Looking on are Assistant Commissioner George Vyphuis and Namilco Financial Controller Fitzroy McLeod

O

fficials of the National Milling Company of Guyana Inc (Namilco) recently donated 15 breathalysers kits,

along with 2000 mouth pieces to the Guyana Police Force.

During the same ceremony, Najab Trading Establishment made a donation of 300 mattresses and 300 pillows. The presentations were made at the commissioner’s conference room, police headquarters, in the presence of officers of the Senior Management Team on February 18.

According to a police release, Namilco Managing Director Roopnarine Sukhai, in making the presentation, noted that he was motivated to assist the force with the equipment after he was involved in a vehicular accident and there was no breathalyser available at the station during the investigation. He expressed the willingness of the company to assist with having the equipment recalibrated annually through the suppliers.

Commissioner Leroy Brumell expressed gratitude for the timely gesture

by Namilco, noting that it will assist traffic enforcement and the force’s efforts in maintaining road safety.

Najab Trading Managing Director Mohamed Najab, who is a former member of the police force, made what he referred to as an “initial donation” of mattresses and pillows to the force, primarily for use by ranks undergoing training at the Felix Austin Police College.

He opined that once the environment during initial training was one that was comfortable, healthy and conducive to learning, it would motivate the ranks to give better performances upon graduation from the institution.

He also pledged to give further assistance with mosquito nets.

Assistant Commissioner David Ramnarine, who received the donation on behalf of the Guyana Police Force, expressed sincere appreciation for the gesture and expressed the view that the force was happy over the continuing partnership with the community as the administration seeks to advance and modernise the police force.

Assistant Commissioner David Ramnarine receiving some of the items from Najab Trading Managing Director Mohamed Najab in the presence of Assistant Commissioner George Vyphuis

News

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monDay, March 3, 2014| guyanatimesGY.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Friday, March 1 from 05:30h to 07:00h The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Friday, March 1 from 16:35h to 18:05h

WEATHER TODAY

Collusion between pirates and fishermen – fishing complex chairman says – $1M settlement paid in recent attack

By Shiran Ramnauth

T

he Chairman of a major fishing complex on the Corentyne said that around 30 per cent of the fisherfolk who operate in the area were involved in piracy. He said because many of them are allowed to get away with the crime, the scourge of high seas piracy will continue.

Number 66 Fishing Complex Chairman Parvinchandra Deodat, who also heads the Berbice Anti- Piracy Unit, made the comments in wake of a recent incident where known fishermen attacked their colleagues, but were later released by police after reportedly compensating their victim with some $1 million.

in Surinamese waters.

In interviews with several fisherfolk on the Upper Corentyne, Berbice Times was told that there is growing frustration among persons in the fishing business.

Deodat said he was fully aware of the incident, and even though he cautioned both parties not to make any settlement, they still went ahead.

He insisted that the men held for the alleged piracy and hijacking should have remained in custody and should be jailed for life, with the vessel used to carry out the attack seized by the state, regardless of which territorial waters the incident occurred in. Deodat maintained his clean record regarding the fight

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Allegations have been swirling that a number of fishermen operating out of this complex are into piracy

The incident has since sparked a major row in the industry, as several fishermen on the Upper Corentyne are furious. The incident further strengthens the arguments by many that a number of the pirate attacks on the high seas are being carried out by fishermen.

On February 17, about 20:30h, fishing vessel Sharmila, owned by Sharmila Khelai of 12 Lancaster Village, was attacked by the five men in another vessel OMI 3, property of Anilla “Dolly” Alfred, 48, of Number 67 Village.

Four men who confessed to the crime were arrested, but were released, since the two parties settled the incident to the tune of $1 million. The incident occurred

against piracy in the Upper Corentyne. According to him, a Bill was passed in Parliament assented to by former President Bharrat Jagdeo in July 2008 stating that for any act of piracy, hijacking, or any other high sea offence, the culprit should be slapped with a life sentence.

Information was that the owner of OMI 3 is related to an executive of the Number 66 Fishing Complex. It was reported that after receiving threats, the owner of Sharmila was forced to make the settlement.

Deodat said no interference should have come from the executive. He said protocol should be observed and those who committed the offence should face the consequences.

“At the fishermen lev-

Number 66 Fishing Complex Chairman Parvinchandra Deodat

el, we need to take a stand and ban those caught in the act for life, they should no longer be associated with the fisheries,” he posited.

He noted that there was an incident whereby some men were banned from doing any business there; however, during his absence, a certain member of the committee allowed them to return.

Deodat also alleged that the two fishermen who were killed at Tain some time ago died because they recognised their attackers. He stated that fishermen from other fisheries have been able to infiltrate their system at Number 66 and commit the acts with the full cooperation of those in top positions. Ironically, other fisherfolk from various organisations are saying that the officials at the Number 66 Fishing Complex are carrying out these despicable acts and are trying to put the blame on them.

Not involved

“The executive members of the Upper Corentyne Fishing Complex are not involved in piracy, but are only committed to fight this scourge. No matter what this act cannot be stopped completely, to my opinion when you analyse what triggers piracy, you will see one area as being greed, where

fishermen become greedy and rob each others to get more finance,” Deodat said.

Asked what might be triggering this behaviour, he acknowledged that some fishermen’s expenses are high…” and therefore, when they are not able to make a profit due to circumstances, they then resort to robbing each other to manage their expenses. Some of them are honest and try to make a decent living, but the expenses become extreme, now especially with the rise in the price of fuel. We have been disconnected from GPL for a number years now, so the expense incurred are contributing to these illicit activities,” he posited.

Climate change

Additionally, Deodat said with the change in climate: “The water gets colder and sometimes too warm for fishing; more so, there are thousands of rice and cane farms that are being cultivated in the area, all of which contribute to manmade disaster when the chemical used are released into the river, the fishes automatically move away from danger,” he said. Deodat noted that this results in the men having to go out additional miles in order to catch fish, thus doubling their expenses.

He also alleged that a truck from Georgetown owned by someone who was associated with them is now coming to Berbice and immediately purchasing the fish that have been hijacked, so there is no trace.

Meanwhile, regarding the settlement between the owners of OMI 3 and Sharmila, B Division Commander Brian Joseph said he has since sent the file to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice. (Taken from the Berbice Times)

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MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014

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

Justice Bernard

J

ustice Desiree Bernard, who is widely respected and admired across the English-speaking Caribbean and farther afield, was honoured for her outstanding contributions to the legal field when the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) held its inaugural sitting in Guyana last week.

Certainly, we were not surprised at all of the many glowing tributes paid to this icon by legal luminaries and other practitioners from various countries, recognising her work and the extremely high standards she has set for others to follow. The event was most fitting and we are happy that those in authority saw the need to recognise the important and necessary work this outstanding Guyanese daughter has been engaged in over the years.

Justice Bernard’s achievements are world-rated. In fact, it is almost impossible for one to properly capture the accomplishments of a woman of such calibre. Bernard is regarded as a pioneer judge and trailblazer, who has utilised her skills and legal training to break down many barriers for women in the legal and other professions, not only in Guyana, but the Caribbean and beyond.

Justice Bernard is a woman of many firsts. She was the first female High Court judge of the Supreme Court of Guyana, the first female Justice of Appeal, the first female Chief Justice of Guyana and in the Caribbean; and the first female Chancellor of the judiciary of Guyana and the Caribbean.

She was also the first female Judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice at the court’s inauguration in 2005.

Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Carl Singh, in his presentation described Justice Bernard as “a judge of considerable learning and experience, and a judge, who in exemplary fashion, has demonstrated discipline and decorum and who is always courteous, polite, and extremely personable”. Her appointment to the apex judicial body of the Caribbean is testimony of the heights that can be achieved by women who commit themselves to the disciplined and delicate study of law.

In his tribute, CCJ President, Justice Dennis Byron gave a summary of Justice Bernard’s legal career, beginning with her graduation from the University of London to her appointment at the CCJ, along with her tremendous work in the social sector.

Throughout her tenure at the court, Madame Justice Bernard has demonstrated the value of the CCJ as a dispute resolution authority for regional integration, economic development in a rule-based community, exhibiting high standards of fairness and governance, opening up new avenues for ordinary people in our region to have a voice and get justice at the highest of the judicial authority.

Justice Byron listed many of the areas in which Mrs Bernard has imprinted her legacy as the first female. He pointed out that “excellence and integrity” are the two words which automatically spring to mind when thinking about Justice Bernard.

“One of the tenets that have been a guide is a constant surge for excellence in all her endeavours. As a student, leader, practitioner, a judge, a judicial administrator; she has always brought her best to date. Her service to the profession and the public, not only nationally or regionally but also worldwide, has been nothing short of service par excellence,” he stated.

Surely, Justice Bernard has left a legacy for others in the legal profession to emulate. It is hoped that even though she has retired from her most recent post as a judge on the CCJ, a new chapter will soon begin where the people of Guyana and indeed the people of the entire region, will continue to benefit from her knowledge and expertise, developed over the years.

Guyana needs as much help as it can get in various areas of development, and experts such as Bernard must be encouraged to continue serving and providing the necessary guidance to younger professionals.

Foreign birdwatchers find fertile ground at the Botanical Gardens on Sunday (Carl Croker photo)

The PPP/C wishes Jagdeo a full, speedy recovery Dear Editor, The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has noted the disparaging and insensitive remarks made by various opposition politicians and their agents after former President Bharrat Jagdeo took ill earlier this week.

The party wishes, in no uncertain terms, to strongly condemn the inhumane and sinister positions taken by these opposition spokespersons who are continuing their campaign to spew hate and misinformation against the former President. It is clear that the opposition has no statesmen or women within its ranks. It is clear that the opposition has no

moral dignity or respect for privacy.

The PPP/C believes that any attempt to play down the seriousness of the health condition of the former President at that time, while questioning the need for him to travel abroad, must also be seen as an attack on Jagdeo’s fundamental rights as enshrined in the Constitution and right to access timely health care.

The ruling party has never questioned the urgency or necessity of any opposition politician or public official to travel abroad upon the instruction of their medical advisors or caregivers.

The PPP/C wishes to remind the opposition that

several of its members, including Former Opposition Leader Robert Corbin and the late Sheila Holder benefited from assistance from the State to seek medical attention abroad when it became necessary.

In the most recent past, when former Deputy Speaker Deborah Backer was ill and flown abroad for medical attention, this party offered nothing but best wishes and hopes of a speedy recovery.

The party further condemns the insensitivity and disrespect shown to Jagdeo. While it is expected that there will be political attacks, the party was alarmed by the extension of

these assaults to the point where unbelievable misinformation was being peddled by the opposition provocateurs and their activists about the costs for his travel abroad and his medical entitlements.

Despite the shenanigans of the opposition and its acts of desperation, which are aimed at bad-mouthing Jagdeo, his track record and zeal remain intact and stronger than ever.

The PPP/C wishes Jagdeo a speedy and full recovery.

Sincerely, PPP/C Freedom House

Respect human rights and be very responsible in reporting Dear Editor, Most of the media, print and electronic, are attacking Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh with vengeance. They have been making all sorts of pronouncements without any verification. Sometimes, I wonder how careless and insensitive human beings can be.

Yes, the Minister was involved in an accident. The

Minister took full responsibility and took care of all expenses of those who suffered from injury and loss. He is a normal human being with emotions just like you and I. He is not a product of a laboratory.

Indeed, the Minister was visibly shaken, so he departed the scene, but left his representatives to attend to his responsibilities and to fulfil his commitments. This is all

normal behaviour of a human being of stature who has been struck with adversity. So what is the big fuss?

I don’t know the Minister personally, but I understand that he has refused highpaying jobs to take a (figure given) salary to serve this nation and, from what I have seen, he is running the country’s financial affairs with great efficiency under

very difficult circumstances.

It is time we stop this nonsense and respect people for the services they are giving to our country. Let us respect the human rights of all and let us be very responsible in our reporting.

May the Almighty God bless this nation.

Respectfully, Nazar Mohamed

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MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014

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

For love of country (Part one) Dear Editor, (For the lawyer, the doctor, the minibus driver, the stay-at-home mother, the importer, the farmer, the young person in prison for 15 grams of marijuana.) The Anti Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Amendment Bill, we all know what it is.

We’ve heard the talk about blacklisting, and more recently, we’ve all been thinking about the merits of the proposed amendments by the opposition – one of which seems to give the police almost unfettered powers to seize sums to the value of G$2 million if they ‘reasonably suspect’ that they are seizing something connected with money-laundering or terrorism financing. John Public is concerned about this.

Guyana is a cash-driven society, from gold miners going to purchase equipment, to farmers going to purchase supplies, G$2 million is a relatively small sum when conducting business. The Private Sector Commission

(PSC), the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), representing the business and private sector community, have voiced concerns over this proposed amendment. The ordinary man in the street has voiced his concerns. The letter sections of various news houses bear witness to this.

We all know the previous parliamentary dispensation dropped the ball on a timely implementation of the required legislative changes. But this new parliamentary dispensation will surely make us miss the ball altogether, at least it appears so.

From the acts of walking out of sub-committee meetings, to the disgraceful tit-for-tat modus operandi that is plaguing us recently in the most painfully obvious ways, WE, your constituents, the people who voted for you, our elected representatives, dare I say – voted you our leaders, WE demand more.

I wish we the people, were privy to the workings of the sub-committee, imag-

ine if we were able to see it televised. It would at least enable us to see how many hours are being genuinely put towards resolving the differences on the AML/ CFT Bill. What academic and practical issues are addressed and to what extent, that’s what I would love clarification on.

Take for example the proposed amendments by the opposition, giving the police very wide powers under this bill. Did our leaders talk about public and private sector opinion? Did they talk about an alternative provision that may be more practical? Maybe the need for a quick, exparte court order before the sums can be seized?

Of course this would require that efficient and proper investigation be done before a judge can grant such orders – but shouldn’t that be the standard we’re aspiring to? What about looking at the experience of other countries and learning from their mistakes?

I’m sure many like me wonder how we’ve man-

Moral education in schools must now become number one priority Dear Editor, One only has to read the daily news and think of the lawless behaviour as witnessed in our recent Mash celebrations to appreciate that we need to do something very urgently to arrest the backsliding of our society towards immorality on a large scale.

By all appearances those who have the power to do something about this depressing situation are either incapable or unwilling to effect a reversal in this aspect of our culture. In fact, there are some in the media and other public fora who are actually proposing that immoral patterns of behaviour are a part of our culture.

Immorality like all atrocities not only breeds more of the same, but it spreads its tentacles to the perpetration of all sorts of evil: violence, domestic and public; rape and incest; robbery and the brutal killings that usually accompany these; general indiscipline, which includes irresponsible behaviour on our roads; teenage pregnancy and suicide; sloth among our workers; and corruption among police and other public officials.

It is just as true that, when we do not make a concerted effort to deal with any negative situation, it not only continues unabated but keeps on increasing. These all point to the crying need for something urgent and comprehensive to be initiated so that we can build a firm and stable foundation

on which to maintain the societal, economic and other aspects of our development.

I have long advocated the need for a unified effort by all those who are responsible for the upbringing and welfare of our youths to come together and develop a comprehensive programme to effect a renovation of the moral fabric of our society on all fronts within our communities, with of course the emphasis being placed on the young people in our schools.

This would contribute to the building of the character of our future generation, and instilling in them proper values which would help them to appreciate their responsibilities – to themselves to make the most out of themselves, to their families to learn to provide for their needs, and to the society at large to become responsible and productive citizens.

The Education Ministry, as well as the individual institutions and persons who are responsible for the development and operation of our school programmes, must appreciate that this process of character-building must take some prominence within their curricula, as without it, their efforts towards academic performance would be futile on the long term.

In simple terms, children need to make it a habit to ‘know the good, love the good, and do the good’ – not just once in a while when they are in the presence of others, but as a matter of

conscience. Otherwise our society will continue to be dominated by people who are self-centred and lacking in basic proper behaviour.

In summary, these are my recommendations on the way forward for any moral education programme among our young people: * A greater place for moral education in public school curricula. * A cooperative effort among teachers, parents, media, courts, businesses, and civil, racial, ethnic, and religious organisations towards the creation of a social and cultural setting that supports moral behaviour and education. * The establishment and publicising of clear expectations for teachers and administrators in their roles as moral educators. * Increased attention to moral education at the teachers’ training colleges as well as training programmes at other educational institutions. * The inclusion of criticalthinking and decision-making skills in moral education. * Regular assessments of the moral climate of schools and conduct of students, with the results of those assessments being made public.

I hope and pray that my appeal will at last bring some action to save our society from utter chaos.

Sincerely, Roy Paul

aged to spiral so far out of control on a piece of internationally required legislation. While we can identify with the opposition’s concern that the institutional framework needed to give teeth to the AML/CFT Bill is not in place, or is not strong enough or functioning how it ought to, that cannot be a valid reason to withhold approval of the bill.

In fact, let’s look at a mistake that we can learn from, one that demonstrates that the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) – the international task force founded by the G-7 and charged with developing and implementing global standards to counter elicit financing – are not only concerned with legislative compliance, but also ensuring the systems and institutional framework are in place and are functioning as they ought to.

