Kaieteur News

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Citizens could NEWS challenge oil contracts if it is in conflict with the law - Ram AIETEUR

Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

Saturday Edition April 13, 2019 - Vol. 13 No. 15

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

Price $80

Online readership yesterday 109,165

The power of an oil producing country...

Yemen demanded

and achieved a labour force of 90% locals Forestry Commission struggling to pay staffers

Woman expecting twins, delivers triplets at GPHC

We robbed the wrong man - armed men tell Court Man shifts woman’s teeth over ply wood

Contractors must demand - Tender Board Head

feedback for rejected bids

Kaieteur News

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Saturday April 13, 2019

Citizens could challenge oil contract if it is in conflict with the law – Ram

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he government may not be willing to renegotiate the oil contract it signed with Exxon's subsidiary, Esso Exploration & Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), but if that contract is in conflict with t h e l a w, i t c o u l d b e challenged in court.

This is according to

Chartered Accountant and Attorney-at-Law, Christopher Ram. His comments come on the heels of a statement made by newly accredited US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, that if there is anything to be done, the ball is in Guyana's court.

During a media engagement at the Embassy

in Kingston on Monday, Lynch said that the US government does not intend to intervene to facilitate a renegotiation of the contract.

She said that the main role of the US is to foster opportunities in the budding oil and gas sector.

However, there are critics who have purported, since the discovery of high

quality reservoirs as early as 2015, that Guyana does not get enough from the contract. Worries continued to mount as consecutive discoveries of wells indicated that there are over five billion barrels of oil to be extracted.

Currently, Guyana is set to share profits 50/50 with Exxon, and benefit from a

US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch two percent royalty for every barrel it declares. The profit would only come into play after ExxonMobil and its two other partners take their expenses out; expenses that include pre-2015 spending.

Ly n c h w a s a s k e d whether Guyana has the right to facilitate a renegotiation of the deal. She said that there is recognition of the country's sovereignty.

There is much potential for benefit when production commences, she told the press, given the magnitude of the discoveries made in Guyana's waters.

She said that it would be up to the government to work with the private sector (ExxonMobil) to see if there is room for renegotiation, so that Guyanese could benefit more.

Former Minister of Trade, Industry, Investment and Communications in Trinidad and Tobago, Vasant Bharath, had said in February that the leverage of an oil-producing country to renegotiate is proportionate to the magnitude of the find.

He said that that principle holds true in Guyana, since the country's reserves stand over five billion barrels of high quality oil.

But whether there has

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo

Chartered Accountant and Attorney-at-Law, Christopher Ram been any indication of willingness to renegotiate that contract by either of the major political players is another story.

According to Ram y e s t e r d a y, t h o u g h t h e government has a duty to govern in the interest of the people, the persons who would be most instrumental to the renegotiation process government officials - are resisting calls made for it, at every turn.

Further, he said, an obstacle to renegotiation is that there seems to be no expertise in the government in this regard. The question (continued on page 7)

Kaieteur News

Saturday April 13, 2019

PAGE 03

Taxi driver test-driving superbike Forestry Commission dies after Plantain Walk crash struggling to pay staffers

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Berbice man is dead after a superbike he was test riding crashed. The accident reportedly occurred yesterday afternoon at Plantain Walk, West Coast Berbice.

The taxi driver, known Tyrone "Willie" Kishore, appeared to have died instantly from severe head injuries.

Witnesses said they heard a loud crash and after venturing out to see what happened, found the man submerged in the trench that runs parallel to the main road.

Public-spirited citizens immediately plunged into the trench and pulled him out.

"Willie" who is said to operate his taxi from the Rosignol ferry stelling tarmac area was said to have been test riding the bike which was up for sale. (Guyanese Critic)

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Dead: Tyrone Kishore

The superbike in the trench

Contractors must demand feedback for rejected bids - Tender Board Head

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f a contractor is unsuccessful with a bid, then he or she has the right to ask for feedback in this regard says head of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), Berkley Wickham.

