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Large turnout at GuyExpo 2009 exhibitors’ seminar
- Exhibition opens tomorrow and runs until October 6
Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Manniram Prashad met with exhibitors participating in GuyExpo 2009 on Monday in the main auditorium at the National Exhibition Center, Sophia.
Constructing a booth at the exhibition site. |
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Almost 300 exhibitors attended the seminar, making it the largest turnout ever at this type of meeting. This in itself is viewed as an indication of the huge public/private sector participation anticipated for GuyExpo this year. Local and overseas exhibitors and investors alike have indicated satisfaction with and commitment to this national event.
Minister Prashad expressed contentment with the overwhelming participation and special interest shown by exhibitors and investors.
He told the gathering that their turnout is viewed as their preparedness and confidence in Guyana’s economy.
Guyana’s largest trade and investment exposition, GuyExpo started nine years ago. It began in 1995 as a bi-annual event hosted by the Guyana Office for Investment (GOINVEST), the Guyana Manufacturers’ Association (GMA) and the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce.
This event showcased locally produced goods and services and became annual in 2004; it is the longest sustained exhibition in the Caribbean. In the same year, noting the growth and interdependence of international trade, organizers opened the exhibition to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and other regional exhibitor participation.
The last GuyExpo in 2007 attracted over 70,000 patrons, in addition to special invitees and guests. The event attracted over three hundred exhibitors, consisting of both local and overseas participants that displayed a wide range of products, craft and services. Exhibitors came from Barbados, India, China, Brazil and Jamaica, among other countries.
GuyExpo is now a National Event and takes a permanent place on the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce’s annual calendar of Events. This trade and investment event was originally held in July, and then shifted to August and later to September. It is now held for the first time in the month of October.
This premier exposition and trade fair offers business associates to meet, network and negotiate with international companies and establishments, as well as showcase their skills, talents and creative works. It will be hosted from October 1st – 6th under the theme “Promoting Business in a Low Carbon Environment”.
This annual event provides a platform for both local and foreign businesses: importers, exporters, retailers, wholesalers. It fuses together a wide cross-section of producers of handicraft, furniture, garments, jewellery, horticulture, pharmaceuticals, tourism, information technology and most of all, our culture. This ideal setting provides the opportunity for businesses to increase their competitiveness, efficiencies and to foster growth.
GuyExpo is undertaken as a partnership among the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, GOINVEST and the private sector; exhibitors, franchise holders, game operators and entertainers play a major role in the overall success of the event.
The GuyExpo Planning Committee and Secretariat, under the stewardship of Minister Prashad and Co-Chairman Derrick Cummings, established a plan of action which will result in GuyExpo 2009 being one of the best ever.
Premature excitement over UG decision on Evan Persaud
- Pro-Chancellor stresses importance of ensuring ‘due process’
By Priya Nauth
PRO-Chancellor of the University of Guyana (UG) Dr Prem Misir has indicated that any university staff that might be accused of grave misconduct, must be given “appropriate due process as well as a good and fair hearing”.
Speaking to the media yesterday at the Office of the Pro-Chancellor, Pere Street, Kitty, Georgetown, Dr Misir explained the procedure in light of a Faculty of Technology Lecturer, Mr. Evan Radhay Persaud who ‘came under fire’ recently for alleged inappropriate behaviour including victimising and threatening students.
Alluding to the situation with Persaud, Dr Misir said “in some ways it is premature”, since there is a due process currently at work, legally, with the matter at the Committee stage at the University.
“That Committee does not determine whether the person loses his job or not. It doesn’t really. That thing has to go through some other stages, and I think our main concern as Members of the Council, we are very concern that we give, whether it is Mr. Persaud or whoever is in the hot seat, a fair hearing and there should be appropriate due process at work,” he explained.
“There is a process that is at work…and we have to ensure that it is at work,” Dr Misir said, pointing out that Statute 25 of the UG Statutes is particularly relevant to this situation.
“Statute 25 allows an investigation of complaints that might be made by a student, or anybody against a faculty member, and once that complaint is made, and it is assessed to be a complaint that has some degree of substance if you like, and in terms of repercussions for the whole university community, I think it is something that needs to be examined,” he stated.
According to Statute 25: ‘If it appears to the Council that there is reasonable cause to believe that the Principal and Vice Chancellor, the Vice-Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, or any other member of the UA (University Administration) staff may be guilty of grave misconduct, or is unable to perform the functions of his office as might warrant the termination of his employment, the Council shall:
(a) give him notice, in writing, of the reason for the action contemplated;
(b) if he or the Council so request within the period of fourteen days beginning with the date of the notice, make arrangements:
(i) for a Special Select Committee, comprising of two members of the Academic Board (not being members of the Council appointed by the Academic Board), and three other persons appointed by the Council none of whom shall be members of the Council, to investigate the charges;
(ii) for the person to whom the investigation relates to, be afforded the opportunity of being heard on his own behalf and to be allowed legal representation at the hearing by the Committee with respect to the charges;
And if the Council, after considering the report of the Special Committee, is satisfied that the person to whom the investigation relates ought to be removed from the office may terminate his appointment.
The Pro-Chancellor noted that an investigation committee did its work and came up with a report which was presented to the University Council.
“But what has happened is that some people have seen the report as ‘like the end of this guy’, or any person for that matter. But it is not; it is just the beginning of the whole due process,” Dr Misir explained.
“We are very concerned about fairness here regardless of who it is,” he stressed.
“There was a report which was presented at the last Council meeting but after that, we have to think about the next stages,” he stated.
He explained that, for instance, the person in question is given notice in terms of what the Committee of Investigation reported and will be given a letter to indicate what the Committee determined and, based on that letter and his/her own assessment, it will be useful for the person to assess whether he wants to appeal the situation or not.
“If there is going to be a situation where the person wants to appeal then there is a whole set of due process at work,” he reminded.
The Pro-Chancellor also noted that the University Council will have to set up the Special Committee but that has not happened as yet in this case.
“We are not even there yet so nobody has been fired or anything like that,” Misir told the media.
“It is not a case where somebody is going to lose his or her job, we don’t know how all of this is going to work out,” he made clear again.
“We are very concern that due process works itself out here, and the person in question or any person for that matter in a situation of this nature, must be given a fair hearing,” he told reporters.
“Until the Special Committee has a final hearing on all of this, it can even throw out whatever you may have in your possession already, but I think my concern as I look at it more and more carefully, is that whoever is involved in a situation like this must be given appropriate due process as well as a good fair hearing,” he went on.
“The Committee’s report has already been given to the Council and what will happen now, based on how the person in question assesses the situation, that person has 14 days in which to respond,” he said.
“It is very, very important that we understand the procedures involved here and don’t jump to ‘premature conclusions’,” the Pro-Chancellor emphasised.
“There is a situation that we are addressing and we are going through the procedures but nobody is guilty until everything has been sorted out,” he concluded.
McCoy, Kissoon not cooperating with ERC over complaint
- Edghill
By Telesha Persaud
CHAIRMAN of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) Bishop Juan Edghill yesterday expressed dissatisfaction over the fact that many complaints to the ERC are being sensationalised before being dealt with properly by the constitutional body.
He told a press conference, at ERC’s Peter Rose Street, Queenstown, Georgetown offices, that some complainants have also been refusing to provide follow-up information and unwilling to comply with the procedures involved in dealing with their matters.
Edghill referred specifically to the ‘Monkey Mountain issue’ involving Information Liaison to the President, Mr. Kwame McCoy and columnist Mr. Freddie Kissoon.
Edghill said it is important to note that the controversy surrounding the two was in the public domain even before it reached the ERC and he lamented that neither McCoy nor Kissoon have responded to requests by investigators to follow through with the process by signing forms, giving more information and making themselves available for interviews.
According to Edghill, Kissoon told the ERC investigators he has no interest in proceeding if McCoy was not going to do so.
Edghill said Kissoon’s cooperation is dependent on whether or not McCoy was pursuing the issue and that was the response from the former when he was asked by investigators to visit the office and sign a complaint form.
He said Kissoon has been telling the ERC investigators one story while writing a totally different one in a newspaper.
“I am sure you will hear a different story if we (ERC) do not follow up with the complaint,” Edghill said.
“Is Mr. Freddie Kissoon using the ERC to make the news or to sensationalise a matter or is he being responsible when he writes asking us to investigate a complaint?”, the Chairman enquired.
Edghill said, based on the feedback he received from the investigators, McCoy had difficulty finding the address of the ERC.
“The ERC is nobody’s football that you can use for your own sensationalising or for political mileage. I take this opportunity to make it clear that we (ERC) will not pick up anybody’s fire rage or fight anybody’s personal agenda,” he declared.
Edghill added: “This is a responsible constitutional commission and both of them (McCoy and Kissoon) must know that, unless they are prepared to follow the complaints procedure, the ERC will not be continuing with this matter.”
Edghill said McCoy and Kissoon never meant for the matter to be seriously investigated but lodged the complaint solely on the basis on sensation.
Edghill mentioned a letter that was recently penned by Mayor Hamilton Green who, he claimed, “jumped into the fray” of sensationalising the matter with McCoy and Kissoon by writing to a newspaper.
Saying Green’s correspondence was uncalled for, Edghill said the Mayor, being a former Prime Minister and one of the country’s elders, should be contributing towards development and ethnic security rather than driving groups apart.
Edghill charged that Green’s letter made matters worse than what they were when the complaint was lodged with the ERC.
“Anybody who looked at Green’s letter would conclude that, while he was trying to be nice and decent with the pen, the intent was to make the matter worse,” Edghill stated.
He remarked that people are hurt when public officials and professional writers behave in this manner.
“Your writings affect simple, ordinary people and we should be working for the development of Guyana and not for its destruction,” Edghill advised.
Alleged child molestation & sexual predation
Kwame McCoy loses first round of legal battle to media houses
CHIEF Justice (Ag.) Mr. Ian Chang, S.C. created a stir at the High Court yesterday when upon application from media houses he discharged Injunctions he had recently granted to McCoy, restraining the media (defendants) from further publishing defamatory sex stories about the plaintiff.
In Court yesterday, from left, Adam Harris, Julia Johnson, Glen Lall and Enrico Woolford |
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The defendants, Prime News, Mr. Glenn Lall, Mr. Enrico Woolford and Capitol News, and National Media Publishing Company, were present in the Chief Justice Chambers to welcome the news after their lawyers had put forward affidavits in answer to nullify the injunctions.
Among other things, the sworn affidavits in answer sought to prove to the court that the said words, complained of in the alleged defamatory story, are true in substance and in fact, and that it is therefore justified in publishing same and further and/or in the alternative that the said words were fair comment on matters of constitutional importance, public interest, public welfare and public morality.
The Acting Chief Justice was told that in view of the plea of justification and comment, the continuation of the said injunction will be censorious of the Respondents in matters that touch and concern constitutional importance, public interest, public welfare and public morality and more fundamentally, the protection and preservation of the rights, interests and well being of our nation’s children.
It was suggested that for the reasons set out, that the interim injunction granted on the 23rd September, 2009, be discharged forthwith.
Lawyers representing the respondents included Mr. Nigel Hughes for Enrico Woolford and Capitol News, and Attorneys at law Mr. Manoj Narayan, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan and Mr. Neil Parsram.
After listening to the arguments, the Chief Justice discharged the interim injunction and ordered that the summons be allowed to take its normal course.
As a result of the ruling yesterday, the media houses involved are entitled if they so wish to repeat their publications.
When asked what time the trial was adjourned to, Mr. Ramjattan pointed out that it will take its normal course, and might be a year from now.
Mother scalds 12-year-old daughter for taking some milk without permission
- girl treated for second-degree burns at GPH
By Shirley Thomas
A GIRL, 12, was treated at Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) for second degree burns yesterday, after her mother allegedly scalded her right arm as punishment for taking some milk without permission.
The burning incident occurred last Thursday, at their city home, but the victim was not taken for treatment to the injury.
However, because the burn remained untreated, aggravated by the intense heat of the sun, the condition worsened and on her return there, Queenstown Community High School teachers immediately commenced investigating what transpired.
The child was initially afraid to recall the incident but gave details when pressed and was accompanied to the hospital by a teacher.
The student, having commenced the treatment process, has been advised to visit a district clinic for follow-up dressings.
A medical report was issued by a GPH doctor and a statement given to the Police on duty in the hospital compound who are conducting further investigations.
Meanwhile, an also unnamed three-year-old girl, from Chelsea Park, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara, was rushed to the same institution after being accidentally burnt on Sunday and she, too, was treated and admitted to the GPH Burns Care Unit.
