Mae’s Under-12 student Larissa Wiltshire is this year’s top performer at the National Grade Six Assessment after she gained 565 marks out of a possible 592 to pip 18,612 other students.

Larissa Wiltshire

Wiltshire secured a spot at the country’s premier secondary school, Queen’s College (QC).
Her school was the top performer in the country gaining some 20 spots in the country’s top 100.
Saying that he was “generally satisfied with the results,” Minister of Education Shaik Baksh yesterday revealed that this year there was an increase of almost 1,000 students who wrote the assessment, as compared to last year.  These students would also have written the Grade Two and Grade Four assessments in 2005 and 2007 respectively and the results were based on their overall performance at the three assessments.

According to Baksh, “five per cent of each candidate’s Grade Two score in Mathematics and English and ten per cent of the Grade Four scores in the same subjects, were added to 85% of their scores in those subjects. The combined scores of those two subjects were then added to the scores gained in Science and Social Studies.” The minister said the highest possible score to gain in Mathematics was 150; English, 149; Social Studies, 143; and Science, 150.

The cut-off scores for only five schools were listed by the ministry and they are: QC, 542; Bishops’ High, 534; St Stanislaus College, 528; St Roses High, 519; and St Joseph High, 514.

According to the minister, schools are now classified as sixth-form and class A, B, C and D schools and the classification is based on the performance index over a three-year period at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination.

“So it means from year to year a school can move from one classification to the other depending on their performance at the CSEC examination,” Baksh said.

And instead of having a cut-off score for each school as in previous years, the minister said, there are now cut-off scores for a class of schools in a geographic location.

“That is within the region… all Class A schools will have the same cut-off score in a geographical location so the country is divided into regions and geographical locations… This will help us clearly in avoiding the hardships of children having to travel for long distances. It would minimise those problems so that children can be allocated [schools] nearer to where they are living…” the minister said.

Baksh said some 50 students were awarded non-residential places at President’s College and a further 70 were awarded residential places.

With Mae’s Under-12 the top performing school this year St Margaret’s Primary came in second with 13 students in the top 100 followed by the New Guyana School and North Georgetown Primary with 12 and 11 respectively.
Cumberland Primary School in Berbice performed creditably with six students in the top 100.

Hurdles to regional trade need to be tackled to ensure that exporting to Caricom is consistent with a single market and no different to similar activity within a country, Jamaica’s Prime Minister Bruce Golding says.
On the first full day of deliberations at the 30th summit of Caricom heads, he chided member states for being unable to come to such an agreement despite a commitment to do so, declaring that a lot of work needs to be done.  The Prime Minster told reporters at the International Conference Centre yesterday that there is a need to establish a proper framework for standards.

He recalled that a commitment was made years ago to establish sanitary and phyto-sanitary standards that would be common to all countries. “We haven’t done that yet and we should get cracking on that. We also need to determine how are we going to deal with the question of certification. Under the WTO (World Trade Organisation) rules a country reserves the right to do risk assessments of (goods coming) into its country”, he stated.

“But we are a community, we are a single market and therefore we need to establish a framework of standards organisation where Jamaica would be prepared to accept the certification of the Trinidad standards body and vice versa rather than Jamaica having to say that before we need to accept the goods, we have to travel to Trinidad to go and inspect their processing facilities and they have to come to Jamaica to inspect ours”, he stated. Jamaica has experienced difficulties with its meat patties entering the Trinidad market and this led to Kingston’s Trade Minister Karl Samuda suggesting that a trade war was looming.

Bruce Golding

Golding declared that he finds it “ironic” and “absurd” that the European Union has accepted Jamaica’s standards organisation resulting in the grouping no longer needing to inspect Jamaica’s facilities. “They have assessed them and they accept their work and yet our own Caricom partners won’t accept the certification from our standards organisation, so is a lot of work that needs to be done”, he asserted.

He stated that this is important and portends significantly and adversely for the future, in that exporters are going to get tired of the frustration and therefore will not seek to build markets within the region. In this light, the Jamaican Prime Minister pointed out that there are exporters in his country, who feel that they can’t “bother with Caricom because it is too much headache” and are looking to North America, Brazil or Colombia to export. “They are prepared to pay duties in other markets rather than take on the burden of trying to get through the difficulties in Caricom”, he stated.  Guyana has also experienced serious problems over the last decade with rice    entering regional markets.

The Prime Minister commented that the hurdles need to be cleared away but it is not something that can be achieved through contention and quarrel. He said that the leaders must sit down and look at what needs to be straightened up, the commitments not honoured, the causes of the problem and how they can get this moving. Golding commented that he took this same view in relation to the free movement of Caribbean people – a hot button topic at this summit following a new Barbadian immigration policy that has seen Caricom illegals being rounded up and sent home under controversial circumstances.

Unilateral
Golding said he feels it is improper for any country in Caricom to take a unilateral position on the issue of intra-regional migration and use the issue of sovereignty as its defence.
In a direct reference to the migration policy adopted by Barbados, Golding told reporters that he was sure that heads could sit and work out any specific difficulties countries are experiencing with honouring any commitment under the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

Roosevelt Skerrit

“Let’s work them out. Let’s  not go off each on our own frolic to  take independent unilateral positions. A community cannot be run that way, we are all part of a community,” he urged.
Golding met with reporters during the lunch break of the first day of the summit which continues today.

The migration issue continues to be  contentious following the implementation of a policy in Barbados which has since given rise to many allegations of  Guyanese being ill-treated  by immigration authorities there, some of them being subjected to raids on their homes in the wee hours of the morning and then once not in possession of the appropriate documentation, they are taken to the airport and asked to leave the island.
Many Jamaicans have also been the target of the policy which broadly intends to clamp down on illegal CARICOM nationals.

Golding told reporters that since his arrival here he made contact back home with his head of immigration to find out exactly how many CARICOM nationals have been refused admission to Jamaica for the year. He said he was informed that only three such persons were sent home, one who was on a security list and another had forged documentation. He could not remember the reason for the other person being sent home.
Golding said he then asked the official how many Jamaican nationals were refused admission to other CARICOM countries. “That figure was over 500,” Golding said.

He said he acknowledged that there were countries in the region that had problems with free movement which Jamaica does not have, particularly those with smaller populations.
But Golding said he felt there was no point in beating member states “with a hammer” into conformity and maintained that this was not the approach that should be taken. In this regard he pointed to a more practical approach.

Sit at the table
“We must sit at the table and if a country has a difficulty, discuss it with us, put in on the table  because we have to be responsive to the particular difficulty that countries may have and we may need to work out with them. Maybe you can’t honour your commitment for the end of 2009, but how much more time you need and what special needs you may need,” he suggested.

He used The Bahamas as an example, noting that if that country had signed on to the CSME  it would encounter migration issues because of its close proximity to Haiti. Golding said proximity to Haiti has also resulted in many Haitians migrating to Jamaica.

And even though this has been posing some problems for Jamaica in a number of areas, he said this has still not led to any denial of access to Haitians.
“But these are problems we must come to the table with. I don’t think it is proper for any us to take a unilateral position and talk about our sovereignty and our right to do what we consider to do in our national interest. We are part of a community and if we have difficulties honouring our commitments let’s talk about it,” he emphasized.

Free movement
commitment
Further Golding said he was hopeful that together all CARICOM Heads would come to some consensus on this very contentious issue since they were only six months away from a commitment made in 2007. That commitment was for there to be complete free movement of all CARICOM nationals by the end of this year.

Already, he said, he has instructed officials in Jamaica to be ready and not wait until December but to start fulfilling that obligation now so that there is no culture shock at yearend. He said CARICOM could be shaken by the issue but there was need for discussion on the matter.

And while Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit prefers not to get involved in the debate, he cautioned that persons should  be aware of  the difference between  free movement and domestic immigration policy.   He also reminded reporters that while decisions were taken at the level of the heads, there was nothing in the revised treaty which gave responsibility for sanctioning of any member state.

“I will not engage in shouting across the Caribbean Sea. I don’t think it’s good for the advancement of the integration process. If there is an issue we have to discuss it and find a solution to the problem if there is one,” he urged.
He said he believed that there were  domestic issues, of which migration was one, which countries have been working to address.
Against this background he urged against a “mixing up” of free movement with domestic immigration policy.