During a recent interview with Kaieteur News, Wickham said that feedback is normally provided to the contractors regarding the factors that led to them being unsuccessful. He acknowledged however that the delivery of the feedback is not at the level it ought to be.

Wickham said, “Once NPTAB makes an award to a procuring entity, that process ends.

We generally publish the award on our website as quickly as possible after it is made...Also, the procuring entity is required to not only inform the winning bidder that they are successful but also inform the losing bidders as to why they failed.”

“Sometimes contractors, if that do not get feedback from the procuring entity, are welcomed to come in to NPTAB and enquire why they failed. This is something we could do and can do.”

The NPTAB Head added, “Sometimes the contractors make silly mistakes or forget

NPTAB Head, Berkley Wickham certain things or consider something as not important and leave it out.

“Sometimes they misinterpret things and what a lot of them still don't know is that, before they submit a tender, they can seek clarification on any issue in the tender document from the procuring entity. This is something which needs to be well known.”

Wickham said that contractors have a right to seek clarification and this right, he said, is protected by the law.

he Guyana F o r e s t r y Commission (GFC) is finding it hard to survive. Staffers are complaining bitterly of being owed money.

In fact, the entity, which is charged with managing the country's forests, did not see a cent of Norway's climate change deal with Guyana.

Rather, GFC has to depend on raising monies from acreage and other stewardship activities.

It is falling short by up to $1B annually to effectively carry out its function. The commission is now appealing for more money to help its operations.

Yesterday, during an interactive session to discuss a recent study of the impact of the US$250M Norway deal which ended in 2015 but is being continued to ensure Guyana meets commitments, the issue of staffers and their conditions of work came up.

According GFC's chairperson, Jocelyn Dow, it is hopeful in the second engagements post-2015 when the Norway deal ended, that the commission can be given the needed resources. She explained that the commission has been increasing activities, including more fines and visits to concessions.

However, collections have been hampering GFC as concession holders have themselves been facing hurdles including market and the poor state of hinterland roads. Transportation costs for loggers account to about 35 percent of costs.

According to staffers, they have been saddled with late payments of salaries, absence of leave passages, uniform allowances and retroactive payments due since 2018.

Also owed are allowances for field outreaches and out-of-town visits. According to GFC officials, yesterday, even if they collect up to the $60M owed, it will only cover about six weeks of salary for the almost 450 staffers.

The commission also has to pay to maintain staffers at 30-plus stations across the country in addition to vehicles and other routine activities. It was reported that a number of staffers have already left the job.

Kaieteur News was told that the GFC was so cashstrapped that staffers are still owed retroactive payments effective from January 1, 2018. Employees also claimed that a $25,000 per year bonus for middle management staffers, which is an agreement between the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union and Guyana Forestry Commission, is yet to be paid for 2018. They said that for eight years now, they have not received an increase and are owed leave passage allowance.

The aggrieved workers also claimed that in an effort to boost financial revenues, staffers have undertaken several initiatives such as increase patrols on land and water and field trips .

The GFC is responsible for advising the subject minister on issues relating to forest policy, forestry laws and regulations.

The Commission is also responsible for the administration and management of all State Forest land. The staffers claim that when they find illegal operations they are told to stand down, and there are likely no payments of the hefty fines, money that are needed to pay staffers.

GFC Chairperson, Jocelyn Dow Guyana has an area of 214,970 km2 of which nearly seventy-five percent is covered with natural vegetation. Of this area, approximately four-fifths is classified as State Forests under the jurisdiction of GFC. According to Dow, it is a fact that just about 20 percent of the allowable cuts or logging is being done.

This translates to less income to GFC. It did not help that almost $1B in cash that GFC had in reserves was transferred under the last administration.

Loggers and other stakeholders are also facing pressure from high bank rates. On top of that, Dow explained to the stakeholders of the challenges, since the Norway deal, GFC has taken on more reporting responsibilities which has added to the duties and of course, the overheads.

