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Diwali motorcade a scintillating kaleidoscope
By Parvati Persaud-Edwards
Like millions of stars twinkling on the East Coast corridor, the Hindu Dharmic Sabha’s Diwali motorcade sparkled and glittered as it illuminated the night with a grand display of artistry in multi-coloured lights. It is one of the few times that the beauty of nature is rivalled by the beauty created by man.
President of the Hindu Dharmic Prachar Sabha, Pt. Reepu Daman Persaud, has taken Hinduism to new heights in a multiplicity of ways, creating many ingenious firsts in this land where ancestors’ traditions are honoured, and the ancient scriptures revered.
He established nationwide praants, brought awareness and enlightenment to the masses of Hindus who had formerly been ignorant of the richness of Hinduism, and restored the pride of Hindus in wearing Indian apparel.
He not only took religion to the people, but took the temples to the streets 35 years ago through his introduction of the innovative Diwali motorcade.
Last evening, vehicles of all sizes tried to outdo each other with the brilliance of their decorations and the magnificent beauty of their display. Ordinary vehicles – minibuses, cars, pickups, trucks that normally transport people and produce were transformed into heavenly chariots scintillating like a constellation of stars as conveyances of gods and goddesses.
The Beharry conglomerate’s float depicted Sheshnaag hovering protectively over Lord Vishnu, as his consort Mahalakshmi basked in his adoration.
A magnificent Lord Shiva smiled benevolently down at his subjects from the Murti Shop’s, with an even more stunning Mother Lakshmi reposing in the incandescently illuminated pickup.
But Annjee’s had replicas of most deities – Lord Ram flanked by Mother Sita and his devoted brother Lakshman, Mothers Lakshmi and Swarsattie with Lord Ganesh, with the overpowering Mother Shakti looming protectively over all, all aglow in luminous splendour.
Exquisitely decorated was a pickup float belonging to the Kitty community.
The beauty of the floats and the beauty of the moment moved the onlookers infinitely.
Miniature replicas of Mahalakshmi adorned the floats as they wended their way from the Shri Khrishna Mandir in Campbellville, proceeding into Sandy Babb Street, then to the seawall road, down the East Coast Corridor to the LBI Community Centre Ground.
The splendour of each decorated vehicle was of such scintillating beauty that the judges had an unenviable task to decide on the winners, because each one deserved a first.
The festival of Diwali has a universal message that reaches into the hearts of Guyanese across divide, and Guyanese of all races and religion lined the streets to enjoy the procession of floats. Vehicles that had transported people from all over the country were parked bumper to bumper for miles.
Children especially enjoyed the grand display of colourful lights creatively arranged to capture the ambience of the festival – which is the victory of beauty over ugliness of spirit, the triumph of good over evil, the transcendence of love over hatred.
This was the best vehicle (pun unintended) that Pt. Reep could have devised to meld hearts and minds of the nation, because the divine message of our universal mother is incandescent in the scriptures of every religion, and this beautiful evocation of the transcendental lessons of Diwali reaches into the hearts of all those who bonded with joyful appreciation as they witnessed the kaleidoscope of lights transforming the human spectrum in the national psyche into one collective paean in the symphony of the chorale of the motorcade.
Diwali in Guyana is a tourist’s delight, because the camaraderie engendered in these shared moments of expectation and appreciation of the beautifully-decorated floats is a microcosm of the larger landscape of the Guyana experience.
As happened last year, the crowds, numbering thousands, were orderly, with no rowdyism or jostling. The phenomenal ambience of divine, sometimes boisterous celebratory music and the brilliance of colours resonated in the psyche with unfathomable beauty.
But then this festival celebrates all that Mother Lakshmi represents – love, peace, happiness, wellbeing, and all good things that should come to mankind.
It is not a symbolical time, but a time for reflection of all that we can be and achieve as a people and as a nation.
Love of Mother Lakshmi and adherence to her precepts is the greatest equalizer of mankind, because millionaires uncaringly rubbed shoulders with the destitute as they turned out in the thousands to pay tribute to the universal mother. How could Hinduism die with such reverence from so many?
The Diwali motorcade has become a fixture in the landscape of Guyana’s momentous and much-loved occasions and it is one in a legacy of plenty endowed this nation by Pt. Reepu Daman Persaud – but then one could have no lesser expectations of him, because he was divinely inspired by our gracious mother of the universe.
Roger Khan to spend 15 years in a U.S. prison
By Wendella Davidson in New York
Guyanese self-confessed drug trafficker Shaheed Roger Khan, popularly called Short Man, is to spend the next 15 years of his life in a U.S. prison.
The new chapter of his life began yesterday when Judge Dora L. Irizarry at 15:00h sentenced him to 40 years on three charges of drug smuggling, witness tampering and gun possession.
Prior to handing down the much-anticipated sentence, a cleanly-shaved Khan, wearing a dark blue prison garb and flanked by his attorneys John Bergendahl and Diarmuid White, when granted the opportunity by the Judge to address the court, apologised to his mother, wife, children and other relatives as well as the citizens of the United States for the pain and hurt he might have caused them.
He also thanked his family for their support during what he described as the “darkest days of his life”, as well as his attorneys, whom he likened to “men of integrity’ and of whom the United States should be proud.
Earlier, when Khan was allowed into the courtroom by the marshals, he immediately smiled and waved to family members numbering over 20, after which he glanced around to see the other persons seated among the spectators. Some said they were relatives of some of his victims.
Three letters from Sheila Waddell, Harry Rampersaud and an anonymous person, the latter received only yesterday, addressed to Justice Irizarry were read by her in open court. The writers who had taken note of the plea agreement, sought in their letters to persuade the Judge to ignore the 15-year sentence because of the heinous crimes he committed, and instead impose a longer prison term.
But Justice Irizarry told the court that while she had taken into consideration the pain of the letter writers and others who were affected by Khan’s activities, there was also the possibility that had the case gone to trial before a jury, the jury could have returned with a verdict that could have seen Khan being acquitted.
She pointed out that in a normal sentencing agreement, the Court is required under law to consider a number of factors including the sentencing guidelines, and any appropriate departure from the guidelines.
The view by the Judge was similar to that of Prosecutor Shannon Jones who in her address to the Court earlier noted that the sentencing of Khan to 15 years should not be viewed as one opposed to 25 or 40 years, rather 15 years behind bars as opposed to an acquittal.
The Judge had also asked Khan whether he had an opportunity to read all of the documents pertaining to the plea bargain and discussed the options with his attorneys, to which he answered “Yes”
Some of Khan’s family members were observed wiping tears from their eyes as the Judge spoke and at one time Khan had his chin cupped in his hands, as if reflecting on his fate.
And, as Khan was being led away out of the courtroom by the marshals, he again waved to family members while his wife blurted out “Roger, I love you.”
Drug smuggler Shaheed Roger Khan was sentenced to 40 years imprisonment on charges of drug smuggling, witness tampering and gun possession in Vermont at the US Eastern District Court in Brooklyn. He will serve just 15 years.
Meanwhile, outside the courtroom, one family member in an invited comment to the Guyanese media, suggested that the Guyana Government should pay Khan a pension.
His mother, in thanking the media for following the case, said she is happy that the case has come to an end.
Local government elections…
GECOM outlines Georgetown constituencies to City Councillors
By Telesha Persaud
GECOM (Guyana Elections Commission) officials, on Thursday, outlined to City Councillors the proposed demarcation of Georgetown constituencies for local government elections.
Deputy Mayor, Mr. Robert Williams, who chaired the meeting, said is was in keeping with the process of governance and democracy, so that individuals, institutions and groups will be able to contribute to the formation of laws and systems that will, eventually, govern people.
He said GECOM is holding consultations countrywide and the Georgetown Municipality has been identified as one to be involved.
Assistant Chief Elections Officer, Mr. Keith Lowenfield said Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Mr. Kellawan Lall has issued an order that GECOM shall, in consultation with them, get the views of all municipalities and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs).
He said the discussion, after the GECOM presentation Thursday, is intended to secure the wisdom of councillors and one map of the capital is going to be used for the demarcating.
GECOM Acting Registration Officer, Ms. Catherine Adams said the Commission’s task Thursday was to present its proposal with respect to the demarcation of 15 constituencies identified for Georgetown, consisting of 66 divisions and 273 sub-divisions.
According to her, the estimated number of electors for the voting is 80,546, extracted from the 2008 house-to-house registration.
Adams said demarcation of the proposed constituencies identified would be based on population size, representatives, community of interest and national features.
Another Acting GECOM Registration Officer, Ms. Michelle Miller said constituency one comprises Kingston, Thomas Lands, Non Pariel Park, South and North Cummingsburg, Alberttown and Queenstown.
The rest of constituencies proposed by GECOM are:
* constituency two: Kitty (North), Kitty (Central), Kitty (South) and
Subryanville.