Respectfully submitted, Patricia Bacchus Attorney at Law/Business Executive

Freddie misleading on family employment Dear Editor, My good friend Freddie Kissoon repeated his oft-stated, unsubstantiated claim that the government fired him from his job at the University of Guyana (UG) and terminated his wife’s employment at a state agency in another section of the media.

Freddie is misleading the public with these claims. It is important that his claims be corrected so that the public does not come to the wrong conclusion that Freddie’s family is a victim of government.

I checked with the Labour Ministry and other sources on both claims and was told, in no uncertain terms, that neither claim is factual. Neither one was fired.

Freddie reached mandatory retirement age and was forced into retirement, a practice in most Commonwealth countries. He was hired to continue teaching part-time post-retirement, but proper procedures and terms were not adhered to and the contract was terminated.

Freddie knows this as fact and continues to mislead readers that he was fired.

Freddie receives significant retirement benefits, includ-

ing a hefty pension (relative to Guyana’s standard).

Regarding his wife, I was informed she was an outstanding employee, unlike Freddie. However, her job became redundant in cost-cutting moves and she was given a choice – be transferred to another state agency or accept early retirement.

She accepted the latter and was given a very generous package with retirement benefits. She was never fired, contrary to Freddie’s claim.

In fact, the government could have used her services, but she decided to call it a day, according to information I obtained. If Mr and or Mrs Kissoon were unfairly fired from their jobs, I would be the first to raise hell that they be given back their jobs with full back-pay and interest.

No one should be unfairly fired. But that was not the case for either Freddie or his wife. Freddie should stop using his wife, a marvellous woman, the complete opposite of Freddie, to peddle misinformation in order to gain sympathy from the public.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

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MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014

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Foundation

Parenting For Success

The difficult teenage years – ChildLinK’s vision is a Guyanese society where every child enjoys the right to a childhood in a safe and caring family, free from poverty, violence, and exploitation

T

rends show that the teenage years are the ones that often prove most difficult for parents.

Parenting a difficult teen can

feel like a constant struggle.

It can feel like you are walking on eggshells and everything you do is wrong. The more you try to discipline

Let Me Be A Child Let me know when I make you proud.

And help me to have pride in my own accomplishments. Let me earn your trust.

Then trust me. I won't let you down. Let me try my wings. If I fail, let me know it's OK. And encourage me to try again.

Let me know you love me. With a hug. Or a pat on the back, or when I need it, with a firm but gentle "no". Let me be. Let me change. Let me grow. Let me tell you when I'm feeling bad... or angry… Even at you.

And let me know that even on my worst days, you still like me. Let me dream.

Share my joy when my dreams come true.

Share my tears when they don't. Let me feel secure in my home. Help me realise that love is always there … that I can depend on you no matter what. Let me run … let me laugh … let me play.

And most of all, let me be a child!

– Anonymous

them, the more they try to pull away.

You love your teen, but his/ her difficult behaviour is challenging to deal with.

During these trying years, teens attempt to assert their independence, leave their childhood behind, and prepare for adulthood. Some tend to view themselves as more mature than they actually are which often leads to difficult behaviour, as your opinions and views on their independence clash. The job of a parent is to ensure that the teenage years are handled in a manner that keeps you and the teen in a safe and healthy relationship during those years. Sometimes, to gain control of a challenging situation, we need to take an entirely new approach. Doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results is, after all, the definition of insanity. Sometimes, to make any headway you have to let go of the need to

control and look at things from an entirely different perspective.

Behaviours that teens may demonstrate that are difficult for parents:

*Your teen tells lies. *Your teen misbehaves in school. *Your teen is engaging in risky behaviours. *Your teen argues, is disrespectful, and talks back to you *Your teen swears – a lot *Your teen is late for curfew

Smarter, stronger discipline strategies for possible behaviours

The goal of effective discipline is to gain more control over your child – without being too controlling.

Set clear rules. Teens push boundaries to see how their parents will respond.

It’s important to establish clear rules and boundaries, and to have consequences for breaking those rules. For example, the consequence for breaking curfew might be that your teen has to stay

home the next weekend.

You’ll get less resistance if you involve your teen in designing the consequences for breaking the rules. Just don’t forget that you still have the final say.

Put it in writing. So that there can be no misunderstandings, create a formal list of house rules, or type/write up a behaviour contract that you and your teen sign. Post the list or contract on the fridge or in another central location in the house where your teen won’t be able to miss it.

Examples of clear rules include: “Curfew is 7 pm on weekdays, 9 pm on weekends, and no going out until homework is finished.” Anyone who breaks one of these rules loses television for a day. If your teen does break one of the rules, all you have to do is point to the list.

Be firm – and consistent. Teens are master negotiators. They’re skilful at spotting any sign of parental weakness. When you waffle and give in to their pleas for mercy, they are going to expect the same response every time they misbehave or break a rule.

Being consistent about teen discipline also means that both parents need to be on the same page. If one parent always says “yes” and the other always says “no”, your teen is going to know exactly which parent to ask.

While you’re being firm, don’t forget to also be fair and understanding. A little understanding goes a long way when disciplining teens.

Parents, take it one step at a time

When it comes to dealing with common behavioural problems and teens, you can’t be on top of it, all of the time. You cannot control what they do. But one step at a time, you can teach them the correct way to handle the world around them and the situations that come.

You can influence their decisions. Good luck!

Please contact us on telephone number 231-7174 or at programmes.childlink@ networksgy.com for any support you may need on parenting and any other challenges that you may be experiencing with your children.

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monDay, march 3, 2014| guyanatimesGY.com

47 police cadets languishing Guyana Times reporter accosted for promotions – Ramnarine by police for taking photo

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ssistant Police Commissioner David Ramnarine has said the Guyana Police Force’s Assistant Superintendent System needs to be reviewed, given the fact that there are a number of cadets languishing while awaiting promotions.

Ramnarine was at the time delivering a progress report on the 2004 Disciplined Forces Commission (DFC) recommendations. He reflected that former President Bharrat Jagdeo during his tenure had increased the number of cadets accepted into the force to enhance the middle management leadership structure.

The Assistant Police Commissioner explained that currently there are 47 cadet officers from three batches in the force.

“Some have been there over four years and there are some concerns because the establishment of the force, in terms of cadetship, only caters for 10,” he stated.

Ramnarine went on to say that with 47 cadets on hand, the police force is aware of the number of ranks who after the cadetship programme, once they are found eligible, should be appointed to assistant superintendents. This, he noted should be reviewed.

“That bracket, that upward bracket has also got to be addressed… the establishment of the assistant sups (superintendent) also needs to be reviewed,” he said.

However, he did point out that he is aware of ongoing discussions to address this issue, noting that it is a “work in progress”. With regards to Standing Order 22, which allows for persons to be identified for leadership positions at a very early stage and after graduation from the Guyana Defence Force’s Standard Officers Course, Ramnarine said this process can take up to two years, as ranks have to complete additional years of service.

Lack of vacancies

In 2008, the former President mandated that some 50 cadet officers be appointed over a three years span; however, about five years later, ranks from the first batch are still awaiting promotion to the posts of assistant superintendents.

This is reported to have been caused due to the lack of vacancies in the Assistant Superintendent bracket.

The first batch of 15 cadet officers, who are ranked higher than inspectors, graduated from the Basic Cadet Officer Training Programme in 2009. The number of graduates have been increasing every year since up to 2011 when the last batch graduated, thereby fulfilling the target set by Jagdeo.

The increased intake of cadet officers was done

Assistant Police Commissioner David Ramnarine

seemingly unconscious of the limited number of assistant superintendents posts, which are filled preferably by experienced inspectors and chief inspectors, causing the cadet ranks to languishing in the force for years.

Here too lies another problem with the lower ranks such as inspectors and sergeants, who may feel that the increase could hinder their chances of being promoted to the post of Assistant Superintendent.

In January last, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee had told reporters at a press conference that he is cognisant that the absence of a Police Service Commission (PSC) has temporarily stymied the promotions of several officers in the force.

However, he noted that his Ministry is working assiduously to ensure the welfare of its officers. “We have already approached the Office of the President requesting an increase in the Guyana Police Force’s establishment at the level of Assistant Superintendent to allow for the creation of posts to facilitate the promotion of cadet officers.”

The PSC is tasked with the responsibility of promotion and other matters relating directly to senior ranks of the force. Without a PSC, there can be no promotions for ranks of inspectors up to assistant police commissioners. Not only does this affect senior ranks of the force, but also junior ranks due to the stagnant situation with the

senior positions.

The DFC had recommended (recommendation Number 28) that “urgent consideration should be given to the examination of the three cadet schemes to determine whether any changes are necessary, and what should be done to place the selection and training of cadets on a regular basis. A revitalised Cadet Scheme could be canvassed among successful secondary school and university graduates”.

Guyana Times/TVG 28 reporter was on Sunday manhandled by ranks attached to the Grove Police Station after he took a photo of them during an operation.

The reporter, Bhisham Mohamed, who resides in Timehri, was on his way home in public transportation when the ranks who were behind a clump of bushes in the vicinity of Coverden, East Bank Demerara stopped the bus.

From across the road, the rank who was identified as “John” summoned the driver, alleging that he was speeding and asked for his documents.

While in the minibus, Mohamed took a photograph of the ranks as they hid behind the bushes with the intention of highlighting it, but was spotted by a police rank.

As the driver of the bus was being interrogated by another rank, who was subsequently identified as “Clarke”, John approached the reporter and asked to see the photograph, but the reporter told him that it was his personal handset.

At this time, the reporter

Bhisham Mohamed

was accosted by the rank and shoved towards the car where he was told that he was under arrest since taking photos of police ranks was an offence.

When asked not to be pushed, the rank reportedly told the reporter that “Once you were arrested, the police got the right to do what they want.”

By this time, the rank passed his superior, a cadet officer and reported the matter to Clarke, who in a hostile manner asked “Are you work-

ing in the media... where is your badge?”

The reporter, who did not identify himself initially, told the rank that he was indeed a media operative and had a purpose for taking the photo. Mohamed was reminded by the rank that it was an offence and was instructed to sit in the police vehicle to be taken to Grove Police Station where he will be charged. As Mohamed was making his way to the vehicle, the cadet officer who was on his mobile phone intervened and inquired what was happening, and in so doing, Mohamed explained the situation, but again was told that it was an offence. Nevertheless, the reporter was instructed to delete the photo from his phone and was released. Guyana Times has been advised by an attorney that taking a photograph of an on-duty police officer is not illegal. Guyana Times also sought a comment from a senior police official, but to no avail.

The management of Guyana Times today will formally write the commissioner of police on this matter.

Man on $10,000 bail for unlawful wounding

A

man appeared in the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Sherdel Marcus-Isaacs on Friday charged with unlawful wounding.

Twenty-three-year-old Nazism Baksh of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam pleaded guilty to the charge which read that on February 26 at Mai Mai Dam in Angoy’s Avenue, he unlawfully wounded a child.

Police Prosecutor Godfrey

Player told the court that the defendant and the virtual complainant (VC) have known each other for more than one year and that the VC is a nine-year-old who resides with his parent.

The Prosecutor noted that the defendant who suffers from mental illness is currently receiving treatment at the New Amsterdam Psychiatric Hospital. About 17:30h, on the day of the incident, the VC was riding his bicycle along Mai Mai Dam

when he met the defendant’s 11-year-old brother. The two had a misunderstanding and at that moment the defendant came out of a nearby yard and dealt the complainant one lash to his head, causing him to fall to the ground. The child was picked up and rushed to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital where he was treated and sent away. The accused was later arrested and charged.

However, before any decision was made on the mat-

ter, the Prosecutor asked that the defendant be taken for a psychiatric evaluation.

The defendant’s mother, Bibi Khan, who was present in court, disclosed that her son has been suffering from a mental illness for almost four years after he was lashed with a piece of wood to the head several years ago. After hearing the case, the Magistrate placed the accused on $10,000 bail and he is to return to court on March 27 for report.

Canada cracks down on citizenship fraud

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s concerns heighten over the recall of former St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Deputy New York Consul General, Edson Augustus, the Canadian government has announced that it is cracking down on citizenship fraud.

Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander said he is reinforcing the government’s commitment to tackling citizenship fraud through measures proposed in Bill C-24, the “Strengthening Canadian

Citizenship Act.” The proposed measure includes stronger penalties for fraud and misrepresentation (a maximum fine of Cdn$100,000 and/or five years in prison); expanding the grounds to bar an application for citizenship to in-

clude foreign criminality, “which will help improve programme integrity”; and making it an offence for unauthorised individuals to “knowingly represent or advise a person on a citizenship application or hearing for a fee”. (CMC)

8 NEWS

MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Caricom accredits first Botswana Ambassador A

strong working relationship between Botswana and Caricom member states would go a long way to ensuring growth and a stronger voice on issues which concern them such as climate change, gender equality and the fight against terrorism and nuclear disarmament, Ambassador Bernadette Rathedi said recently.

Ambassador Rathedi, who was accredited as the first plenipotentiary representative of Botswana to Caricom, underscored the need for “our countries and regions” to make greater efforts to work together and strengthen one another in advancing common concerns on the international scene.

“There is, indeed, power in unity,” she told the audience at the Caricom Secretariat after she presented her letters of credence to Caricom Secretary General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque. In his remarks, Ambassador LaRocque highlighted Botswana’s progressive establishment of formal relations with Caricom member states that began with Guyana in 1978.

Botswana, he recalled, was one of few African countries with accredited diplomatic representatives to almost all Caricom member states. Those ties have been strengthened through shared membership in the Commonwealth, the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) and the United Nations.

The Secretary General

Eyew tness Chickens roosting:

...whose chicken? our Eyewitness didn’t know ex-Speaker Ralph Ramkarran knew much about poultry. But in quoting a “departed” PPP colleague about “Chickens coming home to roost”, he exhibited profound understanding – both literally and figuratively. Karma does come back to bite you on your behind, sooner or later. Unfortunately, in this case, it’s Guyana’s behind that’s being chomped on.

Ramkarran was referring to the standoff in our political system caused by the “new dispensation”. This was precipitated by the Opposition seizing control of the National Assembly while the PPP/C took the Executive after the last elections. Trouble was, he weaselled out when it came to saying clearly whose chickens were roosting. Using the “false equivalency” cop-out, he placed blame on the Government, as well as the Opposition. And if the truth be told, the Government got the brunt of his blame.

But in this, the Ex-Speaker’s simply following the wellworn track he’s followed after decamping from the PPP/C: Appear to be “impartial” but get in sneaky body blows on his former comrades, in the clinch. But in his refusal to call a spade a spade, he reveals the reason he knows about poultry: he’s chicken.

Let’s take the main point he raises: the Government should have compromised with the Opposition to pass the AML/CFT Bill. But this position betrays the devious double standards of Ramkarran and his false equivalency. Let’s consider the Opposition’s objections to the BILL. The AFC, like every financial institution including CFATF, has none.

They’re just shamelessly using the Government’s concern for the welfare of Guyana, as hostage to blackmail them to establish the unrelated “Public Procurement Commission” – on AFC’s terms. Ramkarran wants the government to acquiesce to the blackmail – without even slapping the AFC. Then there’s the APNU callous manoeuvre. For two years, they claimed to be “consulting with stakeholders”.

Two years. Finally at the 12th hour (after the first deadline is missed) they insisted on changing the INITIAL 2009 Bill, which according to CFATF, isn’t even necessary for Guyana to be declared “compliant”. And that isn’t all. As the representative of CFATF warned, the changes in the original Bill would raise new areas in which Guyana could be disqualified.

Ramkarran’s always been accused by his former comrades in the PPP/C as being unwilling to stand up for principles. He then rationalises his “sell-outs” as “compromises”. Looks like his own “chickens” are coming home to roost.

Y Botswana Ambassador to Caricom Bernadette Rathedi shares a toast with Caricom Secretary General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque

pointed to the similarities between Botswana and Caricom member states such as their experiences with the global financial and economic crisis, the quest to diversify their economies, and economic activities being pursued such as tourism, agriculture and financial services.

Meaningful interlocutor

“As the community seeks to deepen ties with the African continent, through strengthened relations with individual states and subregions, Botswana presents itself as a meaningful interlocutor with Caricom states in this regard. Your position as the headquarters country for the Southern African Development Community (SADC), as well as a willingness in seeking to strengthen relations at this time augurs well for our close col-

laboration. Indeed, the two communities face similar developmental challenges in the process of regional integration and cooperation,” he said.

Ties between Caricom and SADC were also a point of reference for Ambassador Rathedi, who indicated that her country supported the continuing cooperation between the community and SADC and between the community and the African Union. Such collaboration, she said, would improve market access between the two regions; improve opportunities for trade and investment and people to people interaction.

The new ambassador also relayed the gratitude of Botswana and the Southern African region for Caricom’s “invaluable contribution to the liberation struggle in our region”.

“We still remember vividly, the active and very bold positions of the Caribbean countries that contributed to the efforts to end colonialism and apartheid in our part of the world. Today, the Southern Africa region boasts of relative peace and stability, thanks to the enduring support of the Caribbean Community and that of other friends in other parts of the world,” she said.

