Confident T&T: National team off to Guyana for Regional Super 50

Trinidad and Tobago will be looking to dominate the 2011 Regional Super50 Tournament in Guyana over the next two weeks and prove they are still one of the top teams in the Caribbean.

National coach Kelvin Williams said his team remain focussed and confident they can regain the limited overs title, insisting they will have to be ruthless in their approach in order to lift the newly-named Clive Lloyd Trophy. “Of course we are quietly confident going into the competition,” Williams said.

The coach noted that T&T usually do well in Guyana, which is where they won their last two 50-over crowns in 2008 and 2009, and is confident his players have the talent and experience to do well again.

“I still believe we have the experience in the team to overcome that. Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra We have been playing cricket so I am not concerned that our practice matches were rained out. We just came back from India (where they played in the Champions League T20), the guys have been training and we have one day of practice in Guyana on Wednesday to fine-tune so I am sure we will be ready,” Williams added. The T&T coach also highlighted the importance of the competition for his players.

“It is a tournament we need to put up our hands and win. It eluded us last year and it is important for us to go to Guyana and play the type of cricket that the people of Trinidad and Tobago know we are capable of playing. It is about success and that is important, especially with how we finished in India. We have a lot to play for. The players know that and they need this one.”

And the coach said the absence of team regulars Lendl Simmons, Adrian Barath, Darren Bravo, Ravi Rampaul, Kieron Pollard and Denesh Ramdin-- all on duty with the West Indies squad in Bangladesh--only opens up new opportunities for the other players to step into the team and make a name for themselves.

Some of the players coming into the T&T side include Windies Under-19 all-rounder Derone Davis and wicketkeeper Steven Katwaroo, as well as off-spinner Sunil Narine and medium pace all-rounder Kevon Cooper, all of whom are yet to represent T&T in the 50-over arena.

“I think it is a perfect opportunity for some of these players to put up their hands and assume the mantle of responsibility. That is why they have been selected. They have that air about them, they can shoulder the responsibility and I am confident that when needed, they will put their hand up,” said Williams.

The Regional Super50 bowls off on Wednesday October 19, with the  day/ night semi-finals, on October 26 and 27, and final on October 29 to be broadcast live on ESPN from Providence, Guyana.

Elderly woman hospitalised after fallen tree splits house in two

The fallen plum tree has left this
Nabaclis house in tatters.

An elderly woman was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation after she sustained injuries as a result of a freak accident on Sunday October 16.

A tree fell and split her house in two. Doreen Layne was sitting in the living room of her Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara house when a decades old plum tree came crashing down.

The woman sustained a gaping wound to the back of her neck, the result of a disintegrated roof.

Layne’s son, Steve, who was cooking at the time escaped injury and was able to pull her to safety minutes after the tree fell.

From her hospital bed, the woman said that she cannot recall what really  transpired since she blacked out after being struck on her head.

There was no high wind at the time but according to Steve Layne, the tree has been rotting for some time and they were in the process of carefully cutting it down.

He recalled that around 20:00 hours he was in the kitchen of the house preparing something to eat. He had just come from the village backlands. His mother was resting in the living room after returning home from church.

He said that he heard the dogs barking and he looked out but did not see anything that would have given him the slightest inclination that something was wrong. Seconds later, the tree crashed down on the house.

Layne said that at first he did not hear his mother and he immediately became anxious since the electrical power to the house was severed as a result of the incident.

“When I realized that the roof cave in, I call and I ain’t hear no move… When I look towards where she was, I tell myself that she get covered. I tried to move forward but I was stepping on things that fall down,” Steve Layne said.

Eventually, he heard the voices of two persons in the adjoining yard and he called out to them for a torchlight to enable him to see better.

“Within that, while looking for the torchlight, I heard her call for me, and I recognized directly where she was and I started to move certain things and I get to her. When I get to her, was movements,” Layne said.

“We were in the process of cutting it down but we were not able to get it down before this happen,” he added. “I give thanks, within the whole level,” he said.

The Laynes have been living in the lot 36 Centre Road Nabaclis house since 1972.

Samuel Hinds is PPP/C prime ministerial candidate

Samuel Hinds

The ruling Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has named Samuel Hinds as its prime ministerial candidate for the November 28 polls, his fifth such nomination.

Presidential candidate Donald Ramotar made the announcement Sunday October 16 at a rally in the bauxite mining town of Linden.

“He is a man who has shown tremendous intelligence and a capacity for hard work. He has shown dedication. He has shown that he is ready and he has indicated his desire to continue to work hard on behalf of the people of this country,” Ramotar said.

Hinds, 68, has been prime minister since the PPP/C attained power in 1992 having served Presidents Dr Cheddi Jagan; his widow, Janet Jagan; and outgoing Bharrat Jagdeo.

Ramotar told those gathered that his party, if re-elected, plans to negotiate with the two bauxite companies that operate in the country to expand their production and to develop new products.

He said this will “see greater value added in the bauxite industry.

“We expect that we will succeed in pressing them in this direction and you can expect almost immediately...that we will create over 1,000 new jobs in this region in a very short space of time,” he said.

Days earlier, the main opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) promised to reform the police force if it wins next month’s general and regional elections.

Member Debra Backer said the police force would be rebranded the Guyana Police Service.

She said a PNCR government would also accept British and Canadian help to improve security within the country.

On Sunday, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) announced that it had started printing the Official List of electors.

It said electronic copies have been given to leader representatives of the two parties.