* constituency three: Bel Air Gardens, Bel Air/Bel Air Springs, Prashad
Nagar, North East Campbellville and North West Campbellville.
* constituency four: Lamaha Gardens, Section ‘K’ Campbellville, Bel Air
Park and Newtown/Campbellville.
* constituency five: Sophia/Liliendaal (North), Pattensen/Turkeyen,
Sophia/Pattensen (Central), Turkeyen (Central), Sophia/Liliendaal
(South) and Pattensen/Turkeyen (South).
* constituency six: Pattensen/Turkeyen (South), Cummings Lodge
(North), Cummings Lodge (Central) and Cummings Lodge (South).
* constituency seven: Bourda (West), Bourda (East),
Robbstown/Lacytown (West) and Stabroek/Central/Lacytown.
* constituency eight: Stabroek/Wortmanville (East), Stabroek (Central),
Werk-en-Rust (East) and Werk-en-Rust (West).
* constituency nine: Lodge (North), Lodge (South), D’Urban Backlands,
and Meadow Brook Gardens.
* constituency ten: Albouystown and Charlestown.
* constituency 11: North East/East La Penitence, West La Penitence,
Alexander Village and River View.
* constituency 12: Tucville, Guyhoc Park, Lamaha Park, Lamaha
Springs, Festival City and North Ruimveldt.
* constituency 13: West Ruimveldt and East Ruimveldt.
* constituency 14: South Ruimveldt Park (West and East), South
Ruimveldt Gardens (West and East), Roxanne Burnham Gardens,
Guyhoc Gardens and Ruimveldt Industrial Estate.
* constituency 15: Agricola, Mc Doom, Houston, Rome and Meadow Bank.
As strikers resume…
GuySuCo, GAWU to resume negotiations next week
WORKERS on all Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) estates, except those at La Bonne Intention (LBI), East Coast Demerara, resumed work yesterday.
Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) General Secretary, Mr. Seepaul Narine told the Guyana Chronicle that the LBI employees did not resume because the issue of production target for that estate has not yet been resolved.
He said GAWU and GuySuCo will be meeting on Monday to discuss it and the two sides would continue wages and salaries negotiations on Wednesday.
GAWU claimed that about 70 per cent of those who were on strike turned out yesterday and the union is optimistic all would be back on the job by next week.
However, it is understood that GuySuCo has not yet determined the losses incurred during the two-day work stoppage.
GuySuCo Chairman, Dr Nanda Gopaul, at a recent press conference hosted in the National Communication Network (NCN) studio on Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown, contended that they will not negotiate with the union while its members were striking, or under duress.
An estimated 88 per cent of the sugar workers countrywide struck last Wednesday, in support of a call from GAWU following GuySuCo’s withdrawal from the bargaining process on Tuesday at LBI Training Centre.
GuySuCo Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Errol Hanuman had said the strike called by GAWU was deleterious to the industry and that the strikes the corporation has been experiencing can only serve to derail the turnaround plan and frighten away its bankers and creditors.
GuySuCo took the decision to withdraw from the scheduled negotiation meeting with GAWU after some workers stopped working in protest at the 2009 wages offer, among other issues.
Hanoman said, too, that rainfall distribution in the past four and a half years has been erratic and well above average in quantity, as well, noting that the period 2005 to June 2009 has been the wettest in the past 50 years.
Jeopardised
He lamented that such conditions have seriously jeopardised not only tillage and planting operations but a significant amount of follow-up work.
“The situation facing GuySuCo is grim, as, in 2008, the corporation suffered a loss of $4 billion and owed its bankers $3 billion.
“At the end of September 2009, we owed the banks just under $5 billion and our losses for this year are projected at $2.5 billion.
“As of December 31, 2008, the amount owed to creditors stood at $2.6 billion and, as of September 30 this year, $1.8 billion,” Hanoman disclosed.
He said, in many parts of the world, given the grave financial situation being experienced by GuySuCo, estates would have been closed and workers made redundant.
Instead, GuySuCo has come up with a bold plan to turn the industry around and, without the plan, it would be unlikely the industry would survive the next three years, Hanoman said.
GAWU President, Mr. Komal Chand, who is pressing for a 15 per cent pay increase for the workers, said, given the prevailing circumstances in the industry, the union is willing to negotiate, with GuySuCo, a settlement which is lower but reasonable for the workers.
He said the three per cent raise proposed by GuySuCo as final is unacceptable.
Narine, who also spoke at a media briefing convened at GAWU Headquarters on Wednesday, said the union views the decision by GuySuCo to be absent from the negotiation is influenced by ulterior motives.
He reiterated what Chand said, that the strike by the majority of cane harvesters at LBI on October 13 had no relation to the ongoing negotiations between GAWU and GuySuCo.
Narine said the employees downed tools to press their demand for an acceptable sugar production target on that estate, to secure s weekly incentive for the week ending October 17.
“The corporation, recognising that its target to produce 290,000 tonnes of sugar as stated in the 2009 National Budget is far from realisation, is attempting, through its abrupt withdrawal from the negotiations, to blame the workers’ strike action/s for the poor performance of the industry again, this year,” he maintained.
Narine said, up to October 12, the industry’s production stood at 189,411 tonnes, 52,589 tonnes below the revised target.
Nefarious
“The union detests what it considers this nefarious ploy by the corporation and seeks that the sugar workers be respected and treated with dignity. The union takes the opportunity, to call upon the corporation to avail itself to allow the negotiations to resume without further delay under the chairmanship of the Chief Labour Officer,” Narine said.
Meanwhile, Head of the President Secretariat (HPS) Dr Roger Luncheon has urged the two parties to bring their differences to a resolution.
Speaking at his weekly post-Cabinet media briefing on Thursday, at Office of the President, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown, he said: “From a Government perspective, the urge to invoke a political solution should never have occurred.
“I think mistakes have been made. I want to believe so, along the way and I agree that, from the industry, from the economy, that aggressive action would have to be taken, even at the political level, to bring this stalemate, to bring this confrontation to an acceptable end, or some acceptable resolution,” the HPS stated.
Insisting that he does not believe that the industry could continue to be confronted with challenges of such a magnitude, Luncheon said: “The entire industry was shut down and, therefore, apart from urging the two sides to bring their differences to a resolution, I also would agree that extraordinary efforts, even at the political level, would need to be taken to ensure that this is done in a timely way.”
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Explosion at GPL
The Guyana Power and Light (GPL) experienced an explosion yesterday afternoon which rocked Water Street, Kingston, and sent residents scurrying for cover.
According to Walter George of GPL Systems Control Department, two circuits came together accidentally.
This caused the entire Water Street, Kingston area to be without power which GPL restored in four hours.
Mr. George assured that there is no cause for alarm and it was merely an accident effected by employees who were carrying out maintenance works at the Kingston Plant yesterday.
Gov’t supportive of private enterprise – Head of State
…at John Fernandes Ltd. 50th anniversary celebrations
At the gala 50th anniversary celebrations of John Fernandes Limited, one of the largest private companies in Guyana, President Bharrat Jagdeo stressed that his Administration remains supportive of private enterprise and will continue to provide the right environment in Guyana for doing business.
The Head of State congratulated the Fernandes family for the significant achievement of surviving and thriving in business for half a century, especially given that most businesses fail to celebrate their first anniversary.
He expressed confidence that the achievement was accomplished through hard work and dedication, and noted that the most important attribute of all successful companies around the world is the ability to have a positive outlook, which breeds success. It is an attribute that the company undoubtedly has, the President stated.
To highlight his point, the Head of State noted the many difficult years that John Fernandes Limited had to endure in the decades of the 1970s and 1980s when Guyana slowly faded, and the ability of private enterprises to succeed was severely tested.
He also urged the family to look to the future and reminded them that they have to remain active and rise to meet the new challenges that will present themselves.
President Jagdeo highlighted that the greater integration that will occur between Guyana and Brazil, low-carbon investments (should forestry become part of the new global climate change compact) and the possible discovery of oil and gas will provide new growth poles that will propel Guyana forward and will present significant opportunities to the private sector.
“Our country has for too long languished below its potential,” the Head of State noted, and stressed that his Administration is working diligently to return Guyana to the prominence it once enjoyed.
John Fernandes Limited is a private, limited liability company owned and operated by the Fernandes family. Although in business previously, the company was formally registered on October 15, 1959, by the founder and first chairman, John Fernandes Senior.
Today, the company has expanded, and along with its subsidiaries, forms the John Fernandes Group of Companies. The present management of the group of companies are second and third generation family members. (GINA)
India opens door to climate deal, EU stuck
By Sean Maguire and Pete Harrison
NEW DELHI/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - India softened climate demands on Friday, helping bridge a rich-poor divide, but said a global deal may miss a December deadline by a few months.
In contrast, European Union states struggled to agree a common stance for financing a U.N. climate pact, meant to be agreed in Copenhagen at a December 7-18 meeting.