Comparing the resilience and resistance to colonial rule and apartheid to the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Ambassador Rathedi assured the community that her country commended and supported the region’s initiative for the construction of a permanent memorial at the United Nations to honour victims of slavery and the trans-Atlantic slave trade. She said the memorial would be instrumental in raising awareness and educating future generations on the history of the slave trade.

Woman on bail for obstructing traffic

T

wenty-one-year-old Rajnie Persaud of Cumberland, East Canje, Berbice, pleaded not guilty to obstructing traffic when she appeared before Magistrate Sherdel Marcus-Isaacs in the New Amsterdam Magistrate's Court on Friday.

It was alleged that on February 26 at New Street in New Amsterdam, she drove motor car PMM 1325 and stopped at a sign saying no stopping. Since there was no objection to bail, the defendant was placed on $5000 bail and her next court date is set for May 8.

...on race relations It’s been truly said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. And so it’s been on the question of race relations from some Guyanese. This bunch of wellintentioned persons despair at the differences among our several groups creating “problems”, as they see it. The troublesome difference in this scheme of things centres on race and ethnicity.

All would be hunky dory if certain persons wouldn’t stir up these differences and cause trouble. One evidently elderly educator, Clarence Perry by name, took social commentator Dave Martins to task for claiming we’ve been handling our differences better than most other places.

Apart from treating race and ethnicity as one phenomenon, Perry takes Martins to task for suggesting our problems in this area aren’t as bad as some other places.

Perry’s problem is signalled where he’s coming from when he affirms that “the two major ethnicities in Guyana have far more in common than there are differences.” He misses the point that there’s nothing wrong with differences, once we recognise them and then deal with their consequences.

To ignore them is to ensure our eventual welcome by the fella with the Trident and horns. ...in foreign currency The Opposition can’t deny that with dollars getting short in the country, the exchange rate’s heading skyward.

Greenidge shamelessly denies it’s due to CFATF’s sanctions.

Now we know why he presided over the US$ black market back in the day.

NEWS

9

MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Nandlall’s attorney Warhead removed from writes KN on libellous Corentyne teen “Dem boys seh” articles – says he wants to go abroad for treatment

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A

ttorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall said two recent columns in the Kaieteur News have caused him great public ridicule and embarrassment, both locally and overseas, and have disparaged the offices of Attorney General, Legal Affairs Minister and Member of Parliament, which he holds.

In a letter addressed to the newspaper’s EditorIn-Chief Adam Harris, Nandlall’s lawyer, Sase Gunraj said he was instructed that on Friday, the 28th day of February, 2013, the Kaieteur News column titled, “Dem boys seh” bore the caption “Tax dollars going to Sleep-In”.

The article, inter alia, refers to an event of the Legal Affairs Ministry’s “Publication of the Revised Laws of Guyana (2014)” hosted at SleepIn International Hotel, Brickdam, Georgetown.

“The article further refers to the friendship between my client and the owner of that establishment and alleges that tax payers’ dollars is being improperly used to fund that event.” Gunraj said he was instructed that as a result of the column, the Legal Affairs Ministry Permanent Secretary wrote to the newspaper, explaining in very clear language, that the decision to host the event at that establishment was exclusively hers and that decision was motivated by the singular consideration that the facility was offered to the Legal Affairs Ministry

Attorney General Anil Nandlall

for that event, free of cost.

“Notwithstanding the publication of that letter, and inspired, presumably, by malice, you published another article in the said ‘Dem boys seh’ column, bearing the bold caption, ‘Ah Kneel deh pun a hustle’, in the Sunday, March 2, 2014, edition of the Kaieteur News, again, clearly referring to my client. In the said article, the libel published is of greater elaboration and gravity.

Damaging

Both of these articles used words, which, in their natural and ordinary meaning meant, and were understood to mean, that, my client: dishonestly and intentionally used taxpayers dollars; instructed the Permanent Secretary to lie as a cover up; is corrupt; stole and is stealing taxpayers dollars; has committed a criminal offence or several criminal offences; and is unfit to hold the office of Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs

Kaieteur News Editor-in-Chief Adam Harris

and a seat as a Member of Parliament.”

Gunraj warned the newspaper that the publications are indisputably libellous and have caused “my client great public ridicule, odium, contempt, embarrassment, humiliation, both locally and internationally and have caused disparage to the offices of Attorney General, Minister of Legal Affairs and Member of Parliament, which he holds”. He added that in the circumstances, “I am instructed to demand, as I hereby do, that you publish a retraction of the libellous statements of and concerning my client along with an unreserved apology, giving same, equal or greater prominence than that enjoyed by the libellous statements, within 24 hours from the date hereof. If you fail to do so, I have instructions to institute legal proceedings against you and the publisher of the Kaieteur News.

I hope that good sense prevails.”

he 16-year-old student of Tagore Memorial Secondary School, Corentyne, who was shot two weeks ago underwent surgery during which the warhead was removed from his body.

Oumesh Ballram, who is still a patient of the Georgetown Public Hospital, underwent surgery on Friday. The warhead, which entered his body a few inches below his heart and caused damage to his spine, was removed from his back, since it was moving around in the teen’s body.

According to his father, Gurdial Ballram, the teen seems to be recovering well from the surgery and was removed from the High Dependency Unit (HDU) of the hospital on Sunday.

He told Guyana Times that a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan was done on Saturday.

The stressed father explained that he is expected to meet with doctors today to discuss his son’s condition. Ballram disclosed that while his son is doing well, he has not been able to feel his feet as yet, which is worrisome.

Oumesh was very disturbed by this fact, his father said. He said the young man has called his grandmother crying that he did not want to return home, but wanted to go overseas to seek treatment.

“He want go and look after himself, he saying he na come home. He just want go abroad for treatment, cause he studying all kind thing,

Govt awaiting Hardt’s return for LEAD project meeting

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residential Adviser on Government Gail Teixeira said the Government of Guyana is awaiting the return of U.S. Ambassador D Brent Hardt to fix a date to commence talks on the stalled US$1.2 million Leadership and Democracy (LEAD) government project.

Ambassador Hardt is currently out of Guyana on official duties. On February 13, Teixeira had said the Donald Ramotar Administration had agreed to meet with the U.S. during the week of February 17-21, but 18 days after that press conference at the Office of the President, the parties are yet to meet on the project.

Last year, the government rejected the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) project, claiming that it did not reflect its input. At the time, the Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon had ex-

an agreement to sign, over which we had zero contribution. Secondly, when we officially got the design, there was considerable objection, as far as the administration was concerned,” Dr Luncheon explained at the time.

Civic engagement

U.S. Ambassador D Brent Hardt

plained that the proposal did not reflect the input of the Government of Guyana.

Both the project and design were rejected.

“The project that habitually and conventionally is an engagement between Guyana and its development partner USAID, this one in 2012 departed from the convention. Firstly, we were presented with

The USAID LEAD project was being implemented by the International Republican Institute (IRI), with the primary objective of supporting Guyanese stakeholder efforts to promote effective and responsive democratic institutions. It was also designed to strengthen the political and consensusbuilding process and skills through programme components.

The project aimed to, firstly, in a non-partisan manner, work jointly with all political parties in enhancing the functioning of the National Assembly as an effective, representative deliberative body. Secondly,

it aimed to strengthen the National Assembly and boost citizen engagement with and understanding of Parliament, while motivating youths and women to be more engaged in political and civic processes.

Finally, if implemented, the LEAD project will give much-needed support to civic and voter education efforts to support the implementation of local government reforms and local elections.

IRI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organisation that works to strengthen democratic political processes and institutions, support open elections, increase democratic governance, and increase the participation of marginalised groups in political and civic processes, including women and youth. It has conducted programmes in more than 100 countries and, along with its Women’s Democracy Network, is currently active in more than 80 countries.

Injured teen Oumesh Ballram

school and so,” the father stated.

Ballram explained that he has already spoken to doctors about getting the medical papers for travel, but they seem to be prolonging the matter. The frustrated man said this was déjà vu for him since he went through the same thing when his wife was diagnosed with cancer.

“When she get sick, I ask the doctors for the papers to take she abroad for treatment, but they had me running around and taking long till she dead and gone and is the same thing they get me on now,” he pointed out.

Meanwhile, the cambio dealer remains adamant that the person whom the police arrested last week but subsequently released on $50,000 bail is in fact the person who had attempted to rob him, shooting his son in the process. Around 20:00h on Thursday, February 20, there was a power outage in

the Number 69 Village area; however, power was later restored, so Gurdial went downstairs to switch from the inverter, leaving his two sons on the veranda and his daughter in her room.

Oumesh was told to turn on the main switch, which was located just off the veranda door; however, before he could have done so, he was confronted by a man armed with a firearm and was subsequently shot. The perpetrator apparently used a chair from the yard and with the assistance of his accomplices, reached into the veranda and pointed the gun at a 12-year-old before entering the house and injuring the 16-year-old.

Upon hearing the gun shot, Ballram ran into the street while shots were being fired at him to get help.

A minibus stopped and honked its horn, causing the gunman to make good his escape, along with his accomplices.

Couple on bail for assaulting each other

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orty-one-year-old Nandlall Charandass of Betsy Ground, East Canje, Berbice made his first court appearance at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court on Friday to answer an assault charge.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge during his arraignment before Magistrate Sherdel Marcus-Isaacs, which read that on February 26 at his home, he unlawfully assaulted his wife Jessica Charandass. According to Police Prosecutor Godfrey Player, the defendant, on the day in question, started to curse the virtual complainant (VC), using indecent language over a misunderstanding they had. He then dealt the VC several slaps to her face.

The matter was reported to the police and the complainant was escorted to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital for medical atten-

tion.

Meanwhile, on the same day, Jessica Charandass also allegedly unlawfully assaulted her husband, an offence to which she entered a not-guilty plea.

The prosecution said the couple are presently before the court for a matter of similar nature. On the date of the incident, the woman allegedly hit her husband with a pot over a misunderstanding they had. The matter was reported to the police and the accused was subsequently arrested and charged.

Based on the fact that both defendants have pending matters in court, the prosecutor objected to bail; however his objections were overruled by the Magistrate who granted the couple $50,000 bail each. They are expected to make their next court appearance at the Reliance Magistrate’s Court on April 2.

10

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014

News

Give every traffic cop a radar gun – Hinds the life of a child is scuffed off at a very tender age, when that child has not been able to me contribute in anyway significant to upliftement of our country.”

These accident victims could have been the future scientists, educators, agriculturalists, politician or simply individuals who would have dedicated their energies toward nationbuilding.

BY SVETLANA MARSHALL

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rime Minister Samuel Hinds last Friday told a road safety conference that he would support any budget that gives every traffic officer a breathalyser kit and radar gun.

The conference was recently held at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara. He said precautionary measures must always be taken to reduce traffic accidents in the country, noting that Guyanese must improve on the way they traverse the roads.

Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee for his part bemoaned the negative impacts of road traffic accidents, especially in cases where lives have been lost or severe injuries sustained. Rohee told the audience that road fatalities affect Guyana’s human re-

Report defaulters

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds

source capacity, explaining that children and teenagers have lost their lives on the country’s roadways, without being given the opportunity to realise their potential.

“The loss of a life as a result of a road fatality diminishes our human resources capacity in Guyana… when

Three held after Parika drug raid

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wo women and a man were on Saturday evening taken into police custody following the discovery of a quantity of cannabis and cocaine during a police operation at Parika, East Bank Essequibo.

According to information received, police acting on information went to two houses at Parika Old Road where they conducted searches on the premises during which 1.482 kilograms of cannabis sativa and 78 grams of cocaine were earthed.

Upon the discovery, one of the women reportedly told the police that they were not directly linked to the drugs and they were just visiting.

Guyana Times understands that the two houses were in one yard and from reports received, it is known as the distribution yard.

A police rank said that the persons were under watch for a while and they decided to zero-in on them on Saturday evening. The three persons are expected to be charged for possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

If they plead guilty, they can be sentenced to at least four years imprisonment with a fine of $30,000 each.

Police continue to play a major role in confronting the drug trade and this was evident in the recently released National Drug Report for 2012, which stated that combating the drug trade in

Guyana has seen a strong commitment by law enforcement agencies to pursue drug traffickers, with the aim of dismantling their operations.

The report stated that cannabis and cocaine were two major types of illicit narcotics seized in Guyana during January 1 to December 31, 2012.

Police said the major sources of cannabis were from cultivation mainly in Upper Demerara, Soesdyke/Linden Highway, Upper Berbice River, North Hambury Island, Garby Hall, Essequibo River and West Canje Berbice.

Police operations in 2012 led to the discovery of 80.587 kilograms of cocaine, 16 grams of hashish, and 40 grams of ecstasy. There were 12 cannabis eradication exercises with a total of 18 fields destroyed.

In addition, the police narcotics branch also seized 1.089 kilograms of cannabis from 513 raids. The report further stated that some 504 cases were made against 551 persons. In total, for 2012, 666 persons were prosecuted for drug-related activities with 302 convictions, two withdrawals and 37 dismissals.

The cocaine seized by the police narcotics branch for 2012 amounted to $72.45 million while the estimated cost for the cannabis was $23.74 billion.

The Home Affairs Minister championed the cause for all Guyanese to observe the traffic laws of Guyana, positing that defaulters must be reported at all times. Reckless driving, driving under the influence of alcohol, driving while texting or using a cellular phone or speeding should not be condoned.

Meanwhile, Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) country representative William Adu-Krow in brief remarks pointed out that road fatality is the eighth leading cause of death globally and the leading cause of death for young people, ages 15 to 29. He added more than a million people die annually on the roadways;

noting that the cost of dealing with the consequences of these are enormous.

According to him, economically disadvantaged families are hardest hit, both by direct medical costs as well as indirect costs.

In Guyana, Adu-Krow said during the period 1992 and 2010, more than 117,900 new vehicles were registered. Now it is estimated that approximately 10,000 new vehicles are registered annually. “This increased in the number of vehicles has contributed to increase vehicular traffic, congestion, indiscriminate use of road by motorists, pedestrians and an increase of road traffic accidents.”

Meanwhile, following lengthy deliberations, road safety methodologies which will create public awareness were examined and adopted. The conference brought together primary and secondary students and teachers from across the country, in addition to leading members of the security forces, including Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell, Chief Fire Officer Marlon Gentle and Prisons Director Welton Trotz, among others. (svetlanam@ guyanatimesgy.com)

Cricket in de jungle G

uyanese love dem cricket. Dem lil bhai and lil gyal used to learn to play bat and ball in de street. But bat and ball coulda play any where, even inside yuh mummah and daady house. Any piece of wood coulda be a bat and any ting round coulda be a ball. And any piece of any ting or nutten coulda be a wicket.

These days, no body sure if Guyana still got cricket, or ball and bat, or cricket in de jungle. That is why Dave Martins sing that song not too long ago. He know that all dem fellas at all dem cricket boards in Guyana woulda prefer de jungle style of cricket a long time before he sing that song.

After all, Guyana is a land of jungles. Just ask de Mayorfuh-Life and de Pee-R-O to give yuh a tour of Jungle Hall and Jungle Town. De Pee-R-O, of course, can only ECHO whah de Mayor-fuh-Life want he fuh seh.

As fuh cricket in de jungle, every ting comin to pass like prophecy. Right now is sheer bush growin pun de roof of a cricket buildin in de Essequibo. Now, how all that bush growin pun all that zinc whah deh so high is another question.

Is either de bush in Essequibo can grow any where, or de zinc in Essequibo more fertile than de land whah GuySuCo usin to plant cane. Or it could also be that so much mud deh in de cricket board that it now reach de roof.

Dem fellas who runnin cricket in de Cinderella County can plant bush more than whah dem can run cricket, unless dem runnin cricket outta de county. GuySuCo can’t complainin bout workers. Just give dem cricket board fellas in Essequibo de wuk and problem solve. Dem could mek any ting grow any where.

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

Well, dem cricket fellas in de Gee-C-B ain’t deh too far behind. Right now dem plantin sheer bush in Woolford Avenue, and dem start a long time ago pun de Bourda ground!

Health Ministry monitoring gastro illness in North West District – CMO

Chief Medical Officer Dr Shamdeo Persaud

C

hief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Shamdeo Persaud said the Health Ministry is monitoring Port Kaituma and neighbouring communities closely even as residents continue to experience gastroenteritis symptoms.

Dr Persaud confirmed that some residents within the North West District (NWD) have been experiencing vomiting and diarrhoea, but said the situa-

tion is not alarming. While declining to disclose statistical data, he said the surveillance system has not reflected a peak since the commencement of the year.

“The epidemiologist has not indicated anything out of the ordinary. While we are seeing a number of cases, they are within the expected amount,” he told Guyana Times. According to the CMO, medical personnel have been deployed to the Port Kaituma Regional Hospital to offer support, in an effort to keep the number of cases down.

Regular visits

Health personnel also visit the NWD regularly, conducting inspections and simultaneously educating the public on good health practices. Dr Persaud said the Health Ministry has had concerns about the preparation of food and the quality of water used for consumption. These two areas can be linked to the vomiting and diarrhoea

currently being experienced.

The CMO stated too that the multistakeholder committee which was formed in the first quarter of 2013 following a major gastroenteritis outbreak in Region One meets intermittently.