“Free movement does not mean that people can reside  in another country illegally. We have to be careful we don’t mix the issues and then have this public fight among ourselves across the Caribbean Sea,” Skerrit said.

Managed Migration
Distinguished regional integrationist Sir Shridath Ramphal said yesterday he believes that there are genuine problems with migration in the region since it is not being managed and regulated.
“I don’t think there would be such a fuss if there had been an approach at the level of the heads about the management of migration,” he observed.  Ramphal who feels strongly that political will was needed for there to be proper implementation of agreements made at the level of CARICOM,  said too that a regional approach to the issue of immigration was a real challenge.

However he cautioned, “No one country should bear a disproportionate volume of the migration process and this is what has happened in Barbados… however I believe that what they are saying is that they want a managed migration programme and not no migration,” he said.

In an apparent reference to the targeting of illegal CARICOM nationals in Barbados, some of whom have been rounded up in early morning raids, Ramphal late last month told a gathering at the inauguration of the Caribbean Association of Judicial Officers in Port-of-Spain that it was sad that the Caribbean is experiencing a period  when both policies and practices are deepening divisions and he cautioned that “we forget our oneness at our peril.”
He said too that it was  always a sadness when, however propelled, “our societies are caught in a downward spiral of separateness with fellow West Indians cast as outsiders.”

Meanwhile, some “interesting ideas” have been discussed with regards to an implementation agency for decision making in Caricom, according to  Golding.  Poor implementation of decisions has been the bane of the community and was adverted to by former Prime Minister of Jamaica P J Patterson when he was decorated with the Order of the Caribbean Community on Thursday night.

Golding told reporters that he hopes that arising out of these ideas; a platform would have been built on which the Heads may be able to “finally address this enormous difficulty of governance”. He stated that he hopes that it gains traction because it makes sense to him and with regards to the “teeth” it may have, the Prime Minister stated that what is really needed is not so much teeth and authority but vigilance and this is the direction, they plan on going.
“I have been very clear and consistent on this. Caricom cannot acquire political authority without a political structure. We must stop tiptoeing around the mulberry bush”, he declared.

“If you want Caricom to be an authority that can override the Parliaments and the Cabinets of the individual member states then you must create a political union and identify those countries that are prepared to go in that direction. If you are not going in that direction, then the challenge is to find a mechanism that works because right now where the void I think exists, is that the authority resides in Heads”, he added.

Golding noted that Heads were prepared to give a commitment and having given that, to go home and persuade their cabinets and their parliaments. But, he pointed out, the Heads meet every six months and no organisation can operate on the basis that authority only exists twice a year for two or three days at a time.

“You need something that is more permanent or lasting and that’s where I think the decision has to (be made)”, he commented.

Athiel June, called Timothy, of 1976 Nutmeg Street, Festival City, North Ruimveldt collapsed on nearby Flying Fish Street.  He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) some time after 3 pm yesterday. Police have since taken a man into custody.

Reports are that June was riding along Flying Fish Street shortly after 2 pm where a group of persons was “liming”. June, an eyewitness said, shouted a comment about the sexual orientation of the group and continued riding. Shortly after, the man, a member of the group, rushed out of a nearby yard armed with an axe handle.

“This man come rushing out de yard with this axe handle in he hand,” an eyewitness reported late last evening, “and de next thing we see de man start lashing up Timothy bicycle and lashing he up so Timothy drop de bicycle and run in a yard.”

The incident, according to the eyewitness, occurred two houses away from the residence of June’s grandmother. After June rushed into the nearby yard, the eyewitness said, the man picked up two large bricks and hurled it at him.

“Lil after he get pelt with de two big brick he run out of de yard and he fall down on de street and is there de man go and start beating he with de axe handle…he de just lashing he in he head and around he heart area and so.”

Stabroek News was reliably informed that June’s attacker was also rushed to the medical institution yesterday afternoon for treatment. The man, hospital sources said, sustained a wound to his left arm. He was treated and taken into police custody where he remained up to press time.

Flying Fish Street residents said that June died shortly after he was battered. Efforts, they said, were made to revive him “but it was too late”.

“After de man done beat he and lef’ he there,” one resident recalled, “some people rush out and throw water pun he and so but he de done gone…he didn’t look like he de breathing.”

The deceased’s elderly grandmother, Joyce Frank, was unable to speak to Stabroek News yesterday. However, the man’s cousin said that while he had not witnessed the incident he was informed that “a friend” attempted to resuscitate June but was unsuccessful.

June, residents said, “had problems” with his family and had been living at the Nutmeg Street address for approximately one month. The man was employed as a carpenter/mason.

He leaves to mourn an 8-year-old daughter. (Sara Bharrat)

The cut cable

Chief Executive Officer, GT&T, Major General (Ret’d) Joe Singh said yesterday that service was not disrupted because a redundancy feature in the company’s system kicked in immediately. But the damage that was done was substantial.

Singh referred to the circumstances as “very curious” and declared at a press briefing that the situation results in a very grave state of affairs from a national security standpoint.

“…Why would anyone do something like this, much less on the day when we are hosting the CARICOM summit, we consider this not only an attempt to embarrass GT&T but that something sinister might also be afoot”, Singh said.

Since the service was not disrupted the company kept the situation quiet, Singh said. He noted that GT&T did not want to create a state of panic by suggesting that something sinister unfolded a short while before the summit opened here.

The damage, he explained, stunned the company technicians who were deployed to the area from Berbice and also from the city. He said that the team found that the act was deliberate, in that, the perpetrators damaged the steel casing which provides security for the cable by forcibly removing it. According to the CEO, those involved also tied the cable to a tractor resulting in it snapping. The team was on the ground within minutes of receiving the report which indicated that the incident occurred around 4:25 pm. The company said that restoration was completed around 10:30 pm.

Singh told reporters that the cable was cut on a mud dam a short distance from a beach on the West Coast Berbice. He said that the team endured the difficult conditions at the time and went in to begin working on the restoration. The company also had to deploy generators into the area.

The Head of the telephone company said that investigation by GT&T has revealed that “this was not someone digging carelessly this was a deliberate act of sabotage”. He said too that the company had experienced disruptions in the past, but had never experienced vandalism “like this before”.

Singh emphasized that the situation is an unacceptable state of affairs, adding that apart from the damage to infrastructure, the cost of restoration is substantial. He said too that the incident should create some cause for concern among persons who believe in upholding a national image.

GT&T has reported the matter to the Commissioner of Police and the force has since launched an investigation. Singh said that they are alerting the public to report any suspicious activity that is clearly not consistent with normal maintenance practice.

In the past GT&T has suffered a string of vandalism attacks and only recently a fibre optic cable leading south to Linden was severed with a chainsaw. The company has made no connections between the two incidents, but noted that both are “highly suspicious”.

Meanwhile, GT&T also reported that there was an Americas 11 cable failure which occurred at around 3:04 pm yesterday. The company said that investigations have revealed that the failure is in Suriname, adding that the fault was outside of its area of control.

Ashanti Schultz

Shultz also known as `Blondie’ approached the court through a battery of lawyers led by attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes. She is also seeking damages for false imprisonment from the period September 16, 2007 to July 2, 2009.

Justice William Ramlal directed the jury in Shultz’s trial to return a unanimous verdict of not guilty following no-case submissions by Hughes on Thursday. The judge, in his ruling, had pointed out that no evidence was presented in court to show that Shultz was guilty.

Nero, a 58-year-old hospital porter was fatally wounded in an incident where it was reported that Schultz and other women were involved in an argument.

Larissa Wiltshire

Samathra Rocke
Second place performer Samathra Rocke of St Margaret’s Primary was overcome with emotion yesterday when she was informed by this newspaper of her achievement. Her class teacher, Kathlyn Persico and the school’s principal Georgina Lewis, who were both surprised at the result, soothed her as she sat stunned at the news. Rocke, who was described by her class teacher as a simple, quiet, reserved student, said she never expected to feature in the top 10 at the assessment; she even asked this reporter to check if the information was correct.
After composing herself a few minutes later, Rocke said that she hopes to pursue studies in the science field and expressed appreciation to her parents, teachers who worked with her over the years, and more importantly, she noted, to almighty God.

