Tuesday April 11, 2017
This panelist admitted that he did not read the Constitution DEAR EDITOR, The United Nations’ (UN) delegation that was here in February at the Government’s requested support, in the effort to proceed with constitutional reform, has submitted its Report to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo. It is hoped the sobering input of the world’s second oldest body is heeded. It is being advised, via the media, the UN recommends: i) the importance of not rushing the process of constitutional reform; ii) the process can create an opportunity for social cohesion and nationbuilding; iii) it must be characterised by meaningful dialogue, negotiation and compromise by the government, opposition and citizens; iv) the Constitutional Reform Commission be independent, inclusive, and representative of civil society; and v) major attention paid to public education and effective participation. What the UN has advised us in proceeding on this matter of national import is what the Guyana Constitution requires of us. The environment as outlined in Article 13 expressly states, “The principal objective of the political system of the State is to establish an inclusionary democracy by providing increasing opportunities for the partici-
pation of the citizens, and their organisations in the management and decisionmaking processes of the State, with particular emphasis on those areas of decision-making that directly affect their well-being.” That this international institution whose existence is premised on the equality of man and treating each other with dignity and respect, from whence its declarations are framed, has spoken, it is time to cease treating the Constitution with contempt and disdain. Reducing this supreme instrument to satire and ridicule, which frankly is informed by acceptance of propaganda and absence of understanding of its spirit and intent, along with not taking the needed effort to become acquainted, is hurting the nation and its people’s growth and development. I recently attended an internationally hosted panel review of the Constitution and a panelist, who is charged with the responsibility of helping the process, admitted to not having read this instrument. In the first instance you cannot have an informed and educated conversation on something you know not of and expect to be able to give of your best in accomplishing the task required of you. This deficiency is not singu-
lar to this panelist but pervasive in the administration of governance across the executive, legislative and judicial branches. UN’s recommendation that attention be paid to public education and effective participation requires Government providing the needed leadership. Government has overarching responsibility for the nation’s education and must see it incumbent on its part to provide the requisite resources that society, through education (formal and informal), can know what’s ensconced in the Constitution, its requirements, and the citizens’ roles and responsibilities, which would bring about effective participation. For it is only through knowledge that effective participation can happen, and this is a foremost prerequisite to the starting point of any process. Further, to ask people to participate in changing an instrument that they are ignorant of is to torpedo the intent of the objective the process claims it sets out to achieve. The desire for constitutional amendment/reform/alteration is permitted in the constitution and in order to proceed with same one has to follow the rules to change the rules. Article 119A (1) ex-
pressly states, “The National Assembly shall establish a Parliamentary Standing Committee for Constitutional Reform for the purpose continually reviewing the effectiveness of the working of the Constitution and making periodic reports therein to the Assembly, with proposals for reform as necessary.” Subparagraph (2) goes on to state, “To assist in its work, the committee shall have power to co-opt experts or enlist the aid of other persons of appropriate expertise, whether or not such experts or other persons are members of the Assembly.” The UN has pointed us in a direction which has been right in front of our eyes all these years and that is not dissimilar to a call being made by some in the society. The Prime Minister, who is charged the responsibility for the constitutional reform consultation, has advised that his office submitted an $80 million budget for the programme. Let this money now be accordingly disbursed after a programme has been conceptualised and developed based on the UN’s recommendations. The Guyana Trades Union Congress participated in the UN’s engagement and awaits its copy of the report. Lincoln Lewis
These governmental subtleties Minister Jordan wouldn’t understand DEAR EDITOR, Last week, I wrote about how the independence of the Judiciary is being undermined by institutionalized policies of and deliberate omissions by the Coalition Government. Apparently, I irked Mr. Winston Jordan, the Minister of Finance. It is instructive that I reiterate, that prior to May 2015, the fiscal, constitutional and procedural architecture under which the Judiciary was financed remained virtually unchanged since our Independence Constitution promulgated on the 26th of May 1966. Expectedly, the system has not been without scrutiny over the years. For example, some years ago, a dispute arose between the then Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago and the sitting Chief Justice. It became public and very controversial. The gravamen of the Chief Justice’s complaint was that the Attorney General was attempting to erode the independence of the Judiciary. As a result of the conflagration, the President of Trinidad and Tobago established a highpowered Commission of Inquiry headed by the Former Lord Chancellor of England, Lord Mackay QC. The Commissioners, inter alia, examined the constitu-
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tional, legal, parliamentary and procedural architecture by which the Judiciary was funded. They concluded that it contained sufficient checks and balances to assure and guarantee the financial independence of the Judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago. That constitutional construct of Trinidad and Tobago greatly resembled that which existed in Guyana, prior to May 2015. Indeed, from 1966 to 2015, I am unaware of a single allegation ever made, emanating from the Judiciary, or elsewhere, which tended to suggest that the extant constitutional arrangement under which the Judiciary was financed in Guyana impaired its financial independence or its functional autonomy. It is against this backdrop and the foregoing notwithstanding, that the Coalition Government in 2015, chose to change a status quo that was proven, tested and one about which a complaint was never made. To date, no rational reason has ever been proffered for the change. According to the Minister, the change is captured in the Fiscal Management and Accountability (Amendment) Act 2015, No. 4 of 2015. This Act was assented to by President David Granger on the 5th August 2015. It is instructive
to note, that this Act was debated and passed in the National Assembly during the period that the PPP was absent from the House. From all indications, our presence and objections would not have mattered. To my contention, that the Judiciary is financed by a direct charge on the Consolidated Fund, the Minister, with bold nescience asserts: “this is both dangerously misleading and factually incorrect, since according to Act No. 4 of 2015 FMAA (Amendment, 2015), Section 3 (b) 80B (7), ‘The annual budget of a Constitutional Agency approved by the National Assembly shall not be altered without the prior approval of the National Assembly’. Hence parliamentary approval is required both initially and for any alteration.” This emphatic assertion by the Minister as well as Section of the FMAA (Amendment) Act 2015, upon which he relies, are in palpable contravention of the clear and express language of Article 122A (2) of the Constitution, which provides: “…all Courts shall be administratively autonomous and shall be funded by a direct charge upon the Consolidated Fund…” What this means is that
no parliamentary approval is required for financing for the Judiciary. Therefore, Section 3 (b) of the FMAA Amendment Act 2015 is unconstitutional and void to the extent of its inconsistency with the Constitution by virtue of Article 8 of the Constitution. Article 8 provides: “This Constitution is the supreme law of Guyana and, if any other law is inconsistent with it, that other law shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void.” Mr. Jordan next takes umbrage with my recount of how the Judiciary’s budget was presented prior to 2015. I recited that the said budget would have been prepared by the Judiciary, in consultation with the Ministry of Finance and the final product was included in the budget of the Ministry of Legal Affairs and submitted to the Ministry of Finance to be consolidated as part of the National Estimates of Expenditure. I pointed out that the practice was, that the Minister of Legal Affairs never altered, or in any manner whatsoever, interfered with the budget of the Judiciary. As a counter, Mr. Jordan argues, that when the budget of the Judiciary was presented to the Ministry of Finance during that (Continued on page 6)
Quoting the philosopher Noam Chomsky, to indict Royston King DEAR EDITOR, The CITY COUNCIL has declared that businesses have no authority to erect ‘noparking signs’ in front or surrounding their operations and must first ask for permission from the Mayor and City Council (M&CC). The M&CC has made it clear in the past that businesses and private citizens must first obtain permission in writing if they propose to erect signs on the City Council’s roads, pavements, parapets and other thoroughfares. But what about the parking lots and meters that City Hall marked out and
placed on ‘Declared Urban Roads’? Did they get permission from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure? No they did not. So are they saying ‘do as I say and not as I do’? Noam Chomsky, in his book ‘Imperial Ambitions: Conversations on the Post-9/ 11 World’ said “For the powerful, crimes are those that others commit.” Well Madam Mayor in Guyana we say ‘What goes for Peter must go for Paul’. If you want citizens and business to obey your municipal laws, then you must first obey the Laws of Guyana. Nadine Jerrick
Suggestions on the reform of the parking meter project DEAR EDITOR, Re Parking Meters: The introduction of Parking Meters should be acceptable on the following terms. a) The charge to be $20.00 (twenty dollars) per hour or part thereof. b) No one can be exempt, all Ministers of the Government, Government Workers, everyone has to pay. c) The hours 8.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. every working day. d) Clamping and Tow charges should not amount to
more than two days at the minimum wage. e) Private Parking ‘Lots’ should be encouraged. As regards the “Council”: Those members who supported the original contract, (as appeared in the press), have shown that they are incompetent to carry out the duties of the City Council. No qualified person could possibly approve such a deal, hence they should resign. L.J.P. Willems.
Is this the good life APNU+AFC promised? DEAR EDITOR, The shortage of drugs and medical supplies is a matter of life and death and not just a political problem as some may want to believe. Today, we at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition were confronted with this reality in a very direct way; two children, juvenile diabetics (type 1 diabetics who have been on insulin all their life and who will always be on insulin), travelled from Lima Sand Essequibo Coast with their mother to the GPHC, only to be told that no insulin is available. They turned for help at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and requested that we highlight their case. They further explained that while at the hospital they were informed by staff of the GPHC that insulin would be available in another four weeks (by May 8th 2017), their next clinic date. Herein lies the problem, after a $605 million purchase of drugs and medical supplies by the GPHC and the ensuing scandal of this award to Ansa McAl allegedly without any proper procurement process, a vital drug like 70/30 insulin to ensure the health of our citizens is not available at our foremost health institution in
Guyana. We sought to verify through different sources of the state of affairs and we have concrete evidence to substantiate this claim. There was no insulin in the pharmacy or at the hospital’s bond. We can further confirm that there was no insulin at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, the West Demerara Regional Hospital or any of the hospitals in the county of Berbice. Thankfully public spirited citizens who were present at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition financially supported the purchase of this essential drug for the children, going the extra mile by searching various private pharmacies in Georgetown to make the purchase (this was not a case of a beggar trying to dupe people or get money, so no excuses will be accepted).The question is what will happen to the hundreds, if not thousands of Guyanese who suffer from this chronic noncommunicable disease that requires daily supply of insulin and other medications? The Ministers of Public Health should stop making excuses, finding scapegoats (Continued on page 6)
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Pedestrian and Passenger nightmare at the Georgetown stelling roadway DEAR EDITOR, Something has been going on for the longest while that no politician seems capable of even addressing, much less correcting. It is a passenger’s nightmare traversing the roadway at the Georgetown stelling leading out to the Fire Station. On a daily basis, thousands of people travel by speedboat to and from Georgetown even more than the Demerara Harbour Bridge usually handles and there is simply no reason to feel that we are humans and having any rights to walk on the roadway leading to and from the Fire station area. The pavement alongside the Stabroek market has long been hijacked from the citizens of the country with vendors permanently occupying it. Embarking from the speedboat in the morning to walk to your destination is very stressful. There is nowhere to walk, with taxi drivers jostling for positions closest to the stelling and even parking in the stelling itself. Minibuses are deliberately blocking the middle of the roadway, fighting to get the next loading spot while dozens of other vehicles simply stuck with no movements in traffic. Trucks and vans are
squeezing to offload their merchandise to the market while trolley carts are intertwined into the mixture of chaos and confusion. Honking horns and obscene language are the only music in the air which is further complimented with dust, smoke and foul smell. As if the vending on the pavement is not enough, the vendors are also battling with the buses, trucks and cars for this narrow roadway. Vegetables, groceries and fish are openly exposed to the putrid atmosphere where diseases lurk at every stall. As if going to work amidst this condition is not enough, passengers have to traverse the same area in the afternoon to cross the speedboat on to their homes. Amidst all this hazard, school children, doctors, nurses and other professionals are finding a way to navigate this 100 meters of hellish roadway six days per week. To add insult to injury, the area becomes a haven for criminals in the evening even as early as 5pm. One cannot escape a pickpocket attack because there is nowhere to move even if one suspects a bandit is at hand. No one reports robbery because they know there is a total break-
down of law and order in the high government much less the local municipality. Trolleys mashing shoppers’ feet are common, vendors verbally abusing pedestrians because they brace their makeshift shacks are daily and vehicles bracing other vehicles are regular. Considering that the City Council and Fire Station are on spot with the main police headquarters a little up the roadway and parliament building can be visible from there, it is almost criminal for this atmosphere to prevail for one week much less years. Not a single law enforcement personnel can ever be seen as if they themselves have given up and resigned to their fate. It is a tourist’s nightmare after crossing the speedboat and having to experience a ghetto life for fifteen minutes is storytelling when they return to their country. I urge other citizens to come out and speak about this situation for the thousands that are affected and are paying our fair share of taxes. We are contributing to the economy as all other sectors and we will not be sitting idly listening to the politicians campaign for our votes and giving them freely like that. Tracy Abraham
These governmental subtleties Minister Jordan... From page 5 consultative process, it was reduced. He gave the years 2013 and 2014 as examples. That may be so. It is impossible to conceive that any entity within the state apparatus would be endowed with the fiscal freedom to prepare a budget, to be funded from public funds, without regard to the ability of the State to fund that b u d g e t . O b v i o u s l y, t h e Minister of Finance, as the custodian of public funds, must have a say, having regard to the State’s financial affordability. To a d d r e s s t h i s d i lemma, the practice has always been for the budget of the Judiciary to be agreed upon, having regard to the affordability of the State, through a consultative process by the Judiciary and the Minister of Finance. Significantly, via this process, it is the Judiciary that would have been requested to adjust its budget to meet the recommendations of the Minister
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Kaieteur News
of Finance and not the Minister of Finance unilaterally and without consultation, cutting the Judiciary’s budget. This practice allows the Judiciary the fiscal autonomy to determine what it will adjust, where the adjustment are going to be made and by what amounts. In short, this practice did not unduly restrict or interfere with the financial autonomy of the Judiciary. These subtleties are lost upon Mr. Jordan. Indeed, the new procedure, promulgated by Mr. Jordan, nakedly deprives the Judiciary of the very financial autonomy about which he boasts. By this new procedure, the budget of the Judiciary is presented to the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Minister of Finance, without any consultation whatsoever capriciously, arbitrarily and whimsically moves a motion and cuts the lump-sum budget proposals of the Judiciary without any regard whatsoever of the impact such reduction will
have, on the Judiciary’s ability to discharge its functions. Significantly, this is done on the floor of the Parliament, for the nation to witness, that the Judiciary’s budget is subject to the whims and fancy of the Minister of Finance. This must appear to the public to be the very antithesis of financial autonomy. Sometimes, the appearance is as important as the reality. The Honourable Minister attempts to upbraid me in the closing paragraph of his letter for “peddling untruths about matters that are largely out of” my remit. I wish to assure Mr. Jordan, that as long as Guyana continues to be a fledgling democracy, the duty of every Government shall be to govern in accordance with the Constitution and the Law of this land and my remit will always be to ensure that duty is discharged in every sphere of Government. My remit, therefore, is Government itself. Anil Nandlall
Loan losses and the banking system in Guyana DEAR EDITOR, I was advised that the Guyana Bank for Trade & Industry Ltd (GBTI) is due to hold its Annual General Meeting for the year 2016 very soon. The shareholders of that Bank should be very concerned about the state of the loan provisioning net of recoveries at that institution. At the end of 2016, the provision for loan losses stood at G$899 million. But to really understand the effect of what is happening, one must consider the ratio of the provi-
But when we thought this risk resided only with just one bank, how wrong we were? The Bank of Guyana exposed a more systemic situation. If one is to observe the latest available quarterly report from the Bank of Guyana, as at September 2016, the nonperforming loans (bad loans) was 11.3% of the total loan portfolio for the entire banking sector, compared to 6.6% in September 2014. That is almost a doubling of the bad loans to total loans across the entire banking sector. What can one deduce from this situation? The quality of the loan portfolio at the commercial banks has rapidly deteriorated between 2014 and 2016. There are several reasons for this state of affair, but at the top of the list is how badly the economy is being managed under Minister Jordan. But the buck does not stop at Minister Jordan; after all he is a creature of a higher power. The people bestowed the responsibility
sion for loan losses net of recoveries to total loans and advances between 2012-2016. From the graph below, one can observe the rapid expansion the pool of good cash that has to be set aside to fund the write-off of bad loans in the bank’s loan portfolio. In 2016, the ratio of cash being set aside for potential bad loans rose to some 1.98% of the total loan portfolio compared to under 0.39% in 2014. (see graph below). That is a five-fold expansion in this ratio.