The committee comprises the Local Government and Regional Development, Housing and Water and Natural Resources Ministries, the Civil Defence Commission, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Alarming infection

In February 2013, more than 500 residents of Port Kaituma, Canal Bank, Citrus Grove and Oronoque were affected by the gastroenteritis outbreak. Three children died from the illness.

Residents had consumed contaminated water from the river and a nearby

well. It was also stated that the waterways were highly polluted with results showing high levels of E coli bacteria present. Studies done in the area indicated that the erection of latrines close to the river and the dumping of garbage in and along the river bank were the main contributing factors. Today, not much has changed in this regard. The Health Ministry has warned Cabinet that a similar outbreak can unfold within the region for a third time due to complacency.

Opposition Leader David Granger said too that another outbreak can hit the NWD. While the Health Ministry’s records show that three children might have died due to the illness between late January and March 2013, Granger contended that about 10 died.

The NWD was first affected by a gastroenteritis outbreak in 2010. At the time, seven persons died, with hundreds hospitalised.

11 Feature

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014

Times Notebook Road traffic accidents – one of the world’s biggest public health problems O

n February 28, a road safety seminar sponsored by the National Road Safety Commission was held at the Convention Centre. We congratulate Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee on his fervent leadership and support for the Road Safety Committee’s work.

Too many people die or become disabled on our roads and it is a national crisis.

In 2007, Guyana recorded 207 road traffic deaths, including the deaths of 30 children. Between 2000 and 2012, more than 1500 people died on the roads of Guyana. In the last five years, there have been encouraging signs that the number of road traffic deaths has reduced.

Between 2000 and 2007, the number of traffic deaths varied between 158 and 207. Since 2007 to now, the number of traffic deaths has varied from 110 to 117. This is encouraging but hardly any reason to celebrate.

More than 1.3 million deaths annually Indeed, the world has a problem. More than 1.3 million persons die because of road traffic accidents each year (3400 each day) in the world. More people die due to road traffic accident than die of AIDS. In addition, almost 50 million persons are injured every year because of traffic accidents. Further, about 2.5 million of those injured in traffic accidents become disabled for the

Sights such as this are becoming increasing familiar on our roadways.

rest of their lives. Road traffic accidents have become one of the major public health problems. Above all else, it is a developmental problem.

Globally, 20 persons die of road traffic accidents for every 100,000 people. Africa has the biggest problem with a death rate of 24.1 for every 100,000 persons. The Americas record a death rate of about 16. Guyana’s road traffic deaths are at a rate of about 16 per 100,000.

Most road traffic deaths occur in middle-income countries. These countries account for almost 80 per cent of all road traffic deaths, but only account for about 50 per cent of all vehicles in the world.

Developed countries,

which account for 48 per cent of all vehicles, only account for about eight per cent of the road traffic deaths in the world. Lowincome countries, which account for only one per cent of the global volume of vehicles, account for more than 12 per cent of all road traffic deaths.

In 2010, the United Nations (UN) declared 2011-2020 as the Decade of Action to Prevent Road Traffic Injuries. This is confirmation that globally, road traffic accidents have become recognised as a developmental barrier and a public health challenge.

Risk factors Guyana is one of the 182 countries that signed on to this resolution. The

World Health Organisation (WHO) since 2007 recognised road traffic accidents as a public health challenge.

There are five risk factors identified as common around the world and countries, have agreed to take action around these five risk factors. The risk factors are speeding, drinking and driving, lack of helmets for cyclists and motorcyclists, non-use of seat belts, and non-use of child restraint mechanisms.

Guyana has laws for these risk factors, but enforcement appears weak.

Only 28 countries have laws to address all five risk factors. In terms of speeding, only 59 countries have laws to restrict speeding, but half of these countries have weak enforcement of the laws. In terms of drinking and driving, 89 countries have laws to prevent this from happening. Yet, few of these countries effectively enforce the laws to prevent drinking and driving.

Laws are good, but they must be enforced. Times Notebook urges the Home Affairs Minister to ensure that the laws to reduce risk factors, such as speeding, drinking and driving, non-use of seat belts, etc, are fully enforced. This will make him and the police unpopular. But this is about saving lives and preventing injuries.

National effort Guyana has done well in spreading awareness and the effort to stop road

accidents and deaths must become a national effort.

Every school, teacher, religious leader, politician, and family must become part of the campaign to stop road accidents now.

Road construction must cater for the volume of vehicles in our country.

Roadways are often unsafe, as there are sharp curves and turns. If physical changes cannot be made for sharp curves, better signs must be prepared.

The Road Safety Committee is elevating the matter of road traffic accidents into the national dialogue. It is a deserving subject. With the UN Decade of Action to prevent Road Traffic Injuries, Guyana can play a lead role in ensuring that we are one of the countries that reduce the burden of traffic accidents.

Readers are invited to send their comments by email or Facebook to times. notebook@gmail.com.

12 NEWS

MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

President ushers in Holi festival with Chowtaal Samelaan

Govt donates cash to differentlyable groups

Human Services Minister Jenifer Webster presents the cheque to Ruimveldt Parent Support Group (RPSG) Secretary Carmelita Layne. Also in photo are RPSG Treasurer Desiree Pestano, Sabine McIntosh of the Deaf Association of Guyana and National Commission on Disability Executive Secretary Beverley Pile (white jersey)

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Guests at the Chowtal Samelaan

resident Donald Ramotar and First Lady Deolatchmie Ramotar on Saturday evening hosted a Chowtal Samelaan and Holi Sangam at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, to usher in the spring festival of Holi or Phagwah.

The occasion was attended by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, several government ministers and members of the diplomatic and religious communities.

They were treated to a medley of classic Bollywood hits and Chowtaal, the traditional Holi melodies.

President Ramotar in brief welcoming remarks, said the customs and rituals associated with the cel-

ebration of Holi form part of the unique Guyanese cultural mosaic, for which the country is famous. He noted that this colourful festival has a wonderful message of the triumph of good over evil and said that, “Phagwah itself helps to create an indistinguishable set of people and fosters unity among all mankind”.

Holi is celebrated at the approach of vernal equinox on the Phalguna Purnima (Full Moon). The festival date varies every year, per the Hindu calendar, and typically comes in March.

This year, it will be celebrated on March 17.

Meanwhile, the First Lady said Phagwah also reminds people that the season also commemorates good agricultural harvests

and fertile land. The festival’s significance leads back to the ancient story of King Hiranyakashipu and his son Prahalad. The king wanted everyone to worship him, even his son, but the young man defied him and his father tried several times to kill him, but failed. He even ordered his son to sit on the lap of his demonic sister Holika on a pyre, but again good triumphed over evil and Holika was burnt to ashes as Prahlad came out unharmed; hence, the significance of the burning of the Holika on the eve of Holi. Holi Day itself is a carnival of colours when people would apply powder, abeer, (a liquid dye) and abrack, a colourful powder to the faces of persons.

A women’s group taking part in the Chowtal Samelaan at the Guyana International Conference Centre,Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown

he Labour, Human Services and Social Security Ministry on Friday presented monetary aid to two organisations for the differently-able from the National Disability Fund for Development Programme.

According to a release, the Deaf Association of Guyana (DAG) received $1.5 million towards its project for “skills development and income generation through shade house farming”. This project is intended to train teachers and deaf youths at three special needs schools in shade house farming and how to effectively manage the small agricultural enterprise. The schools undertaking the project are David Rose School for Handicapped Children (Georgetown), Special Needs

School (Diamond, East Bank Demerara), and the New Amsterdam Special Needs School (Region Six).

The Ruimveldt Parent Support Group (RPSG) also received a donation of $555,664 toward a block making/laying project for youths who are hearing impaired, deaf, and physically disabled or have Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities. The idea is to create employment for the participants, who will undertake the project with the support of their parents and caregivers. The beneficiaries are hoping to establish a small business enterprise in the North Ruimveldt community to generate income, thereby relieving their parents and caregivers of some financial responsi-

bility to cater to their needs.

A donation of $1,639,970 is earmarked for another group, the Wismar Baptist Church Sign Language Group towards their ABLE HANDS Project. The cheque will be presented to the group on Monday and is intended to assist them with funding for a cottage industry/micro enterprise.

These sums reflect the first tranche of the total donations to be made to the group. Presenting the cheques, Human Services Minister Jenifer Webster expressed government’s appreciation for the work these organisations have been doing with differently-able persons and voiced her optimism that the projects will progress successfully.

APNU congratulates De Souza for winning Sabga award

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Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has congratulated Karen De Souza on receiving the prestigious Anthony N Sabga Caribbean Award for Excellence for Public and Civic Contribution.

In a statement, APNU saluted De Souza “for her long and dedicated advocacy to women’s and children’s rights and her organisation’s militant advocacy and support for victims of rape, domestic abuse and other forms of violence”.

APNU sees this recognition (award) as an acknowledgement of De Souza’s lead-

Karen De Souza

ership and personal sacrifice in the many public and civic

causes she has championed.

De Souza, a women’s and children’s rights activist, is the co-founder of Red Thread, an advocacy organisation which provides support, education, and advocacy for victims of rape, domestic and other forms of violence.

De Souza and Red Thread have contributed to the drafting of laws and training of judicial officers to support protection of women and children and human trafficking victims. They also participate in national, international and regional agency programmes on areas of interest, as well as take education directly to the people.

Maid accused of stealing $8M from employer

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he husband of a 28-year-old domestic worker was taken into police custody over the weekend after her employer accused her of stealing at least $8 million from his home on Thursday last.

The husband, who is allegedly unaware of the theft, remains in police custody but investigators are hoping that the woman would turn herself in soon for questioning into the al-

legation. The woman has not been seen or heard from since her disappearance on Thursday.

When contacted on the matter, the businessman said he had to get permission from the police to speak with the media, but confirmed that he placed an advertisement on television, soliciting assistance from the public to locate the woman, who hails from Better Hope, East Coast

Demerara.

In the advertisement, the businessman stated that a reward will be given, but did not say how much.

The businessman of Ogle, East Coast Demerara, who spoke with other media entities, said the woman took the money and has since gone into hiding.

The woman was reportedly caught on CCTV footage as she was leaving the man’s house with the money

and jewellery on Thursday morning. The businessman, who asked to remain anonymous, stated that the woman has been working with his family for a while, but claimed on Thursday morning that he had a family emergency and left the woman at home while he took his wife to hospital.

Upon returning, the man alleged that the doors were locked which he thought was strange; hence, he

called out to the maid but got no answers. He opened the door and went into the house, but there were no signs of the woman. He decided to check if anything was missing and that was when he realised that the money was missing.

The money, according to information received was kept in safe place in the businessman’s bedroom.

Several pieces of jewellery were also missing.

After reviewing the surveillance footage, he said the woman left the home at about 09:30h on Thursday morning. It is not clear what was in the woman’s bag when she left the home, but the businessman went to the Sparendaam Police Station where he lodged a complaint. Several statements were taken from the businessman. The police have since launched an investigation.

NEWS

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Berbicians host Mash their style B

erbicians came out in their thousands on Sunday as they took to the streets to celebrate Mashramani Berbice style.

Revellers of all ages lined Main Street, New Amsterdam to get a glimpse of the eight spectacular bands that took part in this year’s parade. The bands assembled at Marks Bridge and then made their way along Main Street, accompanied by loud soca and dancehall music, as revellers and spectators alike gyrated to the booming sounds from the massive sound systems that accompanied each float.

There was something for everyone as the bands showcased various aspects of Guyana’s rich folklore while sending posi-

tive messages as in the case of the Health Ministry float. Five floats participated in the event namely those of the Regional Democratic Council Region six, Education Ministry, Tourism Ministry, Health Ministry and a local contingent from New Amsterdam.

By the time the bands finally made their way to Stelling Road, the sun had set but that did not stop patrons from continuing the party as there were several after-fetes in New Amsterdam and its environs planned.

There were several overseas-based Guyanese who came back home just to be part of the Berbice Mash.

“I am having the time of my life, this is what I needed to get me back to normal from that cold of North

One of the many colourful floats on display on Sunday

Berbicians lined up along the roadways to witness the Mash Parade

Berbice Mash 2014 saw a massive turn out

America”, said Natasha Singh, who was gyrating to soca. There were also several members of the Peace Corps and persons from Essequibo and

Georgetown.

The children were also treated as they enjoyed photo shoots with cartoon characters, face painting, bouncy castle and

much more. Despite the limited number of floats, Berbicians expressed satisfaction with this year’s event as they look forward to a bigger and better Mash

This float is advocating against obesity

A float designed by the Region’s Executive Office

in 2015. Mashramani 2014 was celebrated under the theme “Cultural folkore, celebrating 44”.

(Taken from the Berbice Times)

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MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014

Regional

Venezuelan protesters Rio puts protests on hold for carnival urge activists’ release R

Anti-government protesters, dressed as Carnival revellers, stage a demonstration in Caracas (Reuters)

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nti-government protesters have taken to the streets of Venezuela’s capital, calling for the release of dozens of activists who have been arrested during three weeks of violent demonstrations.

Protesters from a radical opposition group formed a convoy of cars and bikes in eastern Caracas after fresh violence on Friday saw pitched battles between security forces and demonstrators.

A total of 18 people have died in the demonstrations against President Nicolas Maduro’s government, according to official figures.

Protesters on Saturday vowed to boycott Venezuela’s annual carnival celebrations as a mark of respect to the dead.

“We honour the dead. No carnival, there is nothing to celebrate,” engineering student Argenis Arteaga told the AFP news agency at the protest.

Foreigners arrested

Saturday’s demonstration came after at least 41 people, including several foreign journalists, were arrested during Friday’s clashes.

National Guard security forces used water cannons and tear gas to break up student-led demonstrations in the city’s wealthy Chacao district.

Hooded protesters set

up barricades and responded with a steady barrage of Molotov cocktails.

Maduro has labelled the protests that began on February 4 as a Washingtonbacked attempted “coup”.

He said radical opposition leaders have joined students angered by high inflation and goods shortage in plotting to topple his nearly year-old government, AFP reports.

Friday’s arrests included eight foreigners who were being “held for international terrorism”, state VTV television said in a brief statement.

Venezuela’s journalist association SNTP said one of the foreigners was U.S. freelance reporter Andrew Rosati, who writes for the Miami Herald.

Rosati was detained for half an hour and released after being “struck in the face and his abdomen” by security forces, the SNTP said on Twitter. Also detained and released was a team of journalists from the AP news agency, it said.

The SNTP also said Italian photographer Francesca Commissari, who works for the local daily El Nacional, was being held.

Protest organiser Alfredo Romero said on Saturday that he had been in contact with Commissari. “I spoke personally with Francesca

Commissari. She’s okay,” Romero, the head of the Venezuelan Penal Forum, wrote on Twitter.

Government officials released no details on the arrest of foreigners.

“Civil war”

Friday’s clashes added fuel to protests that had begun to flag after the government decreed several days of holidays to mark the start of carnival season.

In a separate incident, Maduro said National Guard members were “ambushed” and shot at while removing debris from the streets of Valencia, Venezuela’s economic hub. One died from a shot in the eye and another was shot twice in the leg.

“All these things are aimed at triggering a backlash from security forces,” Maduro said. “Justice must prevail against implacable murderers and those preparing paramilitary groups ... to hide behind alleged protests and seek civil war.”

The Venezuelan Penal Forum, meanwhile, said 33 cases of “cruel and inhuman treatment or torture” have been reported to the public ombudsman.

The Venezuelan government said it was investigating 27 cases of human rights abuses, though it provided no details of possible wrongdoing. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

evellers in Rio have joined a whirl of festivities as carnival fever took hold, the world’s biggest street party putting firmly aside lingering protests over corruption and the cost to Brazil of hosting the World Cup. With the football extravaganza now just three months away, flamboyantly dressed metropolis residents indicated that, for the moment, they had spent enough time demonstrating and wanted to let loose instead.

“Carnival is carnival.

Celebrate! Protests can wait, at least for now,” shouted Christophe Land, one of 50 men decked out in black Spiderman outfits from the Cordao da Bola Preto group that comprises Rio’s biggest street party, known as bloco.

“Nobody wants to protest, not this week,” Cristiano Floriano, clad in canary yellow, told the AFP news agency, while Sergio Mendes added: “I am a protester, we all know Brazilian

There was little sign of any repeat of the at times violent anti-corruption and anti-World Cup protests (AFP)

politicians are corrupt.

“But the people are the majority and carnival is for us.”

Rio’s tourist board said 1.3 million people, some 200,000 less than expected, turned out to see the bloco, honoured by the city’s heritage institute on a day that is considered the 449th anniversary of Rio’s founding.

Some 500 blocos will lead millions, including about

900,000 foreign visitors, through the streets during five days of hedonistic festivities that started on Friday when carnival King Momo took the keys of the city and declared joy by decree.

There was little sign of any repeat of the at times violent anti-corruption and anti-World Cup protests which have hit the city and others in Brazil recently.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Thousands in Guatemala facing evacuation as Pacaya volcano erupts

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volcano has erupted in Guatemala, prompting the authorities to consider the evacuation of some 3000 people living in the area.

The Pacaya volcano began spewing ash and lava after a powerful explosion on Saturday afternoon.

New explosions were seen on Sunday, with ash clouds reaching a height or at least four kilometres (3 miles). Flights have been diverted from the area, some 50km (30 miles) south of the capital, Guatemala City.

