Suriname gold smuggling trio out on $15M bail
- fourth man out on further $5M
By Telesha Persaud
THE three Guyanese men detained for questioning about 16 kilogrammes of smuggled gold recently confiscated by the authorities in Suriname, yesterday walked out of the precincts of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court after paying a total of $15M bail.

The men - Isaac Sarjoo, 30, of Lot 90 Second Street, Alexander Village; Richard Sarjoo, 30, of Lot 81 Second Street, Alexander Village; and Roy Arjune, 34, of Lot 267 Success Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara, were granted bail when they appeared before Principal Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle yesterday.

Another man, Albert Sarjoo, a 54-year-old cambio dealer of Lot 87 Second Street, Alexander Village, also appeared in the same court charged with conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor with Richard Sarjoo.

The first three defendants pleaded not guilty to a joint charge, which said on last March 3 at Moleson Creek, Springlands, Corentyne, Berbice, they exported a quantity of gold from Guyana, that is, 35 pounds of raw gold.

The charge read to the fourth defendant said between December 1, 2007, and March 3, 2008, he conspired with Richard Sarjoo to export the said amount of raw gold.

Attorney-at-law Mr. Nigel Hughes represented the men, in association with Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan.

Hughes said in a bail application that the charge read to the 54-year-old defendant is a minor one since it is conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor and not a felony.

Hughes said this defendant has been a businessman for in excess of 40 years and his business, ‘A&N Sarjoo’ located at America Street, Georgetown, has been in establishment for over 20 years.

Hughes argued that it is not illegal for persons to export gold from Guyana but a percentage must be paid to the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).

At the end of the trial, Hughes said the only offence that will be left against the defendants is that they failed to pay the royalties to GGMC.

The lawyer further stated that the exhibits that would be presented for this case is in the custody of the Republic of Suriname who has forfeited that gold and will not be sending it back to Guyana. He said authorities from that Country have confirmed that.

Hughes also stated that the men were not deported to Guyana but travelled back at their own expenses.

He added that the men were not detained there and that no evidence is there of the existence of this gold. As such, he said the chance of success for the Prosecution is marginal.

Hughes further argued that persons appeared with similar offences in Court previously and was granted bail because these are classified as fiscal offences.

He said the men has strong ties to the community and contributes significantly to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) as both Isaac and Richard Sarjoo are licensed gold dealers/traders.

Hughes further argued that when the men were released in Suriname, if they did not want to face the authorities here, they would have stayed in that Country. Since they were not deported, he said, they could have also gone into hiding.

He said he wished to single out the oldest defendant for bail as he is a diabetic and suffers from chronic hypertension. Hughes argued that the man’s health is such that he would not be able to endure any form of incarceration.

He also stated that this defendant never left the shores of Guyana.

Police Inspector Denise Griffith, prosecuting, however objected to the grant of bail for all of the defendants because she said the investigation into this matter is not yet complete.

She said the first three defendants paid a fine in Suriname and were subsequently sent back to Guyana.

Griffith said the value of the gold is $96M.

Hughes responded that he was happy that the Prosecutor disclosed that they were already punished in that foreign country and that they came back voluntarily.

He said the men spent six days in custody so far and, as such, Police would have had enough time to investigate the matter.

The lawyer said it is not as if the Government of Guyana lost $96M as they were only entitled to the taxes.

The Magistrate released the defendants (the three sent back from Suriname and the elder Sarjoo) on $5M bail each and the matter was adjourned to April 11.

Hughes then asked the Magistrate to consider a reduction in bail because he said it was 3 O’clock on the day after which there would be a six-day holiday.

He said all the Banks would have been closed and there was no way for the men to obtain a manager’s cheque at that time.

After this application was turned down, Hughes asked if they could lodge ‘like surety’ instead of cash for the bail.

This application was again turned down.

According to a source, smuggling is viewed in Suriname as an ‘economic offence’ and persons caught, do not have to stand trial if they can pay a fine that is imposed by a Prosecutor. It was under this circumstance that the three men chose to pay the fine.

The source further stated that the men told the Suriname Police that they had bought the gold in Guyana and went there to sell since the price they would have gotten would have been much higher than what they would have gotten in their homeland.

GRA takes tough action against defaulting VAT Registrants
- obtains $37M in civil judgment
THE Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has once again filed a statement of amounts due as Value-Added Tax (VAT) from Friendship Hotel and Restaurant Holdings Limited of Lot 1 public Road, Ruimveldt in the High Court, apart from sixty (60) charges on nine other businesses.

The statement filed against Friendship Hotel and Restaurant Holdings Limited revealed that the company owed the GRA $37,648,739 as VAT and interest for three consecutive periods: September to November 2007.

The company, which has the franchise for KFC and Pizza Hut was previously slapped with a similar judgment for $45.1M also spanning a three month period; and has since appealed to the VAT Board of Review, which decision is pending a 32 percent payment of the outstanding taxes before the board hears the matter.

Additionally, five persons appeared at the Linden Magistrate Court to answer charges of failing to issue Tax Invoices in conformity with the VAT law.

Four (Star Bonnet Hotel, Paddy’s General Store, Majid’s Esso Service Centre and Richard’s Cheap Corner) pleaded guilty to the charge while one, ‘R. Foredyce and sons’ entered a not guilty plea and is to return to court on the 6th of May for trial.

