Guyana Times Daily

Opposition votes down new environmental tax

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THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Issue No. 1777

PRICE

Anti-money laundering bill

Let’s cooperate for Guyana!

See stories on page 12

$60 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Hung jury in Albouystown murder trial

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Ramson P7 appointed commissioner of information

– Ramotar makes plea for opposition to pass bill Ramotar to P9 attend meeting with U.S. vice president in TT

Guyana will seek extension of deadline Deputy Speaker Deborah Backer and PPP/C Chief Whip Gail Teixeira in discussion during Wednesday’s sitting of the National Assembly.

Backer had refused to entertain debate on the anti-money laundering bill as a matter of urgent public importance (Carl Croker photo)

Motion passed to probe human trafficking See story on page 17

Six AWOL soldiers jailed

See story on page 15

Police under pressure to solve Sheema Mangar’s murder P11

Robust economic growth is the tonic for Caricom debt, fiscal mess – CDB head P14

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NEWS

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THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2013 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Thursday, May 23, from 14:30h to 16:00h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Thursday, May 23, from 15:00h to 16:30h.

WEATHER Countrywide: Light rain showers are expected during the day, with clear skies in the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East north-easterly at 4.47 metres per second.

High Tide: 02:47h and 15:17h reaching maximum heights of 2.71 metres and 2.65 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 08:49h and 21:06h reaching minimum heights of 0.47 metre and 0.56 metre respectively.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2013

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Failure to pass money laundering bill

Guyana could be placed at number two on watch list – CFATF

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he Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) said Guyana will become number two just after Uganda on the Financial Task Force’s Dark Grey List if it fails to pass the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act Amendment Bill in time for the May 27 deadline.

Speaking with Guyana Times, an official from the CFATF head office in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, noted that according to data, presently Guyana ranks eligible in the number one category on the United States watch list, while it is eligible as second on the world financial watch dogs lists.

“If Guyana doesn’t pass the review by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), they will not be removed from the watch list,” stated the official. It was also noted that the bill by an internal process is supposed to try and address the outstanding situations before the plenary meeting in Nicaragua, and if the government cannot reach the requirements, then the plenary meeting and the CFATF will decide the way forward. The official stated that Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda and Venezuela were some of the Caricom countries that were dark grey listed because of their failure to meet the requirements and all three countries faced immense repercussions.

Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda and Venezuela were subsequently placed on the Dark Grey List, with a condition

to fast-track implementation of compliance efforts.

Closer to home, in December 2010, Trinidad and Tobago was placed on a Restricted Country List by TD Ameritrade, Scottrade and Options Xpress as a country that they ‘do not conduct business with’. All three countries were to an extent deemed as countries which are perceived as a haven for money laundering and terrorism financing (ML/TF), therefore likely to attract further criminal activity.

According to the FATF reports, this perception, coupled with French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s naming of Trinidad and Tobago as one of 11 countries that failed to meet transparency standards and being a tax haven at last year’s G20 Summit, did potentially impact the perception of the country held in the international community, this in turn carries with it financial and reputational risk.

Repercussion

Guyana may be sanctioned on the ability to access the international financial system and conduct international transactions in trade financing and payments, which can be and in some instances, already have been severely, curtailed. Furthermore, several financial institutions can call for greater scrutiny from correspondent banking relationships and increase queries regarding customer transactions and beneficial owners. This can result in lengthy delays in completion of foreign currency cross-

border payment transactions. If payments are time sensitive, penalties or losses may occur, affecting business clients; the cost of doing business in Guyana may escalate as businesses attempt to offset losses or other expenses due to the increased restrictions and delays.

Because the main correspondent relationships for many of the local banks are in the U.S., U.S. regulators can impose conditions and even prohibit U.S. financial institutions from transacting with correspondents in a designated jurisdiction.

With the U.S. as a large trading partner, this will have a severe socioeconomic impact on the country.

There is no doubt that continued inclusion of Guyana on FATF’s publications can influence international credit ratings and by extension our bi-lateral and multi-lateral trade agreements due to a loss of confidence in the integrity of the financial system and lead to a perception that Guyana may lack the political will to implement and enforce compliance with applicable anti-money laundering legislation. This could result in a reduction in the flow of direct foreign investments into the local economy and potential loss of trading partners; merger and acquisition activities across the region or internationally may be further stymied as regulations become even more prohibitive – cost of capital requirement; and an increase in cost of borrowing as a result of reduced access to foreign currency. Ultimately, negative reactions by the

international community have the potential to impact funding from international agencies such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

The Caribbean FATF came to Guyana in 2011 to look at the efforts by government to deal with money laundering. Its report to the council of ministers on July 25, 2011, listed a litany of non-compliance and partial compliance with the 40 measures and nine special measures by which countries’ anti-money laundering actions are evaluated.

Guyana was compliant with one and largely compliant with six. And on the nine special measures, including references to al-Qaeda and the Taliban, none was largely or fully complied with and Guyana was placed on an expedited follow-up list for which there was to be a biannual report to the Caribbean FATF plenary.

Accordingly, after the visit to Guyana some months later, the evaluators reported to the CFATF plenary in November last that Guyana was rated partially compliant or non-compliant on 16 core and key recommendations and 25 other recommendations. With regard to the remaining 27 recommendations, Guyana was rated as only partially compliant or non-compliant.

While conceding that the authorities in Guyana had commenced complying with some of the recommendations, it noted that Guyana remain on the expedited follow-up list and is required to report to the next plenary this month.

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

Editorial

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A lack of planning

n his book, Guyana: from State Control to Free Markets (2003), John Gafar cites from the 1993 Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES)/Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) data and a 1994 World Bank report that shows poverty levels in Guyanese households with children as high as 46.3 per cent, compared with 23.9 per cent in childless households. Based on a 1999 Living Conditions Survey, he states too that it can be estimated that 60 per cent of the poor in Guyana are children.

While these statistics can be termed “not new”, they remain a shocking evaluation of the state of Guyana’s children, which the various humanitarian organisations operating here are no doubt all too familiar with. Truth be told, many were perhaps established after witnessing the poverty endemic in many childfilled communities around the country.

Gafar goes on to cite the World Bank report, disclosing that 28 per cent of all households are headed by women, of which, in the capital city, 45 per cent are headed by females. This circumstance of family structure, he notes, largely accounts for the high incidence of poverty in single-parent households.

Women in Guyana are often less educated, more often unemployed, and if they do have a job, usually paid less than men. Whether a single parent by choice or natural causes, such as the death of the primary income earner, many women have the responsibility of caring for their children alone without adequate income.

Such circumstances have prompted a number of meaningful government and NGO sponsored initiatives aimed at reducing poverty levels in these households through skills training and work programmes that increase the potential of parents, including single parents, to become major income earners through employment or self-employment. However, in addition, women themselves should look at taking control of their own family planning. Numerous studies worldwide have proved that when a woman has the ability to control her family planning, she is much more capable of controlling her life.

Women and couples who delay having children have more time and opportunity to become better income earners, and when they choose to have a child and the number of children they have, their children are healthier and have better educational prospects – two factors critical to the cycle of poverty.

It is not enough to espouse that a woman’s body is her own and no one has a right to tell her what to do with it. It is a woman’s responsibility, with that right, to ensure her child is not one of the 60 per cent poor, by taking the necessary steps to avoid producing children without adequate means of providing for them, which so often results in the state or other entities having to do so.

Women must also take the responsibility of ensuring they are educated and capable of meaningful employment, since the loss of one income earner in the family could reduce living standards. Moreover, an uneducated female is at the mercy of a patriarchal society, leading to her lack of choices that invariably create her and her child’s poverty.

A child in poverty often feels the brunt of the lack of family planning. There are many instances of older children leaving school or regularly absent from school because they are called upon to look after their siblings since parents are too poor to afford day care or a caregiver. There are many instances of children dropping out of school because he or she has to find a job to help support the poor household made up of several other siblings. There are many instances of children running away from home because parental frustration with providing for a large family has made a safe and loving home unattainable.

The sad fact is that these instances often stem from impoverished households with children – economic problems that could be alleviated if adults think responsibly about family planning. And while we often hear the expression “children are Guyana’s future”, with more than half of Guyana’s children existing in poverty, often in large households that require public assistance to feed, clothe and house, that expression appears a mere platitude.

No doubt many children of poor households have gone on to become exemplary members of society and incredible human beings, but none would wish their own child the impoverished life in which they grew up, so it is imperative that families, including single parents, see the necessity of improving and empowering themselves by taking firm control over their family planning.

A team of "medieval jousters" practise before the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Flodden, at Traquair House in Innerleithen near the Scottish border. The two-day event pays tribute to James Stewart, the first Laird of Traquair, who fought and died at the battle in 1513 (BBC News)

Do not be afraid to flog!

Dear Editor, We have to admit that we do have a problem as regards discipline in school. It is quite normal for us to read about students and their manifestations of all kinds of tantrums. Not too long ago, a teacher suffered a fractured skull at the hands of violent students. Out of this incident, our president opined that he is all for jail time for some of these characters.

Corporal punishment does not have to be injurious and abusive. In fact, when properly administered, it will redound into great benefits. The school is the training ground and disobedience and disrespect have consequences. Corporal punishment, properly used, can help the students realise that in the larger world their behaviour will have to comply with rules and regulations.

Then, there is a noticeable rise in children violence and this is parallel with the phasing out of corporal punishment. There may not be a correlation here, but I will play it safe.

I will simply go back to the rod, even if sparingly, and see what unfolds.

Is corporal punishment, even if a bit overused, worse than mental abuse? This latter form of abuse is both overt and silent – negli-

gence, comparison of students, making reference to their negative traits, and labelling them. These have far reaching and permanent negative unfoldings.

So let us be patient and think carefully. We do not want a society, in the next 20 years or so, that is filled with rebellious people who are difficult to control.

Respectfully, Orrin Daley

Importance of reporting crimes in progress Dear Editor, When a crime occurs and bystanders are around, we all hope for intervention from the police. Yet, many are the times, when no one, actually witnesses, would have called the police or have offered to help.

Bystanders do not report crimes they witness out of fear or other reasons, maybe selfish ones (as in ‘I do not want to be involved’). Well look how this kind of mentality actually back-fired in Trinidad and Tobago.

A handyman was shot dead, after witnessing the gang-rape of his neighbour in Diego Martin. Details reveal that 52-year-old Robbie Portell was outside his home, when he saw three armed men enter his neighbour’s property. The three men repeatedly took turns raping their victim and then finally robbed

her. Then before leaving, they stole the keys of her Nissan Almera, but while they were leaving, they saw Portell standing near a window of the woman’s house.

The men attacked him, bundled him into the woman’s car and sped off. Later, the stolen car was found abandoned, with Portell’s body in the back seat. He had been shot several times in the head and upper body.

No one was arrested so far.

Look how this played out – this man could have called the cops – I did not expect him to intervene; then the criminals left the woman alive and killed only the witness (maybe it did not strike them that now they have been seen the victim as well as the witness must be killed). The fact though is that fighting crimes needs participation from citizens.

In 2009, in California, as

many as 10 males raped and beat a 15-year-old girl outside a high school’s homecoming dance. Investigators believe the beating and rape lasted for more than two hours and as many as 20 people watched and did nothing. Reporters even say some witnesses took photos and laughed. Six males, ranging in age from 15-21 were charged, but the bigger issue from this incident was the conduct of the bystanders – none of them made any attempt to stop the crime or call the police. Only hours later, after overhearing some people talking about the event did a person call the police.

The police found the girl unconscious under the bench where she’d been left.

Observers’ (of crimes) actions may be deemed immoral or uncaring and insensitive, but never illegal-

they do not break the law as such. I cannot remember reading or hearing of charging someone for failing to act when these things are unfolding. Yet we complain and get upset when we are not supported when the misfortune falls on us.

We have to wake up.

Even if friends and relatives collude with their silence, most times we know who the criminal elements are and we are also aware of what they did and are doing. Yet we take a passive and selfish attitude. In the city, all the pick-pocket criminals are known; we know who are in the stolen phone racket as well as who steal and sell car mirrors.

We can start there and get the police to destroy these rings.

Yours respectfully Suresh Narine

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

People’s lives should Chanderpaul’s real glory not be impeded by protesters

Dear Editor, I am very pleased that road-blocking as a form of protest is coming under the radar. I still recall most bitterly what happened in Linden and Agricola. People of Guyana should know that in this current dispensation protests are allowed. The legal avenues are many – the press, picketing with placards and marches, among others. These are

very decent ways of voicing opinions. They are legitimate in Guyana to the point that the government is willing to accommodate with the deployment of police patrol and traffic arrangements. No one can prove that the government of the day has ever disallowed the voice of protest in Guyana.

In recent happenings, all kinds of chaos took place – old, abandoned

vehicles, pieces of wood and other debris, barrels and tyres were used for road-blocking. This really caused many innocent and non-involved citizens to be terribly inconvenienced.

Put in everyday parlance, no one should impede anyone’s life, nor damage public property when protesting.

Yours truly, David Ramnarine

Dear Editor, The recent land mark of reaching 300 first class games in cricket is not the big deal about. A plethora of batsmen have gone way beyond the Guyanese icon in terms of number of matches played at the first class level. Chanderpaul’s real glory is that of the many who have reached 300 and beyond, he averages in the top seven – he is number seven.

So it is not about how many games he has played, but about his batting average, and this makes him special. Also, Chanderpaul has 66 centuries and, since

Shivnarine Chanderpaul

he averages a century in every five games, he is really right up there.

Yours truly, Kris Mahon

Neil Marks’ ignorance Timing of NGSA needs highlights plight of some re-consideration young people Dear Editor, I refer to a letter written by one Neil Marks to Kaieteur News on May 22, 2013, which very distastefully referred to a racial slur to respond to Dr David Dabydeen. I do not wish to get involved in the fight between the different parties, but this month we commemorate 175 years of East Indian Arrival and the pejoratives used to disrespect our ancestors are still being used in a demeaning way.

This term suggests that all East Indians who are not from Georgetown or one of the other towns are uncouth and uncivilised and is disrespectful in its intent. It is a mentality which prevailed during indentureship and viewed ‘Indianness’ via the prejudiced European prism.

Would Kaieteur News pub-

lish such a term describing any other group? Would any other ethnic group in this country tolerate the publication of such a term?

There is a group of fairly young people, some of East Indian descent, who shall be described as the noveau éduqués. They have flown far from the plantation (country) and now feel that those who came before, toiled with their blood, sweat and tears and built the foundation for their achievements are beneath them.

Despite being noveau éduqués they do not carry an iota of the dignity or honour which their

forebears did. They do not have the necessary mental maturity to understand nor respect the travails of their ancestors.

That Marks did not know who Dr Dabydeen is, while not surprising, highlights the plight of these young people. It is their personal loss, yet it is a loss which greatly impacts our nation. Those who are knowledgeable ought not to sit quietly as these pejoratives, and there are a few of them, are used generously and with a specific intention.

Respectfully yours, Kumar Bachoo

Dear Editor, The National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) decider has come and gone. In fact, this was so since Easter.

The students are now still in their same classroom, but I am puzzled as regards the curriculum. Are they preparing for high school? If so which ones – senior ranking or low tier ones? I notice an air of flippancy among them and in fact a lot of them have gone on their family vacation. I propose instantly a rethink on the timing of the NGSA. It will have a lot of positives – less pressure on the students, fewer hours at lessons and more mock examinations.