Elijah Babb
Elijah Babb of the New Guyana School said he felt good at securing third place at the assessment. He told this newspaper yesterday that without the assistance provided to him by his teachers and parents, his achievement would not have been a possibility. The young man, who displayed a contented look as he spoke to Stabroek News, related that he spent many hours at night studying for the assessment. Babb, who is the older of his parents’ two sons, said that he wants to become a pilot. He said he intends to continue working hard at QC in the new school term and his advice to students preparing for the NGSA is to stay focused and study hard in order to get good results. He expressed a special thank you to his class teacher Ms Shirley Green. His parents, who were present at the interview, were also elated at their son’s achievement.

Abhiymanyu Dev
Abhiymanyu Dev of the Leonora Primary School who shared the fourth position with Sasha Williams of Mae’s Under 12, gaining 562 marks and a spot at QC, told Stabroek News that he felt very excited upon learning from his teacher that he had done so well in his exams.
The nine-year-old who wants to be a famous international cricketer told this newspaper that though he studied very hard and made sacrifices, he never found himself staying up very late at night or overworking his brain. He did however stress that “making sacrifices and studying hard are the keys to success.”

Dev said that his greatest source of inspiration to perform well at his exams came from his sister Anuradha Dev, who topped the country when she wrote the exam in 2006. He said he is anxiously awaiting the start of the new school term to attend QC with his sister. He said that God, his teachers and parents played an instrumental role in his success.

Dev, who wore a calm look on his face throughout the interview, said that in his spare time, he enjoys reading and playing cricket and now that the exam results have been released, he can sleep well at nights and not have to worry constantly about his performance. With a smile, he ended the interview by saying, “though I don’t know exactly what my parents will give me, I know that they will reward me well for my hard work.”

Somant Heeralall
Somant Heeralall, of Annandale Primary who spoke to this newspaper from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri where he was about to board a flight for the US yesterday, told Stabroek News that he was very happy at his performance and he said that he will continue working hard at his new school QC come September. Even though the results were beyond his expectations, the young man said that he had been performing fairly well at school over the years and he intends to work towards becoming a doctor in the future. His mother Nirmala, told this newspaper that the family was sending Somant on a vacation and the news of his results was the icing on the cake for the young man. She expressed a special thank you to Caribbean Airlines, who she said gave her family some additional time at the airport to celebrate her son’s achievement.

Khajal Parasnath
Khajal Parasnath of the Dharmic  Rama Krishna, who shared the sixth position with Somant Heeralall of Annandale Primary and Darius Ali of Marian Academy, told this newspaper yesterday at her school that she was excited when she received her results. The young lady said she wished to thank her       parents and teachers who assisted her throughout her preparations for the assessment. Parasnath noted that three of her colleagues will be attending QC with her in the new school term and said this will be to her benefit since her friends will be with her as she gets used to the secondary school environment in the new term. Her father Himkaran Parasnath was equally excited and he told this newspaper that Khajal is the second child of his who will be at QC, as he noted that there is a friendly rivalry between Khajal and his elder daughter.

Darius Ali
Darius Ali of Marian Academy, who visited Stabroek News yesterday for an interview, said that his achievement was the result of hard work. He said he did a lot of studying as he prepared for the assessment and while he was unsure as to what career path he intends to follow in future, he said he will be working hard at Marian Academy, where he will continue studies in the secondary department in the new school year. He said he was thankful to God, his parents and his teachers who all assisted him greatly during his preparations for the assessment. He mentioned the name of his class teacher, Sir Gonsalves and Sister Marie Harper, the school’s head, among others as the persons who played an important role during his school life thus far. His father Ramsay Ali said that he was proud of his son’s achievement and noted that his son’s elder sister had also made the family proud a few years ago at the same exam.

Tonya Alves
Tonya Alves, one of three students of the Mae’s Under 12 primary to feature in the top 10, said she had been putting a lot of effort into her schoolwork over the past two years as she had been working with a timetable to complete her studies. She said even though she expected to do well at the assessment, the results were a little beyond her expectations. Alves said she will be moving on to QC in the new school year and hopes to one day fulfil her dream of becoming a paediatrician. Her parents said that Tonya, the older of their two daughters, had been doing well at school over the years. They both expressed appreciation to the school and God for their daughter’s achievement.

Raman Rameez Arjune
Raman Rameez Arjune, told Stabroek News that he is “very excited about my performance. I expected to do very well but I didn’t think I would top this whole region or even come ninth in the country. I really wanted to top the school.” He had no problems during the course of his studies, and thanked God for his success. “I also want to thank my teachers, especially Sir Roger [Wilson], my headmistress, my parents and those persons who helped me.”

According the headmistress of Edinburgh Primary school, Mrs Rose Dos Ramos, she is “extremely happy not only for the child but for the school as a whole. Something like this will put some wind in my sails. We have never had anyone in the top ten in the country and topping the region as well. But this is wonderful”, she said amidst tears.

Roger Wilson, the Grade Six teacher, said that he has been teaching for some 12 years, with five years in the Grade Six. “Over the years we had children going to President’s College, but never in the top 10.” He said he always thought Raman could it, but with it now happening, “it’s like a dream come through for any teacher”.

He said teachers “should forget about the negative things that parents may want to say, and keep pushing the children.” He told Stabroek News that he had given up classes at university, his leave, and even spare time, just to spend more time with his pupils. “Teachers must not be seen as a threat but as someone to work along with. There needs to be more cooperation among head teachers, teachers and parents; and they should work as a family,” he said. “Raman was always on top of his game. If someone challenges him he will work even harder to keep on top. With all of this he continued to remain simple. He does not get swell-headed.”

Bibi Jameela Arjune, Raman’s mother, said she never had any problems with her son. “He was always willing to work. Sometimes he got angry when he was not getting things right, but his father, Hardat Arjune would work out things with him. ”

David Ramroop
One of five children who gained ninth place in the NGSA, 11 year-old David Ramroop of Peter’s Hall Primary School was all smiles when this newspaper arrived at the school yesterday. He said he was in a state of shock and disbelief when he was told by his head teacher that he had done very well and had placed ninth in the country with 559 marks.

“I couldn’t believe it,” the aspiring computer scientist said. “It is indeed a dream come through for me, I always wanted to attend Queen’s College and now I can’t wait for school to reopen and put on my QC uniform.”
He said that though they were times when he felt tense and nervous, he still believed he was going to be in the top 10 or 20. Listing his grandfather who is now deceased as his main source of encouragement, he said he wished his granddad was around to share in his joy. He said that he is very grateful first of all to God and also to his teachers and parents who supported him during the time of his examinations.

Ramroop said that before his grandfather died, he told him that it was important to do well in his exams. “That is exactly what I did,” he said. Ramroop said that among the many things his family will be planning for his success, is a thanksgiving service in honour of his performance.

Lisa John
Lisa John, 12, of Leonora Primary School who also shared the ninth place with 559 points and secured her seat at QC said, “I’m really happy that I have performed well and made my parents and teachers proud of me. I always knew that I would do well but was shocked at having been placed in the top 10.”

The visibly happy John said she stayed up late many nights revising her work and had to give up the television and the computer. This aspiring bank manager said that she was grateful to God and to her teachers and parents for the support and encouragement they had given her.

John said she was promised a trip to Trinidad by her parents if she had performed well and would be looking forward to it.  “Oh my gosh, I can’t wait to dress up in my QC uniform for the new school term. It is a pity that September is still so far away. I can promise you that I will enjoy my August vacation though,” John said.

Ashmini Persaud
Twelve-year-old Lima, Essequibo Coast resident Ashmini Persaud’s only wish after securing the ninth position in the country is for her parents to take her on a trip to Kaieteur Falls.
“That is all I wish for,” the excited Sparta Primary School pupil told Stabroek News via telephone yesterday. When this newspaper contacted her and shared the good news with her she was busy cleaning the school building, along with other students, for their graduation ceremony tomorrow. She said while she expected to do well she never in her dreams would have thought she would have made it to the top ten in the country.  The daughter of Dev and Nalini Persaud said her ambition is to one day become a banker or a doctor. Her father is a supervisor at the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) Anna Regina branch. Ashmini singled out her class teacher, Prameshwar Deonarine and her parents for special mention as she said without them she would not have been in the top ten.
“She always use to do well in school but is like the entire country and we would never think she would do this well, I am so happy,” her mother Nalini told Stabroek News.