Meanwhile, GRA said it has filed sixty charges against nine other businesses for failure to file VAT returns in addition to numerous other VAT related charges currently engaging the attention of the court.

Legal Officer for GRA, Mr. Andrew Girdhari, said they are preparing to file another two hundred and twenty-two charges against twenty-four businesses for also failing to file VAT returns.

He noted that the ratio of offences to businesses shows that there is some disregard for the law, as many persons repeatedly commit the same offence.

Commissioner-General of the GRA, Mr. Khurshid Sattaur, is adamant that the authority will continue its aggressive enforcement action against businesses who think they can break the law with impunity and get away with it.

He said that the GRA has an obligation to ensure that the various tax laws are upheld and that the revenue of the state is protected, noting that while the non issuance of Tax Invoices has been a prevalent infraction of the law, there continue to be breaches of several other sections such as failure to remit tax and file returns.

The VAT Act calls for strict accountability and compliance on the part of businesses as the system is one that allows registrants to assess their own tax liability.

The GRA will continue to work with businesses, providing training and assistance where necessary to ensure compliance before resorting to the court.

CARICOM Security Chiefs in three-day brain-storming meeting
WANTED: URGENT SOLUTIONS TO REGION’S CRIME SCOURGE
By Wendella Davidson
POLICE Commissioners and military Chiefs of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and representatives of regional institutions with responsibility for security, yesterday began a three-day brain-storming meeting against the back drop of an urgent need to find solutions to stem the increase of criminality across the Region.

While structures and elaborate plans are necessary, our situation in the Region requires immediate solutions to the high incidents of violent crime especially when it takes the form of armed aggression against State Institutions which is the case in Guyana’ - Commodore Gary Best

The joint meeting at which Antigua and Barbuda; The Bahamas; Barbados; Grenada; Jamaica; Montserrat; St Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Trinidad and Tobago; Anguilla; Bermuda; Regional Security System; Regional Intelligence Fusion Centre/Regional Intelligence Committee/Regional Information Technical Committee (RIFC/RIC/RITC); CARICOM Secretariat and Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) are represented, is being held at the Grand Coastal Inn, Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara.

The forum will serve as the catalyst for a "strategy and action plan" which will be formulated at a "special summit" on crime and security, billed to be held in Trinidad and Tobago, shortly.

The summit to be hosted by Prime Minister Patrick Manning who has lead responsibility within CARICOM for such issues, was one of the decisions which was taken by the Heads of Government at their recent meeting in The Bahamas.

Host Commissioner of Police (Acting), Henry Greene, in brief remarks at the opening ceremony, noted that the convening of the meeting, as well as the upcoming summit, is a signal of their intent to solve the regional problem of crime and security.

He also reminded the participants, numbering about 34, that with the free movement of skills as a result of the implementation of the CARICOM Single Market, there is now a greater demand on security and military chiefs for ensuring the security of all the Caribbean people.

&The, it is our duty to ensure that the drug dealers, terrorists and criminals cannot commit rampage from territory to territory unhindered and or unstopped,” Greene said.

people cannot go from territory to territory as wanted persons without us having the capability to have them arrested and extradited to any one of our territories and more so, to territories outside of the region,” he declared.

And with the heightened concern for Guyana’s security as of recent, the CoP said Guyana welcomes the meeting at which it expects to hear some experiences from its sister CARICOM territories on how to approach the problem.

And, as he welcomed security and military chiefs attending the meeting for the first time to the fold, Commissioner Green said the fold is categorized by a special connotation called ‘The Licks Team’, adding “you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.”

And in remarks which can be viewed as setting the tone for the deliberations, host Military Chief, Commodore Gary Best of the Guyana Defence Force told those in attendance that the timing of the meeting is “when human safety and security is significantly threatened by violent crime,” with the host country having its own equivalent of the now infamous 911, recently, two successive incidents of slaughter of civilians.

Noting that crime has no face, colour and knows no boundaries, Commodore Best said it is the context of no known boundaries, that security and military chiefs of the region need to adopt a regional approach to crime solutions.

must now consider the harmonization and maximization of our total resources to provide for crime solutions.”

“While structures and elaborate plans are necessary, our situation in the Region requires immediate solutions to the high incidents of violent crime especially when it takes the form of armed aggression against State Institutions which is the case in Guyana,” Best declared.

He suggested that the meeting address practical and immediate mechanisms that would allow security forces to acquire real time communicative information relating to criminal violence.

“To this end, it is now necessary to consider a longer period of detention for suspects of certain very serious crimes while at the same time protecting those who would be required to provide that critical evidence,” Commodore Best posited.

In addition, the Head of the GDF underscored the crucial importance of timely intelligence, and said information bases should be integrated across the Region and should be based on capacity and location.

But he cautioned that none of the suggestions would succeed if the participants, as a collective, do not work towards providing an enabling environment for effective policing. Media and Public Relations positives are absolutely critical to success in combating crime, he said.

, they must be prepared to invest significantly in constantly testing the integrity of all our systems including human operatives in order to be successful in the fight against crime,” he added.