India wanted generous aid on advanced carbon-cutting technologies but dropped a core demand that industrialized countries cut greenhouse gases by 40 percent by 2020.
"If we say, let's start with 25 percent, that's a beginning. I'm not theological about this. It's a negotiation. We have given a number of 40 but one has to be realistic," environment minister Jairam Ramesh said in a Reuters interview.
Ramesh said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, keen to overturn India's image as obstructionist in multi-lateral negotiations, had mandated him to be flexible.
"I tell you my prime minister has told me two days ago, 'don't block, be constructive...make sure there's an agreement.' What more can I say?"
India is now in line with the European Union, which has promised to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20-30 percent by 2020 below 1990 levels. U.S. President Barack Obama wants to return U.S. emissions to 1990 levels by then.
India also now supported a British estimate that the developed world should pay about $100 billion annually by 2020 to help poorer nations cope with and slow climate change.
Until now it has suggested that the developed world pay 1 percent of their national wealth -- a far higher figure which some rich countries branded a fantasy.
But Europe struggled to find a common position on climate finance on Friday, as member states guard national treasuries with a robust economic recovery still not in sight.
SILENT
The EU was silent about stepping up climate aid to developing nations, after talk last month from its executive Commission of paying up to 15 billion euros ($22.4 billion) a year by 2020 to break the impasse between rich and poor.
China and India say they cannot cut emissions and adapt to changing temperatures without help from industrialized nations, which grew rich by burning fossil fuels, emitting carbon.
A draft EU report for finance ministers called the past figures "a useful estimate for overall public and private efforts" but pointed to the "uncertainty...of such numbers."
And cracks emerged over EU plans for cuts in emissions.
The 27-country bloc has pledged to cut its own emissions to 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, and to increase cuts to 30 percent if other rich regions take similar action.
But Romania and Slovakia have proposed making the increase to 30 percent less of a foregone conclusion, documents obtained by Reuters show. Romania also questions proposals to cut emissions by up to 95 percent by 2050.
In Nairobi, the United Nations on Friday urged a smarter approach to biofuels that could be part of a shift to renewable energies under a Copenhagen deal.
"A more sophisticated debate is urgently needed," U.N. Environment Programme Executive Director Achim Steiner told reporters.
Generating electricity at power stations using wood, straw, seed oils and other crop or waste material was "generally more energy efficient than converting crops to liquid fuels."
Tree-planting for World Food Day
By Tajeram Mohabir
Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud yesterday said Guyana, apart from being food secure, boasts an agriculture sector that is a buffer against the decline in incomes that followed the financial crisis.
He made the comment at a tree planting exercise convened in the Botanical Gardens to observe World Food Day.
World Food Day 2009 was observed under the theme “Achieving Food Security in time of Crisis”.
Persaud told the gathering, which included Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Ministry of Agriculture officials and Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) students, that climate change remains a threat to agriculture production.
“It is even more important for investment in agriculture to be kept up and not follow the declining trend that was witnessed over recent decades.
“For us in Guyana, such an approach will be consistent with our theme during Agriculture Month of ‘Building a new agriculture sector along a low carbon path,’” Persaud pointed out.
The planet has been experiencing widespread impacts of climate change and countless scientific studies have warned that uncheck activities which damage the environment and will result in massive food shortages.
“Agriculture is extremely vulnerable to climate change. Increased temperatures will reduce yields of desirable crops while encouraging weed and pest proliferation.
“Guyana has taken the lead in formulating an approach, the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) which will positively impact on the world’s climate for the benefit of all humanity and provide for key investments to attend to national and regional food security demands.
“Any activity that supports agricultural adaptation also enhances food security,” he observed.
The minister also pointed out that the issue is not only about food security but food nutrition security as well.
He said that the regional health institutions have noted the decline in the quality of foods consumed, not excluding the growing problem of obesity among both children and adults, arising from poor diet.
“It is my opinion that such problems have arisen in the Caribbean region because we, as a people, have moved away from our traditional nutritious foods and have embraced a lifestyle, including the foods, subtly suggested to us through a blitz of TV advertising.
“In the process, the CARICOM region spends more than US$3.5B in extra regional food imports, and deprives our farmers and food processors of a commensurate amount of benefit.
“If the policymakers and people of our region return to the foods that we can produce ourselves, regional food security and food nutrition security could once more be restored. Guyana stands ready to play its part in ensuring that the world can achieve food security in times of crisis,” Persaud declared.
He also lauded the FAO’s contribution to foster local agricultural development. The minister underlined that in light of the fact that the FAO has been closing offices in several parts of the world to reduce costs, it has not done do in Guyana.
This decision, Persaud said, no doubt reflects the United Nations (UN) agent’s recognition of Guyana’s agricultural success as well as the country’s vast potential in satisfying the region’s food security.
Prime Minister Hinds said agriculture has always been the backbone of Guyana’s economy and echoed the call for young people to get more involved in the discipline.
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Guyana Representative, Ms. Lystra Fletcher-Paul endorsed the Prime Minister’s call for more youth involvement in agriculture, noting that with their full participation, the future of agriculture will be will secured.
She said the tree planting exercise is symbolical, as it is characteristic of the plant.
Fletcher-Paul explained the root is representative of establishment and the leaves and branches, growth and harvest.
Using this analogy, the FAO representative said farmers must establish themselves, work hard to expand their production and produce enough to make Guyana and the Caribbean food secure.
World Food Day was proclaimed in 1979 by the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
It marks the date of the founding of FAO in 1945. The aim of the Day is to heighten public awareness of the world food problem and strengthen solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty.
In 1980, the General Assembly endorsed observance of the Day in consideration of the fact that "food is a requisite for human survival and well-being, and a fundamental human necessity".
Ministry of Housing and Water hosts Deepavali function
By Priya Nauth
THE Ministry of Housing and Water hosted a function to celebrate Deepavali, the Festival of Lights, at its Brickdam, Georgetown premises on Thursday.
In attendance also were staff members of Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) and special invitees and the Minister, Mr. Irfaan Ali told them the light would guide them, too, to peace and unity.
For the celebration, some of the staffers dressed in traditional Indian wear and the programme, which was attended by West Indies and Guyana cricketer Ramnaresh Sarwan, included singing of bhajans (devotional songs) and Indian dances by Shalita Dance Troupe.
Ali, in his speech to the gathering, observed that every religion speaks to a guiding light or a light that should guide.
“What is the purpose of the light and how is it that we ensure that what we do here on earth is in keeping in the guiding principles of that light is a very critical message,” he stated.
Ali said: “In our country, we need to establish little diyas or little lights in our lives and each of those lights should symbolise an objective of what we want to achieve.
“For example there should be a light for peace, a light for development and, in personal life, there should be a light in terms of what education and accomplishment one would like to achieve.
“At the organisational level, we have our objectives, vision and mission statement and that is the light that guides our every action every day to ensure that we serve the people of this country better and better.
“The message of this festival is one that allows us an opportunity to reflect on our lives, to understand the various objectives, the various visions and, if we still are not convinced of our vision, we should spend some time during this festivity to establish what are the values, what are the principles and what is the vision that we want to guide us as we live every day.”
Alluding specifically to younger people, who live lives that are visionless and do not see a meaningful end due to the lack of planning, he advised: “Planning is a critical component of our lives and, whenever we plan our lives, there must be a set of principles under which that plan is developed.
“I think festivities like these offer us the opportunity to reflect in a more spiritual and cultural manner but, for us in Guyana, in a more national manner to see the cohesive nature of the various elements that make up this diverse, multi-cultured and strong society of Guyana,” Ali said.
He continued: “Today, we have seen the commonality of the light that has been spoken about and the message that I want to leave with you is for us to ensure that the light we look ahead on, the light that guides us as a people, as a Guyanese, be one that speaks not of disunity but one that speaks of unity, one that speaks of collaboration and one that speaks about peace and one that sees the enthusiasm of the vision ahead.”
Potential
Ali remarked that this country is at a stage of development that has great potential with future projects such as the hydro project, the highway to Lethem and the deep water port.
He said those are all positive signs of a society that is progressing “but we, as people who benefit and who are the major stakeholders of these developments, should ensure that we do not allow anything, anyone or any situation to dissuade us and distract us from the road ahead.
“Let that road ahead be one that is well lit, one that the light guides us to, towards that unified vision of the Guyana that is free with ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny’,” Ali urged.
Pandit Ravi Persaud, who also spoke briefly, pointed out that “the celebration is held on a very divine note and one of the ways that can bring happiness, peace and an abundance of prosperity when we can see God’s intervention in everyday life.”
He explained that the festival has its genesis in the Vedic era and the beginning of time and has been celebrated worldwide not only by Hindus but by every cross-section of the world. .
Persaud said everybody needs prosperity, happiness and light in their lives and there is an urgent need for everyone to establish this light within.
