President Hugo Chavez was a fighter. The former paratroop commander and fiery populist waged continual battle for his socialist ideals and outsmarted his rivals time and again, defeating a coup attempt, winning re-election three times and using his country’s vast oil wealth to his political advantage.A self-described “subversive,” Chavez fashioned himself after the 19th Century independence leader Simon Bolivar and renamed his country the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.He called himself a “humble soldier” in a battle for socialism and against U.S. hegemony. He thrived on confrontation with Washington and his political opponents at home, and used those conflicts to rally his followers.President Chavez talks to media operatives on arrival at the UNASUR summit in Guyana in 2009Almost the only adversary it seemed he couldn’t beat was cancer. He died yesterday in Caracas at 4:25 local time after his prolonged illness. He was 58.During more than 14 years in office, his leftist politics and grandiose style polarized Venezuelans. The barrel-chested leader electrified crowds with his booming voice, and won admiration among the poor with government social programs and a folksy, nationalistic style.His opponents seethed at the larger-than-life character that demonized them on television and ordered the expropriation of farms and businesses. Many in the middle class cringed at his bombast and complained about rising crime, soaring inflation and government economic controls.Chavez used his country’s vast oil wealth to launch social programs that included state-run food markets, new public housing, free health clinics and education programs. Poverty declined during Chavez’s presidency amid a historic boom in oil earnings, but critics said he failed to use the windfall of hundreds of billions of dollars to develop the country’s economy.Inflation soared and the homicide rate rose to among the highest in the worldChavez paid a one-day visit to Guyana in February 2004 and assured his Guyanese counterpart Bharrat Jagdeo that he had no intention of pursuing claims for Essequibo, signaling the dawn of a new era in his country’s relations with Guyana with which it has had a longstanding border controversy.“The Essequibo issue will be removed from the framework of the social, political, economic relations between the two countries and we will tackle each issue from a different perspective based on mutual respect,” said President Hugo Chavez.“The Venezuelan Government will not hinder any project to be conducted in (the Essequibo) whose purpose is to benefit the inhabitants of the area. By that I mean projects like water supply, communication roads, energy programmes, and agricultural programmes.“Any other sensitive projects that might be organized in the area, we are planning to immediately get in touch and review the projects together within the framework of the high level bilateral commission. We have to find the right way to tackle the problem,” The move was criticized by Former Venezuelan Attorney General, Jesus Petit Da Costa.Da Costa called Chavez a “traitor” for supposedly surrendering the south-eastern Essequibo region of Guyana, which has been traditionally claimed by Venezuela.“Chavez is doing the same as President Guzman, when he sold the Guajira and Casanare (western) Venezuela to the Colombians in exchange for joining his family to European nobility … this time Chavez did it in exchange for a vote in the Organization of American States (OAS).”Chavez’s move allowed Guyana to go ahead with developing the disputed region (two-thirds of Guyana).President Chavez during a recent visit by his daughters at a hospital in CubaAt the end of discussions with his Guyanese counterpart nine years ago, the former Venezuelan leader said that things have changed drastically from the “imperialist” thinking of the past and Venezuela now has “no kind of sentiment against Guyana whatsoever.”Evidence of the closer cooperation between the two countries were the cancellation of US$12.5M of the debt Guyana owed Venezuela, and the undertaking by President Chavez to favourably consider adjusting to terms and conditions of the Caracas Energy Cooperation Accord to make it compatible with Guyana’s obligations under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative.Chavez and Jagdeo had also agreed to pursue poverty alleviation as well as infrastructure projects under the Hemispheric Integration Project.Before his struggle with cancer, he appeared on television almost daily, frequently speaking for hours and breaking into song or philosophical discourse. He often wore the bright red of his United Socialist Party of Venezuela, or the fatigues and red beret of his army days. He had donned the same uniform in 1992 while leading an ill-fated coup attempt that first landed him in jail and then launched his politica