Along with chairperson of the opening session Mr. Francis Forbes of IMPACS, the other participants were Commissioner of Police,-- Mr. Gary Nelson, Chief of Defence Staff – Colonel Ivor J. Walker ( Antigua and Barbuda); Commissioner of Police – Reginald Ferguson, Commander -- Commodore Clifford Scavella, Aide-de-Camp Lieutenant Charles Eric Strachan (The Bahamas); Commissioner of Police – Mr. Darwin Dottin, Chief of Staff - Colonel Alvin Quintyne (Barbados); Commissioner of Police -- Mr. Winston James, Chair Immigration -- Mr. Jessmon Prince (Grenada); Colonel Antony Anderson -- Deputy Chief of Defence Staff, Deputy Comissioner -- Mr. Linval Bailey (Jamaica ); Commissioner -- Mr. Steve G. Foster (Montserrat); Commissioner of Police (Ag) -- Mr. Austin Williams (St Kitts and Nevis); Mr. Wesley Wharton -- Chair, Regional Information Technical Committee (RITC); Assistant Commissioner of Police -- Mr. Vernon Francois (Saint Lucia); Chair, Commissioner of Police – Mr. Trevor Paul

Chair Chief of Defence Staff – Brigadier Edmund Dillon, Chair Customs -- Mr. Fitzroy John (Trinidad and Tobago); Mr. Vejai Sammy – RITC; Commissioner of Police – Mr. Keithly Benjamin (Anguilla); Commissioner of Police – Mr. George Jackson (Bermuda ); Mr. Grantley Watson --Regional Security System (RSS); Commander Louis Baptiste -- Director, Joint Regional Communication Centre (JRCC); Major Colin Millington -- Director, (RIFC/RIC/RITO); Colonel Fairbairn Liverpool – (CARICOM Secretariat); and Ms Lynne Anne Williams -- Executive Director, Mr. Herman Browne, Ms Cheryl Lewis, Ms Selicia Douglas, Ms Barbara Ann Hutson, Ms Kizzann Lee Sam and Ms Vernice Seebaran, Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), were others in attendance.

Moving pension eligibility age from 60 to 65 just a recommendation
- Dr. Luncheon
HEAD of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS) and Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon, yesterday assured Guyanese, particularly persons concerned about the rumours in the public domain, about the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) considering moving the eligibility age for pensioners from 60 to 65 years.

is simply a recommendation by the NIS reform committee,” declared Dr. Luncheon, who is also Chairman of the NIS Board.

Some citizens have, over the past few weeks, been expressing concern about this move and have stated that they do not agree with it as some pensioners may not even live to see the age of 65, having to wait ten years after they retire at 55.

“What the reform committee did or what it was set up to do was to examine comprehensively what was in the public domain, what the public wanted or the views of its current management operations and in light of the statutes that said, foremost, you have to maintain an economically and financially valuable scheme to make recommendations on the way forward, and this is what they have done. They have made recommendations,” the HPS explained.

He opined that it is unfortunate that there seems to be a presumption that the recommendations of today will be the policy of tomorrow.

“I hasten to assure Guyanese and particularly, those who have been disturbed about age 65 being the new age of eligibility for pension being put into place tomorrow or next week or next month, that that is not so. This is a recommendation made by the reform committee and for those who are familiar it will be taken to Cabinet, and from Cabinet to Parliament to form a Legislation,” he stated.

Dr. Luncheon further noted that this evening at 20:05 hrs (8:05 P.M), he will be part of a panel on the TV programme ‘NIS and you’ aired on NCN Channel 11 where NIS matters, including the pensionable age issue, will be addressed. He said persons can call in on the live programme and express their concerns on the matter. (GINA)

Calls for VAT reduction baseless - GRA
THE Guyana Revenue Authority has said it is very appalled at continuing calls for the Value Added Tax (VAT) to be reduced to 10 percent.

“This indicates that those who are calling for the reduction are unfortunately still unaware of how the VAT works and do not seem to understand the realities of the Guyana situation as it relates to pricing,” the GRA said in a statement.

The agency indicated that it has, in the past, put forward many reasons why VAT is necessary and it would have expected that members of Parliament, the least, would have understood the legislation since it was deliberated upon for a substantial amount of time in the National Assembly before it was passed and accented to.

Commissioner-General of the GRA, Mr. Khurshid Sattaur said: “Persons fail to understand or remember that VAT replaced six taxes and that the VAT alone was not introduced but that an Excise Tax was also introduced simultaneously with the VAT on four commodities.”

The items which attract Excise Tax are petroleum products, alcoholic beverages, motor vehicles and tobacco products.

The Commissioner-General said that while there have been much harping about the VAT collection being a windfall for the government, persons have failed to comprehensively and effectively analyse the facts.

“The Excise Tax has made a substantial contribution to revenue collection for last year but this is being totally ignored,” Sattaur declared.

He added that the VAT was introduced at a rate lower than that which existed under the Consumption Tax regime hence it is difficult to understand why the opposition and other parties continue to attribute statement to the ‘high rate’ of VAT.

Mr. Sattaur further stated that it has been coincidental that high prices of some basic commodities have been plaguing the international market at the same time when VAT was introduced leading in some instances to increased prices but not necessarily because of VAT.

“If there were no VAT and the 30 percent Consumption tax had prevailed what would have happened, wouldn’t there have been far higher prices, more so since businesses had no means of recovering the taxes they would have paid to acquire those goods?” he asked.

Arguing further why the call is baseless, Mr. Sattaur said the GRA has been very concerned about the prevailing high prices and in an effort to cushion the effects has zero-rated several items last year and an additional 32 items this month and expressed disappointment that these benefits are not being passed down to consumers.

He said this alone bears out the GRA’s position that there is no guarantee that it will be a relief to consumers if the rate of the tax is lowered.