And it is the first time the Sparta Primary School has done so well. Headmaster, Sooknaraine Khanhai yesterday said that Persaud has always been outstanding in her work and they expected her to perform well. He said the entire school was happy at her performance as it is an indication that the school has the potential to do better in the future. Persaud’s teacher, Sir Deonarine said he was extremely happy at Persaud’s performance as his goal in teaching is always for his students to perform exceptionally well. He described Ashmini as a “very dedicated and hardworking student who always did her work” adding that her parents played a great role in her performance as they made sure she did her homework. (Alva Solomon, Femi Harris and Adrian Smith)

Agents told this newspaper that they went to work as per normal yesterday morning, when they were told that they had to vacate the premises by yesterday afternoon.  This left many agents infuriated and some saw it as a case of insult being added to injury. In March of this year, the two buildings which closed the agents on Lamaha Street and Irving were closed down and the agents were relocated to the Head Office. In April, the agents launched a protest over the non-payment of their commissions and about the manner in which they were being treated by the management of the embattled company. On that occasion, the agents complained that they had not received any of their commissions since January.

This newspaper understands that the payment of outstanding commissions remains unsettled.
CLICO (Guyana) was placed under Judicial Management on February 25 after CLICO (Bahamas) was put into liquidation. The Bahamian company held US$34 million of CLICO (Guyana)’s money, which represented 53% of the local company’s assets. This exposure put CLICO (Guyana’s)  liquidity under enormous strain.

“It’s being drafted,” Jagdeo said when asked about the status of the legislation after a news conference last Friday.
He had initially given a two-month timetable for the tabling of the bill when asked by international journalists at the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad, in late April.  “As soon as we come out of the recess,” he said, explaining that there is not enough time before the recess to present the bill.

“When we come out of recess [the] Freedom of Information [bill] will definitely be there and maybe early next year broadcast legislation,” he added.

The administration has failed to act on the two-year-old FOI bill tabled by AFC leader Raphael Trotman, who said the announcement of plans to table legislation was an attempt to save face after questions about governance, corruption, and transparency in Guyana were raised by the party in a full-page advertisement placed in the Trinidad Express during the Summit.

The main opposition PNCR-1G as well as GAP/ROAR have both publicly pledged their support for the bill and according to Trotman the AFC had always indicated its willingness to engage the governing party on advancing the legislation.
The AFC recently issued a public reminder to the administration of Jagdeo’s promise to table long-awaited legislation.
It also stated that the government should remember that the party has already placed legislation before the National Assembly designed to achieve the same objective of providing access to information to members of the public.

AFC MP Sheila Holder, noting that the government would be using the Trinidad & Tobago model as a precedent just as the AFC, emphasised that since President Jagdeo made his promise in a very public and international way, the eyes of the free world are on him and his government.

“The AFC is more than willing to have the government endorse, and adopt its bill in order to expedite the process,” she added.

Meanwhile, Presidential Advisor on Governance Gail Teixeira has told Stabroek News that the legislation is being drafted and would be tabled in the National Assembly shortly. When informed that the two-month timetable given by the President is approaching, she said, “These things take time.”

She insisted that work is continuing on the bill and it would be introduced in the assembly upon completion.

Haseeb ‘Packer’ Hussain and Hemwattie ‘Rita’ Hussain who operate a gas station at Fyrish and a grocery and off-licence liquor shop at Belvedere had just finished business for the day when they were attacked.

Reports are that the men escaped on foot from the direction of Rose Hall with their booty while firing several rounds in the air. The bandits also beat Hussain severely on his head and back with the gun butt and cutlass.

Shortly after the robbery he was taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital and treated for a gaping wound to his head which was bleeding. He returned to the hospital yesterday for an x-ray. His ears have also been bleeding due to the hits.

The businessman also sustained a cut on the palm of his hand while trying to overpower the bandit with the cutlass.
Police said in a release that mobile patrols quickly responded and roadblocks were established at strategic positions. The release said that “two men have been arrested and were in police custody being questioned.”

Yesterday police sources told this newspaper that the two men were still being interrogated but the lawmen were still “not sure if they were involved in the robbery.”

The release also said that two live 12-gauge cartridges, two spent shells and a cutlass were recovered at the scene by the police.

Hussain told Stabroek News yesterday that the bandits demanded that he hand over his .32-revolver and shotgun with matching rounds and he refused. However he was forced to hand over the weapons after the men threatened to “shoot me wife and kill she.”

According to him, “Gun is just a material thing and it can’t bring back a life. I had to choose between me wife and the gun and I decided to give them the gun because me can’t get back a wife like this one…”

At one stage, he said the bandit with the cutlass was alone in a room with him demanding more money and jewellery and he decided to grab the cutlass.

He said he was able to wrest the cutlass away “because he young; all of them young and me coulda manage them” but the bandit fled the room leaving the cutlass behind.

After snatching the money and jewellery, the bandits ran downstairs while the one with the gun remained in the room with him. He said he also tried to “scramble him and shut the room door with he inside.”

However, at the same time the round was discharged and the bandit was able to “slip out” of the room.
He recalled that he was relaxing in his hammock in the lower flat of the house when he saw the bandits entering while holding his wife at gunpoint. He said they shouted “nobody move” and demanded “all the money and jewellery.”

They also ordered him and his wife to get down on the floor while they ransacked the flat. Not satisfied with their loot, they started to beat Hussain, saying “that can’t be all.”

They then took the couple upstairs and continued to ransack the house.
Me give them everything but they still din satisfy.”

Hemwattie told this newspaper that she was closing the gate when the bandits approached her and “grab me shirt in front” They pointed the gun at her and took her into the house, warning her not to “make any noise.”

She said that throughout the 15 to 20 minutes ordeal she kept begging the bandits to spare their lives. They had also stripped her of the jewellery she was wearing.

As all this happening, terrified residents remained indoors and contacted the police. After the bandits left “the street was full with people,” lamenting the ordeal, Hussain said. (Shabna Ullah)

Almost two years of dialysis and other medical expenses have exhausted the financial resources of Nalini Mohammed and left her desperately fighting to stay alive.
It was this desperation that prompted her and her husband of 14 years, Rasheed Mohammed, to stand in front of the Conference Centre at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara with placards which read “Save my wife” and “Jagdeo/CARICOM I will die within days, Can’t afford dialysis”.

The distressed couple told Stabroek News yesterday that they were prompted by a businessman to stand peacefully with their placards at the opening ceremony of 30th Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government yesterday. This, they explained, seemed like a good way to get the attention of the government or anyone who could help.

The couple can be seen in this photo behind Mark Benschop making their appeal

The woman, her voice weak, said that the Ministry of Health had paid for 20 treatments last year but she has since been unable to get further help. According to an invoice from the 5G Dialysis Centre, Mohammed must receive dialysis three times a week. Each treatment, the invoice said, costs just over $36,000.

“We called the businessman for help and explained that we were at a standstill and weren’t getting any help… We need money for her treatment,” her husband explained.

He said they are going to wait and see what sort of reaction they will get from the appeal. He expressed hope that someone will help his wife since her life depends on steady treatment.

Mohammed was diagnosed in October 2007 with Chronic Kidney Disease [Chronic Glomerulonephritus] and End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). In November 2007 she was advised by medical practitioners that she needed dialysis to stay alive. Both of her kidneys are failing.

“The doctor told me that I would need dialysis treatment and asked me if I could afford it,” she recalled. “I told him that I gonna try because meh want to stay alive.”

Before her illness Mohammed was a seamstress and her husband was gainfully employed. However, pain and weakness has since limited her physical activities and her husband was forced to leave his job to care for her.

“We have no children and there is no one else to take care of me… sometimes I would fall down in the house and so,” Shivram said.

No donor & rest

Nalini Mohammed and her husband Rasheed

The woman has since been advised that she needs to find a kidney donor.
“I been trying for a while to get a donor but nobody ain’t want to help me live,” she said, tears glistening in her eyes. “My husband is willing to give me one of his kidney but if he does who going to take care of who?”

Mohammed explained that she and her husband have no one else to depend on so she is truly “in a fix”. She needs a donor by August when the doctors who are able to perform the surgery will be here.

“Sometimes I does get so confused… is like I don’t know what to do,” she said. “I get tired of asking people for help… is like I turn a beggar now.”
Pointing to her sink stacked with unwashed dishes, Mohammed said she wasn’t even able to do her own household chores. Simple tasks like washing, cooking and cleaning are no longer things she can do. Her husband, she said, does everything for her.