Recently, the Cabinet ordered a special body to oversee the restructuring of GFC, including issues of promotion and salary and training. The convener of the task force is Clayton Hall, a former senior GFC official.

The body has to submit a report to Cabinet on recommendations by July.

Kaieteur News

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Saturday April 13, 2019

Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

The fight against extradition

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n Thursday, British police bundled Julian Assange out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London, his refuge of almost seven years. With his emergence into daylight, so too came some clarity on the case which the US has been pursuing against him, and on which it seeks his extradition.

The indictment relates to the secret military and diplomatic files provided by Chelsea Manning, the army whistleblower, which unveiled shocking US abuses and shed light on corrupt and repressive governments worldwide.

That Ms Manning is once again in jail, for refusing to give evidence to a secret grand jury in a WikiLeaks investigation, is a disgrace. The importance of the material, published by the Guardian, the New York Times and others, was undeniable. But subsequently we and others strongly disagreed with Mr Assange’s decision to bulk-publish unredacted documents.

Two obstacles initially paused the US pursuit. The first was Ecuador’s decision to grant him asylum. A change in government has led it to rescind that protection, on the promise he would not be extradited to potentially face the death penalty. The second was the Obama administration’s conclusion that pursuing him for publishing the files would set a dangerous precedent, imperilling press freedoms protected by the first amendment.

As a candidate, Donald Trump declared his love for WikiLeaks when the organisation published emails stolen

by Russian state hackers from the Democratic National Committee. But six months later, after WikiLeaks released information on the CIA’s hacking operations, the service’s then director Mike Pompeo declared it a “hostile intelligence service” and the US described arresting Mr Assange as a priority.

US authorities say they are charging him on the grounds of conspiracy to access a computer, rather than for the publication of the material obtained. This is an important distinction. The high court last year ruled against the extradition of Lauri Love, accused of breaking into US government websites, in a judgment hailed as setting a precedent for trying hacking suspects in the UK, though the circumstances were very different.

The US may also add further charges to the sheet. But it would be naive to regard this charge as the cause of the extradition request, rather than the technical grounds for it.

And while Mr Assange is accused in this case of assisting in the cracking of a password, many will fear that the conspiracy charge could be more broadly applied, particularly by an administration so hostile to a free, independent press.

Mr Assange now faces up to a year in prison for skipping bail. He was wrong to do so. He entered the Ecuadorian embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faced allegations of rape and molestation (which he denies), citing fears that Stockholm would hand him to the US. It would be entirely appropriate for Swedish prosecutors to reopen their investigation, as the lawyer representing one of his accusers has requested. None of this alters the dangers of agreeing to his extradition to the US. The case of Assange has implications for some Guyanese who would have broken the law in other countries and seek to hide here. There is the Bisram case.

He allegedly became complicit in a murder of a man who rejected his advance.

He then fled to the United States where he is fighting extradition. Unlike Assange, he cannot claim victimization by the state. The state has not accused him of treason. Like the United States Guyana has the death penalty so he cannot use that argument to avoid deportation.

Then there is the Guyanese who committed murder in the United States and escaped to Guyana. He too is fighting deportation on many grounds. One of them is a denial of his name.

Editor’s Note; If your sent letter was not published and you felt its contents were valid and devoid of libel or personal attacks, please contact us by phone or email.

Freddie’s linking Lincoln Lewis’s statement to that of white fascism is harsh and a quantum leap DEAR EDITOR, In Monday’s Kaieteur News, in his popular column, Freddie Kissoon launched a broadside against an article in Sunday’s Kaieteur News written by Lincoln Lewis.

I am a fan of Freddie, but I believe his linking Lincoln Lewis’s statement to that of white fascism is harsh and a quantum leap.

While I appreciate the philosophical underpinnings o f F r e d d i e K i s s o o n ’s contention, we must see things in its present context, at all times seek moderation and avoid intemperate language. The above applies to all sides.

It is fair to assume that Lincoln Lewis was seeking to solidify our Independence, preserve our pride as a nation state, protect our patrimony and vindicate the sacrifice and humiliation of our ancestors.

