BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CMC): The West Indies, who are not taking part in the ICC Champions Trophy in the One Day International format of cricket, will host Afghanistan in the first of three T20 internationals tonight at Warner Park. The reigning champions in the format have looked anything but over the last 10 months with six defeats in their last seven matches but the Afghanistan assignment presents the opportunity for the Caribbean side to turn their fortunes around. West Indies boast a strong squad for the series with some of the world’s leading T20 specialists in batsmen Kieron Pollard, Lendl Simmons and Marlon Samuels, along with spinners Sunil Narine and Samuel Badree all involved. Captain Carlos Brathwaite said on Thursday that even though they were not taking the Afghans for granted, they were confident of imposing themselves on the series. “We need to get back on the winning track. We pride ourselves in our T20 cricket and as usual we want to go out there and give the fans a spectacle, playing that Caribbean way, playing that exciting way to get fans off their seat,” the all-rounder said. “We are not underestimating Afghanistan, they were actually the only team to beat us in the recent World Cup triumph so we’re not underestimating them. “We are focussing on ourselves, we want to get back to the winning ways we are capable of and individually a lot of guys have stuff to prove in West Indies colours and I’m sure everyone is ready and raring to go.” Afghanistan, coached by Phil Simmons who was axed as West Indies head coach last September, have been impressive in their recent outings going unbeaten in their last 11 T20 Internationals. The match is set to bowl off at 6:30 pm. SQUADS: WEST INDIES – Carlos Brathwaite (captain), Samuel Badree, Ronsford Beaton, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Rovman Powell, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Jerome Taylor, Chadwick Walton, Kesrick Williams. AFGHANISTAN – Asghar Stanikzai (captain), Noor Ali Zadran, Javid Ahmadi, Usman Ghani, Mohammad Nabi, Samiullah Shenwari, Najeeb Zadran, Gulbaddin Naib, Rashid Khan Arman, Shafiqullah Shafaq, Shapoor Zadran, Amira Hamza Hotak, Farid Malik, Dawlat Zadran, Karim Janat.
Myrie responds to KC coaching rumours
Kingston College (KC) principal Dave Myrie up to yesterday morning had not received any official resignation from the reportedly departing Neil Harrison, who is expected to be confirmed soon as the new track and field head coach at Jamaica College.However, Myrie was also quick to deny rumours that St Jago’s male team coach, Rahnsomn Edwards, who guided the St Catherine-based school to fourth place at the 2018 ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships, would be taking over from Harrison, who he admitted, is likely to leave the North Street institution ahead of the new term.Edwards, he explained, only applied for a physical education teacher position and has not been contracted to coach the school’s track and field team.He did, however, admit that Edwards could play a role in the future.”Mr Rahnsomn Edwards applied for a job as PE teacher at Kingston College based on an ad we put in The Gleaner,” Myrie insisted.”Obviously he is involved in track and field, and if wants to be part of the programme, then he will be involved. But that’s not why he came to Kingston College; he sent an application for a PE teacher post,” he further explained. “He applied for a job as a PE teacher, because we have a PE vacancy. He was interviewed along with others as a PE teacher, not as a coach.”Now if he wants to be part of the coaching fraternity and if he is on staff, then there is no issue. But he will come on board, if he does, as a PE teacher,” said Myrie.Meanwhile, the KC principal noted that he has received nothing official from Harrison concerning a departure.”I have not received a resignation from him (Harrison) yet, but from all indications, he will be going,” said Myrie, when contacted yesterday morning.’No letter yet'”Mr Harrison indicated he will be moving to Jamaica College, but he needs to follow that up with a formal letter. We cannot act on verbal,” said Myrie, who also stated that they will not rush to appoint a new coach.”We are not looking for anybody. I am not rushing that, I am not looking for any head coach.We are working with the structure we have until we find a head coach. Mr Harrison is also head of the Physical Education Department, so we await his formal letter and then we will take it from there,” he said.However, according to sources close to the Kingston College track and field team, Edwards is being recruited to take over the programme and will also directly coach 400 metres, 800 metres and hurdles.Checks with persons close to the St Jago programme also revealed that Edwards, who has received offers from multiple schools, has already handed in his resignation to St Jago, missed several meetings, and has sought references.livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com
