After close contest…
Georgetown names team for National Spelling B finals

THE winners of Wednesday’s competition: From left, Collin Hyles of Stella Maris Primary, Ryan Amir of School of the Nation, Michael De Costa of St. Margaret’s Primary and alternate winner Angelina Mootoo of St. Agnes Primary. (Carl Croker photo)

The selection, of Colin Hyles of Stella Maris and Michael DeCosta of St. Margaret’s primary schools as well as Ryan Amir of School of the Nations, took place at Marian Academy, on Carifesta Avenue, also in the city.

Angelina Mootoo, of St. Agnes Primary School, was chosen as the alternate delegate in the event one of the preferred trio withdraws.

A SECTION of the contestants at Wednesday’s competition. (Carl Croker photo)

On the same Wednesday occasion, the two companies distributed jerseys and juices, too, to the schoolchildren who participated in the rivalry that was organised by the Rotary Club of Georgetown, in collaboration with the Education Ministry.

The corporate entities said they are pleased to be involved in the venture which aims at promoting reading amongst primary school pupils.

The winners of the Spelling B finals will receive a computer, a printer, $50,000 and a trophy.

Deferral of CAPE only in T&T - Education Ministry
THE Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) said Wednesday that deferral of the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) applies only to Trinidad and Tobago, the Ministry of Education confirmed here.

A press release pointed out that the other CXC participating territories where candidates sit the tests will continue as timetabled.

“The Council and the Ministry of Education in Trinidad and Tobago are working with law enforcement authorities to fully investigate the circumstances which led to the decision to take this action in Trinidad and Tobago," the release stated.

It said the Council has further assured the public that it is doing all within its powers to maintain the integrity of its examinations.

THAG slams newspapers for splashing crime across front pages
By Priya Nauth
PRESIDENT of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG), Ms. Renata Chuck-A-Sang, re-elected during the 16th Annual General Meeting at Le Meridien Pegasus, Georgetown on Tuesday said that the association should play a more proactive role in the planning and execution of current signature events on the national calendar.

RE-ELECTED’: President of THAG Ms. Renanta Chuck-A-Sang (Photo by Carl Croker)

In her report, she noted that 2007 was one of the most challenging years for THAG, and now one of the entity’s most important task is to continue building a strong and fruitful relationship with a relatively new Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce.

The President reminded that the mission statement tells that the association is a private sector organisation dedicated to the promotion of sustainable tourism development, through fostering professionalism throughout the industry, ensuring quality service for its clients and providing benefits to its members; while collaborating with relevant government institutions and networking with other related local, regional and international agencies, utilising available resources.

She noted that one of the government institution’s the association works closely with is the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA).

Also, she observed that regretfully, Guyana is plagued internationally with an over-inflated negative perception of crime spiralling out of control.

“We who live here may know and feel differently, but this perception continues to be fuelled by our newspapers that feature incidents of violence on their front pages, with no attempt to balance their reporting. This kind of reporting is seen everyday, especially by the millions in the Diaspora,” she noted.

“The good stories that occur in our country often go unnoticed. This negative perception is fast becoming a reality,” she said.

Chuck-A-Sang said the industry was beset by hugely negative British, Canadian and US advisories following the Lusignan and Bartica incident.

She said THAG met with the British High Commission to seek a review of its advisory which directly targeted and was particularly damaging to their members’ resorts in the Essequibo River, and were successful in the intervention.

Also, in November, THAG launched the highly anticipated 2008 edition of the Explore Guyana magazine which was well received.

However, she noted that THAG ran into a slight problem when it learnt that this freely distributed magazine, the main marketing tool for Guyana’s tourism industry, attracted Value Added Tax (VAT).

The issue of VAT continues to be a sore point for the industry, she attested.

The President said the sudden inclusion of the 16% Value Added Tax at the beginning of 2007 in the prices charged for services makes them non-competitive when compared to countries like Brazil, Suriname, Costa Rica, Belize and Mexico that offer a similar product.

“It must be noted that the newly emerging Asian destinations are able to offer packages at much more affordable rates than we can,” she said.

“We are a fledgling industry with the potential to bring benefit to the widest cross-section of our population. We are therefore, insisting that the issue of VAT, as it relates to the Tourism Sector, be given serious re-consideration by the government,” she urged.

“The fact is that our product is now priced out of reach of most of our tourism target market,” she pointed out.

Also, Chuck-A-Sang challenged the entity to be a leader in the creation of events that would generate international interest and hence tourism dollars.