for chartering a course for the nation with President David Granger and cutting ribbons and receiving free boats is not what is needed; progressive public policies continuously is vitally essential at this stage of the nation’s evolution. In the case of GBTI, pretax profit declined 6.25% over 2016 to G$2.5 billion resulting in that bank paying the GRA less in taxes. So as the economy implodes, we will find that more companies will be paying less tax as their dwindling profits, which redounds to the dis-benefit of the nation. The evidence reveals that GBTI will be paying the GRA some 30% less in taxes in 2016 compared to the previous year. If one is to further analyze the cash flow statement of GBTI, one will recognize also that there was a G$2.4 billion decline in the loan portfolio in 2016, the principle revenue generator for that Bank. From my reading of the fund flows, there ap-
pears to be an active strategy by the leadership of the Bank to move its assets from loans to lower risk options as the economy contracts. This is known as a flight to quality in periods of grave economic uncertainty. Those who have eyes are fully aware by now that what we are having in Guyana today is a full-fledged credit crunch. Overall, a credit crunch will do a lot of damage to the economy by stifling economic growth through decreases in capital liquidity and will reduce the ability of business houses to borrow if they choose to recapitalize or even expand operations. When this happen, the entire nation loses and entrepreneurialism is crushed. The year 2017 is shaping up to be the most challenging year of the Granger term so far; buckleup. The time of austerity and belt tightening is upon us. Sase Singh
Is this the good life APNU+AFC promised? From page 5 and blaming their predecessors and other junior st a f f f o r t h i s prevailing incompetence. Penalizing staff, such as sending them on administrative leave, police investigations for theft and a robust public relations stunt are insufficient actions that will not deflect the nation’s
attention away from the major drug shortage that exists in our health care system. What a Shame! The APNU/AFC promis e d t h e G u y a n e s e people the ‘’good life’’. ..Is this the ‘’good life’’ that will cause this family to expend scarce resources to travel from the Essequibo Coast to Georgetown to obtain this service which should have been provided in the county of Essequibo itself? This speaks volumes to the level of maladministration that is taking place in our country.It is our sincere
hope that by highlighting the plight of the family, action will be taken to ensure that the nation gets v a l u e f o r m o n e y. I s i t unreasonable to conclude that after spending $605 million dollars we perhaps only got $250 million worth of drugs and medical supplies? Answers are urgently needed. Juan Edghill E d i t o r ’s n o t e : We sought a comment from the Ministry of Public Health on the above subject. PRO for the Ministry, Terrence Esseboom said he is unaware of such a shortage.
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Teachers’ promotion preliminary list...
Schools Board Secretariat makes almost two dozen changes Similar to the mandated review completed by the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) over a week ago, multiple changes have been made to the list of senior promotions that has been completed by the Schools Board Secretariat. Like the TSC, the Schools Board Secretariat was mandated by a court ruling, to review its preliminary list of promotions. Based on the information this publication has been privy to, 22 changes were made to the preliminary list of promotions that was completed in 2015. According to the information which has been substantiated by President of the Teachers’ Union, Mark Lyte, the Schools Board 2015 list contained 35 appointments. These included promotions for head teachers, deputy head teachers, senior masters/mistresses, heads of department, administrators, senior lecturers and vice prin-
cipals. According to Lyte, when the new list was scrutinised by the union it was revealed that there were 22 changes. The current list has “26 appointments reducing the number of appointees by nine. These changes were necessary due to the fact that some appointees did not satisfy the criteria as set out in the advertisement; applicants were awarded points for qualifications that attach no points.” “Generally, GTU is extremely satisfied with the review process since it indicates that the School Boards were doing their own thing much to the detriment of the system,” said Lyte. “We are ready to move forward in the new term and it is hoped that with the move to have TSC do all senior promotions, employment and discipline in the next phase and onwards that the system will allow for fairer treatment of all applicants.”
In November, Chief Justice, Yonette CummingsEdwards, ruled that the TSC and the Schools Board Secretariat must review their process of promotion for 2015. This followed on the heels of months of prolonged delay to the process caused by a court matter that was set in motion by the GTU. The union initially filed an injunction to halt the process against the background that there were concerns with how the preliminary list was derived. The mandated review commenced earlier this year. The TSC review, according to Lyte, revealed more than 70 changes. It was ascertained that the TSC found several teachers who were identified for promotions on the previous preliminary list of senior promotions. It was deduced that these teachers following the court-mandated review were found to not be suitably qualified for positions for which they had ap-
Dr. Jennifer Westford’s fraud trial to begin next month The trial of PPP Parliamentarian Dr. Jennifer Westford and Ms. Margaret Cummings in relation to the eight state vehicles, for which they forged documents and attempted to transfer to persons, is scheduled to commence on May 15. This announcement was made yesterday by Magistrate Fabayo Azore in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, where Police Prosecutor Bharrat Mangru served statements and exhibits on the women’s attorney. It is alleged that between July 17, 2014 and June 23, 2015, Westford attempted to transfer eight state vehicles to four persons. Cummings was also slapped with four counts of forgery. It is alleged that she forged documents for the purchase of the eight motor vehicles. Dr. Westford and Ms. Cummings have both pleaded not guilty to the charges and have been released on $800,000 and $1.2M bail respectively. In June, 2015, Minister of State Joseph Harmon, had told the media that it was brought to his attention that some documents were sent to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), purportedly signed by the then Permanent Secretary of the Public Service Ministry, Hydar Ally. This was done under Ally’s letterhead, but signed by someone else. It was Ally who directed Harmon to the discrepancy in
Ms. Margaret Cummings the paperwork forwarded to GRA for the transfer of eight vehicles. In light of the overwhelming evidence, the vehicles were returned to the government. Dr. Jennifer Westford of Lot 55 ‘AA’ Victoria Avenue Eccles, East Bank Demerara, and Ms. Margaret Cummings of 709 Section A Diamond EBD are currently facing trial before Magistrate Judy Latchman for the alleged theft of $639, 420,000 from the state. They have also pleaded not guilty to this charge and are out on $4.8M bail each. According to court facts, Dr. Westford was employed as Minister of Public Service from 2001-2015, while her coaccused was the Principal Personnel Officer of the Ministry. Cummings was also in charge of the Ministry’s ac-
Dr. Jennifer Westford counts department. It was discovered that on 24 occasions, Westford signed memoranda amounting to $639, 420,000 and sent it to the Office of the President for approval. Approval was granted and cheques were prepared and encashed by Bank of Guyana. It was revealed that the monies were requested to carryout various activities throughout the 10 administrative regions. But personnel from the various regions were contacted and denied ever receiving the cash. Investigations were carried out and no money was recovered.
plied. According to Lyte, “The union feels vindicated that its call for a review has yielded substantial changes. I have perused the document [new promotion list] and found that there are 73 changes. They include people changing in terms of the names that were on the previous list,” said Lyte of the TSC list. “We insisted that something was amiss with the promotion process and we are happy that the court ruled in our favour. The list[s] we are now seeing prove that our concerns were valid,” Lyte underscored. As he emphasised the changes in the TSC list, the GTU President pointed out that while there were about four teachers who were named on the previous list to be promoted to Mathematics Head of Department, at least one of these names has been re-
moved from the list. This is in light of the fact, Lyte noted, that the criteria for this promotion required that eligible teachers have a degree in the subject area. “We found that one person who was appointed there, that person has since been removed from the list because upon their [TSC’s] perusal that person was not eligible,” Lyte noted. Under the promotion category of English Head of Department, Lyte said that the previous list contained seven names. However, the reviewed list reveals that four of these names have since been removed as these persons again were found to be not eligible for the senior promotion. Further, Lyte revealed that two names that were not previously there have been added.
There were similar occurrences for the position of Allied Arts Head of Department whereby TSC in its earlier preliminary list had promoted one individual who is no longer on the revised list since they did not meet the criteria. Lyte also detailed multiple instances where there were identical occurrences in the promotion of Head Teachers and Deputy Head Teachers of various levels of schools. “All of these are significant and most of the [promotion categories] had several glaring insertions,” related Lyte. According to him, although the wait for the changes to materialise was long, “it was worth it. Now the eligible teachers are being duly placed in their various positions.” The promotions will be retroactive to September 1, 2015.
Allegations of money-laundering against gold dealer…
$100M in taxes lost in three months More details are coming out that would raise alarming questions over the lax attention paid by regulators to transactions of embattled gold dealer, Saddiqi ‘Bobby’ Rasul. Over a three-month period, September to November last year, Rasul’s gold dealing company, SSS Mineral Trading Enterprises, conducted over $7.67B in sales with the Guyana Gold Board (GGB) representing over 31,790 ounces sold. Of that, he used a company named R. Mining Inc. that he reportedly controls, to process and sell to GGB over 19,500 ounces alone. It is believed that that quantity of gold is what was purchased from legit miners but passed through R. Mining to make it appear as mined gold. Under arrangements, mining companies are only obliged to pay five percent royalties upfront. They are not obligated to pay an additional two percent tax like small miners are mandated to do. As a result, over that three-month period, an estimated $95.5M was lost in taxes (two percent of the gross value to GGB). Why the GGB, and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) never questioned how one mining company managed to
Gold dealer: Saddiqi ‘Bobby’ Rasul during his court appearance last week. produce over 19,500 ounces of gold over a three-month period is the big question now. Not even the large scale producers - and there are two of them currently in the country - managed to meet that when they first started. Under tough anti-money laundering regulations passed by Government,
regulators have to be on the lookout for suspicious transactions and report these. In the case of Rasul, there are no indications that any of R. Mining’s transactions raised any red-flags, not from GGB or GGMC, which monitor the mining areas. Hard Rock Mining, a company that has been named in also selling gold to Rasul, yesterday made it clear that the only connection it has with the gold dealer is the selling of gold. The company, in distancing itself, insisted that it has no other relations, contrary to what was reported before. It is believed that the use of R. Mining to sell the gold as mined gold was deliberately done to escape the two percent tax. Rasul, who became one of the biggest dealers by the end of last year, was last week slapped with several fraud charges. He was accused of, (Continued on page 24)
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Lack of Guidelines for Public Private Partnerships…
You don’t need a fixed framework for everything - Jagdeo Leader of the political Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, reflected yesterday on comments made recently by Business Minister, Dominic Gaskin, as it relates to Public Private Partnerships. At the recently held Heads of Mission Conference, Gaskin had revealed that there are no guidelines or framework which exists for governing the manner in which Public Private Partnerships are constructed to prevent any form of abuse or breach of law. However, Jagdeo emphasized at his press conference held at his Church Streetbased office that “not everything needs a fixed framework.” In fact, Jagdeo shared that during the time of the People’s Progressive Party, they formulated their own prospectus for guiding individual Public Private Partnerships.
The former President said that there is a huge demand for Public Private Partnerships. He said, “What the Minister needs to know is that you don’t need a fixed framework for everything. If the Minister is serious, he would look at an investment opportunity, where they need a public private partnership.” Jagdeo added, “They will develop a prospectus, the prospectus will estimate the cost of the project; it will state the conditions under which Government will participate, the conditions under which the Private Sector will participate, what are the benefits to Private Sector being involved, like would they get a guaranteed rate of return on their investment or would they get a special tax break and then you advertise that.” The government could have done 50 of these proposals by now. He noted that it is
a simple thing to be done. He said that it is not a legislative framework that is needed in the National Assembly. The Opposition Leader stressed that it is just “ordinary work” to pursue Public Private Partnerships. The former President said, “We had started this model; that’s why the Berbice Bridge was the one we started with. We developed a prospectus and we said we are going to offer investors a particular tax break, a return on their investment and we advertised it for people who are interested in putting their money in the project. You can go this route…” During the Heads of Mission Conference last week, Gaskin said that many potential investors are looking for what are essentially publicprivate partnerships. He said, however, that this is problematic because, “We don’t have a framework in
SOCU to hire more investigators … Conducting more than 200 investigations The Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) will soon have new investigators to help with the more than 200 investigations that it is currently conducting. According to head of SOCU, Assistant Commissioner Sydney James, the investigators will be drawn from the police force and from among civilians who possess the requisite expertise to help in this regard. James said that although staffing does not affect the work of the department additional staff will improve the efficiency of his organization. On the question of staffing being a challenge, James said that because many of the investigations are overlapping it’s easy for the investigators
to do their work. “A lot of the forensic audits are interrelated. Sometimes you might take statements that may take you in several directions and consequently several other different investigations.” Addressing criticisms levelled against the organization, James said that he and his investigators are focused on professional delivery. These same sentiments were proffered by the Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, recently. The SOCU head also pointed out that he was hired by the previous administration in 2014 and he was only doing the job that he was mandated to do. Further, the (Continued on page 23)
Head of SOCU, Assistant Commissioner Sydney James
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo
Business Minister, Dominic Gaskin
place for public-private partnerships in Guyana. A lot of what is coming our way are unsolicited proposals that are only viable with the input of the government, or if government procures a particular service or protects a particular entity from competition.” In many cases, Gaskin said that what is being proposed would violate the nation’s procurement laws. The Business Minister stressed that it is difficult and unwise to deal with such proposals outside of a framework, or without even some basic guidelines. He said that until publicprivate partnership guidelines are put in place, the government should not be encouraging unsolicited proposals. “It is important that we do this because the Government of Guyana will be looking for Public-Private Partnerships for certain projects. A lot of our infrastructure development over the next decade or more will need to be implemented through public-private partnerships.” Gaskin also intimated that the country does not have the capacity, the expertise or the finances to accelerate Guyana’s infrastructure de-
velopment without the resources of private investors. “So we need them to be involved, but we need to control and regulate the process.” Additionally, the Minister of Business disclosed that the reality facing the nation is that investors want to hear about the ease of doing business here; they want to hear about public security and the integrity of officials. But most of all, they want to hear about the investment projects that Guyana has to offer. The Business Minister in this regard, said that unfortunately, Guyana really has none to offer for the time being. Gaskin stated that in terms of investment promotion, GOInvest is continuously trying to get the message out that Guyana is a good place to invest and that there are numerous investment opportunities in various sectors for which concessions are available. He noted, however, that GO-Invest faces a similar challenge to what stakeholders in attendance are faced with in the area of investment promotion. “Investors generally want to know what specific projects we have for them to
invest in. And we have none. And therefore we tend to lose the interest of the investor because there are other countries competing for those limited investment funds that have tangible investment projects to offer. “So the truth is that right now we’re not speaking a language that investors are looking to hear. So what is it that investors want to hear? You may have noticed that for the most part investors are looking for some kind of partnership with the government. “That is their preference because it gives them the confidence and security they are looking for. This is especially so for foreign investors, including Diaspora investors.” The Business Minister added, “Apart from that, investors are interested in political stability economic stability, rule of law, the integrity of Public Officials, physical Security and the ease of doing business. In these areas while we’re not high up in the ranking, we’re not that bad that investors will refuse to do business here. “We just have a lot of work to do to improve the business environment so that we can gain an advantage over our competitors. As I said, the main problem is that investors are looking for specific projects to invest in and we have none. At least none that are ready to be presented to them.” The Minister articulated that the Government is looking to develop a portfolio of investment projects which Go-Invest can promote to investors. He noted that this is something that his Ministry has started to work on. He said, however, that like the national investment and export strategies, this is not going to be ready anytime soon.