Splash the cash – Olympic diver Knight-Wisdom pleads for support
Since making his debut for Jamaica two years ago, Knight-Wisdom, who created history when he became the first Jamaican male to compete at the Olympic Games, when he did so at Rio 2016, believes he has progressed steadily and is looking to seal a second successive qualification to the Olympics Games at Japan 2020. “I hope to make Jamaica proud next season. I wanted to improve on the season before. Where I was last year to where I am now, I have a better understanding of what I need and how I need to train. I don’t have the same youthful energy I had four years ago, but I have definitely progressed. I am in a much better place than in 2016. I am looking forward to next year and trying to qualify for the next Olympics, and any support will be helpful,” he said. Knight-Wisdom is currently listed as the 24th best diver in the world, based on the latest FINA rankings. livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com OLYMPIC GAMES Jamaica’s lone diver on the international circuit, Yona Knight-Wisdom, says the next two years of his career will be very important and he is on the lookout for any possible sponsorship, that can help him achieve his ambitions. The England-born Jamaican representative, who just missed out on a historic medal at the Commonwealth Games in April, has his sights set on accomplishing great things in 2019, but says it will be tough without adequate funding. “I want to thank the Jamaican people who supported me through the ups and downs, the difficult times. It will come good soon,” Knight-Wisdom told The Gleaner via telephone yesterday. “I would like to show my thanks to the Jamaican people and I hope I can bring my best next year and make them proud every time I compete. “But I’m on the lookout for more sponsorship, more funding to continue for the next two years, minimum, and hopefully beyond. I want to continue representing this country as long as possible, so if there is any opportunity for that (sponsorship) or anything that can help me move forward, I am always open to that suggestion,” he said. The 23-year-old said more funding will help pay for physiotherapy, dietary, training and travel expenses. “To just reduce the unnecessary stresses finances cause. That would put me in a better physical and mental state,” added Knight-Wisdom.
‘Good win but a lot of work needed’ – Two local analysts look back at Boyz’s CONCACAF Nations League victory
Two local football experts have given the Reggae Boyz a thumbs up after a 4-0 win over the lowly ranked Cayman Islands in their opening CONCACAF Nations League match at the National Stadium on Sunday. Harbour View FC’s general manager Clyde Jureidini and Cornwall College’s daCosta Cup coach, Dr Dean Weatherly, said some pre-match events affected their efficiency but both were happy for the opening day win. Jureidini pointed to the team’s limited preparation and the re-introduction of British-based players as reasons they did not synchronise fluently. “We played 48 hours after opposing Ecuador so the mindset wasn’t clearly on the Cayman Islands. It’s also a fairly new competition and the team is new. So even though we won 4-0, there were individual things (errors) we have to work on,” he said. “We also had (Adrian) Mariappa and (Michael) Hector not playing for two years and they did not get a practice game before. But as they play more and get more understanding it will get better. The finishing, co-ordination and understanding is not there yet but it will improve,” he added. Weatherly also thought the coordination was not the best. “Games like this are sometimes feeder games to see where players are and where they need to go in terms of things the coach needs to implement. “Maybe Theodore (Whitmore) was trying some things to see how well players understand each other. So maybe he was looking at things he can implement or he was, maybe, viewing this as a preparation game [for upcoming matches],” he reasoned. However, both analysts agreed it was very important to start with a win but insist the team needs work ahead of the next match. “A win is a win. That will only lift spirits and motivate you to move ahead. I wouldn’t look at the scoreline (winning margin), considering we just played Ecuador and came here to play, and that is tough. But the