“I also challenge the Association’s members to implement industry standards and practices that would set us apart from those who have not benefitted from being a member of THAG, well ahead of the time such industry standards and practices will become a requirement,” she noted.

The President also urged members to be leaders of the industry and implement a programme that would encourage members to meet and exceed current industry practices and norms.

“Our Government has done well to bring events to Guyana which have raised our international profile…Cricket World Cup, the Rio Summit and now CARIFESTA X,” she observed.

“We have demonstrated that we are capable of handling such high profile events and we will continue to perform creditably for CARIFESTA X and in the future,” Chuck-A-Sang asserted.

“Ultimately, any professional body is as good as its members care to make it. A viable and progressive THAG, more than ever now, actively representing and advancing the interest of the private investors in tourism, is essential for the survival of the industry,” she acknowledged.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, in his address, noted the benefits of hosting major events. He said Guyana has a good response for Caribbean Festival of Arts with confirmation from 23 countries with delegations totalling some 1352 people.

However, the minister said one of the challenges will be accommodation for delegates as well as visitors, as the Ministry has accredited about 52 hotels in and around Georgetown, with 3041 rooms available.

Anthony said, too, that special efforts were made to set up Chapters in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom, and the New York Chapter has confirmed a 350 delegation to participate in Carifesta X.

BOX:
THAG’s new Executive Board for 2008/2009 is as follows:
President Renata Chuck-A-Sang
Vice President Lakeram Roopnarain
Treasurer Umadatt Singh
Committee Member Roxanne Reece
Committee Member Petal Ridley
Committee Member Bert Plass
Immediate Past President Cathy Hughes

Wrong man suffers fractured skull
ASHRAM Boodhoo left his Bee Hive, East Coast Demerara home in good health Monday, to attend a ‘Happy Hour’ at Club 17 in the village.

INJURED’: Ashram Boodhoo

An argument broke out between two other men and one of them, in a fit of anger, picked up a piece of greenheart wood and lashed out at the other.

Unfortunately, the blow missed the target and struck Boodhoo in the head, knocking him unconscious.

The assailant, before fleeing the scene, had claimed that gasolene he had stored in a watch-house at Bloomfield Koker, also on East Coast, was stolen.

Boodhoo suffered a fractured skull and trauma to the brain and is a patient at Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH), where, despite being given a blood transfusion earlier in the week, he is still in a critical condition though conscious again.

Teacher in Monday accident still in serious condition

INJURED’: Roxanne Correga, warded at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

With both hands broken, face swollen and her left arm and shoulder badly bruised, the mother of two children, aged five and seven years, was still writhing in pain when visited.

The Ann’s Grove Primary School teacher, who lives at Lot 1 Belfield, was returning home from work when the mishap occurred on Belfield Public Road, also on East Coast Demerara, about 15:22 h.

It was reported that the vehicle in which Correga and the others were travelling, apparently, attempted to overtake a truck and the driver lost control.

As a result of the collision, the minibus overturned, toppling several times before stopping.

Three more persons, also hurt in the mishap, are also patients at the GPH. They are Chinelle Pilleau, of Lot 15 D’Urban Backlands, Georgetown; Travis Gilbert, 23, of Lot 6 Clonbrook, another East Coast Demerara village and Ivan Walton, 58, of Lot 4 Ann’s Grove.

Guyanese novelist Roy Heath dies in London
THE Arts Forum of Guyana said it is deeply saddened at the news of the passing of Guyanese novelist, Roy A.K. Heath, in London on Wednesday.

Heath was born in 1926 in British Guiana. He migrated to London in 1950 from where he would write a rich body of novels that speak directly to the social and cultural realities of his native land, both in the colonial and postcolonial periods.

His Shadow Bride won the Guyana Prize for Literature in 1989.

His short stories appeared in magazines and anthologies including the B.B.C. anthology and short story series up to the mid-nineties.

One work of drama, Inez Combray, was staged at the Theatre Guild, Georgetown.

Heath delivered the Edgar Mittelholzer Memorial Lectures, entitled “Art and Experience” in 1983.

His Tribute to Aubrey Williams was read at an Exhibition of the Paintings of Aubrey Williams, White Chapel Gallery, London in 1998.

Heath published the first part of his autobiography, Shadows Round the Moon, in 1991, but could not bring himself to write the second part for, in his own words, he “would have to bring England in”.

