ICC World Twenty20 Cricket Matches

ICC World Twenty20 Cricket Click Ad below to link to the official ICC website for game information:

British Regiments in British Guiana

British regiments in British Guiana

By David Granger

Radicals regarded it as their ritual duty to yell “Limey go home” on encountering British soldiers in British Guiana in October 1953, fifty-five years ago. Under the governorship of Sir Alfred Savage, the soldiers were reviled as invaders. But the regiments were replenished and replaced almost continuously up to and beyond independence in 1966. By that time, they came to be seen by some as saviours.

After the troops’ arrival, the premier Dr. Cheddi Jagan wrote a long letter to the governor Sir Ralph Grey in June 1963 asking for them to be deployed on the street. “It is my definite impression that the very presence of the British Army is likely to have a sobering effect on those who are determined to act as hooligans and barbarians, injure and maim innocent people, start racial warfare, pose a serious threat to law and order and overthrow the constitutionally elected government,” the premier pleaded. Perceptions had certainly changed from 1953 to 1963.

The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders on parade in Georgetown in 1954

The 1950s were dangerous times. Weakened by the Second World War, Great Britain had to cope with the huge loss of India and other parts of its eastern empire; the Cold War confrontation with the USSR in Central Europe; the waging of the Korean War in East Asia; and the eruption of riots, rebellions and terrorism in its Mediterranean, Middle East, African and Caribbean territories. Trying to avert impending imperial implosion, the British army was stretched to its limits. In this situation, the broadcast by British Guiana’s Governor Sir Alfred Savage on Radio Demerara on October 9, 1953 announcing, “At this moment the Navy and Army are here in sufficient force to cope with any emergency that may arise and the forces are widely distributed throughout the country” was the first that most Guianese heard about the arrival of British troops. At the time they landed, the situation was peaceful. ….

First Caricom Summit with Brazil

CARICOM nations sign deals with Brazil
BRASILIA, Brazil, Wednesday April 28, 2010 – Fourteen Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have signed bilateral agreements with Brazil at the inaugural Brazil-CARICOM Summit.

More than 40 bilateral agreements were signed in areas such as visa exemption and technical cooperation in health, education, culture, agricultural development, energy and biofuels, tourism and civil defense.

At the end of the meeting which took place on Monday, participants signed the Brasilia Declaration, pledging to further promote the integration of their economies, as well as cooperate in international politics, and expressed their mutual desire for further integration and cooperation.

The summit also established a political consultation mechanism, which will meet regularly to identify and promote common positions in the international arena. The declaration stressed the importance of relations between CARICOM and Mercosur – a bloc including Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay – and pledged to work for a free trade agreement.

CARICOM Chairman, Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica, said the summit was “historic and timely”. He said the meeting was a tangible expression of a commitment made by Brazil to establish a partnership with the region and to further existing cooperation initiatives.

The TRAMWAYS OF GEORGETOWN, BRITISH GUIANA.

British Guiana – today called Guyana – was one of three colonies settled by Northern Europeans on the northeast coast of South America. Jurisdiction and borders were disputed for 400 years and it was not until recently that any degree of autonomy was achieved. French Guiana became a département of France in 1946. Dutch Guiana acquired independence and became Republic of Suriname in 1975. British Guiana got its independence in 1966 and was renamed Guyana; it became Republic of Guyana in 1970. The Dutch gave the name Stabroek to their metropolis on the Demerara River. The British renamed it Georgetown in 1812.

In 1848 the British built a railroad, 5 miles long, from Georgetown to Plaisance, which was the first railroad on the South American continent. (Peru and Chile opened their first railroads in 1851, Brazil in 1854, Argentina in 1857, next-door Venezuela not until 1877.) The British later extended the line 60 miles and built another railroad west from Vreed-en-Hoop, on the other side of the Demerara River. Dutch Guiana built a steam tramway at Paramaribo in 1905 and each of the Guianas had short industrial lines. French Guiana never had a passenger railroad.

A street railway began carrying passengers in Georgetown in 1877. The line was acquired by Georgetown Tramways Company in 1880 and used vehicles built by John Stephenson Company in New York. The colorized postcard view below shows the terminus of an unidentified line about 1890. Note architecture of the houses, very different from what one would find in neighboring Venezuela or Brazil.

Click the following link for the full article which has postcard pictures of the trams in Georgetown, and highlights the architecture of that era, which is still a feature of the city.

http://www.tramz.com/gy/g.html

ON THE STREET WHERE I LIVED in B.G.

ON THE STREET WHERE I LIVED

by Peter Halder,

former Guyana Ambassador, Commonwealth Expert, Consultant to Fiji Government.

I was born, grew up and lived for many years on a virtually unknown street.
It’s name is Non Pareil Street and it’s in Albouystown, Georgetown, Guyana.
My family consisted of my father and mother, Earshad and Mary Halder , three brothers – Bonnie, Felix and Vernon, all of whom have passed away, and two sisters – Leila and Bernice.
My niece, Olivia (Livy) Kissoon later came to live with us. She now lives in Toronto, Canada. Her Mom Leila had migrated to Trinidad, then England and now lives in Cyprus. Bernice now lives in Orlando, Florida.