“Electronic copies of the document were likewise given to the other Parties which were represented in the recently dissolved Parliament. Other Political Parties are being provided with copies of the certified OLE upon request,” GECOM stated.

Ganga bats for Sarwan as Windies captain

Trinidad and Tobago skipper Daren Ganga believes Guyanese batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan was not given a fair chance to captain the West Indies team.

In 2007, Sarwan succeeded the retired Brian Lara as captain of the regional team but the stylish righthander’s stint at the helm of the Windies was cut short during the second Test against England in May 2007 with a shoulder injury.

The injury was serious enough to rule him out of the remainder of the tour and for a further ten months. Sarwan returned to the West Indies side in 2008 for the home series against Sri Lanka, as vice-captain to Chris Gayle and was never given a chance to lead the team again. 

His career has been in a mini-slump recently and was dropped from the team for the Pakistan series at home following a poor performance at the 2011 ICC World Cup.

“It is baffling to me that there was a guy like Ramnaresh Sarwan who was always playing second fiddle as vicecaptain and yet he was never given a fair chance to lead West Indies.

“I can recall him playing under Carl Hooper and Brian Lara and being vice-captain for years. He hasn’t been given that opportunity to lead even in two or three consecutive series. There is no structured manner and clear philosophy and guideline in terms of selecting a captain and players,”  he said.

Ganga has been repeatedly overlooked for selection on the team in recent years despite being touted as an excellent captain. His form with the bat has been cited as not good enough to warrant a place in the regional squad even though his leadership qualities were recognised.

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has, however, seemed to renege on their previous criteria for selection in appointing St Lucian Darren Sammy as captain.

Sammy has a modest batting record of 16.32 in Tests and has taken 46 wickets from 16 matches. His batting ODI record is poor with an average of 20.30 and 46 wickets from 63 matches. Commenting on the apparent hypocrisy of the WICB selectors, Ganga was hesitant to state his feelings.

“I don’t like to comment too much on guys who are given the opportunity to lead, because I don’t know the premise of the board in terms of decision making and what their intentions are,” he said.

Armed bandits unleash terror at Puruni

Terror was unleashed at Puruni, in Region 7, last Sunday October 2 when, around 19:00 hrs, eight armed bandits swooped down on the Piara Landing, invaded several businesses at the location and opened fire indiscriminately, terrorizing and robbing several persons of cash, raw gold and jewellery.

As the robbers continued their ruthless plunder, at least three Brazilian businessmen were shot and wounded in the process.

Among the wounded who were rescued and later treated at the Bartica Hospital are:

* Brazilian shopkeeper Benedito Docerado Oliveira, 56, shot to his right hip and robbed of $1/2M and a quantity of raw gold

* Brazilian Francisco Da Cruz Morias, 44 years, was shot to his right thigh and left foot and robbed of $140,000

* Brazilian shopkeeper Joao De Freitas Mattos, was shot to his right leg and robbed of $60,000

Others robbed, but not wounded include:

* Brazilian Mario Odessa Da Silva, robbed of jewellery and $1/2M;

* Curtis Bannette, 34 years, robbed of $110,000 and a cell phone;

* Brazilian Joao Da Conceicao, 56 years, robbed of $30,000;

* David Coates and Carlton Small, less seriously injured, were beaten about the body, and sent away after  being treated at the Bartica Hospital.

Meanwhile, a team of police ranks, acting on information received, yesterday went into another area in the Mazaruni where they reportedly arrested three suspects and recovered an Uzi Sub-Machine gun and a handgun.

The police said they also recovered the bodies of two persons who appeared to have drowned. One is that of a suspect while the other is that of a man wearing a Rasta hairstyle who was taken hostage by the perpetrators to drive the getaway boat.

Information received revealed that while the boat was travelling along the Mazaruni River it overturned and several persons may have drowned. No sign was seen of the boat that was stolen by the armed men.

The police are still in the area pursuing three other suspects. Another man who is suspected of having transported the armed men to the Piara Landing had been earlier arrested at Piara and taken into custody. 

Police said the operation is continuing. They are urging anybody who has seen anything or know of any information that can help to come forward.

They do not want activities like this to keep occuring, especially since there is a State of Emergency in Trinidad and Tobago,

Government will continue to bail out M&CC

Government will continue to inject financial aid into City Hall towards the improvement of the city and its environs. 

President Bharrat Jagdeo made this announcement during a press conference on Tuesday October 4 at the Office of the President.

He said, “I think we have to do this and we will assist the city; it is not Hamilton Green’s city, anything good will have to come without his being involved.” 

The President emphasised that the government will continue to lend its support towards City Hall, in recognition of the fact that the city belongs to all citizens; and as such, the Administration continues to invest large sums towards its enhancement.

“The government will be supportive, we don’t have a choice, this is our city, we cannot say that it is run by Hamilton Green or the PNC, so we don’t pay attention to it, this is why we have pumped so much money into the city,” Jagdeo stated.

Testimony to this, he revealed, is the $500M presently being invested by Central Government for road improvement works around the city. 

President Jagdeo also pointed out that every single road in the city built over the last 15 years was funded by the Central Government.

As for other investments made towards the enhancement and general improvement of the city, he said, “We just bought some garbage trucks to give to City Hall; hopefully that will make a difference. Then we have the new dump site (located at Eccles); thankfully the people in South Georgetown could be relieved. We now have a modern landfill site.”