Tuesday April 11, 2017
PAGE 9
Kaieteur News
Cricket and the Economy CLR James wrote a book called Beyond a Boundary in 1943. It is considered one of the best books on cricket because it deals with things that are beyond the boundary- the sociology of cricket. Anyone who believes that the social structure of the Caribbean is simplistic and with gradients along the lines of colour and class should read James’s book. It explains the complexity of intra-race relations and how within a particular racial group there are sub divisions based on class and pigmentation. Many critics of the West Indian cricket team have lamented on the poor performance of the team. The players have come in for exacting criticisms of their performance. The poor and inconsistent performance has been attributed to a number of
causes including insularity. And that latter problem cannot be divorced from the societies from which our players are drawn. It is for this reason that those who are interested in helping West Indian cricket to regain its former glory should undertake a study of Beyond a Boundary. Cricket can tell us many things about ourselves. It can tell us about the state of our economy. Attendance at cricket in Guyana can tell us about how our economy is performing and who is benefitting. It can tell us about the ruling class and about the oppressed classes. Guyanese have always been cricket enthusiasts. It does not matter whether the West Indies team is winning or losing, there is strong attendance at international
cricket in Guyana. A full house is normally guaranteed in Guyana for international cricket. The attendance gets better when it is a team from the sub-continent. Well, that was before this week when it was clear that the economy is the lack of monetary circulation. This has caused Guyana to lose its reputation as a cricket-crazy nation. The National Stadium should have been filled to capacity last Friday and last Sunday. The attendance on both days was disappointing. Work commitments do not keep Guyanese away from cricket. The poor attendance even on Sunday is an indication that the spending power is simply not there. There was interest. People were asking their employers for tickets but their employers said they did
Dem boys seh ...
Jagdeo train nuff con artists Don’t trust everything you see. Even salt does look like sugar. Dem also have an old saying; No tricks, no living. Dem boys know that dem have people who does always got a scheme to defraud people. Jagdeo is de king fuh that. People still remember how he spend millions and didn’t install de two computer programme fuh check de money wha dem spend at de Finance Ministry. He and Ashni did seh that wasn’t important. De same man tell reporters yesterday that you don’t need a policy fuh public private partnership. You just got to do wha you want. To this day de taxpayers paying over $100M every six months to maintain de Marriott. De same scamp tell de
nation that is alright to do Govt accounts wid lead pencil wid big erasers. Only crooks does behave that way and when dem get ketch dem does seh all kind of thing. That man cultivate a crop of crooks and scamps in this country. When dem boys ask him bout de Venezuela rice fuh oil money he seh that money deh in a bank fuh mek interest. Wha he didn’t tell de nation was who bank account it been in or deh. Dem boys seh SOCU should do a thorough investigation to find out wheh all dem hundreds of billions disappear. Before de week out SOCU will have to investigate another crook, bred by Jagdeo. This one name Smoothie. He con so much
people that he see all dem magistrate and judges face already. And like he ain’t tired, just like ee creatah, Jagdeo. He open school to teach people bout oil and gas. Not cooking oil and kero. He don’t know nutten bout oil. He can’t even spell oil and he open school to teach who? He gun still get people just like how people still following Jagdeo. Smoothie try every scheme under de sun. He do money transfer; he train women to become flight attendants, De only scheme he and Jagdeo got to try is how to get out of prison. Talk half and hope SOCU, SARU or Aloo ketch dem quick.
not buy any this year. It shows there was an interest but no interest in paying for their own tickets because they simply do not have the money. Cricket sales prior to the match were slow. The Guyana Cricket Board recognized the problem and began to urge fans to come out in their numbers in order to ensure that Guyana continues to be allotted international matches. The Cricket Board was hoping for a last- minute rush for tickets. It did not happen. Companies which normally buy bulk tickets for their staff could not afford to do so. It means that many of the persons who
were hoping for a free ticket from their employers were disappointed. Cricket attendance depends on the economy and vice versa. Cricket has spin off effects. The sales of food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages items during cricket matches helps to keep money circulating in the country. The after-match binges keep the finances of many watering holes in the blue. All of that was absent after the first two matches this past week at the National Stadium in Providence. If beer and run are not selling in Guyana it is sure sign of a deepening crisis.
Cricket attracts tourists from the Caribbean and North America but it does seem as if this year there was limited attendance. People are not keen on coming to Guyana at this time to watch cricket. The crisis is not with the cricket. The West Indies team may be inconsistent but they are certainly not performing as bad as the Guyana economy.
PAGE 10
Tuesday April 11, 2017
Kaieteur News
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
Surely, the mind cannot be so ugly and naked I don’t know if Mr. Vic Insanally would want to go public. But I would not think for a moment he would deny the incident I am about to describe ever took place because I know and believe that Vic is a decent man. Vic knows about the incident because his relative was involved and it was reported to Vic and he sought justice for his relative. This relative was assaulted by Guyana’s most infamous drug convict at Buddy’s nightclub simply over the most innocuous misunderstanding, in which the relative was in fact in the right. Nothing came out of the story. These are the kinds of people Presidents Jagdeo and
Ramotar and their hierarchical acolytes in the party and government gave enormous powers too. These types were above the law. They were untouchable. Here is another indictment of these two presidents. NIS inspectors went onto the building site of one of Jagdeo’s intimates. He ordered that the inspectors be imprisoned in the compound. Nothing came of this incident also. Then there is Jagdeo himself in connection with the incredible accusations his common-law wife made against him. There is also Ramotar and his attitude to an accident in which his son’s Rav4 ran into my nephew and broke his leg. But let’s pass on those. I remind readers of these lustful,
debauched escapades in the insane use of power by Jagdeo and Ramotar because of what someone said to me last Thursday at my niece’s funeral in Wakenaam. I made mention of it in my Saturday column but did not detail the story. Here it is now. This person is quite wellknown to my wife. He sat next to me at the back when the Hindu ceremony was taking place. As usual, when I meet with someone I haven’t seen for a long time, political discussion is deterministically present. In talking a b o u t t h e e c o n o m y, h e said, “This government is worse than the previous one.” He wasn’t prepared for my razor-sharp exclama-
tion. I said; “Come on man; this government is not even two years old. How can you say that?” He smiled and said, “Yes yuh right.” He is not alone in this warped view. There are thousands out there who have dishonestly forgotten the following - hundreds of billions of dollars stolen by the PPP Government from 1999 to 2015; the burdensome toll on Berbicians to cross the bridge; the loss of billions of dollars in NIS money; the near disappearance of the University of Guyana; the violent robbers who preyed on Berbicians nightly; the sale of the resources of the Guyanese nation to foreign investors whose only reason for being here was to rip us off; the cries of people from rural Guyana who had to visit the Registry of Birth and Deaths, spend eight hours and yet didn’t get served; the frequent deaths at the Georgetown Hospital because the victims couldn’t see a doctor at Accident and Emergency; the hopelessness of youths in the countryside where employment was non-existent; the demise of the sugar indus-
try with a union that was more concerned with protecting the PPP than its workers. Do I have to go on? Surely, a mind cannot be that ugly, creepy, barren, and so sick to say that just after twenty months or so, the Coalition Government is a worse administration than the reign of Jagdeo and Ramotar. How could Guyanese have lived under these two deformed regimes and c o m p a r e t h e m t o M r. Granger’s administration. Mr. Granger is not a corrupt politician. I doubt he will ever become one. Mind you, we are two months shy of two years of the coalition regime but people have been saying this even after ten months of the new government. I receive these complaints from all types of Guyanese – both Africans and Indians – but it is far more pronounced among Indians and the rural folks. One can argue that the new regime is not politically finessed, intellectually astute, and philosophically thinking but the tsunamis of destruction that
Frederick Kissoon Jagdeo brought to this enslaved nation is beyond belief. Just think of one harmless decision of the Prime Minister or President to give a close relative a high state job, and those who see this government as worse than the PPP’s will run amok. But look at the record of incestuousness and nepotism under Jagdeo and Ramotar. Look at the positions their children held. Look at the lands their relatives got. Look at the state-funded scholarships their offspring and siblings got. Look at how rich former PPP Ministers are now. I wonder if one of those PPP billionaires is going to buy the island of Wakenaam. I heard so.
Tuesday April 11, 2017
PAGE 11
Kaieteur News
E’bo contractors receive training on preparation of procurement documents
Special Projects Officer, Ministry of Communities, Naaem Khan
Procurement Manager, Ministry of Communities, Michael Blackman
Contractors in Region Two are now in a position to make better decisions as a result of the Ministry of Communities’ procurement and project implementation workshop. Over the weekend, the Ministry hosted a one-day workshop at the Region’s Mayor and Town Council’s office. The workshop is the second of 10 to be undertaken by the Ministry of Communities - the first was held in Berbice, according to a government statement. Special Projects Officer at the Ministry, Naaem Khan, told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that the aim of the workshop is to strengthen the procurement system by making contractors more responsive, and to have more small contractors onboard. Khan explained that many contractors are unaware of
how to prepare a tender document, and because of this, they are non-responsive to contracts. “Due to that, the lack of knowledge by small contractors, the bigger contractors take advantage of that, and they get more of the projects.” The Projects Officer added that many contractors are also ignorant of the necessary documents required for the procurement process. Some of the documents needed are compliance from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and litigation and financial letters. He said sample formats of these documents have been prepared and are shared with the contractors and the region. The criteria and tender documents are common in all 10 administrative regions. Procurement Manager, Ministry of Communities, Michael Blackman, explained
A section of the gathering at the procurement and project implementation workshop at the Region Two Mayor and Town Council’s office. that some contractors often believe they are unfairly treated and are hesitant to participate in the procurement process. He explained that there are instances where the lowest bidder might think he/she is entitled to the contract, but that is not how the system works. All contractors must satisfy the evaluation criteria first before they are considered a responsive bidder. Karen Roopchand, also a Special Projects Officer, Ministry of Communities said: “There’s a lot to learn and our intention at the end of the day is to make the system more competitive. We also want to encourage new contractors, existing contractors and service providers to show you where you might have been erring and help you to be more com-
Role of Forensic Lab to improve with amended Evidence Act An amendment to the Evidence Act is on the cards. It will help to improve the role of the Forensic Laboratory and by extension serve to make the work of the Guyana Police Force more efficient. This is according to Second Vice President and Minister of Public Security, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, who during an interview with this publication revealed that while the Laboratory is being utilised it still has not reached its full capacity. “They are doing a lot of comparison work when asked by the Police Force in relation to counterfeit coins or currency; they are doing blood type testing and a number of other things,” said Ramjattan. However, one of the primary tasks that the laboratory should have long been undertaking was that of biofluid and Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) tests. But according to the Minister of Public Security,” it still has not yet reached the stage for DNA
testing.” In the quest to make the Laboratory more efficient, Ramjattan said, “What we have now done is to start to put measures in place to ensure that our certificates are going to be admissible in the court of law by virtue of the amendments into the Evidence Act.” He explained, “Right now when [the lab] does the tests requested by the police officers they have to literally go to court [and ask for the tests to be accepted]. We are trying our best now to ensure that our certificates can be used in the court so that a lot of our officers would not have to waste time in court. To address this requires an amendment to the Evidence Act.” According to Ramjattan, already the amendment for the Evidence Act is before Cabinet after which it will be taken to Parliament. Once the amendment is passed, “if the lab tests for human blood and concludes that it is type ‘A’
Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan that will be tendered by the police in much the same way as a police medical certificate is tendered.” Built under the Citizens Security Programme representing a collaborative effort between Government and the Inter-American Development Bank, the laboratory featured (Continued on page 23)
petitive to encourage local development in our communities.” Chairperson, Works Committee, Region Two, Indranie Coonjah said that the workshop was very enlightening and long overdue. “Being the chair and having to sign off payments for contracted works, I have learnt a lot. This workshop will make
me stronger when making decisions in the future.” Vishwanauth Doodnauth who has been a contractor for years said he was grateful for the workshop . He said it has been very informative for him and he is better able to make wise choices when completing projects. “The workshop was good
because at least I deh in the contract system for quite a while and the new things them if I didn’t know they would have affected me but seeing that I come and I know, I would able to gear up myself.” In the coming months, the ministry, with support from the regional administrations, will conduct similar workshops in the other regions.