He emphasised that contentment brings the greatest happiness and, if a person is content, then the individual is an embodiment of light.
Deepavali is a five-day festival and is not only establishing that light but it is establishing and strengthening relationships, Persaud said.
Diwali or Deepavali marks the victory of good over evil and is one of the most popular festivals for Hindis the world over.
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The changing fortunes of the rice industry
Recently, rice farmers became understandably very agitated as paddy prices dropped appreciably compared to the previous crop when they enjoyed good prices. As a result tensions between farmers and local millers began to grow which necessitated the intervention of the Ministry of Agriculture, to come to an agreement of a minimum price millers should pay for paddy.
In fairness to millers they are not to share total blame for the steep drop in paddy prices as the external market situation played a major role in the scenario with a sharp decline in the price of rice on the international market. Therefore local millers could not sustain the high prices which they were paying earlier on. However, some millers may have been using the situation as an excuse to pay unfair prices.
Currently, the one contract with an overseas buyer obligates the trader to pay US$355 per tonne for cargo rice and that is why millers can only afford to pay farmers between G$2,200 and G$2,600 per bag for their paddy, a situation government has been trying to improve.
However, General Secretary of the Guyana Rice Producers Association Dharamkumar Seeraj has pointed out that post-harvesting has been a sore area in the industry and suggested that farmers move away from the tradition of only planting and supplying paddy to the mills and get into marketing of the grains.
He also has made some pertinent observations, pointing out that while the rice industry is a free market, in reality some level of governmental regulation is needed as it relates to pricing for export.
Seeraj said the RPA is prepared to press for the establishment of a minimum price for exports, to avoid any miller manipulating the industry and exploiting farmers.
He said, understandably, the RPA will be accused of advocating a socialist policy but he contended that the move is in the best interest of the industry.
He is very correct and the present global financial crisis is an ample testimony of the fact that while the private sector is the “engine of growth” and prices largely have to be determined by market forces that does not negate the fact that there is need for governments to play the role of a facilitator and regulator of economic and commercial activities.
However, farmers could be more optimistic with the encouraging development of an impending deal whereby Venezuela is likely to import some 50,000 tonnes of rice from us at the lucrative price of US$420 per tonne.
According to Seeraj the Venezuelans are pleased with the samples they have examined and therefore farmers should be somewhat encouraged and hopeful by this development.
Nevertheless, farmers will have to learn to appreciate the fact that commodity prices are never guaranteed and are always subjected to fluctuations. Changing fortunes is an economic reality and therefore it is incumbent upon them to ensure that they take the necessary measures to help insulate them from price shocks. And one of the best ways of going about this is by diversification.
Another area which needs serious attention is reducing the cost of production and increasing productivity and in this regard there is need for all stakeholders in the industry to work in unison rather than in isolation from each other.
There is no doubt that the local industry has the capacity to dramatically expand and boost production levels significantly higher. In order to achieve this laudable objective a comprehensive approach towards the industry has to be adopted instead of a piece meal one. And so far all stakeholders have shown a willingness to take such a route, therefore should be better times ahead for the rice industry.
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Taxi driver charged with causing Bartica road death
POLICE have charged a taxi driver following investigations into the fatal accident at Bartica earlier this week.
Tyrone Lovell, 50, of Lot 48 Sixth Avenue, Bartica, appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson yesterday, on an indictable charge that said, on October 14, he drove motor car HB 5209 in a manner dangerous to the public and caused the death of Alfred Cameron.
Attorney-at-law Mr. Adrian Thompson, who represented the accused, contended that the 78-year-old victim should not have been walking alone and that he walked into the path of the vehicle and Lovell could not have avoided hitting him.
Thompson asked that Lovell be granted reasonable bail because he is not a flight risk.
But Police Sergeant Kevin London, prosecuting, objected to the grant, citing the seriousness of the offence.
The Prosecutor said the septuagenarian was a very healthy man employed as a security guard and the accused was driving at a fast rate.
Lovell was remanded to prison and the case was transferred to Bartica Court for October 30.
Defendant claims he bought stolen car rims
CLIVE Bowman, 52, of Lot 167 Da Silva Street, Newtown, Georgetown, was yesterday put on $40,000 bail after he pleaded not guilty to receiving stolen property.
Before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson, it was alleged that the defendant, between July 24 and August 31 last, received, from persons unknown, four motor car wheel rims, valued $40,000 and belonging to Quacy Smith, knowing them to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained.
Bowman claimed he bought the items for $25,000 and had no idea that they rims were booty.
He declared he was surprised when the virtual complainant approached him about his property.
Smith related that his car had been stolen in July and he recently saw the rims, on which he engraved his vehicle number, on the defendant’s car.
The case was transferred to another court for November 5.
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Sugar strike must be settled expeditiously
THE Chronicle is correct the sugar strike must be settled expeditiously. As one writer said it’s in the interest of cane workers and the sugar industry to resolve the labour dispute urgently. Each dispute must be dealt with on their individual merits avoiding the unnecessary flexing of muscles. Good sense and a spirit of compromise are needed, while trying to avert any antagonism which only harms the workers, Industry and the economy.
Cost increases could put sugar out of competition. Depending on less labour will reduce jobs and becoming unprofitable will close down the industry and all jobs will be lost. It may come down to lower wages or no wages. It is time to work together. Some see this from personal or political bases, and not from a national one. Until new methods and marketing plans come on stream, let’s work with what we have and for a better future.
N. AUGUSTUS
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Trotman attempting to influence the court’s decision
IT is with utter dismay that I read the comments attributed to the leader of the Alliance For Change, Raphael Trotman in the Kaieteur News of Thursday October 15, 2009 in which he accused the Prime Minister of ‘Squatting’ in his party’s Region Ten seat’. What makes it more perplexing is the fact that such outlandish remarks are emanating from the mouth of a trained legal mind.
Trotman completely ignored the fact that the matter was subjudice and has apparently appointed himself judge and jury in what must also be seen as an attempt to influence the court’s decision. It is also ironic that this outburst comes at a time when those in the opposition are calling for non-interference in the operations of our local judiciary.
BALDEO MATHURA
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Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones
PLEASE permit me to comment on a letter (SN Oct 16, 2009) entitled “It is ironic Frederick Kissoon should today present himself as a role model to young Guyanese” written by Mr. Hemraj Muniram. I would like to thank Mr. Muniram for his elucidating and courageous letter.
It is also very interesting that this so-called university lecturer wrote (SN, Oct 9, 2009), “In one of his digs, he adopted the bent of some of his PPP colleagues in what can be interpreted as suggesting that when I was at university, I stole library books. I hope Mr. Ramkarran knows that even if I did that, I would not have been ashamed because books educate the mind.” The “his” and “he” referred to in the quotation was Mr. Ramkarran.
One cannot help but wonder about the sanity and mental framework of someone who would openly write the aformentioned paragraph. Based on the contents of the letter by Mr. Muniram and the above quotation by this so-called university lecturer himself, it is more than apparent to the average individual that he (the so-called University Lecturer) is confessing that he indeed had stolen library books in the past. To add insult to injury, he is publicly acknowledging and justifying this abhorrent behaviour.
The names, references, and situations that Mr. Muniram lucidly called out in his letter with respect to the so-called university lecturer have added much credibility in what he wrote with respect to the books taken from The National Library.
This so-called university lecturer portrays himself as a good citizen, worthy of understanding who has apparently been victimised by both Dr. Jagan (PPP) and Mr. Burnham (PNC). I wish to remind him (I assume he is a Christian) of one of the Ten Commandments in the Holy Bible, “Thou Shalt Not Steal”!
The columns written by the so-called university lecturer are frequently riddled with inaccuracies and indicate a lack of fundamental research skills. Also, it is very clear that this so-called university lecturer is clueless as to the true meaning of the oxymoron “elected dictatorship” which he uses, almost on a daily basis, in reference to Guyana.
By allowing someone who apparently lacks basic research skills in accurate reporting to contribute to a daily column, Mr. Glenn Lall (Publisher, Kaieteur News) is doing a great disservice not only to his newspaper but to his country as a whole. I wish to remind this so-called university lecturer about the old adage, “People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.”!
SHIV MAHARAJ PhD
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Mr. Kissoon enjoys freedom of expression without any hindrances
I thought about responding many, many times to various articles written by Mr. Kissoon in his column at Kaieteur News. Mr. Kissoon has taken the position of trashing East Indians and the achievements of the Guyana government.
He just has to step outside of his home and see the many achievements of this government and the people of Guyana. He continued without any reason to call the government an elected dictatorship. Would he call the governments of Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Trinidad and all others an elected dictatorship? I am sure if he were in Malaysia and called the government of Mr. Razak an elected dictatorship, he would be in jail. In Guyana Mr. Kissoon enjoys freedom of expression, without any hindrances or governmental interference. This is how freedom of expression is allowed in our country.