The Head of State acknowledged that there are still a lot of things left to be done, and expressed confidence that there are some “excellent people” within City Hall who could make a difference.

President Jagdeo, in August of this year, offered a financial bailout, amounting to $215M, to the City Council, to relieve the council of its ongoing financial woes, and to enable the municipality to meet outstanding liabilities, including wages owed to staff and amounts due to garbage collectors for several months.

He announced that the government will be paying $80M in rates and taxes to the Council, in addition to which $120M will be injected into the municipality to help meet its outstanding liabilities and to accelerate its efforts to keep the city clean.

And a further $15 million will be provided by the Central Government to the City Council for cleaning up Le Repentir Cemetery.

President to announce elections date soon

Head of State President Bharrat Jagdeo said, on Tuesday October 4, now that he has been informed by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) as to the status quo of the Official List of Electors – or Voters’ List – he will announce the date of elections “within a week.”

President Bharrat Jagdeo says he will announce the date of elections within a week from October 4.

He made the announcement about ‘the big announcement’ at a press briefing held at the Office of the President on Tuesday.

The President told reporters that GECOM sent him a letter, in which the Commission detailed its readiness for the holding of the upcoming polls. The letter reads: “Excellency, please be advised that the Official List of Electors has been prepared in accordance with the National Registration Act Chapter 19:08, the Registration of the People Act 103, the Elections Laws Amendment Act number 15 of 2000.

“Please be further informed that the Official List of Electors has been duly certified by Mr. Gocool Boodhoo, Chief Elections Officer and is now ready for publication. Accompanying this letter is a CD containing the OLE in PDF format,” stated the letter – signed by GECOM Chairman Dr. Steve Surujbally.

President Jagdeo told reporters that, “now that I have received the notification from the Chairman of the Elections Commission, I plan to – and I know most of you showed up here for this announcement - I plan to, within the week [announce a date for elections]. 

“As most of you will be aware, I have been on record that this would be held in the constitutionally prescribed period for elections in Guyana and so everything will be done in accordance with our Constitution,” the President said.

GECOM had announced that November 14 was its earliest ready date. The President is not expected to set a polling date prior to this. 

Further, Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr. Luncheon, at his last post-Cabinet press briefing, had corrected his earlier stated date by which the new Parliament must be in place. This date is January 28, 2012, four months after the dissolution of the last Parliament. Dr. Luncheo had previously announced December 28, 2011 as that date.

According to the HPS, contracts for the procurement of polling day equipment, tools and materials were also presented and approved by Cabinet. GECOM has assured that, thus far, no ‘hiccups’ have been recorded as preparations are proceeding as planned, according to Dr. Luncheon.

President says Sharma suggested two-month ban, his wife suggested four

President Bharrat Jagdeo, on Tuesday October 4, cleared the air on the banning for four months of CNS Television Channel 6, saying it had nothing to do with Sharma - the individual, and that his wife and programme manager, Savitree Singh, had asked that the penalty be reduced to ‘four months’ at the meeting he had with the couple on Friday.

The President also made it very clear that it was not a political decision, as some critics and opposition elements are suggesting, but a decision that arose from recommendations made by the Advisory Committee on Broadcasting (ACB).

Speaking at a press conference, Mr. Jagdeo told reporters the ACB had recommended that CNS TV6 be suspended “for at least six months” and he was in receipt of that recommendation since June despite Sharma’s move to the court to block him from receiving it.

The suspension stemmed from the broadcasting of a commentary by Tony Vieira in which he made disparaging remarks about the religious community and Bishop Juan Edghill, who has since sued him and the television station. The ACB became involved as it constituted a broadcasting breach.

RECOMMENDATION : President Jagdeo, in giving a brief synopsis of the events leading to the suspension, noted that a complaint was filed by Edghill to the ACB, which at that time was made up of the Chairman Evan Persaud (representing Government), the nominee of the Leader of the Opposition Ron Case, and the private sector nominee Norman McLean.

QUOTE: “The boundaries that we shall not cross in these elections are race and religion. People’s race and religion are sacred. Every decentminded Guyanese, regardless of whether you like the Government or not, you should be intolerant to any attempt to use race and religion and I hope that we could count on all Guyanese for this...These things harmed our country in almost irreparable ways in the past. We have to ensure that this does not happen in the future.” - President Jagdeo

The President said these are the three persons who looked at this issue, and later provided him with their consideration and conclusion of the complaints about CNS Channel 6’s airing of Mr. Vieira’s commentary.

Mr. Jagdeo said the ACB’s finding constitutes offences against the Constitution, the Laws of Guyana and Sharma’s television licence.

“The (ACB) considered the matter and they recommended that Sharma be suspended for at least six months. They took into consideration that there were three other transgressions of a similar nature,” the President told reporters, adding that there was a progression in the transgressions and hence he was sanctioned for one day, then for one week and then for four months.

QUOTE: “I did not initiate this matter. It was initiated separately. I made it clear to Sharma that this went beyond Edghill. It was the content of the broadcast that was reprehensible. The content was intended to incite religious intolerance and disparage religions values in this country, which is reprehensible to our Constitution, the Laws of Guyana and, more particularly, to the licence.” President Jagdeo

“When the ACB sent their recommendation to me, Sharma went to the Court in June to prevent the ACB from having the recommendation come to me. Eventually, that injunction was lifted and I got the copy of the recommendation. A few weeks later, I invited Sharma in. At that meeting I made it public what he said, that he admitted that he [committed] an infringement of the licence, that he was sorry and that he had made a mistake and that they mixed up the tape and showed this,” the President said.

