Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana David Devine congratulating Glinton Hanover
Relatives of TT murder suspect complain of harassment
May 18, 2012 By
– mother has no clue about son’s whereabouts
By Bhisham Mohamed
Happier times: Nikita Ramischand, left, her brother Kyran and friend Anasha Karim are seen in a photo on Nikita's Facebook page. Nikita was murdered on Wednesday night.
Three weeks have now elapsed since Ramesh Sookram, called Alvin, has been listed as a wanted man for the murder of 18-year-old Trinidadian Nikita Ramischand.
But there has been no trace of the man who is said to have fled back to Guyana and hiding somewhere on the East Coast of Demerara.
While the possibility of apprehending the man remains slim, his family is claiming that they are being terrorised and threatened by the victim’s relatives who pose as police ranks.
Sookram, 23, has been on the run since April 25 last, after Ramischand’s mutilated body was found near her home in Maracas, Trinidad.
He has not made any contact with any member of the family or close relatives.
Guyana Times International spoke with the man’s mother, Dhanwantie Sookram on Wednesday, who explained that her family are now living in fear and are forced to sleep at various locations at night. She recalled just a few days ago, heavily armed men stormed her home in Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara and terrorised her family, including her two sons, who are now nursing injuries from the beating they received.
“At first, the men identified themselves as police ranks, but during the ordeal, we realised that it was the relatives of the dead girl. They would come every night in the area patrolling to see if we are home,” the woman added. She further stated that the dead teenager’s father up to Sunday telephoned them from Trinidad threatening to wipe out the entire family. The man’s name was given as “Odai”.
“He bugging down the phone all day Sunday telling we how he go come, and kill all seven people who live in the house and take our bodies and bury it on the highway. He also said that he has people in high places and once we are dead, it is likely that my son will turn up for the funeral where he will be arrested,” she noted.
She has since reported the matter to the Timehri Police Station, East Bank Demerara, but noted that the lawmen have refused to take her complaint, despite her providing the telephone number.
“They said that it can be anyone calling to make the threats and not the girl’s father, but I provide them with the number that call my phone, but still they hold out that it could be someone else,” the woman said in tears.
She reiterated that while Alvin is her son, she cannot tell how he thinks, and more so what was the motive behind him killing his fiancée.
“Indeed, he telephone us the night before he returned to Guyana and tell us he was coming in. I personally collected him from the airport, but he left the following day without saying anything and never returned. It was one day after he left Soesdyke, we realised that he committed the act after seeing it in the newspapers,” the woman stated.
While, she does not want to speculate, she said that her son might be in Guyana, but the possibility also exists that he might have fled to Suriname.
“When he left, he collected one of my phones and I call the phone all the time but no time he ever answer.
Mother’s Day past and I thought he woulda call, but he didn’t. God knows if he is safe, but I urging he to turn heself in,” the woman added.
This publication understands that Alvin migrated to Trinidad three years ago, but met Ramischand just over three months ago after securing a job at the victim’s home as a construction worker. The couple started a relationship, but according to reports, the love affair took a turn for the worse when the young lady rejected Sookram’s marriage proposal.
Even after the young man left the job, he continued to meet the victim unknowing to her father. The young man reportedly began making threatening phone calls to the teen, and even scaled a razor-wire fence surrounding the family’s property making threats.
The suspect may have been further angered after the teen started a new relationship. It is suspected that the victim was walking to her mother’s salon when Sookram dragged her behind a guest house, slashed her throat, and stabbed her six times in the abdomen.
Book on Guyanese and West Indians to be launched on May 26
May 18, 2012 By
By North American Correspondent
Dr. Lakshmi Persaud
A novel, ‘Daughters of the Empire’ focusing on Guyanese and other West Indians will be launched on Saturday May 26, 7 (PM) at the Faith Assembly Hall, 120-13 101 Avenue, Richmond Hill. The event is being organised by the Association of Artists and Writers (AAW) to be held, and the public is being invited to grace the event. It is expected that several outstanding Caribbean writers will be recognized for their works.
A follow-up launch will be held the following day, May 27 (4PM) at the Queens Museum of Art. This event is being organised by the Rajkumari Cultural Center and is part of the celebration of 174 years of the Indian diaspora focusing on Women.