Reports said a utensil fell off a stove and emptied its contents on her.
Amerindian Heritage Month ends today
CHRONICLE has decided to pay tribute to Guyana’s indigenous people as Amerindian Heritage Month comes to an end today with a few highlights of various pertinent aspects of Amerindian events and culture.
A extensive programme of activities in observance of Amerindian Heritage month officially began on Tuesday, September 1.
In 1995, the late President Dr. Cheddi Jagan designated September as Amerindian Heritage Month to showcase and promote Amerindian culture and contributions to the Guyanese nation.
This month of celebrations has moved from simply one of observance to one that focuses more on the development of the Amerindian people and the contributions they have made to our diverse society.
Amerindian Heritage Day activities were billed this year for Orealla in Region Six, which was designated “Heritage Village” for 2009, although most Amerindian villages across the country observe cultural and other activities on this day.
Their rich culture and strong traditional practices have certainly impacted positively on the Guyanese culture and national development.
The Golden Arrowhead of Achievement, the national Headdress, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, and the names of several communities and popular sites around the country, such as the Kaieteur Falls – even the name of our country, originated from the indigenous people of our land.
The People’s Progressive Party/Civic Administration has conceived a continuum of developmental programmes working with the Amerindian people and their communities to fully integrate them into the mainstream Guyanese society so that they could be given equal recognition as other Guyanese, while yet sustaining their traditional cultures and respecting their rights to make choices relevant to their own peculiar needs.
While the contributions of Amerindians continue to be recognized nationally, September is now a special month to focus on the contributions that the Amerindians have made to the development of our country, and for them to take stock of where they were previously, where they are now, and where they are heading in the future.
Amerindians have certainly developed in all areas of the social sector and with the committed efforts of the Government more development is assured for Amerindians and Amerindian communities.
The observance in September has received recognition from various Amerindian groups because on September 10, 1957, the first Amerindian Parliamentarian Mr. Stephen Campbell of Santa Rosa was sworn in as a Member of Parliament (MP).
The month of activities to honor Amerindians was first observed under the first and former Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Mr. Vibert De Souza, who firmly believed that the contributions of Mr. Campbell need national recognition.
Cabinet had approved a budgetary allocation to be used by the various Regions to celebrate Amerindian Heritage Month.
The Miss Amerindian Heritage Pageant was held on Saturday, 26th September, with Miss Nandanie Jerry, Miss Region Seven, copping the crown from nine other competitors. This was one of the highlights of this year’s celebrations.
The pageant concluded Amerindian Heritage Month activities for 2009.
TRADITIONAL WEDDING AT ST. CUTHBERT’S
AFTER having been successful in the Secondary Schools Entrance Examination (SSEE) in Guyana, Lenox Schuman won a Government Hinterland Scholarship and he left his home in St. Cuthbert’s Mission to attend North Georgetown Secondary School until his family left Guyana in 1990.
He is reportedly the only Amerindian airline pilot from Guyana currently living and working abroad.
He attended Confederation College of Applied Arts and Technology where he graduated with a Business Diploma and a Canadian Commercial Pilot's Licence in 1999.
Since then he has worked for a variety of companies in Canada that saw him flying from the Canadian Arctic region to Toronto.
He is currently flying out of Pearson International Airport for a company called Air Georgian. Ninety-nine percent of that company’s flights are Air Canada connections and are governed by Air Canada’s mode of operations under its own operations certificate.
St. Cuthbert's Mission was originally called Pakuri until the Anglican Church founded a Mission there, calling it St. Cuthbert’s Mission. It was founded on St. Cuthbert's Day in 1889.
According to Lenox, the chiefhood could be traced back to his great-great-grandfather and was handed down to a long lineage of family members, including his father, who was the Chief for eight years.
The family left Guyana in 1990, but has periodically returned to contribute to the community in a variety of ways - at least twice annually.
When he fell in love with a Canadian girl, Amanda, they decided that they would return to his home village and get married in the traditional way.
Lenox says that the traditional Amerindian union has never been done in an inter-racial setting, making it a first in the history of the indigenous Peoples of Guyana. That is not to say that there have never been inter-racial weddings, but nothing on a cultural and traditional level as was done by Lenox and Amanda. Lenox described the rites of passage as follows:
“To prove myself a man and worthy of taking a woman, it was required of me to stand in an ant nest without flinching. After that, the venom from the ants would cause me to hallucinate, which would be interpreted as my vision in which my sacred animal would come to me. After the vision, it was required that I hunt and prove myself as a good provider and show my ability to provide for a wife. In this proving ground, I had to provide my kill to the head of Amanda's household and if it was acceptable and they took it, it meant that they approved and that I could have Amanda. The ferocity of the kill usually dictated the bride which one is eligible to take. A leopard would allow me to take any daughter of the recipient family, while an easier kill would have them dictate which of the daughters I'd be able to take. The fiercer the kill, the more worthy I am of the prized daughter and so on.
After they accept the kill and I take my bride, she is then dressed traditionally to show her acceptance into our tribe and we eat, drink and dance to celebrate.
There are some other procedural tidbits in there, like my dad asking on my behalf to make sure she is of the age of puberty before I present my offering, and a red band being moved from my left bicep (shows eligible male status) muscle to my wrist after my woman has been accepted into the tribe (shows manhood after taking a woman). The Chief also had to approve of the union.
After the traditional union, we did the conventional nuptials. All of my older family members have been married in Canada and none of my cousins were able to make the wedding. Also, a traditional union ceremony in Canada would be near-impossible because of the rites of passage and everything that it entailed, which is why we decided to do it in Guyana.”
Lennox says that it is his intention to take a few years off from flying to return to Guyana and ultimately make a contribution to the dynamics of St. Cuthbert's Mission in the form of public service. He hopes to one day follow the family tradition and become the Chief (Toshao) of that little community. It is also the hope of his wife, Amanda, and himself, that their children will have very good childhood years in St. Cuthbert's Mission because they are hoping to return to Guyana to live in that community so that their children can enjoy their younger years there.
Amanda also aspires to contribute to the education of the youths of the community as a school teacher in St. Cuthbert's after they re-migrate.
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Roopnarine Tewari stayed and served
A patriot whose main focus was always national development
By Tajeram Mohabir
“I never entertained the thought of migration, because I have always been a patriot and have always been for national development.”
The Tewari family: At left, Ramlata, her dad Roopnarine (with granddaughter, Renuka Dasrat in hand), his wife Tikadia, his eldest daughter Vedya, his mother commonly known as “Moddo”, and his son Omkaar. The other person is Vedya’s husband, Satrohan Dasrat. |
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These are the words of Deputy Chief Education Officer (DECO) Mr. Roopnarine Tewari, who is at the twilight of what was a challenging but rewarding career spanning some 36 years of service both as a teacher and education administrator.
The nationalistic spirit, he said, was developed during the pre-independence period when Guyanese were treated as second class citizens by their then British Colonial masters.
This experience and to some extent National Service, had inspired him to stay in Guyana and serve her interest in delivering and later administrating the delivery of education, a vital tool of change and necessary ingredient for national development.
A humble, cheerful, yet firm looking Tewari, who told the Guyana Chronicle that he never wanted to make teaching his career as he was interested in technology, but the feeling evaporated after several years being in the profession.
The 54-year-old educator, who hails from the quiet village of Industry on the East Coast of Demerara related that he had experienced the joy of seeing “learning taking place” and the success of his students at their examinations, the real fruits of his persistent and industrious efforts.
The medium built administrator, who speaks in a gentle but commanding voice, began his career as a 17-year-old industrial arts pupil teacher at the Kingston Industrial Arts Centre (now the Kingston Practical Instruction Centre) in March 1973.
The profession in his early days
In those days, he said it was very difficult to obtain a job as a teacher as there was hardly any vacancy at schools in Georgetown and then East Coast Demerara.
He saw his only option as entering the Teachers Training College where the state provided loans to students.
This facility was also available to students desirous of pursuing studies at the University of Guyana.
And entry into these institutions of higher learning was very competitive; even the part-time General Technical Diploma programme at the University which he wanted to pursue in 1974.
The top Ministry of Education official related that many persons were on the waiting list for this programme and young people were urged to enter the full time programme.
At that time, Tewari said though he was not the sole breadwinner of his family, he was not in a financial position to leave the job and follow his dream, and so he decided to enter the Teachers Training College in 1976.
The teaching profession back was vastly different from what it is today. One had to be academically qualified to teach and teachers had to perform to save themselves from being frowned upon by their colleagues and even members of society.
Foremost too, teachers had to be prepared, regular and punctual at school, and the Urgent Private Affairs (UPA) leave was only taken in cases that were absolutely necessary.
Seldom, he said, did a teacher exceed two sessions in UPA leave in a school year, as there was a strong sense of guilt leaving one’s class to be supervised by another teacher.
He stressed in instances where the leave was taken without prior notice, a brother or sister had to reach the school and communicate the information to the headmaster, as no less was expected because of the disciplined culture which exited then.
Change
This culture, the educator lamented, has been eroded today, partly because of the socio-economic problems of the state which have led to the migration of highly skilled professionals.
He said this situation has contributed to the prevailing negative approach to teaching and while there are still good teachers around today, they are only in the minority.
Tewari pointed out also that there are many teachers in the system who are academically qualified, but unfortunately, a large number is there for the money only.
Many teachers, he observed, seldom try to improve the livelihood of people by making a real difference in the lives of the students they teach, and this is one of the reasons the profession has lost its once envious prestige.
Head teachers, Tewari contended, like in the past, have to forge a vibrant relationship with their Parent Teachers Associations (PTAs) to restore some of the lost pride to the profession.
Head teachers and the PTA , he said, have a role to play in supporting teachers, efforts in the classroom, pointing out that this will go a far way in boosting their confidence and motivating them to perform.
Good teachers at the secondary level, he underscored, do not only deliver the content of their subjects, but also informs their students of current affairs both on the local and international arena, such as climate change and the global economic meltdown.
Tewari pointed out that these informal classroom discussions go a far way in helping students to better understand their country and also to make conscious and rational personal decisions.
Commitment and achievements
Coming back to the issue of money, the DCEO opined that while better remuneration will no doubt attract more qualified teachers in the system and improve students’ performance, teachers should not forget that when they join the profession, they made a commitment to the job and should honour that commitment.
Head teachers, he said, have to ensure this happens. The commitment expected from private sector employees, Tewari emphasised, is no different from that in the public sector (teachers in particular); except for the former, “when you don’t perform, you don’t get pay”.
Tewari who also taught at Cummings Lodge Primary from 1979 to 1988, underlined that fancy salaries would not come overnight. When he realised that his salary was inadequate after he had completed training college, he made the sacrifice to further his education.
The is the proud father of a son, Omkaar, currently a student at UG, and two daughters, Vedya Dasrat, who has followed in his footsteps, and Romlata Tewari, who is in high school. Omkaar gained admission into UG in 1981 where he successfully read for a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Geography, completing the programme in 1986.
Tewari who is not a wealthy man by any means, and still lives at his parents’ home with his mother and wife Tikadia, re-entered UG the following year undertaking studies in the Post Graduate Diploma in Education which he completed in 1989.
Still hungry to further his education and gain the competitive edge over his colleagues for senior positions in the school system, Tewari in 1992 undertook the UG Master’s Degree programme in Education, specialising in Measurement and Evaluation.
He successfully completed this in 1994 and a decade later he was sent by the then Minister of Education, Dr. Henry Jeffrey, to undertake the International Diploma in Planning and Administration at the National Centre for Education Planning and Administration in New Delhi, India.
His elevation in the school system started in 1988 when he was made Head of the Social Studies Department at St. John College; Deputy Head Master of Campbellville Secondary in 1991, and Head Master of Alleyne’s High in 1995.
He also served as Head Master of East Ruimveldt Secondary in 1996, and later at St. Rose’s High in 2001,and in June that very year, he was appointed Assistant Chief Education Officer (ACEO) Primary.
In December 2004, Tewari was promoted to Deputy Chief Education Officer (DCEO), a position he currently holds.
Nearing the end of his long, challenging but rewarding career, the top education official recalled the real test of his mettle came in 2004 when he was ACEO and had to “hold the desk” for the DCEO who was ill and the Chief Education Officer who was on leave.
This brief period stretched him to his limits but he never gave up.
Apart from his challenging and time-consuming job, Tewari is also a member of the Ogle Mandir and the Ogle/Industry/Cummings Lodge Needy Folks Group which hosts an annual Christmas event for the needy.