In Barbados, it is only in late May that close to 4000

students actually wrote the Barbados Secondary Schools Entrance Examination, also known as Common Entrance. Our students here could have had at least one more month of preparation. I see no rush for early results, as the August break is more than enough to prepare for a new school.

Also, we have the resources to mark all papers during this time, issue the results and then get the students ready for whatever school they have to attend. Currently we have a good system in place, but I see no reason to keep it that way, if it can be improved.

Education is always a work in progress. I call on the Ministry of Education to re-

view this current system.

Yours truly, Gabrielle Jardin

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Foundation

Techniques to develop trust and responsible behaviours in teens Tie all consequences to the child’s behaviour

At first when trying to develop responsibility in some teenagers, it is best to tie as many consequences as possible to their behaviour. In other words, you set up a situation where the adolescents will earn their rewards and pleasures, as well as their punishments and disappointments.

Not only do you spell out disciplinary measures ahead of time, but you also try to relate all consequences to their behaviour. Put them in control of the consequences of their actions – good or bad.

• Tell the teenager who has been using the phone every night but doing nothing around the house that she now has to earn this privilege by performing some chore.

• Set up a rule and a consequence for your son so that he no longer gets to use the car on weekends unless he shows you certain behaviours.

• Inform your daughter, who used to get on the Internet just for breathing, that she now has to perform certain duties in order to have access to the computer.

Avoid assuming responsibility

You should not assume responsibility for the teenager or her behaviour.

Make her responsible. If you force her to do her homework every night or do it for her, you are more responsible for the work being completed than the child. If you have to tell your son 47 times to take out the garbage before he complies, you are more responsible for the task than the child is. And the next night you will probably have to do the same thing. The teenager completes the task, but he doesn’t develop responsibility or independent behaviour. You may have to act as his motivator until he gets married or leaves the house.

For days a parent tells her child to clean his room, but it never gets done. Eventually, she gets fed up, drags him to the room, stands over him, and makes him clean it. In several minutes the room is spotless, but

for her. Avoid allowing the teenager to become too dependent on you for performing tasks for her that she is physically capable of doing.

Children who are spoiled and often have their needs met for them, who are

How parents should react when their child disappoints them

By Jennifer Fraser

or not I do my homework.” If someone said to me, “You can go to work and I will pay you, or you can stay home and I will pay you,” I certainly would be out fishing instead of working. In fact, I would have to be stupid to go to work. The same situation exists for children who feel that if they get into a jam, they will be able to manipulate their way out of the situation and again they will not experience the consequences. You have to make the consequences different for teenagers if you expect to change their behaviour or develop an attitude of responsibility. In other words, one thing will happen if the adolescent cooperates around the house, and something entirely different will happen if he does not cooperate. Be sure the teenager is experiencing different consequences for different behaviours.

Win the war and forget about the battles

who is responsible for the room being cleaned? The parent. A better way to get this room cleaned and encourage responsibility in the teenager would be to spell out expectations and consequences ahead of time. Put the responsibility on the adolescent. Avoid forcing him to do what he is supposed to do.

These same situations occur when parents allow a teenager to become dependent on them. Either the parents help the teenager excessively, or they do things for her. This may involve picking up after teens, keeping their rooms cleaned, waking them up for school, locating their keys. When parents act in this way, the adolescent finds it difficult to learn independent and responsible behaviours because it is easier to let someone else do things

in more control than their parents, or who frequently get their own way also have a difficult time developing responsible behaviours. The same situation exists when parents “run interference” for the teenager and protect him from experiencing the consequences of his actions. This parent-child interaction should be avoided to establish self-discipline and responsibility.

Make the consequences different for positive and negative behaviours

Some teenagers do not develop responsible behaviours because the same thing happens to them whether they perform the required task or not. The adolescent thinks, “I’ll be able to go out Friday night whether or not I cooperate around the house” or “I’ll be able to use the computer whether

Sometimes it is better to lose a few battles, but win the war. It may be more important for your teenager to experience the consequences of his behaviour than it would be for you to get the task accomplished.

For example, you say, “You cannot leave the house today until you clean the fish tank.” He comes back with, “I don’t care. I didn’t want to go anywhere. I’m going in the den to watch television.” Now you think, “What am I going to do now?”

The answer is “Nothing.” The rule sticks. In this example, getting the fish tank cleaned should be actually the fourth thing you are trying to accomplish. The first thing is to make the teenager aware that there will be two different consequences to his behaviour, positive and negative. The second thing you are trying to achieve is to teach the child that he is responsible for his behaviour. (www.life.familyeducation.com)

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ife is full of disappointment. We disappoint our own parents, we disappoint ourselves, and on occasion our children disappoint us. It’s not a nice feeling and rest assured, your child is probably aware of it before you even tell them.

Whether your child disappointed you due to an error in judgement, in the way they spoke or acted, in disobeying you, or perhaps a bad grade, you need to realise that children know when they have done wrong.

We also all know that disappointing your parents hurts, and a lot of the time it is unintentional. So how should we react? It depends on the situation.

If your child has severely disappointed you, communicate your feelings with them without belittling them.

What they have done is one blip in life, and you need to remember that. If what they have done is something that can be remedied, look for solutions to fix the problem.

For example, if your child has disappointed you with a bad grade, perhaps sitting down and helping your child with school work or getting a tutor would help improve his or her marks.

Try to remember that children are often impulsive; acting and speaking before they think. Oftentimes although their errors in judgement may seem intentional, they are not, and are regretted later on. Most of us can recall doing something we felt horrible about later as children. Children are very complex, and it’s hard for them to show restraint at times. Children really need their parents to empathise with them. We were all children once; let’s tap into those memories and emotions.

Of course, it is important not to ignore what has caused your disappointment.

Address the situation, share your feelings, and help your child come up with solutions, and alternate ways they could have dealt with the situation. Punish, if need be (if a rule was broken). Make sure your child knows that you still love and support them regardless. One simple disappointment need not damage their self-esteem for life!

The most important thing a parent can do is think before they react. Knee-jerk reactions are often very negative and hurtful for the children. If your child has really disappointed you, take a moment to let it sink in, and don’t overreact in such a way you may later regret. Be sure your child knows how you feel, but chances are they knew before you told them. You can be sure they feel terrible about disappointing you, whether they admit it or not. Keep your cool, and help show them the way. (www.helium.com)

NEWS

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THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2013 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ramson appointed commissioner of information G

uyanese will now have access to public information with the recent appointment of former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Charles R Ramson as commissioner of information. This was made possible by the Access to Information Act of 2011.

This presidential appointment was announced by Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon during his weekly press briefing on Thursday morning at the Office of the President. Ramson, a senior counsel, will now have the power to release information with respect to public establishments once it is requested. Dr Luncheon stated that the appointment confers in Ramson the power to enforce the provisions of the Access to Information Act of 2011.

“Specifically, the commissioner has powers to provide

access to information if so required, to public information, specific information, and categories of information that are in the possession and control of information under public authorities,” Luncheon added.

Luncheon explained that the appointment of the former AG was based on his vast experience in and knowledge of law, social services, science and technology, management, and, most importantly, his experience in journalism, mass media, and governance.

The Cabinet secretary reiterated that only information pertaining to public institutions will be available, noting that those who wish for information pertaining to private entities will be able to access such once the court approves the request. His office will be located at the Office of the President.

Newly-appointed Information Commissioner Charles R Ramson

Exemptions

Government had said that the bill is in accord with Article 136 of the Constitution and Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of

Human Rights which address the issue of freedom to information. While the legislation provides all Guyanese and persons domiciled in Guyana with the right to access official documents, there are exceptions. The exempt documents include Cabinet documents, those likely to prejudice the defence of the state and those relative to international relations, trade secrets, economy, commercial affairs, legal privilege and those to which secrecy provisions apply. “…after a period of 20 years, since the last day of the year in which a Cabinet or an internal working document came into existence, it shall cease to be an exempt document.”

However, in the instances of persons applying for information contained in exempt documents, the information commissioner could advise the applicant to revise the ap-

plication or the information could still be given with the exempted matter deleted.

The information commissioner shall also give access to the document where there is reasonable evidence that giving access to the document is justified in the public interest with regards both to any benefit or any damage that may arise from doing so. Equally, the public official could also refuse to grant access to documents where he is satisfied that the request is made by or on behalf of a person who made a request before that was denied by the High Court or if there are reasonable grounds.

The act does not apply to the president, a commission of inquiry issued by the president, and a “public authority or function of a public authority as the president may, by order, subject to negative resolu-

tion of the National Assembly, determine. The media protection of a source is also protected under the piece of legislation. “Notwithstanding any provision of this act, where a request is made for access to a document held by the media, the media shall not be required to give access under this act to any part of the document, which discloses the source of any information obtained in the course of making any programme or broadcast,” it pointed out.

According to the legislation, the information commissioner shall be appointed by the president and should display “eminence in public life with a wide knowledge and experience in law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass media or administration, and governance”.

GMSA concerned about dithering over anti-money laundering bill

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he Guyana Manufacturing & Services Association (GMSA) said it is very seriously concerned about the dithering in the National Assembly over the very critical piece of legislation, the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill.

In a statement, the body said as is now common knowledge, the implications for missing the deadline have extremely dire consequences that will certainly stymie the growth of the economy as a whole, and will interfere with the well-being of citizens on a personal level.

“Whatever the circumstances that have stood in the way of the passage of the two previous pieces of legisla-

tion, they cannot be allowed to encroach on the anti-money laundering amendment.

Over 80 per cent of businesses in Guyana, both in the public and private sectors are linked to international institutions. By now, most citizens are aware that if we fail to meet the deadline for passage of the bill, the gains that our local entrepreneurs have fought for and won in the international marketplace could quickly erode,” the GMSA said in a statement on Wednesday. It added that Guyana being blacklisted in the global financial community just cannot be an option.

“However, while we insist that every possible effort must be made to prove that this nation is really willing to join the global fight against

Hung jury in Albouystown murder trial – accused back on remand

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fter spending nearly four years incarcerated on a 2009 murder charge, the accused, Carl Bennett was further remanded after his trial ended in a hung jury.

Bennett, of Lot 148 Cooper Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, was indicted with the murder of Marvin “Jess” Boston on October 24, 2009 in Albouystown.

The trial, which began on Thursday, was heard by Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court. During the trial the prosecution presented several witnesses including eyewitness Sonia Williams, the cousin of the deceased.

In her testimony, Williams said her brother, Reny, and the brother of the accused were fighting in a gutter, while the accused was a short distance away. She added that after the fight, Bennett left but he later returned with two knives. The accused and Boston subsequently had a confrontation during which the former stabbed the latter to the left side of his chest.

The prosecution’s other

eyewitness, Williams’ brother, Reny, is deceased, so they made a Section 95 application under the Evidence Act, for the deposition evidence of Reny to be read into evidence.

The judge granted the request, and the man’s evidence from the Magistrate’s Court was read. After this was done, the prosecution closed its case on Tuesday.

On the following day, both the prosecution and defence counsel Nigel Hughes made their closing addresses before the jury after which the trial judge summed up the evidence presented throughout the trial.

The jury panel then retired to the jury room; after deliberating for two and a half hours, the jury returned and informed the court that they had not arrived at a verdict. After enquiring whether further directions would be of assistance and being told no, the judge informed the accused that he will be retried.

It was disclosed that the jury was split of the verdict, with six believing the accused was guilty and six, not guilty.

terrorism and money laundering, we believe that all parties must take cognisance of the issues and concerns surrounding other contentious pieces of legislation, as well as the need to re-establish the Integrity and Procurement Commissions.”

The GMSA said there has to be a rapprochement among all the representative parties for the entire process to work for the good of Guyana. “We therefore entreat the members of the National Assembly to work towards completing the nec-

essary assessments and voting the amendments into law within the stipulated timeframe. We also expect that previous promises to establish those key oversight commissions would be honoured.

“The GMSA said it is looking forward to the various par-

ties in the National Assembly finding agreement on these particular issues as soon as possible. This would definitely redound to the greater good of every Guyanese citizen, individually and collectively,” the GSMA statement concluded.

8 NEWS

THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2013| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Duo remanded for possession of illegal firearm, ammo T

wo men were on Wednesday remanded to prison by Magistrate Alan Wilson when they appeared before him at the Matthews Ridge Magistrate’s Court on a charge of illegal pos-

session of ammunition and firearms.

Convey Walcott, 38, of North Haslington, East Coast Demerara and Ernest Smith, 23, of Port Kaituma, North West District were accused

of having an unlicensed 12-gauge Mosberg shotgun with one cartridge and an unlicensed .38 special revolver with two matching rounds on Monday, May 20.

The men were arrested after police conduct-

ed a search on a house at Bamboo Landing, North West District where the illegal guns and ammunition were unearthed.

Walcott and Smith will make another court appearance on April 13.

Cellphone theft suspect gets $50,000 bail

O

n Wednesday, a 20-year-old man appeared before Magistrate Fabian Azore, charged with stealing a cellular phone.

Kasey Helligar, of Lot 20 Dowding Street, Kitty, was at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to the charge of

larceny from the person.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge, which states that on May 20, at the St Gabriel’s Primary School, he stole a Samsung cellular phone from a 16-year-old boy.

The virtual complainant was unable to attend court but was represented by his mother, Sariyah Rai. Defence counsel Dexter Todd said that Helligar, who is a number plate maker, has no previous offences.

The magistrate granted the defendant bail in the sum of $50,000, and the matter will be called again on June 6.

Security guard charged for stealing

A

security guard was brought before Magistrate Fabian Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Wednesday on a charge of stealing 13 plate batteries.

It is alleged that between May 18 and May 19, Winston Haynes, of 7 ‘B’ South Sophia, a 43-year-old father of two, stole 13 plate batteries valued at $20,000, property of Muneshwar’s Limited, his employer. Haynes pleaded not guilty to the charge read against him.

The defendant, who was unrepresented, requested an early court date and reasonable bail. The magistrate granted him bail in the sum of $50,000. The matter will be heard again on June 7.

Eyew tness Mealymouthed

B

...politics

y the time you read this, Dear Reader, you’d already have known for sure what transpired in Parliament yesterday. You know how far opposition politicians are willing to stain their own country, just to grab power. It doesn’t matter that such a grab would be pyrrhic indeed: the country’s financial system would be just as hobbled and blackballed as under the present regime.

In every other country in the world, when it comes to dealing with the outside world, politicians of all shades and stripes and persuasions don’t pull down their country.

Most of them even refuse to badmouth their opponents to outsiders. But not this sorry lot in Guyana. For them, nothing is sacrosanct – and certainly not the reputation of their country.

David Granger of APNU at least gave an excuse for his action – he hadn’t received a letter from the organisation (Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF)) liaising on the change in our financial regulations. The president apologised. But we return to the AFC whose leader seems determined to break the Guinness Book of Records as to how far he can put his foot into his mouth.

First, he said that he would support the bill if the president would put the Procurement Commission in place. You’d suppose from this assertion that Ramjattan had no problem with the bill, per se, won’t you? Well, not according to Ramjattan, in his latest expostulations. The fellow now says he isn’t supporting the bill because if the country is blacklisted, this would close off the PPP boys’ participation in the “parallel” economy.