He would live all his life as an exile, refusing to be adopted by Britain or claim to be British.

As a novelist, Heath represented a liberal imagination in his reinterpretations of the experiences of the diverse strands of humanity he found in the society.

The Arts Forum of Guyana, in a statement yesterday, extended profound condolences to the bereaved family of Mr. Heath - his wife of 53 years, Mimmie, and their two sons, Rohan and Roy (Jnr).

Sugar workers vent irritants during meeting with Agriculture Minister
SUGAR workers on the East Demerara Estates, last Wednesday, identified several irritants which are affecting them during a meeting with Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud and representatives from various agencies at the LBI Community Centre Ground.

During the interactive session of the meeting employees raised several issues of concern to them including employees National Insurance Scheme (NIS) contributions which are unaccounted for.

NIS representative, Harilyn Selman, in response said this problem was a result of systematic problems when information is being transferred to computer systems which have resulted in a gap with respect to contribution records.

It was suggested that updates on employees’ contributions should be sent to the company. However, Selman responded that statements are being sent to employers for perusal for any deficiency in information which inhibits the processing of claims. The workers highlighted a case of disability benefits where they are deemed unfit to work by the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GUYSUCO) doctor and are told by the NIS’s doctor that they are fit to work.

Selman explained that in order for persons to obtain disability benefits they must be deemed permanently incapable of working. It was noted that though the individual’s disability may cause him/her to be unable to do cane harvesting they may still be fit enough to work in another area.

Regarding the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), workers complained about the unavailability of Tax Identification Number (TIN) certificates.

GRA representative, Simeon Beckles, said this is a result of glitches in the system. She said the process of distributing TIN certificates was decentralised but because of issues such as duplication of applications as a result of persons applying for TIN more than once, the system is now centralised. Certificates are now available at the GRA Post Office location. Beckles said TIN can be received by calling GRA’s hotline and providing national identification or passport number.

Workers also had issues with the Value Added Tax (VAT) as they are encountering increase in prices by some shop owners. Beckles said individuals need to report such shop owners and field officers will visit those shops. She encouraged workers not to pay VAT on zero-rated items. It was noted that persons are currently being prosecuted for charging VAT on zero-rated items.

Sugar workers also raised several issue relating to the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) and many complained about leakages in their communities which cause contamination of the potable water supply.

The GWI representative said there are current interventions to repair leaks. As workers along with contractors are dealing with the backlog of leak repairs. The backlog on the East Coast Demerara has cleared and work is ongoing on those on the East Bank Demerara.

As it relates to invoices it was noted that some residents contribute to large bills. Some leave pipes on while others have water tanks that overflow.

A concern was also raised about connection fees. It was noted that in new government housing schemes the cost is $1,000 but, in established developments it is $13,000 because the material used is imported and therefore costly.

Some workers noted that water is not easily accessed through stand pipes but they were told that this is so because some communities are more elevated than others.

Persaud in his address reminded workers that the sugar industry contributes greatly to the country’s macro-economic stability and many people are also dependent on sugar for consumption purposes.

He highlighted a number of challenges facing the industry including production not being at the desired level and reduced opportunity days. This he said has resulted in work being done day and nigh, noting however, that there are security constraints during night work.

Persaud assured that a mechanism to enhance security during the night is currently being formulated with the Joint Services.

He also informed workers that a reform process has started within the NIS. (GINA)

Benn resumes testimony at Army Court Martial today
By Wendella Davidson
RETIRED Lieutenant Colonel (Lt. Col.) Gordon Benn will, today, resume his testimony at the continuation of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Court Martial of Lt. Col. Tony Ross.

Testifying for the Defence, the witness will continue to be cross-examined by the Prosecutor, State Counsel Melissa Yearwood-Stewart.

Prior to his cross-examination, Benn, who was Staff Officer I G3 (SOI G3) between 2004 and 2006, gave evidence in relation to his responsibility, as well as his knowledge of some aspects of the Army.

He was, among other things, responsible for following up on instructions from the Chief-of-Staff, by dispatching letters and holding formal briefings to ensure that the directives were communicated to the relevant officers.

Benn recalled that, in September 2004, units at Base Camp Ayanganna (BCA), including the Intelligence and Technology Department (ITD), were engaged in a number of ‘fitness for role’ inspections.

He said the basic tool of a soldier is his rifle and, when shown a document which was subsequently tendered by the Defence, the witness acknowledged it contained “instruction notes”.