Speaking fluently, relaxed and occasionally swiveling in his modern and comfortable office chair at his office at 26 Brickdam, Georgetown, an enthusiastic Tewari, looking as though he can serve with the same vigor for many years to come, said he is also the Ministry of Education representative on the Low Income Housing Scheme Two project.
His role in that programme is to ensure the commitment to education is met in the housing schemes opened up under that initiative.
IAC hosts successful Eid Fest
The Indian Arrival Committee (IAC) was successful in holding its second Eid Fest on September 26, 2009, at the West Demerara Secondary School, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara.
Islamic Students entertain with their youthful voices. |
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The celebration was held in collaboration with the wider Muslim Community of Guyana, along with the communities of Region Three. Hundreds of people were in attendance from as far as Berbice and areas between Parika and Patentia.
The rich cultural programme included a wide cross-section of young Islamic students and special guest, renowned international recording artiste and popular Qasseeda Singer of Trinidad and Tobago, Jameer Hoosein.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Jameer Hoosein entertains the audience. |
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Patron of the IAC Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud, Minister of Housing Irfaan Ali, Minister of Labour Manzoor Nadir, and Chairman of Region Three Julius Faerber were among those who addressed the large gathering.
Children enjoyed free rides and games and on sale was a wide variety of foods and Islamic artifacts.
The celebration brought the Muslim Community together and provided the opportunity to reflect after the holy month of Ramadan.
Children having fun at the celebration. |
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Last year, the IAC, in collaboration with the Muslim Community of Guyana and the community of Lusignan, held its first ever National Eid Fest at the Lusignan Tarmac, East Coast Demerara, in an effort to bring the Muslim Community together and provided the opportunity to reflect after the holy month of Ramadan. Participants also remembered those who were slain in the Lusignan Massacre on January 26, 2008.
GPOC issues stamps to commemorate scouting milestones
A look at the six commemorative stamps. (Adrian Narine photo) |
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THE Scouts Association of Guyana, in collaboration with Guyana Post Office Corporation GPOC), put commemorative stamps on the market Monday, to mark the 100th anniversary of the former and the 14th Caribbean Jamboree that was hosted here in August.
They are six in all, three for each occasion, in denomination of $55, $80 and $160, also available internationally.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, who officiated at the function, said the issues are testimony to 100 years of hard work by the association.
One of the Scouts presents the first stamps to Minister Frank Anthony. |
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He pointed out that there are many stories to be told behind each stamp and he encouraged the association to continue with its endeavours which play a meaningful role in numerous lives.
Anthony expressed the hope that his ministry and the association could collaborate, noting that more can be done to develop scouting in this country.
Head of the local Scout Movement, Mr. Ron Robinson said the commemorative stamps attest to the scouts’ pride.
The Chairman, Bishop Juan Edghill concurred and added that the stamps are also a way of preserving a piece of history and GPOC is pleased to partner with the association to preserve it. (Vanessa Narine)
Towards environmental policy…
ECHO hosting conference on corporate social responsibilities today
By Telesha Persaud
ECHO (Environmental Community Health Organisation) will be hosting a conference on corporate social responsibilities, targeting the business community, in its efforts to deal with climate change and global warming.
Chairman and Executive Director, Mr. Royston King said the one-day deliberations will take place today, at Hotel Tower, on Main Street, Georgetown, from 09:00 h to 14:30 h.
Head Teacher Ms Georgiana Lewis and pupils of St. Margaret’s at the launch of their ECHO club. At right is ECHO Executive Director. Mr. Royston King. |
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He said the aim is to heighten awareness of the environment and enlist the support of businesses to cope with climate change.
King said, among the topics to be discussed, are good economics or corporate irresponsibility, environmental health and ecological responsibility within corporate social mandate.
Those to speak at the forum include Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud, Private Sector Commission (PSC) Chairman Gerry Gouveia, Dr. Patrick Chesney of the United Nations Development Project (UNDP) and representatives of Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and World Health Organisation (WHO).
King said the exchanges would draw on the knowledge of environmentalists, community representatives and others and would be useful to businesses, regulatory bodies and other allied agencies concerned with planning and monitoring projects that affect the resources of the natural environment.
He said it is hoped that participants will submit recommendations which could be formulated into a policy that will guide corporations in their actions in the environment.
King said it is desirable that such a blueprint would be endorsed by the Private Sector so that treatment of the environment could be enhanced.
He said corporations can register their delegates for a fee of $3,500 each.
According to King, ECHO has also been working with several schools to involve the community in the conservation of local biodiversity and the natural resources.
He said ECHO clubs have been established in nine schools in Georgetown and Region Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands) since the beginning of this year and another 20 are to be formed in Regions Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam) and Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) by year end.
REGISTERED
King said, for each new club, between 20 and 25 students will be registered as members, as well as interested teachers who wish to be enrolled as ECHO club coaches.
He said teachers are responsible for ECHO Clubs in their schools and they will manage ‘green’ activities, such as growing trees and clean-up activities that involve collecting rubbish and, generally, improving the aesthetics of the environment.
King said schoolchildren are invited, initially, to help with the environmental programmes in their respective communities and those who are interested are then enrolled. They do not have to pay membership fees but will receive training, educational materials and individual badges.
Last Wednesday, an ECHO club was inaugurated at St. Margaret’s Primary School, on Camp Street, also in the city and a number of books were donated to the institution.
ECHO Administration Director, Ms. Claudette Fredericks told the Guyana Chronicle that was in keeping with the Government’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).
She said the main objective is to help children become conscious of their environment.
“Children are our future and we have to bend the tree while it is still young,” Fredericks said.
She observed that the present adult generation has failed but better chould come in the future.
Headteacher of St. Margaret’s, Ms. Georgiana Lewis lauded the ECHO initiative, noting that the school and the country, as a whole, must cope with a littering problem.
She said the programme would also serve to highlight that the pupils can contribute to the betterment of the environment.
To ensure buffer stock…
Blood Bank schedules 13 collection drives
By Vanessa Narine
THE Blood Bank has scheduled 13 collection drives over the next month but donors are still being encouraged to help meet requests from health facilities.
Volunteers who are 17 years old or older and weigh more than 110 pounds can make donations at the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) headquarters in Georgetown, New Amsterdam Hospital in Berbice, Suddie Hospital on Essequibo Coast, Linden Hospital at Mackenzie and West Demerara Regional Hospital at Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara.
NBTS Coordinator, Ms. Shameeza Mangal said, while persons are volunteering, a regular influx of them is needed to ensure that the buffer stock is maintained.
“Our walk-in donors number between 15 and 20 daily but we continue to test and distribute to the different hospitals so we need regular donors,” she explained.
Mangal said, of the walk-in category, the majority are volunteers as compared to those donating to relatives for family replacements.
However, she said that, contributing to the increase in voluntary donors at the bank, too, is the greater awareness among the Guyanese public and the return of some who have previously given blood.
The buffer stock at the bank had been raised from 144 to 170 units and more recently to 200 units, due to demand but she said there is no shortage now as was the case earlier this year.
However, in the event of an emergency, the buffer stock should be able to facilitate the requirement.
Mangal said the Blood Bank services both public and private health care delivery institutions, with Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) utilising 90 per cent of the resources.
She maintained that any contribution is to a life saving effort and persons should fulfill the moral responsibility.
1,507 truants netted in 92 campaigns
By Tajeram Mohabir
Chief Schools Welfare Officer (CSWO) Ms. Banmattie Ram has reported that the Schools’ Welfare Service has apprehended a whopping 1,507 truants in 92 campaigns conducted throughout the country between April and July last.
Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, Ram disclosed that 56 of the truants never attended school and her department was able to place 51 of the lot in the school system.
During the April to July campaigns, the highest number of truants were rounded-up in Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) and Georgetown.
According to a report, 512 truants were taken off the streets in Region Six in nine campaigns and 368 from Georgetown in 35.
The report also stated that 166 truants were apprehended in Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica), 116 in Region Three (West Demerara/ Essequibo Islands), 111 in Region One (Barima/Waini) and 90 in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam).
The lowest number of school aged loiterers were in Region Nine (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo) with 17, Regions 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice), Five (Mahaica/Berbice) and Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni) recorded 26, 50, and 51 truants respectively.
Notably, Ram pointed out, 32 of the 56 truants who never attended school were from Region Three. The Schools’ Welfare Department was able to place 27 of these students in school and is working to do the same with the remaining five, she said.
She noted that the eight campaigns conducted in Region Three targeted the Zeelugt/ Greenwich Park areas. Ten of the 32 truants who never attended school were from these locales.
“It should be noted that these children are mostly from parents who are into fishing as an occupation,” Ram said.
She explained that when a truant is apprehended, his parents are informed by way of letter and on occasion, if deemed necessary, both the truant and the parents are counselled.
The Schools’ Welfare Department also sends verification letters to headteachers to report on student’s attendance and difficult circumstance cases are reported to the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security.
Regular follow-up visits are made to the schools and homes of the truants as well as collaboration with the Regional Education Department in the issuance of letters for admission and re-admission.
In addition, the Schools’ Welfare Department facilitates the transfer of students who travel long distances to a school nearer to their home, assists parents to apply for birth certificates and works with non-governmental organisations to assist needy children.
The campaigns were conducted through a multi-sectoral approach involving stakeholders including the Police, members of Parent Teachers Associations, Justices of the Peace, community leaders, health workers, business persons, Help and Shelter personnel and other social workers.
But Ram said some of the campaigns in Regions Two, Four and Nine were seriously affected by lack of transportation and had to be cancelled.
She also pointed out that Region Nine had one Schools Welfare Officer (SWO) and this was a constraint in the execution of campaigns there. No truancy exercise was conducted in Region Eight (Potaro/Siparuni) as there was no SWO there.
Ram underlined that based on reports from her officers, financial constraints were the main cause for the truancy.
“Some parents were deliberately keeping their children at home to assist with household chores, baby-sitting, marketing on Friday and running errands,” the CSWO also said.
She said too that the high transportation cost in riverine areas is the chief cause of truancy there.
Ram underscored that the non-preparation of work for students who sat the National Grade Six Assessments (NGSA), the unpunctuality of students, especially in Georgetown who wait for their favourite buses and arrive late at school, and the decision by some parents to keep their children at home because they did not register them for a birth certificate were the other major causes for truancy
In an effort to curtail the problem, the CSWO is calling on the Ministry of Education to provide a hot meal for needy students in Regions Four, Five, Six and Ten.
“This would improve the attendance of children tremendously, bearing in mind that a number of children in these regions stay at home because their parents cannot afford to provide them with lunch,” Ram said.
Apart from this, she recommends that each SWO work with three schools in their region that have a poor attendance rate and the Ministry of Local Government assist with the transportation costs or provide means of transportation for students in Regions One, Three and Seven.
Workers down tools at Diamond Sugar Estate
Scores of workers at the Diamond Sugar Estate yesterday downed tools in protest at a decision by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) to transfer them to the LBI Estate.
Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) President Mr. Komal Chand told the Guyana Chronicle that the union believes the latest move by the Corporation is to close the 1,694 areas of cane cultivation at the Diamond Estate in keeping with its cost-cutting measures.
He pointed out that GuySuCo has not been carrying out rehabilitation work and application of fertilisers on the estate, and if the Company intends to cease cultivation there, his union will be opposed to the idea.
Chand explained that closure of cultivation at the Diamond Estate would negatively impact GuySuCo’s sugar output and might adversely affect workers of the estate.
The top GAWU official said he has written to GuySuCo seeking a discussion on the matter but is yet to receive a definite response.
Officials of GAWU and GuySuCo met yesterday to look at the problem, and according to Chan, the two parties are expected to meet again on Friday.
Meanwhile, the GAWU President said the stand-off is expected to continue today.
Eli DaSilva wanted
Eli DaSilva Oliveira
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Police on Monday night issued a wanted bulletin for Eli DaSilva Oliveira for Obtaining by False Pretence.
Anyone with information pertaining to the whereabouts of Eli DaSilva Oliveira is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 225-6411, 225-2700, 226-2917, 225-2227, 227-6123, 226-6978, 225-8196, 225-3650, 223-8940 or 911 or the nearest police station.
All information will be treated with strict confidence.
His particulars are as under:-
Name: Eli DaSilva Oliveira
Last known address: Port Kaituma, North West District
Date of Birth: 1983-04-06
Complexion: Fair
Mother’s Name: Maria Jose DaSilva Oliveira
Father’s Name: Jose Martins De Oliveira
An Amerindian Short Story…
Tamaruo Dukuo (Bat Mountain)
Long ago, the old people were in our village and there were two big bats that were eating the people.