REGULATORY BAN “So I said to him that I will take into consideration all the issues you raised and meet you back. I travelled a bit and then I called Sharma. I said I would write him but I did not. He came to see me with Savitree [Singh] and I said to him that, based on the recommendations of the ACB, I was inclined to suspend him for eight months. “They (Sharma and his wife) started going on about the business and that they had loans to pay and a whole range of things. So I said to Sharma, in the presence of Dr. Roger Luncheon, do you think that I should do nothing about this, because this is a regulatory issue. This has nothing to do with Sharma - the individual,” the President said.

ZERO TOLERANCE “I made it clear, I am not tolerating any attempt to divide our people [using] race or religion, election season or no election season,” Mr. Jagdeo declared. 

“That was the crux of the matter. That’s why they recommended [a minimum of] six months. I explained this to Sharma over and over and over...that it had nothing to do with Edghill and apologising to Edghill. So I said to him, ‘do you think you should avoid sanction?’ ‘What do you think is reasonable?’

Guyanese 9/11 scammer to be deported from the US

Cyril Kendall

A Guyanese man in Queens, New York convicted of the largest 9/11 swindle is getting out of prison after serving less than half his maximum sentence and will be deported back to Guyana.

The report said that Cyril Kendall, 61, defrauded kindhearted charities of US$160,000 by fabricating a fictitious son he said died in the 2001 terror attack on the World Trade Center.

Kendall was sentenced in August 2003 to serve up to 20 years in jail, but he has been approved for early release from the Fishkill Correctional Facility.

It said that the state Parole Board granted Kendall’s release from the upstate prison just two days after the country observed the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

A condition of his freedom requires that he be removed from the country.

The report said that Kendall’s release date has not been set, but he is expected to be turned over soon to federal immigration authorities for deportation back to Guyana, the official said.

“I hope that some vehicle is in place for him to pay those charities back because their heart was in the right place,” Diane Horning, founder of WTC Families for Proper Burial said, “I just think it’s sad that he felt the need to do that, because who would want to put themselves in my position,” said Horning, whose 26-year-old son, Matthew, died at the twin towers.

Kendall, the report said, was convicted of grand larceny and fraud after bilking several charities of benefits, including grief counselling for himself and burial funds for a son that prosecutors maintained never existed.

He had claimed that his youngest son, Wilfred, 29, died in the terror attacks while attending a job interview on the 91st floor of the north tower.

Kendall, said to be a father of 12, showed the charities a photograph of his dead son and a birth certificate. The Daily News said that investigators later determined the photo was that of Kendall at a younger age and the birth certificate was a fake.

The report said that his biggest target was the American Red Cross, which was defrauded of US$119,000 – the most fraudulently obtained by a single individual.

Kendall has not paid back any of the funds, a Red Cross spokesman said.

Kendall was among 22 people arrested in March 2002 for falsely presenting death certificates for nonexistent family members and collecting US$759,565 in charitable funds, according to the Manhattan district attorney’s office.

Guyanese “Bassant Motorsports“ Team in CASC - Ontario Region series

The Canadian Automobile Sports Clubs (CASC), Ontario Region, http://www.casc.on.ca/ , has just completed their 2011 season.

Dereck Bassant

Taking part in the GT Sprints Championship in GT6 was Bassant Motorsports who are of Caribbean background. The team was born in Guyana in a motorsport series that lacks representations from the Caribbean community.

Motorsports is big in the Caribbean. For example, look at the Caribbean Motorsports Championships being held in Jamaica, Barbados and finishing up in Guyana in November. Yet, Canada lacks these skillful driver’s from the Caribbean.

Dereck Bassant, a racer with Bassant Motorsports, is 36 years old and was born in Guyana. When interviewed by Caribbean Xpress about how he became interested in racing he said, “growing up in Guyana, me and my two brothers used to always drive dump trucks. I came to Canada and Dereck Bassant was still interested but didn`t pursue it yet because of financial reasons.”

In 2009 he attanded the Caribbean Championship in Guyana and said to himself, “I can do this.” He returned to Canada and got his racing license soon after.

He did not race much for the rest of the year due to the passing of his father. However, in 2010 he raced half a season, and then the full 2011 season.

Bassant Motorsports was competing in the CASC-OR, which is the official sanctioning body of motorsports in Ontario in the GT-6 class and GT-5 class (separate series).

Bassant Motorsports was racing a 2001 Nissan Sentra in GT-6 of the GT Sprints series. There were a total of 8 race weekends from May 2011 to October 2011 of which each race weekends comprises of three 20 minute races(all weekends except one).

Although, the Bassant Motorsports car # 203 is classified in GT-6, it races together with all of the different classes(GT-1/GT-2/GT-3/GT-4/GT-5/GT-6) on the track at the same time. It is by far the fastest motorsports series in Canada with speeds in excess of 272 km/h.

