Archives for April 22, 2016
Alpha, Pele gain valuable points with wins
April 22, 2016 By
GFF/Stag Elite League Finale…
Alpha United and Pele FC seemed to shrug-off their indifferent performances in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Stag Elite League Finale with their second successive wins on the trot at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC), Bourda on Wednesday.
In the first match, Alpha United made light work of Monedderlust in their 3-1 victory over the Berbice team.
Colin Nelson was the man to get the ball rolling for Alpha as he struck goal in the 31st and in the space of one minute, Alpha were up by two goals as Anthony Abrams continued his impressive goal scoring form to hit the back of the net in the 32nd.
The Berbice based side, never looked like they were completely out of the match as they found goal in the 39th from a shot by Kevin Layne to end an eventful first half.
Monedderlust bid to find an equalizer seemed to be blockaded by Alpha’s backline but on the other side of the field, forward Dwight Peters ensured that any chance of the opposition making a comeback would be nullified when hit the back net in the 84th.
With the win, Alpha now moves two points behind second place Fruta Conquerors, with 20 point by copping their sixth in ten matches.
Mondedderlust on the other hand, have lost their sixth match from ten matches and remain among the bottom placed teams on the table.
The other match saw Gregory Richards’ goal in the 32nd minute proved to be winner for Pele in their clash against Buxton United as the scores ended 1-0.
Pele would be grateful for the points, as now just one point separates them from the top four.
The League continues today the Tucville Ground where Slingerz FC will play GFC from 18:00hrs followed by Fruta Conquerors FC against Guyana Defence Force from 20:30h.
Who will walk away with the Mr Guyana International title???
April 22, 2016 By
All preparations are in place for the hosting of the Mr Guyana International competition billed for the National Cultural Centre on Sunday evening. The evening will see eight contenders vying for the title.
They are Sean Thompson, Javone Steven Vickerie, Paul Meusa, Stowell Bentham, Kefa Smith, Satesh Jagdeo, Dexter Gardener and Lionel Rowe.
The eight young men have already competed in several segments, including the fitness challenge and talent contest. On the night of the pageant, these scores will be added to those from the swimwear, evening wear, costume and intelligence segments.
Tickets for the event will cost $2000 and $1500 and are available at the National Cultural Centre.
Team MMR turns 3
April 22, 2016 By
One of the most versatile entertainment groups turned three on March 23 and will be celebrating its accomplishments with a big bang. Over the past three years, Team MMR has made its name in the entertainment industry in Guyana, the Caribbean and further afield under its founder, WR Reaz, also called “Party Boss”. Whether on television, radio or on the ground, TEAM MMR has it going on.
Not only has the group proved to be one of the rising entertainment giants but it has recently added a complete service for those who wish to have an extravagant wedding. From catering to decorating to emceeing, Team MMR will be the one to contact. Given its visionary leader, Team MMR is expected to grow in the years to come.
Come this Saturday, Team MMR will be celebrating with its fans and well wishers at the Buddy’s Night Club. There will be lots of giveaways with drink specials and ladies free before 22:30h. General admission to the party is $1500.
Music will be provided by the versatile Selecta Andy, WR Reaz, DJ Walker, DJ Spindrella Barman, Danca, Drinka and Fluffy. Also in attendance will be the entire Team MMR Crew who will be mixing and mingling with the fans.
The place to be this Saturday is definitely Buddy’s Night Club as we celebrate with Team MMR.
Ogle Airport employee charged for damage to property
April 22, 2016 By
An Ogle International Airport employee was on Thursday placed on $45,000 bail by city Magistrate Faith McGusty after being charged for malicious damage to property.
Gordon Pearson, 36, of Lot 9 Roxanne Gardens Drive, Georgetown, pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on April 15 at Roxanne Burnham Gardens, he damaged one black Apple iPhone, property of Ali Williams.
In court on Thursday, Defence Attorney Darren Wade in a bail application said his client was anxious and ready to prove his innocence in the matter.
As such, he was placed on $45,000 bail which Attorney Wade said was exorbitant as his client was already on $20,000 station bail.
However, his objections were overruled. The defendant was also placed on a bond to keep the peace. He is scheduled to make his next court appearance on May 13.
Copycat, cookie-cutter approach to criminal behaviour
April 22, 2016 By
Dear Editor,
I am speaking particularly to the incidences of crime; having both an objective and subjective understanding of how criminals think. What is happening in Guyana is a copycat, cookie cutter approach to criminal behaviour. Old criminals are teaching the young criminals the tricks of the trade. “John” sees that “Jim” is getting away with a deviant behaviour, so John does what Jim is doing. And Jim is getting away with murder (pun intended), and now John, because the Government is distracted.