At that time many people were dying from the bats. The bats ate them. Always when they went out at nights, the bats grabbed them.
They never missed a night. Many people had already died. A person arrived from another village and right away he was thinking what to do. He said to the villagers that anyone that goes out into the night should have fire tied to their arms.
“By doing that we will see where that thing carries our relatives,” he said to them. So it was that any person who went out when it was night tied fire to their arms.
Now when they went out again, the bat arrived and he grabbed one person. Right away they watched him. Then they saw right where he carried their relative. The fire that he carried was good and kept flickering clearly. Then he landed on the top of a big mountain.
The next morning the old men and the young men went with their arrows. When they arrived at the mountain, they went up it, and that mountain was a high one too.
When they arrived on the top of it, they found the bat still eating their relative. They shot it right away, all of them together shooting their own arrows. They killed one bat. The other flew to the Brazil side even while it was daylight.
Each of these bats was a big one. Each was really big, and because of this they were able to carry a big person.
After the people killed the bat, they called that mountain “Bat Mountain”, because they had killed a bat there on top of it. After that the people were not steadily dying, because they had killed the people-eater.
At Covent Garden…
Rohee calls for more CPG collaboration with Police
By Michel Outridge
HOME Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, on Sunday night, exhorted members of the Covent Garden Community Policing Group (CPG), on East Bank Demerara, to relate all information on criminal activities in their neighbourhood to the Police.
CPG members at Sunday’s meeting. (Sonnel Nelson photo) |
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“If you have information, pass it on to the Police. It is for the benefit of your community,” he told them at a meeting where he also asked that they work collaboratively and call the Ministry’s hotline, which is linked to the Police, for timely action on crimes.
Mr. Rohee pledged the full support of his ministry and urged the gathering to be alert, vigilant and report all crimes to the Police.
He admonished the CPG members to conduct themselves in an orderly manner at all times as their membership imposes a new lifestyle on them.
Rohee said CPG members are expected to conduct themselves respectfully and not beat their wives nor go to rum shops and behave disorderly and stand on the street corners using expletives.
Minister Rohee speaks with members of the Covent Garden CPG group on Sunday. |
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He charged them not to bring disrepute to the group and be role models for others to join and enhance security in the community.
Rohee reminded them how much money has been spent on CPGs countrywide and the efforts of Government to boost the security sector.
He recalled many Police success stories and challenged the CPG to foster a better working relationship with the former in the fight against crime.
The Covent Garden group, numbering 19, informed Rohee that they have noticed a significant reduction in criminal pursuits in the village since they started patrolling.
But they were, however, encouraged to visit Brickdam Recreation Hall, for training, every first Friday.
Some residents lamented the lack of street lighting and slow Police response to a recent robbery when ranks said there was no vehicle available.
‘A’ Division Commander, Assistant Commissioner Leroy Brummel, who was present, disclosed that he is dealing with the matter and a full report will follow.
He maintained, though, that, in such instances, residents must continuing reporting to the Police immediately.
In attendance, too, was Administrator of the CPG Secretariat, Mr. Ovid Glasgow and CPG Liaison Officer, Mr. Philip Ishmael.
At command briefing…
Joint Services junior officers lectured on discipline, leadership
COLONEL, General Staff and second-in-command of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Colonel Bruce Lovell has said the erosion of discipline has resulted in unethical acts uncharacteristic of the Joint Services.
Colonel General Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) addressing the assembly of junior Joint Services officers, while sitting at the head table are from left, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Winston McGregor; Assistant Commissioner Khrisna Lekhraj of the GPF, and Senior Superintendent of Prisons, Colin Howard. |
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He added that it has contributed to the tarnishing of forces’ image and the rot had begun before the murder of Bartica gold dealer, Dweive Ramdass.
Lovell expressed the views last September 10, in an address to junior officers of the Joint Services, assembled in the GDF Officers’ Mess, Camp Ayanganna, Thomas Lands, Georgetown, for a command briefing.
A release, from the Army, said he called for the misconduct to be arrested by commanders demonstrating true leadership.
“We have many commanders but few leaders. Officers are commissioned to hold command appointments and they must remember that leadership is central to their command,” he is quoted as saying.
The GDF said he continued: “In as much as the badge of rank is an outward symbol of command, so, too, must your professionalism become visible. As leaders you have to influence your subordinates by providing purpose, motivation and direction to them.”
Also exhorting the gathering to commit to a higher degree of professionalism and embrace the integrity and ethos of their organisations, so that the meaning of selfless and efficient service returns as the forces’ hallmark, were Assistant Commissioner of Police Khrisna Lekhraj, Senior Superintendent of Prisons Colin Howard and Deputy Chief Fire Officer Winston McGregor.
Lovell maintained that a higher level of service is expected of officers and he admonished those in the audience that poor performance and infractions committed by their subordinates must not be tolerated.
He encouraged professional and humane measures to deal with even the smallest of infractions.
Lovell went on: “To ignore the mediocrity of subordinates is to be derelict in your duties. Some have adopted the untenable position that, with a new generation and societal changes, your standards must be adjusted to suit.
EXCUSE
This is the belief of those who seek any excuse for laziness and ineptitude. We must not compromise our standards for, when we do, it is everyone’s loss.
Remember, however, that, as leaders, you must show compassion while remaining dispassionate.”
In his remarks, Lekhraj reiterated that discipline is the hallmark of good performance and conduct.
“While understanding the realities of our situations, you must recognise, too, the need for continuous learning. As young leaders, you must know your organisation and its objectives, the functions of your office and, in particular, your Standing Orders. Many are deviating from the oaths they took and this cannot continue,” he said.
Lekhraj urged his juniors to engage in some introspection and added: “Focus on strengthening areas of weakness. Revisit your values and ask yourselves whether characteristics such as respect, integrity, impartiality, reliability and accountability are evident to your subordinates, peers and superiors.
“Our roles and functions require our interaction with the public and they will judge us on the merits of what we demonstrate. If we are sincere in adopting positive behaviours, then we reflect a positive image. To do the opposite will result in more negativity being heaped upon us”.
“It is imperative that, as middle managers, you know your mission, vision and values as well as the rules and regulations governing your actions among yourselves and with the public.”
McGregor and Howard reminded the junior officers that, because their actions are consequential, they need to lead by example and cautioned them against allowing negative influences and dishonesty to get in the way of leadership and the dispensation of justice.
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Addressing the nation’s potable water supply needs
Governments, bilateral and multilateral donors have been engaged for decades in projects to expand access to safe water supply and sanitation, and yet over a billion people in developing countries are still forced to rely on inefficient, remote, inadequate or contaminated water sources.
Here too in Guyana we have had a history of potable water supply problems in different parts of the country and many of these problems were compounded because of the fact that nothing tangible was done to improve the situation during the many years of economic stagnation. Consequently, the situation deteriorated steadily to a virtual state of collapse and it was a regular sight in those days in many communities to see children forced to be away from school to fetch water for long distances for domestic consumption.
However, on assuming office in 1992 the current administration paid special attention to the water woes of the nation and began almost immediately to formulate policies and programmes aimed at revamping the potable water supply system. In this regard, the administration has been very successful in enlisting the support of the donor community and international financial institutions. This kind of support is essential because the cost of installing modern water supply systems is enormous.
And so today there are several ongoing programmes, apart from those that have already been completed, and many others which are on the drawing board which are all geared to dramatically improve the potable water supply system to acceptable standards throughout the country.
The recent initiation of phase two of a project to improve water supply in Region 6 which will see a state of the art water treatment plant come into operation at Queenstown, Corriverton is another example and testimony of major efforts that are underway to overhaul the local water sector.
Funded through a Government of Japan grant aid scheme, the plan is designed to improve the quality of service provided to residents between Number 51Village and Moleson Creek and is divided into two phases.
The first phase was the Number 56 Water Treatment Plant, successfully completed in March 2008 at a cost of $1.1 billion and benefitting 23 villages from Number 51 through Number 73. It is part of the Guyana Government’s dedication towards modernising the sector and providing safe potable water.
The government, in 2004, recognising the need to upgrade the quality of potable water supply, indicated its plans to the Japanese Government and it was decided that two water treatment plants would be between Number 51 and Moleson Creek.
According to Minister of Housing and Water, Mr. Irfaan Ali, the government has invested some $3 billion in the development of the water sector in Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) over the last five years.
While there is still a long way to go before the water sector attains the desired quality of service to citizens the efforts by the government so far have been undoubtedly commendable.
However, one of the areas which need to be looked at a bit more closely is the management of the water utility GWI. The attitude and response of some management personnel leaves to problems being experienced by consumers in many cases leaves much to be desired.
Another area which also needs greater attention is the wastage of water. There are far too many cases of broken or leaking mains and taps being left open or worse yet consumers not having taps attached to their supply lines which are left unattended to for long periods.
Efforts shout be intensified to get over the message that while water is freely available in Guyana the costs of extracting, purifying and transmitting it are very high and therefore is not “free” as some are wont to believe. In this regard, in might be useful for the GWI to work in collaboration with the Ministry of Education to include in the curriculum of schools the need for conservation of water and the negative consequences of wastage of this vital commodity.
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‘Trunker’ fined for simple larceny
RICHARD Narine, 26, of Lot 71 West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was yesterday fined $25,000 with the alternative of six months imprisonment, after being convicted as a ‘trunker’ (one who steals from unattended motor vehicles).
He pleaded guilty to simple larceny, before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson, admitting that, earlier in the day, he stole one DVD player worth $38,000 and other things with a total value of $43,000, property of Ran Persaud.
Police Sergeant Kevin London, prosecuting, said the convict stole the booty from a parked vehicle and was caught, by a passing mobile patrol, with the stolen items in his hands.
Narine confessed that he saw the van open and took out some of its contents.
Gymnasium shooting…
White Castle Fish Shop owner on two charges
By Nathlene DeFreitas
THE owner of White Castle Fish Shop, at Lot 21 John and Hadfield Streets, Werk-en-Rust, Jermaine Langevine, 31, is the latest person to be charged following the shooting and violence in the vicinity of the National Gymnasium last week Tuesday.
The accused faced two indictable charges of felonious wounding and discharging a loaded firearm before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson yesterday.
Particulars of the offences alleged that, on September 22, Langevine unlawfully wounded Oreilly Small so as to cause him grievous bodily harm and discharged a loaded firearm at the same man with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm.
Attorney-at-law Mr. Gordon Gilhuys, who represented Langevine, applied for him to be put on reasonable bail, as he is suffering severe head injuries.
Langevine, the second man to be charged in connection with the same incidents on consecutive days, was ordered to post $500,000 surety until October 6.
The other man, Vibert Weekes, 28, of Lot ‘WW’ 7, North East La Penitence, also in Georgetown, is charged, indictably, as well, with inflicting grievous bodily harm and attempted murder.
It is alleged that he, on September 22, too, unlawfully and maliciously inflicted grievous bodily harm on Jason Langevine and, with intent to commit murder, wounded Jermaine Langevine.
Weekes is on $475,000 bail until October 15.
Uncle remanded on attempted murder charge
DESMOND De Nobrega, 44, was yesterday remanded to prison on a charge of attempting to murder his nephew, Rickey Kissoon.
Before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson, De Nobrega (no address given) was charged with having, on September 25, wounded Kissoon with intent to commit the capital offence.
Police Sergeant Kevin London, prosecuting, said the accused and the virtual complainant’s mother were involved in an argument and De Nobrega was about to attack the woman when her son pushed her away and suffered injuries inflicted by his uncle.
But De Nobrega claimed he accidentally struck the virtual complainant and the latter does not want to proceed with the case.
However, the magistrate refused the accused bail until October 6. (Nathalene DeFreitas)
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FINALLY, THE BIG CSME EVENT
From Guyana Summit to Barbados convocation
Analysis by Rickey Singh
FINALLY, the Caribbean Community Secretariat has announced the dates for a long expected and overdue special consultation on the status of its flagship project, the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME).
The announcement on Monday said that it will take the form of a two-day "Convocation on the CSME" in Barbados from October 9-10 and will involve leading stakeholders representatives.
To be held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre at Sherbourne, the event is the result of decisions taken at last July's 30th CARICOM Summit in Guyana, and various presentations from wide-cross section of stakeholders representatives have been invited.
It is widely felt that the region's governments, private sector and labour movement would be aware of the cynicism over perceived collective failure to drive the implementation process for realisation of the CSME in 2015--the target date.
Consequently, efforts are expected to be made, not just by the member governments, but also private sector and labour movement officials, to avoid the 'Barbados Convocation' from being another so-called "talk shop".