The Pacaya is one of three active volcanoes in the Central American nation.

The other two are the Fuego and the Santa Maria.

“We are assessing with the National Disaster Management Centre (Conred) whether we will need to evacuate the 3000 people who live in the villages of El Rodeo and Patrocinio,” said Pacaya

The volcano, with a height of 2500 metres (8300 feet), is a popular tourist destination

National Park Director Humberto Morales.

“Access to the areas around the volcano has been suspended,” he told the Prensa Libre newspaper.

The Guatemalan authorities have issued an amber alert, the third highest. It means people must remain alert and be prepared to leave the area at short notice. (BBC News)

Senior UN expert calls for Haiti Caribbean urged to invest in cholera compensation care for hearing loss

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United Nationsappointed expert has publicly disagreed with the world body and called for “full compensation” for the victims of a cholera epidemic in Haiti.

Gustavo Gallon also said in his report that “those responsible” for the outbreak should be punished. Gallon is a UN-appointed expert on human rights in Haiti.

Evidence suggests UN peacekeepers introduced cholera to Haiti in 2010, but the world body has rejected

compensation claims.

The outbreak – which has killed more than 8300 people and infected hundreds of thousands – has been blamed on leaking sewage pipes at a UN base.

The UN has never acknowledged responsibility for the epidemic, arguing that it is impossible to pinpoint the exact source of the disease.

The organisation says it has legal immunity from a lawsuit filed for Haitian victims at a New York court

last year.

Gallon made the comments in a report on the human rights situation in Haiti. “The diplomatic difficulties around this question have to be resolved to stop the epidemic as soon as possible and pay full compensation for suffering experienced,” he wrote.

“It is advisable to shed light on what really happened and to punish those responsible, whoever they may be.” (Excerpt from BBC News)

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he United Nations health agency is calling on Caribbean and other governments around the world to invest in hearing care, as a new survey finds that many countries lack the capacity.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), about half of all cases of hearing loss worldwide are easily prevented or treated.

However, a report published by the agency on the occasion of International

Ear Care Day, observed last Monday, says that just 32 of the 76 countries who responded to a WHO survey have developed plans and programmes to prevent and control ear diseases and hearing loss.

WHO said many countries lack trained health personnel, educational facilities, data, and national plans to address the needs of those living with ear and hearing problems.

“The results of this survey are a clear call to ac-

tion for governments and partners to invest in hearing care, especially at community and primary level,” said Etienne Krug, Director of the WHO Department of Violence and Injury Prevention and Disability.

WHO noted that a leading cause for hearing loss in younger people, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, is untreated ear infections, which often presents with discharge from the ear. (Excerpt from CMC)

15 Around the world MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014

guyanatimesgy.com

Suspected Islamists kill Ukraine mobilises after 85 in north-east Nigeria Putin’s “declaration of war” S

U

kraine mobilised for war on Sunday and Washington threatened to isolate Russia economically, after President Vladimir Putin declared he had the right to invade his neighbour in Moscow’s biggest confrontation with the West since the Cold War. “This is not a threat: this is actually the declaration of war to my country,” Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk said in English. Yatsenuik heads a pro-Western government that took power when the country’s Russiabacked president, Viktor Yanukovich, was ousted last week.

Putin secured permission from his Parliament on Saturday to use military force to protect Russian citizens in Ukraine and told U.S. President Barack Obama he had the right to defend Russian interests and nationals, spurning Western pleas not to intervene.

Russian forces have already bloodlessly seized

Members of Crimean self-defence units stand guard in front of the local government headquarters in Simferopol on March 2

Crimea, an isolated Black Sea peninsula where Moscow has a naval base.

On Sunday, they surrounded several small Ukrainian military outposts there and demanded the Ukrainian troops disarm.

Some refused, leading to standoffs, although no shots were fired.

With Russian forces in

control of majority ethnic Russian Crimea, the focus is shifting to eastern swathes of Ukraine, where most ethnic Ukrainians speak Russian as a native language.

Those areas saw more demonstrations on Sunday after violent protests on Saturday, and for a second day pro-Moscow activ-

ists hoisted flags at government buildings and called for Russia to defend them.

Russia has staged war games with 150,000 troops along the land border, but so far they have not crossed.

Kiev said Russia had sent hundreds of its citizens across the border to stage the protests. (Excerpt from Reuters)

BJP may allow more foreign Saudi women demand investment in insurance end of male control

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he Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will consider raising the cap on foreign investment in the insurance sector from the current level of 26 per cent if it comes to power after elections due by May, a senior party leader said on Sunday.

Opening up the more than US$45 billion insurance business to greater foreign participation is key to reviving investment in the economy, and the ruling Congress government has repeatedly sought Parliament’s approval to raise the limit to 49 per cent.

Arun Jaitley, leader of the BJP in the upper House of Parliament, told a television channel that his party had discussed with Congress leaders ways to break the deadlock over the insurance

legislation.

“We have worked out various alternatives.

Unfortunately, this has (been) too close to the elections,” Jaitley, considered a potential finance minister in case of a BJP victory in the election, told CNN-IBN in an interview broadcast on Sunday.

The Congress government’s attempts to liberalise the sector were repeatedly blocked by resistance from within its coalition as well as from the opposition.

Tens of thousands of employees at India’s state-controlled insurance companies and their communist party backers are strongly opposed to foreign involvement in the insurance sector. (Excerpt from Times of India)

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audi women activists have petitioned the country’s consultative council to back a demand to curb the “absolute authority” of male guardians over women in the kingdom, a signatory has said.

Activist Aziza Yousef told AFP news agency on Sunday that “rights activists have petitioned the Shura (consultative) Council on the occasion of the International Women’s Day [on March 8] demanding an end to the absolute authority of men over women”.

They demanded “measures to protect [women’s] rights,” in their petition to the Shura Council, she said.

Saudi Arabia imposes a strict interpretation of Islamic law, forbidding

women to work or travel without the authorisation of their male guardians.

It is also the only country in the world that bans women from driving, and a woman cannot obtain an identification card without the consent of her guardian. Laws in the kingdom enforcing such restrictions on women “are not based on religious” teachings, said Yousef.

The petition, signed by 10 female activists, also calls for allowing women to drive.

Three female members of the Shura Council presented a recommendation that women be given the right to drive in October, but the male-dominated 150-member assembly blocked the proposal. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

China separatists blamed for Kunming knife rampage

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hinese officials have blamed separatists from the north-western Xinjiang region for a mass knife attack at a railway station that left 29 people dead and at least 130 wounded.

A group of attackers, dressed in black, burst into the station in the south-west city of Kunming and began stabbing people at random. Images from the scene posted online showed bodies lying in pools of blood.

State news agency Xinhua said police shot at least four suspects dead. A female suspect was arrested and is being treated in hospital for unspecified injuries while a search continues for others who fled the scene, the BBC’s Celia Hatton in Beijing reports.

Authorities described the incident as an “organised, premeditated, violent terrorist attack”.

The Kunming city government later said that evidence from the scene

Hospitals in Kunming were inundated with the wounded

pointed to separatists from Xinjiang as being behind the attack. It gave no details and the claim could not be verified.

Some of Xinjiang’s minority Uighur

Muslims want autonomy from Chinese rule and an end to state suppression of their religion. Witnesses in Kunming said those who could not run quickly were cut down by the attackers’ knives.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

uspected Islamist militants have killed at least 85 people in north-eastern Nigeria, witnesses and officials said on Sunday, in a further setback to President Goodluck Jonathan’s military campaign.

Twin bomb blasts in the city of Maiduguri killed at least 46 people on Saturday evening while, around 50 kilometres (30 miles) away, dozens of gunmen were razing a farming village, shooting dead another 39.

The attacks will heap pressure on Jonathan, whose intensified military push to end the Islamist sect Boko Haram’s four-and-ahalf-year-old insurgency has been running for almost a year.

While the bloodshed has not diminished, the army

had at least had some success in confining it to remote rural areas in recent months, so that the attack on a densely populated market area in Maiduguri will be seen as a setback.

Jonathan is expected to run for re-election next year in what is expected to be a close contest.

Boko Haram, which has killed thousands in its fight for an Islamic state in northern Nigeria and has become the biggest threat to security in Africa’s top oil producer, is increasingly targeting the civilian population.

The attack on the village of Mainok on Saturday evening is typical of recent raids

by Boko Haram as its fighters continue to target anyone they view as supporting the government’s effort to end its insurgency. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Ultra-Orthodox Jews stage mass protest against Israeli draft law

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undreds of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews held a mass prayer in Jerusalem on Sunday in protest at a Bill that would cut their community’s military exemptions and end a tradition upheld since Israel’s foundation.

Ultra-Orthodox leaders had called on their men, women, and children to attend the protest against new legislation ending the wholesale army exemptions granted to seminary students, which is expected to pass in the coming weeks, The issue is at the heart of an emotional national debate. Most Israeli Jewish men and women are called up for military service when they turn 18, but most ultra-Orthodox Jews, or

“Haredim”, a Hebrew term meaning ‘those who tremble before God’, are excused from army service.

Police said hundreds of thousands took part in the prayer. Israeli media estimated that between 250,000 to 400,000 attended.

The ultra-Orthodox demonstration paralysed parts of Jerusalem, blocked the main entrance to the city and halted public transport as the streets around swelled with streams of men in black hats and coats, the traditional Haredi garb.

Rabbis wailed prayers over loudspeakers as the standing crowds swayed back and forth, repeating a plea to God to stop the law from being passed. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Injuries as protesters storm Libyan Parliament

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wo members of Libya’s interim Parliament have been shot and wounded by protesters who stormed the General National Congress in downtown Tripoli, officials and witnesses said.

“Two (GNC) members were hit by bullets when they tried to leave the venue in their cars,” Nuri Abu Sahmein, the Speaker, told Al-Nabaa, blaming “armed protesters” for the shooting.

Dozens of angry protesters entered the General National Congress (GNC) on Sunday, with some of them rampaging through the building, witnesses said.

The protesters demanded the dissolution of the GNC and railed against the overnight “kidnapping” of demonstrators from a sitin outside the Parliament

building.

They later attacked and “abused” the deputies, GNC spokesman Omar Hmidan said on Al-Nabaa television, adding the officials’ cars had been destroyed.

One member of the GNC told AFP that the protesters, mostly young people armed with knives and sticks, entered the premises chanting “Resign, resign”.

Media outlets said Congressman Abdelrahman al-Swihli was also hit by a bullet while trying to flee the scene, but no confirmation has been had yet.

According to demonstrators, the gunmen belong to the Operations Cell of Libyan Revolutionaries, a former rebel group which operates under the GNC’s command. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

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guyanatimesgy.com

Africa

Caribbean & Latin America

Carnival visitors shorten Former Ecobank directors defend under-pressure CEO Tanoh their hotel stay

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utsiders still think Trinidad and Tobago is a part of Jamaica and the country is hardly promoted in places that count.

TT has had three Ministers of Tourism since 2010 and four chairpersons of the Tourism Development Company (TDC).

Visitors to TT for Carnival 2014 are staying five nights during the peak occupancy period instead of the sevennight stay of years past.

These are the views

of Louanna Chai-Alves, Executive Director of Trinidad Hotels, Restaurants and Tourism Association.

“Carnival for the hotel industry is a five-day span and typically starts on Carnival Friday and many guests check out on Ash Wednesday. That period is what we call the peak for Carnival, which is just five days. Those days are sold-out for hotels in downtown Port-of-Spain, for the bed and breakfast to the large hotels. In past years, hotels

started to full as early as the Wednesday before Carnival so the period was, in fact, seven nights long. But we have seen that this time has shortened. We are now seeing an average stay of three to five nights,” she told the Business Guardian on Monday at the Hilton Trinidad Hotel and Conference Centre, St Ann’s.

Chai-Alves is not sure what is responsible for visitors shortening their hotel stay for Carnival. (TT Guardian)

North America

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway sees record profit

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he investment firm run by the U.S. billionaire Warren Buffett has reported a record profit for 2013.

Berkshire Hathaway made US$19.5 billion last year, up from US$14.8 billion in 2012.

“On the operating front, just about everything turned out well for us last year – in some cases very well,” Buffett wrote to shareholders.

However, it underperformed the S&P 500 share in-

dex for the fifth year in a row.

The growth in the company’s book value – that is the company’s assets minus its liabilities and Buffett’s preferred measure of Berkshire’s performance – was 18.2 per cent in 2013, while the S&P 500 rose 32.4 per cent.

But Buffett said that was to be expected when the S&P performed well. “We expect to fall short... in years when the market is strong – as we did

in 2013. We have underperformed in 10 of our 49 years, with all but one of our shortfalls occurring when the S&P gain exceeded 15 per cent.”

He added that the fund had outperformed the stock market between 2007 and 2013 and that through a full six-year cycle he expected to do that again.

“If we fail to do so, we will not have earned our pay,” he wrote. (BBC News)

Europe

RBS draws up rescue plan for Ulster Bank – report

P

art-nationalised Royal Bank of Scotland is working on a plan to salvage its troubled Irish business, Ulster Bank, by merging it with a number of rivals, the Sunday Times newspaper reported.

Attempts to find a buyer for the business have failed and a team inside RBS is looking at tie-ups between Ulster and other lenders, such as Permanent TSB or the Irish units of Danske Bank or KBC, the newspaper reported.

Bolting the institutions together could allow the new Ulster Bank to strip out costs and mount a credible challenge to Ireland’s top players.

Ireland’s Finance Minister Michael Noonan said on Saturday he would like a “significant” new bank with a big balance sheet to enter its lending market this year to drive competition in the diminished sector.

Noonan said on Sunday that he was looking at the possibility of overseas banks

partnering with Irish lenders to create a competitor to the country’s biggest lenders – Allied Irish Bank and Bank of Ireland.

“I’m sending a signal out to the European banking system that a growing economy in Ireland has space for more banking activity and we would welcome their participation in Ireland by way of subsidiaries or by way of going into partnership with some of our domestic banks,” he told national broadcaster RTE. (Reuters)

Market statistics Gold Prices – Guyana Gold Board

Cambio Rates

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

Bank of Guyana Cur

Buying

Selling

GBP

$343.45

$347.74

CAN

$184.76

$186.90

USD

$205.98

$207.93

U.S.

$1335.00

Cambio

$202.67

Gross

$254,331

Net

$236,527

Selling

$262,426

Indicators as on February 28, 2014 Live Spot Gold

USD Per Once

Bid/Ask

$1328.60

$1329.60

Low/High

$1319.30

$1334.20

-3.20

Change

-0.24

London Gold Fix

Feb 28 USD GBP EUR

Feb 26 USD GBP EUR

AM

PM

1327.75 793.21 961.65

1326.50 793.93 961.58

AM

PM

1340.00 803.12 975.33

1331.75 799.90 973.64

Indicators Crude Oil

Price Silver

Platinum

US$ per barrel

$108.96 USD per Ounce

$21.23 $1442.00

Change %

-0.51 Change %

-0.04 -6.00

Last: 16321.71

Changes: +49.06

% Change: +0.30

Open:16273.23

High:16398.95

Low: 16226.09

% YTD: -1.54

52Wk Hi:16174.51

52 Wk Lo: 12471.49

T

wo former directors of Ecobank defended Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Thierry Tanoh and said he is under pressure to resign because he is dealing with governance problems that allegedly took place before his tenure began at one of the biggest banks in sub-Saharan Africa.

Their views are likely to be advanced to shareholders by the company today at an extraordinary general meeting

Asia

(EGM) at its headquarters in the Togolese capital Lome to vote on governance reforms.

Several current and former senior bank officials rejected the claim as false and said it was an effort to divert attention from governance problems which, they asserted, started once Tanoh became chief executive in January 2013. Ecobank is divided over the leadership of Tanoh, an Ivorian who was Vice President of the World

Bank’s International Finance Corporation.

The bank’s main shareholder Public Investment Corporation of South Africa said in a letter on Saturday Tanoh should be dismissed immediately, accusing him of governance breaches and of failing to raise capital.

On February 13, the executives on Tanoh’s top management team called for him to step down to resolve a leadership crisis. (Reuters)

China’s February official services PMI rises to three-month high

C

hina’s services sector grew at its fastest pace in three months in February, data showed today, a positive sign for the world’s second-largest economy following a string of indicators suggesting a loss in momentum.

The official non-manufacturing purchasing managers’ index, a survey of sentiment, rose to 55.0 from January’s 53.4, comfortably above the 50 level that separates expansion and contraction.

“I’m not surprised it’s up,” said Ting Lu of Bank of America-Merrill Lynch in Hong Kong, noting that the Lunar New Year, a prime travel holiday, fell in early February.

“They’re supposed to adjust for the seasonality.”

February has previously been a bad month for nonmanufacturing PMI. In 2011, it dropped 12 points, only to rebound by 15 points in March. Large February slides followed by March gains have

occurred four times since 2008. The pick-up in the services PMI contrasted with Saturday’s drop in the official manufacturing PMI to an eight-month low of 50.2 in February.

China’s services industry contributed 45 per cent of gross domestic output in 2012, and it overtook manufacturing as the country’s biggest employer in 2011. It has weathered the global slowdown much better than the factory sector. (Reuters)

Middle East

Dubai said to mull Emirates IPO

A

uthorities in Dubai are said to be considering an initial public offering (IPO) for Emirates Airline as part of ambitious capitalraising plans, according to a report in The Telegraph newspaper.