He made reference to the National Milling Company again which increased its flour price at the same time when the government zero-rated flour resulting in higher flour prices and that of bread as well.

Mr. Sattaur said the GRA hopes that there could be greater analysis before such careless and baseless statements are uttered.

Cabinet agrees to Guyana’s accession to UN Convention against corruption
CABINET, at its regular weekly meeting on Tuesday, agreed to Guyana’s accession to the United Nation’s (UN) Convention against corruption and the protocol of the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime.

Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, said Cabinet also approved Guyana’s Ratification of the Beijing Amendment to the Montreal Protocol of Substances that depletes the ozone layer.

He told a post-Cabinet news conference yesterday that the amendment introduces new control on the production of substances that reduces the ozone layer, hydro chloro-fluorocarbons (HCFCS) by extending controls beyond consumption to manufacture.

On the other hand, Dr. Luncheon noted that the protocol against smuggling of migrants by land, sea and air requires state partners to prevent and combat trafficking in persons, in order to protect and assist victims of trafficking and to promote cooperation among states in order to meet those objectives.

He said the UN Convention against Corruption is global and covers both Government and the Private Sector.

It seeks to prevent, deter and detect the various forms of corruption through transparency, adherence to the Rule of Law, accountability, international cooperation, technical assistance, sharing of Information and asset recovery, Dr. Luncheon said. (Sarada Singh)

National Assembly sitting slated for March 26
THE next sitting of the National Assembly will be on March 26 and the session will see a number of Motions by the main Opposition party, the People’s National Congress /Reform and Government being debated and these would include ratification of Guyana’s accession to some Conventions, motions on the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Company, debt relief, debt forgiveness and torture among others. 

This was disclosed to the media yesterday by Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS) and Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon during his weekly post-Cabinet media briefing at the Office of the President.

The Cabinet Secretary pointed out that Cabinet also noted the Prime Minister’s submission of a Motion calling on Parliament to accept the output of President Bharrat Jagdeo’s meeting with stakeholders which sought to prioritise its implementation on the parliamentary agenda.

“Cabinet also noted that Members of Parliament would be discussing the piracy and the time limit to judicial decision Bills that are being tabled in the National Assembly,” the HPS said.

Vandals again cut GT&T fibre cable
- disrupt service to customers as far as Linden, Kwakwani and Mahdia
DESPITE an appeal to customers and the general public earlier this week by the Guyana Telephone & Telegraph (GT&T) Company to be on the look out for acts of vandalism against facilities provided for their use and convenience, the company has reported another ‘cut’ in the Roxanne Burnham area, Georgetown.

This latest act of vandalism, according to a GT&T statement, has affected the southern link and is disrupting calls to approximately 6,082 customers served off exchanges at Soesdyke, Long Creek, Amelia’s Ward, Linden Central, Wisroc, Christianburg, Kwakwani and Mahdia.

This act, which was carried out in the early morning hours, resulted in the loss of service to approximately 6,082 landlines and undetermined amount of cellular customers fed by the southern link fibre.

Emergency personnel were immediately mobilised, and GT&T said work to have service restored was feverishly undertaken.

Preliminary investigations by the Company’s security department suggested that the perpetrators used climbing spurs to mount the pole and cut the fibre cable.

The Company said it finds this act very disturbing since it follows several acts of vandalism in the city over the last weekend, one of which was carried out a stone’s throw from the location of yesterday morning’s cut.

GT&T said it cannot over emphasise the significance of the damage of these facilities.

from putting customers out of service, it represents a threat to their security since the absence of telephone service at critical times could prove fatal,” the telephone company posited.

The Company said it is being forced to absorb unexpected expenditure in remedial costs when time and material could be better spent in expanding service to other communities.

GT&T is continuing to appeal to residents in all communities to be vigilant and to report any suspicious happenings with respect to the infrastructure provided for their benefit.

Reports of any suspicious or illegal acts can be made to either the company’s emergency hotline at 0908 or to the Police at any of their emergency numbers.

Hectic weekend holiday events anticipated
-some 3,000 to 5,000 foreigners expected for Lethem Rodeo
By Michel Outridge
MINISTER of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Mr. Manniram Prashad yesterday announced that a large turnout is expected for the long holiday weekend events which had been planned across the country.

The announcement was made yesterday at a press conference at the Ministry’s Boardroom, South Road, Georgetown.

He said that the Rodeo at Lethem which is scheduled for Friday is anticipated to attract about 3,000 to 5,000 foreigners and the hotels in the area are all booked.

“Rodeo being a calendar event, people are coming in from all over including the Caribbean because the Guyana Rodeo has developed over the years and is something people look forward to,” he explained.

Prashad said that the Ministry has co-sponsored the event in collaboration with the Rodeo Committee in Lethem.

In light of all the accommodation, he noted that the residents of Lethem have decided to adapt the “Bed and Breakfast” pattern to facilitate the influx of visitors to their community for the event.

The minister remarked that plans are underway to develop the Lethem Industrial Estate and while there he will be visiting the site.

The Rodeo in Lethem is slated to be bigger and better this year, he added.

On Sunday the much anticipated Bartica Regatta is to be declared open by Prashad.

“This event is expected to attract a lot of foreigners as well as locals despite the recent massacre in which 12 people were killed,” he noted.

Prashad pointed out that Barticians particularly look forward for the event in light of the massacre from which the community is still recovering.