The book is written by Dr. Lakshmi Persaud who taught at Queens College in Guyana and is currently settled in London. Lakshmi is the wife of Guyanese Prof. of Economics Bishnodat Persaud who also taught at several universities in the Caribbean, England and Guyana.
Texila American University hoping to expand operations in Guyana
May 18, 2012 By
A lecturer and students in one of the labs
Texila American University (TAU) has plans to expand its services here even as it as promotes “education tourism”. With an aim of 3000 students in five years, CEO Saju Bhaskar believes that Guyana’s economy could benefit significantly.
The medical school which was established in September 2010 currently has medicine and dentistry programmes running and Bhaskar says the university is aiming to have 3000 students at the end of five years.
“With the current growth plan that we are in and the current achievements we have made in the short span makes it very clear that is a very possible and very realistic target that we are trying to bring in,” Bhaskar said at a press briefing held at the Critchlow Labour College.
TAU is currently renting a section of the college to conduct its classes.
TAU boasts an academic programme that is both accelerated and rigorous, with a focus on preparing students for licensure in the United States, the Caribbean and India. The school currently has 75 students, 50 of whom are overseas in their ongoing medicine and dentistry programmes.
“Our research shows that each international student spends around US$ 10,000 into the economy which means that having 100 students will bring in US$ 1 million into the economy each year,” Bhaskar said.
He reasoned that the university will be contributing US$ 30 million yearly into the Guyanese economy in the form of tuition and hostel living among other expenses when its attendance expands.
The university draws international students from Asian and African countries and Bhaskar believes that it supports the concept of education tourism. Pointing out that many developed countries rely heavily on the exportation of education, Bhaskar believes that education can be a very important foreign exchange earner.
TAU not only caters to foreigners. There are some 15 local students in the medicine and dentistry programmes and TAU offers a reduction in tuition fees. To attract more local students, TAU is launching a nursing programme in September.
Accredited by the National Accreditation Council of Guyana, TAU is working with the Bristol University and the University of West England which could see students completing their clinical training in the United Kingdom.
Bhaskar said the university is also in dialogue with universities in Florida for similar arrangements.
“We’ve also secured an agreement with the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where we will be training our doctors, apart from Georgetown Public Hospital we have hospitals in the United States and in Philippines and India where students could train for clinical training after they finish their clinical studies,” said Bhaskar.
Regal XI dethrone Wolf’s Warriors
May 18, 2012 By
By: Melinda Bishundyal
New Champions, Regal XI, posing for a photo after the presentation. Also in photo is GTT CEO Yog Mahadeo (centre)
Regal XI evicted the mighty Wolf’s Warriors from their throne when they thrashed them by six wickets in the final of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company’s 10/ 10 Softball Competition at the National Stadium last Saturday night.
In a jubilant atmosphere in the presence of about 8000 spectators, Regal XI frustrated the Wolf’s Warriors batsmen with some tight bowling and clean fielding.
The first wicket fell off the fifth ball with the score on four and the second in the third over. To add to the Warriors woes, all the fielders were on the boundary so the big shots were scarce.
Warriors did not manage to put any substantial partnership together and when their captain Amreith Rai was out in the seventh over for 28 the Warriors fans did not hesitate to express their disappointment as he was the only batsman who was scoring freely. Warriors 50th run was reached in the eight over. They reached 77- 6 when their overs expired.
When Regal XI started their innings Zulfikar Alli was dropped off the first delivery.
Warriors managed to keep it tight but the target was too little to scare the players from Regal; they were always in control.
Wolf’s Warriors fielding was exceptional early on and the first wicket came off a spectacular catch by Azad Azeez at long-on.
At the strategic time out after five overs, Regal were on 34-2, three runs behind Warriors at the same stage. But after the resumption, Regal’s Chien Gittens (25) and Ayume Mohamed (28) accelerated and found themselves needing just 12 in the last two overs.
However, Gittens was out in the ninth over; Gittens and Mohammed added 50 for the third wicket.
With Regal needing just three runs to win in the final over, many thought it was a walk in the park, but it turned out to be filled with drama. The first ball was a dot which was followed by a wicket. Then there was a run out off the third ball, and instead of gathering the ball, the Wolf’s Warriors were busy celebrating and the batsmen ran three byes to win the game.