President of Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, Pandit Reepu Daman PersaudHOLI CREATES CONDITIONS FOR SOCIAL COHESION AND HARMONYHoli is the festival of Spring or Vasant Ritu.? Another name by which this colourful festival is described is Phagwah. Phagwah is observed in the lunar month of Phalgun which is the last month in the Hindu year. Holi emerged from the Sanskrit word Hola, simply meaning grains.The Kissans or farmers, after harvesting their crops, offer grains to AGNI DEVATA in the spirit of a Navaneshti Yaag which is usually conducted at this time.? The grains are taken to a central point and devotees surround the Agni kund and make offerings with simultaneous chanting of vedic mantras.Holi unfolds nature in all its bounty. Celebrants capture the magenta therefrom and convert it in liquid form and joyfully squirt it on each other with love,Wholesale Hockey Jerseys, affection and happiness.? The colours which dominate the celebration are a reflection of nature’s beauty. The celebration must therefore match Vasant Ritu/Spring Season.Prahalad, challenging his despotic father who demanded to be adored as God, added a new dimension to Phagwah.? The youthful prince stands out as someone with implicit faith and courage, which has greatly influenced those who share in the celebration.Holi also heralds the Hindu New Year and is integrated in the basic philosophy of Hinduism. The social aspect brings people together and provides an opportunity for getting together and reunion.This lovely and colourful festival is truly proletarian and is celebrated in the spirit of oneness, removing all barriers and creating conditions for social cohesion and harmony.Phagwah came with our forebears from India and developed into a national festivity.? It was verily confined to the sugar plantation.? With the passage of time, Phagwah has now taken on national identity and is celebrated as one of our national holidays, joyfully in the way and manner our forebears intended.I wish to implore all celebrants to keep the festival pure, hygienic and spiritually inspired.I wish you Shubh Holi and Phagwah ka Shubh Kamnayea.People’s Progressive Party (PPP)LET GOOD TRIUMPH ALWAYS OVER EVILOn the occasion of the observation of Phagwah Day, the People’s Progressive Party extends best wishes to the Hindu community in Guyana and the world at large. The Party also takes this occasion to greet all the Guyanese people as a whole and to wish them continuing peace, happiness and prosperity.Since the religious occasion of Phagwah is one that signifies the triumph of good over evil, the People’s Progressive Party urges all Guyanese to stand guard over their hard-earned civil liberties, and not to allow anyone to trample on them under any pretext whatsoever.On this occasion being commemorated as Phagwah, Lord Vishnu triumphed over the wicked demon king Hiranyakashipu, who had repeatedly schemed to kill his own innocent son Prahalad, but consistently failed.? With the death of the demon king at the hands of Lord Vishnu, universal freedom was restored and everyone celebrated that victory.In the world of today, there are many demonic personalities who would deprive whole nations of their freedom, if given the chance to rule. This is why all the people of Guyana should be on guard against any occurrence taking place that is designed to trample upon their constitutional rights and to subvert their hard-earned democratic liberties,Wholesale Jerseys, won at great cost in October 1992.Happy Phagwah to One and All!************************************People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)REFRESH YOUR SPIRITS, ENJOY LIFE, AND PARTICIPATE FULLYThe People’s National Congress Reform expresses Holi Greetings to the Hindu Community in Guyana in particular, and Guyanese in general, on the auspicious occasion of the celebration of the Festival of Phagwah.The significance of Phagwah is two-fold. The religious significance of Holi lies in the conquest of good over evil, manifested by the destruction by Phahalad of his demonic father, King Hiranyckashipu. Its secular significance lies in the advent of the season of spring, and its real and allegorical implications of fertility, rebirth, renewal and regeneration.The Guyanese people have recently witnessed National and Regional Elections and had hoped, like other countries in the world, that the spring of a resurgence of human rights, justice, national unity, and natural reconciliation, would have returned to Guyana. They were emboldened by the Arab Spring, and other developments in the countries that engendered a rebirth of freedoms and a new dawn.Alas, the situation in Guyana is not so. The new Government, although they possess executive authority, lacks the parliamentary power in the National Assembly now enjoyed by the combined opposition. The Guyanese people had expected that, in these circumstances, the results o

-injury consistent with a fallPolice have ruled out foul play in the death of six-month-old Glencia Salvador whose body was found in a house at Nappi Village,Wholesale China Jerseys, Central Rupununi,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, last Saturday.A post mortem examination was yesterday performed on the body of Glencia Salvador by Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh,Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping, who gave the cause of death as blunt trauma and concussion to the brain.However,Cheap Jerseys, the doctor opined that the injury was consistent with a fall and not a deliberate blow to the head.Police had initially detained the child’s father after it was discovered that he had left the child alone at home in a hammock.Investigators now believe that the baby fell out of the hammock and landed on the floor,Cheap NBA Jerseys China, causing her to sustain the injury.The father was subsequently released and the body handed over to the family for burial.