“If it wasn’t for him I don’t know what I woulda do,” she said. “I am sick but I have a wonderful husband and I know I am well loved by him.”
Shortly after she began her treatment, Mohammed explained, a Canadian woman helped her and her husband to open a small shop which Mohammed now operates. The woman, according to Mohammed, wanted them to have a steady source of income so that they would be able to pay their bills.

However, that income is not enough to cover the cost of her treatment and they are often forced to walk from house to house to ask for help. Several people have since contributed to her treatment, she said.

“I wake up about 5 in de morning and do the normal things then I get she something to eat,” the husband said.
As he spoke of their daily routine he fought for control of his emotions. But as he dealt with the fear of his wife dying, her pain and discomfort the tears began to flow. He said she has trouble sleeping.

“When we can’t pay for she treatment some weeks we does can’t sleep,” Rasheed Mohammed said. “We does wake up at all hours of the night and she does be crying and saying how she going to die.”

The man, looking at his wife for a long moment, said that the worst part of their “problem” is that he has what his wife needs to stay alive but circumstances are preventing him from giving it.

“I can give she one of me kidney but who we going to get to look after we when all two ah we in de hospital,” the distressed man queried.
The 36-year-old woman has trouble walking even short distances. Her entire body appears to be swollen and patches of discoloration were visible on her arms and legs yesterday. Sleep, the woman said, was perhaps the hardest task for her. Worry, although it clogs her mind all day, fiercely attacks her at night.
She said that if she ever regains her health and strength the first thing she will do is get a “good long rest.

“I could hardly walk on my swollen feet that day [Thursday],” she said. “But if standing for one hour in pain outside a big meeting for important people will get me help then I am prepared to do that. I want to live.”

India, who now lead the four-match series 2-1, needed 11 to  win off the final over of the game and Dhoni whacked Jerome  Taylor’s second ball for a big six high over midwicket to make  the task manageable.

A smart innings of 62 from 59 balls by Ramnaresh Sarwan had  put West Indies on their way to a good total but he was run out  just when the home side looked to up the tempo.

West Indies had made a flying start with skipper Chris Gayle  smashing 27 off 14 but he went caught behind Ashish Nehra just  after the first of a series of rain interruptions.

West Indies were 66 for one off 10 overs and with Sarwan’s  intelligent batting they moved to 105 for two off 16.

The rain reduced their innings to 27 overs and although West  Indies made 186 for seven, further delays meant India had only  159 to make off 22 overs.

Openers Dinesh Karthik (47) and Gautam Gambhir (44) put on  84 for their first wicket inside 13 overs to give the tourists a  good platform.

Karthik was run out and then Gambhir was caught behind off  Sulieman Benn’s spin and when danger-man Yuvraj Singh went for  two, caught by Darren Bravo off David Bernard, West Indies had  clawed their way back into the game.

India needed 16 off the last 12 balls but Dwayne Bravo  delivered the perfect penultimate over — getting Rohit Sharma  out and conceding just five runs.
Gayle decided to bring back Taylor for the final over rather  than allow Ravi Rampaul to continue and the gamble did not work  as Dhoni’s big six, after Yusuf Pathan had scrambled a single,  ensured India needed just four off four balls — a task they  completed without trouble.

West Indies must now win the final match — at the same  venue tomorrow — in order to tie the series.

The Ministry of Housing has halted the Linden Town Council’s (LTC) “illegal” practice of “fining” residents who breach building codes and in response the LTC has adopted a hands-off attitude saying the courts will deal with defaulters in future.

Chairman of the Interim Management Committee of the LTC Orin Gordon, who says he has had enough and will not contest mayoral elections slated for this year, said the issue of Lindeners breaching building codes and putting up structures without plans being approved has been a chronic one.
Speaking at a press conference which sought to address several issues facing the council, he said that in the past the council would “fine” defaulters $40,000 and allow them to proceed with their construction. The precedent for this, he said, was a similar matter that was taken to court. “It was with that pattern following the suggestion by one lawyer that we decided on that $40,000,” Gordon said.

Orin Gordon

He further stated that defaulters were given three options: break down, be taken to court or pay the fine. However this action was ordered stopped by the Minister of Housing via a letter which said that the council’s action was in violation of the law by charging the fine.

He said the LTC was advised to return monies collected. According to Gordon, acceding to that order would mean going against the court order and he would not be complying. The minister was written to, to that effect.

Gordon said that as a result of this action by the Ministry of Housing the council has taken a back seat on issues of this nature. This, he said, can result in persons constructing properties on the reserve and having to be taken to court. This, he said, would only have an adverse effect since court procedures can be very long and persons would by then completed their construction work.

He said it was hoped that with the reform of the Municipal Act, which should precede municipal elections, issues of governance would be more applicable, empowering councils to deal in a more effective way with their administrations.

Gordon said the problems being brought to bear with the administration of the town council stifle development and order within the township. He pointed to several problems ranging from revenue collection, to the sale of council properties.

Tolls
Apart from the collection of rates and taxes which is expected to reduce considerably this year, the council gets its revenues from stall rentals throughout the town, bridges leases and other tolls. Gordon expressed grave dissatisfaction with the revenue which is collected at the Kara Kara toll gate. The council had projected that an average of $100,000 would be netted on a daily basis. However this has been falling short considerably. He said revenues at that toll station are collected from grocery and lumber trucks on entering and leaving the town respectively.

Obliquely opposite the M&TC’s toll station at Kara Kara is the forestry department at which timber trucks are required to stop before leaving the town. One check had revealed that in excess of 500 trucks were documented for the month of November 2008. However the council’s toll records for revenue collected for the same period accounted only for 60 trucks. It is believed that illegal activities have been plaguing the system and are putting undue pressure on the council.

Gordon said that for sometime now the council has been seeking to have the service contracted out privately but to no avail. This, he said, is constantly hampering development in the town since most of the current earnings are spent on wages and salaries and payments to pensioners. This amounts to some $4.2 million monthly.

Controversial
Meanwhile, Linden businessman Dustanni Barrow, in a recent publication of the ‘What the people say’ column in this newspaper had opined that one of the main problems in Linden was that persons who should be managing the town and assisting business persons and those interested in starting up businesses are not doing so. Instead they are looking at every minuscule, insignificant thing that would prevent them from doing so and using that not to give permits and whatever assistance they may need.
Gordon said Barrow was referring to a controversial issue in which the businessman had encroached on council’s property by building a fence and a gate on council’s reserve. The problem was identified when the plan was taken to the council where it was decided that the plan should not have gone through until there was a discussion with the council.

“The administration went behind the council’s back and sent the document to Georgetown. Unfortunately what they didn’t know was that the people from Georgetown would have come up and done inspections,” Gordon said.

He said the plan was rejected by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) on the grounds that the council’s reserves were encroached on.
Gordon said a meeting was organized with the legal owner of the business and others who were found to have violated the building regulations but two of the main defaulters failed to show up.

According to Gordon, the council was prepared to grant permission for the work to continue which would have been communicated to the CHPA and the plan would have been passed.

“We have an administration that is very weak and we have a problem when the big establishments get away with it and then we going and tackling the smaller establishments. That can’t be right and this is where we have a problem,” Gordon said.

The LTC was heavily criticized at the press conference. Reference was made to the late payment of wages and salaries to workers especially over the past three months, owing to insufficient funds in the account. Note was made of the administration’s inability to expend the first tranche of its 2008 subvention, while there are several projects that should have and can be executed paving the way for the collection of the second tranche in a timely manner.

Over the past six years the council has changed over five town clerks. The current acting town clerk suggested that the problem might lie not with the town clerks but rather with the management style of the council. He said his stint in the position would also be short.

Meanwhile, Gordon emphatically stated that he would not be contesting the mayoral elections slated for this year. “I have had enough over the past six years and I think it’s time for someone else to take a try at it,” he said.

In the Meusa/Nandalall game Nandalall according to reports, found himself in trouble as he was late developing his pieces.

However the unthinkable happened and Meusa  blundered away his Queen, thus allowing Nandalall to secure the victory.

In the battle of the Khan’s, the junior champion defeated his father David Khan in 42 moves. Veteran player Errol Tiwari continued to have an atrocious tournament going down to young Brian Thompson while Haatram Parbat defeated Omar Shariff.