First of all I would like Mr. Kissoon to take a look at the composition of the Guyana government and its’ ministers. We have an Afro-Guyanese, as the Prime Minister, We have a slew of other Afro-Guyanese ministers and people of Afro-Guyanese background in key governmental positions. Look at the Police and Defence Forces. I ask Mr. Kissoon, whether he can pinpoint one instance when an Indian–Guyanese was Prime Minister of Guyana in the 28 years of the PNC rule, although East Indians made up of over 43 % of the population of Guyana.
In Guyana people of all races are now owning more houses, have access to transportation, own their own modes of transportation and earn more pay and are paid on time. Never in the annals of Guyana’s history did any government, allotted so many house lots to Guyanese citizens as the PPP/C government continues to do. Now water, telecommunication and access of good roads are there for the people to use. I ask Mr. Kissoon, what has he done to improve Guyana and its image? Instead of bashing any and all individuals who you do not agree with, it may be better, if you would not inflame ethnic tensions, which you seem to feed on.
In his column of October 16, 2009, he alluded to the fact that two out of three judges, were of East Indian background, and made a decision with respect to the licensing of radio station and that ruling was against the government. (The Government of Guyana is not an East Indian government, but a government of all people of Guyana.) This is the independence of the judicial system we are privileged to have and enjoy in Guyana. It is vibrant and effective in Guyana, despite the fact that Mr. Kissoon, is calling the government an elected dictatorship. Probably, you can revisit your stand now.
Further you stated that the newspapers mostly carry news about East Indians, well, well, Mr. Kissoon, your boss at KN, can elect not to carry Diwali or Ramadan news or anything that deals with East Indians in Guyana. I think this is a very silly point you have made. In fact, you are a very narrow minded person.
MOHAMED MOBIN
Toronto, Canada
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Current GPSU presidential term seems to be a never ending one
IT is with some amount of concern that I must question the lengthy term of office of some trade unionists, or so they call themselves.
I read in the papers that Brother Grantley Culbard has retired as General Secretary of CCWU and has handed over the mantle with grace to his successor, whom he trained for some time.
This is a gesture of leadership in its highest quality. Leaders must recognise when it is time for them to move on and let others have a chance to lead also.
I am bringing this to the attention of our readers and members of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) because the term of presidency of this union seems to be never ending.
Mr. Patrick Yarde when would you leave and gave someone else a chance to lead? How many terms of office would you want and for what purpose? You have, a long time ago peaked and now what are you holding on to?
NAME WITHHELD
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Are school sports losing their true purpose?
WHAT the Kaieteur News Peeper got as he watched the vulgar behaviour at the school sports in Georgetown (K- News Peeping Tom Column 10-10-09) was a first hand look at how today’s school children behave. As a teacher, I felt horrible reading the Peeper’s account. The entire article was a reflection of the poor education system we have today.
It is the season of athletic sports in our public schools across Guyana. Many schools should have been finished with their individual sports by now and plans are well underway for the sports gathering of the various schools in the sub- districts. Then there is the big one at Albion in November. That is the national sporting event for schools in Guyana. Remember how that ended last year in Linden?
But the Peeper is telling the truth. I believe every word he said in the column of last Saturday. That is exactly how things get out of hand at school sports. Music at school sports should be a no-no. It is the music that is played at these events which stimulate anti- normative and sexual behaviors, lewd dancing, indecent conduct, drinking and even fights. I have said this before in these columns. No one is listening. Now the columnist of the Kaieteur News is talking about the same thing.
What he saw at the sports, too, was a further expression of the lawlessness which breeds amuck the banning of Corporal Punishment in schools. You put a child to pick up papers in the school yard, give them a letter to bring in their parent, detention, additional homework, in- school suspension, referral to School’s Welfare Division, or some other lenient punishment (if you can even call those punishment) are a few things that are being done today as opposed to a few good lashes with the reassurance that they would dare not commit the same act again. Defaulters were publicly flogged on the stage in front the entire school population at assembly time in my Primary school days (1989-1993) and also high school (1995-2000). What example are we setting for other young women in schools when school- aged mothers are both mothers and students? Wow, those alternative methods of discipline have really worked wonders. So much as to say that there is a frightening upsurge of indiscipline in all the schools in Guyana today.
If I had my way in this education system; if I were given the authority in the execution of policies with regards to these events, believe me, they will be so radical I would have strong opposition from the stakeholders. We’d stop preach one thing over and over to indiscipline children and take more action.
But first of all, we’d have to examine the purpose of school sports within the context of education delivery. The curriculum stipulates that children be exposed to extra curricular activities such as athletic programmes and even Physical Education. But judging from what keeps going on each year (and it seems to get worse), I am beginning to think that school sports are losing their true purpose and are being held by various schools just for the sake of it. In other words, school sports have become redundant and useless—taking out the vulgarity display and fighting, and confusion, there seems to be nothing good anymore about school sports. The Peeper argued that he enjoyed these events even without music in his days in school. And maybe if these events are losing their true purpose, then the Ministry should consider toning down on them or phase out them completely as they also take up much of the instructional time in school.
That would be the first thing I would ban at these events. Secondly, school sports should be just that—school sports; and students must be attired in school uniform for any school activity. Yes, maybe we can bend a little for the athletes but school uniform for everyone else. I believe children dressing any how and coming to school sports (especially the girls) is one of the main reasons for strangers perusing the sports and making trouble. Before someone’s girl child is raped at one of these events, let’s consider this option of school uniform. Vendors should not be allowed to sell alcoholic beverages. And police protection should be evident just in case anything goes wrong.
But strangers can enter, too, even if they are attired in school uniforms, right? Not if they cannot attend these events. These are ‘school’ sports and should only be opened for ‘school’ children. Intruders should not be welcomed. Many persons view these school sports as community gatherings when they are not—they are educational events which are held outside of the school’s parameters but nevertheless which are supposed to be a catalyst through which the child can enjoy learning through athletics and with his or her team members cheering them on and building team spirit. That is what school sports are about, or should be anyway. But our young people today love nothing better than when things get out of control and their teachers can practically do nothing but to sit down and watch all hell breaking loose and not budging an inch to get involved least they get beat up or stabbed with a piece of broken bottle. When a fight does break loose, or the music get too enticing and break out with a dancehall session, instead of breaking up the fight or dancing, our children today cheer their peers on. Instead of going straight home after schools dismiss in the afternoons, our children today love to take a stroll on the roads in large clusters, or alone; ‘liming’ by the roadside chatting, gaffing, or practically doing nothing. They await their ‘special’ transportation to take them and their friends’ home. Some of them engage in improper after school activities. Observant parents would hardly notice these things since they arrive home from work until after 4:30 pm or 5:00 pm. That is a frightening picture. Now, too, teachers have to practically force some children to do school work. You have to lay the guilt trip on them that they would not succeed in life or not acquire a good job if they do not do their work. Many of them are in school for all the wrong reasons. They see nothing worthwhile in doing school work. Am I a magician to curb what’s in their heads and their thinking? I’d leave that to their parents, if they cared one bit.
Thank God I came out of the system before it was too late. I left just when things were starting to get out of hand. But I am in the system again—teaching within it. And I am seeing things which I did not see whilst I was a student. I now know how tired many teachers go home (or classes) in the afternoons after dealing with three and four fights per day; when four or five children in a class are deterring others who would like to learn from learning; when dealing with indiscipline children tell on their psyches and their effectiveness on the job. We do not get extra pay for this.
LEON JAMESON SUSERAN
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Venezuelan importation of our rice is good news
THE development of our rice industry is a task for every rice farmer, miller, Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Guyana Rice Producer's Association (RPA) and the Ministry of Agriculture.
We can achieve success only if all of us seek to understand the nature of national development and accept individual and collective responsibility for the industry to prosper.
It is about farmers and the real world in which they live. General Secretary of the RPA Mr. Dharamkumar Seeraj said Guyana is hoping to get Venezuela to pay US$420 per tonne for local cargo rice and set the bar for millers here to pay farmers a minimum of G$3,000 per bag for their paddy this is good news. Kudos must be given to those who have brokered the deal, I am certain that if the millers adhere to their principles of the deal their efforts will bear fruit and soon we will see our market share increasing as Guyana will be reliably supplying high quality rice at an affordable price to Venezuelan consumers.
Venezuela has recently given commitment to import 50,000 tonnes of rice and the logistics are being worked out at this point in time. Outside of Europe and CARICOM, Haiti was Guyana's largest market. In the past Guyana has not done much business in this market for the year and this is because Haiti has a priority commitment to import U.S. rice, and exporters here have had tremendous difficulties being paid for their rice.
Europe was Guyana's major market too, importing 61.13 percent of our total exports. This suggests that Guyana was on a course to export 100,000 tonnes to Europe after it fell.