Defence Counsel Leslie Sobers referred to ‘Rifles’ and ‘Distribution’ and a letter Benn wrote to then Base Commander Ross, about the allocation of serviceable weapons to every soldier at BCA, in strict compliance with instructions by the COS.

A second document dealt with the preparation of a nominal roll, which, according to the witness, also pertained to the Ordnance Corps.

About the relationship between the notes of instructions and the letter to Ordnance Corps, the witness said the latter was expected to comply with both, meaning that each soldier would have to receive a rifle issued legitimately by the unit.

Benn said those orders were never rescinded and, whether or not there was a change of appointment, the edicts would still have to be carried out.

The witness also outlined the procedure relating to the assigning of regimental and weapon numbers to a soldier when the rank is taken on strength and what follows.

Cross-examined by the Prosecutor, the witness said he never received a proposal which should have been made available to him by October 4.

Pressed by Yearwood-Stewart, Benn said, while the record would show a letter was addressed to the Base Commander, in essence, it was the Officer Commanding, Composite Battalion, as the same person functioned in both capacities.

Ross is charged on three counts of conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline, contrary to Section 75 of the Defence Act, Chapter 15:01 and one count of neglect to the prejudice of good order and military discipline, contrary to Section 75 of the Defence Act, Chapter 15:01.

The charges were instituted against him following investigations into the discovery that weapons were missing from the arms store at BCA, which was part of the Ordnance Corps and Ross was Commanding Officer at the time the guns were missed.

The Court Martial is being presided over by Col. Bruce Lovell and includes Judge Advocate Oslen Small. Lt. Cols. B. Bristol, Patrick West and Trevor Blenman and Major Paul Arthur.

Associated with the Defence, as well, is other attorney-at-law Mr. Gregory Gaskin.

Finance Minister joins global debt cancellation fast
MINISTER of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, has indicated that he will be joining Archbishop Desmond Tutu and President Mkapa of Tanzania in a fast today to focus on the need for debt cancellation for the world’s poorest nations.

Minister Singh, who is also Chairman of the Commonwealth Debt Sustainability Forum, took up the commitment one-day after President Bharrat Jagdeo accepted an invitation by Mr. David Golding, Development Coordinator of the UK-based ‘Make Poverty History’, to join the ‘Drop the Debt Fast’ campaign.

The ‘Drop the debt Fast’ movement is running a 36-day rolling fast (Apri12 - May18) to demand debt cancellation for 36 poor countries.

The movement observed that the rich world needs to “pick up the pace” as these countries are still suffering under a huge debt burden, while millions of their people live in extreme poverty.

While fasting, participants are being asked to make a chain to bring to the Journey to Justice Event on 18 May in Birmingham. The 1998 human chain was an image of the chains of debt that need to be broken. A huge chain will be created in Centenary Square to demand that governments pick up the pace to drop all the debts.

Work on city sewerage begins in Albouystown today
GUYANA Water Inc (GWI), which is also responsible for sewerage in Georgetown, has appealed to citizens to be patient as the utility moves to rehabilitate the system.

Sanitation Manager, Mark Mendonca, said a mobile pump will be dispatched to Albouystown today to relieve the situation in that ward from where there have been many complaints.

He said GWI has acquired funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and close to $1 billion would be spent, this year, on rehabilitation in Albouystown and other wards, as residents continue to complain.

Mendonca pleaded with the complainants to desist from dumping refuse in the lines because it would cause further malfunction.

One of those complaining, Derek Goddette, 52, of Lot 134 King Edward Street, Albouystown, called on GWI to remove the back-up from his septic tank.

He said the problem has been ongoing for about a year, causing overflows in his yard and his tenants to move out.

Goddette said neighbours are also angry with him because of the stench and his mother, too, wishing to avoid the obnoxious odour, has refused to visit him.

PPP/C govt response to global price rise effective, less draconian than PNC's when oil price hit in 1970s - Minister Persaud
THE PPP/C Government's response to the soaring fuel price, which has increased by about 400 per cent over the past three years and is driving up food prices in Guyana and across the globe, has been described as "more comprehensive, effective, sustainable and not punitive" when compared to the steps taken by the then PNC Government when the world and Guyana experienced a similar situation in 1974-75 period.

Speaking to Guyana Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) field and factory representatives last evening at the La Bone Intention (LBI)Community Centre, Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Robert Persaud, compared the steps taken by the PNC government of that day when fuel reached an all time high then and sent food and cost of living 'sky high.'