PAGE 12
Tuesday April 11, 2017
Kaieteur News
Nagamootoo stalls appointment of Opposition nominee to GNBA Board By Abena RockcliffeCampbell The government and opposition seem to be playing with the business of the nation. For almost two years, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Opposition refused to take up seats on most of the State Boards including that of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA). Now that the PPP/C, for whatever unstated reason, has had a change of heart and decides to have representation on the GNBA Board, it seems as if Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo has chosen to stall the appointment. This came to light during a press conference hosted yesterday by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo. A lightweight, a runner boy in the government and one who fails to handle the
miniature tasks given to him is how Jagdeo described Nagamootoo. The politician said that the GNBA will never fare well as long as it remains under the guidance of Nagamootoo. Jagdeo said that “several weeks ago”, he received a letter from Nagamootoo inviting the opposition to submit a nominee to serve on the GNBA Board. Jagdeo said that the party decided that former head of the GNBA, Bibi Shadick, would best serve on the Board “for continuity; she can explain things.” He said that he responded to the Nagamootoo submitting Shadick’s name only to be told that “(Nagamootoo) has to seek clearance from Harmon.” “That’s what I am talking about. (The appointment) is provided for; they announced it. It is probably
gazetted; now we can’t go ahead because he still needs to go and wait outside of Harmon’s office to get it approved,” said Jagdeo. But Nagamootoo refuted Jagdeo’s claims. He said that a “procedure” is holding up the appointment. “Usually the Cabinet has to approve the name of the person then the name has to be gazetted after which an instrument of appointment is issued. What was gazetted was opposition appointee; a name now has to be gazetted,” said Nagamootoo. Nagamootoo was keen to note, “I followed the law and ensured that there is a place on the Board for an opposition appointee but when you have to make the appointment you have to appoint a person.” Nagamootoo said that he acknowledged Jagdeo’s nomi-
nee but told him nothing about waiting on Harmon’s approval. “I have since taken the name to Cabinet and Cabinet has given approval to the name.” He said that a Cabinet Memorandum has to be written and signed by Harmon then it will be gazetted after which Shadick will receive an instrument of appointment before she can start attending meetings. Nagamootoo admitted that the other Board members’ names were gazetted several weeks ago. He said that he could not remember how long ago the opposition submitted its nominee but said that he only took it to Cabinet last week which was the “earliest opportunity.” “But there is a procedure that has to be followed, so I do not know why Jagdeo is running his mouth. He has to be familiar with the procedures,” said Nagamootoo. Meanwhile the Board has been having meetings without Shadick. But Nagamootoo
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo has no idea what progress the Board is making. All he knows is that “they have been meeting.” He said that he met with the members when they were sworn in about two months ago. The Prime Minister has however received no report since then. He said that que-
ries about the work of the Board must be directed to the Board Chairman, Leslie Sobers. However, for no less than four weeks now, Kaieteur News has been trying to make contact with Sobers but to no avail. The legacy of the last GNBA Board appointed by the APNU+AFC is poor. Its work was almost nonexistent and members mostly fought among themselves. The Board was also accused of corruption but a Commission of Inquiry into these allegations found that they were false. Nevertheless, there is nothing significant to that Board’s credit. Meanwhile, the issues that need to be addressed in Broadcasting remain many. Mainly, the APNU+AFC promised that it will reverse the wanton distribution of radio licences to Jagdeo’s friends and family of Jagdeo. The distribution was made days before Jagdeo demitted office.
Jagdeo accuses SARU of corruption Opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo has accused the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU) of being a corrupt organization that is shaking down businessmen. At a press conference at the Opposition Leader’s office in Church Street, yesterday, Jagdeo said that SARU members have collected large sums of money from businessmen. The former president did not give any details of the allegations that he made but was adamant that SARU is rife with corruption and its members have been able to accrue large sums of money in their personal bank accounts. He said that the members are Government sympathizers and political hacks who have no skills in the area in which they are employed and that they are operating illegally. Jagdeo said that SARU was raiding people’s homes and was giving specific directives to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) on how they should do their work. He once again frowned upon the actions of SARU when it raided the Enmore Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) and seized a batch of desktop computers
CEO of SARU Aubrey Heath-Retemyer and power pack that were going to be sold. Jagdeo wondered if there isn’t anything else beneficial that SARU should be addressing rather than raiding an office for computers that he said does not belong to the state. He said that the country is in for some rough times ahead with SARU since if they are behaving the way they are currently, in the absence of the necessary legislation, he shudders to think what their approach will be when
that body becomes a constitutional one. He added that no Guyanese will be safe but warned that his party will not sit back and allow that body to run rough shod over the Guyanese nation. The former president said that the People’s Progressive Party Civic has a voice and they will expose SARU. Jagdeo said that while SARU is running around raiding people’s homes there are no mechanisms in place to check on questionable practices that these officials are involved with. The former head of state said the fact that SARU is based at the Office of the President says a lot about the integrity of the organization. It is Jagdeo’s belief that SARU is an illegal body and his party will not remain quiet with respect to the alleged excesses of that entity. Responding to Jagdeo accusations, Chief Executive Officer of SARU Aubrey Heath-Retemyer said that Jagdeo’s assertion has no basis and he does not take him (Jagdeo) seriously. Retemyer said that the former president has a penchant for lies and the nation does not have to look very far to unearth those lies. Retemyer said that Jagdeo for years told the nation that he was married but that turned out to be untruthful. Retemyer said that he and his colleagues at SARU have the interest of the nation at heart and they are patriotic Guyanese who are working for the betterment of the nation.
Tuesday April 11, 2017
PAGE 21
Kaieteur News
Dennis ‘Smoothie’ Adonis sets up another confidence trick Controversial figure, Dennis Adonis, popularly known as ‘Smoothie’ has struck once again - this time he is offering courses in the oil and gas sector at a cost of US$1980. Registered on February 13, last, as the Oil and Gas Academy, the entity is offering programmes in petroleum exploration, petroleum geology, petroleum economics and management and petroleum accounting over a six months period. The courses are allegedly being offered in partnership with a US-based university with the cost ranging from US$520 to US$1980. On Saturday, the Ministry of Natural Resources issued a statement urging persons desirous of pursuing courses in the oil and gas industry to do their own due diligence to verify the legitimacy of these fly-by-night institutions. The Ministry’s warning would come after an investigation unearthed online courses being offered by
unaccredited sources and at least one unaccredited Georgetown-based organization soliciting persons to join the institution. After the statement was released, this newspaper was informed of a similar institution opened at Lot 154 Charlotte and King Streets, Georgetown, which is known as “Sharon’s Building”. Executing a covert operation at the location yesterday, Kaieteur News was told that the Oil and Gas Academy is not an instructional institution but rather a portal through which persons who wish to study courses in the oil and gas sector can be linked to overseas institutions, one being the University of Texas. Speaking with one of the employee at the location, Kaieteur News learnt that persons who wish to study courses offered at the US University, can do so online. She said that when prospective students would have
paid for the course, they will receive their ‘log-in’ information and connect with the university’s website. She said that the maximum time for courses being offered is six months; the shortest is three months. The work can be done at the students’ convenience but must be completed within the stipulated duration. When the course comes to an end, the Oil and Gas Academy will provide a facility for the students to do their final examinations. The facility is not fixed but will vary based on the number of students sitting the exams. Payments are to be made through the Oil and Gas Academy. The application is processed, after which the applicant is told whether they would have been accepted or not. Applications are processed at any time but courses are offered based on cycles. Further, the application process is initiated online and is followed up by the prospec-
Pedal cyclist killed on Soesdyke/Linden Highway The driver (with arms akimbo) in front of car.
A pedal cyclist was hit by a speeding car HC 7383 in the vicinity of Adventure on the Soesdyke/ Linden Highway yesterday afternoon about 17:00 hrs. According to Commander E Division, Snr. Supt. Fazil Karimbaskh, the cyclist Raymond Isaacs, 21, of Silver
Hill, Soesdyke /Linden Highway was riding on the western side of the highway when motor car HC7383 driven by Steven Pearson, aka Dog, 21, came into contact with him killing him on the spot. According to reports the car was proceeding to
Georgetown. This is the second fatal accident for the year as compared to one for the corresponding period in 2016. The driver is in police custody at the Mackenzie Police Station assisting with investigations.
Rice miller allegedly paid female... From page 3 farmers prior to 2015. A significant amount of the fertilizers cannot be accounted for. Farmers had been complaining of the distribution process. Investigators have also reportedly stumbled on instances of conflict of interest. A number of companies that belonged to a former senior GRDB official were reportedly granted contracts. SOCU's chief, Assistant Commissioner, Sydney James, has largely been mum on the investigations, only confirming that investigations into GRDB have been ongoing.
In early February, SOCU raided the Kingston headquarters of GRDB and reportedly removed some documents. Government had expressed concerns in the findings of the GRDB's forensic audit report. Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman, during a post-Cabinet press conference earlier this year, had noted that over a three to fouryear period, more than US$500M from the PetroCaribe proceeds (Venezuela rice-for-oil deal) would have passed through the accounts of the entity. Among some of the “anomalies” found were loans
without proper paperwork or promissory notes. There were other instances of persons in the agency using GRDB's money to trade in foreign currency. The losses for the Government would have been significant, especially if the money was traded for less than it should have been. The Auditor General and the forensic audit reports have all pointed to severe deficiencies in the manner the monies of the state have been handled by the entities. Rice is among the top three biggest earners of foreign currencies for the country.
…creates oil and gas school
The controversial, Dennis ‘Smoothie’ Adonis tive student signing a physical form which would contain the specific arrangement based on the courses being sought. At this stage, the student would receive his or her receipts. According to the employee, the intention of the Oil and Gas Academy is to get international students interested in pursuing studies with the US University by offering these courses. Persons who choose to register now will be in the first batch of students registering with the Texas University through this local firm. Kaieteur News was unable to ascertain how many students would have already registered. When the question was posed as to who was running the Academy, this newspaper was told that there are a number of people at the helm. Further, the employee said
that it is the institution’s policy not to give out information about employees and management. Unsatisfied that a simple name could not be provided, that information was sought elsewhere and it was confirmed that the school is indeed owned by Adonis. The man has been at the centre of a number of scandals. In 2010 the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) was forced to distance itself from Adonis who had registered a company called SimNet Caribbean Mobile. The company had claimed to be offering high speed internet on a United Kingdom 3G USB modem. The modem was said to be small and compact similar to a USB flash drive and can work on laptops, desktop computers and 2.0 internet devices. On the company’s website, it was said that it is a third generation internet service provider and regional communications management company founded by Adonis in 2009 who claimed to be a software engineer. The company had said that it was in discussion with GTT to provide bandwidth to customers. However, the telecommunications company said that it was never in discussion with Adonis or his company. In 2009, Adonis was in the news when he advertised a professional wrestling event called “Guyana Wrestle Mania” to be held at the National
Park. It was advertised that a number of international World Wrestling Federation athletes would have been in action. However, businesses that were associated with the event had eventually pulled out and the event never took place despite persons already purchasing tickets. Further, in September 2010, Adonis was implicated in the kidnapping of an 18 year old female employee of GTT. The very Adonis collected money from hapless young women ostensibly to train them as flight attendants. A few were sent to Barbados where they were left to their own devices. They managed to get relatives to pay for their return to Guyana. Other scams include the Royal Antigua money transfer service – which collected people’s money from overseas but failed to deliver in Guyana – and numerous socalled training schemes. Adonis was in November last year threatened with a $500M lawsuit from the Texila American University for defamatory publication about the institution on his news website ‘The Guyana Guardian’. Adonis is the Editor-in-Chief for the news outfit. The Guardian had published that the University was not accredited; however these claims were later debunked. Similar to the Academy, the news agency’s office is located on the third floor of Sharon’s building.
Woman killed in suspected hit and run Police are trying to ascertain the identity of the hit-and-run driver who caused the death of 23 y ear-old Corneille Grimmond, of Lot 6 Happy Acres, East Coast Demerara on Sunday night. A release stated that Grimmond was found almost lifeless with multiple injuries, consistent with that of a motor vehicular accident, on the Happy Acres Public Road about 23:00hrs. A driver has told police that he was proceeding east along the northern side of the road, when he observed Grimmond lying on the roadside “panting for breath.” With assistance from two of his passengers, and ranks from a Professional Guard Service vehicle, the driver rushed Grimmond to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Corneille Grimmond The body is presently at the Hospital’s Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination. Investigators have retrieved several pieces of a
broken vehicle mirror at the scene. The victim was found about 70 feet from the debris. Police have also obtained statements from several individuals.
PAGE 22
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Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana p assport application. Graphics design, advertisement. Tel: 6267040; 265-4535.
Allion, Primo, Fielder Wagon, Spacio, Bluebird, 212 Carina, NZE, Honda CRV, Toyota IST, RZ & Pit-bull – Call: 650-7501 Toyota Vigo pickup -$3.5M and Nissan Pathfinder Jeep $1.5M negotiable. Call: 6097766/ 225-8427 (must be sold)
INNOVATIVEMARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, busi ness cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Passport, permanent & visitor visa application, Professional Immigration Consultant – Sabita Immigration Services. Call: 225-6496/ 662-6045 Eagle’s: Re-gas -$8,000, Washing machine repairs, Gas Stove, Plasma flat Screen computer repairs & more. Call: 697-2969/646-0966
SALON - Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc. - Cosmetology Courses: $120,000 - Technician Course: $45,000. Call: 6471773/660-5257
One female domestic worker to work in Trinidad. between ages of 25-35. Call 1868- 6831528 Live in waitress to work in a bar- Call: 604-6606;692-4646 Welder/Fabricator. (Must have at least 3 years’ experience). Apply with written application: Technical Services Inc, 18-23 Eccles.
Two female domestic to work at Andre Mineral Trade, 75 Church Street (40yrs and older). Call: 657-6009 One waitress to work at a bar. Please call: 647-2622 Males between 25-45yrs to work as operator @ Ice Factory in Rosignol. Call: 6183800 between 8am-5pm.
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. Spare for washing machine, microwaves, fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, motors, etc. Call:225-9032;647-2943;604-5198 1 Double twin steer Atkinson Truck. Call: 684-2708 Complete game shop equipment. Call Leon: 2318424 or 610-0808 Mitsubishi Canter Truck, GMM, price negotiable. Call: 698-5604 1 Complete Sawmill at Ya r r o w k a b r a Linden Soesdyke Highway and 1 F66 – Clarke, Ranger Skidder. Call: 609-8041/ 6441190 Design & Make Aluminum windows, doors, stainless rails, showcases, rolling shutters, make & install automatic doors. Call: 2336818/677-5599/659-9999
Rodeo, Lethem Rodeo, Brazil, Falls and sightseeing, April 13- 17th. Call: 665-5171, 639-2663, 2237589,658-3758,673-2348 Somaru’s Tavel Service, best rates around Georgetown, local tours, hotel accommodation, etc. Call Vee: 670-1162/223-4187/616-2727 WANTED Customer Service Representative. Call: 645-0110 Bushcutter operator to work and keep machine, preferably on the E.B.D - Call: 671-4675
Land to buy La Parfaite Harmonie, Herstelling, Eccles, Uitvlugt, Tuschen or anywhere. Call: 666-2326 1 Handyman to work @ the Kalyan Mall & Shopping Plaza, 162-163 Lamaha Street, Cummingsburg, Georgetown. Call: 227-6681/655-9187/6273390/647-0933 1 Experienced general domestic to work in G/town, must know to cook Indian dishes. Call: 656-6388 Experienced curry cooks, puri cook, waiters & cleaners. Apply Hacks Halaal, 5 Commerce Street, Day Shift Only. Two general workers to work shift system. Call: 218-1400
CAR RENTAL CAR RENTAL
Experienced Cashier, Apply at Hacks Halaal Restaurant, with written application, 5 Commerce Street.
PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 677-7827, 6435122 ,EMAIL:PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM
DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM
We are buying land in Eccles, Herstelling, Farm, La Parfaite Harmonie, Zeelugt, Melanie (East Coast). Call: 233-3006/ 658-5897/651-1969
AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL: PICKUP, 9-11 SEAT MIN BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPOTR & FAMILY OUTING, CHEAPEST RATE . Call: 698-7807
WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP REATES,SPECIALOFFERS FOR THE SEASON. CALL: 690-6494
FULL TIME WAITER/ WAITRESS TO WORK AT AAGMAN RESTURANT, SHERIFF STREET, EXPERIENCEDPREFERRED. CALL: 219-0161/219-0158
PROPERTY FOR SALE
VACANCY
Transported property @ Grove and Diamond $16M negotiable. Call: 625-5461
Office Clerk (senior/junior) with CXC English/ Mathematics, computer knowledge an asset. Call: 223-7500
House & Land available for sale. Contact Pacific Development Inc @ Lot 3 Church Street, G/Town. Call: 223-6035/227-8274 Tuschen: 2 storey building, 2031 ft2 - $9.8M Negotiable. Tel: 231-9690 (During working hrs). Parfaite Harmonie: 2 storey building, 1245 ft2 - $9M Negotiable. Tel: 231-9690 (During working hrs). Tain, Corentyne: 2 storey building 3309 ft2 - $8M Negotiable. Tel: 231-9690 (During working hours). Newly built @ Craig E.B.D land 91X50, house 40X28, 3 rooms, 1 self-contained$23M. Call: 718-213-6496/ 617-7691
LAND FOR SALE Diamond Scheme ( 2 nd Avenue), Eccles Scheme (middle) negotiable. Call: 6097766/225-8427 (must be sold)
Live in domestic must know to cook Indian dishes 25-40yrs, live in or live out waitress 18-25yrs from E.C.D – Call: 698-7172 TOURS
Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 TAXI SERVICE GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 225-7878 (24HRS)
One male or female to look after layer birds in Interior. Call: 668-6421
Corilla Bush (Dried) & Lemon Grass in large quantities. Call: 665-1397
Floor sanding & Lacquering, house plans, estimate & painting, boat for Santa Mission. Call: 650-4362 Computer repairs, cellphone unlocking, website building, data recovery, visa application. Call: 227-7556/ 615-8734 (we also buy computer parts)
Tuesday April 11, 2017
Kaieteur News
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 2 Bedroom Executive furnished Apartment in residential Area, close to Ogle Airport with all modern amenities.Call:622-5725/6641070 Bottom flat house @ 25 North Road & Oronoque Street, fully furnished/ air condition/ residence /business.Call: 226-7012 Well maintained self contained 2 bedroom apartments @ William Street, Campbellville -$45,000. Call: 226-6787
Transported land for sale size 37X270 @ Coglan Dam, Vreed-en-Hoop, W.B.D. Call: 650-5644/677-9938
Angels Massaging Spa. Come relax and be pampered. Call: 694-9775
Trainee A.C, Refrigerator, Technician –Call: 231-0655 Room attendant, male security age 30-55, 233 South Road, Lacytown. Call: 225-0198 Experienced carpenters – apply in person to Alabama Trading Georgetown, Ferry Stelling Stabroek. General Domestic to work 3 days per week, wash & clean. Apply in person @ Alabama Trading, 65 Robb Street, Bourda. One experienced legal computer clerk. Call: 6247087/ 226-4283/258-0213/ email:husainsaphier@ yahoo.com Looking for experienced all round IT specialist. Send CV t o jobs@expresstruckingcorp.com or call 227-6025. Accounts Clerk for Eccles, Industrial Site area knowledge of NIS, PAYE, VAT, Quickbooks. Call: 6144358
La Parfaite Harmonie $1.2M, $1.4M, $1.6M, Tuschen Phase II $1.3M, $2M, Uitvlugt -$2M, Herstelling -$3.5M .Call: 6046724 La Parfaite Harmonie -$1.4M, $1.6M, $1.8M, Tuschen Phase II - $1.3M, Uitvlugt $2M, V/Hoop -$27M. Call: 666-2326 Farm (East Bank) $3M, La Parfaite Harmonie -$1.6M, Uitvlugt -$2.6M, Providence -$5M, Bartica - $3M. Call:2333006; 658-5897; 651-1969
TO LET 4 AC Rooms/2 large hall with 1 extra room, suitable for business/ offices @ 21 Seaforth St. Campbellville, Georgetown. Call: 226-4877, 624-7436, 654-9350 Fully furnished vacation home with all amenities Call during working hours 227-1218 2 & 3 Bedrooms, fully furnished luxury apartments, long and short term rental. Call: 665-3505/ 655-6270
EDUCATIONAL French Classes: 276B Peter Rose Street, Monday-Friday open from 1-5pm, www.alliancefrancaiseguyana. com. Tel: 226-1882 MASSAGE
Live in or live out babysitter/ domestic –Call: 223-7500. Monday-Saturday 8:154:15pm
Classes for slow learners in Reading, Spelling, Mathematics, and much more for children all ages. Call: 675-4379
LEARN TO DRIVE C. Persaud & N. Outar Driving School formerly Soman & Sons Driving School @ Maraj Building- Call: 644-5166; 6222872; 615-0964; 689-5997 (affordable packages).
Tuesday April 11, 2017
Voir Dire underway in Two Colours murder trial A voir dire (trial within a trial in the absence) is underway in the High Court trial of Lennox Wayne, called “Two Colours”, and Melroy Doris. The duo was indicted for the July 2014 murder of Lusignan cosmetologist, Ashmini Harriram. The actual trial began Thursday before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow and a 12-member mixed jury. Last week, Police Sergeant, Collin Ross, faced intense questioning regarding the murder investigations. Wayne‘s Counsel, Nigel Hughes, specifically asked the witness about his client‘s physical condition during the time of investigation and tak-
ing of the statement. The policeman said that he noticed injuries on Wayne’s arm but he made no record of it in the station diary. Officer Ross noted that he would have had to sustain the injuries before reaching the Vigilance Police Station. However, the attorney suggested to the policeman that Wayne had been burned. Hughes suggested to the witness that the police had used methylated spirits as a combustible substance to set his client’s arm alight during the interrogation. The Policeman repeatedly denied the suggestion.
The woman said that some time after that she heard a ruckus outside. Guyadeen told the court that she ventured to the bridge of her property; there she noticed that a crowd had gathered. “When I go, I see the person that asked me to call the taxi, lying on the ground … I get frightened and run back inside because I is a pressure case…” Guyadeen’s testimony was followed by the evidence from other witnesses including Stanislaus Da Silva and Karen Mangal (relatives of the deceased). Da Silva and Mangal both testified that they had assisted the victim in getting medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, (GPHC). Da Silva, (the dead man’s father) testified to finding him on the roadway in front of the rum shop, on the date of the incident. The man said that he was under the impression that his son was heavily intoxicated and had lost consciousness. He told the court that another man had assisted him with getting a taxi to take his son home. The following day, the
Man, 21, killed in Parika... From page 20 said that the three individuals were pinned in the car for approximately 20 minutes and were removed by public spirited persons. Yesterday, the dead man's father, Mohan Gobin, said that he left his son and friends liming and imbibing at his home Monday morning and had no idea that the young man had left home to go out with his friends. Gobin said that when he received the call that his son was involved in an accident, he thought it might have been a mistake since he saw his son at home around 04:00 hrs yesterday and thought that he might have been in bed relax-
ing. “When I go up to his room, I see he was not in bed so we went to the scene. When we got there, people had already pulled out his body and placed it on the road and his friends were already taken to the hospital,” the elderly man said. While he could not say for sure where h i s s o n w a s heading, he assumed that they were heading to Ramnauth's home since he lives in the area where the accident occurred. Meanwhile, the 21-yearold, who worked in his father electronic shop, at Parika leaves to mourn his parents and sibling.
Ruling looms for man charged with attempted murder …over chopping wife at market
Lennox Wayne, called “Two Colours”
High Court trial commences for Enmore murder Several witnesses testified yesterday in the trial of Deosaran Bisnauth, who is facing the Judge and Jury for the murder of Robert Mangal on July 6, 2013 at Enmore, East Coast Demerara. Yesterday, Bisnauth’s trial commenced before Justice Navindra Singh and a 12member mixed jury at the Georgetown High Court. According to the facts presented by State Prosecutors Tuanna Hardy and Siand Dhurjon, the two people were said to have been imbibing at a shop in Enmore, when the incident occurred. Shop owner, Daiwattie Guyadeen testified that she was in her shop when two men entered. She said that she knew one of them as Manoj. The other was a stranger. According to the woman, the men purchased a half bottle of rum and some cigarettes. The witness recalled that one of men asked her to call a taxi. She said that she remained behind the counter of the shop and obliged the request of the customer. According to Guyadeen, the men joined the other customers and started to drink at the shop.
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City Magistrate Judy Latchman will tomorrow rule on whether a prima facie case has been made out against Ishwar Heeralall, who is charged with attempted murder. Heeralall allegedly chopped his wife at the La Penitence Market. A preliminary inquiry had been ongoing before Magistrate Latchman during which several police officers and civilians were called to testify. Heeralall 38, of Anna Regina New Housing Scheme, Essequibo, is accused of unlawfully and maliciously wounding Wanita Heeralall, with intent to commit murder on July 31, 2016. Ishwar Heeralall is currently out on $600,000 bail with instructions to report to the Criminal Investigations Department at the Ruimveldt Police Station. The accused was also ordered to lodge his
Wanita Heeralall
Ishwar Heeralall
passport with the court. According to reports, Heerelall chopped his estranged wife with a chopper while she was shopping in the La Penitence Market. Wanita Heerelall, 31, of Laing Avenue, Georgetown was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital with a fractured skull
and several wounds about her body. Based on reports, Ishwar Heerelall came to the market and was walking around the area looking for her. It was reported that he constantly harassed the woman and did not want to accept that she had moved on with her life.
Role of Forensic Lab to improve with...
ACCUSED: Deosaran Bisnauth witness said that he realised that his son was still not responding and decided to take him to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). The man said that he then returned to the shop to ascertain what had really happened to his son. As a result of the information he gathered, Da Silva told the court that he reported the matter to the police. The witness recalled that his son passed away about a month after the incident. Police Detective, Paul Tirat, later testified to conducting investigations into the matter. Tirat said that sometime after the incident, the accused was arrested for a crime. According to the officer the allegation put to the accused, is that on July 6, 2013, he lashed Robert Mangal, called Trevor, causing him to receive injuries and to become hospitalized. After the allegation was put to Bisnauth, Tirat recalled that the accused replied “Officer he (Mangal) run me with a bottle and I lash he to defend myself. “ The policeman also recalled that a caution statement was taken from the accused in the presence of his (Bisnauth’s) mother and other police officers. The trial is scheduled to continue at 9:00 am today.
From page 11 a billion dollar construction cost and was commissioned in 2014. Currently, Minister Ramjattan said that the laboratory has been collaborating with a number of relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Public Health, to ensure quality of tests. But according to the Minister personnel of the laboratory have also gained specialist training in the United States and a number of other places. He informed too, “They have continued that training because you don’t want it to be too much under a Ministry. “What we are going to do is to do the budgetary allocations because it has to be financed and so on and whatever necessary policy the Minister will be involved...but their operational activity will be exclusively done
by the science officers and the scientists there.” Minister Ramjattan noted that the laboratory is an independent institution managed by a Chief Executive Officer. “They have their protocols in relations to the works done in the Forensic Lab and all I ask is that we work towards having the highest possible standards.” He, however, added, “I am very satisfied to the extent of what is being done there but there is room for more improvements.” “I have asked for a report to be done on the Forensic Lab by an international expert and that is being done. The report on that assessment and recommendation will be coming out very soon,” the Minister informed.
SOCU to hire more investigators From page 8 Assistant Commissioner of Police stated that his organization is not singling out any person or organization but it is simply going where the investigations lead. Turning to the magnitude of malfeasance that SOCU is looking at James said that while he cannot give an exact figure he was sure it was many billions of dollars. Responding to the question of if he has ever seen the level of corruption that his organization is currently investigating, James said that he was not going to comment on that issue but he only said that there are copious investigations that are ongoing. Responding to criticisms of slothfulness of prosecution after interviews would have been conducted. James said that after SOCU would have done its part to investigate
and interview suspects; when those files are sent to the relevant authorities for their perusal and decision that is something he has no control of. On the role that the UK f r a u d e x p e r t D r. S a m Sittlington played in aiding the work of SOCU, James said that he wanted to make clear that Sittlington’s in-
volvement in Guyana was catered for in a memorandum of understating (MOU) signed in 2014 between the previous administration and the UK government. James was high in praise for the work that Sittlington did at SOCU. He said that his training and assistance to the staff there were invaluable
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Iran’s Rouhani defends economic record ahead of election Tehran (AFP) - Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani defended his economic record in a press conference yesterday but stopped short of formally announcing his candidacy for next month’s presidential election. Rouhani rejected criticism from conservatives over his economic performance, saying he had overseen measurable improvements in agriculture, health care, energy and internet coverage. He also focused on his key achievement, a nuclear deal with world powers that ended some sanctions in return for curbs on Iran’s atomic programme. “In every aspect that you consider, figures tell us that after the (nuclear deal), there is more space for movement and progress,” he said. Pointing to deals signed by Iranian airlines to buy planes from Airbus and Boeing, he said the some $4 billion (3.8 billion euros) that Iranians spend on tickets to fly abroad would now go to domestic carriers. Rouhani is expected to
Tuesday April 11, 2017
Kaieteur News
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (AFP Photo/ATTA KENARE) run for a second term on May 19, but said this press conference was “not about elections”. “We need to wait two or three more days,” he said. Hopefuls in the election have from today until Saturday evening to register their candidacy. Sitting presidents in Iran are expected to be modest
about their ambitions and to refrain from using state television as a campaigning platform. The moderate cleric boasted that his government had allowed social media platforms to stay online despite objections from conservatives. “People should speak out clearly about issues that are not being handled to their satisfaction,” he said. He criticised the arrests of administrators of top reformist social media channels in late March. Rouhani also slammed the United States for imposing sanctions on Iran and attacking an airbase in Syria, a key Iranian ally, following a suspected chemical attack last week. “The Syrian people and army must give a response that makes Americans regret their attack,” he said. During his first month in office, US President Donald Trump imposed fresh sanctions targeting I r a n ’s b a l l i s t i c m i s s i l e programme.