It is right and proper that we welcome Investors from everywhere – like everything else and everywhere else you’ve got the good, the not so good and the bad.

The right of an Independent people is to ensure that the exploitation of our natural resources benefits the Investor and more particularly, benefits the people of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

We s e e w h a t h a s happened in the Indian Islands, Africa, Latin America and elsewhere.

We m u s t n e v e r countenance disrespect of our workers by others who come with money-bags and sometimes unfulfilled promises.

On the question of Immigration, we cannot compare our looming challenges with experiences in Europe, USA and elsewhere.

Guyana is a small country with less than a million souls, and we have not reached the point where we provide adequate free education to all of our children, satisfactory health services, security, water, e l e c t r i c i t y a n d transportation. Many of our families still double up for want of sufficient housing.

Whenever an Immigrant crosses our border, north, south, east or west, they are likely coming with little or nothing, but will require some of those services referred to above.

It is appropriate therefore, that we discuss this matter fully and not see it as a simple matter and talk about fascism.

On a lighter note, I remember as a youngster that very often at lunch or dinner time some old uncle, aunty or

old friend would drop in; the practice was that your parent would remove the choicest chunk of meat from your plate to give the uninvited visitor.

I soon learnt that after meals were served and grace was said I consumed my meat before the rest of items on the plate. That was a child employing a sensible operation for survival.

Why should growing children give up their protein to the visitor?

A universal wisdom is survival.

I believe that this is not a black and white situation (forgive the pun).

The question really is how many persons can Guyana absorb without placing an additional burden on the fragile fabric of our society.

Let us carry on the debate, examine facts and figures and avoid emotional outbursts.

By the way, Freddie is right, speaking for myself, all of my children live abroad, but in each and every case they sought opportunities that were available in a much larger society that was willing to utilize their skills and knowledge.

With a few exceptions, the Guyanese who are abroad function in circumstances with a much larger society

needed then. So that is not the point.

With respect to Canada, referred to by Freddie, I wonder if he has read Kari Levitt’s book, “Silent Surrender” where she deals with Multinational Corporation in Canada, published in 1970.

Thanks to the alertness of successive Canadian Prime Ministers, some of her predictions of gloom were not materialized. The book is worth scrutiny in view of our present circumstances, since there are many parallels and lessons be learnt.

Let us do nothing and think nothing to betray our ancestors and let down our succeeding generations. We don’t want an Independence with a Flag and an Anthem but as one of our earlier Leaders said ‘we do not control (the commanding heights) of our economy.’

Remember the days when BG was translated to mean Bookers Guyana and not British Guiana. A truism because Bookers then was in control of the life and fortunes of our people.

To Freddie and Lincoln, let’s talk to avoid any form of re-colonisation, the dismemberment of our traditional values, and the disfigurement of our families and communities.

Hamilton Green

The knowledge-based society and Exxon’s training and skills development program DEAR EDITOR, I take the informed view that Gov’t should not have to mandate training initiatives in a company, especially a foreign company operating in the local economy.

Training should be built into the arrangements between the company and the country, and the government’s role should be as enforcer.

If we look back at many of the contracts under which foreign companies operated in Guyana during 1980s and ‘90s, we would see that a training component was present in each. The provision of training programs for new or upgrading skills benefitted both, the company and Guyanese. The same kind or better arrangements should be expected today of Exxon or other foreign firms operating in Guyana.

The world is now engrossed in the idea that firms are increasingly becoming knowledge-based and network-driven, and the impacts such innovations may have on the populace in specific contexts. Today, a n a t i o n ’s w e l f a r e a n d competitive advantage depend heavily on tacit knowledge, skills and innovative capacity of employees.

This emerging economy is characterized by the need for continuous learning of both codified information and the competencies in its use. Thus, individuals with h i g h - r e l e v a n c e qualifications and training have a key role in managing and sustaining the ‘knowledge-driven’ economy.