The two tracks that were used were: Shannonville Motorsports Park(SMP) and Mosport International Raceway (MIR). Here are the standings of some the races Dereck was competing in with his series:

The Ontario GT Sprints 2011 Season Points - Shannonville - May 28, 2011
1) Dereck BASSANT 107 points
2) Colin GIBSON 84 points
3) Sean GIBSON 54 points


CASC - Mosport Celebration of Motorsport - Race 1 - October 1, 2011
1) Colin GIBSON
2) Dereck BASSANT
3) Alex TOTH

CASC - Mosport Celebration of Motorsport - Race 2 - October 2, 2011
1) Colin GIBSON
2) Jonathan RASHLEIGH
3) Dereck BASSANT

CASC - Mosport Celebration of Motorsport - Race 3 - October 2, 2011
1) Colin GIBSON
2) Jonathan RASHLEIGH
3) Dereck BASSANT

Vishnu Mandir’s Global Care Outreach Program launches Doobay Renal Centre in Guyana

Patient recieving treatment

Vishnu Mandir’s Global Care Outreach Program (VMGCOP) a not for-profit organization is pleased to announce that it has launched the Doobay Renal Centre a Dialysis Clinic at Lot 9 Annandale, East Coast Demerara, Guyana, on Thursday Sept 15 2011.

Dr Budhendra Doobay, Chairman of Vishnu Mandir and a torch bearer of this humanitarian project was at the inauguration. He among many others reminded the audience that everyone of us has as part of our spiritual obligation to give back to humanity while encouraging others to follow suit. Also present at the opening were David Devine, Canadian Ambassador to Guyana, and several of the numerous sponsors, who made the facility a reality.

Shirley Brigmohan was the first patient to receive treatment and medication while William Harper was the second.

According to Guyana’s Stabroek News, a local newspaper, Mr. Harper “thought he was at death’s door. He had to endure the pain and discomfort of being without dialysis because he simply could not afford it. He says he often thought that death was near and that there seemed to be no way out until by word-of-mouth he heard of the Doobay Renal Centre, which he now calls a “heaven sent.” Harper was Patient recieving treatment evaluated by a doctor at the centre and he will be given all the treatment he needs free of charge, in keeping with the goal of the not-for-profit organization, which aims to make affordable renal care available to Guyanese within any financial bracket.

As part of its cost control VMGCOP sought the assistance of many and one such volunteer was Mc Master University Professor of Nephrology Euan Carlisle who was over seeing the launch and care of the first patients.

Another was Nurse Louisa McKenzie a Jamaican–Canadian who recently retired and who said that she too chose Guyana because it was her own role in giving back to society. She will be in Guyana for one month and is currently training fourteen nurses, ten of whom were sent by the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC). She added she is also willing to return to Guyana should the centre require her services. 

Director of the Centre, Vickram Oditt said that the centre would be working in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the GPHC to meet the needs of patients and as part of the protocol of collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the centre has already donated three dialysis machines to the GPHC and was providing training to its nurses on the use of the machines. 

Dr. Surendra Persaud, a prominent Guyanese surgeon, who is also on the Board of the Doobay Renal Centre, expressed pride at being associated with the centre and recalled that when the stakeholders initially put forward the concept of dialysis for Guyana, many persons thought it could not work. Proud that the initiative has now come off the ground, Dr. Persaud however reasoned that, though considerably reduced, cost could still challenge some persons in need of dialysis. He therefore called on other civic minded persons to consider giving generously to the fund from which those less fortunate could benefit.

Canadian High Commissioner, His Excellency David Devine said that on behalf of Canada which has played a great role in helping Guyana realize its dream of an affordable dialysis centre to meet the needs of the Guyanese people applauded the stakeholders and expressed admiration for their dedication displayed in making the initiative a success. 

Retired Major General Joe Singh, who is Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Kidney foundation launched last November, also had words of congratulations for the Doobay Renal Centre.

The cost of the project at the time of the inauguration amounted to $125,000.00 US

VMGCOP wishes to thank everyone for their donations, especially Dr. Doobay and his family for donating the premises that houses the Renal Centre.

VMGCOP and The Doobay Renal Centre is also very grateful to everyone who has and continue to support our fund raising events in Canada and Guyana.

Thanks also to everyone who offered words of praise and wishes for continued success.

Finally we again remind all that the journey has just began and the road to success would be a lot easier to navigate with more of the same and that all donations in Canada and Guyana are tax deductable in the respective countries.

Sent in to Caribbean Xpress by Kris Misir

GT&T’s Jingle and Song Competition launched

Yog Mahadeo, Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited (GT& T), disclosed that the company will continue to contribute to Guyana’s development through the promotion of competitions on the basis of equality.

Mahadeo said the company will not slacken its drive to transform Guyana in the areas of sport, culture, entertainment, and telecommunications, as it has the nation’s interest at heart.

He was addressing the gathering at the launch of GT& T’s much- anticipated National Jingle and Song Competition, 2011. Mahadeo said the company’s contributions to the development of the lives of all Guyanese are invaluable, and are made on the basis of the company’s social and corporate responsibility to the market within which it has been operating the past 19 years.

“We are constantly investing millions of dollars in various competitions, events and other activities without asking for a cent in return,” Mahadeo said, as he sought to drive home his point on the company’s commitment to Guyana.

The chief executive officer noted that, since GT& T started operating in the Guyanese market, it has plugged a whopping US$ 20 million in investments back into the economy. He explained that the investment was made because the company wanted to provide the stage through which Guyanese can turn their dreams into reality.

Speaking about the investment made in staging this year’s Jingle and Song Competition, Mahadeo disclosed that more than 50 million dollars will be disbursed for the event, which will attract auditions from thousands of Guyanese.

“We have removed all barriers this year because we want all Guyanese to have the opportunity to display their talents. We realise that we are not here to limit talent, but rather cultivate talents and skills”, Mahadeo said at the launching ceremony on Thursday. This year’s competition has a new feature, a “Bollywood category”. According to Mahadeo, the event has grown and must now spread its wings to give all people, regardless of race, background or creed, the ability to demonstrate talent.