To enable meaningful discussions that contribute to realistic proposals for implementation strategies, the Secretariat was yesterday scheduled to dispatch an information package, inclusive of an audit report on progress and hurdles yet to be scaled in the journey towards CSME inauguration.
At their 29th CARICOM Summit in Antigua last year, it was unanimously agreed that the Prime Minister of Barbados (David Thompson), who currently shoulders lead responsibility for CSME-readiness arrangements, "will host a wide-ranging regional consultation on the CSME in the second half of 2008".
The stated intention was to "review the status of preparation of the Strategic Plan for Regional Development", member states' readiness for implementation of the single economy, as well as the role of stakeholders in the implementation of the various elements of the CSME..."
The consultation did not take place.
What developed, instead, between the Antigua Summit of 2008 and the 30th summit held in Guyana in July this year, was a rather disappointing open and bitter row involving governments in four CARICOM states--Barbados, Guyana, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Antigua and Barbuda.
At the core of the controversy is what remains the sensitive issue of treatment of claimed "illegal" or "undocumented" nationals of the Community.
The private sector was to largely hold its silence during that acrimonious period as the regional labour movement waffled in generalities without offering anything new that's consistent with the spirit and letter of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas on CSME provisions.
For its part, the CSME Unit, based in Barbados, was engaged in separating, so to speak, "the sheep from the goats"---the skilled categories of Community nationals entitled to free intra-regional movement to live and work, from difficulties being experienced by undocumented immigrants.
The Unit was also focused on providing the basis for an audit report on progress in implementation of measures for the CSME.
At their 30th Summit in Guyana last July, Caricom leaders received the elusive "audit report".
Since, as often reminded, "we are all together in this CSME boat", then if we are to either swim together or drown separately, the region's private sector and labour movement are expected to come to next month's "CSME Convocation" with presentations that offer specific ideas/recommendations".
Not just their complaints, valid as they may be, against, lack of structured consultations and the prevailing inertia among governments, but also on related issues like the delivery capacity of the Community Secretariat.
Likewise, instead of engaging in customary reassuring rhetoric, or apologias for failures, it is felt that Caricom leaders and the top officials of the Secretariat should bring to the convocation new ideas for sustained collective approaches to overcome hurdles that have been preventing CSME implementation measures long before the eruption of the current global economic crisis.
For instance, informing the convocation on initiatives taken, or being pursued to come to grips with the need for an empowered administrative structure at the Caricom Secretariat.
Also, what are some of the precise measures initiated for sequential implementation of the far-reaching report authored by Dr Norman Girvan on "Towards a Single Economy and a Single Development Vision".
Incidentally, fresh ideas, more than predictable criticisms, would also be expected to be offered by officials of parliamentary opposition parties who are to be among invited "stakeholders representatives" at the convocation.
THE PARROT
Freddie can provide the winning Lotto numbers!!!
QUOTE:“…uncle Freddie is agitated since the issues which attract his poisonous pen, are dwindling rapidly, like water in a drought, as a result of development.
In an effort to keep his column, Uncle Freddie has shifted his focus from issues to personalities and to psychic predictions. However, the Parrot, being eager to be enriched, can benefit from Uncle Freddie’s futuristic predictions.
I am publicly asking Uncle Freddie with his psychic ability, to look into his crystal ball and give me the winning numbers for the local Lotto! Yes, if he can forecast what can happen in 2011, then telling me this week’s winning numbers is a simple task.
THE Parrot has found a path which can lead to enormous wealth.
No, I am not squawking about the fabled city of gold, El Dorado, which, as history would show, many who came centuries ago in its quest, were unsuccessful in finding it.
Some lost their lives in those expeditions. Some believe that El Dorado was responsible for the many that came, hence our racial diversity. I am no history buff; I am just saying what I am told.
My new-found path to financial success seems not so tedious and life threatening as the El Dorado expeditions.
On “paper”, as they say in cricketing terms, it looks simple. All I have to do is to get the person who I believe can lead me to such riches, to agree to help.
Problem is, the person himself needs help, not necessarily financial. Given his public demeanour, physiological help seems the only option. The question is, why would I need someone who needs help to help me? The answer is simple; when riches are at stake, no one gives a darn where the help comes from.
The person who can help me get rich is Uncle Freddie from the Waterfall paper. Yes, same vile, rabid and Freudian-saturated Uncle Freddie. Same Uncle Freddie who dedicates all his time and energy to daily “busing up” Uncle Bharrat and his administration rather than teaching the students down at UG.
Some boys seh that it’s good thing Uncle Freddie don’t really find much time to teach, since if he did, they would be very “afrightened” as to what really would be imparted given his public pronouncements.
Many have pronounced on Uncle Freddie’s pronouncements. Some believe that if Uncle Freud was around, he would have pronounced too. Anyway, back to soliciting Uncle Freddie’s help for my enrichment. His public pronouncements have shown an uncanny ability for him to predict the future. Yes, Uncle Freddie claims to be a Psychic; a “see-far” man.
This ability was further confirmed last Tuesday, (Sept. 29) in the Waterfall paper when he detailed what would happen in the 2011 General Elections. Mind you, he didn’t theorise or postulate; he is certain that Uncle Bharrat would contest the said Elections as the House of Freedom’s candidate.
Uncle Freddie even boasted that during a related conversation, he was the only one to be so assured. All of his colleagues views in the said conversation, probably including Uncle Glenn and Uncle Adam, differ from him.
Yet he is certain, so certain that he is “unafrightened” to put his name to such predictions. Again, mind you, Uncle Bharrat has publicly dismissed on many occasions such postulations.
He, Uncle Bharrat, said clearly that he is not interested. The Constitution doesn’t allow it. Even Uncle Bob from the Place of CONgress said he will not give support.
No attempt has been made to support Uncle Freddie’s pronouncements, and given Uncle Bharrat’s position on the issue, none will be forthcoming.
So why is Uncle Freddie harping about something that hasn’t happened and from all indications, will not happen? Simple; other than finding something to write about, Uncle Freddie realised that not all the time he will have negative things to write about the administration. Uncle Bharrat has ensured that the development of the social and physical infrastructure is ongoing at an unprecedented pace.
As such, Uncle Freddie is agitated since the issues which attract his poisonous pen, are dwindling rapidly, like water in a drought, as a result of development.
In an effort to keep his column, Uncle Freddie has shifted his focus from issues to personalities and to psychic predictions. However, the Parrot, being eager to be enriched, can benefit from Uncle Freddie’s futuristic predictions.
I am publicly asking Uncle Freddie with his psychic ability, to look into his crystal ball and give me the winning numbers for the local Lotto! Yes, if he can forecast what can happen in 2011, then telling me this week’s winning numbers is a simple task.
The Parrot is willing to share the jackpot with Uncle Freddie if he provides the winning numbers! A percentage of such sharing can be worked out; “hand wash hand mek hand come clean” as the local adage suggests.
I believe Uncle Freddie would not be indisposed to help in providing the numbers since, as dem boys seh, he was helped by others in the construction of his immodest abode.
You know, you help me, I help you. So, it’s up to you Uncle Freddie to help a brother out. I know that you may want to keep the numbers to yourself and take the entire sum. Can’t blame you if you do. My public plea is to see how compassionate and generous you are.
I am counting on you. I just hope that, for the sake of my enrichment, your supernatural ability to predict the future doesn’t turn out to be a fable like the city of El Dorado. If it does, then there will be nothing else for you to write about.
You may have to resort to cleaning balls; crystal balls. Squawk! Squawk!
STANDARDS CORNER
The Role of Standards in the Rice Industry
Our Rice Industry is of utmost importance because of the position it occupies both socially and economically in the lives of Guyanese. Rice forms the staple of most Guyanese diets and accounts for the direct or indirect employment of approximately 15,000 persons.
Economically, after sugar, rice is the second largest contributor to the Agriculture Gross Domestic Product of Guyana. Guyana, a member of Cariforum group of countries, is presently the largest paddy producer and one of the leading exporters of rice in the Region.
If Guyana is to maintain its share of the international market, the Rice Industry has to be effectively managed to ensure a consistently high quality and quantity of rice is produced and exported. In addition, rice is a food commodity and consumers’ health and safety are matters of concern. Also, with Guyana being a signatory to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreements, products will have to comply with the rules and regulations of standards bodies under the auspices of the WTO.
The implementation and use of standards is very important and can be considered essential for addressing quality and other issues in the rice industry.
Some of the benefits to be derived from Standardisation are: the improved quality of goods and services manufactured; greater facilitation of trade nationally, regionally and internationally; greater industrial efficiency; the protection of consumers rights, the promotion of public and industrial welfare, health and safety, reliable and accurate weights and measures practices, promotion of a common understanding of the language of industry and the protection of the industry.
Presently, Guyana has adopted, and made mandatory the Caribbean Community Standard for rice. This standard: GYS 211: 2002 Rice-Specification, sampling, test and analysis”, prescribes the requirements for grades of paddy, cargo rice, milled rice, cargo parboiled rice and milled parboiled rice.
The agency regulating this standard is the Guyana Rice Development Board which routinely conducts checks at rice mills countrywide to ensure that they are complying with the requirements of the said standard.
Another national standard that has relevance to the Rice Industry is GYS 9-9:2000 – “Labelling of prepackaged foods”. This standard applies to the handling of all prepackaged foods to be offered for sale to the consumer or food used for catering purposes, and provides requirements regarding the proper labeling of rice bags and other packages.
There are also three additional National Standards that are available for use in the Rice Industry.
The first one is the Code of Practice for the production of rice, which specifies the safety and hygienic practices for use in processing, packaging, storage and transport of rice for human consumption in order to ensure a safe, sound and wholesome product.
There is also the Code of Practice for the cultivation of paddy, and the Code of Practice for the Production, Processing, Labelling and marketing of organically produced foods which have the relevant requirements for implementation by farmers and millers to improve the quality of rice yields.
The importance of standards cannot be over-emphasised. For a high quality end product, there must be standards for every stage along the production cycle as both the process and the product must comply with standards.
For further information call the GNBS on telephone numbers: 219-0065.
CLIMATE CONFLICT: NO MONEY - NO CHANGE
By Dr. Terry Lacey, Development Economist
The Bangkok Climate Change talks involved 1,500 delegates. There seems to be no problem paying for all these people to troop around the world talking about climate change. From New York to Bangkok, from Barcelona to Copenhagen.
But nobody yet seems to want to actually pay enough to make it work.
In the past the more countries developed and grew the more their emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). But Southern countries don't see why they should agree to costly technologies and tougher emissions targets, unless the West helps pay for it.
After all, the West is still clinging to majority shares and just over half the votes in the World Bank and IMF, based on global economic domination
built up using dirtier previous energy technologies , but now expects Asia and Southern countries to cripple themselves with higher costs and ambitious emissions targets and then buy Western clean technologies as well.
Why should the countries of Asia and the South agree to this double whammy of undermining their own industrial competitiveness with the controls the West didn't quite manage for itself, while backing a Western clean technology export drive ?
China and Southern countries like Brazil and Indonesia are willing to greatly expand the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency and cut emissions, but this is easier said than done and requires a big increase in technical capacity as well as access to technology and finance.
The G20 summit in Pittsburgh also promised the phasing out of subsidies on fossil fuel, which holds back renewable energy and energy efficiency.
The rapid expansion of renewable energy and energy efficiency and phased termination of subsidies on fossil fuel and electricity both depend on public administration reform, re-targeting of social subsidies, improved capacity to manage massive inward investment into clean energy and adaptation of regulatory frameworks, especially to facilitate public-private sector partnerships.
In all these areas ASEAN and Asian governments make clear that the spirit is willing but the capacity is weak, and needs rapid strengthening.
Fitrian Ardiansyah, of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), writes in The Jakarta Post (29.09.09) that if the world is to move $1.3 trillion per year in private sector annual investment to Southern economies, as advised by the International Energy Agency (IEA), then pump-priming technical assistance and technology transfer financing is essential.
China has said it wants to see the equivalent of up to an additional one percent of GDP flows on top of existing Official Development Assistance (ODA) to pull the Southern countries onto a faster track towards clean energy economies.
But this could mean doubling world ODA, which does not seem so likely straight after the biggest Western bank crash and recession since the 1930´s.
The best solution seems to be a combination of targeted technical assistance to promote clean energy and energy efficiency technologies, support for manufacturing the equipment in Asia via joint ventures, better targeting of export credits, some encouragement for Western and Southern state and commercial banks and strengthening of carbon-credit markets, backed by levies on aviation and shipping.
And the money has to be relatively easy for projects to get at, not wrapped up in excessive bureaucracy and complex trust funds. Real money you can feel, not recycling the same old Rose in second hand clothes.