G7 ministers look to persuade Russia to abandon Syria’s Assad
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (L) and Britain’s Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson attend a bilateral meeting during a G7 for foreign ministers in Lucca, Italy (REUTERS/Max Rossi) (Reuters) Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) major industrialized nations met in Italy yesterday, looking to put pressure on Russia to break its ties with Syrian President Bashar alAssad. In a shift in Washington’s strategy, U.S. missiles hit a Syrian air base last week in retaliation for what the United States and its allies say was a poison gas attack by Syria’s military in which scores of civilians died. The Syrian government has denied it was behind the assault. U.S. President Donald Trump had previously appeared disinclined to intervene ag a i n s t t h e S y r i a n leader and the attack raised expectations that he might now be ready to adopt a tougher-than-expected stance with Russia, Assad’s main backer. Calling the strike a “game changer”, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said support for the Syrian president “was toxifying the reputation of Russia” and suggested sanctions could be imposed on Moscow if it refused to change course. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is due to travel to Moscow today at the end of the two-day gathering in the Tuscan city of Lucca with his Italian, German, French, Brit-
ish, Japanese and Canadian counterparts. “What we’re trying to do is to give Rex Tillerson the clearest possible mandate from us as the West, the U.K., all our allies here, to say to the Russians ‘this is your choice: stick with that guy, stick with that tyrant, or work with us to find a better solution’,” Johnson said after meeting Tillerson. Russia has rejected accusations that Assad used chemical arms against his own people and has said it will not cut its ties with Assad, who has been locked in a sixyear-old civil war that has devastated Syria and displaced half its population. “Returning to pseudo-attempts to resolve the crisis by repeating mantras that Assad must step down cannot help sort things out,” Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said yesterday. Johnson said he was keen to seen further sanctions imposed on both Syrian and Russian “military figures”. Speaking to reporters in France, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country was also ready to stiffen sanctions on Moscow. “CRIMES AGAINST INNOCENTS” Tillerson said at the weekend the main priority for the
United States was the defeat of one of Assad’s main foes, the Islamic State militant movement, and it is unclear how far he will want to push the Russians on Tuesday. Yesterday, the former oilman-turned-diplomat visited the site of a World War Two Nazi massacre in Italy and said the United States would never let such abuses go unchallenged. “We rededicate ourselves to holding to account any and all who commit crimes against the innocents anywhere in the world,” he said in Sant’Anna di Stazzema before heading to Lucca. As the talks began, a few dozen anti-G7 protesters clashed with baton-wielding riot police on the edges of the walled city. Looking to build their case against Assad, Italy has invited the foreign ministers from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Qatar to sit down with the G7 group on Tuesday to discuss Syria. All oppose Assad’s rule. Before the meeting started, the foreign minister of Iran, which supports Assad, asked to speak to Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano to discuss Syria, Italian diplomats said. Details of their conversation were not disclosed.
$100M in taxes lost in three... From page 7 in late March, depositing a number of bounced cheques at the Bartica branch of the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry and later withdrawing over $950M. The female bank manager, who has since been sent home, reportedly did not conduct the necessary checks to ensure that Rasul’s cheques that he issued off his Citizens Bank accounts had the necessary funds. Rasul has been placed on
$3M bail. Investigations are continuing against the bank manager who was arrested after she turned herself in to police investigators last week at Eve Leary. Police have search Rasul’s properties in Kitty, Prashad Nagar, Charity on the Essequibo coast, and Bartica, Region Seven, where he has his base. A number of staffers have been questioned and a small amount of cash seized. However, investigators
have not been able to put their hands on the majority of that $950M that was withdrawn from GBTI. The Ministry of Natural Resources has since announced that it has asked a new board of directors of GGB to investigate whether any staffers had colluded with Rasul and his companies. The matter has also been handed over to the police’s Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) to probe the money laundering allegations.
Tuesday April 11, 2017
Kaieteur News
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Tuesday April 11, 2017
Tuesday April 11, 2017
Windies up for decisive ODI... (From page 27) Friday’s successful chase of 309, West Indies batsmen once again resorted to their worst habits with none of the top order passing 15, as the innings capitulated to 75 for six in the 18th over. Captain Holder rallied the innings with a career-best 68 off 87 balls, engineering a 58run seventh wicket partnership with tail-ender Ashley Nurse who slammed 44 from 43 balls. Radford said though the pair had executed well, the effort came too late with the damage already done, as the top order had failed to deliver. “We played well but the horse had bolted a bit. We didn’t get the start we’ve been getting,” he pointed out. “We were getting some
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Kaieteur News
really good first power-plays in the last few games and also in the T20s recently. We lost early wickets [and had] a few soft dismissals. I think when you look down our scorecard quite a few of the guys got into the teens, the 12s and 15s but didn’t go on and found soft ways of getting out. “I thought what we did
really well the other day was we kept to a simple game plan of playing straight up and down the ground, keep the wickets in hand and then hit at the end. You saw today even when we had lost wickets, Jason Holder came in and [had a] simple game plan, Ashley Nurse [had a] simple game plan … and they made it look simple.”
Football development will continue... (From page 28) daily challenges we have to confront. He is very smart and experienced and always offers sound advice. He finds it difficult to understand the state of our playing facilities and the lack of investment in sports facilities in Guyana. I am hoping that this trip will above all things, give him a firsthand experience of the
Several businesses onboard for... (From page 29) Worker of the Year, AHL Kissoon donated two lazy boys, while Da Silva Optical contributed financially. The National Milling Co. Ltd contributed twelve hampers consisting of its products, while Factory Price of King Street,
Georgetown donated three trophies. Foster, who is heading the Planning Committee for the Award Ceremony, stated all systems are in place for the successful hosting of the awards. A total of 74 Club Members, Retired Teachers,
Tuesday April 11, 2017 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Bring work home if it will help you get caught up. Make plans to do something special with the one you love. You may need a good friend to lean on. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) There may be opportunities to attend social functions that are linked to work. Children might be on your mind. Don't hesitate to make special plans just for two. Your loved ones could set you off. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Don't jump too quickly if someone tries to make you join in on their crusade. Your personal partner may be less than willing to accommodate you today. Children may cause limitations. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You are best to keep hard feelings to yourself. You need to look into some private matters before you can proceed with your plans. Problems with peers is apparent. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Social gatherings will be conducive to meeting new potential mates. Nagging has never been something that you could tolerate, and it's once again driving you into a lonely state of affairs. Spend time with youngsters today. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Someone may be trying to damage your reputation. Travel could bring you the adventure and excitement you require. Authority figures may be less than accommodating if you have done
something deceitful. LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You can make favorable changes in your home environment. Advancement can be yours if you put your efforts into work related matters. Empty promises are evident. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You are best to listen for the time being. You will find that unfinished projects at home will be most satisfying. Take time to help a friend who hasn't been feeling well. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Look into physical activities that will help get rid of some of that tension you may be feeling. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Follow through on some of the good ideas that come up, and you could have a real winner of a deal. Be sure that you lay your cards on the table. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) You will be erratic and quite likely to make personal mistakes. Find out more, if you want to start your own business. You will reach the most people if you speak out at an organizational function. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You will be in the mood for competition, and your ability to lead a group will bring you popularity. Do your own thing without drawing attention to it. You can make gains if you look at long-term investments.
Teachers of the Year (2016), Outstanding Law Enforcement Officers and Cricketers of the Lower Corentyne Secondary School would be honoured, while seventeen Outstanding Guyanese would receive the RHTY&SC, M.S highest Award – The Dolphin award of Excellence. The Club would also be launching the Patron’s Outreach Programme under which two schools, three churches and the Rose Hall Town Council would receive assistance. Several cricket Clubs would also be assisted to fulfil their mandates with a donation of gears and other items. The RHTY&SC, M.S would like to express gratitude to Mr. Azeez of Royal Jewel House, Ms. Dione Lewis of the Gift Centre, Onai Vasconcellos of Farfan & Mendes Ltd, Ronald Williams of Apex Insurance, Alstair Parris of Len’s Craft, Hemraj Kissoon of AHL Kissoon, Dr. Frank SaSilva of DaSilva Optical, Bert Sukhai of Namilco and Mr. Tusie of Factory Price for their continued confidence in the Club.
monumental catching up we have to do. I would also like to add that it takes much longer to regain credibility than is does to lose it. I am focused on getting things done with the hope that all stakeholders will see and feel the commitment this executive is bringing to the sport and finally lend meaningful support to football. Many are not aware that we are not compensated for a job that requires twelve hours a day from your business, family and friends. We believe that the work of the GFF will restore credibility which is an
essential and valuable asset that has been missing from our balance sheet for far too long. I am not here to fight anyone, to respond obsessively to critics, indulge those that knows almost nothing about the sport of football, instead I am here to get about with the work of football quietly and effectively and I think I am doing just fine. My ultimate goal is to bring the football family together so that we can all share in the pride that will be derived from the massive improvements that will take place in a few years.
Woodpecker Products and... (From page 26) competition in the 19th minute to put his side in the lead. The Hikers however pressed for the equalizer which came four minutes later through overlapping national defender Andrew Stewart. The Hikers struck again in the final minute of the half when their traditional leading marksman and Captain Robert ‘Harry’ France outworked the Old Fort defence to slot home the team’s second goal. Young Tevesarid Garnett managed the lone goal in the second half for the Hikers to secure their 3-1 win. Saints HC showed great courage in holding off powerhouses Bounty GCC throughout the first quarter and well into the second quar-
ter of the match. However, the floodgates opened when Kevin Spencer scored his first in the 22nd minute, evading three defenders, before tricking the goalkeeper and sliding his shot into the right post. He netted his second goal in similar fashion just two minutes later. Junior national captain Mark Sargeant got himself onto the scoresheet next and added a second in the closing minutes of the game, while former national Philip Fernandes added a diving reverse shot to complete GCC’s 5-0 victory. Matches continue for the next six weeks on Mondays and Fridays, at Bourda and on Saints ground during the weekends.
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Tuesday April 11, 2017
Stanley’s ton power Americans to second win GCA’s USACA Guyana tour In steaming hot conditions at the world famous Bourda, 16-year-old United States of America Cricket Association (USACA) under-17 Captain Sanjay Stanley followed up an unbeaten 55 on Sunday with a classy century to power the tourists to their second consecutive win on their Guyana tour hosted by the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) when they beat GCC by 121 runs yesterday. Stanley, who migrated to USA four years ago, played with plenty of confidence from the time he stroked Akeem Christmas for the game’s first boundary in the second over to when he was LBW to pacer Shadroc Bacon at 203-7. The demise of Stanley, who reached the boundary 10 times in his 119 ball 100, triggered a dramatic collapse in which seven wickets tumbled for seven as the Americans were bowled out for 208 in 41.2 overs with Bacon ripping out four batsmen in a destructive 2.2over spell after picking up the first wicket in his opening burst to end with 526 from 7.2 overs on a flat track. GCC in reply were never in the contest after Latchman
Stepfan Wilson flicks Pradeepn Ali during his top score for GCC yesterday. Seeram was bowled for a duck in the first over at 4-1 as only the left-handed Stefan Wilson (16) and Ricardo Phillips (15) reached double figures with the home being bundled out for 85 in 25.1 overs. Guest player Dwayne Dick bagged 4-12 from nine overs of tidy off-spin and got support Atul Iyer who had 3-9. Maybe inspired by batting on a ground where Test greats Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar opened the batting for India, Stanley, who was born in South India, stroked Bacon gloriously past cover for four and dominated the 41-run opening stand with Pardeep Ali before Ali, who hit Akeem Christmas for four to move into teens before being trapped LBW by Bacon for 13 in the ninth over. Stanley shared two other
important partnerships as he led from the front with his well calculated innings. He put together 21 with Iyer, who pulled Odida Douglas for a boundary before hitting Daniel Prashad to mid-off after making four with the score on 62-2. But Stanley, who got to his 50 from 71 balls with six fours, found a useful partner in Adrian Hinds who reached the boundary three times in his 59-ball 34 and played the supporting role in a stand worth 100 before he was LBW to Keon Wright at 1623. After Rutrik Chunduri (7) was run out at 201-4, Akul Gupta was LBW to Bacon for a duck, Dick was run out after facing one ball and Stanley, looking to up tempo, hit Bacon to the man at deep mid-wicket as the US
Skipper Sanjay Stanley cover drives during his stylish century at Bourda yesterday. (Photos by Sean Devers) s i d e slumped to 203-7. The last three batsmen all failed to score as Bacon polished off the tail. At Everest, the USACA U-14s beat Everest yesterday, while on Sunday at the same venue Stanley’s unbeaten 55 and Hinds 26 rallied the visitors to 124-2 chasing Everest’s 120 with Stanley picking up 4-9 with his off-spin and Faadil Hack taking 3-8. On Sunday the USACA U-14s beat DCC in Queenstown as SR Mukamalk made 46 to see his team to 156-4. The visitors take a break today to watch the ODI between West Indies and Pakistan at Providence before playing MSC’s U-17 at Malteenoes tomorrow. (Sean Devers)
Sebert Blake officially conferred with AIBA three Star, WSB coach status
Woodpecker Products and Farfan & Mendes Hockey Leagues commence The Guyana Hockey Board completed a busy weekend of competition with the commencement of the two premier competitions of the year. T h e Wo o d p e c k e r Products Women’s First Division League which enters its second year saw traditional powerhouse Pizza Hut GCC overwhelm Old Fort Shooting Stars 10-0 in the opening fixture played on Saturday, at the Saint Stanislaus College ground on Carifesta Avenue, while the Woodpecker Hikers smothered the youthful Spartans 2-0 the following afternoon at Bourda. The opening Farfan & Mendes Men’s first division clash which followed immediately after was a
more balanced contest, but the Pepsi Hikers outduelled Old Fort giving the club its second loss of the weekend. Bounty GCC cruised to a comfortable 5-0 victory over Saints HC in the other men’s fixture. In the Pizza Hut GCC versus Old Fort Shooting Stars encounter, Shebiki Baptiste was the workhorse for Pizza Hut GCC team that was all business in their opening match of the competition and was rewarded with an 8th minute opening goal which concluded with a diving finish. While Baptiste would slam home a second later in the match, fellow striker Sonia Jardine unleashed a plethora of unstoppable
shots throughout the match to finish as the game’s high scorer with 5 goals to her name. Skilful midfielder Aliyah Gordon managed two goals, while midfielder Carina Moller added a well-timed deflection to round out the 10 unanswered goals for the victors. The experience of the Woodpecker Hikers showed in their control of the opening minutes of their clash against the Spartans. Midfielders Maria Munroe and Marisha Rodrigues dominated the midfield for the Hikers, while Dominique DeGroot and Makeda Harding both held firm in defence for the Spartans to keep the score levelled at 0-0 for most of the
first quarter. After 13 minutes without a goal, Munroe managed to unleash a powerful shot that was parried by Spartans goalkeeper Jessica Mittleholzer, but Kenisha Wills was first onto the rebound to put it into the open net. The Spartans improved their game throughout the match, but the Hikers continued to hold the edge and were finally able to make their second breakthrough from a Munroe penalty corner strike to formalise the win. As the Farfan & Mendes M e n ’s F i r s t D i v i s i o n competition got underway, Old Fort’s Warren Williams scored the first goal in the (Continued on page 25)
Sebert Blake displays his coach’s certificate. They say that hard work breeds success and that theory could not have been more effectively exemplified than when coach of the Forgotten Youth Foundation, Sebert Blake, was officially conferred with the instruments of an AIBA three Star and WSB coach. Blake now joins an elite group that is qualified to train boxers to higher standards and he is extremely delighted with the accolade. H e h a d u n d e rg o n e
training in Cuba and had excelled in every area thus his qualification. Blake had misplaced the certificate while returning from the Spanish speaking country but received the replacement following the intervention of President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), Steve Ninvalle. The newly qualified coach expresses gratitude to his president while endeavoring to continue working assiduously towards the development of his charges.