gelling wasn’t there and they need to start doing that (gel) and become one,” Weatherly commented. Jureidini echoed his sentiments. “The important thing is they started positive, but they are not there yet. I didn’t expect Cayman to be a bother. I expected us to overwhelm Cayman and a 4-0 scoreline reflected that. So it was a good score and victory but there’s work to do,” he said. The Harbour View general manager noted that the team tried to put on an attacking display but said they need time to develop that style. “We tried to force home the issue but I don’t think we are used to that style of being dominant in possession and being an attacking team. We are a defensive, restraining team and then counter-attack. So it will take time to change and get it right consistently,” he concluded. WILL GET BETTER
Tawdry…
…conduct for a big manJust when your Eyewitness thought Trump couldn’t surprise us any longer, up comes the testimony on 60 minutes of “Stormy Daniels” about their affair! Now, the claim’s been circulating for the longest while but this was, well…60 MINUTES!! This was the premier investigative journalism putting THEIR reputation on the line to have the one-time porn star tell her story directly!!Well, they certainly grabbed the attention of a lot of folks since it garnered their largest audience in decades!! While quite a chunk of that crowd probably wanted to be titillated (no pun intended!) by the buxom blonde, it was most likely the same demographic who voted for Trump and wanted to revel in the “macho” exploits of their leader.Let’s face it folks – none of these salacious revelations are going to hurt Trump at that sensitive spot – the ballot box! As we say in Guyana, all the Stormy episode proves is “Trump a maan!!” If, after we had Trump caught on tape boasting how he grabs the “p*ssy’ of random young attractive women, the Christian evangelical movement of the States could reaffirm their support for him, what else could make them shift?The revelation that most of Trump’s latest sexual encounters of the weird kind had him sublimating his sexual desires for his daughter?? Naaah! Among the southern, red neck, gun-toting yahoos who follow him, they don’t even BOTHER with any sublimation!! It’s all in the family!! But seriously folks, Trump’s behaviour has done wonders for a democratic world order. Look at it this way…do you think world leaders can take whatever Trump says seriously after all his low-class escapades? Kim Jong Un??But it’s not just Trump, is it folks?? He’s simply the object through which the new America is channelling its angst. Ever since WWI ended and Britain passed its world-straddling hegemony over to the US, they could now tutor us on what was “civilised” and what was not – just as England had done for centuries. But apart from their big guns and big bombs, the Europeans always insisted they were crude, gum-chewing hicks.But your Eyewitness thinks it was just sour grapes and Trump’s crudity and its approval by the majority of Americans is merely a symptom of a changing world order in which the US just won’t be as all powerful as they had been for the last half-a-century. Change is never easy…especially when the change is seen as a “come down”.So, dear reader, let’s not be too harsh on Trump – he’s just a sign of the (US) times. We have a whole lot of relatives over there now.And you’d be surprised how many support Trump!!…and not cricketAs your Eyewitness suggested, maybe Trump has a (structural) excuse for his low-class behaviour. But what’s the excuse of Steve Smith?? Here’s a young man who was being mentioned in the same sentence as Sir Don Bradman…and he condones and even encourages ball tampering?? What the heck’s going on? While the Europeans might’ve suggested the Americans were rough around the edges, having been tutored longer, we in the Empire assumed we knew better.And nothing proved our credentials than cricket!! Which, for the record, the Aussies played at the highest levels long before us, because they were “white”. It was said by the Duke of Wellington that the Battle of Waterloo (the Brits against the Europe-straddling Napoleon) was won on the playing fields of Eton. Meaning it was the discipline and traditions passed on in that quintessentially upper-class game of cricket that held the line.But sadly, Smith is also a symptom of a wider malaise in Aussies. They never understood CLR James’ dictum:“What do they know of cricket who only cricket know?”…and retrogradeSo while we’re arguing about the relevance of Creolese, French is being promoted? What use will this be to us. With China’s ascendancy, shouldn’t we be brushing up our Mandarin?Since 1853, it’s part of our culture!!