He said GT& T hopes to create two new stars in the country using music as the means of enabling Guyanese to accomplish their dreams in this respect. He insisted that the competition must seek to invoke “patriotism, nationalism, pride and overall zeal” in Guyanese. Mahadeo said specific attention should be placed on the lyrics and performance techniques of persons who are part of the competition, as opposed to just their vocal abilities.

This is the fifth staging of the competition, and already GT& T has created several stars in the music industry while affording them the opportunity to become role models and leaders in the emerging entertainment industry.

“His advocacy was service beyond Guyana”

Former Commonwealth Secretary General, Sir Shridath Ramphal, has lauded President Bharrat Jagdeo’s tenureship, as he paid tribute to His Excellency, during the President’s Appreciation celebration day, on Friday September 16, at the National Stadium, Providence.

Sir Shridath joined many who took the opportunity to express appreciation and gratitude for President Jagdeo’s astute leadership over the past 12 years, noting the tremendous development the country has witnessed during this period.

The Guyana-born Sir Shridath especially paid tribute to the president’s respect for the constitutional norms in relinquishing office as the Constitution of the republic required.

“To respect the Constitution is of course the norm; to do so with dignity and without hesitancy is deserving of tribute, and I pay that tribute with great admiration,” he said.

He noted too that President Jagdeo has demonstrated both the understanding and the aptitude, at many levels, of global encounters, such as international summits and meetings of Commonwealth Heads of Government.

This ability, he noted, is important in these days of globalization, where national and international matters are closely intertwined and all aspects of the president’s international work have had national implications, with much of it being driven in pursuit of the interests of Guyana and its people.

According to Sir Shridath, President Jagdeo has shown those qualities too in more specialised forums, like meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (where he was once Chairman of the Board of Governors) and high level environmental, climate change and forestry bodies.

He said, “Not surprisingly, his attendance was marked out and specifically sought. A voice from the developing world, from a small country, an authentic voice speaking with intelligence of the issues and with passion on them. The international community acknowledged President Jagdeo’s special qualities, and singled out his contributions.”

Sir Shridath explained that the linkage between local and global policies has not been better exemplified than in President Jadgeo’s “enlightened” Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and the Guyana - Norway Partnership Agreement, which is recognized as the world’s second largest forest service climate.

“This agreement melds the vision and integrity of Guyana’s LCDS and Norway’s enlightened environmental policies,” he acknowledged.

As to the importance of the Head of State’s drive to promote the LCDS, Ramphal said, “Many years ago, I was a member of the International Commission on Environment and Development chaired by a former prime minister of Norway, Gro Harlem Bruntdland. The report we produced, ‘Our Common Future’, first developed the concept of sustainable development. Therefore, it is special to me that over two decades later, President Jagdeo should be so splendidly fulfilling for Guyana the promise of sustainable development – and with Norway’s help.”

In recent years President Jagdeo has spoken out internationally of the need for solutions to avert the worst extremes of climate change globally, and with special emphasis on its catastrophic consequences for developing countries.

In 2009, he did so with notable effect at the prestigious World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland.

“His advocacy was service beyond Guyana: it was service to a much wider world,” the former Commonwealth Secretary General explained.

And all that is besides his acknowledged regional leadership - leadership in CARICOM - nowhere better exemplified than in his opposition to the Economic partnership Agreement ( EPA ) with the European Union.

President Jagdeo was convinced that what was being concluded was bad for the region: a conviction in which he was to be proven right even before the ink of signature was dry. He gave leadership too in the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) of which he was an early chairman – constituting Guyana as a bridge between the Caribbean and South America, and thereby enhancing our country’s importance to both.

The president’s internationalism has earned more than acknowledgement of the contributions he can make at the global level; it has won him honour for his special capacities, competencies and achievements.

In 2008, both Time magazine and CNN named Bharrat Jagdeo as one of their ‘Heroes of the Environment’.

In 2010, at the level of the United Nations, he was named a Champion of the Earth, an award which, in the words of the United Nations Envivonment Programme, “recognises individuals who embody commitment and vision towards environmental leadership through their action and their influence”. This award spoke eloquently to the president’s internationalism, and brought glory to him and to all Guyana.

Within recent months he has been  invited to serve on the Board of the internationally respected Global Green Growth Institute.

In closing, Sir Ramphal stated, “As he leaves the presidency of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo can be proud that he has made a difference to the standing of developing countries in the global  community, and the quality of his advocacy has redounded to the credit of our country and our people. May he long continue to contribute to the welfare of his fellow citizens of the Earth,” Sir Shridat concluded.

Relatives of injured Amerindian claim policeman was insulting

Forty-eight year-old Trevor Melville, of Port Kaituma, North West Region, who was hit by a truck on Friendship Public Road, East Bank Demerara, on Sunday September 18, remained in a critical condition.

He is a patient in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and on life support. Melville suffered head injuries and a crushed left leg.

The accident happened around 10:30 hrs and he was picked up in an unconscious state and rushed to Diamond Diagnostic Centre, also on East Bank Demerara, before being transferred to the GPH.

The father of four, between the ages of 6 and 12 years, had been in Georgetown to visit his sisters, Doreen James and Thelma Melville. Melville had just left the home of the latter at Friendship and was crossing the road, in an effort to get transportation to visit Thelma who lives at Land of Canaan, on East Bank Demerara, too, when he was injured.