Speaking to the newspaper, Investment Corporation of Dubai Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mohammed Al Shaibani said state-controlled companies in the emirate could potentially float on the London Stock Exchange.

“We have a lot of entities here [in Dubai] that can also go public and that should be a fantastic way to raise capital if we need it,” he said.

Al Shaibani reportedly said that Emirates, along with Dubai Airports, budget carrier flyDubai and aluminium smelter EMAL were among those entities that could be sold at some point to raise funds.

“We also have the option of secondary issues [including the London Stock Exchange],”

Shaibani added.

Emirates is aiming to carry 70 million passengers by 2020, while its current annual revenues exceed US$21 billion. It is one of the largest airlines in the world by passenger traffic, with a fleet that will eventually reach 250 aircraft.

Shaibani indicated that it was unlikely that the airline would float in the near future, however, as there was still value to be created in the meantime. (arabianbusiness)

peninsula where Moscow has a naval base.

The tensions come at a nervous time for markets, hit by signs of slowing growth in China, the tapering of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s stimulus, and stress in emerging market assets.

Australian shares were off 0.2 per cent, and MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was also down by a similar margin.

U.S. stock futures fell 0.7 per cent.

The turmoil in Ukraine also sent Japan’s Nikkei futures down more than one per cent with investors seeking shelter in government bonds.

U.S. Treasury-note futures

prices gained 16/32.

“It’s a reaction to the escalation in tension in Ukraine over the weekend ... the traditional risk proxies are getting hit, and the safe havens are getting bid,” said ANZ currency strategist Sam Tuck in Auckland.

The dollar dropped to as low as 101.30 yen in early trade, its weakest since February 6, and last traded at 101.57 yen, about 0.2 per cent below levels late last week.

The euro also shed 0.2 per cent against the dollar to $1.3778, as the eurozone economy is seen as vulnerable because of its dependence on gas supplies from Russia via Ukraine. (Reuters)

Investors' guide Stocks pressured; yen, Swiss franc rise on Ukraine anxiety

E

scalating political tensions in Ukraine pressured Asian stocks today, forcing anxious investors to cut their exposure to riskier assets in favour of traditional safe haven bets such as the Japanese yen and Swiss franc.

Ukraine mobilised for war on Sunday and Washington threatened to isolate Russia economically, after President Vladimir Putin declared he had the right to invade his neighbour, in the biggest confrontation between Russia and the West since the Cold War. Russian forces have already bloodlessly seized Crimea, an isolated Black Sea

Business concept – Calendar spread Options strategy in which a call or put option is purchased and simultaneously a matching option is sold that has the same exercise price but a different expiration date. Also called horizontal spread, time spread.

NEWS

17

MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ramotar inspects CJIA expansion project

President Donald Ramotar and Public Works Minister Robeson Benn testing the soil at the airport

President Donald Ramotar; Public Works Minister Robeson Benn, Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh and several engineers at Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara where workers are driving piles for the construction of a bridge

P

resident Donald Ramotar along with Public Works Minister Robeson Benn and Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh and several engineers on Sunday inspected works ongoing on the East Bank Demerara four-lane road, and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion project.

The latter is expected to meet its August 2015 deadline as works are scheduled to commence on several aspects of the building during the course of this year. The East Bank four-lane expansion has a June deadline.

President Ramotar inspected three segments of the East Bank road expansion at Mocha, Little

Diamond and Diamond New Scheme, where works are in progress, and expressed satisfaction with the works thus far. Speaking to the Government Information Agency (GINA) at the CJIA, President Ramotar stated that the new airport will bring Guyana up to world class standard, which is very important for the country.

Rupununi toshaos to help monitor mining activities

Meanwhile, Minister Benn explained that there were some delays with the East Bank expansion, due to several factors including inclement weather, supply of road material, and the removal of utilities. He noted that now that the weather has improved, works are progressing, and the latest completion date is June

A

tred on mining, safe mining practices, adherence to laws and regulations, the environment, land management plan, monitoring of irregular activities, water quality testing, and technical training.

Minister Persaud encouraged the toshaos and councillors of Shulinab, Katoonarib, Shea, Maruranau, Karaudaranau, and Potarinau to commit to reporting all irregular activities to the relevant ministries or agencies to enhance national security, while making their communities more secure.

He also pledged that a training programme will be designed and implemented by the GGMC and the EPA to accommodate and train designated community members in Geographical

Information System (GIS), water quality testing and monitoring.

This programme, he stated, should be implemented within the next three to four weeks.

The Natural Resources and Environment Minister also recommended that all irregular activities and cases of breaches of the law be directed to the relevant ministries and law enforcement agencies through the Amerindian Affairs Ministry. The visiting team was also encouraged to utilise the established mechanisms such as the National Toshaos Council (NTC); Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs); Indigenous Peoples Commission (IPC); and the Amerindian Affairs Ministry to further their developmental goals.

“We anticipate that in a few months, we will begin the designs for the terminal building and start construction works on that building,” Ghir said. The US$150 million project is funded by the government of China through the Chinese Exim Bank. The expansion will cater for a new terminal building with eight boarding bridges, elevators and CCTV. The runway will be extended by 3500 feet, and there will be eight international parking positions.

Ministry to host consultations on Professional Standards for Teachers

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud and his team in a meeting with toshaos of the Rupununi

team of toshaos and councillors from the South and South Central Districts of Rupununi last week met with Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud and representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) , and the Amerindian Affairs Ministry to inform and share information on development plans for their communities.

The toshaos and councillors brought to the attention of the minister and team their plans on development, and also highlighted issues that affect their respective communities, Government Information Agency (GINA) reported. Discussion cen-

month-end.

CJIA Chief Executive Officer Ramesh Ghir said the airport expansion project is moving as planned, and the contractor is currently carrying out excavation work at the end of the runway. Ghir further said that excavation and back filling works have started on a test section of 160m x 160m of the runway, which is about 10 per cent of the runway extension and that in itself, is about 70 per cent complete.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand

R

ecognising that the continuous success of Guyana’s education system hinges upon the professionals who stand in the classroom every day, the Education Ministry has drafted a document that is intended to hold teachers to specific professional standards.

In a release last week, the Ministry said Professional Standards for Teachers set expectations for achieving desired educational outcomes.

These standards are not intended as a tool for punitive action. Rather they reflect professional consensus of what is desirable in the supervision, leadership and delivery of education.

They also provide a frame-

work that permits professionals to engage in self-assessment. These standards are aligned to Organisation of American States (OAS), Caricom and other international standards.

Professional standards offer the professional community specifications against which teachers are able to set goals for personal development and progress in the profession. The standards are multi-dimensional and give cognisance to the key props for learning to take place, namely: (a) a motivated and willing learner; (b) effective teaching and learning and, (c) an enabling environment.

Teachers’ performance

Once implemented, the standards will serve as a tool to monitor and evaluate teachers’ performance in the classroom, knowledge of the subject (s) they teach, techniques used, level of commitment to the learners in their care, and effective management of diversity to promote inclusiveness in the learning process. The standards will also help teachers sharpen their professional skills and help them interact with parents and the community.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand is keen on implementing the standards, as they will aid significantly in professionalising the teaching body. She believes strongly that all stakeholders should get the opportu-

nity to contribute to the contents of the standards so that all can move forward together. Minister Manickchand will lead many of the scheduled consultations.

Countrywide consultations

The Education Ministry is extending an invitation to all Guyanese, especially teachers (practicing and retired), and members of School Improvement Action Committees, ParentTeachers Associations, Boards of Governors, Regional Education Committees, Regional Democratic Councils and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils to participate in its countrywide consultations on these standards.

The Ministry sees the community’s contribution as critical as it works towards refining the draft professional standards before it is officially approved and implemented. Guyana is among the few countries in the world where documented professional standards for teachers are still to be implemented. The consultations commenced on February 26, at the Kamarang Primary School and will conclude in July. It is expected that a total of 71 consultations across Guyana will be held.

The monthly National Schedule of Consultations on Professional Standards for Teachers will be published on the Ministry’s website at www.education. gov.gy and in the press.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014

THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2010 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

ARCHIE

By Bernice Bede Osol

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19) Don’t ever stop believing in yourself. Stick to your original plans and refuse to listen to those who are critical or pessimistic. It’s likely that someone is jealous of your accomplishments.

DILBERT

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19) Plan some novel entertainment for your friends and family. A short trip will give you the opportunity to try something different and make new friends. Your efforts will be appreciated.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Your career should remain your top priority. Refuse to be deterred by those who don’t share your passion. Concentrate on your goals, and don’t be discouraged by minor setbacks.

PEANUTS

SUDOKU

CANCER (June 21July 22) You must maintain a positive attitude if you want to achieve stellar results. Complaint and criticism will alienate you from the people you are trying to impress.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22) Adding to your interests will help expand your chances of success. To achieve your dreams, you must leave no stone unturned. Use every means at your disposal to make the right things happen.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22) Sticking to a strict budget may be difficult, but it will be beneficial in the end. By eliminating negativity, you will be able to focus on productivity.

ARIES

LIBRA

(March 21-April 19)

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Important information is being withheld from you. Much energy will be required to find out the pertinent facts. Research will enable you to make the changes necessary to move forward quickly and successfully.

You will be able to win over your most obstinate opponents. Don’t downplay your talents. If you demonstrate your helpfulness and likeability, a rewarding partnership will be proposed.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) It’s home-improvement time. Recruit family members who have been challenging your ideas. Once certain changes have been made, everyone will be pleasantly surprised by the results.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22) Others may be trying to take credit for your ideas. Apply yourself to some complex projects.

Your ability to focus is strong, making progress highly achievable.

Saturday's solution GEMINI (May 21June 20) To avoid future dissension, it is imperative to get agreements in writing. Afterward, make the effort to get together with someone you love. Neglect could put a wedge in a relationship.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21) Social and romantic events look promising today. Enhance your selfesteem with a little indulgence. A new hairstyle or trip to a spa may provide just the lift you’re looking for.

NEWS 19

YELLOW PAGES

Malaria on the decline

MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014

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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

FOR SALE Agricultural tractors and machinery; single and 4-wheel drive: Massey Ferguson, Ford, John Deere, New Holland and Fiat. Also available spares parts for these machines. Phone: 6194483, 601-7883, 226-6325 Spare parts for 1-2-3-4 and 6 cylinder diesel engines for Lister, Pieter, Kobota, Perkins, Veutz, Fiat, John Deer, Case IH, Cummings, Bedford and Leyland Daf. Also all middles of diesel generators: super silence and open air from 3KVA- 600KVA. Contact Rams Auto Spares on telephone 226-6325, 2271454, 619-4483 and 685-3568 Chinese-made gas stoves. Call 2315866, 231-5857 Cheap earth delivered to spot on ECD and EBD. Call 627-9977 &6980182 Clean garden earth and builders waste; our services also includes Bobcat rental, excavating, clearing and leveling. Call 616-0617 or 6633285

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

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SERVICES JEastman & Associates. Taxation (VAT, income & Property), Cash Flow Projections, Business Development Plan, Personal Financial Adviser, Accounting & Consultancy. 190 Church Street, South Cummingsburg, Georgetown, Guyana (two buildings east of Austin’s Book Store. Phone: 223-2105, 662-7467

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Vector Control Services staff, lead by Dr Reyaud Rahaman in Jawalla, Region Seven

M

alaria is caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes. The vector-borne disease that affects the immune system of those infected, is the cause of thousands of deaths, worldwide, every year.

Malaria mortality rates however, continue to fall as increased malaria prevention and control measures continue to dramatically reduce the impact of the disease.

In Guyana, efforts at combating the disease, driven through the Vector Control Services (VCS) of the Health Ministry continue to bear fruit. According to the latest figures, for 2013, Guyana has seen a reduction by 15 per cent in the number of malaria cases. There were 31,602 reported cases in 2012, as against 23,498 cases in 2013. The VCS is employing multiple interventions, but the prime focus remains, early diagnosis and treatment to prevent death.

Prompt treatments The hinterland locations, mainly Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine, continue to remain the most vulnerable to the disease. Within these regions, climatic and other conditions favour transmission.

Transmission also occurs when people with low immunity move into the areas, for instance to find work and are negligent in taking protective measures such as sleeping under mosquito nets and using insect repellents.

The VCS concentrates most of its outreaches to these regions. For 2013, it conducted field visits encompassing entire villages, mining and logging camps.

Going into these malaria affected regions, the health workers, first look for the disease indicators. They either conduct a mass smearing (mass blood examination for malaria) or chose to, depending on their assessment of the situation, conduct a fever case survey (fever test to determine malaria,) and then determine if persons with a fever, will get a smear. All smears are conducted on site and persons diagnosed as having malaria are treated immediately.

Controlling larva The VCS is employing the control method of chemical fogging in these communities to combat outbreaks of the illness. Entire areas are sprayed, and more importantly, locations where stagnant water can become potential breeding grounds for mosqui-

toes are also treated.

The VCS also conducts Indoor Residue Spraying (IRS,) where the interior of houses or buildings are sprayed to kill the adult mosquitoes, which when they come into contact with the walls of the structure, pick up the residue from the pesticide and die. Indoor spraying is effective for three to six months, depending on the insecticide used, and the type of surface on which it is sprayed.

Education Apart from fogging, awareness as a means of minimising the spread of malaria continues to be employed. To this end, during the field visits, the VCS teams distribute Information and Education and Communication (IEC) materials in the form of pamphlets, posters, CDs and DVDs to residents and miners.

One of the VCS’ biggest interventions has been the distribution of nets to malaria endemic regions. In 2013, the VCS distributed over 42,000 of these insecticide-treated nets for uses on beds and hammocks. One bed net costs US$6, to be procured, and there is still the cost for shipping and handling to Guyana, and distribution. (GINA)

Essequibo schools receive books from Lions Club

C

harity, Affiance Nursery and Good Hope nursery schools all benefited from a book donation project conducted by the Lions Club of Essequibo Coast recently.

Each school received a number of story books, learning aids, blocks, and other stationery items. The project is in keeping with the club’s Education Committee’s theme “Bridging the Gap through Education”, the club said in a release.

At the presentation ceremony, Project Coordinator Joel Naraine stated that “all over the world teachers, parents and other educators are stressing on the importance of reading and that is the very reason the club chose books”.

He further went on to state that the foundation of education begins at the nursery level and encourageD the teachers to keep up the good work they have been doing in moulding the children.

A release from the club

A club official hands over copies of the books to a teacher

indicated that the project had an estimated cost of $35,000. The Lions Club of Essequibo Coast will continue to carry out its humanitarian work and will continue to uphold its international motto “We Serve”

as assured by club secretary, Devendra Persaud. The club in the new week will carry out a donation to the Charity Primary School and plans to conduct a poster and impromptu competition in this month.

20

guyanatimesGY.com

monday, march 3, 2014

Trojan Cycle Club takes away top prizes at Mashramani 40-miler A

n early break is all Andrew Green needed to take the Mashramani 40-miler in Berbice on Sunday.

Green of Trojan Cycle Club won the event ahead of his team mates Romello

ing start through the town before Regional Chairman David Armogan downed the flag in front of the Courts building at Main and St Ann Streets.

Green immediately came off of his seat and was fol-

Andrew Green receives the winning trophy from Courts NA Manager Stanley McKenzie

Crawford and Joban Crawford.

The race commenced at Marks Bridge in New Amsterdam and had a roll-

lowed by first time rider Edmond Francis. By the end of the first mile, Wasim Hassnu had traded places with Francis to accompany

Green.

Along the East Coast Berbice Highway and about five miles into the race, the Crawford brothers moved away from the pack and were soon together with the front pair.

In an attempt to get away from the Crawfords, Green upped the tempo and Hassnu was found lagging.

He was soon left with those behind, as the trio kept increasing their lead.

At the end, it was the better sprinter who won, as the younger Crawford outsprinted his brother to cop the second spot.

The followers were about four minutes behind, and they too had a sprint to determine the remaining places.

In fourth position was Turhan Harris of Carlton Wheelers, followed by Hassnu and Winston Benjamin.

In the junior category, Green was again first with Romello Crawford second and Andrew Hicks third.

For the Veterans, Harris, Hassnu and Benjamin finished in that order.

The sprint prizes were shared, with Green taking four, Joban Crawford two, his younger brother one, and Francis the other.

The Mashramani 40-miler begins

Meanwhile, the beginners rode from the starting line at Marks Bridge to Courts – a distance of just under two miles.

David Sampson was the first boy to finish, with Michael Noel second, and Jason Sampson and Simon Alicock taking the other spots.

For the girls, Shabekie Teixeira was the winner, with the Benjamin sisters following her. The two Canadian girls, Aliya and Alexis, finished in that order.

In brief remarks, Manager of Courts New Amsterdam (NA) Branch Stanley McKenzie said he was happy to be part of the return of competitive cycling

in New Amsterdam.

He promised that the Mashramani race will become a Courts affair.

“Courts tries to do something in all the regions. We have been supporting all sporting events – boxing, cycling. We are trying to build cycling in Berbice and it was nice to have so many persons participate in the event,” he said.