Judicial thinking…
…on the elections brouhahaToday, the CCJ has a “Case Management Conference” to indicate to the PPP and the Govt the timelines for their submissions in the appointment of the GECOM chair appeal. This comes in the midst of the latest political brouhaha which also landed into the CCJ’s lap. This emphasizes that we’ve chosen the CCJ as our final court of appeal on even our domestic legal problems.Of the 15 Caricom members, only Barbados, Belize and we’ve done this. The rest retained the British Privy Council for their final appeals! Our political leaders from both sides of the divide were more “West Indians” than Jamaica and Trinidad, and insisted that Judges from countries that weren’t even CCJ members judge us!! There are no Guyanese on the CCJ bench right now.The argument was that “local” legal minds would be more attuned to our local idiosyncrasies, and consequently be able to apply the law in a more nuanced fashion. Not everyone, including the eminent and recently departed distinguished legal scholar Fenton Ramsahoye, was so convinced. It’s been pointed out that in such small territories, where there are all sorts of local connections and intersecting interests, the Justices may have “skin in the game” and consequently give decisions based not on the law, but on their personal inclinations.“Textualists” hold that judges should just “apply the law as written”, while “originalists” insist they should also hark to the “intent” of the framers – the “spirit” of the law. “Realists”, on the other hand, accept that judges invariably have personal perspectives, and should therefore state “where they’re coming from”. For instance, they could be looking at the consequences of their decision in light of changed conditions. And your Eyewitness has barely scratched the surface of the tools – such as precedents – of judicial decision making!!So, dear reader, you can begin to understand that when judges give their rulings, it could go in any direction!!So, on the GECOM Chair ruling, which tool might best be used? Well, the insertion of Art 161 (2) was only done just before the 1992 elections. The text is pretty clear, and we know for sure the intent was to impose some sort of “give and take” in the appointment, between the President and the Opposition Leader. Was this achieved? When the President rejected all three lists, could he act unilaterally and still satisfy the text?What are the Judges “personal inclinations”??…on majorities (again!)With the above background on judicial thinking, maybe we can figure out what went down in our courts, and what might be ahead in the CCJ on the NCM vote?? Let’s start with Art 106 (6): “The Cabinet including the President shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.” Now you can’t get clearer text than this, can you??What was the intent of the framers when they inserted the Article in 2001?? Well, we’d inherited a similar one from the British in our Independence Constitution in 1966, but Burnham removed it in his 1980 Constitution. Introduced in 2000, the intent was that governments must show they’ve retained their democratic credentials after being elected.The word “majority” in and of itself always meant “the greater portion”, and an odd number of seats was chosen over the years (1961 to 1980, 53 seats; since 65 seats) to prevent a tie by having “1” as the tiebreaker to give “the greater portion than all others”. The formula is 65-1 divided by 2 = 32 +1 = 33!! No need for half bodies!!The redundant adjective “absolute” was introduced to muddy the waters and produce a “preconceived” result!…on these mega sentencesOK…your Eyewitness accepts that some crimes are beyond reprehensible. But what’s the point of these 100-year sentences being doled out nowadays?Especially when they’re now being routinely appealed and reduced?? Spinning wheels?
Scandalous – no one knows anything about the $30B loan, SOCU and SARA MIA
Almost two years since the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC), through the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), took a $30 billion loan, ostensibly for investing into GuySuCo, no one knows what the loan was taken for and what it has been used for so far. The average Guyanese citizen does not know. Sugar workers do not know. Now we are told that even NICIL itself does not know. Guyanese have been asking for almost two years what happened to the $30 billion, and no one has been able or willing to give an account.Neither NICIL nor the Special Purpose Unit (SPU) was willing to be accountable, and their posture was it was nobody’s business. The Agriculture Minister, in fact, admitted he did not know anything and pronounced rather proudly he did not care and did not want to know. The Finance Minister insisted that the Agriculture Minister was in charge of GuySuCo and, therefore, the loan. The President and the Prime Minister showed no interest.But two weeks ago, in a rare sharing of information, the Finance Minister indicated that another interest payment, the sum of $132 million, was made, presenting the information as though that was all the interest the Government has paid for the loan so far. Shockingly, two days ago, NICIL stated that, in fact, thus far, almost $800 million has been paid out in interest on the loan.Adding to the shock, NICIL revealed that over $7 billion of the $30 billion loan has been disbursed by NICIL to GuySuCo, but the Head of NICIL bemoaned the fact that he did not know what GuySuCo has done with the money. Further, the NICIL Head said that the loan was in jeopardy and that Guyana’s creditworthiness was threatened, because GuySuCo has failed to indicate what it has done with the money.The possibility now exists that the lenders – the bondholders, including GBTI and NIS, might recall the loan. NICIL, it turns out, disbursed more than $7 billion on “good faith”, like playing a game while burdening the Guyanese people.In all of this, Minister Holder has shown absolutely no interest in the $30 billion loan and no curiosity in how it was being used. As Guyana’s Minister of Agriculture, he has a legal responsibility and a political duty to demand accountability. He has never done so. He has abdicated his political duty, and is guilty of political malfeasance.More seriously, there are questions surrounding his legal responsibility of accounting for $30 billion. How could he not know what happened to $30 billion? How is it that NICIL disbursed more than $7 billion of that $30 billion to GuySuCo and the Minister did not know what it was disbursed for? Did this Minister ever ask for an accounting? If