One of his daughters, Jessica, who witnessed the mishap, related that the attitude of the driver of the vehicle, GMM 100, was most insensitive. She said he and a woman, who was sitting  in the cab next to him, became very abrasive and hurled insults at the hurt man.

Melville’s elder sister, Doreen, said it was unbelievable that the driver did not even attempt to render any assistance in getting her brother to the hospital. It was his sisters and other relatives who had to pick him up and hire a vehicle to take him to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre.

Ranks from Grove Police Station arrived on the scene and carried out investigations but, later in the evening, when relatives visited the station to be updated, they came in for another shock, they claimed.

They said the police rank from whom they sought to get information was loud and blatantly insulting. “In fact he stopped just short of telling us that we were Amerindians, insignificant and had no right to ask any questions about the driver,” one of the victim’s sisters lamented.

Melville’s family recalled that, about five years ago, he had a horrific accident in the same neighbourhood and it was a miracle that he survived. On that occasion he remained unconscious and on life support in the ICU for several days, having suffered severe head injuries.

To this day, he still has a disfigured face and, another sister Elaine, was also struck by a vehicle near that same spot and remains paralysed on one side.

“We expected the police to do their job and conduct proper investigations and take the matter to court. However, it seems that both cases were  thrown out of the window. Our sister is paralysed. Our brother is on life support for the second time and all the drivers are walking free. Where is the justice?” where

Africanised bees kill Eccles man

Pandemonium hit the village of Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD) in the afternoon on Monday September 19 after a swarm of Africanised (killer) Bees launched an attack on residents in the area, resulting in the death of one.

Sheikh Imran Hassan, 48, succumbed at the Balwant Singh Hospital, East Street, Georgetown, late afternoon. He had been stung numerous times about his body while at his residence.

At the hospital, the Hassan family was still trying to come to grips with what transpired, while other residents who were stung needed medical attention.

Arshaad Hassan, the man’s eldest son, said that he has been living at Lot 238 Anaida Avenue, Eccles, for his entire life and never saw any of the Africanised Bees around his home prior to this incident.

He explained that his father, a mechanic by occupation, and other family members were attacked by the bees around 13:30 hrs while he was at work.

Six other residents were stung moments after the bees began to attack and they received assistance and treatment from other persons in the neighbourhood.

One of Hassan’s relative stated that the hive of bees was situated in their neighbour’s house.

“The nest is in our neighbour ceiling; Tony Amres house, the GEB security people. The house lock up and they gone. We sought assistance when this thing was happening from; we sought the NDC, police station, agriculture, fire station, all over and no one helped”, said the relative.

Fizal Shawl, the victim’s brother-inlaw, who was at the scene at the time of the incident stated that Hassan and another brother were repairing a car on his (Shawl’s) bridge when a swarm of bees attacked the two.

The victim’s brother managed to jump in a drum of water while the deceased put a bucket on his head but since the bees were too numerous he fell and was covered in black (bees). The victim’s sons, his brother and other close relatives made numerous efforts to save his life but all were futile.

According to his brother, from the time the bees attacked Hassan, contacts were made to many government places for help to eradicate the bees but to no avail.

Calls were also made to West Ruimveldt Fire Station but the response was “We gotta get permission”.

The NDC responded to the calls with “How much you’ll pay?”

While the deceased was being attacked, frustrated relatives also made contact with the Ministry of Agriculture but that department was only able to give the family different phone numbers to contact the eradicator.

At the home of Hassan at 17:00hrs, there was chaos because the bees were still living in the ceiling of a house next door, at 239 Anaida Avenue.

At the time of the incident a woman  was said to be living in the house but immediately fled after she realized that the bees were inside the house.

According to Joan Hassan, the victim’s sister-in-law, she was stung in the head while trying to assist, while other neighbours locked their doors and were peeping through their windows to see the outcome since there wasn’t much anyone could do.

The victim’s sister-in-law explained that after her brother-in-law passed away, a bee catcher came to the scene.

“When he came and was directed to the house the bee catcher said there isn’t anything he can do now and demanded taxi fare from our family.”  Hassan leaves to mourn his three sons and wife, Sabetri.

According to a report the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) received a report from a resident of Lot 199 Anira Avenue, Eccles, at approximately 14:00 hrs. That report stated that a resident of Eccles was being attacked by a swarm of bees.

The GLDA states that it immediately contacted Mr. Carl Persaud, a private bee keeper/exterminator who responded to the scene at 14:30 hrs to investigate the report and take necessary action.

Singh arrived on the scene and found that the bees were in an occupied building. He then exterminated the bee colony and rescued two dogs.

“It is also believed that there are other colonies of bees within the area based upon the number of bees that were exterminated. The GLDA is advising that the bees are hostile and should be reported immediately to GLDA at 220-6557”, the release went on to say.

Meanwhile, the GLDA said that it regretted the loss of life and sympathised with the other persons who were stung in the process.

“Most wanted” Guyanese to be deported

Shameer Ally Allie

One of Canada’s “Most Wanted” criminals, who was convicted twice of beating women, has been deemed a threat to public security and denied release from custody by an immigration hearing.

Shameer Ally Allie, 36, of Guyana, was picked up Thursday September 15 by the RCMP. He had been on the run since January to avoid deportation stemming from a lengthy criminal record that includes convictions for assault causing bodily harm, threatening death, assault with a weapon and twice failing to report to authorities.