Kaieteur News
Tuesday April 11, 2017
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Kings XI overcome Cycling returns to West Berbice de Villiers’ one-man show ESPNcricinfo - AB de Villiers, returning from a back injury and replacing Chris Gayle, made a jawdropping 89 off 46 balls, but the rest of Royal Challengers Bangalore was so woeful that Kings XI Punjab won with 33 balls to spare. De Villiers arrived in the second over but by the end of the 15th, he had faced only 31 balls and scored 28 runs. Mandeep Singh and Stuart Binny had taken most of the strike and scored at less than a run a ball. In the last five overs, though, de Villiers faced 18 deliveries and scored 58 off them. He helped Royal Challengers double their 15-over score of 71 and was the sole reason they got 148. A measure of how poor the rest of the RCB batsmen were, though, was how easily a collective effort from Kings XI overhauled the target. Manan Vohra, Hashim Amla and Glenn Maxwell timed the ball sublimely under lights and took the RCB seamers for more than ten runs an over. Kings XI’s eight-wicket win was their second in two games, while RCB suffered their second defeat in three. RCB strangled in the Powerplay In their previous match against Rising Pune
Supergiant at the same venue on Saturday, Kings XI bowled 14 dots in the Powerplay. Against Royal Challengers, Sandeep Sharma alone bowled 14. In all Kings XI sent down 22 dots, limiting Royal Challengers to 23 for 3; only four times in the past had Royal Challengers made a lower Powerplay score. Before this match, Axar Patel had dismissed Shane Watson every time they had faced off in the IPL. So it made sense for Axar to take the new ball against Watson and he maintained his perfect record when Watson dragged an arm ball back onto the stumps. Sandeep sent down a colley of swinging deliveries but it was the short ball that coaxed a top edge from Vishnu Vinod. De Villiers repairs damage De Villiers rusty? You’ve got to be kidding. He guided his first ball to the point boundary. He then watched his team-mates starve him of the strike, and fall into the hole Kings XI had dug for them. The pitch was quicker than the one used for the match against Rising Pune. Varun Aaron, picked in place of left-arm spinner Swapnil Singh, Axar Patel, and Marcus Stoinis tucked Royal
Challengers up, and ensured they did not score a boundary for 38 balls in the middle overs. De Villiers then switched into super-batsman mode: carving near-yorkers for fours and launching length balls on to the roof - or over the roof - of the stadium. He even struck a six over cover despite being off balance and having to reach far away from his body. He hit eight sixes and a four in the last five overs of the innings. Nailing the chase Manan Vohra likes pace on the ball. Before this match, he scored at 8.39 an over against pace in the IPL, and 6.78 against spin. He kick-started the chase with three fours in four balls off Watson. Hashim Amla also prospered, hitting on the up, as Kings XI shaved 50 off the target in five overs. Tymal Mills pinned Vohra lbw in the next over, but Amla progressed to a typically serene fifty. At the other end, Glenn Maxwell produced more unorthodox shots - ramps and golfswings - and a chastening defeat was inevitable for Royal Challengers. Scores: Kings XI Punjab 150 for 2 (Amla 58*, Maxwell 43*) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 148 (De Villiers 89*, Aaron 221) by eight wickets.
Windies up for decisive ODI, assures Radford GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Batting coach Toby Radford has backed West Indies to hit back strongly in today’s decisive third One-Day International, as the hosts chase their first series victory over Pakistan in nearly three decades. West Indies won the opener of the three-match series last Friday when they staged a daring run chase to win by four wickets but Pakistan hit back on Sunday to level the series with a 74run victory. Radford said though the Wi n d i e s w o u l d h a v e preferred to enter the contest with a winning 2-0 lead, they were now fully focussed on pulling off the all-important win in the high stakes game. “Everyone has got to be up for that. We were up for it [on Sunday] and we’re disappointed because we wanted to finish the series …
but that was not to be,” the Englishman said here. “We will come strongly on Tuesday, that’s a huge game for us. We want to win a series against them. We obviously had a great performance two days ago and we want to do that again. “We believe we can do it, we’ve got the quality here to do it and but we’ve really got to dig deep and come back firing on all cyclinders.” Coming on the backs of their historic victory on Friday, West Indies seemed en route to a series-clinching performance when they restricted Pakistan to below 200 in the first 40 overs of their innings. However, Babar Azam unfurled an amazing unbeaten 125 – his fifth ODI hundred and fourth in five matches against West Indies – and Imad Wasim lashed a cameo unbeaten 43 down the order, as Pakistan rallied
superbly to gather 84 runs from the last 42 balls of the innings. Radford said it had been this shift in momentum which saw West Indies fall behind, and the inertia had extended into their run chase. “I think there was a real momentum shift in the last 10 overs of the bowling and fielding effort,” Radford explained. “I thought we bowled particularly well, especially the spinners in the middle. I thought Jason Holder up front was excellent today [but] Babar Azam is a top quality player and he struck the ball very cleanly at the back end of the innings. “So from thinking we were probably chasing 230, 240, we suddenly end up chasing 280, probably 50 more runs than we wanted.” From the excellence of (Continued on page 25)
Kishore presents the donation to Former national Cyclist and club member Neil Reece, while Coach Randolph Roberts looks on. After a while cycling action will return to the West Coast Berbice when the Flying Ace Cycle Club (FACC) of New Amsterdam stages a 40 miles cycle event on Sunday. The FACC, which is regarded as one of the top cycling clubs in the country, continues to receive assistance from former and current members both in Guyana and overseas. The latest act of benevolence is coming from former member Tyrone Ray Kishore of Rosignol, West Bank, Berbice. The former cyclist has come forward to sponsor the event which caters for club cyclists only. The event will be known as the Troy’s Taxi Service cycle race. Kishore, who once competed in the late 1990 and early 2000s in the junior and senior categories, now operates the Taxi Service at Bennet Dam, Rosignol Village. The event will peddle off from in front of the Taxi Service at Bennet Dam,
proceed to Weldaad Police Station before returning to its place of origin. Prizes will be available for the first four finishers, the first Juvenile, the first female, the first two vets, the first two 12-14 riders, who will be riding from Cotton tree to the finish line. There will also be a race for the BMK riders, while six sprint point prizes will also be up for grabs. Incentives will also be available for other outstanding performers. Kishore was once a part of the batch of cyclists along with the Benjamin brothers and others from the ancient county that dominated the scene. The former top cyclist, like a number of his other colleagues, is still a member of the club and would assist with numerous donations from time to time. He is appealing to others including business persons to come on board and assist the club in keeping the cycling activity alive. He is also appealing to the Government of Guyana to
assist in whatever way possible. The presentation was made to former national cyclist Neil Reece and club founder and coach Randolph Roberts at a simple ceremony at the club’s headquarters in New Amsterdam. Kishore further stated that over the years he recognized the excellent work Roberts has been putting in on a daily basis in keeping the sport alive in Berbice and as a former cyclist himself and a businessman, he is always willing to help. Coordinator and coach Randolph Roberts took the opportunity to thank Kishore for remembering the club and wished him well in his future endeavors. He noted that cycling is an expensive sport and needs the support of the business community and other members of the community. It also helps to keep the youngsters gainfully occupied. (Samuel Whyte)
Permaul replaces Gabriel for 3 ODI rd
Guyanese left arm s p i n n e r Ve e r a s a m m y Permaul has been drafted into the West Indies 14-man squad for the third and final match of the Brighto Paints Q Mobile Cup ODI Series against Pakistan at the Guyana National Stadium today. Permaul has so far played six ODIs, taking eight wickets (average 30.0; economy rate 4.69). Head Coach Stuart Law
outlined that Permaul was called up as cover for fast bowler Shannon Gabriel, who is undergoing treatment on his right hamstring and will have a fitness test on the morning of the match. The game starts at 09:30 hrs. West Indies- Jason Holder (Captain), Devendra Bishoo, Jonathan Carter, Miguel Cummins, Shannon Gabriel, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Ashley Nurse,
Ve e r a s a m m y P e r m a u l , Kieran Powell, Rovman Powell and Chadwick Walton. Pakistan- Sarfraz Ahmed (Capt.), Ahmed Shehzad, Kamran Akmal, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Shoaib Malik, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Wahab Riaz, Asif Zakir, Fahim Ashraf, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Asghar and Mohammad Hafeez.
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Football development will continue to be our focus – GFF President, Wayne Forde
Tuesday April 11, 2017
Another GFC talent signs Overseas Curtez Kellman to join Grenades FC for CFU Club Championship Finals
GFF President Wayne Forde (left) and Exco. Member Dion Inniss at the just concluded CONCACAF Congress in Aruba. Just back from representing Guyana at the XXXII CONCACAF Ordinary Congress in Aruba on the weekend and preparing to welcome FIFA President Gianni Infantino to these shores today, GFF President Wayne Forde who along with Executive Member Dion Inniss were in Aruba, has stated that football development would continue to take centre stage. Kaieteur Sport sought to get the views of Forde on what has been happening in the sport and what is the forward focus of the executive for holistic football development. Following are the questions a n d a n s w e r s : Kaieteur Sport: What is your take on the wave of on and off the field activities in the past two months or so? Wayne Forde: I believe it would be fair to say that the GFF has been very active beyond the past two months; however I do accept that the past two months have been particularly busy. We are ultimately focusing on our number one priority, which is football. The Executive Committee is extremely confident that the fraternity and all of Guyana is finally seeing a body that is delivering on its campaign promises and doing everything within its power to keep the focus on football. The institutional changes we are pushing through will take time to yield lasting results but make no mistake;
football needs new faces and new blood in order to charter a new course for itself. I am determined to put this sport that I love with every cell in my body on a successful path. Kaieteur Sport: While the on field aspect is on the rise with multiple competitions at the Intra Association level, what is or will be done to ensure that administratively associations and by extension clubs are solid and prepared to manage the new wave of development, effectively? Wayne Forde: Let me first recognise the daily sacrifices many football administrators are making at the club and association levels. These servants of the sport include Coaches, Secretaries, Presidents and many others. Most of them are doing this purely for the love of the game, while others may have different interests at stake. We have accommodated everyone; this sport belongs to all of us. We see evidence of some Presidents making a genuine effort to develop football in their respective associations, while others are showing very little or no interest in taking any initiative to play football. We are here to support all of our members but want the message to be clear that they have significant responsibility to organise programmes within their membership. The GFF will be
conducting a range of capacity building programmes in the third quarter of 2017 with the aim of enhancing the capacity of our Regional Associations in the delivery of services to their members. The GFF is also drawing up regulations that will allow us to offer financial support to our members but that too is not a substitute for being proactive. Kaieteur Sport: Are you satisfied that associations are ready and can effectively handle and support the level that the executive is taking t h e g a m e ? Wayne Forde: We have to help them to be ready, the amount of football that will be playing in another six months will be unprecedented in many ways. I am sometimes concerned that the GFF might also find it difficult to cope but we have to be positive and keep learning by self correcting each time we stumble. I am excited and optimistic about Guyana’s football and want to bring the country along for the ride. Kaieteur Sport: The GFF would be welcoming the boss of world football, what are you as President looking forward to from the President’s visit? Wayne Forde: The President and I have a very close and engaging relationship, I keep him very up to date with the projects we are doing and some of the (Continued on page 25)
Georgetown Football Club (GFC) is pleased to announce another talented graduate from the Club’s developmental model, 18 year-old Curtez Kellman, a first team club regular, Golden Jaguars squad member will be playing in this season’s Caribbean Football Union Club Championship with Antiguan-based, Grenades FC. GFC Executives after discussions with Grenades FC reached an agreement for Curtez to join up with the Antigua-based club just before the Antiguan transfer window closed late last week. Curtez now is expected to begin preparation with his new teammates this week. Grenades FC will participate in May’s Caribbean Football Union Club Championship Finals and have been drawn in a Group with Central FC of T&T as well as Cibao FC of Dominican Republic, with the group playing in Trinidad & Tobago. Kellman when asked what this opportunity means to him stated, “It means a lot to me. This is a step to fulfilling my dreams and with this opportunity is a boost in my career to become a professional footballer.” Young Kellman went on, “I would have to thank my mom in Guyana and my dad in Barbados, who’ve been pushing me into working hard to achieve my dreams. I also want to thank Coach Faizal Khan and Coach Vurlon Mills who’ve been working with me for many years to become the player I am today, thank you very much.” Kellman went on to
Curtez Kellman
say he was thankful for this opportunity that has been set in place for him and he will keep working hard to make the best out of this opportunity in Antigua. Kellman is yet another young footballer that has come out of the GFC set up of late following Kelsey Benjamin this year who is now a starter in the T&T Pro League for Caledonia AIA after moving from GFC s u c c e s s f u l l y . GFC General Manager Faizal Khan commented: “I am very proud of Curtez as a footballer who is a fantastic talent, but more importantly, for being a well-rounded
young man. Since first working with him as a 14 year old until today, Curtez is arguably the best developed young central midfield/defensive football player in Guyana with a strong technical, tactical, psychological and social football foundation.” The GFC staff members have played a big part in this t a l e n t e d y o u n g m a n ’s football development. GFC is also expressing thanks to sponsors including Desinco Trading Ltd. and the others in the background for now for their continued investment in the development of young people through football for a better tomorrow.
Easter Vacation swimming programme commences The Ministry of Education, Department of Culture, Youth and Sport/ National Sports Commission Easter Vacation Swimming Programme commenced yesterday at Colgrain pool and the National Aquatic Centre. The programme which involves students under the age of 11 got underway with an opening ceremony at Colgrain pool in which Director of Sports
Christopher Jones urged the participants to take the sport seriously with the view of representing Guyana in the future. He said that it is from the grassroots level that talent are being spotted and harnessed, while adding that Education plays an integral role in an athlete’s career. Following the ceremony, students between the ages of 9-11 were taken to the National Aquatic Centre
while students between the ages of 6-8 remained at Colgrain. They were being tutored on the basics of swimming including kicks, floating and breathing. The programme continues on a daily basis except on holidays and among the topics carded are hand movements, moving through the water and how to save life. The clinic concludes on April 20.
Kaieteur News
Tuesday April 11, 2017
Several businesses onboard for RHTY&SC 27 Annual Awards Ceremony th
Plans for the hosting of the biggest ever Award Ceremony of Guyana’s leading youth and sports organisation have received a major boost with several major companies coming on board for the historic event. The Award Ceremony would be held on Sunday 23 of April, 2017 at the ST. Francis Community Developers from 12:30PM. Club Patron, President David Granger would be the Guest Speaker, while other speakers are expected to be Regional Chairman David Armogan, M a y o r Vi j a i R a m o o , Director of Sports Christopher Jones and President of the Club, Keith Foster. Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster on Friday last received donations from several major donors of the Club. The Gift Centre of Hadfield Street donated two designer watches for the top
Guyana Cup Fever 2017 entries now close tomorrow Over 70 now entered
rd
A Representative of the Gift Centre hands over donation to RHTY&SC Asst Organising Secretary, Rabindranauth Kissoonlall in the presence of a staff member. two awardees, while the Royal Jewel House, another long-time donor contributed a Casio Wrist Watch for the Most Disciplined Cricketer, Farfan and Mendes Ltd, an official sponsor of the Club since 1997, donated eight
trophies to cover all the Under-15 awardees and some general awards like Most Promising Player, Most Committed and Worker of the Year. Apex Insurance Brokers Ltd contributed a large
collection of gifts including perfume sets, designer clothing, collector pen set and personal care collections among others. Len’s Craft of Croal Street, Georgetown handed over bicycle for the (Continued on page 25)
East Coast Guinness starts tomorrow at Haslington
Part of the action in last year’s competition. The Haslington Market Square will come alive with activity when the 5th edition of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ East Coast of Demerara leg gets cracking tomorrow. The event, which will be played over three days, is expected to feature 16 teams from East Coast communities as they battle for prize monies in excess of $600,000 including trophies. The winning team will take home $250,000 and the
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Championship trophy along with the right to represent the zone at the National Playoffs in June that will feature teams from each leg, while the second, third and fourth placed finishers receive $150,000, $100,000 and $50,000 respectively. Defending champion Beterverwagting (BV)-B will no doubt be keen to get into action with the focus being to make it to the National Playoffs. However, the early word
coming out of the competing communities is that the champs will not have it easy this time since all the teams have begun preparations which are said to be going well. Among the teams likely to participate are last year’s beaten finalist North Haslington and previous champions BV-A, MelanieA and Plaisance-A. Teams such as Victoria Churchyard United, Nabaclis, Golden Grove, Melanie-B, Bare Root,
Future, Victoria Eagles, Plaisance-B and Buxton are among the usual participants. So far, the Georgetown, West Demerara/East Bank Demerara and Berbice Zones have been completed. The Linden and Bartica zones will be staged following the completion of the East Coast Demerara leg. Official fixtures as well as the format for the tournament are expected to be announced shortly.