Is this chap confused or what? Is he saying that the stipulations of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, drafted by experts from G-20 wouldn’t close the very same loophole it was designed to do? Well, then Ramjattan should be in Parliament to educate the experts.

Then the artful dodger alleges the government’s been “dragging its feet on the bill for years”. According to Ramjattan, who’s obviously been consorting too long with his criminal clients, the PPP wanted to have its “boys” transfer their ill-gotten gains. Well, if that were so, shouldn’t the AFC help to pass the bill so that the “boys” would lose their loophole? Or is it that it’s the AFC “boys”, such as those that ship cocaine in pepper sauce, would be caught and hence the AFC’s inaction? Liar or lawyer!!

...wannabe writer

If Ruel Johnson’s pose as a wunderkind writer is quite frayed, the one by Neil Marks as a wunderkind reporter is simply risible – he’s never even produced anything to even strike the pose. But he’s still hoping for some sort of recognition. So he’s rushed to defend Johnson from the bitch-slap the latter received from Professor David Dabydeen.

It’s clear these twerps thought that a man of Dabydeen’s eminence would ignore their yapping at his heels. They thought wrong. Marks stated he was no writer: he needn’t have blurted out the obvious. As the lawyers say, res ipsa loquitur ...his letter itself speaks for the assertion.

Marks said he “wasn’t impressed” with Dabydeen’s reading from “Pak’s Brittainca”. He left “asking myself why”.

Well, we’ll give him the answer. He’s just too unexposed to the nuances of academic expositions. Did he know the book is a collection of writings previously published in academic journals. By describing himself as a “typical country coolie”, he insults those people – who know “yuh doan put lil bottle and big bottle pan de same shelf”.

And Marks is a very lil bottle.

...airlines

Caribbean Airlines has been losing a ton of money with its junkets for its friends and its top heavy bureaucracy. But it seems it wants to get back in the red by gouging Guyanese passengers now they’re our flag carrier. Over US$1000 to New York in the peak season? Skyway robbery!!!

news

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thursday, may 23, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

Ramotar to attend meeting with U.S. vice president in TT

P

resident Donald Ramotar is slated to join fellow Caricom heads of state in Trinidad and Tobago for an important meeting with United States Vice President Joe Biden, focusing on trade and economic development, U.S. State Department Country reports and security cooperation.

The forum scheduled for May 29 is part of a three-nation tour the U.S. vice president will be conducting at the end of this month that will also include a visit to

Brazil and Colombia, a release from the Office of the Prime Minister in Trinidad and Tobago stated.

Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon confirmed President Ramotar’s participation in the meeting during a statutory post Cabinet media briefing on Wednesday at the Office of the President. The upcoming forum presents the opportunity for the Guyana government to make known discrepancies it has been

Guyana to host investment seminar

G

uyana will join other Caricom countries in an investment seminar to further forge trade relations among its counterparts on June 27 in Guyana under the theme “Maximising investment and Opportunity”.

“Among Caricom countries, Guyana continues to attract considerable foreign direct investments…

In 2012, Guyana raked in G$300 million and this is perhaps a contribution and it is reflective in Guyana’s positive annual GDP and its economic growth for the second consecutive year,” head of the presidential secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon stated.

Luncheon also stated that the seminar is held behind the backdrop of a recent seminar held on April 17, which saw local, regional, and international stakeholders who had an opportunity to discuss the status of Guyana’s reporting in the years to come.

Dr Luncheon also disclosed that Guyana has recently signed the trade and investment framework agreement with the United States of America. Donor support in the trade and economic development, Dr Luncheon noted, is broad based and is logically entwined with the anti-money laundering bill that is “still

Dr Roger Luncheon

yet to see the day of light”.

Meanwhile, President Donald Ramotar will lead a high-level delegation to Trinidad and Tobago on May 29 for a meeting with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.

Luncheon explained that the president will highlight Guyana’s position with respect to its trade and economic development, and more so the country’s report based on the recent findings of the U.S. State Department.

Apart from the two issues mentioned, considerations on security cooperation between the U.S. and the Caricom countries will top the agenda.

Vice President Biden is also expected to meet Caricom officials to discuss matters of importance including trade and economic development.

President Donald Ramotar

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden

encountering with the U.S. State Department Country reports.

The most recent report in April had offered both praise and criticism to the Guyana government for its actions and measures implemented in several key areas.

President Ramotar at a press conference was peeved by the fact that a country with “less than stellar record on many human rights issues”, is lecturing a country that has made considerable efforts to improve the safety and secu-

rity of society.

The report presented its views on Guyana’s performance in the categories of respect for the integrity of persons, respect for civil liberties, political rights, corruption and the lack of transparency in government, government’s attitude regarding international and non-governmental investigation of alleged violations of human rights, discrimination, social abuse, trafficking in persons and workers’ rights.

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guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2013

News

Bajan immigration officer charged Guyanese urged to protect water systems with trafficking of Guyanese E A n immigration officer charged in wake of allegations of human trafficking was released on bail when he appeared in the District A Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

Ryan Rudolph Jordan, of St James, Barbados, was not required to plead to the charge that, being a public officer on February 20 this year, he provided information to a Guyanese woman he knew to be false and which he knew would be used to obtain an extension to her stay.

There was no objection to bail and Magistrate Deborah Holder released Jordan with a surety of Bds$5000. The accused, who was represented by Vonda Pile and Samuel Legay, returns to court on September 9.

Earlier this month, Barbadian police had con-

Ryan Rudolph Jordan

firmed that five Guyanese women who were allegedly caught in a Trafficking in Persons (TIP) situation in the country were in protective custody, as the investigation into the matter continues. Speaking with Guyana Times, Royal Barbados Police Force Public Relations Officer,

Inspector David Welch said then that so far three persons were charged and remanded to prison, but the investigation into the alleged trafficking is still ongoing.

Amelia Joseph, Keenon Chase, and Joan Fernandez had appeared in court and were slapped with 30 charges of suspected involvement with the trafficking of the five Guyanese women in Barbados. The girls were between the ages 17 and 21.

In addition, a 76-yearold woman has also been charged in connection with the suspected trafficking of the five Guyanese women.

The five women were reportedly arrested in bathing suits after a raid on a Nelson Street bar by law enforcement headed by the Barbados Sex Crimes and Trafficking Unit.

Relatives of the wom-

en in Guyana are not convinced that the young women are telling the truth as to what really occurred.

Following the arrest of the girls, the Home Affairs Ministry in Guyana said it has taken note of the incident and the Foreign Affairs Ministry had advised that through its consul general in Barbados, lawmen of the sister Caricom nations have been cooperating on the matter. The ministry said TIP is a transnational crime and as such, the Ministerial Task Force, through the ministries of foreign affairs and home affairs and the Guyana Police Force, has in place appropriate regional and international cooperation mechanisms to facilitate swift responses to this crime. Further, the task force stands ready to support any effort to prosecute the perpetrators.

CH&PA finalising lands for Tuschen cattle farmers

T

he Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) is in the process of finalising arrangements for 100 acres of lands to be available to the cattle farmers in Tuschen, to be used as pasture.

According to a release, in 2001, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) transferred by way of transport, 1852 acres of land at Bk “8” Tuschen and Zeelugt, East Bank Demerara, Region Three, to the

CH&PA. In 2010, the CH&PA commenced works under the government of Guyana/Inter American Development Bank, Second Low Income Settlements Programme in the Tuschen, phase two area

(eastern half).

Before this development was finalised, the cattle farmers met with officials from the agency in July 2009, to discuss alternative lands for their cattle grazing. It was agreed by both parties that the western half of Tuschen, will be given to farmers for such purposes.

very effort must be made to ensure that the country’s water systems are protected as they are key to good health, Private Sector Commission Chairman Ronald Webster said.

Webster was at the time addressing an event hosted to mark the International Day for Biological Diversity.

He emphasised that enough is not being done to safeguard the water systems. He said biodiversity underpins the functioning of the ecosystem upon which people heavily depend.

“Food, fresh water, health and recreation protect us from national disaster and the loss of biodiversity is a profound concern,” Webster pointed out. He said Guyana’s wealth of biodiversity is a source of livelihood for a large portion of the population and contributes to the national economy in a substantial way.

“Biodiversity is the basis of our production sector, such as agriculture, fisheries, forestry and wildlife, hence it is essential we maintain it,” he affirmed.

Therefore, biodiversity must be recognised as an important national asset in any country. According to him, this provides many economic options and there must be a total commitment to its protection by every citizen.

“The private sector and the citizens should be elated by the fact that Guyana has recognised the critical importance of protecting and promoting our wealth of biodi-

versity,” Webster noted.

Acting Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Director Sahrifah Razack, who also addressed the gathering, said persons may want to ask, “Why all the fuss about water?... the truth is both developed and developing countries are finding it a major challenge to sustain quality and availability of water. It is easy to take water for granted; after all, we need to do is turn on the tap,” she explained.

However, it is a challenge to provide water to meet the world’s needs “Ecosystems such as forests and grasslands are important to the earth’s water supply, they regulate and clean our water, if we degrade and destroy them, then our water will be degraded and our water supply will be reduced; in other words, our water security will be affected.”

She said in terms of global risks, a water security crisis is ranked second only to major systematic financial failure, and is very high on political agendas.

She highlighted that water keeps ecosystems going and ecosystems in turn keeps water flowing, hence this International Day for Biological Diversity is pointing to the role biodiversity is playing, in making water available in terms of quantity and quality, and creating opportunities for solutions for conservation ecosystems.

The EPA is Guyana’s focal point for the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity (UNCBD).

COHSOD opens today; focuses on culture, education

C

ulture and education will be under the microscope when the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) meets here today.

Over the two days, ministers of education and culture will hold discussions on a 16-point agenda that

places emphasis on matters including the role of culture and education in the development of the ideal Caribbean person; the development of skills sets for the knowledge economy; access, quality and coordination at all levels of education; and violence against children.

According to a Caricom Secretariat release, the meeting will focus also on the draft regional development strategy for the cultural industries in Caricom and its implications for education and culture; technical and vocational education and training; and promoting healthy lifestyles in the development of the ideal Caribbean person. Ministers will be updated on the preparations for the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) XI which will be held in Paramaribo, Suriname from August 16 to 25.

The COHSOD will be formally opened today at the Pegasus Hotel. The opening ceremony will feature addresses by Trinidad and Tobago Tertiary Education and Skills Training Minister Fazal Karim, Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony and Caricom Assistant Secretary General, Foreign and Community Relations, Ambassador Colin Granderson.

Human and Social Development Directorate, Officer-in-Charge Myrna Bernard will chair the event.

11 News

guyanatimesgy.com

thursday, may 23, 2013

Granger denies ties with Police under pressure to solve Sheema Mangar’s murder Edmond Braithwaite A L eader of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) David Granger has distanced himself from allegations that were made in the media which links him and his party to former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) colleague Edmon Braithwaite, who has been fingered in a corrupt U.S. probe.

Speaking with Guyana Times during a telephone interview on Wednesday, Granger claimed he has not spoken with his former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) colleague Edmon Braithwaite for almost 30 years.

“I have not spoken or seen Mr Braithwaite in 30 years, he is not associat-

ed with me in anyway, he did not play any part in the 2011 campaign, he is not part of the APNU and he is not involved with me in anyway,” Granger stated.

He said Braithwaite has no affiliation with the APNU or himself and has expressed disappointment at the allegations being made. These statements are mischievous, he said.

A recently published article in one section of the media said a close friend of Granger is being fingered in a corruption and embezzlement scandal that led to charges against New York Senator John Sampson.

The report was based on reports from a New York’s Union source. It said that Braithwaite is being investi-

gated in connection with the inability of officials to account for US$39,560 in taxpayers’ money that indicted Senator John Sampson steered to a now-defunct Brooklyn charity operated

by Edmon Braithwaite.

The article went on to say that sources said Braithwaite is known to have shared ties with the Peoples National Congress (PNC) and has been backing different candidates from time to time to take over the leadership of that party, particularly when it was headed by the then leader Robert Corbin. It also made allegations that Braithwaite also raised substantial funds for the PNC/APNU during its 2011 elections campaign.

“Rambo” jailed, fined for smoking ganja

T

hirty-year-old Clive Gonsalves also known as “Rambo”, of Dredge Creek, Upper Pomeroon was fined and jailed for one year for smoking cannabis.

He appeared at the Charity Magistrates' Court before Magistrate Sunil Scarce where he pleaded guilty.

According to police reports, Gonsalves was caught on May 20 during a police patrol smoking a joint at Charity Backstreet. When police approached him, he squeezed it in his hands.

He was subsequently taken into custody. He was fined the sum of $10,000 together

with one year imprisonment.

He told the court he uses the cannabis for asthma.

Magistrate Scarce told him that he could have been jailed for up to three years, but he considered that it was his first time and he had pleaded guilty at the earliest chance.

lmost three years after the murder of former Demerara Bank employee, Sheema Mangar, the government is calling on the Barbados Forensic Laboratory to release the reports on the samples that were sent for testing.

Mangar, 21, was killed in September 2010 when she was run over by a car on Camp Street as she tried to retrieve her stolen cellular phone from one of its occupants. In a statement issued by the Home Affairs Ministry, it has reconfirmed that two submissions were made to the Barbados Forensic Laboratory, on November 05, 2010 and August 30, 2011, respectively. This had to do with samples of hair and a piece of cloth recovered from two cars that fitted the description of the vehicle that was used in the act.

A report on the first submission was received in August 2011, when a Guyana Police Force representative travelled to Barbados to make a second submission. While the samples were lodged with the Barbadian officials, it was only recently revealed

Dead: Sheema Mangar

that the Barbados Forensic Laboratory recommenced operations late 2011, having been closed for repairs from 2009 to 2011.

Apart from the efforts of the Guyana Police Force, the ministry is now in touch with the head of the laboratory with a request that a report on the second submission be expedited.

The Home Affairs Ministry agreed that there has been a halt in the investigation into the unfortunate death of Mangar. The ministry said it is cognisant that by now, more progress should have been made, and main-

tains that this crime would be ultimately solved by the Guyana Police Force.

The ministry noted it will maintain a close interest since its officials share the sentiments of the grieving parents and relatives and wish to see the matter brought to closure to the satisfaction of Mangar’s family. After the young woman’s death, the police force had said that no stone would be left unturned in solving the murder, but to date, the woman’s relatives are still to get justice.

A number of persons have been questioned but no one was charged since the police were awaiting the reports from the samples that were sent overseas. Mangar was at North Road and Camp Street, Georgetown, waiting for transport when her BlackBerry cellphone was snatched from her.

The Demerara Bank employee gave chase but the alleged robber entered a vehicle that drove off and in an effort to stop it, she stood in front, but was run over and dragged several feet before it sped away.

The incident occurred on September 11.

12 NEWS

THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2013 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Let’s cooperate for Guyana!

– Ramotar makes plea for opposition to pass anti-money laundering bill sumers to national institutions and large scale enterprises.

By Michael Younge

P

resident Donald Ramotar has made a special appeal to the 10th tenth Parliament, particularly the opposition to “do all that is possible” to ensure that the proposed amendments to the AntiMoney Laundering and Counter the Financing of Terrorism Bill are passed into law before March 27 as the country will face serious international sanctions and blacklisting if the opposite occurs.