The price for cargo rice has increased minimally and this will hold until the end of the year when prices are expected to increase further, especially as stocks will be decreased and there will be a rush for rice to meet the tranche requirements. The major strategies identified in the rice industry study for Guyana to become more competitive in rice exports are to increase the milling yield to a desired level 55/70 and to increase the national paddy yield per acre from 30 bags to 40 bags per acre.
MOHAMED KHAN
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Opposition is using McCoy’s issue for cheap political mileage
A lot of attention has been given in the media to Kwame McCoy as a ‘sexual predator.’ as a parent I am very much concerned about this issue; the government needs to employ to the satisfaction of the nation men and women of integrity and strength of character then there would be no public outcry.
The opposition political parties are after Kwame because he is a political functionary of the ruling party; they are after cheap political mileage.
There are lots of sexual predators - ‘dirty old men’ who pass as respectable citizens trampling the rights of children, but who cares there is noting to be gained exposing these people.
Last Sunday October 11, 2009, I literally had to fight “tooth and nail” to get my 16-year-old son out of the iron grip of one of these ‘big dirty old men’ of this very sick Guyanese society. This man had deceived us into believing that he was a decent man who could be entrusted with our son to teach him to become a computer technician.
My son left home at 07:00 hours on Saturday to go to the workshop, when he did not return at 21:00 hours I tried in vain to contact the big man but he had turned off his cell phone. I finally caught up with him after midnight and he told me this ‘cock and bull’ story that they had attended a birthday function for one of his employees and that he was bringing my son home right away, I was dam mad with him. Up to four o’clock in the morning he did not show up.
Even after the intervention of myself, wife and a number of members of my extended family early that Sunday morning outside the big Prasad Nagar grilled house, where two pit bulls were stationed at the gate, the man refused to come out and release the boy. A report was lodged at the kitty police station and it was only with the intervention of the police that the ‘big man’ finally released the boy.
In a drunken state he said he had no notion that the boy was in the house or that his relatives were outside.
The police departed and the child was taken to a private hospital for a medical examination which proved that nothing had happen to him sexually.
What we learnt is that the ‘big man’ had taken our underage son to the ‘Sheriff night spot’ to celebrate one of his employees’ birthday and he induced the child to drink alcohol, after which the man took him back to his home under the pretence that he had spoken to me and I had agreed that he could stay at his home since it was already late – this was a blatant lie!
We are grateful to God that our son is alive and well with us today. We are thankful to our extended family for their solidarity and support, moreso to the police officer who with dignity and respect performed his duty in a professional way.
Of course this ‘big man’ holds himself as one of the ‘untouchables’ of Guyanese society. He has a canopy of affiliation – that places him above and beyond the reach of the law which is poisonous to any democracy.
In any civilised society where the justice system is made to function; the ‘big man’ would have been made to account for the pain and anxiety he has caused this family to suffer.
DESMOND ALLI
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Champions League T20…
Pollard inspires T&T stunning win to take semi-final spot
HYDERABAD, India (CMC) – Kieron Pollard produced a scintillating half-century as Trinidad & Tobago unleashed an astonishing performance to beat New South Wales by four wickets yesterday and snatch a semi-final spot in the Twenty20 Champions League.
Seemingly down and out at 91 for five at the end of the 13th over and requiring a challenging 80 from 42 balls, Pollard smashed an unbeaten 54 from a mere 18 balls to catapult T&T to a sensational victory with nine balls to spare at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
The 22-year-old right-hander, who has largely under-achieved for West Indies in his previous 15 One-Day Internationals and 10 T20Is, stroked five fours and hammered five giant sixes in perhaps one of the finest innings of the inaugural tournament.
He dominated a whirlwind, unbroken seventh wicket stand of 53 off 18 balls with Sherwin Ganga who was an innocent bystander with four, as T&T kept their unbeaten record in tact.
Marching to the wicket after the elegant Darren Bravo was run-out for 27 off 24 balls at 91 for five in the 13th over, Pollard joined West Indies wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin to haul T&T back into the contest.
He managed just six runs from the first five balls he faced but, without warning, exploded to shred NSW’s bowling attack.
Losing Ramdin after helping to post 27 from 14 balls for the sixth wicket, Pollard tore into medium pacer Moises Henriques, smashing 27 runs from the 17th over to turn the tide in T&T’s favour.
The first two deliveries disappeared to the boundary while the next two balls sailed over the ropes for sixes as T&T sensed a revival. There was respite for the fifth delivery which failed to yield any run but Pollard top-edged the final ball over fine leg for six to end a productive over and put his side in control.
Fast bowler Brett Lee conceded eight runs from the 18th over to leave T&T needing 16 from two overs and Pollard finished the match in style, crashing the first ball from Henriques for four before dispatching the next two deliveries out of the ground for sixes, to spark wild celebrations.
The win represented a superb turnaround after T&T seemed up against it in the early stages of the innings.
Lendl Simmons (3), William Perkins (16) and Dwayne Bravo (1) all fell cheaply to leave T&T tottering at 30 for three in the fifth over in pursuit of 171 for victory.
Captain Daren Ganga started a mini revival when he slammed two sixes in 32 from 26 balls, in a 47-run, fourth-wicket stand with Darren Bravo who dazzled briefly with two fours in his 27.
Earlier, Dwayne Bravo grabbed three for 31 with his medium pace but NSW seemed to have posted a match-winning score after they won the toss and batted.
Openers Phil Hughes and David Warner fashioned 121 off 92 balls for the first wicket to give the Australians a super start.
Hughes made 83 from 64 balls with 11 fours and a six while Warner carved out five fours and three sixes in slamming 63 from 41 balls.
Left-arm spinner Dave Mohammed accounted for Warner to a catch by Dwayne Bravo at deep mid-wicket in the 16th over but Henriques joined Hughes to add a further 43 off 23 balls for the second wicket to sustain the momentum.
Dwayne Bravo, however, produced a superb last over to prise out three NSW wickets for just six runs and limit the Australians.
NEW SOUTH WALES innings
P. Hughes c Pollard b DJ Bravo 83
D. Warner c DJ Bravo b Mohammed 63
M. Henriques c Simmons b DJ Bravo 17
B. Rohrer c Pollard b DJ Bravo 2
S. Smith not out 3
Extras: (lb-1, w-1) 2
Total: (4 wkts, 20 overs) 170
Fall of wickets: 1-121, 2-164, 3-164, 4-170.
Bowling: Rampaul 3-0-38-0, Bravo 4-0-31-3 (w-1), S. Ganga 4-0-17-0, Mohammed 4-0-26-1, Simmons 4-0-33-0, Badree 1-0-24-0.
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO innings
L. Simmons lbw b Bollinger 3
W. Perkins c Hauritz b Lee 16
DJ Bravo c Bollinger b Henriques 1
D. Ganga run-out 32
DM Bravo run-out 27
D. Ramdin run-out 23
K. Pollard not out 54
S. Ganga not out 4
Extras: (b-4, lb-3, w-3, nb-1) 11
Total: (6 wkts, 18.3 overs) 171
Fall of wickets: 1-26, 2-26, 3-30, 4-77, 5-91, 6-118.
Bowling: B Lee 3-0-17-1 (w-2), Bollinger 4-0-22-1 (nb-1), Henriques 3.3-0-49-1 (w-1), Hauritz 2-0-22-0, Clark 4-0-27-0, Smith 2-0-27-0.
Points: T&T 2, NSW 0.
Jacobs’ XI beat Fudadin’s XI in simulation match
… Crandon, Deonarine and Fudadin shine with bat
By Calvin Roberts
A STEVEN Jacobs’ XI defeated Assad Fudadin’s XI by six wickets in their Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) simulation Twenty20 practice match at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground, Bourda, yesterday afternoon.
Royston Crandon, Narsingh Deonarine and Fudadin were the bright lights, as Fudadin’s XI, who took first strike on a soft wicket under the supervision of makeshift umpires in the form of the two coaches, and no black sightscreen, were held to 137-7 from their 20 overs, to which Jacobs XI replied with 138-4 from 19.5 overs.
Fudadin struck his opposing number back over his head and over midwicket for his two sixes struck along with his four fours, as he led his team’s batting with 40, receiving worthy support from Dillon Heyliger who struck three sixes in his unbeaten 33, Shemroy Barrington (22, 2x4) and Dion Ferrier 17 (1x6).
Jacobs led his team’s bowling with 3-25 and received support from Brandon Bess (2-18) and Sauid Drepaul who took 1-20.
When Jacobs’ XI began their reply, they lost West Indies middle-order batsman Travis Dowlin who was run-out off the first ball, courtesy of a direct hit by Ferrier who picked up the ball running around from extra cover.
Sewnarine Chattergoon (7) did not suggest permanence and was found short by Barrington at backward square leg. His dismissal made room for the Royston Crandon (53*)/Deonarine (49) show and they obliged by adding 70 for the third wicket from eight overs.