Companies in America, Britain, Japan and elsewhere

take pride in the training of their employees. In many of the huge corporations, as much as 20 percent of the budget was allocated for research, training and staff development. At job interviews, one of the first things that the interviewers would mention as part of the firm’s package(s), is the opportunity for training, both internal and external, to boost performance(s) and promotional opportunities.

In 2016, the law department at the University of Guyana had commenced preparation of new courses, and had submitted one on oil and gas to the relevant body for consideration and implementation.

When I left in 2017, it was still receiving or awaiting attention. Further, I had asked Professor Pollard, who was at the time teaching

International Environmental Law, among other courses, to attend discussions and public events organized by Exxon.

Professor Pollard willingly attended and reported that he had twice raised the issue of training for Guyanese. He queried whether any plan(s) was in place and told the gatherings that given the imminence of oil operations, Exxon should indulge in training activities to prepare Guyanese for smooth entry into the emerging oil and gas sector.

Exxon officials reportedly stated that training would come at a later stage. It would be interesting to hear whether Exxon has since started/encouraged/paid for such training.

In a nutshell, all smart firms incorporate training programs in their activities to (Continued on page 6)

Saturday April 13, 2019

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Kaieteur News

CONFUSION HAS REPLACED LOGIC ON THE SUGAR INDUSTRY DEAR EDITOR, The GAWU, in the April 05 Guyana Chronicle, saw the newspaper expressing criticism regarding talk to re-open the closed estates. The stateowned newspaper in championing its view quoted several individuals and advanced a number of contentions.

The Union must say that it is confused that the Chronicle would venture in the direction it did. The very article, towards the end, reported that the Coalition Government, at this time, is actively considering proposals that would re-open the very closed estates, albeit under private hands.

So the obvious question is why the Chronicle is taking a position that is contrary to the Government’s stated position.

It seems that logic has been thrown to the wind and confusion has obviously stepped in, as the paper seeks to defend the indefensible actions of the Administration.

In the article, the newspaper speaks about the support the Government provided to the industry, and its intent “…to protect the livelihoods of workers”. In our view, any Government worth its salt has a moral obligation to protect

the well-being and welfare of its citizens. But if the Government was so concerned about the workers’ livelihoods, why is it that it pursued a policy that put some 7,000 sugar workers out-of-work?

Why is it that by closing estates it has essentially harmed the future of thousands of our nation’s children? Why is it that by its decisions, it has, in essence, taken away the vibrancy from the many communities that were linked to the shuttered estates?

For us, and for the thousands affected, it is most difficult to be convinced that the Administration really had the livelihoods of the workers at heart and in mind.

The paper next says that the State’s assistance to sugar was coming at the expense of other sectors. But lest we forget, the Administration’s support amounted to less than 3 per cent of its aggregate expenditure in office, so far. Moreover, that assistance benefitted at least 10 per cent of the Guyanese people. Clearly, the investment was more than worthwhile, considering that the State also recouped some through taxes.

We are also told that some

of the dismissed workers have been able to secure jobs at the operable estates.

This on the surface sounds nice, but fails to consider how much earlier those workers must rise from bed to travel the long distances to the still-operable estates. The fact that workers are forced to do so, also tells us about the dearth of job opportunities in their communities.

The Chronicle next says that some workers have been employed in other sectors while some are engaged in self-employment.

This again sounds plausible, but have the Chronicle, or for that matter the powersthat-be, asked themselves to what extent is this really so?

The state-owned paper, quotes Dr Justin Ram, the CDB’s Director of Economics, who said that the sugar industry’s survival is linked to, among other things, ”…the utilisation of technology to allow it to become competitive in the modern world”.

The Union agrees with Dr Ram’s assessment and we urged such an approach be taken by the Government.

Dishearteningly, as we all well know, the Government went in a different direction. Inter-

There has been an increase in attacks on Lands and Surveys’ Systems DEAR EDITOR, The Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, (GLSC), has over the past few weeks witnessed and received complaints of an increased number of cyber-attacks on its systems. As a result, the commission is taking steps to enhance its cyber defences.