With the overwhelming supported being garnered for the Guyana Cup Fever horserace meet 2017, the closing date for entries has now been pushed back to tomorrow, a few days before race day. With the event set for Sunday 16 April (Easter Sunday) at the Port Mourant (Big Yard) Turf Club, the o rg a n i s e r s a r e g i v i n g themselves a tight schedule to complete all arrangements. However, most of the logistical arrangements are in place for the event which is organised by the Jumbo Jet Auto sales and racing stables in collaboration with the Port Mourant Turf Club. According to Coordinator Nazrudeen “Jumbo Jet” Mohammed, due to the overwhelming support and number of calls from horse owners seeking to make a last minute grasp to be a part of the programme, they have decided to extend the closing date to accommodate as much entries as possible, in an effort to give as much person a chance to be a part of the event. Mohammed also assured that the team of organisers is experienced and everything will be in tip top shape, come Sunday. Work has been completed on the grand stand, pavilions, other stands, paddock and stables. The track is being graded, wetted and rolled on a regular basis. Record breaking runs are anticipated come race day, especially with the likes of Princess She Not and CP Got Even expected to be among the starters. A bumper crowd is expected on hand especially since it’s the Easter holiday weekend. Eight races are listed for the day and over $8M in cash, trophies and other incentives up for grabs. The feature B1 and lower 1900M event has a top class filed entered so far with the return of champion runners Princess She Not and CP Got Even, Golden Blue Echo, Lady Budapest, Brave Sky, Spit Fire, Just call me Boss, Jack In My Style and Keep on Swinging go after each other for the $1M bounty and trophy. An interesting list has been released for the E1 and lower West Indies bred non earners for 2016 and 2017
and E3 US and Canadian bred non earners for 2016 and 2017. Release the Beast, Goodwill Boy, Light UP Canada, Spit Fire, Red and Lovely and Its My Choice have so far been lined up for the 1200M event for the $600,000 winners money and trophy. The other events are the 4-year-old West Indies bred and G3 and lower race for the $300,000 winner ’s money and trophy. The race for animals classified H3 and lower for the $275,000 first prize and trophy. The event for 3 years old Guyana bred and horses classified ‘I’ 1 and lower for a first prize of $225,000 and trophy. Guyana bred three years old maiden horses that will race for a winning take of $220,000 and trophy. The event for animals classified J2 and K for a winning take of $175,000 and trophy. The L and lower event will see the winner getting $130,000 and trophy. Among other animals set to compete are - Release the Beast, Super Bowl, Cat Messiah, Settling Star, Sweet Return, Isn’t She Charming, Firing Line, Big Man Boss, Goodwill Boy, Amazing Run, Light UP Canada, Witchie Poo, Campador, Red and Lovely and Its My Choice, T and T, Slim Shady, Bird Man, Chelsea, Puppy Tail, Party Time, Flow Joe, Mary Ann, Miss Olympic, Prince Saria Miss Angelie, The Rock, King Stanley, Supreme Cat, Royal Paymaster, Crown Prince Natural Beauty, Awesome Cash, Secret Escape, Little, De Rocket and Amazon Warrior among others. Top horses, stables and jockeys will be awarded compliments of Ramesh Sunich of the Trophy Stall of Bourda Market. A number of added attractions and incentives including free kites will be given away on race day. There will also be bouncy castle, trampoline and other attractions for children. I n formation can be accessed by contacting Chandu Ramkissoon (6249063 or 608-9063, 232-0633), Jingo Jagdeo on 618-7278, Ramnauth on 697-1979 or 333-5311 or Amernauth on 649-8231. (Samuel Whyte)
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Tuesday April 11, 2017
Scotiabank Kiddy cricket- a programme that has enhanced youth development The Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket programme which is in its 17th year, got off to a rousing start as 80 aspiring young cricketers participated in on-field skills display during the second Q Mobile Brighto Paints One Day International between West Indies and Pakistan on Sunday at the Guyana National Stadium. Participants were invited from North Georgetown Primary, Leonora Primary, Enterprise Primary, Saint Pius Primary, Redeemer Primary, Blairmont Primary, Greenwick Park Primary and New Diamond Primary. One of the lucky participants; 11 year-old Azam Mohammed, captain of Enterprise Primary School, accompanied captains Jason Holder and Sarfraz Mohammad at the toss. The Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket Programme is based in 15 Territories across the Caribbean. The WICB and Scotiabank pledged to expand the programme so as
to give children the opportunity to experience the game at an early age. Khushiyal .J. Singh, WICB project officer for the Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket, said he was pleased with the day’s event. Singh added that it’s not just a programme to hone the skills of the budding players, but it also helps the children gain and maintain an appreciation for the game, while developing positive values which will enhance their education. Singh explained that it is always a pleasure to see so many girls involved in the programme in Guyana. “This is our 17th year and literally it has been progressive, we hope that this exposure will motivate the youths,” he added. Singh related that West Indies Captain Jason Holder, Kemar Roach, Steven Jacobs and a number of players who represented the West Indies at the U-19 World Cup came out of this programme. Singh said that he will be happy to have other sponsors onboard since they are working to
Students during the Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket display at the Stadium. bridge the gaps at the age group level, and it is important to keep supporting the youths so that they can remain committed to the sport. He informed that the England and Wales Cricket Board has helped tremendously. (Zaheer Mohamed)
Carib Foods and Trans Guyana Airways adds special prizes to GCB Raffle
Adrian Hooper is new GABA President
Adrian Hooper Head Coach of Eagles Basketball Club that has one of the better Under-23 teams in Georgetown, Adrian
H o o p e r, w a s e l e c t e d President of Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) on
Sunday at its Annual General Meeting and Elections. A constitutional change only allowed for the election of Hooper as President, following which he will be allowed to select his Executive. Former President, Andrew Hercules moved a motion for clubs to elect the President with five days given after to name an Executive. The former GABA Executive accepted the motion, which means that Hooper will announce his Executive later this week. Hooper had been a VicePresident in the last administration, and is an active basketball administrator on and off the court. He is a computer technician by profession attached to Starr Computers and apart from being the Coach of Eagles, is also the host of the annual InterOrganisation Basketball Competition that is held at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall over the CARICOM weekend.
Alexandra Correia of Trans Guyana hands over prizes to be won in today’s special consolation drawing of the GCB Raffle to Raj Singh. Carib Foods and Trans Guyana Airways have sponsored special prizes for the Guyana Cricket Board fund raising 75th Anniversary Raffle in aid of youth and female cricket development. There will be a special drawing during today’s 3rd ODI at the Providence Stadium for the Carib Foods and Trans Guyana Airways prizes. Alexandra Correia of Trans Guyana and Mark Singh of Carib Foods handed over the prizes to Raj Singh of the Cricket Board. The 75th Anniversary Raffle tickets are being sold at just $200 per ticket and
tickets are available from several GCB officials and staff around the Stadium. Fans are in line to win attractive prizes in the main draw which include: · 1st Prize- One Motor Car · 2nd Prize-One JIALING Motor CycleDonated by JIALINGAUTOMOBILE POWER PRODUCTS. · 3rd Prize-One 60" T V- D o n a t e d b y R E A D Y M I X CONCRETE LTD · 4th Prize-*One Return Airfare to New YorkDonated by DYNAMIC AIRWAYS · 5th Prize-One Gold
Necklace- Donated by STEVE’S JEWELLRY · 6th Prize-Return trip for 2 to Kaieteur FallsDonated by RORAIMA AIRWAYS · 7th Prize- One Acer Laptop computer- Donated by SBR ENTERPRISES · 8th Prize-Day Trip for 2 to Arrowpoint ResortD o n a t e d b y ARROWPOINT TOURS After today’s draw during the 3rd ODI between the WI and Pakistan there would be consolation drawings in August during CPL and in December. The final drawing is set for April 7th 2018.
Kaieteur News
Tuesday April 11, 2017
PAGE 33
3rd Faye Joseph Int’l Domino Competition starts in three days With three days remaining before the start of competition, preparations are moving apace for the hosting of the 3rd Faye Joseph International Domino Competition which will run from April 14-17, at the National Gymnasium. This is according to Georgetown Domino Association (GDA) Competition Secretary Mark ‘Jumbie’ Wiltshire, who spoke via telephone with Kaieteur Sport yesterday informing that teams are expected from Barbados, USA, Puerto Rico, Antigua and Dominican Republic. Wiltshire disclosed that the GDA has invited other countries and they are waiting on confirmation. The competition to be played over four days has
prize monies totaling in excess of $2million with the winning team receive $1million, 2nd, 3rd and 4th placed teams colect $500,000, $300,000 and $200,000 respectively along with trophies. There will also be special prizes for outstanding individual performances, while a Pullorama will be conducted on the opening day at the same venue. Entrance fee is US$220 or $44,000GYD and the defending champion is Phantom. The Pullorama will be conducted on opening day, at the same venue, while the defending champion is Phantom. The major sponsors on board are Ansa McAl under the Stag Beer brand and Digicel.
GNDF election for office bearers set for May 7 The Guyana National D o min o e s F e d e r a t i o n (GNDF) will be staging its election of office bearers on May 7, at 1222 Gaulding Place, South Ruimveldt. According to
information received, apart from the election of office bearers, there will be the report from the President and other matters related to the performance of the entity during the last period of office.
Well Teen, Trophy Stall, Tropical Springs, Nauth Motor Spares, U-13 Cricket to start M i k e ’s P h a r m a c y through its brand “Well Teen”, UK’s No. 1 teenager product, together with the Trophy Stall, Tropical Spring Waters and Nauth Motor Spares of Sheriff Street have teamed up to sponsor a nationwide U-13 cricket tournament which is set to start on April 21. All matches, except the Semi-finals, will be played at the DCC Ground on Lance Gibbs Street, Queenstown; the semi-finals will be played at Albion. The first game bowls off at 16:00hrs, between the inaugural Day/Night champion Bel Air Rubis and Transport SC. Matches will be played also on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays from 17:00hrs or 5pm.
This tournament is made possible through the collaborative efforts of The Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association and The Demerara Cricket Club. Matches will be of 25 overs duration and will feature teams from Georgetown, East Coast Demerara, East Bank Demerara, West Demerara and a Select Berbice Team. Any other teams desirous of participating can contact Shawn Massiah at 616-7240, Anil Persaud 6246098, Anil Beharry 6236875 or Ashmol Ally on 6190531 or 652-5896 to register. Players qualified to play must born on or after 1 September 2003. Balls and umpires will be provided by sponsors. st
President of the GDA Faye Joseph (3rd left) seen with Digicel Representative Louanna Abrams (2nd left) and executive members at the Launch.
NSC/Den Amstel Mash Cup prizes presented
Lanferman is MVP & HGS; DoS Jones challenges clubs to get on board progress train The top four clubs including champions Den Amstel were on Sunday afternoon rewarded for their efforts in the just concluded National Sports Commission (NSC) sponsored Mash Cup 2017 organised by Den Amstel FC. Pocketing the first place prize and trophy was Den Amstel which played unbeaten in the competition; they hammered fierce rivals Uitvlugt Warriors FC 5-2 in the championship match led by the red hot Delon Lanferman who was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player and Highest Goal Scorer. Lanferman was as destructive as could be netting a total of 11 goals in three matches and perhaps has etched his name in the history books by hammering hat-tricks in every match including five in the first
game. Attending the presentation ceremony at the Den Amstel Community Centre were Director of Sport Christopher Jones, West Demerara Football A s s o c i a t i o n ( W D FA ) President Orin Ferrier, Den Amstel FC President Patrick Burgess and coordinator Denise Lovell, among others. Jones in a passionate address to the recipients and others villagers gathered, expressed his entity’s delight at being the major facilitator of the tournament which featured the best teams in the association. He noted that the sponsorship was under the NSC ‘Light It Up’ initiative which will see the commission illuminating grounds around the country. ”I would like to see the community and players doing more to upkeep this
facility at a high standard. We have invested and will continue to invest in its development but you have to play your part and do so with pride to ensure it is kept in proper shape for the youths of the village and association to develop and grow into rounded men and women of this nation.” Jones committed the NSC to further enhancing the facility and they will do the same for many others in the other communities of Guyana. W D FA P r e s i d e n t commended Jones and the NSC for their commitment to community development with similar sentiments echoed by Den Amstel’s Burgess. Ferrier noted that the association held a number of tournaments and will be embarking on their Scotiabank Youth Academy shortly.
Burgess presented both trophies to Lanferman, whilst copping the Best Goalkeeper trophy was Quincy Ashley of Den Amstel, while Pouderoyen FC copped the Best Coach Award, Adrian Giddings being the recipient. Jones presented the winners prize of $200,000 to Den Amstel’s Coach O’Niel Heywood, Uitvlugt Warriors pocketed $100,000 for finishing second with Eagles United receiving the third place prize of $75,000 and Pouderoyen $50,000 for fourth. These same teams will be renewing rivalry on Sunday at the Den Amstel ground when they face off in the Super 4 Massive Football grudge fest from 17:00hrs. This venture will present the opportunity for the gladiators to settle old scores.
Den Amstel Mash Cup top performers displaying their trophies and other prizes in the presence of DoS Chris Jones (4th right), WDFA and DAFC Presidents Orin Ferrier and Patrick Burgess. Coordinator Denise Lovell is also pictured.
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Windies up for decisive Woodpecker Products and Farfan & Mendes Hockey Leagues commence ODI, assures Radford Pizza Hut GCC’s Shebiki Baptiste dribbles past an Old Fort Shooting Stars player during their encounter on Saturday.
Jason Holder plays to leg during his career-best half-century in Sunday’s second ODI against Pakistan. (Photo courtesy WICB Media)
Easter Vacation swimming programme commences
Participants and officials including DoS Christopher Jones (centre back row) at yesterday’s opening of the Easter Swim programme at Colgrain pool.
East Coast Guinness starts tomorrow at Haslington Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210