Ramotar’s unprecedented appeal came on Wednesday when lawmakers met to discuss several issues related to the business of the country, even though surprisingly, the amendments did not form part of the agenda for the 57th sitting of the National Assembly, despite its importance.

“I am calling on the parliamentary political parties and their representatives in the special select committee on the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism

Time is ripe

President Donald Ramotar

Amendment Bill to do all that is possible to complete the review of this bill and return it to the House expeditiously,” he insisted.

Calling on the parliamentarians to demonstrate unity, zeal and a rebirth of the patriotic sentiments, the president said Guyana’s destiny was in their hands, especially as one contemplates the impact that the non-approval of the legislation will have on Guyana’s economy, ranging from small businesses and con-

He said the time is ripe again for compromise and the need for politicians to act maturely, demonstrating their ability to rise to the occasion as was done in other developing countries that faced similar consequences with the passage of the amendments.

“It may be important to consider that many other countries in the Caricom region have also experienced challenges as small and developing countries in meeting the recommendations established by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force in the international cooperation review group in order to reduce structural and administrative deficiencies” in the current architecture of the legislation while meeting international protectionist financial standards.

He maintained that there was a need for re-engagement at the level of

the special select parliamentary committee which was reviewing the proposed amendments to the bill.

Discussions came to a halt after Opposition Leader David Granger withdrew his representatives from engagements at the commitment level after he felt slighted that the government withheld some information about the amendments from the opposition, despite advice which suggested the need for all stakeholders to have access to the information.

President Ramotar also urged that Parliament convenes a special meeting to exclusively address the second and third meeting of the bill with the view of completing work ahead of the review process which commences on April 26.

“I am calling on all Members of Parliament to do all that is possible to re -engage at the parliamentary special select committee to bring the bill back to the House on May 24, or the latest May 28…” Ramotar insisted.

“Guyana’s destiny is in

your hands and I anticipate as Guyanese first and leaders of our political parties, we shall not be found wanting... I don’t expect that the support will limit the opposition’s right to criticise what it sees as deficiencies...” the head of state said. His letter was also read in the 65seat legislature by leader of government business in the House, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, at the commencement of Wednesday’s sitting.

Return to talks

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader David Granger announced the APNU’s intentions to return to the discussions table at the level of the special parliamentary select committee to complete the review of the amendments proposed to the act.

Granger, speaking with journalists during the break, said while he was not satisfied with the president and government en bloc, he understood the importance of resuming engagements at the level of Parliament.

He has put some of his lo-

gistical concerns aside. “We want to get ahead with the business before the select committee and that is what we are doing,” the opposition leader noted, warning nonetheless that the coalition will not be rushed into meeting any government deadline. He explained that the amendment bill will be brought before the National Assembly when the select committee completes its deliberations and said that there could lots of dangers in passing amendments unanimously and without review for the country despite the urgency of the issue at hand.

“We are prepared to give the people of Guyana a money laundering act they can live with… No matter how long it takes, the public will get a good act…,” he stressed. Despite, President Ramotar’s unprecedented appeal, the Alliance For Change (AFC) continued its hardline position and did not signal any shifting in its posture or demands made at the onset of consideration of the amendments proposed by government.

Anti-money laundering bill

Guyana will seek extension of deadline – Nandlall to make petition at Nicaragua plenary

By Michael Younge

G

uyana’s attorney general, Anil Nandlall is expected to travel to Nicaragua to make a special appeal for an extension of the deadline by which the country must comply with international recommendations which have been proposed to the extant laws. This is in a bid to avoid economic and financial sanctions as well as blacklisting related to the legislature’s non-approval of the amendment to the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Financing of Terrorism Act. This newspaper understands that Nandlall may end up leading Guyana’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) delegation, which will be making the nation’s case before the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force in Nicaragua from May 26, if the special select committee is unable to complete work on the amendment to the legislation. If the work of the committee is wrapped up in time, Nandlall could still be forced to make the trip in the event that the bill is defeated in the National Assembly.

Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon, speaking with the media earlier on Wednesday, said that he was disappointed by the collective attitude of the opposition political parties

that continue their deliberate campaign of procrastination aimed at frustrating the passage of the bill and flexing their majoritarian muscles in the 65-seat legislature.

“I don’t see what other options exist for the attorney general, so I suspect, among the things he will be pressing for would be some extension, some delay, because it would be quite clear that he would not be taking to the meeting an assented copy of the bill,” Dr Luncheon explained.

He expressed disappointment over the progress made thus far at the level of the committee, describing it as “very slow”. He does not believe that the committee will be able to complete its work if the apparent lack of commitment of some opposition members continues.

Urgent importance

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds called for an adjournment of the planned business of the National Assembly on Wednesday afternoon, to introduce and discuss in detail an urgent matter of public importance, but his request was disallowed by Deputy Speaker Deborah Backer, who was presiding over the House in the absence of Speaker Raphael Trotman.

Backer, who is a sitting parliamentarian for the A Partnership for National

Attorney General Anil Nandlall

Unity, refused to entertain the formal request. She said that it did not meet the criteria to be deemed “of definite public importance” or “urgent” in nature, since the related issue has been in the public domain for a number of weeks and has been engaging the attention of a parliamentary committee.

However, the prime minister disagreed, saying the amendment to the act being faced with the opposition’s non-support despite the sanctions which loomed as the May 27 deadline nears was both “urgent” and “of definite public importance”.

Housing Minister Irfaan Ali sought to intervene after Backer gave her ruling, but was debarred from making any statements to give more potency to the government’s arguments in support of the amendments.

AG Nandlall said it was disappointing that the opposition could not consider the merits of the arguments as far as implications for Guyana were concerned if the amendment was not passed. Nandlall had tabled a series of proposed changes and recommendations made by the international financial task force as a single amendment to the principal act after a lengthy period of review and engagements with key stakeholders. The amendment was tabled and read for the first time on April 22, and were read for the second time on May 7. It was subsequently sent to a special select committee by the opposition for scrutiny.

Timely passage

He said from the onset, he informed the legislature of the importance of the bill, the need for its timely passage through the House, as well as the consequences for its non-approval.

Making a statement as a minister in the Parliament, Nandlall said the opposition insisted on sending the legislation to a select committee despite his argument about the precarious position in which Guyana would find itself were the deadline not met.

He informed Parliament that since then, only four meetings were convened to discuss the critical amendment on May 8, 13, 16, and

20 respectively, with the last ending prematurely after opposition members withdrew.

The AG revealed that despite government’s meeting all of the requests of the opposition at that parliamentary level, the APNU voted down its request for meetings to take place daily, given the urgency of the matter at hand. The opposition after working out the modalities and functions of the committee, requested that 1) notices be placed in all papers inviting members of the public to send it contributions in writing; 2) specific agencies be written to inviting submissions; 3) a list of all documents of the recommendations, reports, and correspondence with Guyana on this matter be made available; and 4) names of experts that government would have in the committee to assist the body among others.

“This single request of the government was rejected,” he said with dismay, as he chronicled other developments which took place in the interim.

Nandlall maintained that it was no surprise that Guyana was obligated to review and make legislative changes to its anti-money laundering laws with the aim of complying with international standards.

In government’s defence, he noted that all of the rec-

ommendations did not come at once, stating that 90 per cent of them translated into minor legislative changes.

Additionally, Nandlall, who is also Guyana’s legal affairs minister, reported on Wednesday that the country had expanded the supervisory regime, which would govern several sectors and bodies with respect to the anti-money laundering laws.

Nandlall named casinos, cooperatives and credit unions, friendly societies, dealers in previous metals and rare stones, money transfer agencies, trust companies, financial agencies, and cambios in listing sectors and entities, which fall under the expanded regime.

The AG warned that should Guyana find itself on a non-cooperative list, all Guyanese engaged in any business transaction that involves the movement of monies could be adversely affected as the transactions will be intensely scrutinised, thus creating significant delays in the financial and banking system, citing other instances in other jurisdictions and countries.

He said this would be counterproductive for Guyanese trade, business and finances. He even said that Guyana could find itself being forced to report semi-annually at considerable costs to the committee in France.

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thursday, may 23, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

Opposition votes down new environmental tax – ignores Guyana’s breach of regional treaties

By Michael Younge

T

he opposition political parties used their one-seat majority in the 65-seat National Assembly to vote down a newly-proposed environmental tax, which would not have only resulted in positive benefits for the business community but would have seen Guyana honouring outstanding obligations under several regional and international agreements.

The A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) took a hard-line position on the imposition of the new tax after it failed to persuade the government to defer the second presentation and reading of the Customs Amendment Bill, No 2 of 2013, which was published on January 8, when Parliament met on Wednesday. As was expected, the APNU had already secured the support of the Alliance For Change (AFC) to seal the deal.

Minister within the Finance Ministry, Juan Edghill, who piloted the second reading of the bill, told Parliament that government had deferred the presentation of the bill at the request of the opposition to allow for more consultations on its content

duced an environmental tax on imported beverages in specified containers through an amendment of Section Seven of the Customs Act in 1995. The new Section 7 (a) stipulated that an environmental tax shall be levied at a rate of 10 dollars on every unit of nonreturnable metal, plastic, glass or cardboard containers of any alcoholic or non-alcoholic item imported into Guyana. Importers are required to pay these taxes when customs duties are paid.

The tax was introduced, according to Minister Edghill, largely because non-returnable beverage containers negatively impact Guyana’s environment, owing to their nonbiodegradable nature and improper disposal.

He said that it was deemed reasonable to expect that a clean-up cost be borne by the businesses concerned.

“The issues, however, here is that the environmental tax as currently applied here by Guyana has been determined by the Council for Trade and Economic Development of Caricom to be discriminatory on the grounds that it applies to imports only and not on domestically-produced goods,” the junior fi-

Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett

and the possible implications.

nance minister articulated.

No substantive objections

He said the amendment being proposed would bring Guyana in line with treaty obligations. “It is as simple as that. The amendment is seeking to amend the first schedule of the customs act by the deletion of Section 7 (a) and to implement the new legislation for the administration of the environmental tax. It is intended to bring Guyana in compliance with its obligations under the Treaty of Chaguaramas and the World Trade Organisation Convention…,”the minister contended.

“Up until today’s sitting when I was approached again for a deferral by Mr Greenidge, no substantive objections to this bill was made. I don’t believe that this is a matter that would attract any significant controversy, or it’s a matter that is set in any difficult circumstances,” the minister declared, as he highlighted the intentions and benefits of the bill.

This newspaper understands that on February 15, 1995 Guyana intro-

Treaty obligations

Minister within the Finance Ministry, Juan Edghill

He advised that the current provision imposes environmental taxes solely on non-disposable containers of imported alcoholic beverages, noting that this is not only discriminatory but it is in breach of Guyana’s obligations under the treaty and conventions, exposing the country to possible litigations and sanctions.

The new amendment seeks to apply a tax on both imported and local non-returnable alcoholic containers. Government is also proposing to reduce the rate of the tax from $10 to $5 in an effort to allow the tax to remain revenue neutral and to render the legislation non applicable on beverages being exported from Guyana.

This provision although it imposes an additional tax on domestic manufacturers of alcoholic beverages, encourages the said manufacturers to retrieve and re-export the said goods, he noted. Edghill admitted that while some local companies may have concerns about this particular amendment, consultations were held. He stressed that the bottom line is that the delays cannot continue.

“Doing government a favour”

APNU’s chief financial spokesperson, Carl Greenidge disagreed with government’s position, arguing that it was not coming clean about the real reasons Guyana was moving toward implementing the tax measure.

Clarifying the opposition’s request for deferral of the second reading, the parliamentarian said it was doing the government a favour, as the finance minister had not completed his engagements with the private sector on the bill before presenting it to the Parliament.

“We were facilitating the government,” he insisted before stating that

the opposition did not buy government’s argument of satisfying its treaty obligations as justification of the tax.

“There is no such legislation in Caricom... we have no obligation with Caricom to implement such a tax. There is no obligation to implement any environmental tax in such a manner as the minister is proposing,” he emphasised.

Greenidge offered that Caricom became involved because the government discriminated against persons who were exporting to Guyana through customs legislation.

The legislation has arisen “in a bid to correct a lawless act”, he alleged, stating that it was passed when it was not in coherence with the Treaty of Chaguaramas. He even went further, saying that “it is unfortunate that the minister should be suggesting that there is bad faith on this side. The idea that there is no substantive criticism of the legislation is wrong”.

The APNU parliamentarian said government needed to review the structure of the tax to make it worthy of the label ‘environmental’.

Must honour commitments

Rebutting Greenidge’s stance on the issue, Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett said the ruling administration was more than sympathetic to the concerns of the private sector which will be affected by the legislation.

She said that government was not shutting the door to further consultations on mitigating the impact the tax may have on the businesses in the short- and long-term period but underscored the importance of Guyana honouring its commitments to Caricom, the European Union, and the World

Trade Organisation on the issues of fair trade and non-discriminatory taxation of both imports and exports.

“We cannot address those issues by being noncompliant with our obligations, as we too are exporters... we therefore have to find legal mechanisms to support our local manufacturers to cushion the effects of these proposals and our government is open to these discussions”, she explained.

Minister RodriguesBirkett said that government wanted to make the current tax non-discriminatory and the administration would remain open on how to expend the resources garnered from the revenue-neutral tax.

“Madam Speaker, this has been the subject of all of the COTED meetings that I have attended over the last five years or so,” she said. This newspaper understands that back in 2005 Caricom looked at the implementation of this tax in nine member states and found that six, including Guyana, were applying the tax on a discriminatory basis. Since that study, member states sought to address the matter, but it was elevated to the level of the Caricom heads of gov-

“Even though I recognise the importation of beverages from Europe is about two per cent, I recognise that the passage of this legislation will bring us into conformity with our obligations under the EPA.” She warned that Guyana has already made commitments to the World Trade Organisation to review the tax too. The bulk of beverage imported in 2011 came from Trinidad – 55 per cent, with 22 per cent coming from Suriname, and nine per cent from the U.S. Several countries are emerging as exporters to Guyana, such as Turkey, Panama, Mexico, Thailand, Singapore, Denmark, Poland, and Singapore. She advised that there is less wiggle room for countries, as some are being dragged before the Caribbean Court of Justice for breach of their obligations under the Treaty of Chaguaramas.

The maker of Thrill soft drinks, Suriname-based Rudisa Beverages, has taken Guyana to the Caribbean Court of Justice to reclaim millions of dollars in environmental tax. Rudisa forked out more than US$4 million to Guyana in recent years. The company argued that Guyana and Suriname are both part of

APNU’s chief financial spokesperson, Carl Greenidge

ernment because Guyana and St Lucia were not compliant.

Issues with EU likely

“If this amendment is successful today then all of our countries in Caricom would be compliant with respect to this issue of an environmental tax,” Rodrigues-Birkett advised.

She stated that Parliament could not further stall the passage of the important amendment to the customs act, as she noted that issues could arise concerning Article 27 of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) inked with the EU back in 2008.

Caricom, which allows for non-tax trade among member states.

“Guyana has no right of Suriname to require that every exporter of spirits to pay the environmental levy,” officials of the company are quoted as saying.

Rudisa, owned by Suriname businessman Dilap Sardjoe, said tax has placed them at a disadvantage in the Guyanese market, increasing the cost of their product beyond that of local soft drinks. Despite complaints to the authorities in Suriname and Guyana, there was no resolution and Rudisa was forced to turn to the regional court for help.