Editor, although we maintain controls to help protect our networks and computers from cyber threats, we rely heavily on our clients to be an important and critical line of defence by not falling prey to this apparent fraud geared to trick citizens.

The Commission remains committed to serving the people of Guyana through proper, legitimate channels, and therefore, rejects in the strongest possible terms this attempt by outside, so far, unknown sources, to mingle in the internal affairs of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission.

We implore our clients and stakeholders to be on the lookout for strange emails coming from the Commission, the CEO’s personal email as well as the personal emails of staffers from the Commission.

Should you receive any email from the Commission or staff

members from the Commission and want to confirm its legitimacy, please contact the Public Relations Officer, by phone; 226-6490 ext 1010 or by email rjames@glsc.gov.gy.

Additionally, we are urging our clients and stakeholders not to click on links or attachments from senders that you do not recognize or is suspicious in content, structure or tone. Be especially wary of .rar or other compressed or executable file types (e.g. .exe, .zip).

Sincerely, Royden James Public Relations &Communications Officer, GLSC

estingly, and one could say perplexingly, the Administration, as far as we know, has not explained why it didn’t embrace the view expressed both by GAWU and Dr Ram. It seems to us that there is more in the mortar than the pestle.

The Chronicle next says that an economist, Sydney Armstrong, opined that the minimization of the sugar industry was ”the way to go”. The GAWU wonders whether Mr Armstrong was correctly quoted, as the article later quotes Mr Armstrong as saying that the industry’s survival could also be assured through ”…getting GuySuCo into value-added processing”.

Again, this was a major plank of the GAWU’s position. Moreover, the Government also accepts such an approach, as it approved, ostensibly, the borrowing of $30B of which a significant proportion, we are told, will be spent on ventures that moves the industry up the value chain.

The Union saw too that Mr Armstrong is quoted as saying ”…Brazil is producing it for about US$0.14 cents per pound”. We find this statement interesting, as at this point in time, sugar on the world market is being sold at a lower price.

The point we wish to make here is that no country in the world produces at the world market price, but the difference between cost and price are covered through various mechanisms employed by respective sugarproducing states.

On this score, Mr Christopher Ram, in his presentation to the Sugar CoI, pointed out that the World Bank said ”…the international sugar market is one of the

most highly distorted agricultural commodity markets.

Raw and refined sugar markets, it noted, are generally characterised by significant and widespread domestic support and trade distorting policies, such as guaranteed minimum payments to producers, production and marketing controls (quotas), state-regulated retail prices, tariffs, import quotas and export subsidies”.

Mr Ram goes on to say ”[t]here is nothing in the available literature to suggest that this situation has changed in any significant way”.

The paper also spoke to Mr Rawle Lucas, who opined that the assistance to sugar was not bringing any benefit to the economy.

Here we wish to point out, that the CDB, in assessing a request to finance the Sugar Industry Mechanisation Project opined ”…it is economically viable for GOGY to continue subsidising and protecting the cultivation and harvesting of sugar cane and processing of sugar for export and local consumption.”

The CDB further said ”Projects and programmes that enhance sugar cane cultivation and sugar manufacturing have the potential to earn foreign exchange, but may not be always financially profitable.

Consequently, given the importance of foreign exchange to the economy, such operations may, at times, need government’s protection and/or support in meeting operating and capital costs”.

Indeed, given the situation playing out in the foreign exchange market, it is clear that the CDB’s assessment was correct.

The GAWU, like many others, strongly upholds the view that the decision to minimize the sugar industry was patently wrong and the ramifications will be felt not only now, but in the future as well.

Today, in the areas of the closed estates, some children cannot attend school regularly; bills are not being paid in a timely manner; families have broken up, and the provision of healthy meals for some is not a regular feature.

While some may choose to consider economics and finance above all other matters, at the end of the day it is people who are suffering and facing hardship and no amount of propaganda can wish away that reality. At this time, we reiterate what President David Granger said in December, 2017, that people must come before profits!