Deonarine set the ball rolling with an audacious straight drive past Esaun Crandon for four, followed by another shot through mid-on off national left-arm orthodox spinner Veerasammy Permaul also for four.
Royston Crandon refused to be left out when he opened his shoulders to hit Heyliger over midwicket for a maximum then watched as Deonarine, who topped the batting aggregates in the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional four-day competition earlier this year, hit Ferrier in the same area for his lone six.
More boundaries flowed from the bat of the two who were being watched by chairman of selectors Claude Raphael, as they took the fight back to Fudadin’s XI who had rocked their team to leave them on 11-2 in the fifth over.
But when they looked set to see their team to victory without any further trouble, Deonarine was caught at the wicket off the wily Mahendra Nagamootoo, who, despite being hit over the dismantled Clive Lloyd stand and onto Shiv Chanderpaul Drive by Royston Crandon for six, managed to pick up the wicket of Jonathan Foo (23, 2x4) to end with 2-28 from 3.5 overs.
Coach Ravindranauth Seeram, who along with Orin Bailey performed the duties of umpire for the match, said he was not satisfied with the performance of some players and when they reassemble for another on Monday, they will be engaged in two more T20 games on Monday and Thursday, along with two one-day matches on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Taylor hits maiden ODI ton to give Windies opening win
PAARL, South Africa (CMC) – Teenaged opener Stafanie Taylor stroked a maiden One-Day International century to propel West Indies to a convincing five-wicket win over South Africa in their opening clash of the four-match series yesterday.
The right-hander carved out an attractive, unbeaten 108 as the tourists, chasing 182 for victory, cruised to victory in 41.3 overs at Boland Bank Park.
Batting first after being sent in, South Africa were lifted to 181 for seven thanks to a third-wicket stand of 61 between top scorer Cri-zelda Brits and Mignon du Preez.
Brits stroked 48 from 83 balls with three fours while du Preez got 25, as they steered their side out of discomfort after they had been reduced to 51 for two in the 13th over.
Opener Trisha Chetty gave South Africa a solid start, stroking an enterprising 25 from 23 balls with four fours, in posting 36 with Kirstie Thomson who hit a patient 17.
When Chetty was run-out in the ninth over, Thomson followed her 15 runs later in similar fashion as the Proteas lost momentum.
But Brits and du Preez steadied the ship well, though they found quick scoring against the miserly Windies bowlers difficult.
West Indies struck twice, however, removing both batsmen in the space of 27 balls with 11 runs added, to send South Africa tumbling to 123 for four in the 28th over.
It was then left up to Alicia Smith (25) and Shandre Fritz, who hit four fours in scoring 21 from 29 balls, to rally the lower order.
Chasing a moderate target, Taylor tore into the hosts’ attack sharing 56 for the first wicket with Amanda Samaroo (16), to get the Windies away safely.
The Jamaican Taylor slammed 11 fours and two sixes in her knock, as she anchored her side’s run chase superbly to carry the Windies to their target.
Cordel Jack (11) and Pamela Lavine (1) fell in quick succession within the space of nine balls with just 11 runs added as the Windies stumbled at 91 for three in the 24th over, but Taylor and Stacey-Ann King put on a further 39 to put their side back on course.
King struck a four and a six in 16 in a solid innings before falling to off-spinner Sunette Loubser (2-39).
Chadene Nation failed with four but Deandra Dottin scored 14 from 13 balls in an unbroken, 35-run sixth-wicket partnership with Taylor to see West Indies home.
West Indies and South Africa meet in the second ODI tomorrow at Newlands.
SOUTH AFRICA innings (50 overs)
K. Thomson run-out 17
T. Chetty run-out 25
C. Brits c Lavine b Nation 48
M. du Preez c King b Jack 25
A. Smith run-out 25
S. Fritz c Nation b Taylor 21
D. van Niekerk b Lavine 5
S. Loubser not out 7
Extras: (lb-1, w-7) 8
Total: (7 wkts, 50 overs) 181
Fall of wickets: 1-36, 2-51, 3-112, 4-123, 5-156, 6-167, 7-181.
Bowling: Selman 4-0-22-0, Daley 3-1-11-0 (w-2), Lavine 8-0-32-1 (w-1), Taylor 10-1-33-1 (w-4), Mohammed 5-0-20-0, Jack 10-0-28-1, Nation 10-0-34-1.
WEST INDIES innings
S. Taylor not out 108
A. Samaroo c wkp. Chetty b Smith 16
C. Jack run-out 11
P. Lavine b Smith 1
S. King c Brits b Loubser 16
C. Nation c & b Loubser 4
D. Dottin not out 14
Extras: (b-2, lb-5, w-5) 12
Total: (5 wkts, 41.3 overs) 182
Fall of wickets: 1-56, 2-80, 3-91, 4-130, 5-147.
Bowling: Kilowan 3-0-25-0, Ismail 8-3-15-0, C van der Westhuizen 8-1-38-0, Loubser 10-1-39-2 (w-2), Smith 7.3-1-37-2 (w-2), van Niekerk 3-0-12-0, Thomson 2-0-9-0.
Jamaica regain CFU ratings top spot
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz, without playing a match, have regained the No.1 spot in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) rankings over Trinidad and Tobago.
In the latest rankings period, the Jamaicans retained their No.69 spot on the FIFA Coca Cola ratings for October, while Trinidad and Tobago dropped nine places to 72nd.
It is the eighth month this year that the Jamaicans have held the regional No.1 spot, missing out only in June and September when T&T’s Soca Warriors had unseated them.
During the latest rankings period, T&T suffered World Cup qualifying losses to Costa Rica, Honduras and the USA and ended their unsuccessful campaign for South Africa 2010 with a 2-2 draw against Mexico on Wednesday.
Cuba remain third in the CFU after improving 11 places on FIFA’s list to 76th, while Haiti made a huge 29-place jump to 86th that moved them from seventh in the CFU to fourth.
Barbados, back in FIFA’s Top-100 at 92nd, are fifth in the CFU and the region’s Top-10 is completed by Grenada (105th), Antigua & Barbuda (106th), Suriname (115th) and Guyana (117th) with St Vincent and the Grenadines (143th) in 10th spot.
The USA – rated 11th in the world -- are CONCACAF’s No.1 team for the 13th month in a row ahead of Gold Cup champions Mexico, who are 18th on the FIFA list, followed by Honduras (35th).
Costa Rica (43rd) are fourth in CONCACAF, followed by Canada (53rd) with Jamaica fifth, Panama (79th) sixth and T&T seventh.
Brazil remain FIFA’s No.1 team ahead of 2008 ‘Team-of-the-Year’ Spain, followed by the Netherlands with Italy fourth and Germany fifth.
Caribbean Football Union October 2009 Rankings (FIFA Rankings in bracket)
1. Jamaica (69)
2. Trinidad & Tobago (72)
3. Cuba (76)
4. Haiti (86)
5. Barbados (92)
6. Grenada (105)
7. Antigua & Barbuda (106)
8. Suriname (115)
9. Guyana (117)
10. St Vincent & the Grenadines (143)
11. Bermuda (150)
12. St Kitts & Nevis (156)
13. Puerto Rico (162)
14. Netherlands Antilles (164)
15. Bahamas (177)
16. Turks & Caicos Islands (179)
17. Cayman Islands (180)
18. Dominican Republic (182)
19. St Lucia (189)
20. British Virgin Islands (193)
21. Dominica (196)
22. Aruba (197)
23. US Virgin Islands (199)
24.=Anguilla (203)
24.=Montserrat (203
GTBL/Banks DIH launch Power Stout Inter-Club Tape Ball Tournament
- Tourney due to start next Wednesday
By Storme Moore
BANKS DIH, in its continued support of the local sporting arena, joined forces with the Guyana Tape Ball League (GTBL) Thursday to launch the Guyana Tape Ball League/Banks DIH Power Stout Inter-Club Tape Ball Tournament.
The tournament, which was originally scheduled to commence on Thursday at Banks DIH’s Thirst Park, has been rescheduled - due to the recent inclement weather - for next Wednesday, October 21, the organisers said at Thursday’s launch activity in the Banks DIH boardroom.
Organising Secretary of the Guyana Tape Ball League, Curt Wilson, said that despite the minor setback all plans are in train and the tournament is still expected to be an immense success and will serve the purpose of spreading tape ball cricket in an organised fashion.
He emphasised that the league’s reach is already extensive as teams from Berbice and Linden have entered the inaugural tournament that will see two days of weekly match-ups for the next six weeks.
Competition will take place under floodlights on Thursdays and Fridays from 17:00 h, with the few exceptions being Friday October 30, Saturday November 14 and Friday November 20.
Wilson revealed that the roster for the tournament has been organised so as to segregate the various entrants into four zones. The tournament will be played in a two-game knockout format and the first round will end when only eight teams from each of the four respective zones remain.