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thursday, may 23, 2013

guyanatimesgy.com

News

All hands on deck to minimise Regional armed forces conference opens in Washington high tide damage

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Flashback: A huge wave surges over the sea wall during the highest tide experienced in Guyana in April

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ecessary steps have been taken through collaborative efforts between the government and the Georgetown City Council to deal with possible high tides.

City Engineer Lloyd Alleyne said that arrangements are in place and City Hall is working along with the Local Government Ministry to monitor kokers and drainage systems in light of expected high tides.

Alleyne said workmen have already been dispatched to the various pump sites, while ground visits will be made to those areas that are likely to be affected.

The Public Works Ministry has issued a warning to the general public, urging them to take all necessary precautions during

the spring tide period of May 22-30. High tides have been predicted to be above the normal levels.

Sandbags have been placed as a precautionary measure from Kingston to Ogle, in light of the recent overtopping. The extremely high tides, which propelled huge waves, began in April.

The highest tide of 3.11 metres overwhelmed the sea defence between Liliendaal and Vlissingen Road a few weeks back, resulting in the flooding of the northern carriageway of the Rupert Craig Highway and neighbouring communities on the East Coast of Demerara, like Bel Air Gardens, Bel Air Springs, and Blygezigt.

Some other coastal communities around the country were affected.

The abnormal high tide was coupled with waves riding as high as 1.5 metres, Public Works Minister Robeson Benn said.

The flooding was caused by clogged drains which were unable to drain the water from the land, a direct result of the careless dumping of garbage.

The Public Works Ministry has since banned the Sunday sea wall lime in that vicinity.

Citizens are being urged not to remove the bags, as was in the case previously. Also, persons are being asked to desist from dumping garbage and other refuse over the sea wall or in nearby drainage canals, since these are some of the contributing factors to the flooding.

Jamaica to table amendments to Caricom skills legislation

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he Jamaican government is to table amendments to the Caribbean Community Free Movement of Skilled Persons Act to broaden the categories of skilled nationals able to access jobs in regional countries.

Labour and Social Security Minister Derrick Kellier will table the amendments to increase the categories of workers who can apply for a Caricom Skills Certificate. Under the present Caricom Skills Certificate in Jamaica, the categories of skilled workers currently able to access employment in other Caribbean islands are artistes, musicians, holders of degrees from recognised tertiary educational institutions, journalists/media workers, and sportsmen and women.

The proposed amendments will legally extend this facilitation to nurses, teachers, and workers holding specific categories of vocational qualifications, and are currently being addressed administratively.

These revisions will also empower the minister, by virtue of a ministerial order, to effect future amendments to the act, implement an administrative system of processing applications, and set a schedule for payments.

The Caribbean Community (Free Movement of Skilled Persons) Act was promulgated by Parliament in July 1997, in furtherance of the provisions of the 1989 Grand Anse Declaration that underpins the advancement of the Caribbean regional integration process through the creation of a Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME).

The CSME allows for the free movement of skills, services, goods, and labour across the 15-member regional grouping. The act’s original concept has been modified over the years in efforts to facilitate full implementation of the free movement of skills mandate. This entails the right to seek employment in any Caricom member state and

elimination of the need for work permits and permits of stay (residence). The revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, which was instituted in 2000, provides the formal legal provision of the Caricom policy.

Official government statistics show that Jamaica issued an overall 2745 certificates to locals and nationals from several other territories, who submitted applications between 1997 and March 31 this year. The majority of these, 2608, were awarded over the last six years, the figures show with Jamaican nationals receiving the most certificates – 1792, followed by Trinidad and Tobago nationals – 295.

Other countries whose nationals were issued with certificates in Jamaica include: Guyana – 195; Barbados – 128; St Vincent and the Grenadines – 36; Antigua and Barbuda – 35; St Lucia – 29; St Kitts and Nevis – 26; Belize – 21; Dominica – 20; Grenada – 14; Montserrat – 7; Suriname – 6; and Haiti – 4. (CMC)

rganisation of American States (OAS) Secretary General José Miguel Insulza on Wednesday opened a two-day symposium on “The armed forces and their participation in public security and development assignments”, being held at the InterAmerican Defence College (IADC) in Washington, DC. The event, organised by the Inter-American Defence Board (IADB), with the support of the OAS Secretariat for Multidimensional Security, the Centre for Hemispheric Studies, and the IADC, aims to promote “the exchange of experiences among countries on the use of the armed forces against non-traditional threats,” explained the director general of the general secretariat of the IADB, Major General Juarez Aparecido de Paula, from Brazil.

Secretary General Insulza emphasised in his speech that the spread of democracy in the region in recent decades has meant that “the concept of our role in terms of defence and security has changed in this period.” “In a peaceful hemisphere, the tasks have to be redefined,” said Secretary General Insulza, adding that “in a democratic hemisphere, tasks have to be carried out while always keeping in mind the importance of maintaining the authority of civil governments

throughout the region.”

In this new geopolitical context, said the leader of the hemispheric institution, “new problems must be faced, which may require organised, and sometimes even military action, or at least action that is organised with military criteria and discipline”. That, according to the secretary general, “led to a redefinition of the concept of security in the hemisphere and the development of the concept of multidimensional security”.

New challenges

New challenges can be understood, said Secretary General Insulza, in two fundamental categories: first, “emergencies – serious crisis situations caused by some phenomenon – whether earthquake-related, climatic or some pandemic that requires nationwide organisation, discipline and management, something that the armed forces are better able to handle, while always remaining subordinate to civilian power; and, second, when civil authorities consider sectors of society have gone outside the law, affecting the stability of the state and affecting their geographical presence in the nation or generating armed confrontation against society and the nation as a whole.”

Several countries in the region have valuable experience dealing with these types of challenges, said the secretary general, adding that “we want to learn about those experiences; we should work with them but in a way that is respectful of the political, constitutional and legal systems of the members of this organisation.”

For his part, InterAmerican Defence College (IADC) Director, U.S. Rear Admiral Jeffrey Lemmons, welcomed the participants in the symposium, and stressed the importance the institution he leads gives to “the words and actions of our leaders”, which define “the rules we will abide by and obey”.

Rear Admiral Lemmons presented the IADC to the attendees as the place where “we study and prepare our students and our graduates to be responsive to the things that are of importance to the OAS and to the nations.”

IADB chair, Lieutenant General Guy Thibault, from Canada, explained that the central theme of the symposium is “how can we take all the tools we have available to address the threats we face?” The seminar will focus on “advancing ideas on how the military can and should be involved in matters important to giving our citizens better security”,

Robust economic growth is the tonic for Caricom debt, fiscal mess – CDB head

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he board of governors of the Barbadosbased Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) began a two-day meeting in St Lucia on Wednesday with a warning to regional countries that while they urgently need to address their fiscal and debt issues, a narrow adjustment programme will be unsustainable.

CDB President Dr Warren Smith told the opening ceremony attended by several government leaders, finance ministers, and representatives from regional and international financial institutions that an optimal adjustment strategy cannot ignore the principal casualties of fiscal tightening.

“It ought to include mechanisms to cushion the impact on the most vulnerable, and provide practical pathways to their economic and social empowerment,” Smith said, noting that the ultimate route out of the fiscal and debt trap is robust economic growth.

“This will require appropriate domestic policy reforms, underpinned by front-loaded climate and economic resiliency measures,” Smith said in his address titled “Imperatives

for Securing Our Caribbean Future”.

He said debt relief for highly-indebted middle-income Caribbean countries is now important and its legitimacy should be the outcome of broad-based discussions between donors and borrowing member countries (BMCs) and could be executed through the multilateral financial institutions, such as CDB.

“One size does not fit all”

He said while Caribbean countries misdiagnosed the severity and duration of the international recession, and consequently, moved too slowly to begin their fiscal and structural adjustment, there are three important requirements for a successful adjustment. Smith said that debt restructuring, if necessary, should be tailored to the specific realities of the country, warning “one size does not fit all”.

Meanwhile, St Lucia’s Prime Minister Dr Kenny Anthony called on the international financial institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to develop a

new strategic partnership with the region. Anthony, in a wide ranging address, said the financial institutions “prescribe for us, but very rarely do we tell them what we expect of them, what we want from them”.

He said the international institutions, in which the region holds membership, must be able to “facilitate our integration into the global economy. “To do this, we must be very clear of our objectives and our relations with these institutions. The IMF, for instance, must join with us to petition the international community for special terms on which debt can either be restructured or reduced.

“If the institution insists that debt above certain levels is a binding constraint on growth and countries have exhausted all the avenues recommended by them, then the international community will have to play a critical role so that growth can be re-started”.

Anthony added that the World Bank group must also be encouraged to mobilise significant funding on reasonable terms for infrastructural development “and to re-start the growth process”.

15 News

guyanatimesgy.com

thursday, may 23, 2013

Six AWOL soldiers jailed S

ix Guyana Defence Force (GDF) ranks are to be incarcerated for being Absent Without Leave (AWOL) and desertion after their court martial trials concluded on May 15, the army said in a statement.

Corporal Jerome Gomes and ordinary ratings Anthony Mortley and Gavin Andrews were sentenced to three months imprisonment after being

charged with the offence of AWOL. Gomes was represented by Attorney James Bond while Mortley and Andrews were unrepresented.

Corporals Ptolemy Ireland and Ravin Carroll were sentenced to three months and four months imprisonment respectively, after being charged with the offence of desertion. They were both un-

represented. Meanwhile, Private Kumar Shivlochan who was charged with the offence of AWOL was sentenced to 42 days detention and discharge with ignominy. He too was unrepresented.

Gomes, Mortley, Andrews, Ireland and Carroll are to be incarcerated at state prisons. The trials commenced and ended on May 15, and all the accused pleaded guilty.

Government urged to focus on TVET programmes

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arbados Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) Council Manager Wendy McClean said Caribbean countries must place more emphasis on the development of such educational training in the region.

McClean was speaking at a Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) audit workshop organised by the Caricom Education for Employment Project with support from the Caribbean Association of National Training Agencies (CANTA) and hosted by Guyana’s National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD).

McClean stated that TVET is finally getting the recognition it needs which should satisfy those who have laboured in the field for a number of years.

“Apart from the obvious link between skills and economic development and the growing demand for competencebased education and training, it is the leadership of key entities that has helped place TVET at the centre of social and economic development,” McClean related.

Making reference to Caricom, which, through the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD), has established a regional coordinating mechanism for TVET, McClean remarked that the organisation has also highlighted the value of the disciple by entering into partnerships aimed at strengthening the TVET systems in member states.

Standards for training assessment

According to McClean, these partnerships include links with the

Consultant Craig Morrison

Caricom Education for Employment Project and CANTA, which developed the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) and made available 193 regional occupational standards for training assessment and certification.

The organisation has also facilitated the provision of technical assistance to fledging national training agencies and TVET councils, and has coordinated the development of the Revised Regional Technical TVET Strategy for workplace development and economic competitiveness.

Global standards

McClean acknowledged the work of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), which has several projects in the region which support the development of TVET systems in member states.

She remarked that CIDA has been contributing to TVET through the provision of technical assistance, the sharing of expertise, and funding to allow participation in meetings and workshops thus strengthening the human capacity of institutions and national training agencies.

“TVET is now getting serious recognition; however, the effort to sustain this and achieve the much-sought-after parity of esteem requires champions like you to ensure that the national TVET system delivers a workforce training that is sustainable, demand-led, relevant, and of such a high quality that the beneficiaries possess the skills, knowledge and behaviour that make them capable of competing anywhere in the world,” the Barbados TVET manager noted.

McClean said the objectives of the workshop are to provide a general overview of the quality assurance requirement for the delivery of the CVQ, to develop an understanding of the evaluation activities conducted as part of the CVQ awarding body’s approval process and to prepare participants to identify any gaps in readiness for an evaluation.

Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) consultant Craig Morrison, who works through the Caricom Education for Employment Project and is attached to the Linden Technical Institute, said that the association is the executing agency for a $20 million CIDA-funded project.

Morison revealed that the five-year programme is geared at working with Caricom partners to help build capacity in the TVET field, and commended the TVET staff for the diligent efforts displayed in developing technical and vocational training in Guyana.

“We are hoping that very soon the Caribbean Vocational Qualification will be offered here incountry,” Morrison stated.

Journalist traces horrific journey of Indian immigrants to Guyana

A section of the gathering at the lecture

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uyanese-American journalist Gautra Bahadur on Tuesday evening detailed the conditions endured by female indentured immigrants as she brought the curtains down on the Culture Ministry’s Commemorative Lecture Series on the arrival of Indians in Guyana.

Before revealing the harsh conditions endured

by Indian women who journeyed to Guyana, Bahadur said she has visited not only Guyana but India in a quest to excavate the truth on not only the conditions endured, but the significant roles played by women in the development of Guyana during this era.

As she addressed the packed audience in the presence of the Culture Minister Dr Frank Anthony, University of Guyana ProChancellor Prem Misir, government officials and members of the diplomatic community, the journalist referenced her book Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture, as she painted a vivid picture of the journey.

Before journeying to Guyana, Bahadur said the women like men and children were stripped of their belongings before being packed into ships for the rough journey to South America. It was a psychological process, she lamented.

She explained the women at the time did not only face the stern reality of developing life in a strange land, but had to grapple with the fact that they were leaving behind some of their children and other relatives.

“I think that the women that left India as coolies did so quiet on purpose. It may be that the circumstances were too traumatic to remember, much less reclaim.

It may be that their emotions were too conflicted.”

Many of the women, like her great-grandmother, Bahadur said were pregnant. She pointed to the fact that from the total number of women who journeyed to South American, 71 per cent were without their husbands while 70 per cent were pregnant. Though horrifying, the American journalist said Indian women saw the journey as an opportu-

nity to escape the harsh reality of their lives in Indian, which included neglect, and at times abuse. For the first time they were given the opportunity to earn a living for themselves.

As indentured immigrants, she posited the women not only worked, but were used as sex partners, housekeepers and cooks.

Jealousy

However, this she said did not come without a price, as jealousy developed and sadly give birth to domestic violence, a problem Guyana is still grappling with as a nation.

“Women during indentureship possessed a greater power to remain themselves, unlike men because they were in demand as sex partners.”

According to the journalist, evidence surfaced that women were brutal-

tured themselves. The vast majority were not literate in English or any English or any Indian languages so they didn’t leave behind diaries or letters and this applies especially to the women, they did not write down their own stories in their own words.”

It must be noted, she said, the lives and experiences of the indentured Indians were told through the eyes of those who held power.

Dr Anthony said the three lectures which formed part of the Commemorative Lecture Series on the Arrival of Indians in Guyana would be compiled and published before the end of the year.

In similar fashion, lectures conducted in February to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Berbice Slave Uprising will also be published. He said for both the indentured and slavery periods, much emphasis

Guyanese-American journalist Gautra Bahadur delivering her presentation

ly chopped when their husbands who they had sought better lives with became suspicious.

However, it cannot go unrecorded, the difficulty experienced in the quest to unearth the critical information in compiling her book. According to Bahadur, for many years, she combed through ship reports, inquiries into plantation uprisings and private dossiers of officials and newspapers to establish a balance account of what transpired.

However, “these official papers were one sided… the archives leave gaps missing with very few exceptions are the voices of the inden-

was placed on the significant roles played by men while women were hidden in their shadows.