Earlier in the evening, captain June Ogle-Thomas led Trophy Stall Angels to an 18-run victory over 4R Lioness. Batting first, the Angels compiled a competitive 87- 3 with Ogle-Thomas finishing on 49 not out of 33 balls; her innings included three fours. She faced the first and final deliveries and had a second wicket partnership of 33 with Kavita Yadram (15) and a third wicket stance of 44 with Monica Seales (14).
In the Lioness’ reply, they never got going as the Angels bowled wicket-to-wicket and fielded aggressively.
Rokmini Persaud was on a hat-trick in the sixth over but it did not materialise.
4R Lioness 50th run was reached in the seventh over and the scoring rate continued to drop.
They needed 22 off the last over but they only managed three, ending on 69-5.
June Ogle-Thomas was judged the Player-of-the-Match.
Burnett ready for President/Jefford’s Track and Field Classic
May 18, 2012 By
Marian Burnett
International middle distance track star, Marian Burnett, arrived in Guyana from Florida late Monday night ready to represent her home turf where she started her illustrious career in the early 1990s at the President’s/Jefford Classic on Sunday.
Burnett is familiar with the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground in Linden, given the fact that it is the venue she had first caught the eyes of athletic luminaries. Now, several years later, and with many accolades to boast about, Burnett returns to compete in Linden.
She will compete in her favourite events, the Women’s 800m and 1500m with the 1500m being dubbed an international event with the participation of Kenisha Pascal from Grenada and athletes from Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname included in the race.
Apart from those athletes, Burnett will have local support from Jevina Straker and Alika Morgan, who have been two of the consistent up-and-coming local athletes in recent times. The Women’s 1500m will be one of the many scorching events expected Sunday.
Burnett indicated that she is happy to be home to compete after such a long time and after taking a break to concentrate on family. She returned to the track sometime in February with the goal of qualifying for her third Olympic Games, scheduled for London, England.
The diminutive but powerful Burnett will not be an easy contender when she competes before an expectant crowd in the Mining Town. She disclosed that she is on a mission to get back amid the top 10 middle distance runners in the world and wants to be impressive.
Burnett competed at both the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and 2008 Beijing Games. She has the distinct privilege of being a NCAA Indoor Champion in 2002 for Louisiana State University and a former world leader in the 800m and 1500m events.
The three-time national ‘Sportswoman of the Year’ has a personal best time of 4:17.91 in Rio de Janeiro in 2007 in the 1500m and 1:59.47 in the 800m. Those are world class times from a senior female world renowned athlete by any stretch of the imagination.
Guyana’s third round World Cup Qualifiers launched
May 18, 2012 By
-Shabazz pleads for unity among Guyanese
By Melinda Bishundyal
Golden Jaguars players, coaches, managers along with Dr. Frank Anthony, Sport Minister, Alfred King, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports Permanent Secretary, and other officials at the launch
The Golden Jaguars third round World Cup qualifying matches against Costa Rica, El Salvador and the powerful Mexico, was launched yesterday at the Princess Hotel with an intriguing ceremony.
The ceremony was graced by several prominent personalities in the sports arena, along with entertainers Adrian Dutchin, Jumo ‘Rubber Waist’ Primo and Lisa Punch performing.
Speaking at the launch, Golden Jaguars’ coach, Jamaal Shabazz delivered a passionate and emotional speech. He started by saying that football in the Caribbean is treated the same as in Europe where coaches and players are at the bottom struggling while executives prosper at the top.
He made mention of the negative reactions he received when he took the job to coach the Golden Jaguars.
“I was told that no Caribbean coach can take a Caribbean team far. They made me feel that Caribbean people have to sit at the feet of the Europeans as if we are just the helpers. So I am very pleased at what the Golden Jaguars have achieved.
Many did not believe in Guyana but we have shown them that if we are united and committed as a team we can be victorious, boasted the coach.
He further stressed on the country unifying during the team’s campaign. The Trinidadian said if everyone does not come together and support sport, it will never prosper. With a note of optimism, he noted that when the Golden Jaguars qualify for the 2014 World Cup, it is the nation that will be recognised not the politicians.