On Thursday, Taffin Khan proved too much for leader Nandalall and after a relentless attack secured the win.
Nandalall’s defeat enabled Meusa to regain the lead with a win over Irshad Mohamed while Learie Webster got the better of David Khan and  Parbat won from  Thompson.

BLUNDER! Wendell Meusa holds his head in his match against Shiv Nandalall.

Tiwari’s woes continued when he was upset by Ryan Singh while Alex Joseph defeated Omar Shariff as the upsets continued.
After five rounds, Meusa and Taffin Khan are in the lead on four points and they are followed by Nandalall on three and a half points.
Webster and Parbat come next with three points each  while Mohamed and  Thompson are on two and a half points.

David Khan and Ryan Singh on two, Errol Tiwari on one and a half and Alex Joseph and Omar Shariff on one apiece are the other competitors.
In the junior category, Rashad Hussain is in the lead by half of a point, followed by his brother Aslam Hussain. The points standing after four rounds, Rashad Hussain three and a half, Aslam Hussain, Sham Khan and Saeed Ali on three, Sheriffa Ali and Devendra Singh two and a half, Khalid Gajraj, Carlos Griffith and Alexander Brassington on two apiece, Irshad Ishmael on one and a half and Clive Bender on one point. In the beginner’s category Mandy Ramnarine is in the lead followed by her sister Miranda Ramnarine. The tournament continues this Monday at the Kei-Shar’s Sports Club from 9:30 AM
Sasha Cells is the exclusive sponsor of the tournament.

The outside of the house

The fire is believed to have started around 12.30 pm. Daiwantie Khan who resides upstairs said, “I don’t know what happen all we saw was smoke and we smell something like rubber burning.”

She said that after looking out and realizing that there was a fire downstairs she and her sister ran out of the house. Khan said the response by the fire service was “fast”.

Deoranie Babulall one of the residents of the two-bedroom bottom-flat said that she was at work and just           happened to be passing by when she saw the smoke. She said that she tried calling her aunt (Khan) but got no response. It was a neighbour who called her to let her know about the fire.
Although the inside of the house was badly scorched and the windows were shattered, the outside of the house was without damage.
The floor of the upper flat was scorched.

Some of the damage in the lower flat

While the incident had everyone shaken the residents are thankful that no one got hurt.

Richard Young, the creative force behind Sonia Noel’s Glamorous, is impressed with the bunch he has groomed this year and he has seen some potential “drama” in a few of the hopefuls.

Catwalk Diva Meleesa Payne models a Sonia Noel design

The hotly-contested photo shoot for the model search wrapped up at Splashmin’s several days ago and is to be aired shortly. Richard said the shoot this year was interesting because it was pushed up to an earlier time allowing for a fresh daybreak setting.

“The models were up before sunrise and the cameras were ready to roll within a few minutes, it really was something special to watch,” he said.

Richard said the models this year seemed to have grasped the concept of the “complete runway package” better than the previous year, adding that they understood the importance of not simply walking on the runway and believing that “this was all”.

Designers and stylists had to incorporate environmental awareness and HIV/AIDS and domestic violence into their work. He said that the focus was not solely on designing but also demonstrating a responsibility to raise awareness on pertinent issues.

With respect to the stylists, he said, they were drafted in because the role of stylists had been underplayed in the past. He explained that the stylists are make-up those persons who understand how to use clothes to reach an audience.

“While the designer creates the outfit the stylist is the one who sells it, and I was impressed with how the stylists in this competition understood the roles they play,” Richard added.

He said what Sonia Noel is doing by putting on the show every year is rearing a new crop of models to enter an industry that he acknowledged is difficult to survive in here. But, he noted the competition instills in models the notion of creating a niche in the field. According to him, the avenue is there for models to think “outside of the catwalk” and branch out to marketing products.

He said this was the same message that was shared with the designers. Richard said designing for the catwalk is important, but it is also practical to think of designing for companies even if it is producing a batch of jumpsuits.

Richard said the final, which is to be held on July 12 at Princess Buddy’s Hotel, is shaping up to be quite an event. Since the model search and the designer and stylist competitions have been merged for the final show Richard said the public will have “quite a fill”.

He also mentioned that auditions for Guyana Fashion Weekend noted are slated for July 5 and 6 at the Hotel Tower.

The auditions begin at 2 pm each day.

Works ongoing at the Unity Health Centre.

In a press release Regional Executive Officer Shafdar Alli said that capital works for education, health, drainage and irrigation infrastructure, roads and bridges with expenditure totalling $150.4 million are 30% complete. He said too under the current work programme about 40% of the works are complete.

The release said $32M is expected to be spent on completing the Practical Instruction Centre at Buxton along with major rehabilitation works at the Susannah Rust Primary School located up the Demerara River, the Lusignan and St Andrew’s Primary on the East Coast and Silver Hill Primary on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway. These projects are scheduled to be completed by September.

The REO also said that a heavy-duty concrete bridge will be built at a cost of $20 million. The National Procurement and Tender Administration Board is to soon award the contract.

In the area of health, Alli said the health centres at Cane Grove are 30% complete with works about 35% completed on the Unity Health Centre. Also, the rehabilitation to the Dr CC Nicholson Hospital and the Doctor’s and Medex Quarters were to be awarded at a July 1 sitting of the Regional Procurement and Tender Administration Board.

Revetment works at Enmore have been completed.

Additionally, repairs to Cummings Street, Buxton are 65% complete while the rehabilitation of streets in North, Vryheid’s Lust is 70% complete; at Old Road Ogle, 30% complete and at Lincoln Street, Enterprise 2% complete. This project was awarded at a Tender Board Meeting of June 3. Alli also said the slow pace of road works is due to the inclement weather.

In agriculture, the construction of a greenheart revetment at Cane Grove is 65% complete while the construction of a green heart revetment at Enmore has been completed. Also the building of a greenheart revetment at Busby Dam, Craig is 30%; the excavation of a canal at Supply is 2% complete and the rehabilitation of Beterverwagting East Sideline was to be awarded on July 1.

The REO also said all outstanding projects are expected to be advertised, evaluated and awarded before the end of July. He said the regional administration recently issued a stern warning to contractors who fail to carry out works according to specifications. Alli said the region will institute liquidated damages against defaulting contractors and he called on the Regional Democratic Council Works Committee to ensure that works are carried out according to specification, via close monitoring.

He also told residents that it is in their interest to become involved in the development process and urged them to report on evidence of inferior or defective works within their communities.

Alli said that the Engineering Department will increase supervision of works carried out by the contractors to ensure quality works and services are provided to the regional administration.

Noel Adonis

“This is a matter that has been engaging our attention. It is an important issue and one we have to address. It is a matter of an individual who, as far as we are concerned, operated outside of the transfer regulations of FIFA,” Adonis told Stabroek Sport in an invited comment yesterday.

On Thursday at a press conference held at the Waterchris Hotel, president of the Alpha United Football Club Odinga Lumumba called on the GFF to address the issue.

Adonis said the GFF was dealing with the issue.
“We are in contact with the Suriname Football Federation (FVB) We can’t go directly to the club. They are the ones to contact Leo Victor. He added:”There are channels.  We don’t feel those channels have been exhausted but some people tend to believe that things should happen more quickly than the regulations permit.
The fact of the matter is that we don’t think the issue warranted the type of prominence it received but other people will have different opinions.”

Odinga Lumumba

Anthony `Awo’ Abrams’s

Questioned as to whether Abrams did receive a transfer from the GFF Adonis responded by saying. “What I can say is that initially his move to Suriname was legitimate but subsequently there were new developments in that he came back, was playing in Guyana and then he decided  to go back in contravention of the rules and regulations pertaining to football transfers by FIFA.”

Adonis had called on the authorities to ban the player for approxitamely two to three years  but according to Adonis the GFF had suspended Abrams since last November on account of the issue.

“It’s indefinite,” he said of the extent of the suspension adding “Until we would have been able to resolve it.”

Jackson, who collected a record 10th championship ring when  the Lakers beat the Orlando Magic 4-1 in last month’s NBA  Finals, made the decision after having several medical tests.

“After consulting with Lakers team internist Dr. John Moe, I  feel confident that I can gainfully pursue an NBA season with  another long playoff post-season,” Jackson said in a statement  on the Lakers website ((http://www.nba.com/lakers).
“All things point to go!”