he did ask, were GuySuCo and NICIL guilty of disregarding the Minister’s legal request? What would Cabinet do if GuySuCo and NICIL refused to provide answers to the Minister?In the meanwhile, GuySuCo continues to flounder. With a low target of just over 100,000 tons for 2019, it is unlikely that GuySuCo will meet its target and, in fact, sugar production for 2019 might well be the lowest for many decades. Little or no investments have been made in improving the factories that still operate. Field operations have suffered because roads and canals have not been adequately maintained, field operations have been negatively impacted, because field equipment have been poorly maintained and are insufficient. Diversification plans have stalled.Even as operations continue to flounder, workers continue to be demoralised. These workers have not been provided with any wage increases since 2014. There were zero per cent increases in wages for 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.Some of the sugar workers who lost their jobs are still waiting for their severance payments. The promised investment in other economic ventures to provide jobs for the unemployed sugar workers has not yet materialised. In fact, after spending more than $100 million for rice production at Wales, virtually no paddy was produced and after spending some $50 million on aquaculture, not a single fish has been reared.While $30 billion is being squandered, while there are scandalous non-transparency and accountability, the closed sugar estates have been scavenged. The promised privatisation has become a well-guarded State secret. No one knows what is happening with the planned privatisation. This past week, the privatisation specialist at the SPU was fired.There are rumours of secret deals. This past week, one of the rumours that emerged is that a consortium of Indian, Ghanaian and Guyanese investors are about to take over the closed Rose Hall Estate. Clearly, if there is a time for the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) and the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) to act, this whole GuySuCo fiasco screams for them to step forward.Dr. Leslie RamsammyJune 3, 2019
Why closure?
It is quite unfortunate that in spite of the mounting calls for the coalition Government to reconsider its decision to downscale the sugar industry via closure of sugar estates, the Administration seems unmoved and is bent on moving in a direction that will see thousands of workers and their families being severely affected.On May 8, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder presented Government’s ‘white paper’ on the future of the sugar industry to the National Assembly. He had announced that two sugar estates would be closed and the annual production of sugar would be reduced, among a number of other measures, as part of a new policy on the sugar industry.Cognisant of the huge impact these closures would have on their lives, scores of sugar workers have taken to the streets over the past few weeks to highlight their concerns on the matter, with the hope that the Government would stop to listen. However, so far, the powers that be have basically turned a deaf ear and are operating as if they are unconcerned. For example, the Wales workers’ contention is that they cannot be compelled to travel to the Uitvlugt Estate on the West Coast of Demerara – some 22 miles from Wales – hence they prefer a severance package. But the Administration seems to be sending a message that they (workers) do not have any other option.The latest organisation to add its voice against the closure of the estates was the Private Sector Commission (PSC). The PSC, which represents several Private Sector bodies in Guyana, has highlighted several valid reasons why the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) should be allowed to continue current operations and has even offered to work with the Administration to explore all possible options to avert closure of the estates.Certainly, the estates are a major source of sustenance and their closure will be felt deeply and far and wide. Workers and their families are rightly fearful that their communities would be destroyed, families broken up and there will be increased incidence of crime and other social problems. It should be mentioned that in December 2016, sugar operations ceased at the Wales Estate, leaving over 1000 workers jobless. Even though it might be too soon to measure the impact of the closure, analysts have predicted it would be severe. One can only imagine what will happen to workers and their families; and communities in general, if the Government moves ahead with other planned closures. It should be noted that the Government-initiated Commission of Inquiry (CoI) did not recommend closure of any estate, but, on the contrary, recommended divestment into private hands.It must be mentioned too that in spite of the many calls for the Administration to develop a plan of action to have the necessary impact assessments completed and to engage industry stakeholders, nothing concrete was done in this regard. We had stated on numerous occasions before, that no informed decision can be made on the sugar industry without proper and detailed impact assessments being carried out.Further, because of its level of importance, we suggest that the issue be brought for discussion and debate at the national level with the involvement of all stakeholders. After all, this is people’s livelihoods that would be affected and they and/or their representatives deserve to be fully engaged on what matters to them. The Government has not presented any justifiable reasons to convince the populace that closure is the most viable option.No one can deny the huge contribution sugar has made to the economy. It could be recalled that years ago, the earnings from the sugar industry helped to prop up other sectors when they were performing badly. Of note too is that the industry remains the largest employer other than Government and is the main foreign currency earner. It is, therefore, necessary that all stakeholders – the workers’ union, parliamentary Opposition, Private Sector bodies and other civil society organisations – continue to raise their voices against the closure of the estates.Citizens, especially sugar workers, must hold the Government accountable, as it had promised a good life for all Guyanese during the 2015 General and Regional Elections campaign. Closing sugar estates and placing workers on the breadline are certainly not a good example of wanting to create that promised ‘good life’.