He reported too that there are two yachts in Bartica for the Regatta and while there he will present the prize of a laptop computer to Miss Bartica Regatta 2008.

Prashad also disclosed that on Easter Monday, Number 63 Beach in Berbice will come alive with the turnout of about 7,000 people who are expected to show up for the biggest kite flying competition. He explained that there will be the biggest and smallest competition for the biggest and smallest kites for which the prize is a trip for two to Kaieteur Falls.

“Number 63 beach is the longest beach in the Caribbean of 14 miles and up to about five miles people can actually drive in their vehicle on the beach when the tide is out to reach the water,” he remarked.

As for Berbice he announced that the Belvedere Industrial Estate is expected to be fast tracked to boost business and he encouraged Berbicians to get on board and invest in the spots which will be allocated to them soon.

The minister said that they are also in the process of re-possessing unoccupied plots that were allocated at Industrial Estates and given to others to open businesses.

He indicated too that the Pakaraima Safari 2008 is billed for March 28 and will run for eight days.

Message of religious events teaches us to make a positive contribution--PPP
THE People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has joined in extending best wishes to all followers of the Muslim, Hindu and Christian religions in Guyana on the occasion of Youman Nabi, Phagwah and Easter.

In a release, the party said it is a happy coincidence that these anniversaries which are celebrated by the three major religions in Guyana are occurring almost simultaneously.

“The message of these events teaches us that we should work towards making a positive contribution to our country and to mankind generally. All make the strong point that good must triumph over evil,” it noted.

These holidays are occurring at a time when diabolical criminals have unleashed brutal crimes on our society and executions, including children, have been committed wantonly on innocent people, it said.

“However the lessons from our great religions offer us great hope and optimism, for we know that all support the general view that good will vanquish evil,” it pointed out.

“This message must galvanise us to intensify the struggle against the serious crime wave that has done such evil in our society and we are confident that united we will rid our country of evil,” the party declared.

The party urged all to celebrate these events and extend best wishes to all Guyanese on the occasion of these great religious holidays.

Youman Nabi an appropriate occasion to demonstrate tolerance, sacrifice, harmony-GAWU
THE Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) has joined the Muslim Community in observing Youman Nabi.

In extending a happy Youman Nabi to all Muslims, the union said it recognises the steadfastness, zeal and passion with which true Believers Worship the founder of the Islamic Faith since its members include a significant number of Believers in Islam.

Since Youman Nabi focuses on the Birth, Life, Work and Teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, GAWU suggests that this observance is most appropriate for Muslims to demonstrate the values of tolerance, sacrifice and harmony which the Prophet’s teachings advise, it reads.

“We in Guyana, despite our differences, can teach the world how to co-exist in peace together. We disagree but we still live, work, play and worship together in tolerance,” the union pointed out.

It further added that in some Arab and Islamic States, at this time tolerance seems in short supply as the media headlines broadcast. In a multi-ethnic, multi-religious Guyana however, Muslims have led relatively exemplary lives contributing to a national cohesion that too many wish to disrupt at this time it seems.

“As we do on every occasion, GAWU urges the Muslim community to continue to inspire the rest of the nation with its good, charitable works and the continuous manifestation of the message of peace and love which is the real corner stone of the Prophet’s Universal teachings,” the release said.

Army donates $2M to family of two fallen soldiers
- construction of memorial site underway
THE Guyana Defence Force (GDF), in its continued commitment to members of the Army has donated $2M each to family members of two soldiers who died in the line of duty in the Community of Buxton on the East Coast of Demerara.

In a press release from the GDF, it was stated that Chief-of-Staff Commodore Gary Best, handed over the cheques to the families on March 18. The disbursement of funds was made possible by the government, according to a statement from the Government Information Agency (GINA).

In 2004, Lance Corporal Shemton Dodson was shot and killed while in an operation in the volatile and violence-prone village of Buxton. He is survived by two children. The two minors were recipients of $300,000 each which was deposited into fixed bank accounts.

The mother of the late Corporal Ivor Williams, in addition to previous benefits, received $100,000 which was donated by the GDF Corporals’ Club.

Corporal Williams was killed in January this year when the Army vehicle in which he was travelling came under attack on the Buxton railway embankment.

Meanwhile, the release noted that Commodore Best said the GDF is currently in the process of developing a physical site to pay tribute to fallen heroes.

Preparation will commence shortly for the construction of a memorial site at the roundabout at Base Camp Ayanganna.

The GDF has been embarking on several initiatives to cater for family members of soldiers who died while on duty and for those who have retired. 

In 2005, the sod was turned for a veterans’ hospice in Lamaha Springs Housing Scheme.

In August 2007, the Joint Services received a donation from retired Warrant Officer Gordon Winter to aid in the effort.

World Water Day observances begin
INTERNATIONAL observance of the World Water Day will be on March 22, however this year, the United Nations has identified March 20 (today) as the day of observance for World Water Day under the theme “Sanitation Matters’.

The international observance initiative grew out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNICED) in Rio de Janeiro.

In a statement, it said WWF Guianas office in Guyana, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Ministry of Health, the University of Guyana and Guyana Water Inc will join the global community in observing this day by organizing a number of activities under the local theme ‘Sanitation is vital to human health’.

