Archives for May 4, 2016
Alleged “hitman” identified during ID parade
May 4, 2016 By
– gunpowder residue found on clothing
The man who was detained by Police in connection with the murder of Parika fuel dealer Seeram Singh’s murder was positively identified by an eyewitness, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum has confirmed.
Blanhum told Guyana Times that during an identification parade (ID) on Tuesday, the man was positively identified.
The Crime Chief said a test was conducted on the suspect’s clothing and gunpowder residue was found.
The suspect, who was arrested on Sunday evening in Parika, will be charged with the capital offence by the end of the week.
A woman, said to be an ex-lover of the now dead businessman, was arrested earlier, but it was unclear if she was released.
Guyana Times understands that the woman contracted the gunman to execute the businessman and to make it look like a robbery after he (Singh) broke off the relationship and began dating someone else.
Singh, 52, of Lot 40 Parika Outfall, East Bank Essequibo, was stabbed to his abdomen and shot twice – to his head and his hip.
The bullet to his head was at close range and may have been the fatal shot. According to information, the man was talking to someone on his mobile phone when he was attacked and stabbed.
In an attempt to raise an alarm, the injured man ran towards a shop, but the gunman gave chase and caught up with him. A scuffle ensued and it was then the suspect discharged two rounds at Singh. As the businessman fell, the gunman relieved him of two gold chains and escaped.
Singh was rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, West Coast Demerara, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Hours after the shooting the supposedly spurned woman was taken into custody.
Alesia Singh, the man’s daughter, told Guyana Times her father did not have any enemies. She described him as religious and helpful. The businessman operated several vessels that would supply fuel to miners in the Cuyuni/Mazaruini area.
The man leaves to mourn five children.
Access to public information
May 4, 2016 By
World Press Freedom Day was celebrated yesterday, Tuesday under the 2016 theme “Access to Public Information”. I have found this year’s theme quite fitting in Guyana’s context, in addition to other countries.
Speak with any reporter locally and they would tell you that one of the hardest things to do is to get access to public information; even harder is trying to get that information from the persons or Ministers responsible for the public institutions. Further exacerbating that is the conduct of Government personalities and the contempt shown towards the populace and Journalists when their public portfolio comes under scrutiny by the press.
While it is understandable that Government figures in the remit of their work would have to keep certain amounts of information confidential, Ministers should also be more open and responsive to the media, especially where it concerns matters that are of interest to the public and those that directly affect the socioeconomic and political fabric of their lives.
It is hard to decipher if it is because of our cultural disposition or our socialisation, but, as a people, we are offended when public servants and Ministers withhold information or act clandestinely. However, after the revelations come out and die down, we forget all about them and move on, as if to say that we are accepting of them when, in reality, we should be pressing harder for the truth to come out.
For example, we are yet to hear a word from the Government on the actions of the Social Protection Minister who openly defended a party loyalist who on more than one occasion was allegedly involved in the sexual assault of minors. We kicked up a big ruckus about the entire incident and now it appears that nothing ever happened, even though the Government is yet to pronounce on the comments made by its subject Minister.
Under the previous Administration, another Minister in a drunken tirade called a reporter and allegedly made threats against that person. A media frenzy surrounded the incident, but that, too, after a while died down.
In contrast, a conglomerate of Journalists dissected a massive leak of more than 11.5 million documents, exposing the hidden wealth of the world’s elites. The stories carried under the “Panama Papers” tag have led to the resignations of, and legislative action being taken against, implicated Government officials in light of such revelations.
Without coming across as cynical, it is believed that if any of the information still emanating from the Panama papers implicates Guyanese, nothing would be done in the final analysis.
There was also the recent issue of press censorship on the part of the Prime Minister who was accused of interfering with the State media. The US State Department Human Rights report had stated, “The law provides for freedom of speech and press, and the Government generally respected these rights. (However, in regards to censorship and restrictions), in August, the Prime Minister issued a directive that all headlines in the State-owned print media be first scrutinised and approved by his office before they are published. The directive was a response to a headline criticising the Government. The Prime Minister also serves as Minister of Information.”
The Prime Minister has since refuted the accusations levied against him and his office, citing that “allegations of censorship in State media have no basis in reality or fact.”
It was only after receiving criticisms from NGOs and the Press Association of Guyana did the President respond – not to the issue, but in general, saying that his Administration was committed to “non-interference in the independent media” and his “Administration will not undermine the professionalism of State media workers by subjecting them to political direction or interference in their work”.
We, as a people, have to start casting aside our parochial approach in the body politics of governance and become more participatory, demanding that our elected office bearers uphold their constitutional mandate of accountability and transparency towards us. If not, then “Access to Public Information” will become a closely guarded secret and the least of our worries.
Church meets the Street set for Arrival Day
May 4, 2016 By
Jubilee Futsal…
Futsal action will return to the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Thursday, May 5 (Arrival day) when C&A Unique in collaboration with South Quake Youth Ministry kicks off their Jubilee Futsal Competition. The event, titled “The Church meets The Street” and is expected to see 50 of the best churches and street futsal teams compete in the one day knockout tournament.
There will be a “kick to goal” competition for females and spectators are also expected to be entertained with a mini gospel show that will feature entertainment by Ryan Patterson who also goes by the stage name, DC speaker; JC Messengers and Quakers among others.