The untenable situations over the last ten months can all be chalked up to administrative infancy. However, these crises have the government on their back foot, playing defence. The opposition is unrelenting in their attacks. This is making the citizens feel as if the Government is absent. The backlash is that the criminals smell blood in the water. For them, ‘the cat’s away, so the mice will play.’ It is now a criminalistic free for all.
In the ‘90s when I served as a Chaplain at the Westville Correctional Facility (Indiana’s largest prison), I interacted with some of the most violent of Indiana’s and Michigan’s criminals. What I leaned during those years is that even the most violent criminals have their soft spots. When a criminal is incarcerated and the correct kinds of rehabilitative programmes are provided and the environment is created, the desired change begins to take place.
A trained person can get the inmate to open up and when he does, he speaks apologetically and remorsefully of his deviant past behaviours. I had hundreds of personal rapports with inmates and during my sessions with them, I got a clear understanding of what drives criminal behaviours.
Criminals are not born. Criminals are made. Circumstances make people criminals. A criminal is more likely to come from a broken home, have low academic and vocational skills, have an addiction to drugs or have friends with those traits. A perfect storm is created when those in authority seem not to have a handle on the situation. When you speak to any offender he will tell you that he did what he did, or he does what he is doing because the environment existed or exists for him to do it.
The breakdown begins first in the home when there is a lack of the correct governance of the child. This is mostly true of single-parent homes, where the mother is the parent. The deviancy then spreads to the community where there is a lack of role models; especially males. In Guyana the religious community has become ‘Maslow-ian’ in their outlook, with their number 1 hierarchical need is being their financial status.
Religion as a whole has become introverted and selfish, and we religious people are failing this country miserably. If you don’t have money, some churches shun you. As a pastor who works with the outcast, I have many sad stories to tell, of persons who advocate one thing publically but renege on their promises in private. Editor, I would wish to deal more specifically with this in another letter.
There are far too many single-mothers – especially in the Afro-Guyanese community; hence the lack of proper parenting. In some societies the religions – especially Islam and Christianity – step up and play a pivotal role in curbing criminal behaviours in the community. However, there seem to be no such trend in Guyana.
Additionally, the successive governments seem to be overwhelmed by their own internal problems and unable to give sufficient attention to the crime problem.
The previous government was so distracted that they were unable to put any significant measures in place to curb the crime epidemic. They neglected to establish a post-release rehabilitation programme. The PPP/C had a golden opportunity to establish Guyana’s first ex-offender rehabilitation programme but they refused.
Additionally, they had a very poorly administered pre-release rehabilitation programme. Inmates complained that the programmes conducted in the prisons were riddled with favouritism and corruption. This led to the prison becoming a revolving door.
Over the last few years I observed the crime situation in Guyana grew precipitously worse because the environment existed for it to thrive. Guyana has one of the highest rates of recidivism in the Caribbean; with 7 or 8 out of every 10 released prisoner returning to prison. We also have a very young prison population; with 75 per cent of our inmates between the ages of 18-35.
That is why Guyana needs a stop-gap programme to intercept the guys when they come out of prison. The justification for a rehabilitation centre is to counter what is now pervasive in our society. As it stands, the older criminals are recruiting and training the younger ones, then loaning them their guns to commit these heinous crimes. An ex-offender rehabilitation will have the reverse effect. The programme will serve to have those rehabilitated former inmates mentor the troubled youths. Also, the government will have a team of former criminals at their disposal to serve as point men and a think-thank for their crime fighting.
Crime has continued to flourish even with this government because, as with the past administration, they are embroiled in many distractions. They too are unable to focus sufficiently on the crime situation.
The double whammy of the criminal upsurge and the prison riots seem to have knocked the Public Security Ministry off their stride. Both situations were festering for a long time under the past government but now they have landed at the doorsteps of this administration.
What this government has going for it is their newness, coupled with the credibility of President Granger. Because of this, folks are willing to give them time and to be lenient with them. However, this will not last forever. They should use this honeymoon period to regroup, flush themselves of the current distracting issues and double down on moving the country forward.
Editor, to every one person I know coming for the Jubilee celebrations, I know two who are afraid to return because of the crime situation. Guyana has great developmental potential among our Caribbean counterparts, by way of our minerals and people. However, if the government – any government – does not get a handle of the crime epidemic, our greatness will remain only a potential.
Sincerely,
Wendell Jeffrey
Stakeholders, miners meet to settle differences
April 22, 2016 By