There were 23 starters for the seniors and 11 beginners – five of them female.

Organizer of the event and Coach of the Flying Ace Cycle Club (FACC) Randolph Roberts congratulated all those who participated.

“It is nice to see so many female beginners come out

to compete. This is good for the sport. Our female riders seem to have lost interest in cycling,” said Roberts.

He pointed out that Merika Dick has not competed for some time now, and Naomi Singh from Linden has also been missing from the starting line for a while.

The event was used as the start to Mashramani actives on Sunday, dubbed Berbice Mash Day. During the presentation of prizes, Roberts congratulated the police for the splendid job they did in ensuring that the event was incident free.

The event was sponsored by the Region Six Administration and Courts New Amsterdam.

Ronaldo comes through Federer wins Dubai Tennis for Real Madrid

Championships

C

ristiano Ronaldo struck a late equaliser as title rivals Real Madrid and Atletico shared a draw in a fiercely contested derby at the Vicente Calderon Stadium.

Karim Benzema stabbed in early on to give Real the lead but Koke equalised with a low finish.

Atletico captain Gabi then put the home side ahead just before the break with a stunning long-range strike.

However, Ronaldo swept in late on to ensure Real took a point.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side remain top of the standings but move on to 64 points, one ahead of Barcelona, who defeated Almeria 4-1 on Sunday.

The stage was set for a thrilling encounter between these two city rivals as Atletico, three points off the top at the start of the day, went into the game yet to taste defeat on home soil in the league this season while Real were unbeaten in their previous 27 games.

Atletico’s fine home record was immediately put under threat when Real stunned the vociferous home crowd with the opener after three minutes.

Angel Di Maria curled a cross towards the far post where Benzema had peeled away from Atletico defenders and poked out a foot to stab the ball beyond goal-

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates equalizing goal

keeper Thibaut Courtois.

It was a real blow for the home side, but to their credit they looked to respond immediately and Diego Costa was unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when the striker appeared to be brought down by Sergio Ramos, but the referee waved away the protests.

Benzema stung the hands of Courtois with a volley, before Ronaldo’s inventive back-heel was scooped away by the Atletico keeper as Real looked to capitalise on the home side’s misfortune.

Just as it looked as though Real would stamp their authority on the game, Atletico snatched an equaliser as Arda Turan slipped

a smart ball through the defence for Koke and the Spain midfielder shot across visiting keeper Diego Lopez and into the far corner.

That goal swiftly changed the complexion of the game as the home side started to take control. Gareth Bale had yet to assert himself in the fixture while, one early chance aside, Ronaldo had also been surprisingly quiet.

It looked as though the two sides would head into the break level but a stunning strike by Gabi on the stroke of half time put Atletico ahead. The midfielder rifled a 30-yard effort beyond Lopez’s dive and into the back of the net.

After a frenetic first half,

clear cut chances were harder to come by in the second, although the match continued to be fiercely contested and a booking for Costa after he fell under a challenge just outside the area prompted a furious touchline reaction from Atletico assistant coach German Burgos.

Atletico could have sealed the win but for a fine save from Lopez who reacted quickly to tip Turan’s header over at the near post.

It was to prove a pivotal intervention by Lopez as, with just eight minutes left, Daniel Carvajal’s low cross evaded Atletico defenders and Ronaldo swept in to secure a point for Real. (BBC Sport)

Roger Federer celebrates victory

W

orld number eight Roger Federer produced another impressive comeback to beat Tomas Berdych and win the Dubai Tennis Championships for a sixth time.

Federer fought back from a set down to beat Novak Djokovic for the first time in 18 months in Friday’s semifinal.

The 32-year-old needed those powers of recovery again as he fought back from a set and a break down to beat Berdych.

A 3-6 6-4 6-3 victory secured the 78th tour-level title of the Swiss’ career - and

first for nine months.

Third seed Berdych, 28, had won his previous encounter with Federer, in the Dubai semi-finals last year, and the Czech looked on course for another victory when he took the first set.

Federer squandered an early break of serve, lost four games in a row from 2-1 ahead and managed to get just 40 per cent of his first serves in.

But after saving consecutive break points with aces in the fifth game of the second set, he stamped his authority on the match to secure the title. (BBC Sport)

monday, march 3, 2014

guyanatimesGY.com

Petra/Milo Under-20 School’s Football...

Chase Academy demolishes St Winifrieds

By Treiston Joseph

1

1-0 was how the score line ended after Chase Academy embarrassed St Winifried’s Secondary on Sunday, when action in the Petra organized Milo Under-20 School’s Football Championships continued at the Education Ministry ground.

Chase was always looking to attack and reaped rewards early with a goal from Steven Sankar in the seventh minute of the game, before going on the attack again, only to score in the 16th minute with a goal from Ryan Watson.

Watson would then double three minutes later in the 19th minute, only for the defenders of St Winifried’s to make a mistake, allowing Isaiah Reddy to score one minute later in the 20th.

Five goals would then rattle off in the space of four minutes as Reddy would get the ball rolling with a goal in the 25th minute, only for Carl Semple to notch his lone goal in the 28th minute.

Sankar would double in the 29th, while Kireem Samogan would notch one in the 30th, followed by a quick goal from Shamar Barrow in the 30th minute as well to

WICB Regional Four Day Competition Guyana vs Jamaica

SCOREBOARD Guyana 1st innings 117 Jamaica 1st innings 294 Guyana 2nd innings S Chattergoon c Miller b Taylor AB Fudadin not out VA Singh not out Extras: (nb 3) Total: (1 wicket; 18 overs)

13 8 8 3 32

To bat: N Deonarine, CD Barnwell*, A Bramble†, D Bishoo, V Permaul, A Khan, RR Beaton, K Joseph Fall of wickets: 1-19 (Chattergoon) Bowling: JE Taylor 5-3-7-1, AD Russell 5-1-13-0, SS Cottrell 3-2-1-0, JH Merchant 3-0-50, TL Lambert 2-0-6-0

Barbados vs Windward Islands

SCOREBOARD Some of the action during the Queenstown (green) versus Campbellville game (Photo: Treiston Joseph)

end the half.

Barrow would then bury St Winifried’s with two more goals in 60th and 63rd minutes to end the game on a high note for Chase Academy.

Dolphin Secondary School and Christ Church Secondary School would then do battle in a stale mate that ended 1-1.

Andre Trotz would open the scoring for Christ Church with a goal in the 21st minute, while Job Caesar would reply one minute later for Dolphin in the 22nd.

The third game would see Bishops High School and Lodge Secondary battling to a 2-2 end of regulation score,

as both teams gained one point on their group table.

Jarel Grannum would get things going for Lodge Secondary with a brilliant strike in the eight minute to put them ahead 1-0, as both teams would then search for answer the rest of the first half.

Bishops would then equalize on the resumption of the second half through Nathaneal King in the 41st minute.

With both teams in 1-1 the tension grew as the defense of Bishop’s finally cracked, as Lodge scored in the 62nd minute with a goal from Shamar Smith.

Lodge would then play

deep defense but would make one crucial mistake in the closing minutes of the game, allowing Bishops to equalize in the 72nd minute, with a goal from King just before the final whistle was blown.

Queenstown Secondary would then outplay Campbellville Secondary for a 3-0 win in the final game of the day.

Rudy Richmond would score on halftime in the 36th minute as both teams struggled to find a passing rhythm.

Richmond would then double in the 60th minute before Williamson DeSantos would strike in the 63rd to put an end to the game.

Man City wins Capital One Cup

M

anuel Pellegrini secured his first trophy as Manchester City manager as they staged a second-half revival to beat Sunderland and win the Capital One Cup at Wembley.

Sunderland - seeking their first major trophy since the famous 1973 FA Cup win against Leeds United deservedly led at half-time through Fabio Borini’s fine angled strike after 10 minutes.

This entertaining final turned inside two minutes just after half-time as City struck twice to finally exert their authority over Sunderland, who had dominated until that point and gave a fine performance throughout.

Yaya Toure equalised with a brilliant instant finish from 25 yards in the 55th minute, before Samir Nasri’s spectacular strike changed the entire course of the game and set City on the way to some sort of consolation for last May’s shock FA Cup final defeat by Wigan Athletic.

Substitute Jesus Navas added a third in the final minute to give the scoreline a harsh appearance given the manner in which the Black Cats had matched City for so long.

The Capital One Cup may not be at the top of Pellegrini’s list of priorities,

21

Barbados 1st innings KC Brathwaite* c sub (D Polius) b Bobb 82 RH Boucher c †James b Pascal 2 RL Chase c Smith b Johnson 0 JL Carter c Smith b Peters 16 KA Stoute c †James b Pascal 19 SO Dowrich† c Smith b Peters 6 CR Brathwaite c Theophile b Pascal 44 AR Nurse c †James b Pascal 0 SJ Benn b Pascal 0 TL Best c Theophile b Bobb 19 ML Cummins not out 0 Extras (b 1, lb 8, w 7, nb 9) 25 Total (all out; 80.5 overs) 213 Fall of wickets 1-7 (Boucher, 2.5 ov), 2-10 (Chase, 5.1 ov), 3-37 (Carter, 10.4 ov), 4-64 (Stoute, 19.1 ov), 5-86 (Dowrich, 30.4 ov), 6-175 (CR Brathwaite, 67.2 ov), 7-175 (Nurse, 67.6 ov), 8-175 (Benn, 69.4 ov), 9-208 (Best, 78.6 ov), 10-213 (KC Brathwaite, 80.5 ov) Bowling: NT Pascal 15-2-61-5, DE Johnson 22-6-53-1, KK Peters 19-9-29-2, ABW Bobb 8.5-0-27-2, LAS Sebastien 16-3-34-0 Windward Islands 1st innings DS Smith c Boucher b Cummin 12 T Theophile lbw b Cummins 13 J Charles c Carter b Stoute 20 ADS Fletcher c †Dowrich b Best 21 K Lesporis run out 43

LAS Sebastien* c †Dowrich b Carter 62 LOD James† not out 62 ABW Bobb lbw b Carter 0 KK Peters c Benn b Cummins 4 DE Johnson b Cummins 0 NT Pascal not out 3 Extras (b 4, lb 4, w 3, nb 1) 12 Total (9 wickets dec; 66.3 overs) 252 Fall of wickets 1-28 (Smith, 7.1 ov), 2-28 (Theophile, 7.2 ov), 3-70 (Fletcher, 16.5 ov), 4-70 (Charles, 17.3 ov), 5-145 (Lesporis, 32.6 ov), 6-218 (Sebastien, 54.4 ov), 7-218 (Bobb, 54.6 ov), 8-236 (Peters, 63.2 ov), 9-236 (Johnson, 63.5 ov) Bowling TL Best 10-2-51-1, ML Cummins 11-0-49-4, CR Brathwaite 10-1-37-0 KA Stoute 5-1-21-1 SJ Benn 14-3-41-0 AR Nurse 10-3-22-0 JL Carter 6.3-1-23-2 Barbados 2nd innings KC Brathwaite* not out 1 RH Boucher not out 6 Extras (lb 4) 4 Total (0 wickets; 1 overs) 11 To bat KA Stoute, JL Carter, RL Chase, SO Dowrich†, CR Brathwaite, AR Nurse, SJ Benn, TL Best, ML Cummins Bowling: DE Johnson 1-0-7-0

Leeward Islands vs Combined Campuses & Colleges

SCOREBOARD

Manchester City celebrates their Cup win over Sunderland

but this first trophy will be welcomed by the Chilean, who was appointed last summer.

City’s focus now turns to the Premier League title, the arduous task of overturning a two-goal deficit in their Champions League last-16 tie against Barcelona and an FA Cup quarter-final clash with Wigan Athletic.

As for Sunderland, this will be a bitter disappointment for manager Gus Poyet, his players and the magnificent support who splashed their famous red and white stripes around Wembley but they can take great confidence from a Cup run that claimed the scalps of Chelsea and Manchester United, as they attempt to stay in the top flight.

Pellegrini preferred Costel Pantilimon to Joe

Hart in goal but the big lift came as he was able to recall striker Sergio Aguero after a month out with a hamstring injury.

City’s confident start was no indication of what was to come as Sunderland’s sheer passion - and plenty of quality, it should be stressed reduced the favourites to a shambles on occasions during the first half.

Poyet plumped for the speed and mobility of Borini, ahead of the physical power of Steven Fletcher and Jozy Altidore, to put pressure on City’s central-defensive pairing of Vincent Kompany and Martin Demichelis.

And it produced the perfect reward after only 10 minutes when Italy striker Borini got the better of Kompany in the chase for Adam Johnson’s pass, shrug-

ging him aside before showing great composure to sweep a finish past Pantilimon with the outside of his right foot.

The goal shook City and Sunderland threatened to take further advantage, Borini’s shot from the edge of the area deflecting just over off the back of Edin Dzeko and Wes Brown heading off target from a corner.

Borini, on loan from Liverpool, stretched City again and threatened to add a second as he raced clear but this time Kompany made amends by making a crucial tackle as he recovered his ground on the Italian.

City’s response was muted, and sometimes not even as good as that, with Sunderland keeper Vito Mannone’s only worry coming when he had to deal with Aguero’s low 20-yard shot.

(BBC Sport)

Leeward Islands 1st Innings M Hodge run out (Dewar) 27 L Richardson c McClean b Williams 2 M Richards LBW Dewar 50 S Joseph c Dewar b Austin 39 D Thomas c Corbin b Austin 8 T Willett c Hodge b Austin 9 J Hamilton c Corbin b Dewar 15 H Walsh Jr c Jacobs b Austin 0 G Tinge Williams b Austin 2 K Walters run out Thomas 0 A Martin not out 0 Total: All Out (60.4 Overs) 164 Extras: (8LB, 4NB) 12 Fall of Wickets: 1-10, 2-55, 3-124, 4-47, 5-47, 6-47, 7-48, 8-57, 9-64, 10-64.

Combined Campuses & Colleges 1st Innings Bowling: Kevin McClean 8-4-20-0, Kesrick Williams 7-2-19-1, Steven Jacobs 16-6-30-0, Raymon Reifer 4-1-14-0, Ryan Austin 14-2-313, Akeem Dewar 11.4-2-42-4.

Combined Campuses & Colleges 1st Innings S Thomas b Tonge 59 A Alleyne c Martin b Tonge 9 K Corbin Martin b Willett 18 R Reifer c Richardson b Walsh 56 C Walton+ c Thomas* b Walsh 0 S Jacobs* c Thomas* b Walters 23 K Hodge c Walters b Walsh 4 A Dewar c Willett b Walsh 11 K McClean not out 8 R Austin LBW Walters 0

K Williams LBW 7 Total: All Out (66.2 Overs) 202 Extras: (1LB) 1 Still to Bat: Steven Jacobs (Captain), Ryan Austin, Akeem Dewar, Kavem Hodge, Kevin McClean, Chadwick Walton, Kesrick Williams Fall of Wickets: 1-19, 2-83, 3-110, 4-125, 5-160, 6-166, 7-181, 8-185, 9-189, 10-202.

Leeward Islands 1st Innings Bowling: Gavin Tonge 12-4-28-2, Kelbert Walters 12-2-57-2, Anthony Martin 15.2-5-433, Tonito Willett 11-5-10-1, Hayden Walsh Jr 16-2-59-4.

Leeward Islands 2nd Innings (Trail; 38) M Hodge c Corbin b Austin 23 L Richardson c Dewar b Reifer 14 M Richards c Corbin b Jacobs 0 S Joseph c Corbin b Austin 10 D Thomas+ b Austin 25 J Hamilton not out 44 T Willett not out 15 Total: 5 wickets (48 Overs) 135 Extras: (8B, 1NB) 9 Fall of Wickets: 1-26, 2-30, 3-49, 4-60, 5-85.

Combined Campuses & Colleges 2nd Innings Bowling: Kevin McClean 5-4-4-0, Kesrick Williams 3-0-13-0, Kavem Hodge 2-1-5-0, Raymon Reifer 3-0-6-0, Ryan Austin 17-346-3, Steven Jacobs 6-2-101, Akeem Dewar 12-1-43-0.

22

guyanatimesGY.com

monday, march 3, 2014

Khanhai explodes on opening Clarke keeps Aussies alive night of Road to Mecca – Colts unstoppable

By Treiston Joseph

T

he Road to Mecca National Club Basketball Championships had merely made its first step when Ravens’ Akeem ‘The Dream’ Khanhai made the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall his house with a nasty facial one handed tomahawk flush that rocked the rim and left his defender in a bewildered stupor, on Saturday evening in the fourth quarter of his game against the New Amsterdam Warriors.

Khanhai received a pass on the right baseline from Ryan Gullen and immediately rose above his defender, who rose for the block, only for Khanhai to score with the powerful one-handed jam that left the large Sports Hall crowd in amazement.

The play is sure to be conisdered for play of the tournament, as the Ravens Basketball Club throttled their way to an opening 80-44 victory over New Amsterdam Warriors.

Ravens, from the opening tip, played a 3-2 zone defense that disrupted the offense of the Warriors, forcing many turnovers that resulted in fast break points.

Their free flowing offense with superb ball movement, along with their ability to grab the offensive boards for garbage points, was too much for the New Amsterdam-based team to handle.