And if we cant get this moving promptly in up-and-coming Asia then it won´t work either in Africa and Latin America. So how is it really going to work and when do we start?
(Terry Lacey is a development economist who writes from Jakarta on modernization in the Muslim world, investment and trade relations with the EU and Islamic banking.)
Indonesia CO2 pledge to help climate talks: greens
By David Fogarty, Climate Change Correspondent, Asia
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Environmentalists on Tuesday welcomed Indonesia's pledge to substantially cut the growth of its greenhouse gas emissions, saying the promise could help talks on crafting a broader global pact to fight climate change.
Indonesia is the world's third largest greenhouse emitter and steps by big developing nations to curb their emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases are a key focus of U.N.-led climate talks under way in the Thai capital until Oct 9.
Delegates from about 180 countries are trying to narrow differences on emissions reduction targets, climate finance and transfer of clean-energy technology before a December deadline to try to seal a tougher pact to replace the Kyoto Protocol.
In a speech to G20 leaders on September 25, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the government was crafting a policy that would cut emissions by 26 percent by 2020 from "business as usual" (BAU) levels.
The policy would be a mix of stepping up investment in renewable energy, such as geothermal power, and curbing emissions from deforestation and changes in land use.
With international support, he said he was confident Indonesia could cut emissions by as much as 41 percent.
"This target is entirely achievable because most of our emissions come from forest-related issues, such as forest fires and deforestation," he said during a working lunch in the U.S. city of Pittsburgh. Reuters obtained a copy of his speech yesterday.
"We are also looking into the distinct possibility to commit a billion ton of CO2 reduction by 2050 from BAU. We will change the status of our forest from that of a net emitter sector to a net sink sector by 2030."
In the jargon of international climate talks, "business as usual" levels refers to what would happen if emissions grew at the same rate as has accompanied economic growth in the past.
DESTRUCTION OF RAINFOREST
Indonesia is the world's third largest greenhouse gas emitter, the country's National Climate Change Council says, mainly through loss of rainforests and forest fires. Slowing the pace of destruction is a key focus of climate negotiators trying to firm up ways to curb the pace of global warming.
Deforestation is responsible for about 20 percent of mankind's greenhouse gas emissions, so saving forests is a key part of the climate puzzle.
"This is extremely positive, that developing countries can commit to the world that this is the ambition level we are at, we can do," Kim Carstensen, head of conservation group WWF's global climate initiative, told Reuters in Bangkok.
"What's even more interesting and something that's been lacking in the negotiations is that they are willing to provide an additional 15 percent if they get financial support."
Greenpeace said Yudhoyono's comments would put pressure on rich nations to act faster on fighting climate change.
"This puts the focus firmly back on the developed world, most especially the countries who have been bleating that they won't move without the big southern emitters," said Paul Winn, Greenpeace international forest climate campaigner, in Bangkok.
"It also highlights the urgent need for financing to help developing countries take further action on climate."
Rich nations say developing nations need to include any emissions reduction steps into a post-Kyoto pact to ensure such measures can be monitored and verified. Developing countries would also need to make regular progress reports on such steps.
Developing nations are resisting this demand and say rich nations should pay substantial sums to help them adapt to the impacts of climate change and to pay for clean-energy technology.
Investors eye forest CO2 market
- climate pact key, poll finds
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Investors such as UBS, Citigroup and Blackrock back a potentially multi-billion dollar carbon credit market centered on saving forests but regulations and cash were needed to build a market first, a survey has found.
The survey of investors with US$7 trillion of assets under management by the Brunswick Group for global conservation group, WWF, said banks and fund managers were waiting for the forest carbon scheme to be included in a broader U.N. climate pact.
They also said rich nations needed to include the U.N.-backed scheme, called reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD), into laws that allow forest carbon offsets to be included as part of steps to meet national emissions targets.
The tougher the targets, the likely greater the demand for the offsets. The survey was released on Tuesday.
"REDD is critical to a climate solution and financing is critical to make REDD work," said Donald Kanak, chairman of WWF's Forest Carbon Initiative, which commissioned the survey of 25 senior institutional money managers, analysts and sustainability investors globally.
"In the long term private capital could play a major role if certain conditions are satisfied. We need the public sector to support sufficient financing in the near term to help forest countries become REDD ready," he told reporters in Bangkok.
Delegates from about 180 countries are trying to narrow differences on emissions reduction targets, climate finance and transfer of clean-energy technology before a December deadline to try to seal a tougher pact to replace the Kyoto Protocol.
REDD is seen as a crucial part of a new climate pact because deforestation is responsible for about 20 percent of mankind's greenhouse gas emissions, so saving forests is a key part of the climate puzzle.
Developing countries could potentially earn billions of dollars in annual funds from selling carbon offsets from projects that protect or rehabilitate forests for decades, thereby locking away large amounts of carbon dioxide.
PRECONDITIONS
But Kanak said a number of preconditions needed to be met before a global forest carbon market could take off.
"Agreement on a climate treaty at Copenhagen, with support from major economies such as China and India, and legislation in the U.S. are key pre-requisites," he said. Negotiators will try to agree on a broad outline of a post-Kyoto pact in Copenhagen in December.
"Public sector funding will be vital before a market-based approach can take effect," he said, adding that problems on ensuring REDD projects are permanent and lead to significant long-term CO2 reductions could be addressed if there was a strong political framework in place.
"National governments must also put in place robust and durable legal frameworks to create certainty for investors," he said.
The survey also found more than a third of investors expected a forest CO2 market would evolve from the existing voluntary carbon market to a "compliance" market backed by national emissions trading schemes in five to 15 years if the preconditions were met.
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You could never please everyone at the same time
REPEATEDLY we are placed in a situation where these unknown hidden characters are jumping around using the print media to express their mental illness. Last Sunday KN in the Peeping Tom column, we saw attacks on our young leaders of this country and using statements such as placing our country in the “Hands of intern” to describe these professionals.
I wish to ask, well not Peeping Tom, but the general populace, have we not transgressed the boundaries of this dictatorship leadership since these men took up these positions? So many of my relatives and friends coming back home to visit just wish they had a home here so that they can stay and not return to North America. Some of them even opted to return home and invest here. This same land that once brought distress in the minds and hearts of people is now returning happiness and peace of mind to people, but, there are some people who just can’t bear progress. I remember seeing on a minibus, “Progress breeds enemy”. I strongly think this is the case with Peeping Tom.
What I was mostly amused by is that there was so much emphasis on the $400M that President Bharrat Jagdeo has allotted to assist rice farmers. As an exporter of this commodity, I am totally in support of the President’s assistance.
I would understand the work that a rice farmer has to do before a plate of rice is laid on our tables for a meal. I know the harsh conditions of the weather. This is not an office job where a soft chair and a nice cubicle are used to grow the rice. It’s much more than that. So much more, that some of us will never understand.
But, as the saying goes in our dear land Guyana, you could never please everyone at the same time. The government gave $400M in support to the farmers and some people are not satisfied. If the government didn’t respond positively by giving this amount, then these articles by Peeping Tom would have taken a different twist, for example, what is the government doing about the suffering of rice farmers during the El Nino situation. How do we please, more so, who do we please?
I would like to encourage my colleagues in the rice industry to focus on their goals and work towards achieving them. Based on our markets that are internationally controlled, sometimes we get good prices, like last year and sometimes not so good prices, as the situation now. But according to the predictions which are available online, we can see good prices for the next crop for our paddy and rice. Also, I wish to thank the government for their positive intervention with the $400M assistance and am quite sure that the farmers will make maximum use of this help.
MOHAMMED K. MUSTAPHA
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Is our society not too right upstairs?
THE story is stark in its content, troubling in its context and searching in its meaning. Despite the clarity and seeming finality of the Title, “Man killed after throwing himself under truck”, the reader is still unprepared for what unfolds. This is not intended as judgement; neither should it be mistaken for justification; it makes no pretense at analysis and has not benefited from “investigation”. It is an anguished appeal to whatever is left of the human in us to do whatever we can to find “community” again, to make our Guyana – home resemble a society once more. But I’ve gotten ahead of myself.
According to the journalist’s report, a young man met his demise by throwing himself under a moving ten-wheel truck. Earland Hinds’s end was preceded by some measure of comfort or consolation which he, though described as “not too right upstairs” had passed on to relatives as he stood with blood dripping from his head: “You all don’t worry with me man, I gon dead just now”.
Reportedly, this 29 year old had been dealt a blow to his head as he lay on the stairway of the neighbourhood Church, St. Thomas’ Presbyterian. The alleged instrument: a clay brick covered with concrete. The reported encouragement: - “Buss he head man, buss he head”. The attributed response of a relative of the alleged assailant: she “had to do what she had to do”. The sick man’s alleged crime: throwing something at a child who had been seen pelting him with a brick.
One reported concern from many on the scene was that the parent whose blow may have provoked Earland Hinds’ suicidal action “did not reprimand her children when they did wrong”.
This deceased who was assessed as “not too right upstairs” apparently sought to earn his keep by helping a relative to sell on a daily basis, and also assisted stores in the vicinity, especially when they brought in containers. However, according to the journalist’s report, he was the target of some youths, in the area, who would torment him from time to time.
Do these details sound familiar, perhaps without the final, fatal, suicidal plunge for refuge and a cessation from misery? I’ll be honest with you. A passage comes to mind from the book of Proverbs, but I’m not sure if it applies to Earland’s surviving fellows in the register of the mentally challenged, or to our children, our parents, our teachers, churches, Government Agencies or really to Guyana as a whole: “Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, “but we knew nothing about this,” does not He who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not He who guards your life know it? Will He not repay to each person according to what he has done?” (Proverbs 24 verses 11 and 12).
Is there any sane and sober thinking left, or is the society itself “not too right upstairs”?
LORIS HEYWOOD
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Kissoon’s obsession with the President continues to reach new heights
FREDDIE Kissoon’s obsession with President Bharrat Jagdeo continues to reach new heights as he continually tries to create mischief in the public domain by translating his frustration and fantasies in his columns. His continued arguments that President Jagdeo will seek a third term are absurd since he cannot provide any evidence to show that there is indeed such an intention.
Mr. Kissoon, like many others who are knowledgeable on the way things work here and are quite aware that the only way that President Jagdeo can get another term is if there is a change in the Constitution and without the approval of the PNCR this cannot happen.
The President has said on many occasions, at the prompting of the media, that he does not intend to pursue another term in office. However, despite these clarifications and the fact that Leader of the Opposition Robert Corbin made it empathically clear that he will not support such a change, Mr. Kissoon continues to hold out that the President will seek to have another term.
I am sure that Mr. Kissoon has been around and involved long enough to know that the Party will have to approve of the Presidential candidate.
Yet with all this to consider, why is it that Mr. Kissoon continues to hold on to his fantasy? In his column on September 29, Mr. Kissoon talks about being a participant in an intense conversation on the future of Guyana and the third term scenario for President Jagdeo. The mere fact that he was the only person who was representing the view that President Jagdeo will seek a third term says it all.
Nobody else agreed with Mr. Kissoon on this, so it’s all in his head. I wonder just who he has been talking to and I would like to make a suggestion since Mr. Kissoon sees himself as an investigative journalist. I would suggest that he thoroughly investigates what the Guyanese people think about this topic and analyse the answers. That should, I believe, shock him into some sense of reality, since he seems to be living in his own world and is oblivious to what goes on outside of that.
Clearly, anyone can see that Mr. Kissoon is using the Kaieteur News as an avenue to vent his clear obsession with President Jagdeo.
TIMOTHY SINGH
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Those cruel fire and noise lovers
I have observed the constant inconvenience to people’s joy, and the danger to health of old, young, children and adults.
Is it not absolutely amazing that when the fire lovers light their fires they always do it in a manner never to inconvenience themselves? They care nothing about others and their neighbors’ happiness and good health.
A certain lady in Atlantic Gardens usually lights fires aback her residence near the canal. I sent her numerous letters, she would never cease. Her smoke gets into our curtains - our children cannot study, and guests cannot enjoy our beautiful landscaped gardens and compound. The smoke gets into our homes, smells up the furniture, and gets absorbed in the curtains and our best clothes. After threat of a court action she ceased for a while, but started again. One day, a next door neighbour to her, lit a huge fire (usually it would bombard us in Atlantic Gardens), but the mercy of the wind took it to the lady I am speaking of. In minutes it engulfed her entire home and compound. She was choking frantically and called out her next door neighbour to stop the fire. Since then, no fire from her, and we have some peace from her.