One of the activities include the publication of a series of articles featuring issues relating to how poor sanitation practices can affect our health, household practices that can improve sanitation and maintain clear water, how wetlands (the natural environment) contribute to clean water and how we can practice improved sanitation in our environment.

The release said that sanitation is the hygienic means of preventing human contact from the dangers posed by waste and vital to human health.

“It has economic benefits and contributes to dignity and social development, helps the environment and also it is something we can achieve, it said.

It noted that sanitation is a growing issue for heavily populated areas carrying the risk of infectious disease particularly to vulnerable groups such as the very young, the elderly and people suffering from diseases that lower their resistance.

Poorly controlled waste also means daily exposure to an unpleasant environment and a build-up of faecal contamination in rivers and other waters, is not just a human risk. Other species are affected, threatening the ecological balance of the environment, it explained.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 5.30 percent of all deaths and 6.8 percent of all disabilities worldwide are caused by poor sanitation and 1.8 million people die annually from diarrhoeal diseases, 90 percent being children.

It noted that water plays a key role in sanitation since it is used to keep ourselves and our surroundings clean; poor sanitation can also threaten the cleanliness of this precious resource.

The release pointed out that designating a special day for water with a theme on sanitation shows how important it is for everyone to take care not to pollute our resources of water as it is crucial that water stays as clean for all the uses we may have for it.

“Without clean water we would not be able to keep ourselves and our environment clean and most importantly, the water we need to sustain our bodies must remain unpolluted in order to prevent many diseases.”

Listen to the words of the Prophet and live as one
THE Leader of the Justice For All Party (JFAP) Mr.C.N. Sharma and members join in extending Youman-Nabi greetings to the entire nation especially the Muslim community.

In a release yesterday, Sharma said on the occasion of Youman Nabi, Muslims are taught extensively about the work and life of the Prophet Mohammed.

He urged all Guyanese to listen to the words of the Prophet and live as one.

Corpse of De Hoop man discovered at Mahaica Bridge
POLICE are awaiting the post mortem examination of an East Coast Demerara man whose lifeless body was discovered next to his motor car near the Mahaica Bridge, also on the East Coast Demerara.

Dead is Suresh Hanoman called Mulchand Bissoon, 45, of De Hoop, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara.

Police said the discovery was made about 22:35h on Tuesday night but no marks of violence was observed on the corpse.

The remains are at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) mortuary.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident a man is in custody following the murder of a city resident.

Police said Kurtland Kendall, 28, of Hill Street, Georgetown was brutally stabbed to death in a bar at Pollydore Street, Lodge, Georgetown on Tuesday night during an argument with another man about 22:25h.

He was stabbed several times about his body with a knife.

Police reported that the alleged assailant has been arrested and the suspected murder weapon recovered.

Lessons of Youman Nabi teach understanding each other’s religion, moral values-IAC
THE Indian Arrival Committee (IAC) said it joins with our Muslim brothers and sisters in commemorating the festival of Youman Nabi.

In a release, the IAC said that this auspicious occasion, not only marks the birth and death anniversary but also the sacrifices and challenges of the Holy Prophet Muhammad encountered in spreading Islam to the world.

It said that the lessons of Youman Nabi teach practical ways, understanding each other’s religions and moral values.

“It is not the propagation but the permanency of his message that deserves and is practiced throughout the world,” it reads.

In the Holy Quran God Almighty says “indeed there is for you in the Messenger of Allah, an excellent exemplary.

The IAC extends a peaceful and blessed Youman Nabi to all Muslim brothers and sisters.

Prophet Muhammad’s mission was to relieve man from sins - President Jagdeo
President Bharrat Jagdeo in his Youman Nabi message has reiterated his government’s recognition of the teachings of all faiths.

The full text of the message reads:

Once again our Muslim Brothers and Sisters in Guyana join with millions around the world in commemorating the observance of Youman Nabi.

On behalf of my Government and people of Guyana, I extend to the Guyanese community, especially our Muslim Brothers and Sisters, sincere greetings on this auspicious occasion.

The Prophet Muhammad’s mission was to relieve man from sins and offer him a way of life which would transform this world into one of peace and tranquility. He is an example of total perfection, his image influences the whole world, his radiance continues to illuminate the hearts of believers, and his teachings still stand as divine guidance.

Therefore, every grateful heart finds it necessary to commemorate the memory of this historic day.

Today, the world still faces the same problems as those that were faced at the time of the birth of the Holy prophet.

My Government will continue to recognise the teachings of all religious faiths, so our country can flourish and prosper in peace and happiness.

I urge all Guyanese to let the day be one of assessment of our own action and mediations, as we join the Muslim community in commemorating the occasion of Youman Nabi.

The Holy Prophet was sent as a mercy to the world
- CIOG
Youman Nabi is the occasion where Muslims throughout the world commemorate the birth anniversary of the final Prophet to mankind, Prophet Muhammad (SAS), who was sent as a mercy to the entire world with a message of mercy. His coming was foretold by his predecessors like Prophet Jesus (A.S) among others.

The Holy Quran, the final revelation to mankind was revealed to him. His explanation of the scripture in words and actions are referred to as the SUNNAH which is the second source of guidance in Islam. For someone to become a Muslim he/she must testify to the oneness of Allah and that Prophet Muhammad (SAS) is the final messenger of Allah.

God Almighty has commanded us to believe, obey, honour and love him even more than ourselves, pray for peace and blessings on him and having an intimate knowledge of the teachings of the Holy Prophet both in spirit and in word outwardly and inwardly. These among others are some of the rights of the Holy Prophet and Muslims obligations toward Him.