Albouystown is the long, narrow southern suburb of Georgetown, often called a “slum area” due to its “long ranges” of one room homes, thickly populated “yards”, latrines for the use of landlord and tenants and to a minor extent, crime.

It is bounded on the north by Sussex Street and the Sussex Street trench, on the east by Callendar Street, on the south by Punt Trench Dam and the Punt Trench and on the west by La Penitence Public Road and Market. It’s north to south width is only two blocks and straddling the middle from east to west is James Street.

Callendar Street, proceeding west, is followed by Garnett Street, Campbell Street, Curtis Street, Non Pareil Street, Cooper Street, Victoria Street, King Edward Street, Albert Street, Bel Air Street, La Penitence Street, Barr Street, Albouys Street, Hill Street, Hogg Street and La Penitence Public Road.

During the late 1930′s and the 1940s, Albouystown was sparsely populated and Non Pareil Street, moreso. The ‘”yards” were large so there were not many between Sussex Street and Punt Trench Dam.

My father came from India but my mother was born in Essequibo.

read more …

Barbados – Good-bye to Aubrey Cummings

Barbados – Good-bye to Aubrey Cummings

Published on: 4/25/2010. – Nation News- Barbados.

ENTERTAINERS turned out in their numbers on Saturday April 24th, to pay their last respects to late Guyanese-born singer and guitarist Aubrey Augustus Cummings.

Calypsonians, steel-pan players, guitarists, singers, music arrangers and music promoters were among the close to 200 mourners at the funeral service, where most mourners wore white as requested by Cummings’ family.

Mighty Gabby, Richard Stoute, Tony Grazette, Invader No. 3 (Joseph Hughes), Carole George and Richard Layne were at the gathering for the 75-minute morning funeral at the Coral Ridge Memorial Gardens, Christ Church.

Guitarists Willie Kerr, rhythm poet Aja, Norman Barrow of A & B Music Supplies, Calypsonian Pee Wee, music arranger and calypso tent manager Adrian “Boo” Husbands, singer/ bass-player Ricky Aimey, keyboardist John Roett, bassist Philip Forrester and music producer Derry Etkins were among those paying their last respects.

Delivering the eulogy, Etkins said Cummings, his “teen idol”, was misunderstood by many people.

He called him “a basically shy, almost insecure man, who would only let those close to him see behind the facade”.

He added: “To some he came across as haughty, to others as arrogant, to some others as cold and aloof – all of this to hide the soft, deeply passionate and sensitive person inside.” He also said Cummings was a painter who produced a large volume of impressive works – two of them on display during the service.

Allison Bohne (left) and Ahamad Rasheed Boodhoo having a look at some of the art produced by the late Aubrey Cummings, during funeral on April 24th in Barbados.

Close friend and Guyanese Association of Barbados member Elsie Yong, in a tribute read in the chapel, described Cummings as a caring person who paid attention to detail and planned for contingencies.

Highlights of the service included George’s rendition of the song No Tears In Heaven, steel-pan music and some of Cummings’ music.

Delivering the sermon, Catholic priest Father Clement Paul said people did not fully appreciate the work of entertainers. He said they “touch people at the core of their being” and should be seen by churches and other groups as “spiritual people”, he told the gathering. (TY).

Guyanese Association of Georgia Events

Guyanese Association of Georgia

Events for May 2010

The Guyanese Association of Georgia will be holding a number of events at the end of May 2010. they include Jump Up Flag day on May 28, and Fun day on may 30.

The main event will be the Independence Ball – Sunday May 30, 2010 at Jolie (formerly Next Hot Event), 2401 Mellon Court, Decatur, Georgia, 30035. Admission $35(Advance) $40 (Door). Music by Terry Gajraj, Jumo (Former Byron Lee lead singer), Fojo and Shelly G (2008 & 2009 Mashramani Road March Queen.

Guyana receives first Kuwaiti ambassador

Guyana receives first Kuwaiti ambassador

Thursday, April 15, 2010 – GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA) — Following the visit of President Bharrat Jagdeo to Kuwait early this year, the relationship between Guyana and Kuwait strengthened to the extent that there is now, for the first time, a Kuwaiti Ambassador to Guyana. Waleed Ahmad Al-Kandari presented his letters…….Read more….

Over 300 Cuba-trained Guyanese doctors to return in 2011

Over 300 Cuba-trained doctors to return in 2011

Friday, April 2, 2010 – GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA) — With much emphasis placed on improving the healthcare system, 301 Guyanese doctors, trained in Cuba, are expected to return home next year to begin service in their homeland. Minister of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran said the number returning is more than the doctors currently practicing. ..

CARICOM-Brazil Summit on April 26

Guyana’s optimism high for CARICOM-Brazil Summit

Saturday, April 10, 2010 – GEORGETOWN, Guyana — The Guyana government has high expectations for the April 26 CARICOM-Brazil Summit and the government spokesman and secretary to the Bharrat Jagdeo Cabinet, Dr Roger Luncheon said on Thursday that the government will be fully represented at the event. .. … Read more …