The Minister referred to the 1975 Budget Speech of the then PNC Finance Minister, Frank Hope which stated: "By the end of January, 1974, the situation as it could be foreseen for the rest of this year revealed that our external reserves were certain to come under devastating pressures as the prices of imports - fuel, fertilizers, machinery - soared to unprecedented levels.

It was also clear that the rate of internal inflation would have been far beyond anything this country has experienced before, and that the government's budget itself would have inevitably required substantial modifications.

In short, the Guyana economy - like those of the rest of the developing world with the exception of the oil exporting countries - was in a crisis."

Minister Persaud recalled that the PNC government then started to institute "punitive and draconian measures which eventually led to a deterioration of people's living conditions and the collapse of the Guyanese economy."

He substantiated this assertion of the PNC's poor action by quoting again from the PNC Budget speech of 1975: "Steps were taken to conserve foreign exchange, restrain consumption of non-essentials, and to tighten expenditure controls

in the public service...Imports of non-essentials were restricted; practically all imports were put under a system of licensing; the availability of foreign exchange for vacation travel overseas and migrants' transfer was temporarily suspended, and foreign companies operating in Guyana were requested to secure their working capital from external sources..."

Minister Persaud, who also chairs the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Food Prices, noted that President Bharrat Jagdeo and the Cabinet have done the opposite and adopted "a comprehensive, sensible, sustainable and non-harsh framework to address a similar situation confronting Guyana and the world, today."

He said no controls or bans of imports of food, machinery and other necessary supplies were introduced.

Instead of shrinking public sector spending, the Government has moved to increase the purchasing power of the ordinary Guyanese; especially those who work in the public sector through wages increase and a temporary cost of living adjustment payment.

Then the PNC Government had imposed a wage freeze.
To cushion the fuel and food price rise, the Minister reminded that the Government has not increased fuel and water rates while the fuel and other bills of these companies have gone up by about 100 per cent during the past year alone.

Government had to inject billions of dollars into these companies to avoid them passing on the increased charges to consumers.

The Minister referred to the wheat price which has gone up by 130 per cent on the international market during the past year.

He said that when wheat prices went up under the PNC government, the response then was to ban the importation and consumption of wheat and flour-based products in Guyana.

But under the PPP/C government, Minister Persaud said that the President has instead provided $200M to minimise the rising cost of flour and stabilise the price of bread so that it is available and affordable to all Guyanese.

The Agriculture Minister said that it is not the intention of the PPP/C government to impose import bans and controls and anti-workers conditions, which can eventually lead to shortages, black-marketing, sufferings for the ordinary Guyanese and economic decline.

He noted that the Government has been alert and monitoring the situation closely and started interventions to cushion the global price rise since early 2007.

The Minister cautioned that remedies proposed must not lead to further hardships and there should not be any panic reaction to the situation which can lead to more sufferings in the long-run.

Minister Persaud also called on sugar workers to join the Ministry of Agriculture’s ‘Grow More Food’ campaign and made available to the GAWU Field Secretaries present a quantity of vegetable seeds for distribution to the workers.

Minister Persaud said that the Government is engaging all groups and sector of society to mobilise national support and collective response to his global phenomenon.

He rebuked those who were trying to convert a global crisis into a partisan, political issue restricted to Guyana.

Workers at the meeting welcomed government's intervention but urged that these be sustained and the situation managed, closely.

The meeting is part of an on-going engagement with field and factory representatives across the sugar industry to give workers a voice in improving the management of the industry and reduce the issues which lead to industrial relations conflicts. (GINA)

Gov’t engagement with criminals only in court
- Luncheon explains Gov’t position on Nandlall/Hinckson meeting
THE requirement for attorney-at-law Mr. Anil Nandlall to brief the Administration on his engagement with embattled ex-Guyana Defence Force Lieutenant Oliver Hinckson would only arise if the services of an attorney or a service provider is procured, Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon said yesterday.

Speaking at his weekly media briefing in the Office of the President, he recalled that President Bharrat Jagdeo, in a previous statement, had clearly outlined that an engagement of that sort never took place.

Luncheon said, though, that the Administration is aware of a private meeting between Nandlall and the sedition accused in which the Office of the President, the President nor any Government agencies were involved.

“In terms of the Administration and our parties in Parliament (that is Government parties) - that would involve lawyers - a position has already been taken about the nature of legal work that we consider suitable or acceptable to be undertaken by lawyers,” he explained.