In addition to the lecture series, Minister Anthony said the Guyana National Archive is currently in the process of digitising documents and audio on the arrival of Indians in Guyana.

He also used the opportunity to advocate for persons to participate in the Indentured Monument Competition, with persons being granted the opportunity to submit designs for the creation of a monument.

Minister Anthony said that $500, 000 is up for grabs and all must cash-in on the competitions.

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THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2013

guyanatimesgy.com

Caribbean

Africa

JPS, ATL partner on energy- Promotion of small power plants over saving retail products big power plants better for Uganda

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he Jamaica Public Service (JPS) and appliance giants Appliance Traders Limited (ATL) have partnered to provide energy-saving products and services to customers.

The partnership, which was sealed in a Memorandum of Understanding on Tuesday, will see ATL extending its distribution of alternative and energy-efficient products through the JPS’s eStore.

JPS customers will also benefit from a wider range of cost-cutting products as well as technical and consultative services through ATL’s Energy Solutions arm.

“I think it demonstrates a genuine intent by JPS to want to show Jamaicans how to reduce their energy bill,” group CEO Adam Stewart said, describing the move as “uncharacteristic” of a power company.

The leadership of this

company (JPS) has made it clear that they want their consumers’ bills to go down, Stewart reasoned, noting the similarities in both companies mandate to promote energy conservation and efficiency.

For JPS chief executive officer, Kelly Tomblin, “this is an example of two companies coming together and saying we can provide help and not in three years, but today.” (Jamaica Observer)

O

n May 21, the New Vision newspaper carried a story entitled “focus shifts to small power plants as fate of Karuma remains uncertain”. First, we thank the Government for taking the initiative and deciding well on what is good for our electricity sector and our country at large.

Small-scale micro hydro power is both an efficient and reliable form of energy most of the time. It only takes a

small amount of flow (as little as two gallons per minute) or a drop as low as two feet to generate electricity with micro hydro. Electricity can be delivered as far as a mile away to the location where it is being used.

Micro hydro will be an excellent method of harnessing renewable energy from small streams that available around the country. This is considered to function as a ‘run-of-river’ system, mean-

ing that the water passing through the generator is directed back into the stream with relatively little impact on the surrounding ecology.

Research shows that building a small-scale hydro-power system can cost from US$1000-US$20,000, depending on site electricity requirements and location.

Maintenance fees are relatively small in comparison to other energy technologies. (allAfrica)

North America Asia Ford adds production in North America HK Mercantile Exchange in to meet new car demand police and regulator probe

F

ord Motor Co is adding a week of production at most of its North American factories this year to build an additional 40,000 vehicles and help sustain its gains in U.S. market share.

The second-largest U.S. automaker said on Wednesday that 20 assembly, engine and other plants will be idled for just one week this summer instead

of the traditional two-week “summer shutdown” period.

This is the second year in a row that Ford has taken this step. Ford’s U.S. rivals, General Motors Co and Chrysler Group LLC, are also limiting downtime this year.

The capacity boost comes as all three Detroit automakers gain ground in the U.S. auto market, now in its fourth year of recovery after

an economic downturn that hurt new vehicle demand and forced GM, Ford and Chrysler to close factories.

Automakers are now running their plants around the clock to meet rising demand for cars. Last year, 14.5 million cars and trucks were sold in the United States, the highest level since 2007, when the industry operated more factories. (Reuters)

Europe

SAP in autism recruitment drive

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erman software company SAP says it hopes to recruit hundreds of people with autism, saying they have a unique talent for information technology. The firm said that by 2020, one per cent of its global workforce of 65,000 employees would be people with autism.

Autism is a developmental disorder that can cause problems with social interaction and physical behaviour. However, some people with the condition are high-

ly intelligent and have a keen attention to detail.

SAP executive Luisa Delgado said the company believed that “innovation comes from the edges”. She added: “Only by employing people who think differently and spark innovation will SAP be prepared to handle the challenges of the 21st Century.”

SAP has already hired six people with autism at its office in Bangalore, India, where they work as software testers. The firm said its pro-

ductivity had increased as a result of their efforts, and it now plans to take on more such staff in other countries.

The recruitment drive is being undertaken in partnership with Specialisterne, a Danish social organisation that helps people with autism find work with information technology companies.

Autistic spectrum disorders, including Asperger’s syndrome, are thought to affect about one per cent of the population worldwide. (BBC News)

Market statistics Cambio Rates

Gold Prices – Guyana Gold Board

Bank of Guyana

Fixed as at January 7, 2013 Calculated at 94% purity

Buying

Selling

U.S.

GBP

$310.58

$344.58

Cambio

CAN

$161.50

$181.42

Gross

$312,663

USD

$198.42

$205.58

Net

$290,776

Selling

$322,632

Cur

$1645.25 $202.17

Indicators as on May 21, 2013 Live Spot Gold Bid/Ask

$1369.70

$1370.70

Low/High

$1354.00

$1416.00

-6.30

-0.46

Change May 17 USD GBP EUR May 3 USD GBP EUR

London Gold Fix AM 1385.25 917.75 1071.43 AM 1376.75 903.62 1069.15

Indicators

USD Per Once

Crude Oil Price Silver Platinum

US$ per barrel

Change %

$102.60

+0.12

USD per Ounce

Change %

$22.27

-0.16

$1465.00

+4.00

PM 1408.50 930.44 1084.88 PM 1368.75 901.50 1068.00

H

ong Kong Mercantile Exchange, which trades commodities, is being probed by the police and market regulators over alleged financial irregularities. The Securities and Futures Commission initiated an investigation of the two-year-old market on May 15, before referring the case to the police.

On Monday, the bourse shut down because it lacked sufficient trading revenues and returned its operating

licence. Revenues have fallen this year amid strong competition from rival markets. ‘’Trading revenues have not been sufficient to support operating expenses and, as a result, its inability to meet the required regulatory financial conditions,’’ the Hong Kong Mercantile Exchange (HKMEx) said in a statement. ‘’While trading on the Exchange will discontinue, HKMEx as an organi-

Middle East

Dubai contractor Arabtec says workers end strike

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ubai contractor Arabtec said on Wednesday a fourday strike by foreign workers seeking higher pay was over and the emirate’s police chief said 200 of them would be repatriated.

The company, in which Abu Dhabi state-owned fund Aabar owns a near 22 per cent stake, did not say whether workers’ demands for a wage hike of about US$50 per month

had been met. Thousands of workers stayed away from work from Saturday in a rare labour protest in Dubai where trade unions are banned.

“This unwarranted stoppage had been instigated by a minority group who will be held accountable for their actions,” Arabtec said in a statement on Dubai’s bourse earlier on Wednesday.

Police Chief Dahi Khalfan said about 200

Changes: -80.41

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workers who took part in the protests had been taken into custody in preparation for being sent home at their own request.

Arabtec was among the contractors that built Dubai’s palm-shaped island projects and the world’s tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa.

Police were called into Arabtec worker accommodation on Monday after labourers refused to report for work. (Arabianbusiness)

Investors' guide

Low–cost business start-ups

(Part one)

A

s an entrepreneur, your job is to trade valuable skills and time for someone else’s money. If you don’t provide value, you don’t win the business. Positioning yourself to win revenue from a client doesn’t require a hefty enterprise behind you. You can start a business that is small, lean, and doesn’t require a lot of money to start.

You don’t need thousands in capital to be successful for many businesses.

Most of these low–cost business ideas are service oriented for a reason. With a service based company you are trading your time for your client’s money. Even with simple product based companies doing reselling on Craigslist or eBay require an upfront investment to buy products to sell.

Wedding consultant

There is a lot of money to be made on weddings.

The average wedding costs

Business concept – Density

Last: 15307.17

sation will continue to operate with its existing staff, and will focus on developing new products including renminbi-denominated precious and base metals contracts that will better meet customer needs.’’

The Securities and Futures Commission said in a statement that “the suspected irregularities are serious ones” which led it to withdraw permission for the HKMEx to use automated trading services. (BBC News)

US$27,000, and that money goes to a wide variety of services ranging from flower delivery to photography. But managing a wedding and all of the choices can be overwhelming for a couple. All you need to start this business is a solid understanding of the wedding industry and contacts of local service providers. You could do your first wedding without spending a dollar on marketing by starting with friends and family.(Business Dictionary)

Weight (mass) per unit of volume used as a measure of the compactness of a substance. It is commonly expressed as kilograms per cubic metre (kg/m3) or pounds per cubic foot (lb/ft3), although kilograms per litre (kg/l) and pounds per gallon (lb/gallon) are also sometimes used. Density of water is one gram per cubic centimeter (g/ cm3), steel 7.9 g/cm3, lead 11 g/cm3, gold 19 g/cm3, ice 0.92 g/cm3, gasoline 0.8 g/cm3, common wood 0.65 g/cm3, cork 0.24 g/cm3, and air (at sea level) 0.0013 g/cm3.

NEWS

17

thursday, may 23, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

Motion passed to probe human trafficking

Opposition Leader David Granger

By Svetlana Marshall

T

he opposition on Wednesday night passed a motion calling on President Donald Ramotar to establish a commission of inquiry to probe the incidence of human trafficking here.

Government did not support the motion, which was moved by Opposition Leader David Granger.

“This motion is a motion about humanity, it’s a motion about the type of society we want to live in, it’s a motion about our children and it’s a motion about the future of our country,” the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) chairman said in his opening remarks as he sought to win the House’s approval.

Trafficking in persons must not be dealt with lightly, Granger lamented, noting, that it is a crime and can be classified as modern-day slavery. Those suffering at the hands of traffickers, the opposition leader pointed out, are young persons, in particular females. “It is also a crime against our children; it is a crime against the most important section of our society, that is our women, the persons who become our mothers and it is a crime which will shake the structure of our family if left uncheck.”

Although human trafficking is tagged as a crime around the world, unfortunately, Guyana is faced with a denial syndrome, he said. “There are some persons who like to say there is no problem; in fact, at one time members on the government side actually rejected the reports of the United States Department... but it doesn’t mean there is no trafficking because we denied it.”

Some persons dodge the

issue or pretend that the victims of trafficking voluntarily entered the state of prostitution. Granger said the home affairs, human services, Amerindian affairs and natural resources ministries must step up to the challenge and aid in putting an end to this brutal act of modern day slavery.

“Today we must congratulate the non-governmental organisation, the women miners’ organisation for doing what the Ministry of Home Affairs didn’t do, for doing what the Ministry of Human Services didn’t do, for doing what the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs didn’t do, going into the camps... and rescuing girls from enforced slavery,” he noted.

He said there should be no attacking of the messenger but rather the attacking of the crime. He said, through the commission, the laws can be enforced effectively to give the desired results and simultaneously put systems in place to ensure that victims do not suffer in the end. “We can put an end to this atrocity.”

AFC supports Alliance For Change Member Cathy Hughes gave APNU her party’s support in the coalition’s quest for the implementation of a commission of inquiry. “Today, none of us can deny the perceived increase in incidence in Guyana that we appear to be facing; we read it in the newspaper now often and definitely more and more cases are coming to light in our society.”

She said it is against that backdrop that the AFC believes that the entire House should lend its support to the motion.

“We acknowledge that

Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee the ministry and the government have a comprehensive programme in place... and it is important that nongovernmental organisations like the women’s organisation are working together and stepping up to the challenge, we commend them all.”

However, she lamented the need for greater action.

“Trafficking in Persons has a clear social dimension, we cannot fail to rec-

rights, and development... our government, over the past years, has undertaken a number of initiatives in a sustained way in the fight to combat trafficking in person,” she noted.

The human services minister recalled that in April 2005 then President Bharrat Jagdeo assented to the Combating in Trafficking in Persons Act. She said the act was designed to establish an

that trafficking in persons is one of the most serious transnational crimes committed... as a consequence, the government of Guyana is constrained to devise preventative programmes to support our victims, punish perpetrators as well as empower our citizens throughout our country through social prevention programmes.”

Debunking claims by the opposition lead-

Human Services Minister Jenifer Webster ognise that poverty makes many vulnerable and with joblessness, trafficking in persons becomes an avenue for the recruitment especially of the young.”

Programmes to tackle Human Services Minister Jenifer Webster, while admitting that trafficking in persons is an issue of concern in the country, said her ministry has instituted a number of programmes to tackle the issue, hence the commission is irrelevant.

“We all know trafficking in persons is a serious crime and imposes a threat to human dignity,

overarching framework for the strengthening of the national mechanism to address this issue. “It provided an interagency protocol, which sought to identify a number of agencies, which could be involved and it sought to enhance the capacity of law enforcement agencies to investigate, to prosecute, and to convict traffickers,” she stated in her presentation to the National Assembly.

Minister Webster further noted that Guyana is a signatory to the United Nations convention against transnational and organised crimes, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly. “It is known

er, Minister Webster said the ministerial task force, which was set up in February 2007, establishes programmes aimed at tackling human trafficking and providing a safe haven for victims. It is headed by Homes Affairs Minister Clement Rohee and comprises representatives from the Human Services Ministry, the Ministry of Legal Affairs, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Amerindian Affairs Ministry, Food For The Poor, Help and Shelter, and most recently the Natural Resources Ministry.

Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall said the

PPP/C administration has taken a series of initiatives to prioritise its treatment of this matter, noting that the National Assembly for the first time in the country’s history passed legislation to outlaw trafficking in persons. Additionally, he pointed to the establishment of a Task Force which has the mandate to tackle the issue. “This administration’s position on the matter is beyond any dispute, our position is very clear, trafficking in persons is wrong and we condemn it in every form or fashion.”

Minister Rohee said the task force has been actively pursuing its objective, noting that reports have been released on the work of the unit annually since its establishment. “The problem that we have is that the information on the task force has not been widely disseminated, and in addition to that even when they are sent to the media, the media determines what sections of the report it will have reflected.”

He disclosed that the unit met recently and decided to visit 14 checkpoints in the interior including Mahdia, Omai, Olive Creek, 14 Mile Issano, Itaballi and Matthews Ridge. This is not the first time the force will be conducting such visits as it does so frequently.

While some of the other PPP Members of Parliament admitted the need for a sterner legal system and better systems for victims after being rescued, they rejected the need for a commission of inquiry, noting that it will consume both time and money. However, at the end of the debate, the opposition by virtue of its one-seat majority carried the day.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

thursday, may 23, 2013

thursDAY, march 11, 2010 | guyanatimesGY.com

archie

By Bernice Bede Osol

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19) If there’s a complicated matter you need to sort out, seek out a quiet place in which think. Try to find an environment that is free of all distractions.

dilbert

(June 21July 22) Someone who has helped you in the past would be delighted if you returned the favour.

Reciprocity is what keeps the wheels of good fellowship rolling.

AQUARIUS

LEO

(Jan. 20Feb. 19)

(July 23Aug. 22)

Associating with some good friends could be more important than usual.

However, avoid people who tend to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders.

Calvin and Hobbes

CANCER

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Unless you’re drawn into an exciting or challenging development, this could be just another one of those so-so days. You come alive when someone drops a gauntlet.

Guard against an inclination to be overly possessive of the ones you love. If you cling too tightly, it will only drive your loved ones away.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22) You’ll be a fierce guardian of those you love.

You’re not likely to tolerate anyone who tries to take advantage of you or your kin.