Mike Fung, the Sales Consultant for Power Stout and Banks Premium Beer, said that in light of the fact that Power Stout is one of his company’s recently launched products he is pleased that the brand name has been associated with the Guyana Tape Ball League, which is only two months old and also a burgeoning institution. He is even more elated at the fact that his entity could make their Thirst Park facility available to host the tournament.
Fung revealed that Banks DIH will pump a total of $350 000 worth of sponsorship into the tournament which will go towards trophies, cash prizes and remuneration in the form of a case of Power Stout for the winners in each individual zone.
The fixtures for the opening day will see Banks DIH come up against KMS XI at 17:00 h, Dyna’s Bravados and Bent Street XI will clash at 18:00 h, the GPHC and Moviestar encounter will be at 19:00 h. SSS Manufacturing will meet GNSC on the pitch at 20:00 h and the final showdown of the evening will be between Old Road Stars and Fine Woods at 21:00 h.
Teams will be competing for the top honour of hoisting the champion’s trophy, a lucrative payout of $100 000 and the right to be called winners of the inaugural hosting of the tournament, which, depending upon the success, might become an annual fixture on the GTBL’s calendar. The runner-up team will receive $25 000 in cash and a trophy.
Ireland unseeded for World Cup play-offs
THE Republic of Ireland will not be seeded when the draw for the World Cup play-offs are made on Monday.
The latest FIFA rankings leave Ireland in 34th place, meaning France, Russia, Portugal and Greece will be seeded for the two-leg play-off matches.
The top four teams will face either Giovanni Trapattoni's Ireland, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Ukraine or Slovenia.
The draw will be made at 1300 BST in Zurich with the two legs to be played on November 14 and November 18
Trapattoni's team finished second in Group Eight to qualify for the play-offs and he believes they can beat any of the four seeded teams.
"We can go into the play-offs feeling confident and with belief if we play as we did against Italy on Saturday.
"We must believe. We have built this team and we can do it.”
| Seeded teams: |
Unseeded teams: |
| FRANCE |
Ukraine |
| RUSSIA |
Republic of Ireland |
| PORTUGAL |
Bosnia-Hercegovnia |
| GREECE |
Slovenia |
Clarke named Australia’s T20 captain
… Cameron White to be his deputy
MICHAEL Clarke has been named as Australia's Twenty20 captain.
The 28-year-old succeeds Ricky Ponting, who stood down as skipper in the short form in September to prolong his Test and one-day international career.
"We must recognise that we have got a lot of work to do in Twenty20 cricket and our recent form hasn't been good," said Clarke.
Victoria captain and all-rounder Cameron White has been named as Clarke's vice-captain.
"Cameron White will be an excellent deputy and his recent form has been quite outstanding," added Clarke.
Clarke is Test and one-day vice-captain having succeeded Adam Gilchrist in January 2008, leading Australia in Ponting's absence for three 50-over matches in last month's 6-1 NatWest Series victory over England.
Although Ponting has insisted he wants to continue as Australia captain at the 2011 World Cup, Clarke is seen as the natural heir for both the one-day and Test roles.
"We have developed a strong working relationship and he has always led the team well in my absence," Ponting said of Clarke.
"I am sure he will do a very good job with the Twenty20 team.” (BBC Sport)
Maradona could face ban, fine for outburst
… suspension could be for at least five matches
By Luis Andres Henao
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Reuters) - Argentina coach Diego Maradona could be banned for several matches and fined for an obscenity-filled outburst at a news conference after Wednesday’s World Cup qualifying win over Uruguay.
We’re now opening a disciplinary case against the Argentine coach and now it’s up to the relevant party in FIFA - the FIFA disciplinary committee - to enforce it,” a FIFA spokesman said yesterday.
He added that FIFA president Sepp Blatter, speaking in Cairo at the World Youth Cup, had announced the governing body’s intention to open a disciplinary case against Maradona.
According to Article 58 of FIFA’s disciplinary code, the sanction could be for a minimum of five matches, prohibit Maradona stadium access for the duration of the suspension and include a fine of at least 20 000 Swiss francs ($19 720).
Maradona, relieved at Argentina’s last-gasp qualification for the 2010 finals after a 1-0 win over Uruguay in Montevideo on Wednesday, used bad language when he hit out at critics who had questioned his coaching ability amid poor team performances.
His comments were broadcast live on several television stations.
Argentine Football Association president Julio Grondona told the C5N cable TV channel: “On Tuesday we’ll discuss this at the executive committee meeting and see what we do.”
HEAVY CRITICISM
Maradona has been heavily criticised for defeats against Bolivia, Ecuador, Brazil and Paraguay that took twice world champions Argentina to the brink of failing to reach the World Cup for the first time since 1970.
He has called up more than 70 players for 13 matches - eight qualifiers and five friendlies - since he took charge a year ago, and has been questioned for his team selections.
Argentina got back on track with a dramatic 2-1 win over Peru on Saturday when Martin Palermo, a surprise selection at the age of 35 and having not played for Argentina for 10 years, scored a last-gasp winner.
Maradona celebrated the victory in typically emotional style by hugging members of his coaching staff and players, having earlier dived in delight across the rain-sodden turf of the River Plate stadium in Buenos Aires after the winning goal.
His equally emotive celebration at the end of the Uruguay match, which sent Argentina to the finals in South Africa, took a bad turn in the media conference with Maradona’s foul language in answer to some questions from Argentine reporters.
Eagles end Somerset’s Champions League hopes
SEAM bowler CJ de Villiers claimed four wickets and opener Morne van Wyk shone with the bat as the Diamond Eagles ended Somerset Sabres' semi-final hopes with a five-wicket defeat in the Champions League Twenty20 in Hyderabad.
Wes Durston's 57 and James Hildreth's 31 lower down the order had given Somerset's total some respectability as they closed on 132 for eight, but Van Wyk's 47 ensured a comfortable victory for the Diamond Eagles.
Justin Langer's decision to bat first came unstuck as de Villiers destroyed Somerset's top order by sending back opener Craig Kieswetter, Arul Suppiah and Zander de Bruyn in his first two overs.
Off-spinner Thandi Tshabalala then removed Langer (12) with his first delivery and medium pacer Alan Kruger held a superb return catch to snare Peter Trego as Somerset slipped to 52 for five in nine overs.
Durston, who began with a couple of singles, relieved the pressure with a boundary to third man off Kruger and thereafter played a solid hand to haul Somerset towards a competitive total.
The 29-year-old raised Somerset's 100 by smacking medium-pacer Ryan McLaren for three consecutive boundaries and pasted de Villiers for two successive blows to bring up his half-century off just 26 deliveries.
Somerset secured an early breakthrough when Charl Willoughby dismissed the dashing Rilee Rossouw immediately after he was clobbered for a four and a six by the left-handed opener.
Adrian McLaren (13) was Willoughby's second victim and skipper Boeta Dippenaar (18) was also dismissed cheaply, but Van Wyk proved a calming influence at the other end.
The opener smacked four boundaries and one six, but fell with the end in sight.
Ryan Bailey (29), who also fell at the end, ensured there were no dramatic comebacks for Somerset and they overhauled the target inside 19 overs. (Eurosport)
SOMERSET innings
C. Kieswetter lbw b de Villiers 8
J. Langer b Tshabalala 12
A. Suppiah lbw b de Villiers 0
Z. de Bruyn c A. McLaren b de Villiers 2
J. Hildreth c Rossouw b Coetzee 31
P. Trego c&b Kruger 6
W. Durston c R. McLaren b de Villiers 57
B. Phillips c McLaren b Coetzee 0
A. Thomas not out 1
M. Waller not out 0
Extras: (lb-10, w-3, nb-2) 15
Total: (8 wickets, 20 overs) 132
Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-12, 3-18, 4-40, 5-52, 6-129, 7-131, 8-131.
Bowling: Coetzee 4-0-24-2 (nb-1), de Villiers 4-2-17-4 (w-2), van Schalkwyk 1-0-9-0 (nb-1), R. McLaren 4-0-31-0, Tshabalala 3-0-18-1 (w-1), Kruger 3-0-14-1, Bailey 1-0-9-0.
EAGLES innings
M. van Wyk c wkp. Kieswetter b Thomas 47
R. Rossouw c Thomas b Willoughby 13
A. McLaren c Durston b Willoughby 13
H. Dippenaar c Durston b Waller 18
R. Bailey c Waller b Thomas 29
R. McLaren not out 4
A. Kruger not out 0
Extras: (lb-8, w-1) 9
Total: (5 wickets, 18.4 overs) 133
Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-46, 3-77, 4-126, 5-132.
Bowling: Thomas 3.4-0-20-2, Willoughby 4-0-29-2, Phillips 4-0-22-0 (w-1), Waller 4-0-28-1, Trego 3-0-26-0.
Points: Eagles 2, Somerset 0
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