The authoritative Government spokesman said it would be unusual for the Administration to have that position and then turn around and encourage a foul engagement.

“The Government holds a categorical position to which it remains firmly wedged, that we are not engaging, in anyway whatsoever, with the criminals other than a court of law,” he maintained.

Luncheon also emphasised that the Administration is unaware of the nature of the discussion between Nandlall and Hinckson and, as such, does not know whether or not it could lead or run afoul of its established position.

But Government assumes the discourse falls within the ambits of its feared injunctions which govern the practice of its elected officials and representatives, he asserted.

Office of the President, on Thursday, called Hinckson’s claim, of having met a trusted emissary of the Head of State, a ‘total fabrication’ and a ‘blatant lie’.

Hinckson, on remand in prison, alleged, in a statement distributed at Court by his Defence Counsel, Mr. Nigel Hughes, that, after the press conference hosted by Mayor Hamilton Green on February 1, President Jagdeo sent a high ranking Member of Parliament (MP) to meet with and engage him, specifically on his mediation proposal and he met the envoy, who is a member of the Central Executive of the ruling political party, for two and a half hours, at a prominent social club.

Meanwhile, Nandlall on Thursday clarified what he called misleading information being peddled by ex-soldier, Oliver Hinckson, in relation to a meeting between the two gentlemen.

“I want to say categorically that I have never met with Mr. Hinckson for and behalf of the President or for and behalf of the PPP or the Government of Guyana. I have no authority to do so and I never met with him as an agent of any of those entities and or persons whom I name above.”

A statement purportedly signed by Hinckson was circulated yesterday to the media indicating that President Jagdeo made arrangements for a top level People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) political functionary to meet and discuss matters related to Hinckson’s proposal for mediation.

Nandlall pointed out that even if he was approached by Hinckson to represent him, he will not.

“I met with him in my capacity as a private Attorney-at-Law in practice and we had certain discussions with which the ethics of my profession prevent me from disclosing…I have not been consulted and I have not been retained on those matters and I will not be appearing for him even if he attempts to retain me,” he said.

Clousseau
A paper printed in the form of a booklet of 74 pages and entitled “Rebirth of the Blackman” by Accabre Nkofi is the first honest attempt to review in searching depth, what Clousseau will describe as the dilemma confronting the African man in Guyana.

It is thoroughly devoid of any indication of bias and is scrupulous in avoiding political consideration in concluding the myriad of solutions being advanced. The title of the booklet suggests the pursuits of the rebirth of this important section of our population and states: “And if the Blackman were to absorb and actuate the message contained in it, he would recapture his self-confidence, regain the respect of others and be on the path of economic and social development and prosperity.”

Some of the interesting sub-headings deal with Black stereotypes, why did the Blackman fall into the morass? Chapter II, Destructiveness of the Burnhamite Regime to Black People contains three relatively long paragraphs, the major sops Burnham threw to the Africans, loss of opportunity for rejuvenation of Black people after Burnham’s death and the PPP comes into office and PNC fails to regroup and drowns its Black supporters in a sea of pessimism. Chapter III is on Preparing the Way for Regeneration, and deals extensively on myths to be driven from the mind.

Chapter I, Rebirth and Regeneration is exclusively I Political; Chapter VI continues in rebirth and regeneration and is exclusive to “(2) social”, Chapter VII continuing and discusses (3) “economic” most extensively and in fact concludes the major thrusts of the booklet.

Clousseau would like to quote what is said on the relationship of the two major sections in the country: “Historically, Africans and Indians have always gotten along well and there was always much mutual help and support among those groups. In the 1960s, because of the doings of politicians this close mutual relationship broke down. This alienation between these two groups led to much pain and regret on both sides. It has greatly lessened over the last few years and young people in particular are refusing to listen to racists. Black people and Indians have almost returned to the old Guyana tradition and each day, thousands of kindnesses are extended by those groups to each other and they are happy about it.

Indian and African goodwill to each other is there. Indian individual cooperation and help should be sought in the Black rebirth effort in those areas where it is possible for such help to be given. In this regard, the mistake should never be made of confusing the government with Indian people as individuals. Indian cooperation and goodwill will help a quicker realisation of the rebirth and regeneration.

What say you Messers Ellis, Burke, Ogunseye, Phillips and Kwayana? One of your kith and kin has written quite eruditely. Read the revealing truthfulness of the Blackman and their country. You should be surprised and you will not be able with justification, to dispute his general prognosis.