Peanuts ARIES

LIBRA

(March 21-April 19)

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Although you might be confronted with what most people would consider a challenging situation, you’ll see it as an opportunity. And you’ll be right.

Your brain is in high gear, and you’ll be a whiz at improving others’ ideas.

Your sound input will be welcome on all fronts.

SUDOKU TAURUS (April 20-May 20) You need to be concerned about the farreaching effects of your actions, not just the immediate consequences. The future demands attention.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22) Your financial prospects look good. Your gains are apt to come from things you work on yourself, rather than projects of others.

Wednesday's solution GEMINI (May 21June 20) At times, you can be the kind of person who doesn’t take kindly to interruptions. If something or someone disrupts your day, restrain your anger.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21) You will be far more effective in activities that you personally manage than you will as a mere team member. Don’t be afraid to take charge.

news 19

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man has been killed in a machete attack and two suspects shot by police in Woolwich, south-east London.

Prime Minister David Cameron said there were “strong indications that it is a terrorist incident” and the UK would “never buckle” in

the face of such attacks.

Footage has emerged showing a man wielding a bloodied meat cleaver and making political statements.

There are unconfirmed reports that the dead man was a soldier.

Both French President Francois Hollande and

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Militants release seven Egyptians kidnapped in Sinai

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even Egyptian security men kidnapped

by Islamist militants in Sinai last week were freed on Wednesday and President Mohamed Morsi vowed to pursue a crackdown on lawlessness in the desert peninsula.

The abduction underlined the threat posed by jihadists who have exploited a security vacuum that opened up in the isolated Sinai after the 2011 uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak. The

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state has struggled to restore order there since.

The militants have launched attacks on Israel and targets in North Sinai, where security problems have been exacerbated by a flow of weaponry smuggled from Libya. An Israeli defence official, speaking after the release of the seven, said it was vital that Egypt succeed in crushing terrorism.

“I call on everyone in Sinai who has weapons to turn them in. This nation

is bigger than all of us and weapons can only be in the hands of the government,” Morsi said after greeting the ex-hostages on their arrival at a military airport in Cairo.

“This is not a short-term operation that ends, and (the release of) our sons without a drop of blood being spilt is the first part of it,” added Morsi, an Islamist elected last June who had faced intense domestic pressure to resolve the crisis.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

TT: People’s Partnership dismisses Dr Rowley’s claims as fabrication

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Member of Parliament Nick Raynsford said the dead man had been a soldier at Woolwich barracks.

The footage shown on the ITV website shows a man, dressed in a grey hooded jacket, saying: “We must fight them as they fight us.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”

He added: “I apologise that women have had to witness this today, but in our land, our women have to see the same. You people will never be safe. Remove your government, they don’t care about you.”

Home Secretary Theresa May has summoned a meeting of the government’s emergency response committee Cobra.

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con job fabricated by the People’s National Movement (PNM). With that dismissal, People’s Partnership (PP) House leader Roodal Moonilal on Tuesday detailed what he said were glaring inconsistencies in the e-mails which

Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley produced in parliament on Monday.

Dr Rowley, piloting his no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and her government, had read out excerpts of the emails to support his claim

of “high crimes and conspiracy” by the government on the Section 34 issue. On Tuesday, however, People’s Partnership leaders from the UNC and COP “roasted” Rowley’s claims, defending the government against his statements.

UNC deputy leader Moonilal, speaking in Tuesday’s debate, said nothing about the motion on the agenda had prepared him for what was read out on Monday. He said if he looked shocked in pictures in the print media, it was because he was shocked, in awe and disbelief that the Parliament had sunk to an all-time low and Rowley could try to base his motion on a “few pages of typewritten script”.

“This is an attempt to demonstrate and argue that the Section 34 matter has deeper, darker origins,” Moonilal said. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

At least 12 slain in Baghdad brothel

G

$5+VAT per word Call: 226-9921

unmen in Baghdad shot dead at least 12 people in a brothel Wednesday, authorities said.

This comes amid an uptick of violence across Iraq, most prominently SunniShiite sectarian strife. But

religious extremists from both persuasions who have targeted the prostitution business over the last decade have claimed many lives. No one has claimed responsibility and police are investigating.

The incident occurred

in Zayouna, a religiously mixed neighborhood with several brothels. Police say seven gunmen shot dead five men and seven women and wounded a man and a woman. One of the gunmen wrote “Wanted” on the wall of the house. (CNN)

20

guyanatimesGY.com

thursday, MAY 23, 2013

Smith has eyes on ECCCC fundraiser on this weekend happy returns to WI M C

AVE HILL, Barbados – Devon Smith is hoping to make the most of what he calls a “golden opportunity” during the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2013.

The left-handed opener was away from the international stage for three years, but has been recalled following heavy scoring in the recently-concluded WICB Regional Four-Day and Regional Super 50 tournaments.

He was the leading batsman in both competitions with 700 runs at an average of 70 in the first-class championship. He was equally impressive in the 50-over format with 348 runs at 58 runs per innings.

The 31-year-old said: “I feel very confident seeing that I did really well in the four-day and the one-day tournaments and I just have to go out there and play my game and be the Devon Smith I know I can be. In England the ball will swing early on, and as we all know there is never a dull moment when you play cricket in England, it is always entertaining and fascinating and a great place to play.

“I will look to be positive and confident at the crease and make this golden opportunity count in this tournament. The ball will swing especially at this stage of the season in England, so you have to make sure you pick up the line early and play the ball as late as possible, look to get in, and make some big runs,” he added.

Smith was speaking on Tuesday as the Windies continued preparations in a bid to capture the International Cricket Council’s Champions Trophy title for the second time. Under Head Coach Ottis Gibson the Windies will be going through their drills at Sagicor High Performance Centre at the 3Ws Oval.

The camp started on

Devon Smith

Monday and will end on Friday. The team will depart from Barbados on Saturday and have another camp in Cardiff, Wales from May 25 to June 2 as they try to get acclimatised to the foreign conditions.

Smith’s highest score in ODIs came during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 when he made a careerbest 107 against Ireland at Mohali. During that tournament he was the highest run-scorer for the West Indies. However, he admitted he was inconsistent in his early days and is looking to make amends.

“This year should be my year, especially the way I started in the four-day tournament and the Super 50.

I’m concentrating on converting my good starts into big scores. Before I used to get good starts and then lose my wicket. This year I worked hard at getting in and staying in and carry on to big centuries,” Smith said.

“For West Indies I have not been consistent enough.

I’ve had some good innings, but it’s the consistency that has led me down. I’ll be looking to string scores together and contribute in a major way to the team’s success.”

The ICC Champions Trophy will feature eight teams: Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies.

The tournament will be played across three venues – Cardiff Wales Stadium, Edgbaston and The Oval from June 6-23.

The Windies have been drawn in Group B alongside the Indians, the Pakistanis and the South Africans.

They open against Pakistan on Friday, June 7 at the Oval and return to the famous venue on Tuesday, June 11 to take on India. The final preliminary match will be against the Proteas on Friday, June 14 in Cardiff.

(WICB)

New Zealand’s BJ Watling out of Headingley Test

N

ew Zealand wicketkeeper BJ Watling has been ruled out of Friday’s second Test against England at Headingley.

Watling, 27, injured his knee during New Zealand’s 170-run first Test defeat at Lord’s.

Captain Brendon McCullum will deputise behind the stumps, having not kept wicket in a full Test since 2010.

Martin Guptill will replace Watling in the side and bat at six, while former skipper Daniel Vettori is expected to play despite arriving on Wednesday.

Spinner Bruce Martin has been ruled out with a

BJ Watling

calf injury so Vettori will play if he passes a fitness test.

Vettori, 34, won the last of his 112 caps in the first Test against the West Indies last July and has been out with an Achilles injury.

With 360 victims, the former captain is New Zealand’s second highest Test wicket-taker and the most successful left-arm spinner in history.

The return of a player who has scored 4516 Test runs at an average of 30.10 would also bolster a side which was bowled out for 68 in the second innings at Lord’s.

If Vettori is not passed fit, seamer Doug Bracewell is another option for New Zealand. (BBC Sport)

embers of the Enmore Community Centre Cricket Club (ECCCC) are assuring members of the public that the scheduled fundraiser on Sunday will go ahead as planned, despite the current inclement weather.

The club will be hosting a bar-b-que, softball competition, and display sessions featuring members of the affiliated athletics and karate clubs, all with the aim of raising funds to acquire critical pieces of equipment for its club’s development.

Speaking to this publication on Wednesday afternoon, the members said all systems are in place for Sunday’s activities, confirming that whether it rains or the sun shines brilliantly, the event will go ahead as planned.

They also informed that a meeting was held on Tuesday and another will be held today to finalise the logistical arrangements for the day’s activities, which are slated to commence at 09:00h at the ECCCC ground.

The club, which was recently resuscitated by a group of residents of the area, is embarking on a massive developmental drive, and the first step to ensure

that this process is successful is the Independence Day fundraiser.

According to executive member of the club, Taajnauth Jadunauth, the fundraiser will be the largest in the history of the club, which had become dormant for an extended period of time.

“And the proceeds will go towards the procurement of nets more particularly so that we can accommodate more persons practicing in the afternoons. Right now we only practice on one wicket so there is a limited number of players who can bat or bowl at a specific time. If we have the nets then we split the wicket in two lengthwise and we’d be able to accommodate about 40 persons during active practice,” Jadunauth explained.

He added, “We’re also looking at purchasing, if not a cradle, certainly a slip catching machine where two or three people can throw the ball at the net and it bounces back at them. We’re looking to put all those things in place.”

Currently, the club has a membership of about 115.

Jadunauth said the support of residents of Enmore and outlying areas is cru-

cial to the sustanence of the club, and as such, he is urging persons to come out and have a day of clean fun, while aiding the process of development.

“More specifically we’re hoping the people in Enmore can support us because it is their children who we’ve taken off the streets, it is their kids who we are trying to develop into better individuals, both at the level of sports and at the level of community involvement,” he pointed out.

“We have about eight softball teams: Regal XI, Floodlights, Trophy Stall and also about two or three female teams taking part.

Apart from the softball cricket, we will have one or two races by the Enmore Athletics Club, a karate demonstration…we’ve put together a day’s event that can make it worth the while,” Jadunauth disclosed. Several novelty events are also on the day’s schedule.

Admission to the day’s activities is free and Jadunauth assured that secured parking will be available as the ECCCC is collaborating with officers of C Division to ensure security is in place. (Avenash

Ramzan)

Hodge launches Royals into qualifier T

hree days ago, two successive sixes from Darren Sammy had launched Sunrisers Hyderabad into the IPL eliminator. Three days later, two successive sixes off Darren Sammy’s bowling, and from Brad Hodge’s bat, launched Rajasthan Royals into the second qualifier, where they will take on Mumbai Indians for a place in the final.

Hodge’s was a blinder of an innings in many contexts on Wednesday. He’d hardly had a decent outing this season, Rahul Dravid preferring to use him as a finisher. He’d come in at 57 for five in a chase of 133 on

a slow, uneven pitch where almost everyone had struggled for timing.

He was up against the best attack of the season in a knockout situation.

Rajasthan Royals had been up for a week against a spot-fixing controversy that had shaken their team and messed up their combinations.

Hodge’s response was one befitting a man who has made the most Twenty20 runs in the world. When he cracked the second ball of the last over 96 metres into the crowd beyond the longon boundary, Hodge ended on 54 of 29. He hit five sixes on a pitch where the first

SCOREBOARD Sunrisers Hyderabad innings P Patel† c Samson b Malik 1 S Dhawan c Trivedi b Faulkner 33 G Vihari c Cooper b Malik 1 C White* c Cooper b Trivedi 31 D Sammy run out (sub [R Shukla]/†Yagnik) 29 N Perera c †Yagnik b Watson 11 B Samantray run out (Rahane/Faulkner) 14 K Sharma not out 2 D Steyn not out 4 Extras: (lb 2, w 4) 6 Total: (7 wkts, 20 overs) 132 Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-3, 3-55, 4-83, 5-111, 6-113, 7-127 Bowling: V Malik 3-0-142, J Faulkner 4-0-28-1, S Watson 4-0-32-1, S Trivedi 4-0-18-1, K Cooper 4-036-0, S Binny 1-0-2-0

Rajasthan Royals innings R Dravid* c KV Sharma b I Sharma 12 A Rahane c & b Mishra 18 S Watson c Sammy b KV Sharma 24 D Yagnik† b Sammy 0 S Binny b Sammy 2 S Samson lbw b Steyn 10 B Hodge not out 54 J Faulkner not out 11 Extras: (w 4) 4 Total: (6 wkts, 19.2 overs) 135 Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-50, 3-53, 4-55, 5-57, 6-102 Bowling: D Steyn 4-0-231, I Sharma 3-0-31-1, N Perera 3-0-14-0, K Sharma 2-0-24-1, D Sammy 3.2-027-2, A Mishra 4-1-16-1

one took 14.1 overs to come.

This match was Royals’ after a start of 50 for one inside seven overs. Shane Watson was another one who was making a mockery of the difficulties posed by the pitch, pushing forward and getting boundaries with sheer power. His pull off the legspinner Karan Sharma was headed for six over deep midwicket when Darren Sammy jumped several feet to intercept the ball, and turn the game.

Royals lost a wicket each in the next three overs to slip to 57 for five. Sammy did most of the damage, keeping it straight to hit the stumps as Dishant Yagnik and Stuart Binny missed.

Ajinkya Rahane popped one back to the other Sunrisers legspinner Amit Mishra.

Fifty-eight were needed from 40 when Hodge tore into Karan, a bowler most sides had found difficult to get away. Two sixes and a four in the space of four deliveries. He followed it up with a straight six off Mishra in the next over. Sunrisers were visibly stunned, and Mishra, whose first three overs had gone for eight, was irritated.

Sunrisers hung in, though, despite a wayward 18th over from Dale Steyn.

Hodge tried to hit a six almost every ball off Thisara Perera in the 19th, and managed five runs. (Cricinfo)

thursday, MAY 23, 2013

guyanatimesGY.com

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Table tennis winners receive prizes

Winners pose with their winning trophies and medals at the award ceremony along with GTTA President Godfrey Munroe (extreme right)

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inners of the 2013 InterOrganisation Table Tennis Championships on Wednesday received their awards at NP Electronics during a presentation ceremony by the Guyana Table

Tennis Association (GTTA).

President of the GTTA Godfrey Munroe summed up the tournament as a success.

“It was truly a good championship for us although we did not have the full comple-

ment of teams the tournament has the potential to achieve nationwide success as it set out to achieve our objectives and I think it did achieve our goals and it was truly a good tournament,” Munroe stated.

Stabroek News' Donald Duff (left) receives his winning trophy and medal

The tournament which had 16 teams participating from a total of 12 organisations saw NP Electronics that featured Xen Goliah and veteran Michael Vieira winning the team tournament while Donald Duff of

Spurs blow late lead, beat Grizzlies 93-89 in OT

S

AN ANTONIO – When Tony Parker started running low on masterful plays, Tim Duncan was there to take over and lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.

Parker had 15 points and a career playoff-high 18 assists, Duncan scored San Antonio’s first six points of overtime and the Spurs bounced back after squandering a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 93-89 on Tuesday night.

Duncan opened the extra period with a layup, and then made a tiebreaking putback on Parker’s missed jumper. He then made a runner that bounced high of the back iron and rattled in for a 91-87 lead with 1:08 to play.