He is slated to be deported on Wednesday by the Canada Border Services Agency.

Dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit, Allie wore leg and stomach restraints at an Immigration and Refugee Board hearing on Monday September 19.

The father of two was convicted in 2003 for attacking a common-law wife with a baseball bat, the hearing was told. He received a suspended sentence and was placed on probation for two years.

Allie also attacked another woman, whom he was seeing, with a “large kitchen knife” after he accused her of dressing provocatively, Stephanie Echlin, a counsel for the immigration department said.

The woman was threatened with death several times and escaped after the building’s landlord heard a struggle and ran to her aid.

“Both of those assaulted were women with whom he had a close relationship with,” Echlin said. “He (Allie) is a violent offender who has shown no sign of remorse or rehabilitation.”

The board was told Allie was released from custody by an immigration official last year “after he requested to spend the Christmas holidays with his family.” He promptly went underground and was arrested last week while walking to an illegal job. He does not have a permit to work here.

Immigration board member Marilou Funston said Allie may not return if released from custody because he twice failed to comply with court orders.

Allie told the board his life would be in danger if he returned to Guyana. He is the sixth person arrested from a list of 32 of Canada’s “Most Wanted” criminals who were identified by the CBSA.

The fugitives are among a group of 1,400 dangerous criminals without immigration status who are believed to be hiding in Canada.

The lineup of foreign criminals was released following the success of a first list of 30 suspected war criminals who were identified by the CBSA. So far, 11 suspects have been arrested and one has left country. Five have been deported.

Guyana's 2011 PPP Presidential Candidate Donald Ramoutar in Toronto Last Weekend

The Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) hosted yet another successful fund raising event in Toronto on Sunday September 18 at the Peter and Paul Banquet Hall.

Over 700 persons turned out for the occasion and the opportunity to interact with President Bharrat Jagdeo and the PPP/C 2011 Presidential Candidate Mr. Donald Ramotar.

More importantly they were keen to learn about the vision of the country’s next Head of State and his plans to continue and further accelerate Guyana’s significant growth rate.

Following his address the large turnout were vociferous in their calls to - Let Progress Continue in Guyana. Ramotar has been with the PPP for a very long time and is believed to be equipped as the presidential candidate.

At the event, Ramotar stated , “This election in some ways has some uniqueness in it. All the presidential candidates from all the various politicals parties are for the first time competeing in the elections as presidential candidates. So we can guarantee that there will be a new president. This is because of the change in the constitution in which a president will only have two terms and President Jagdeo’s second term has come to an end. If we did not have that clause then I am certain that Jagdeo would have been our presidential candidate because of the seamless work he has done.”

He also went on to explain how Guyana has changed since 1992.

“When we got in government in 1992 our economy was in total shambles and we had one of the highest debts in the world. We were spending 94% of revenues that we collected only to service the debts. If you added that to public service  salaries that added up to 110% of our GDP in 1992. Which meant we were borrowing to pay debts. The debts were 7 and 1/2 times our GDP. Today we have brought it down to 35%. We have also repaired most physical infrastructure in our country. We have also built more than 1000 schools since we got into office.”

PPC Presidential Candidate Donald Ramotar

Ramotar also explained how the party has been successful when it came to healthcare and how the ecomony is still growing.

The PPC has a very good platform to further excel at a higher rate and have laid the foundation for a very rapid takeoff for Guyana.

Ramotar is hopeful that their party will win in the next election.

Korean investors eying Guyana

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA) -- Guyana has attracted the interest of Korea at the level of the government and business community following negotiations initiated by President Bharrat Jagdeo during his visit in 2010.

This disclosure was made by newly accredited Ambassador of Korea to Guyana, Kim Joo-teck, who presented his letters of credence to Jagdeo on Wednesday at the Office of the President, replacing his predecessor Won-Sun Choi, who was accredited two years ago.

Kim, a Harvard, Cambridge, and Massachusetts University graduate, is hoping to further promote the encouraging level of relations between the two countries during his tenure in Guyana, citing cooperation projects in information communication technology (ICT) and agriculture.

“These areas are of personal interest to President Jagdeo…. Many countries around the world including some Latin American and Caribbean countries are working to establish… e-government infrastructure with the  support of the Korean government so these days modern countries and societies may need to improve better
infrastructure for ICT… to be well connected with the rest of the world,” Kim explained.

In July last year a delegation comprising representatives from various public and private sector agencies in Korea met Jagdeo during a visit to Guyana as they brainstormed investment potential.

The team was led by Director General of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau in Korea’s Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry Choo Jonh Youn, who told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that possibilities were spotted in the mining, fisheries and agriculture sectors.

Jagdeo had stimulated the interest of Korean investors when he met with a group while in Seoul last year for the Business for the Environment (B4E) summit, after receiving the Champion of the Earth award.

The investors, among whom were from the Korea Importers Association (KOIMA), chairman Lee Ju-tae, were told by the Guyanese leader of Guyana’s interest in Korean businesses participating in the development of national projects to boost mutual cooperation between the two countries.

He promised them that Guyana is prepared to welcome foreign businesses that invest in the development of resource mining and entrepreneurship and made  reference to Guyana’s oil fields, natural gases and oil drilling plans by international oil companies.

In 2005 Guyana and Korea signed an agreement for the promotion and protection of investments. Signatories to the accord were the then Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Clement Rohee and former Korean Ambassador Shin Shoong Chull.

The agreement was aimed at setting  the stage for Guyana to seek investment opportunities in Korea.