Guyana’s first match of this round is on June 8 against host Mexico before they face Costa Rica on June 12 at the Guyana National Stadium.
Sport Minister Dr. Frank Anthony told the gathering that President Donald Ramotar extends his best wishes to the team and will continue to support them.
The minister lauded the players for their brilliance and excellence. According to him the Jaguars have demonstrated that they are passionate and hungry to win.
Local ruggers set to take on Barbados
May 18, 2012 By
The Guyana 15s team leaves for Barbados on Friday to contest their first game in round two of the Southern Zone of the 2015 Rugby World Cup NACRA Regional Qualifiers.
Guyana is in a must win situation to ensure they remain in the contest for the finals of the Southern Zone Qualifier when they play Trinidad and Tobago at the Providence National Stadium on June 2. Trinidad and Tobago defeated Barbados 30–3, two weeks ago in TT. Should Guyana defeat Barbados, the winner of the Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago game will play the winner of the Northern Zone for the NACRA Caribbean Rugby World Cup Regional Qualifier finals in two weeks.
Bermuda defeated Guyana in the finals of the NACRA Caribbean Fifteens Championships last year in Guyana but the locals had previously defeated Trinidad and Tobago at home and Barbados in Guyana.
The Guyana team for the Barbados game will be without its National Rugby Sevens star players, Claudius Butts, who is injured, Richard Staglon and Ronald Mayers who are in Trinidad and Tobago, and Rupert Giles who is in England.
The Guyana team has, however, been joined by Ryan Hinckson and Delon Downer who are presently playing rugby in Trinidad and Tobago.
The newly elected President of the GRFU, Col. John Lewis, will serve as Manager; Head Coach is Theodore Henry and Barrington Browne in the team’s Fitness Trainer.
Guyana: Ryan Gonsalves (Captain), Troy Arjune, Alain Crawford, Jason Tyrell, Avery Corbin, Ryan Dojoy, Dwayne Schroeder, Delon Downer, Rondell Mc Arthur, Leon Greaves, Rodwell Hutson, Elwin Chase, Peabo Hamilton, Blaize Bailey, Ryan Hinckson, Delroy Gordon, Terrance Daniels, Germaine Prowell, Cyon Kitt, Claude Alexander, Rickford Cummings, Joseph Rahaman.
Ramnaresh Sarwan leads Leicestershire fightback
May 18, 2012 By
Ramnaresh Sarwan gave the West Indies selectors a timely reminder of his Test credentials with a second century of the season for Leicestershire on the first day of their Championship match against Essex at Grace Road yesterday (Wednesday).
The 31-year-old was the star of the show as Leicestershire fought back after a nightmare start to reach 323 for 5 by the close.
Sarwan, who shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 216 with Josh Cobb, batted for just over five hours for his 117. It added up to a fine recovery by Leicestershire, who slumped to 29 for 3 in the 10th over with Will Jefferson out to the first ball of the day in his first game of the season following a back injury.
David Masters found the edge of Jefferson’s bat with his first delivery and Tom Westley took the catch at slip. When Matthew Boyce was then bowled by Masters, and Greg Smith had his stumps spread-eagled by Charl Willoughby, it began to look as though the home side had made a big mistake deciding to bat after winning the toss.
But Sarwan and Cobb turned the game on its head with their magnificent stand. It was a record for the fourth wicket for Leicestershire against Essex. They were helped by some erratic bowling from the Essex attack that saw 48 extras pile up. Tymal Mills, the highly rated England Under-19 fast bowler, twice bowled no-balls that went to the boundary over the head of wicketkeeper James Foster.
There was also some superb strokeplay from Sarwan and Cobb, who both combined enterprising attack with disciplined defence. The impressive Sarwan completed his century just before tea. It came off 154 balls and contained 14 boundaries. The stand was finally broken by Masters, who lured Cobb into skying a catch to deep midwicket.
Masters, by far the best of the Essex bowlers, then trapped Sarwan lbw with the second new ball to finish the day with figures of 4 for 57 off 25 overs. Wayne White was still there at the close on 41 not out to leave Leicestershire in a strong position.
Elton ‘Coolie Bully’ Dharry
May 18, 2012 By