Several other people in Happy Acres make it a ritual to clean and burn because the wind takes it away from them and make our lives miserable. A former Minister’s gardener was doing this for years. I dropped a letter for the gentleman when he was a Minister, but he told me he never got it. The gardener stopped for a while, but soon began again, lighting at nights, so when we awake in the mornings, the fresh dewy air of the atmosphere is gone, and we get a hot stale haze and scent of burnt bush. I approached the former Minister and this honourable gentleman, as he always is, did the proper thing and ended it. A few days ago, a neighbour to him was either burning tyres or plastics and sent dark, pungent and poisonous aroma in our compounds of citizens of Atlantic Gardens for hours. Three similar looking homes in Happy Acres just near the canal are always guilty of setting fires, despite my repeated lodging of verbal and written complaints.
Several times I pass the stretch by Turkeyen, whenever the grass is being cut; the proprietor set fires, causing misery to lives of the citizens living nearby. I pity those people. The Government should size these lands if the owners cannot make use of them or only use them to torment lives and create health hazard.
Like noise nuisance, the perpetrators of these horrendous acts think it is their democratic rights to make noise and light fires whenever they want. The Honourable Minister of Home Affairs has to direct the Police and/or Fire Department to take complaints and place charges against the culprits who think only of themselves and their comfort.
In a noise nuisance matter I have before the court, the defendant wanted to settle so he can make noise again. I offered him the opportunity that he must be my guest from 8pm until the show is finished. I would provide swimming facility, meals, and a comfortable air-conditioned and self-contained room. He never accepted the offer, as he leaves the site when the music gets hot, from 8 to 9pm. He had told me this. This is the reality of hypocrites, who think nothing of ill people, little babies, studying children and adults, and old people who served this nation - people who need peace, quiet and comfort. They need the freedom to enjoy the fertilising wind and atmosphere.
For fire nuisance makers, and for noise makers, there is zero tolerance.
Citizens of Atlantic Gardens are most grateful to the Police Commander of Cove & John for conducting a thorough investigation in the matter of noise and its destructive influence in the area. It is hoped that proper action is soon taken. We can supply a copy of the report of the EPA, which exposes the noise level as double and more than allowed by the Bureau of Standards, and which clearly can be used in Contempt of Court proceedings, which we are now considering, in view of the fact that the proprietor of the location is advertising more shows on Oct. 30 and 31, in absolute disregard of the court proceedings and the restraining order. The proprietor has already been charged along with a promoter, yet he insists on making more noise. How cruel can some people be?
Anyone affected by noise can report it; the police are committed to stop the noise and once a statement is given the police will charge them. People must be fearless and know they are the boss; the people are in charge. Citizens sometimes forget this. It is you who vote, it is you who pay the taxes.
ROSHAN KHAN
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Nip illegal practices in the bud
I had to write something on this after reading about the "Curbing the illegal street vending menace in the city.
Why wait until such things like illegal street vending and squatting and having pit-bull dogs turn out to be a plague before trying to curb them?
It is very simple to stop these things as soon as it starts up.
Take a serious look at what is taking place on the main public road leading to Diamond Scheme.
Why does the authority allow these people to set up shop, then when it gets out of hand and they are asked to move it becomes a big problem?
In order for these things not to get out of hand and out of control stop it dead in its track as soon as it springs up.
Like one Guyanese lady here in Toronto Canada some years back set up a stall on the road side next to a ravine to sell corn.
I told my wife if she is allowed to do that then look for others to do the same.
A few hours later as we were passing back we saw the police breaking her stand and ordering her to pick up all her stuff and never to do that again. She never did again.
This is the only way to stop this plague called street vending / squatting and owning pit-bull dogs.
No one can squat here in Toronto and pit-bull dogs are banned.
T. KING
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NY Guyanese temples busy for Navratri
THE some 50 Guyanese temples in the New York (NY) area were quite busy over the last nine evenings celebrating the auspicious Hindu festival of Navratri. The pandits were also quite busy as this is the period for poojas to be performed in the homes of Guyanese. Liberty Avenue was busy with shoppers purchasing items for poojas. The temples were packed for their nightly service during what is regarded as the holiest period for Hindus and it comes right after Muslims completed their month of fasting. Worshippers were dressed in traditional garb - girls in beautiful colorful Shalwars and Lehangas and men/boys in kurthas and Nehru suits.
Many Hindus commenced their fast at the time of Pitri Paksh on September 4 which ended on September 18. Some fasted only for a few days and continued with Navratri which began right after Pitri Paksh and concluded on September 29. This is the period when Hindus pay obeisance to the universal mother for their many achievements. They glorify Mother because she is responsible for who they are as a people and the way they live.
Navratri involves a lot of fasting and sacrifices for a renewal of life. It helps people to re-focus on the basics of life and to concentrate on Godhead. Navratri is associated with the propitiation of the feminine aspects of the Almighty although in Hinduism, the lord is neither male nor female. Hindus pay obeisance to both male and female murthis representing their God or Goddess – no discrimination between the genders.
The late Pandit Gossai says, "Navratri commemorates the rapid spiritual gross of an individual from d ead negatives to the highest positive". He added that "we must see our own mothers as the manifestation of these attributes of the universal mother and make every day navratri and worship our mother as Goddess Durga, Latchmi and Saraswati".
Guyanese Hindus are to be applauded for holding on to their religious beliefs in NY. They continue with traditional practices they brought from India some 171 years ago. In spite of the difficulties of life in NY, they still find time to visit their temples and to conduct poojas at home. The same holds true for Guyanese Muslims who fasted during Ramadan and celebrated Eid.
Temples around Queens were packed with worshippers during the nine nights of Navratri. People were observed praying during this period with great fer vor and devotion. Some offered jaal in their yards to the Sun God. Many conducted jhandis or other poojas with newly planted flags fluttering in the wind in front of their homes just like in Guyana. On the final evening when little girls representing the Devis in Hindu worship were honoured. It is an extremely pretty festival highly inspiring and instructive on how to live. Homes and temples were beautifully decorated. Sweet smelling incense came out of stores. During this period, vegetarian food was in abundance in the temples and homes of Hindus. Now, everyone, Hindus and non-Hindus, look forward for Diwali which will culminate the fasting period. A huge Diwali parade is planned.
VISHNU BISRAM
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Windies in no mood to slack against India today
FLOYD Reifer has ruled out any possibility ofWest Indies slacking against India even though they have been ousted from the tournament. West Indies play their final match in the tournament today and Reifer is confident his team could pull off a shock win, one that would send India home as well.
"We're going to play the game at the same intensity as before," he said. "We're looking to improve every game; it's about improvement for us as individuals and as a team. Though we can't qualify we're still going to play hard, tough cricket.
"In one-day cricket the team that plays better on the day has a good chance of winning. India are a good side, they have a lot of stars, they play a lot of one-day cricket but we're going to approach the game the same way we approached the first two."
Though they have lost two matches, a depleted West Indies had their moments against Pakistan and Australia a few scares. Gavin Tonge made Pakistan sweat in their chase of a small target and Kemar Roach's pace posed a few hiccups for Australia on a two-paced pitch.
"We can take a lot of positives from the tournament," said Reifer. "Some of our guys bowled well, couple of our guys batted well, and as a team I think we played pretty good cricket. We have a good squad of fast bowlers; the guys have a lot of talent and are just looking to explode on the international circuit.
"Tonge is very tall and bowls a good line and length. Roach is very fast, I think he bowled the fastest ball in the tournament so far. He's very quick through the air and he has a bright, bright future in West Indies and international cricket. (Cricinfo)
Demerara and E’bo clash in El Dorado one-day opener today
By Calvin Roberts
SMARTING from their come from behind 39- run victory over Essequibo in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) organised four day Inter-county tournament last Friday, the Ramnaresh Sarwan led Demerara team will be brimming with confidence when they oppose the same opponents today in the first match of the GCB/El Dorado sponsored Inter-county limited overs tournament.
When the two met at the Anna Regina ground, the same venue for today’s encounter in the four day match last week, Essequibo dominated their star studded opponents from the first ball to the last one on the penultimate day, before crumbling to the spin of Steven Jacobs on the final morning and will be looking to avenge their 83 runs first round lost in last year’s tournament.
They should be looking for a better batting performance from their team, for it was this department which failed them tremendously, even though they got first innings points from their opponents in the four day match.
To this end, former national Under-19 vice captain Royan Fredericks and Geewan Singh has replaced the out of form Latchman Rohit and wicketkeeper Lennox Andrews who made a ‘golden duck’ respectively, while another former national Under-19 player in fast bowler Ryan Hercules strengthens the bowling, following his return from England.
Even though he is the more experienced, matured and possesses a very aggressive attitude with the bat, skipper Ramesh Narine would need to take his responsibility as leader of a team known to be the perennial whipping boys of local cricket, more seriously.
His batting attitude, especially in the second innings when his team needed 195 to pull off the outright win, left much to be desired especially against the bowling of Jacobs who used his height to good advantage, while he got the ball to drift against both the right and left handed batsmen.
Both Fredericks and Singh will bolster a batting lineup which will be led by Dillon Heyliger and Fredericks’ older brother Norman who enjoys this form of the game, Mahendra Boodram, Yogeshwar Lall, Hercules and even national fast bowler Trevon Garraway and Trevor Benn who have all proven they are no rabbits with the bat.
Their bowling rests on the capable shoulders of Garraway and Benn who rocked the Demerara batting line up in both innings with their swing and at times pace, Hercules and Norman Fredericks, with support from spinners Anthony Adams and Andrew Williams, with both Narine and Heyliger being capable of sending down a few tight overs also.
Make no mistake, the miserable batting performance displayed by the defending limited overs champions Demerara in their first innings where they were bowled over for 119 would not repeat itself today, hence the Cinderella County team should come out expecting a tough battle on their hands from the word go.
Openers Rajendra Chandrika whose 65 following an opening stand of 61 with Christopher Barnwell (37) in last year’s opener and Shemroy Barrington will be looking to give their team a solid start, but with the destructive Andrew Lyght Jnr, who can destroy any bowling attack on his day in the squad, both Sarwan and coach Gavin Nedd have their work cut out for them, with regards to the opening slots at the top.
With either Sarwan who has been in fine form for his club GCC in this format of the game lately or hi s club mate Leon Johnson who led the team last year in the absence of the senior players occupying the number three position, Krishna Deosarran, vice- captain Zaheer Mohammed, Gajanand Singh and Barnwell lending support with the bat, Essequibo’s work will be cut out for them also.
Troy Gonsalves and Sauid Drepaul are no rabbits with the bat, so too is there club mate and wicketkeeper Joseph Perry and along with Kellon Carmichael, a young player who has come on leaps and bounds in this format of the game since his days as a national youth player, the home team can expect a long and rough day in the office today.
Demerara’s bowling will be led by Barnwell and Carmichael who did a splendid job with the new ball last year and with amicable support from Jacobs, Mohammed, Drepaul and Gonsalves, with Sarwan, Johnson and to an extent Singh showing they can handle the cherry if needed, the defending champions will be looking to repeat their 83 run win from last year.
Teams:
Demerara from: Ramnaresh Sarwan, Zaheer Mohammed, Rajendra Chandrika, Shemroy Barrington, Andrew Lyght Jnr, Christopher Barnwell, Leon Johnson, Krishna Deosarran, Gajanand Singh, Steven Jacobs, Joseph Perry, Troy Gonsalves, Sauid Drepaul and Kellon Carmichael.
Essequibo from: Ramesh Narine, Norman Fredericks, Royan Fredericks, Yogeshwar Lall, Mahendra Boodram, Geewan Singh, Dillon Heyliger, Navin Bahadur, Anthony Adams, Andrew Williams, Ryan Hercules, Trevon Garraway and Trevor Benn.
The game will get underway from 09:30h and the umpires are Nigel Duguid and Clement Brusch, with Dashroy Balgobin performing the duties of third umpire.
Millions needed to run athletics programme-JAAA chief
KINGSTON, Jamaica, (CMC) – Jamaica’s athletics chief Howard Aris says it would cost $200 million (US$ 2 258 723) to properly run the country’s track & field programme.
Aris, president of the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association (JAAA), said the primary aim of such a budget would be “to assist the athletes in their preparation, medical expenses, meals and housing expenses.”
As a result, Aris said athletes could avoid working and spend more time perfecting their talents on the track.
“If we have the money, ideally, we would spend half on the athletes as we spent on teams going abroad,” Aris said.
“That to me would be a good mix because the whole idea [is that] you train to represent Jamaica and therefore there should be some balance between how much you assist in preparation and how much you spend in competing.”