Khanhai finished with 12 points, nine rebounds, six steals and three blocks, while Gullen was the high point man with 17 points and 10 rebounds for the double-double.

Jermaine Slater also picked up a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, while Dominic Vincente and Rodwell ‘Kobe’ Fortune had 14 and 13 points respectively.

Meanwhile, the Bounty

Rodwell Fortune gets away for an easy fast break lay-up

in the blowout.

Retrieve Raiders from Linden easily defeated Smyth Field Rockers 85-65 in the second game of the evening.

Louis James was the top scorers high point man with 22 points, while Dwayne Roberts picked up a doubledouble of 13 points and 14 rebounds. Neil Marks also had 15 points and was one rebound shy of a double-double.

Neil Wills dropped a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Rockers in the loss, while Jamal Felise had 15 points.

The final game of the evening saw the Kashif and Shanghai Kings out of

Akeem Khanhai (Number 11) floats one over the defense (Photos: Treiston Joseph)

Colts produced the best offensive game of the evening, scoring 102 points on Rose Hall Jammers who were only able to finish with 32 points in the blowout.

Rose Hall Jammers simply shot themselves in the foot as they conceded 42 turnovers to the Colts, who took advantage of the opportunity.

Shelroy Thomas was the high point man, with a game high 26 points while picking

up five steals in the process.

Steve Mars had a double-double for the Colts with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Captain Dave Causway was a pest with eight steals, while dropping 15 points and collecting eight rebounds, missing out on the triple-double.

Nikkoloi Smith also had 14 points.

The high point man for Rose Hall was Antonio Slam with a team high 13 points

Linden walking away with an overtime 56-45 victory over the Republic Bank Nets.

Orin Rose scored a game high 17 points, while Omally Sampson had 13 points for the Kings.

The Nets were led by Mortimer Williams with 16 points, while Fabian Johnson contributed 10 points in the loss.

A

Michael Clarke celebrates his 27th test 100

ustralia captain Michael Clarke hit his 27th Test hundred as his side continued to dominate the deciding Test against South Africa in Cape Town.

Clarke reached an unbeaten 161 and guided Australia to 494-7 before rain washed out further play shortly before tea on the second day.

The 32-year-old spent 24 balls on 99 before finally reaching his century.

South Africa were without main spearhead Dale Steyn, who suffered a hamstring strain on the opening day.

In the absence of Steyn, who helped level the series by claiming 4-55 on the fourth day of the previous Test at Port Elizabeth, South Africa lacked a cutting edge.

Clarke took the precaution of wearing an arm guard after being hit on the elbow, gloves and helmet by Morne Morkel on day one, but looked in little trouble throughout the day.

Resuming on 92, he reached three figures be-

fore lunch during an opening session in which the hosts claimed only one wicket, Steve Smith playing on to Dean Elgar for 84, ending a fourth-wicket stand of 184 in 50 overs.

South Africa were more successful in the afternoon session, with off-spinner JP Duminy having Shane Watson caught in the deep after he raced to 40 off 32 balls.

Duminy followed that by claiming wickets off successive balls when Brad Haddin picked out Hashim Amla with a fierce drive, before the decision review system detected the faintest of edges behind to dismiss Mitchell Johnson.

Rain halted any further progress for South Africa but when rain set in, Clarke - the second centurion of the innings after David Warner’s 135 on the opening day - had hit 11 fours and scored the second hundred of his career at Newlands.

The series is poised at 1-1 with South Africa aiming to claim their first home Test series victory over Australia in 44 years. (BBC Sport)

SCOREBOARD AUSTRALIA 1st innings CJL Rogers c Smith b Steyn 25 DA Warner c †de Villiers b Duminy 135 AJ Doolan c Steyn b Philander 20 MJ Clarke* not out 161 SPD Smith b Elgar 84 SR Watson c Amla b Duminy 40 BJ Haddin† c Amla b Duminy 13 MG Johnson c †de Villiers b Duminy 0 RJ Harris not out 4 Extras: (w 6, nb 6) 12

Total: (7 wickets; 127.4 overs) 494 To bat: JL Pattinson, NM Lyon Fall of wickets: 1-65 (Rogers, 13.3 ov), 2-138 (Doolan, 31.3 ov), 3-217 (Warner, 57.4 ov), 4-401 (Smith, 107.5 ov), 5-456 (Watson, 118.4 ov), 6-489 (Haddin, 126.5 ov), 7-489 (Johnson, 126.6 ov) Bowling: DW Steyn 10.1-0-441, VD Philander 26.4-2-1161, M Morkel 23.5-2-94-0, JP Duminy 17-0-73-4, KJ Abbott 28-11-68-0 , D Elgar 22-0-99-1

UG outplays GDF

By Treiston Joseph

T

he University of Guyana (UG) Wolves are on a roll, continuing their hot streak by opening with a win in the Bounty Farm 15 A Side League on Sunday at the National Park, Georgetown.

After winning their first tournament earlier in the year, UG stayed undefeated by clamping down on the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) 48-28.

UG wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard,

with Rondell McArthur putting them on the board early and Godfrey kicking the conversion for a 7-0 lead.

The Wolves would they increase the lead to 20-14 at halftime, before holding down to a low scoring second half to win their first encounter in the 15 A Side League.

McArthur would go on to score two more tries for UG, while lance Adonis played a critical part in the team points with two tries and a conversion kick.

Danny Anderson and

Telroy McAllmont would both score a try each, while Allister Walker would drop a conversion to go along with two conversions from Godfrey Brooms.

The GDF men would score through Joseph Rahaman with one try and four conversions, while Terrence Daniels, Rondell Hutson and Deron Harry would each score one try for GDF. Meanwhile, games in the 15 A Side League will continue next weekend at the National Park.

Some of the action between UG (black) and the GDF (green) during their match-up (Photo: Treiston Joseph)

monday, march 3, 2014

guyanatimesGY.com

23

Forde makes it look easy

– Trinidadian Nero takes top Wartsila prize

By Treiston Joseph

O

ver the years, distance ace Cleveland Forde has been classified from Guyana’s best to Guyana’s distance ‘king’, but it is now time to call the ‘little Kenyan’, as he is known, an ‘artiste’ after his win on Sunday morning at Wartsila’s 20th Anniversary 20k road race.

The event, being as lucrative as it was, giving away $300,000 to the first place finisher, saw Forde put in a performance worth the prize.

In the early part of the race, which began in Paradise, there were moves by various runners from the likes of Cleveland Thomas, Winston Missenger and Dennis Horatio, who set the early tone of the race.

Trinidadian based Kelvin Johnson then took over for the majority of the middle of the race looking just as strong.

However, it was Forde’s poise that captivated, as there was no wasted energy or movement from the 29-year-old. Even the way Forde used his water at the various water stations, holding it for longer periods than the other athletes, told its own story of his class.

Forde controlled the race until he decided it was really time to go upon approaching the GUYOIL Gas Station in Kitty, never looking back for Johnson who faded to fifth place in a time of one hour 12 minutes and 34 seconds,

All the winners pose with their trophies after the presentation ceremony (Photo: Treiston Joseph)

as Forde won in a time of one hour 10 minutes flat, which ended in front of Wartsila on Water Street, Georgetown.

Thomas, who faded in the middle of the 20k, was able to move past Johnson, who was looking strong until the latter part of the race to finish second in one hour 10 minutes and 38 seconds.

Dennis Horatio had one of his better races as an athlete at the age of 25 with limitless potential that is untapped, as he too came from behind, despite an on and off training regime, to finish third in one hour 10 mintes and 52 seconds.

Trinidad-based Lionel D’Andrade, who started well but faded early due to cramps, regrouped to finished fourth in one hour 11 minutes and three seconds.

Meanwhile, Trinidadian Tonya Nero demolished the females to win the category and $300,000 in a time of one hour 19 minutes and 37 seconds.

U.S.based Euleen Jossiah-Tanner was the first Guynese female to cross the line in one hour 30 minutess and 27 seconds, while 20-year-old Alicia Jack came third in one hour 33 minutes and 10 seconds.

Former distance queen Alika Morgan finished fourth, despite having an ankle injury in one hour 34 minutes and 10 seconds.

The Running Brave Athletics Club dominated the youth boy’s 5000 metres run with the top four coming from the club, as Anfernee Headecker won the event in 17 minutes 26 seconds, while his club mates Mathew McKenzie, Joshua McKenzie and Joshua Walcott finished in that order for the Running Brave sweep.

Running Brave’s Andrea Foster also managed to win the girl’s

edition of the youth event in 20 minutes 13 seconds, while Linden Cassie Kirton was second in 20 minutes 50 seconds and Shantel Hinds third.

Yolit Charles won the junior female 20k in one hour 54 minutes, while Carl McKenzie won the male junior event in one hour 17 minutes and 48 seconds.

Orin Josiah won the master’s men 40-55 in one hour 23 minutes and 42 seconds, while Cyrleen Phillips won the female event in one hour 47 minutes and 39 seconds.

Llewellyn Gardner was the winner of the masters 56

and over 5000 metres run in 19 minutes and 21 seconds.

Meanwhile, at the presentation ceremony held immediately after the run, President of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) Aubrey Hutson thanked Wartsila for their continued contribution to the sport, while also congratulating the athletes for participating. Contract Manager and former national athlete Arron Fraser was happy with the success of the event and hinted that next year the athletes could look forward for a 10k instead of a 20k event.

Richmond receives title belt NA Warriors named

G

uyana’s Super Middleweight Champion Derrick Richmond returned to Berbice for the first time on Saturday afternoon with his title belt, after winning the title on December 27 last year.

Richmond, who had expressed concerns about not receiving his title belt, said officials from the Guyana Boxing Board called him for the presentation of the belt on Friday, and attended with Coach Orlando ‘Pocket Rocket’ Rodgers.

He however described it as an unceremonial handing over of the belt. “When I got there, they just took the belt and handed it to me,” he said.

In all smiles, Richmond said he was nevertheless happy that he finally received what he fought for and won.

Rodgers expressed gratitude to the board, and said he was told that the more than two-month wait was because the belt had to come from Pakistan.

“On behalf of my boxer, I would like to say thanks to the board and look forward for their support. We hope that they will allow him to be able to defend his title,

top seeded club F

Super Middleweight title holder Derrick Richmond and Coach Orlando 'Pocket Rocket' Rodgers

and not only that they will arrange fights for him,” said Rodgers.

Richmond will be leaving on Thursday to participate in the challengers tournament in Jamaica.

That tournament will last for four months and will be run on a knock out basis. Richmond is likely to be engaged weekly when in Jamaica, as boxers from around the world will be par-

ticipating.

According the Rodgers, Richmond is ready and is out to show the world that he is one of the best. Rodgers also thanked the board for choosing Richmond as one of the boxers to represent Guyana.

Meanwhile, on Saturday afternoon the boxer and his coach travelled around New Amsterdam affording fans the opportunity to see the belt.

ollowing the conclusion of the Anamayah Memorial Basketball Tournament, teams in Berbice have been seeded.

Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) President Nigel Hinds announced the seeding of teams in Berbice recently.

Holding the top spot is the New Amsterdam (NA) Warriors, with the Smithfield Rockers seeded at number two. Third seeded team is the Rose Hall Town Jammers, with the Fyrish Black Sharks, fourth. The Canje Nights occupy the fifth seeded place.

Berbice Amateur Basketball Association (BABA) President Keith Myers said that seeding of teams is good for the development of the sport in Berbice.

This, he noted, is one way for teams to be able to judge themselves in terms of performance.

“They can and should use this as the bench mark.

BABA President Keith Myers

So if they started the year as number four, and by the end of the year they are at number two, they will know where they are going,” he said.

Myers said the seeding of teams in Berbice also allows for them to compete in the Race to Mecca tournament. “It will also assist the Berbice Amateur Basketball Association to be able to gauge the development of teams,” he pointed out.

The association’s President added that teams from the west side of Berbice

will also seeded. This, he said, will be done after the staging of the Mashramani tournament.

“We were not fully prepared for our first tournament and then too there was the Anamayah Memorial going on, so we have pushed back that competition, but it will be held during the first quarter of the year, because we have planned to run off a tournament every quarter, and teams from West Berbice will be part of that tournament,” Myers told the Berbice Times Sport.

He said that only three of the four West Berbice teams are likely to participate.

“We have not been able to bring Mahaicony on board, but we will likely have Hopetown, Leitchfield and Paradise/El Dorado participating along with five teams from West Berbice, and then we will be able to have our seedings going up to eight,” he explained.

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

monday, march 3, 2014

TOP SCORES

Windies fall short in low-scoring thriller England won a tense second one-day international against West Indies by three wickets to level the series at 1-1 with one match remaining.

Ravi Bopara and captain Stuart Broad saw England to

victory with a partnership of 58 after a collapse had threatened their pursuit of 160.

Four wickets fell in four overs in Antigua after the tourists made a confident start to their chase.

England's spinners had

SCOREBOARD West Indies D Smith c Wright b Root 5 K Powell c & b Ali 16 K Edwards c Tredwell b Root 9 Darren Bravo b Broad 13 L Simmons c Stokes b Parry 70 Dwayne Bravo* st Buttler b Tredwell 20 D Sammy c Broad b Parry 3 D Ramdin+ b Bresnan 5 N Miller not out 2 S Narine st Buttler b Parry 4 R Rampaul c Lumb b Tredwell 1 Total: (All Out) 159 Extras: (lb 5, w 6) 11 Fall of Wickets: 1-10 (Smith, 2.1 ov), 2-30 (Powell, 7.6 ov), 3-30 (Edwards, 8.2 ov), 4-81 (DM Bravo, 22.4 ov), 5-133 (DJ Bravo, 34.6 ov), 6-145 (Simmons, 37.5 ov), 7-151 (Ramdin, 40.2 ov), 8-151 (Sammy, 41.1 ov), 9-155 (Narine, 41.6 ov), 10159 (Rampaul, 44.2 ov) England Bowling: J Root 5-015-2, S Broad 8-0-25-1, M Ali 3-0-11-1, J Tredwell 9.22-39-2, S Parry 10-1-32-3, T

Bresnan 5-2-13-1, R Bopara 2-0-6-0, B Stokes 2-0-13-0.

England (Target; 160) M Lumb LBW Miller 39 M Ali c Miller b Rampaul 10 L Wright b Narine 0 J Root c & b Dwayne Bravo 23 B Stokes c Ramdin b Miller 4 J Buttler+ c Ramdin b Dwayne Bravo 0 R Bopara not out 38 T Bresnan run out (Dwayne Bravo/Ramdin) 10 S Broad* not out 28 Total: (for 7 wickets) 163 Extras: (lb 5, w 5, nb 1) 11 Did not Bat: J Tredwell, S Parry Fall of Wickets: 1-29 (Ali, 6.5 ov), 2-30 (Wright, 7.6 ov), 3-79 (Lumb, 20.3 ov), 4-81 (Root, 21.1 ov), 5-81 (Buttler, 21.2 ov), 6-89 (Stokes, 24.3 ov), 7-105 (Bresnan, 31.4 ov) West Indies Bowling: Dwayne Bravo 10-1-41-2, R Rampaul 10-0-40-1, S Narine 10-0-25-1, N Miller 10-1-28-2, D Sammy 4-0-19-0, D Smith 0.5-0-5-0

England bowler Joe Root celebrates the dismissal of West Indies batsman Kirk Edwards during the second ODI England v West Indies at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium, North Sound, Antigua

bowled tightly to help dismiss the hosts for 159.

And Broad struck the winning runs with more than five overs to spare as England recorded only their second win in an international match since the start of the disastrous Ashes series. The wicket at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium was the same one used in Friday's first ODI, and its turning properties were similar to those likely to be faced in the forthcoming ICC World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.

Broad decided to bowl af-

Forde makes it look easy

ter winning the toss and his bowlers, whom he had blamed for England's defeat in the first match of the series, rewarded him by dismissing their opponents inside their allocated 50 overs.

Lancashire spinner Stephen Parry was named man of the match after taking three wickets on his international debut, with England's slower bowlers dismissing eight of the 10 West Indies batsmen to fall.

England were then well set at 79-2 off 20 overs before a succession of quick wickets

put their chase in jeopardy.

Openers Moeen Ali and Michael Lumb, who made 106 on his ODI debut in the first match of the series, looked comfortable until their stand of 29 was ended when Moeen was caught by Nikita Miller off the bowling of Ravi Rampaul.

Luke Wright did not last long, bowled by spinner Sunil Narine for nought.

Lumb's dismissal, trapped leg before wicket by Miller, was the first wicket of an England collapse which started when three batsmen fell in

six deliveries, including Jos Buttler for a first-ball duck.

Tim Bresnan was brilliantly run out by Dwayne Bravo to reduce England to 105-7 and bring Broad to the crease.

The captain took risks but rode his luck, and after Bopara had helped calm England's nerves with a composed 38 not out, Broad struck the winning runs with a four through the covers off Dwayne Smith.

Earlier, Broad rotated eight bowlers to good effect in dismissing the hosts for 159 with 34 deliveries of their innings unused. (BBC Sprot) Akeem Khanhai (#11) drops one in over the defense (Photo: Treiston Joseph)

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See s to on pa ry ge

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