Youman Nabi gives us an opportunity to understand the message he brought, his private and public life and its relevance to our lives.

In this regard George Bernard Shaw, a famous writer and non-Muslim wrote:

“He must be called the Saviour of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness.”

The world has seen a lot of thinkers, who have propounded moral theories on different occasions in history but they are of no consequence whatsoever as they are devoid of practical examples. The philosophies of Aristotle and Plato could not make anyone good. Whereas the moral teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAS) are not mere theories but practical manifestations of moral principles which are universally relevant and applicable for all times.

He taught us that the power of peace is stronger than violence.

When Prophet Muhammad (SAS) conquered Mecca, the war criminals were brought before Him, He said to them, “GO, you are free”.

His message of peace is further emphasised in the statement, “you cannot change someone’s heart by use of force, but through humility and kindness you can win his heart.”

Eradication of Racism
How did Prophet Muhammad (SAS) deal with Racism and prejudice?

He informed us “All of you are from Adam (AS) and Adam was created from soil.”

Therefore, if all humanity belongs to the same parent, we are all one and the difference in our complexion, language and culture are only a sign from Allah and a means of knowing one another, this is unity in diversity which was promoted vigorously by the Holy Prophet.

In addition, he never permitted anyone to exploit racial insecurities, in this regard he said:

“Wealth, social position and racial superiority do not give special status to anyone; all of you are equal in the eyes of God. It is only the path of righteousness which makes you a distinguished human being.”

The success of his mission has been confirmed by both Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

Michael H. Hart wrote in his book: “The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History.”

He states, that the most influential person in all history was Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, with Jesus second.

Examine his actual words: “My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world’s most influential persons may surprise some readers and maybe questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular level.”

Mahatma Gandhi, speaking on the character of Muhammad, Peace be Upon Him, says in ‘Young India ’:

“I wanted to know the best of one who holds today undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind… I became more than convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. When I closed the second volume (of the prophet’s biography), I was sorry that there was not more for me to read of the great life.”

Sarojini Naidu the famous poetess of India says:

“ It was the first religion that preached and practiced democracy; for, in the mosque, when the call for prayer is sounded and worshippers are gathered together, the democracy of Islam is embodied five times a day when the peasant and king kneel side by side and proclaim: ‘God Alone is Great’… I have been struck over and over again by this indivisible unity of Islam that makes man instinctively a brother.”

The Prophet was a fighter for human equality, freedom, dignity, love and brotherhood and a revolutionary against evil and social order.

His life is all inclusive and therefore an answer to all problems, individual and social which confronts all mankind.

When Muhammad (SAS) died at the age of 63, the whole Arabian Peninsula had changed from paganism to the worship of one God, from tribal quarrels and wars to national solidarity and cohesion; from drunkenness and debauchery to sobriety and piety; from lawlessness and anarchy to disciplined living; from utter moral bankruptcy to the highest standards of moral excellence. Human history has never known such a complete transformation of a people or a place before or since.

The greatness of this human-being and the impact of His message can be sighted in the fact that Prophet Muhammad (SAS) died more than thirteen hundred years ago and the Muslim population in the world today is approximately one billion and rising, almost one third of the world population and can be found in every country. None of them saw Him but they believe in Him and strive to implement His message in their daily lives.

On this important occasion, I call on all Guyanese to reflect on the message and life of Prophet Muhammad (SAS) given its universal relevance to mankind.

 
The Holy Prophet has left a legacy of a religion universal in scope
- PNCR
The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) wishes to extend greetings to our Muslim brothers and sisters in Guyana and to the Muslim community throughout the world on the important occasion of Youman Nabi, the birth anniversary of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, the final messenger of God to mankind.

The Party takes particular note of the fact that the Holy Prophet Muhammad has left a legacy of a religion that is universal in scope and purpose, which promotes an end to human suffering, disease and poverty. More particularly this legacy is consistent with the promotion of peace and harmony in our country and the rest of the world.

This legacy is important not only for the spiritual development of this nation but also for its commitment to ending disease, poverty and backwardness and the promotion of harmony in Guyana. Guyanese can benefit from this legacy by using it as an instrument not only for the promotion of understanding among our various ethnic groups but also and more importantly for bringing a healing touch to the dilemmas and challenges which afflict the nation at the present time. The PNCR is referring in particular to the spiralling drug culture, the scourge of violence and the spate of brutal murders, a situation which has scarred the social landscape and has earned us a certain degree of regional and international disrepute.

The PNCR, therefore, wishes to suggest to the nation that as we reflect on the significance of the birth of the Holy Prophet we take to heart the message and lessons of the doctrines of this great religion and use them as important instruments for improving our society in such a way that we can begin to see the end of the vicious cycle of violence and witness the creations of conditions for racial harmony, peace and the real development in Guyana.

Bandits rob Vlissengen Road Texaco Gas Station
THE Texaco Gas Station located on Vlissengen Road, Georgetown, was once again the target of bandits who broke into the premises and carted off with an undisclosed amount of brand name colognes and other items.

According to the proprietor, Mr. Steve Chung, sometime after 23:00 hours last Tuesday while the lone security guard was on duty, it is believed that bandits who managed to get on to the roof of the building gained entry by removing a zinc sheet.