Missing heat machine and dental equipment
Dear Editor,On January 15, 2016 in another section of the media one of my letters was published under the caption “The story of a missing Heat Machine.” This equipment went missing about two months ago, before a report was made to the police, also missing was a piece of dental equipment from the Anna Regina Health Centre, and again no report was made. I am not sure if any disciplinary action was taken against these persons or person whose responsibility it was to report this incident to the police as soon as this discovery was made because from all appearances, it would have been a clear case of break and enter and larceny or simple larceny and, failing to report demonstrates clearly how carefree and unconcerned the administration of that institutions is.Quite recently I received the good news from a usually reliable source that the heat machine in question is back and is servicing the people well, of course that is the purpose we the tax payers bought it for.I was later told this vital piece of equipment was in the possession of a Cuban doctor that left, but same was not handed over to the authorities. Well if this is so, then that situation can only be described as gross mismanagement. I am very much concerned when these things happen and I have every right to be so, you see I am in that large group of persons who find it very difficult to travel to Georgetown to have a medical examination done at a private hospital when it can be done at Suddie Public Hospital. I was taught not to envy people, because there would always be lesser and greater persons than myself. There would always be persons who can go to North America and Europe for minor ailments such as fever and diarrhoea and to have their dentures redone.This letter in written not only on behalf of myself and the people of Region Two but all across the country, where there is gross mismanagement at our health institutions. The story of the missing heat machine and dental equipment needs to be investigated and the report made public, and those who are found to be negligent should face the consequences of their actions or inactions.Sincerely,Archie Cordis
SARU: Crossing the line between recovery and reprisal?
Dear Editor,The recent outburst of Major (Rtd) Aubrey Heath-Retemeyer, CEO of the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU), is the latest example of the constant denouncing of groups and individuals who have expressed reservations about aspects of the SARU Bill. This behaviour reinforces an impression that the agency is not overly concerned about putting in place the impartial, broad-based national anti-corruption programme that Guyana so urgently requires.Indeed, SARU’s constant and excessive allegations are fragmenting the broad national consensus on anti-corruption which contributed significantly to the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition electoral victory. From what ought to be the easiest issue on which to generate formidable national support, SARU has succeeded in politically polarising the society, as reflected in the heavy list of speakers that forced consideration of the SARU Bill to be postponed in the last session of Parliament.SARU by these and related actions is succeeding in creating the impression that it seriously lacks the political judgment and skills needed to assure the success of the technical and legal aspects of its mandate. The price of the evangelical animosity towards the major Opposition party employed by the head of SARU since its inception and taken up recently by its CEO will be counted in terms of constitutional reform, electoral issues and all matters that require cooperation of the major Opposition.Major Heath-Retemeyer’s criticism of the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) in questioning “where the GHRA was when hundreds of young men lost their lives with no steadfast commitment to pursue justice…” is a trite and quite misplaced response to the GHRA’s comments and criticisms of sections of the SARU Bill. For his information, while acknowledging the need for the nation to confront those deaths, the GHRA is at least on record at the time as having denounced them. Which prompts the question as to where the zealous Major and his military organisation were at that time. This new-found sensitivity to “the tears of parents and wives and children” stands in marked contrast to its silence when the deaths were generating the tears.The GHRA collaborated closely in the early stages of setting up the SARU. This civil society organisation continues to fully support a vigorous anti-corruption programme, incorporating preventative measures as well as asset recovery and criminal action.However, the anti-corruption drive is contaminated when corruption is effectively interpreted as beginning and ending with the last Administration. Rehabilitating the impartiality of SARU will be an up-hill task, notwithstanding Major Heath-Retemeyer’s belated assurance that members of the current Administration suspected of corrupt acts would also be pursued.There are many imaginative and indeed successful anti-corruption programmes in existence around the world. Guyana does not have to re-invent the wheel. The common feature running through them is that while anti-corruption is a crowd-pleaser, it requires shrewd political skills to achieve.Sincerely,Executive CommitteeGuyana HumanRights Association