The Grizzlies had a chance to tie after Jerryd Bayless hit a jumper and Parker missed one of two free throws with 14.6 seconds left, but Bayless’ 3-pointer from the left wing was off-target.

Memphis has fallen behind in all three playoff series so far, including rallying from an 0-2 deficit in the first round against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Game 3 is Saturday in Memphis.

Bayless and Mike Conley each had 18 points to lead Memphis.

Duncan had 17 points and nine rebounds, missing most of the second half with foul trouble before coming

Tim Duncan

up with the key baskets in overtime – even if it wasn’t by design.

Memphis stormed back from a 13-point deficit with a 15-2 run over the final 8 minutes of regulation to tie it at 85 on Conley’s runner in the lane with 18.2 seconds to play. The Grizzlies got the chance to pull even after Manu Ginobili was called for a flagrant foul for pulling down Tony Allen by his left arm on a fast break lay-up try.

Allen hit both free throws and Memphis got possession, setting up Conley’s tying basket at the end of a string of seven straight Grizzlies points.

But Memphis, which

trailed by as much as 18 in the second half, could never pull ahead.

Up until the final stretch, Parker had been in control for 2 1/2 quarters.

Parker kept San Antonio humming along after Duncan went to the bench with four fouls, the last three picked up within a span of 30 seconds, early in the third quarter. Parker provided the assist on the Spurs’ first seven baskets of the second half, and then scored the next two on midrange jumpers before getting pulled for a rest with a 72-54 lead.

The Grizzlies mounted a 16-6 comeback while Parker was on the bench, getting

as close as 78-70 after Zach Randolph scored inside following back-to-back Bayless jumpers.

Parker checked back in and soon had the lead growing again, ducking under Darrell Arthur to hit a floater and then knocking down a 3-pointer from the right wing to make it 83-70 with 8:14 to play. But then Parker finally went cold, missing five straight shots down the stretch as the Grizzlies rallied back.

He had 14 assists in the second and third quarters and went past his careerhigh for the regular season of 17 during overtime.

After Game 1, Memphis’ guards outlined a game plan that involved picking up their defence earlier on Parker to keep him from getting into the lane and putting the Grizzlies into the scramble mode that allowed San Antonio to hit a franchise playoff record 14 3-pointers in the opener.

But then, Duncan – who missed a potential winning jumper from the left wing at the end of regulation – took over.

The Spurs put all five starters in double figures, getting 14 points from Tiago Splitter, 12 from Kawhi Leonard and 11 from Danny Green.

Randolph had 15 points and 18 rebounds after a twopoint performance in Game 1, his lowest-scoring effort all season. Marc Gasol had 12 points and 14 rebounds.

(Yahoo! Sport)

Stabroek News won the singles title.

Further, Munroe also noted that the tournament formed part of promoting the Olympic movement, “Sports for all and Sport for life.”

“The tournament was in keeping with the Olympic movement and as such it got to reach a wide cross section of players that competed in the tournament,” Munroe stated at the ceremony.

Jack Warner cries foul

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ORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Former special advisor to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) Jack Warner has blasted a CONCACAF integrity report, accusing him of financial fraud, as a deliberate plan to mislead.

Warner, former national security minister in the Kamla Persad Bissessar administration, also questioned the procedure used to gather the information describing it as flawed.

The report accused Warner of using deceptive methods to secure funds from CONCACAF and FIFA as well as induce FIFA to transfer funds earmarked for development purposes to bank accounts he controlled.

“The procedure used to gather information was flawed because it authorised Counsel to conduct necessary interviews in person, by telephone and without reference to the committee,” said Warner in a written statement read out during a news conference in Port of Spain Tuesday.

“In other words some people did not even know why they were giving the information. These witnesses imparted their information without taking oath and in the absence of the members of the committee who must now look at that information and make findings”.

Warner has since resigned from his posts as minister of national security, chairman of the United National Congress and MP for Chaguanas West after the CONCACAF report, condemning his actions, were published.

He told journalists that he has had consultations with three eminent legal minds in Justice Zainool Hosein, Andrew Mitchell Q.C. and Bertram E. Commissiong Q.C. regarding the charges leveled in the report.

“However, the lawyers concluded that the Committee made clear pronouncements as to the culpability and guilt of Jack Warner. These are not, and cannot be supported by the evidence and the facts,” said the embattled Warner.

“The conclusions appear to be driven by a desire to castigate, malign and punish rather than to present a true and fair representation of the state of affairs and or the circumstances surrounding a number of transactions addressed in the committee’s report”.

The CONCACAF report also claims that Warner accepted money intended for FIFA that landed into his personal bank accounts.

But Warner said he was not questioning the quality of the committee members comprised of Sir David Simmons, Judge Ricardo Urbina and Ernesto Hempe “but the independence and fairness of both the process and findings”. “ I want you to be mindful of our past that Jack Warner has been sanctioned, castigated and maligned; treated as guilty without due process or an investigation into the publication of documents to determine its veracity or validity,” said Warner.

“I have been a victim of a degree of intrigue and collusion of the highest level”.

(Caribbean360)

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thursday, MAY 23, 2013

guyanatimesGY.com

Battle for national Guinness football title starts Friday

Five Berbician strongmen on national team for July1-7 Florida c/ships

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East Coast champions Plaisance will be one of the teams vying to represent Guyana in St Vincent and the Grenadines later this year

E

ight teams will battle for supremacy and a chance to represent Guyana at the Guinness Caribbean Street Football Challenge when the national Guinness Greatest of the Streets championship opens on Friday at the Demerara Park, Banks DIH parking lot.

Silver Bullets and Silent Assassins of Linden, Leopold Street and Back Circle of Georgetown, Plaisance and Victoria Church Yard, representing East Coast Demerara, and Millennium and Hard Core of Bartica, are the teams vying to represent Guyana.

The tournament, spon-

sored by Banks DIH Limited, through its Guinness brand, brings together the winners and runners-up of the four areas with Leopold Street being the winner of the Georgetown zone, Plaisance the top team on the East Coast, Silver Bullets the Linden champions and Millennium the winners in Bartica.

Guinness Brand Manager, Lee Baptiste, disclosed that all systems are in place for the playoffs and he indicated that all the matches will be played at Demerara Park.

The first two rounds will be played Friday eve-

ning and will feature Silver Bullets against Hard Core followed by Leopold Street coming up against Victoria Church Yard; Silent Assassins will do battle with Plaisance, while Back Circle will square off with Millennium.

The second round will bring together Silver Bullets and Victoria Church Yard, Silent Assassins versus Millennium, Leopold Street against Hard Core and Back Circle playing Plaisance. Kickoff is at 19:30 hours.

The third round will be played on Saturday, while the semi-finals and final will be played off on Monday

evening, a public holiday.

“We expect overwhelming support as teams will be bringing along their supporters. There is a lot at stake for the competing teams,” Baptiste said.

The winner will receive $400,000; runnerup $250,000, third place $150,000 and fourth $75,000.

The champion team will also represent Guyana at the second annual Guinness Street Challenge scheduled for June 21-23 in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Guyana hosted the inaugural Caribbean Guinness Challenge last year at the National Park.

ifters from the Ancient County, Berbice, are set to create history at the 14th annual International Powerlifting Federation (IPF)/North American Powerlifting Federation (NAPF)/ FESUPO Pan American championship in Orlando, Florida, from July 1-7.

For the first time, a total of five strongmen from that part of the country will make the national powerlifting team.

Four will compete in the junior division, while the other will represent Guyana in the Open category.

In the junior division, the Berbicians are Sub-junior 2012 Caribbean champion, Gumendra Shewdas (53kg class and NSC Sports awardee), Vijai Rahim (59kg gold medalist and South American silver medalist) now campaigning in the 66kg category, Suraj Shewdas (59kg) and Fabian Ketwaroo (66kg).

They will also be campaigning in the Junior and Open categories of the seventh IPF/NAPF Caribbean Championships segment, which will be held concurrently.

The fifth Berbician, Anis Ade Thomas, has now graduated to the Open category and will be competing in the 83kg class alongside compatriot, Randolph Morgan.

According to a correspondence from the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPF), all the lifters have successfully acquired their United States visas and are seeking spon-

sorship to make the trip possible.

The GAPF said despite the staging of some fundraising events, “it is still substantially short [of funding] with just over four weeks remaining to ensure it sends the biggest team ever to challenge the best in the Americas.”

The GAPF added, “The added fact that the dual championships will be offering two prestigious titles for the lifters from one lift, makes the championships a must-participate event.

Guyana Men’s team is the defending Caribbean Open champions with the added bonus of adding the Pan American title to their resume. Individual cost per lifter has been pegged at US$1600.”

Meanwhile, president of the GAPF, Peter Green, reiterated his confidence in the national junior/senior teams keeping the Golden Arrowhead aloft internationally.

He is also appealing to the corporate/private sector of Berbice to invest collectively or individually in sponsoring the home grown athletes as they embark on representing their county and country overseas.

Green has identified Rahim and G Shewdas as Guyanese latest world rated lifters, whom will be given the added bonus of attending the World Sub-Juniors/ Junior Championship in Killeen, Texas, in August should they win their weight categories at the Caribbean and Pan American levels.

Memorex on board Independence T20 Cup

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emorex Enterprise of New Amsterdam, Berbice, is the latest entity to come on board for the highly anticipated Guyana’s Independence T20 Cup to be held at the famous Albion Sports Complex on Sunday.

At a simple presentation ceremony at the company’s office, Executive Director Anthony Ameerally, was high in praise for the tournament and he said he has full confidence in the chairman and other members of the organising committee.

He went on to say that his company fully supports the development of sports and young people in the Region and Guyana as a whole. He is glad that proceeds from this high profile event will go towards charity.

Receiving the cheque was chairman of the organising committee, Anil Beharry,

who said he knew Ameerally since school days and he is a man who loves cricket a lot.

Ameerally has represented Berbice abd Guyana at softball cricket for many years.

Beharry said he was certain Ameerally would have supported the independence cup, and as such, approached him for the sponsorship.

Beharry is very thankful for it and said it will go a long way in making the event a success.

Proceeds from the event will go towards assisting with the development of sports in the region. First division clubs, Albion and Bermine, two schools and orphanages are to benefit.

Consideration is also given to support a young talent in Berbice in the field of culture. Part of the proceeds will also go towards the rehabilitation of the commentary booth at the Albion Sports Complex.

The balance will be shared

equally by the two organisations to fulfil their social obligations and community work under the “Power to Change Programme.”

Meanwhile, the draw for Sunday’s matches was done recently and will see Universal DVD Berbice Titans playing Karibee Rice Tigers from 10:00 hours and BK International East Coast Jaguars against Georgetown Lions from 13.30 hours.

The winners will clash in the grand final under lights from 18:30 hours.

The organisers wish to notify the public that no coolers will be allowed irrespective of the size.

Admission to the venue is $500 for adults, while children under 12 years will be admitted free. Popular singer Bunty Singh with his one man band will provide entertainment beyond the boundary.

Executive Director of Memorex, Anthony Ameerally (right), presents his company’s contribution to Anil Beharry of the independence cup organising committee

THURSday, MAY 23, 2013

guyanatimesGY.com

23

Hundreds celebrate World Challenge Day – Urged to adapt a healthy lifestyle

Director of Sport Neil Kumar (right) and PS in the Sport Ministry Alfred King delivered remarks to the participants

By Avenash Ramzan

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undreds of students, athletes, teachers and officials were on Wednesday morning reminded of the importance of fitness and exercise as Guyana joined the rest of the world in celebrating World Challenge Day. Participants of 19 schools drawn from Houston to Timehri on the East Bank of Demerara participated in the activity, which is an annual undertaking by the National Sports Commission at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

The activity, which was celebrated across the world, was aimed at adapting a new attitude towards active living by stimulating persons to break their daily routine and perform any kind of physical activity for at least 15 minutes. As was the case in previous years, the participants were taken through the mandatory session of physical exercise by Genenis Express’ Noshavyah King and her

assistant, as well as popular fitness instructor, Curtis McKenzie.

After that, young students of School of the Nations wowed the audience with a jump rope display, an activity that was incorporated into World Challenge Day – Guyana's celebrations for the first time.

This was followed by a demonstration on the fundamentals of cricket by coaches Latchman Yadram and Daniel Richmond, a yoga session by Yadram, a dance piece by members of the National School of Dance, a boxing exhibition led by coach Wincel Thomas, and an acrobatic session by the Guyana Police Force, all of which were well received.

Director of Sport Neil Kumar, delivering remarks at the three-hour event, said it is the right of everyone to have a healthy lifestyle.

He said he was particularly pleased to see the large turnout from the young people at Wednesday’s activity, noting that for a country to re-

Scrabble competition at Enterprise on Monday

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op scrabble players from Georgetown will journey to the East Coast of Demerara on Monday for a scrabble tournament at Playland Italiano Restaurant at 70 Park Street, Enterprise.

The tournament, which will be sponsored by proprietor of Playland Italiano Restaurant, Shankar Dyal, will get underway at 09:45h.

According to a release from the Guyana Association of Scrabble Players (GASP), the competition will be played in three categories: Beginners, Class A and Class B. Based on GASP current system, players above 1700 points are grouped in Class A, those below 1700 are in Class B, while those without a rating are classified as Beginners.

The entrance fee is $300 for Beginners and $700 for the other two categories. All players are asked to walk with their scrabble sets and be at the venue by 09:30h.

GASP, in the release, stated, “Enterprise has

produced some good players over the years. Players such as Kamta Ramnarine, Devraj Deonarine, Anand Mohabir and Ashwant Satyamand who have all performed very well against some of Guyana’s best.

Kamta Ramnarine in particular has been instrumental in guiding the youths from the area to the game. Some of those expected to compete in the Beginners category are Jonathan Ramnarine, Mohanram Ramnarine, Romario Gonsalves and Wazeer Dilipchand.”

Meanwhile, GASP is also intensifying preparations for its national championships 2013, which will be held from June 29 to July 1.

The championships will see 25 players vying for top honours in a round-robin format. The top 15 ranked players with an active rating by May 27 will automatically qualify for the national championships, while the remaining 10 will be selected from a qualifier competition, scheduled for June 9.

Students from various schools participate in free-arm exercise (Photos: Avenash Ramzan)

main healthy and productive, the importance of fitness and exercise must be instilled into persons from an early age.

Permanent Secretary in the Sport Ministry, Alfred

King, said government is committed to having mass participation in sport, pointing out the number of facilities it has constructed across the country. Aside from that,

King stated the administration is a strong advocate of healthy living which is a critical component of human, community and national development.

Similar World Challenge Day activities were held across the country where the participants were reminded of the importance of health and fitness.

THURSday, MAY 23, 2013

TOP SCORES

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

Rajasthan Royals 135-6 beat Sunrisers Hyderabad 132-7 by four wickets

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23

Hundreds celebrate World Challenge Day – urged to adapt a healthy lifestyle

Pupils of School of the Nations wowed the crowd with a jump rope display (Avenash Ramzan photo)

INSIDE TODAY'S SPORTS

Battle for P22 national Guinness football title starts Friday

Five Berbician strongmen on national team for July1-7 Florida c/ships

Jack Warner cries foul See story on page

21

See story on page

22

Vijai Rahim

Gumendra Shewdas

Jack Warner

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