Jackson, who will turn 64 in September, has had both hips  replaced and underwent an angioplasty procedure in 2003 to open  a clogged artery in his heart.
Last season, he missed two West Coast road games because of  painful swelling in his lower right leg.

But under his astute guidance the Lakers clinched their 15th  championship against the Magic and appear likely to add more  titles in the next few seasons.

Eleven times All-Star Kobe Bryant, 30, and 34-year-old Derek  Fisher are the experienced players in the Lakers starting lineup  with additional high-quality experience coming from forwards  Lamar Odom, 29, and Spaniard Pau Gasol, 28.

Jackson, whose 10th NBA title eclipsed the record he shared  for seven years with Red Auerbach, will embark on a 19th season  in the NBA.

He won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls between  1991 and 1998 before moving to Los Angeles in 1999 and guiding  the Lakers to the NBA crown in his first three seasons.
The fastest coach to reach 1,000 career victories, Jackson’s  total of 1,041 wins ranks sixth in the all-time list while his  winning percentage of .705 is unsurpassed.

The equipment included 15 computer systems, electrical gloves, and a photocopier among other items. Some of the household items included three televisions, five water dispensers and torchlights among other items.

The donation is valued at $6,653,867 with funding coming from the Global Fund HIV/AIDS Programme. It is part of the Ministry of Health’s ongoing effort to assist homes that take care of orphans and other vulnerable children with the needed items to meet the minimum standards.

Dr Frank Anthony

The Minimum Operational Standards and Regulations for Children’s Homes in Guyana was launched in July 2008 and is a collaboration between the ministries of Health and Human Services with technical assistance from UNICEF.

Speaking at the simple handing-over ceremony Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy said that in his days the NOC was seen as a place where children were locked away. He said the facility has since seen a paradigm shift and he congratulated the Minister, Dr Frank Anthony on the work his ministry has been doing with the facility. “This is not just a handing-over exercise but a joint effort by [our] ministries…to ensure that we change the paradigm at the NOC,” Ramsammy said.

The new Opportunity Corps is managed by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

Anthony, in his acceptance remarks on behalf of the NOC stated that had it not been for the Ministry of Health the NOC would have been unable to meet the minimum standards. He expressed his gratitude to Ramsammy’s ministry for the assistance it has given through the years. He explained that the computers will be used to provide information technology (IT) training to the residents of NOC.

Although the NOC offers children living there training in Carpentry, Masonry, Sewing and basic Maths and English, the minister highlighted the need for knowledge in IT and pointed out that this can now happen with the donation.

“When the children leave the NOC we want them to have something; we want them to be employable,” Anthony said.
Touching on the perception that children of the NOC are criminals, Anthony pointed out that 90 percent of them were only there because they have had difficult circumstances. He said the NOC was not a jail.

He pointed out that many of the children there attended schools in the community and challenged anyone to take a visit to the facility and see that “it’s quite open not a closed space”.

If Wednesday night’s intelligence segment of the Miss Guyana Universe pageant was the deciding factor as to who would continue on the ‘quest’ for the coveted crown then the battle would definitely be between Rachael Bakker and Jenel Cox.

Contestant number one, Latoya Maraj and contestant number six Nandani Seecharran- she has a face to die for- were two of the other notable performers and they could certainly give Bakker and Cox a run for their money.

“Beauty and brains” were the words that came to mind when we listened to Bakker and Cox as they made their points during the two-hour live television segment on NCN Channel 11. And the fact that there were two other contestants who excelled is a refreshing change from previous competitions.

Don’t get us wrong it is not that other contestants did not put their best feet forward during the question and answer session, it is just that, and this cannot be doubted, Bakker and Cox were above par. The only difficult question is which one was better than the other and that it is hard to decide.

Bakker, a final-year International Relations student at the University of Guyana (UG), did well when she spoke about diplomacy and politics and how she sees herself contributing to these two. Interestingly, going on her word, she makes the best cook-up rice and metemgee in the entire Guyana and she even invited host, veteran journalist Enrico Woolford, to stop by her house to be the judge. Probably her only failure was not really hammering home the serious impact, domestic violence — which was her platform — has on our society with the ever-climbing rate of such acts being committed. However, it is her hope that one day with the help of others domestic violence would be eradicated. Tough call, but she made it.

Cox may have the upper hand- she does not boast about it- as she is not only a past Miss Guyana Talented queen but was also the first runner-up of last year’s staging of Guyana’s Next Top Model. She was quick to tell Woolford that while she is confident of winning the crown she is not over confident as she had a bad experience last year because of her over confidence. Cox, no doubt, was referring to her sore-loser attitude last year when she was tipped out of winning the top model title. Word from the Pegasus where competition was held was that she visibly ‘lost it’ after the results were announced as she figured she had already won.

But the first-year UG student and aspiring criminal prosecutor knows what she is talking about when she highlights her platform, conserving wildlife. And while persons may not agree with her on the issue of shooting suspected criminals if they attempt to escape when being captured you must agree that she was very articulate and as she said, “It is my opinion.” In all fairness to her though, she did later say that if those suspected criminals pulled guns and “started the war first” then the law men have a right to shoot and kill as they would escape and continue to create havoc and take innocent lives.

Other than those mentioned there were a few others who can be proud of their performances but it was obvious from listening to some of those young ladies who are vying to become ambassadors for Guyana that they are just in the line-up to make up numbers. It makes one wonder what was going through the heads of the organisers when they selected some of the contestants. Maybe they needed 15 girls — we think there are too many of them — so come what may they made sure that they got that number.

There were a few contestants who were absolutely horrible in their responses and for one of them there is no doubt that she is still crying over her performance. Hostess Cathy Hughes was forced to complete some of Althia King’s answers for her and still most of what she said made no sense. While she feels that Guyana has the potential to become the “bread basket of the world” – we know that is not happening in a zillion years. Her platform was producing more goods locally but she had no clue as to why this should be done and what were some of the difficulties that would be experienced.

Cianna Persaud, who is a regional information officer, has no idea what her job entails. When asked what a regional officer does she said she gets to visit the other areas in the region. She was quite keen on talking about the Bartica massacre — she is from Bartica — as according to her it demonstrated how family-oriented the community is.

The big disappointment for the night was Lucria Rambalak. We know she is a pageant favourite, but unfortunately for her the answers she gave were just not up to scratch and her robotic and high-school like responses really did not help her during that segment. Rambalak is a well-known dancer and she is a very beautiful young woman but we would be bold enough to say that she just does not have what it takes to become Miss Guyana Universe. But then who are we, certainly not the judges.

President Bharrat Jagdeo would have been proud — we hope he watched the live show — as many of the contestants were touting his low carbon development strategy. It did not sound as if any of them had really read the strategy or even part of it — we haven’t either — but they agreed that Guyana should be paid to protect our forests. Climate change, global warning and low carbon, the president’s favourite terms, were the words of the night for some of the contestants.

Anyway, if you are reading this, don’t be dissuaded from going to the pageant tonight, remember these are just our opinions,  tonight we may all get a big surprise when one of those we did not mention eventually walks the National Cultural Centre stage as Miss Guyana Universe. (thescene@stabroeknews.com)

I felt totally off my cooking game. The simplest of tasks for me – such as roasting a chicken, had me questioning my skill. The entire period in this ‘alien’ kitchen was a challenge. I found myself scorching things, burning things, under cooking some dishes, over cooking others. I have always felt that a good cook is one who is able to adapt to various cooking environments – that includes not only adjusting to new ingredients, but also adjusting to various environments and the physical elements such as appliances, tools and equipment. I began to ask myself, if I was having so much trouble in this new kitchen… really… how good a cook am I? (Cue the dramatic music)

Cardamom Sago Pudding with Sauteed Bananas (Photo by Cynthia Nelson)

The first challenge was adapting to an electric stove and oven as I come from a gas environment. This alien kitchen had one of those new solid top electric ranges where the heat elements are underneath a glass top. The heat is regulated by HI, LO and the numbers 1 to 9 in between. The two extremes were easy enough to work out, and I assumed mark 5 was about medium, but it was often difficult to figure exactly what range of heat the other numbers represented. I scorched rice, stews and curries until I realized that I would have to rely on my instincts and knowledge about how food is supposed to look, sound and feel if I was going to adjust to this stove.