Chung said they quickly lifted off the inner ceiling and entered the office where they spent quite some time and ransacked the place.

Mr. Chung added that the robbers had time to select the items they wanted to take from the showcases and drawers.

The businessman pointed out that the robbers also exited the building the way they arrived without being spotted.

He said the robbery took place as the lone unarmed security guard was outside since the pumps close off 23:00 hours every night.

“This is unbecoming because it is the fifth break-in my business has suffered and each time it is only when the employees show up for work they find out the place was robbed,” Mr. Chung added.

He said that the police was summoned and are investigating.

Rice now too costly to give away
By Marwaan Macan-Markar
BANGKOK - Soaring global rice prices are hitting the stomachs of Asia's poorest citizens.

The people of East Timor, where nearly 40 percent live on less than 0.55 U.S. cents a day, have just been told they may not receive their annual quota of food aid.

"We have been forced to provide less food to East Timor; provide less rice than we intended to," Paul Risely, Asia spokesperson for the United Nations food agency, told Inter Press Service (IPS).

"We have requested the people of East Timor to look for local substitutes."

Part of the problem stems from poor planning with the Dili government urging the World Food Program (WFP) to step in only after finding that it could not afford to purchase sufficient quantities of the grain from Vietnam, due to high prices.

"Any chance to reduce high malnutrition rate is severely curtailed," added Risley of a country that suffers from chronic malnutrition, where some 46 percent of the children are stunted and 42 percent of children below five years are underweight. Currently, the WFP has pledged to feed one in five people in East Timor which has a population of 1.1 million people.

Vietnam, the world's second largest exporter of rice, shipping out nearly 4.5 million tons of the grain annually, has been a major supplier of rice for the WFP's global program.

Neighboring Thailand is the largest rice exporter, shipping 9.5 million tons to the global market, which was 30 million tons in 2007.

But last year, Vietnam placed limits on rice exports in order to meet domestic demand, triggering a spike in the price of its grain in the world market. The ban stemmed from national food security concerns in the communist-ruled country. Hanoi wanted to avoid a local food shortage due to flooding in the rice-growing central regions.

Yet, such a weather-related feature, which some are attributing to climate change, was only one reason to push global rice prices to new heights. Another trigger includes the steady rise in oil prices, making fertilizer more expensive, pushing the cost of harvesting up, and increasing the cost of transporting the grain.

A weakening US dollar has also been singled out as a reason, in addition to demand from the increasingly affluent China for more food to feed its population. In 2007, China marked a shift away from being a net exporter of rice and wheat, raising the export taxes on the grains to keep local produce at home. In the meantime, import tariffs were removed for easier access to the two staples from the world market.

And the prospect of early relief for the world's poor for cheaper rice this year appears remote. "It is very likely that the price of rice will drop this year. The prices will not stabilize until the end of 2008," says Sumiter Broca, policy officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Asia and Pacific regional office, based in Bangkok.

But the price of rice, which rose by 40% last year, is not an exception. "This time around, all other commodity prices have also risen, like cereals, vegetable oils, meat, sugar and bananas," added Broca in an interview. "It is part of a natural long-term trend, but this time the peak is worrying. There is no reason for any let up in this price increase in the future."

The current rise in rice prices began in 2002, following a six-year downward trend. Yet at the same time, rice stocks today are "at an all time low; the lowest in 20 years", says Broca of a grain whose major producers are Bangladesh, China and India.

The world's total rice output reached 420 million tons during the 2007-08 harvest season, with the end of season stocks being 102 million ton for the same period, down by 1% from the 2006-07 harvest.

This means that in Asia, the world's largest rice-growing region, rice production is "increasing very slowly, [with] rice production in 2007 [being] only 0.5% higher than in 2006", states the FAO. "A major underlying reason for this is that yield growth is plateauing."

Land, too, is limited to increase rice cultivation to meet new demand for the grain from Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.

And as China's rice story reveals, land that was once allocated for rice has been taken away from farmers to meet the country's other economic needs.

China's rice growing area saw a three-million-hectare loss during a decade, beginning in 1996, because of "economic pressure", states the latest issue of the Rice Today magazine.

"Although there may be some potential for expansion of rice area in other countries, the total area in Asia will unlikely increase much beyond the current estimate of 136 million hectare," writes Sushil Pandey, of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), in the magazine.

"Rice production is facing increasing competition for land, labor and water from other economic activities and the recent growth in bio-fuel production is likely to exert additional pressure."

Consequently, organizations like the IRRI, based in the Philippines town of Los Banos, are making a push for a repeat of the Green Revolution (1968-81), during which high yield varieties of rice were distributed to increase rice output by 42 percent over a 13-year period.

"A second Green Revolution to reverse the rising trend in rice prices and to keep process low is needed now as much as the first Green Revolution was needed earlier to avoid famine and mass starvation," Pandey argues.

Yet activists who work with local farming communities are not impressed with such a call. "We are cautious about such solutions, because hybrid rice depends on a lot of water and is only grown in irrigated areas.

This isolates the other farmers," says Neth Dano, a research associate at Third World Network, a Penang-based think-tank. "There has also been much hype about GE [genetically engineered] rice for the last 10 years, but we have not seen a good product."

A better route, she told IPS, is for governments to increase investments for local farmers to produce better rice yields. "Governments are not doing this; these farmers are neglected financially. It is these farmers that best know the rice varieties that need to be produced now.''