Aris said the JAAA normally spent over $60 million (US$ 677 583) annually to send teams to overseas meets.
The country’s CARIFTA Games party comprises over 80 members each year while the Central America and Caribbean (CAC) Junior Championships accounts for a similar number every two years.
Jamaica also sends athletes to World Championships, World Juniors, the North, Central America and the Caribbean (NACAC) Under-23 and Cross Country Championship, and the Pan Am Junior Championships.
“When you check our records, we spent somewhere between $60 to 70 million every year just to spend teams abroad,” he said, while adding teams were growing in number because of Jamaica’s recent success.
Aris noted, however, that his association has received more sponsorship in the last four years than ever.
He also defended the JAAA’s record in helping local athletes.
“The whole question is whether or not we have enough money to give to our athletes,” Aris said.
“We do try to assist every athlete that asked, but not all athletes ask and therefore if someone does not ask, then it is difficult to know that they have needs … and there are athletes who never ask because they never have needs.”
Inter-Market football winners receive their prizes
WINNERS of the just concluded 2009 Power Stout Inter-Market Football tournament were presented with their prizes at a simple ceremony Monday at Banks DIH Conference Room at Thirst Park.
Organiser O’Neill Durant far left, Banks DIH official Troy Peters and Director of Sport Neil Kumar pose with the prize winners at the simple ceremony on Monday. |
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Bourda Market team inflicted a 5-1 over Plaisance Market in the final played recently at the GFC ground while Kitty Market edged out Stewartville 1-0 to take the third place prize.
The winning Bourda side carted off $150,000 and a trophy donated by the National Sports Commission (NSC), while Plaisance secured $100,000 and the NSC Trophy at the presentation ceremony.
Kitty received a cheque for $75,000 while Stewartville claimed $50,000.
Organiser of the Tournament O’Neill Durant of Stabroek Warriors Sports Group thanked Banks DIH Ltd. for sponsoring the tournament under the Power Stout brand.
“I would like to thank Banks DIH and more especially Mr. George McDonald, Marketing Director of Banks for helping us to realise our goal of organising the tournament this year after an absence of two years,” said Durant.
He said his Group also received assistance from Director of Sport Neil Kumar and the National Sports Commission.
Kumar who attended the presentation ceremony said that the organizers could look forward to future assistance from the NSC.
According to Kumar, football was receiving great exposure locally and he called on the organisers to plan in advance so that their event would not clash with other major football tournaments.
Banks DIH Communications Manager Troy Peters said that his company was pleased to sponsor the tournament once again.
He said that Banks DIH had been on board with the organisers from the inception of the Inter-Market tournament.
Manassah Primo was voted the Most Valuable Player and the leading scorer with six goals and for his effort was presented with a Trophy donated by Kei-Shars.
According to O’neill football fans can look forward to a bigger tournament next year.
The tournament attracted 16 municipal teams from Linden, East Coast of Demerara, Bartica, Berbice, West Demerara and Georgetown
Organisers to lure Bolt and big name stars
NEW DELHI, India, (CMC) – Organisers of the Commonwealth Games are looking to influence leading international sports stars – including Usain Bolt – to next year’s event in the Indian capital.
A leading member of the organising committee indicated that they were even willing to lure athletes like Bolt with a hefty payday to scorch the tracks at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium for the Games that will be staged from October 3 to 14.
“We are looking for an Indian sponsor for Bolt,” said Suresh Kalmadi, the chairman of the organising committee.
“Any company in India would love to be associated with him. The organising committee is making an effort so that Indian industry gets global mileage.”
The Games are costing the Indians over US $1.6 billion, and Indians are questioning the wisdom of spending so much money on an event that has lost its aura.
But Kalmadi, a federal member of parliament and the head of the Indian Olympic Association, believes that next year’s event can help the Games regain some of its prestige.
“The Commonwealth countries, including Jamaica, are going to send their best teams,” he said.
“Usain Bolt is going to come and all the top chaps from other nations are also coming. The Commonwealth Games are next only to the Olympics.”
But he and the rest of the organisers will have to do much more to convince detractors.
Harmison must be in Test team - Flintoff
ANDREW Flintoff believes England must select Durham pace bowler Steve Harmison for the winter's Test series in South Africa.
Harmison has told the England selectors, who have delayed finalising their Test squad, to pick him or he will retire from internationals. But Flintoff, who has retired from Test cricket, has no doubts that his great friend should be on the plane.
"Of course he should," said Flintoff. "We had the biggest game of the summer in the Ashes at The Oval and he (Harmison) was playing. I'd have him in my side. Well I did do, didn't I? I'd have him in every day."
Flintoff, who turned down a £25,000 incremental contract from the ECB but insists he will put nothing before playing for England in one-day cricket, has another eight weeks of rehabilitation on crutches after the operation he underwent on his damaged right knee following the Ashes series.
But he has been buoyed by the success of the England side in South Africa, who have put aside their miserable one-day series against Australia to beat Sri Lanka and South Africa in the Champions Trophy.
Flintoff said: "We have seen with England in the past that when we have underperformed we are very good at coming back.
"With the one-day stuff we have struggled with consistency. We can beat anyone. We've won series but not strung a run of series together. Whatever it takes to be consistent we have just not found it. Hopefully the Champions Trophy is the start of that."
Flintoff, who returned from his recuperation base in Dubai to launch his book 'Ashes to Ashes' (Hodder&Stoughton), also believes England could have found a new one-day star in left-hander Eoin Morgan, who hit five sixes in an impressive 67 against South Africa.
Flintoff said: "Look at left-handers who play one-day cricket and finish games. England had Graham Thorpe and Neil Fairbrother. The Aussies had Michael Bevan and Mike Hussey. If Morgan could fill that void for England it would be a great asset.
"He's started well, hit a few sixes. He plays left-handed but plays the odd right-handed shot and flicks them over the wicketkeeper. He's an exciting prospect.(Eurosport).
First Lady's powers of persuasion key to Obama factor
By Kevin Fylan
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - The first lady's powers of persuasion will be as important as the president's charisma if the Obama effect is to bring the 2016 Olympic Games to Chicago.
The White House announcement that President Barack Obama would fly to Copenhagen to appear before the International Olympic Committee has given the Chicago campaign a lift in the final few days before Friday's vote.
Yet with the president only due to arrive on the day of the election, Chicago's bid team is cautious when it comes to predicting how much of an effect he can have in the tight race with Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.
They certainly do not expect him to do the sort of intense campaigning then British prime minister Tony Blair did when he helped persuade members to choose London for the 2012 Games, or Russian president Vladimir Putin when he helped win the 2014 Winter Olympics for outsiders Sochi.
Instead it will be down to First Lady Michelle Obama to lead the lobbying effort for her home city after her arrival today.
"The eyes of the world were already here but now they're really shining brightly in Copenhagen," Chicago bid leader Patrick Ryan said at a news conference at a platform built on a Copenhagen swimming pool yesterday.
He added: "It obviously changes many things. The President is coming to the city, people are very excited that he's coming and that Michelle Obama is coming.
"But we don't know, nobody knows, if it impacts the race. The voters will determine this."
Obama will become the first sitting U.S. president to address an IOC session. Michelle Obama will also address the session and she is expected to hold one-on-one meetings in the Danish capital.
"Michelle Obama will be doing that (meeting with members) over the next couple of days," Ryan said.
"We're so thankful (to the president). We're not comparing this to Tony Blair or Mr. Putin or other presidents. We don't want to get into the politics. This is about sport. It's about the Olympics. It's not about the influence of one individual."
That message, that the Olympic Games are about the athletes rather than politicians, was one Ryan and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley came back to time and again on Tuesday.
"I would just say that this is not about competition among heads of state," Ryan said. "This is about cities that would be the best host cities for the Games. It's all about what's best for the athlete.”
Ferguson hails Rooney five years on from dream debut
By Chris Brereton
MANCHESTER, England, (Reuters) - Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson hailed the contribution of Wayne Rooney before the Champions League match against VfL Wolfsburg today, five years on from the striker’s stunning debut.
Rooney scored a magnificent hat-trick against Turkish side Fenerbahce in 2004, sending Old Trafford into raptures and truly announcing himself on the world stage at the age of 18.
“It was a marvellous start, to score a hat-trick on your debut and he wasn’t really fit,” Ferguson told a news conference on Tuesda
He hadn’t played for about 10 weeks or something which was a remarkable feat and his progress has never at any point disappointed us.
“When we signed him as a young kid, we thought, exactly as we do today, that he would become a really top player and he’s going in that direction without question.”
Ferguson outlined Rooney’s desire to win and refusal to give in as his key attributes before the visit of the Bundesliga champions, who came from nowhere to beat the likes of Bayern Munich, Hamburg and Stuttgart to the German title.
“He’s blessed with certain ingredients that only great footballers have,” Ferguson said.
“It’s the determination and hunger to win every match, every time he goes on the field, every training session.
“He’s blessed with that and it’ll never change for him.”
BEST PLAYER
Ferguson said Rooney could one day overtake former Manchester United player Cristiano Ronaldo as the best player in the world.
“We sometimes wonder with the criticism about what footballers get paid but when you see that effort he puts in, he’s worth every penny he’s paid because he plays as if he means it and it’s a wonderful thing to have,” Ferguson said.
“There are some great footballers out there like Kaka, Ronaldo and Messi.
“They’re the three best players in the world and Wayne could easily get to that level with the right progress.”
Wolfsburg beat CSKA Moscow in their opening Group B match and United came away from Besiktas with a 1-0 win.
“Wolfsburg probably are the main dangers to qualifying,” said Ferguson who is bidding to take United to their third Champions League final in a row.
“I think it’s a measure of where they are and we admire that that their approach reflects our approach to the game too. It may turn into a very open game.”
United midfielder Ji-sung Park will miss the game with a virus but Patrice Evra (illness) and Michael Owen (groin) are both expected to be involved.
The aftermath of South Africa's exit..
Smith's job safe but we need answers - Majola
..Procter questions Albie Morkel’s role as a genuine all-rounder
SOUTH Africa's "deeply disappointing" first-round exit from the Champions Trophy has left its board chief executive Gerald Majola seeking answers from the team's captain and coach.
Majola confirmed that neither Graeme Smith's nor Mickey Arthur's jobs were in danger but has called for a meeting to find out the reason for another woeful performance in a multi-team tournament.
"There are some hard questions to be answered," Majola said. "At no stage did the team look anything like a team who are the World No.1 in both Tests and one-day internationals. They certainly were way off where they should be at this stage and I will be speaking to Mickey and the team management to find out what went wrong."
Arthur and Smith are not in line to be fired from their roles but Majola questioned the team's performance. "That [sacking them] is not going to happen but we definitely want answers," he said.
"The team's performance in this tournament was just not good enough. I don't want to pick out individuals but there were problems with the bowling and the batting and the team's body language was not that of the world's best team."
Mike Procter, South Africa's chairman of selectors, has suggested that South Africa's composition was wrong. "The side looks so balanced on paper but in actual play maybe it's over-balanced," he said.
"The guys had worked hard during the off-season and I was 100 percent happy with their preparation. But it was extremely disappointing to go out the way we did."
With Majola set to inquire into the team's performance, Procter, Arthur and Smith have plenty to do with an eye on the 2011 World Cup. Procter has pinpointed the No. 6 position in the line-up as a focal point, mulling both Mark Boucher's and Albie Morkel's roles
. He felt Boucher would be better used at No. 7 and that Morkel's credibility as a genuine allrounder was in doubt.
"Maybe we could look at another batter at No.6," he said. "That may mean dropping one of the spinners, and putting Boucher at No.7, but both Roelof van der Merwe and Johan Botha have done a terrific job for us. It's a really difficult one. It can backfire on us, perhaps we are too overbalanced."
Morkel's 13 overs in the tournament cost 97 runs and he failed to pick up a wicket. "I think that Graeme still has confidence in Albie as a bowler but perhaps the question we need to ask is whether he is the all-rounder we need as the sixth bowler," said Procter.
"There is JP Duminy who can also bowl. There is a sort of imbalance in the team at the moment."
Procter and the national selection panel will look at the options on the domestic circuit with England due to tour South Africa later this year. "Over the next few weeks all the selectors will be going to domestic matches," said Procter. "We'll chat to the coaches and see what is coming through. But we must keep in mind that the side performed well in the past 18 months, so it's a tough cookie.
"We've got to look at winning one of these ICC tournaments. We play well in between and get the No.1 ranking, but we've got to justify that ranking by getting our hands on an ICC trophy. (Cricinfo)
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