When it came to the oven, baking things such as scones, buns and breads, the heating and timing was spot on but for roasts – chicken, beef, pork, lamb and vegetables, I found that I always had to let it cook for more than the time I’d usually do with my gas oven back home.

But it wasn’t just the stove and oven. I am very comfortable cooking with a pressure cooker and have been doing so since I was a teenager. However, cooking with my friend’s pressure cooker took some adjustment. Again, it was a matter of timing. The main difference with the pressure cooker was that unlike mine that buzzes and then whistles, my friend’s gives a constant buzz. It is one of the newer features of some of the pressure cookers today all in an effort to be safer and less intimidating.

So, on a few occasions, I’d set my peas, beans or meat in the pressure cooker to cook in the time that I’d normally do at home and always, the things were overdone. My peas and beans would turn to mush and the meat would become way too soft and lose its form. After those disasters, I cut the cooking time by more than a half to yield the results I needed.

Don’t get me started on trying to balance my Caribbean round-bottomed karahi on the stove! Remember I told you that my friend’s stove is one of those smooth solid tops. So, In addition to easily sliding all over the stove, the pointed part of the karahi that made contact with the stove did not generate enough heat for the food to cook evenly. A wok ring eventually helped.

Ingredients such as sugar took lots of adjustment. The granulated sugar was of a finer variety so too was the brown sugar and I found both not as sweet as those I was accustomed to using. This really made me panic as I thought of my recipes and the sugar quantities I suggested using.

There were times I forgot that I was not in the Caribbean when I’d take butter or eggs out of the refrigerator just half an hour to come up to room temperature before using. In some cases it took at least 3 hours. I adapted by taking things out just before turning in late at night as the house maintained a coolness that would not deteriorate the ingredients.

Tap water temperature was yet another thing of worry as I thought of my recipes. Cold water in the US is cold! Tap water in the Caribbean is much warmer. A friend of mine who was assisting in proofing some of my recipes for my book, sent me a note asking if I did not mean that warm water should be added to the grated coconut to be squeezed for milk, I was a little puzzled only to realise that her tap water would be way too cold to be used in the way I was suggesting. Like I said, our water is warm enough.

I really treasured the time in my friend’s kitchen, as those are some valuable lessons and insights that will serve me well. It reconfirms that cooking, ingredients and recipes are all relative. There are so many variables that need to be considered and adaptations to be made. Being out of the comfort zone of our own kitchens also means that we must rely on our own instincts. We’ve got to adapt in order to succeed.

Cynthia
tasteslikehome@gmail.com
www.tasteslikehome.org

Cardamom (Elaichi) Sago Pudding

Ingredients
½ cup sago pearls
1 cup boiling water
5 green cardamom (elaichi) pods, lightly bruised
2 cups whole milk
1 egg, room temperature, lightly beaten
½ cup white granulated sugar
1/8-teaspoon salt (pinch)

Method
1. Add water to large saucepot along with cardamom pods and sago, stir, cover and let soak for 15 minutes.
2. Add milk, beaten egg, sugar and salt to a large bowl and stir to fully incorporate.
3. Add the milk mixture to the sago, place on medium to low heat and stir to mix thoroughly (be careful) as you do not want to scorch the mixture.
4. Cook, stirring often until the pudding has thickened (about 10 – 15 minutes) depending on the heat you are working with.
5. Transfer to individual serving bowls and serve warm or chilled. You can opt to lightly sauté some ripe bananas in butter like I did and serve it with the pudding.

After 17 tests, Broad averages 31.35 with the bat which  gives a hint of the ability good judges predict will make him  into a test class all-rounder.
But his 46 wickets have cost an expensive 37.95 runs each  and it is in this area the selectors will expect a marked  improvement as England strive to regain the Ashes surrendered so  tamely in Australia two years ago.

Broad, still only 23, saw himself primarily as a left-handed  batsman like his father before he had a sudden growth surge and  turned himself into a pace bowler.

He was selected for the England A side in the West Indies at  the age of 19 as a replacement for James Anderson, his new ball  partner now in the national side.

Broad made his England debut in Sri Lanka in 2007 then  cemented his place in the side on the following tour of New  Zealand where two of the regular pace attack, Matthew Hoggard  and Steve Harmison, lost form.

He made an immediate impression with his stylish late-order  batting and bowled with pace as well as proving an athletic and  versatile fielder.

AUSTRALIAN EXPERIENCE

For a period in his early test career Broad experimented  with a more open action, which may have helped avoid the back  injuries that plague so many modern fast bowlers but meant he  moved the ball less. He can also be expensive even when bowling  well.

But on the tour of the Caribbean this year he impressed with  his determination and aggression on pitches without a semblance  of life and he has reverted to his natural action. He is now  among the first names pencilled into the England side.

At an England media day this week, Broad said he had made  his first class debut for Leicestershire four years ago when  England regained the Ashes after 16 barren years.

“It was a great summer to start playing professional cricket  and it inspired me to bigger and better things and gave me the  real excitement to push and play for England,” he told  reporters.

“It’s all moved on very quickly for me but it will be a  fantastic opportunity. Hopefully we can play the same sort of  cricket as 05, that’s why it was so famous. There was always  something going on.

“The key in that series is the ball moved off the straight  and the wickets offered a little for the bowlers. Hopefully the  grounds will be similar.
“No one wants to see slow and low wickets. In the Caribbean  we played on three or four of those and it was turgid to play in  and watch.”
Broad, who played club cricket near Melbourne, said he had  learned a lot from his time in Australia.

“I had a feisty six months there after leaving school. It  was aggressive and it taught me a lot,” he said.
“But I’ve never played against Australia and neither have a  lot of boys in the dressing room. It’s going to be new for both  sides with a lot of players who haven’t experience what an Ashes  summer is like. They will be fresh and free-minded.”

The Guyana U-19 cricket team during their tour of the TCL Plant yesterday. (Photo courtesy of Alex Graham)

The TCL Guyana-sponsored team, along with Manager, Alvin Johnson and Coach Hubbern Evans, were invited by the Corporate sponsors for a tour of the TGI Bagging Plant in the GNIC compound.  Plant Superintendant, Danny Khudu, who served as tour guide to the team stated, “as a tradition, TGI sends off the team with a full tour of the plant.  TGI is more than just a sponsor who hands over a large cheque, we have an interest in the well-being of these hard working young men, hence our tour provides them with a thorough understanding of the cement bagging process and the many career paths in the local industrial sector.”

The tour encompassed a step by step demonstration of the cement bagging process, as well as the various Health and Safety issues involved in the plant operations.
Khudu illustrated the high level of safety involved in the bagging process and explained that TCL plants throughout the Caribbean are in strict compliance with the Health and Safety guidelines of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).   He engaged the team in a discussion about the high standard of quality assurance measures undertaken by TGI, and demonstrated how cement sacks are destroyed if they are underweight.  The team was also provided with helpful advice on the correct course of study required when pursuing a technical occupation in the construction industry.

Following the tour, the team was given the opportunity to interact with executives of TGI, including Operations Manager, Mark Bender.  “I always feel proud of TGI when we are visited by the Under-19 Team,” stated Bender, “to us its more than a sponsorship, it’s an opportunity to change the lives of young Guyanese men through investing in beneficial sporting activities.”

The TCL West Indies Regional Under-19 Tournament starts on July 9 and will involve five 3-day matches and five 1-day matches. Coach Evans explained that the team has been engaged in rigorous training for the Tournament and that today’s tour came at an ideal time.  “The team is fully prepared at this point; interacting with the sponsors through the tour provides them with the relaxation that is critical at this point.”  He further stated that the team will proudly bare the TGI logo and that the stage is set for the Guyana Under-19 team to bring home the gold, when they play against the Leeward Islands.”

King, head of the President’s Youth Award: Republic of Guyana (PYARG)  programe, succeeds Colonel Keith Booker who held the position for more than a decade. Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, according to a Government Information Agency (GINA) release, said that Cabinet had decided that Booker’s “tour of duty should come to an end on June 20 and this led to his replacement.”

The Office of the President approved King’s appointment. King, GINA said, joins the ranks of recently appointed permanent secretaries which includes Colin Croal in the Ministry of Legal Affairs; Nigel Dharamlall in the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and Emile Mc Garrell who was transferred to the Ministry of Housing and Water.