Addressing the media at Tuesday’s launch, in Tucville, cordinators of the event Carlos Griffith and Allistar Griffith lamented that the event is suited for the entire family and should not be missed.
Teams interested in registering may contact Carlos on 695-3320 or Allistar on 677-5116.
The winning team will cart off with $50,000 with $40,000, $30,000 and $20,000 going to the second, third and fourth placed teams respectively.
Admission is $400 for adults while children under the age of 10 will be admitted free. Kick off time is 8:30 Hrs.
Sponsors of the event are Banks DIH, National Sports Commission, Guyana National Newspaper Limited, the Guyana Football Federation and Trophy Stall.
RHTY&SC, Beharry’s 5-over cricket to start soon
May 4, 2016 By
The Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC), M.S and the Edward B. Beharry and Company Limited would shortly be unveiling the second edition of their joint ‘Say No to Drugs, Crime and Suicide and Yes to Education, Sports and Life Campaign.’
The 2016 edition would target youths in Regions Five and Six and would have the ‘B’ Division of the Guyana Police Force and the Region Six Department of the Ministry of Education as partners.
As part of an expanded programme for 2016, a five-over ‘Say No to Suicide’ cricket tournament would be organised for 40 teams across Berbice. The Ancient County would be divided into four sub-divisions – West Berbice, New Amsterdam/Canje, Lower Corentyne and Upper Corentyne.
Ten teams would come from each sub-division and they would play each other in a one day tournament before moving on to the grand finals. The top three teams from each zone would move on to the finals, where the winning team would receive a winner’s prize of $150,000 and a trophy, the losing finalist $75,000 and trophy and the third place $25,000 and trophy.
The winner of each zone would carry home a prize package of $15,000.
RHTY&SC Secretary/CEO, Hilbert Foster, stated that the tournament would be used by the organisers to promote the ‘Say No and Say Yes’ messages to numerous villages across the county, and as such each zones would be given a theme to be promoted.
West Berbice’s theme shall be ‘Say No to Suicide’, New Amsterdam/Canje – ‘Say No to Drugs’, Lower Corentyne – ‘Say No to Crime’ and Central/Upper Corentyne – ‘Say Yes to Life, Education and Sports.’
A senior officer of the Guyana Police Force would address teams before the start of each zone tournament and the grand finals. Clubs taking part in the tournament would also be provided with posters and youth information booklets for them to promote the messages in their respective areas.
Teams in the tournament would only be allowed to play two first division players who have played a combined four matches in 2015 and 2016, while players who are debarred from playing second division by the Berbice Cricket Board would not be allowed to play.
Bowlers would only be allowed to bowl one over per game, while only two players would be allowed out of the 30-yard circle in the first over. For the remaining four overs, a maximum of four fielders would be allowed out of the circle.
In an effort to create excitement for spectators, the organisers would also award a six for any boundary scored off a free hit, while eight runs would be given for a six hit off a free hit.
Matches that are tied would be decided on a Super Over. The organisers would provide umpires for the tournament, music set/PA System for every venue and balls for the finals.
The RHTY&SC, M.S would like to extend an official invitation to clubs across Berbice to enter the competition on a come first basis. Teams can contact the club on telephone number 337-4562 or email [email protected] before May 20.
Notably, teams would also have to submit a 15-man squad and clearly state their two first division players.
Ivelaw Griffith is UG’s new Vice Chancellor
May 4, 2016 By
The University of Guyana has announced the appointment of its new Vice Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith. He will be the University of Guyana’s 10th Vice Chancellor.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the University stated that Professor Griffith was selected after an exhaustive national, regional and international search; shortlisting of three candidates and evaluation based on a series of lectures, the candidates’ credentials and an interview by the Search Committee appointed by the UG Council.
Griffith, who has the honour of being the first person in the history of the University of Guyana to graduate with Distinction in Political Science in 1980, has an outstanding record as a scholar, academic leader and teacher.
Professor Griffith has held a number of leadership posts, including at Fort Valley State University in Georgia (2013-2015); Provost and Senior Vice President at York College in New York (2007-2013); Provost at Radford University in Virginia (2006-2007); Dean of the Honours College at Florida International University (2001-2006) and Budget Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Florida International University (1998-2001).
The new Vice Chancellor has been a visiting scholar at the Perry Centre for Hemispheric Defence Studies in Washington DC, the Royal Military College in Canada and the George Marshall European Centre for Security Studies in Germany.
UG statement added, “He was one of 45 experts commissioned by the OAS Secretary General to review hemispheric drug policies and practices and offer anti-drug scenarios. For his exceptional work in his field of expertise, he was awarded the 2015 William J Perry Award named in honour of former United States Defence Secretary, Dr William J Perry.”
In addition to his Bachelor of Social Science (Political Science, with Distinction) degree from the University of Guyana, he also secured a Diploma in Communications from UG. Moreover, he holds a Master of Arts degree from Long Island University in New York and a Master of Philosophy and PhD in Political Science from the City University of New York Graduate School. Further, he completed the programme in Educational Leadership at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Chancellor Nigel Harris said “the University of Guyana welcomes Professor Ivelaw Griffith whose scholarly achievements and leadership experience are well suited to the central role he must play in transforming the institution”.
APNU/AFC MIA as spiralling crime is crippling Guyana
May 4, 2016 By