Justice William RamlalSeon Yaw hugs his mother after being acquitted of murder yesterday– Judge cites poor investigation, negligencePoor police investigation and high instances of police incompetence and negligence were some of the main reasons cited by Justice William Ramlal, yesterday,Cheap NFL Jerseys Supply, as he directed the jury to return a unanimous verdict of not guilty to murder accused Seon Yaw.Yaw,Wholesale Jerseys USA, was accused of murdering 73-year-old security guard Noel Jones between December 5 and December 6, 2004.Justice Ramlal in his address to the court said that the prosecution failed to produce evidence which showed that Yaw inflicted the injuries which caused Jones’s death.The judge further stated that although the prosecution tried its best, he had noticed a number of cases over the months which have been falling apart because of poor police investigation.He stated that the police’s forensic photographer had no idea what photography was. “The policeman knows nothing about photography because he destroyed the film.”Justice Ramlal opined that with technology readily advancing, the police should have done things digitally.“I don’t blame the prosecution since they tried their best….it was pure police incompetence with the investigators of this case.”Ramlal further stated that the identification parade was based only on one witness, who might have made a mistake. He said that it was during cross examination that certain aspects of the identification parade were made known.The judge said that the ID parade only had one person with a distinguishing mark, which made the witness choose Yaw.He said that other aspects of the defendant’s appearance were forgotten about. “He was picked out even though his height was not correct”.Additionally,Cheap NFL jerseys China, the judge said that evidence from one of the witnesses called by the state was unreliable and unsubstantiated.He said that the witness gave the court the impression that it was only Yaw that entered the business place, while in the magistrates’ court the witness admitted that three persons entered the premises.The judge also pointed out that there is definitely a problem with the administrative system.According to Justice Ramlal, the matter should have been sent to the magistrates’ court, to facilitate more evidence being taken. He said certain witnesses who probably would have given a better description and had a clearer understanding of what transpired were not called.Once again the judge cited that the investigators were to be blamed. The judge said he found it incomprehensible that one of the witnesses, who was next to Jones, could not identify Yaw.Ramlal said that the court could only act on the evidence,NFL Jerseys China, which is presented. He emphasized that if the police are doing a criminal investigation they must therefore do it properly.In upholding Senior Counsel Bernard Dos Santos’ no-case submissions, the judge said that the evidence led was weak and tenuous, noting that the prosecution never established that Yaw actually killed Noel Jones.The judge urged Yaw to walk away in future if a problem arises. Justice Ramlal told Yaw that he had been given a new lease on life,Wholesale Jerseys Authentic, urging him to improve on his education.“It’s easy to act out…but if trouble comes your way run…. don’t allow yourself to be caught up,” the Judge said.He stressed that it would have been a travesty if he had allowed the jury to deliberate on the matter.State Prosecutors Shivani Balcharan and Judith Gildharie-Mursalin represented the state.It was alleged that Noel Jones was on duty at the Original Dairy Bar, a fast food establishment,Cheap Jerseys, when three armed bandits stormed the business place.The bandits managed to make off with $132,000.Eyewitnesses had said that Jones was pushed into a toilet where he was shot once in the chest.