Yours faithfully Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU

PAGE 6

The ‘rice pot’ is getting smaller DEAR EDITOR, When we analyze what is currently taking place in Region 6, one cannot help but conclude that Berbicians are being totally neglected by this Government, some would say intentionally.

In 2016 the closure of the Estates began, with Wales being the first to go, followed

by Enmore, Rose Hall and Skeldon Estates.

When the death knell was sounded for Rose Hall and Skeldon Estates, Berbicians knew that this Region would never be the same again.

A sharp economic descent was the result, with nearly four thousand workers thrown under the bus - an atrocity disguised as ‘resizing and restructuring’.

The ripple effect was devastating with businesses following suit, retrenching hundreds of workers, since they had to ‘resize and restructure’ as well. The Region 6 economy began to crumble.

This resulted in a multitude of unemployed and impoverished persons scavenging for menial work and being paid pittances by some unscrupulous businessmen, not to mention the personal abuses, expletives and disparaging statements meted out to them by employers who demanded long hours of work.

Our children became aware of what poverty is for the first time, since many could not have afforded to go to school, and those who went, had to forego many things they had taken for granted under the previous PPP/C Government.

But alas! Just before this tsunami inundated Region 6, our President was making was making bold politicizing state-

Saturday April 13, 2019

Kaieteur News

ments across Berbice such as ‘You are the sugar bowl of the country, the rice pot of the country, the fish market of the country… we look to East BerbiceCorentyne to lead the economic recovery of the whole country…Berbice has the potential…’(February 2016).

It is now clear to all and sundry that he never meant those words he uttered - empty rhetoric.

We have now seen that the ‘rice pot’ is getting smaller and farmers are poised to make huge losses this crop due to paddy bug infestation, a phenomenon which has had devastating effect over the past years, but which has been denied and masked due to the fact that rice farmers continue to produce at a high level.

In 2017-18, the rice output was higher than expected, up 18% when compared to 201617, but these statistics failed to reveal the losses sustained from damaged paddy.

Many small rice farmers were thrown out of business and many could not and still cannot service loans obtained from the financial institutions and from rice millers who advanced finances to them.

This group of sufferers is not highlighted and the Government prefers to ignore their plight, they are expendables in the grand scheme of things.

Since this Government took Office, no economic transformational projects were undertaken in Region 6.

Can you imagine the entire Region 6 is transformed into Ground Zero with the sugar fallout but nothing was done to alleviate the socio-eco-

The knowledge-based...

From page 4 boost performance(s). In some cases a firm may attempt to cut costs by downplaying a training component.

The government’s role should be to ensure that training and skills upgrading are built into any contract/arrangements with companies, especially foreign companies, and act as enforcer on lagging entities.

Yours sincerely, Ronald Singh

nomic plight of Berbicians?

One enterprising entrepreneur, Mr Mohindra Persaud of Nand Persaud Group of Companies took it upon himself to save the entire rice industry from suffering a fate similar to sugar. He experimented with aerial spraying and the productive gains were tremendous.

He then applied for permission to build an airstrip to do crop dusting and received favorable responses from the Government.

However, after spending more than $25 million, he was given the ‘royal runaround’ from one Ministry to the next, from one Government Official to the next and from one excuse to the next.

Can you imagine that all that was needed was some legal formality by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure?

The Minister has the power to approve such an airstrip (Civil Aviation Act Section 17). This one Project would not have cost the Government a dollar, but the economic benefits would have been tremendous when a 25% recovery from pest damage is brought into the equation.

However, the Coalition Circus is coming to Berbice and I do hope that the President can revisit his words and allow the Nand Persaud Crop Dusting Airstrip to come to fruition. It is only then that the ‘rice pot’ will get bigger and overflow.

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf RDC Councilor Region 6

Maintaining the rule of law within the city has to begin within the City Council DEAR EDITOR, It seems to me that no matter what you do or what you say, some people and some places will just simply never get it right. The Georgetown City Council happens to be one of those places. Following local press reports, we see and hear it opting to use the proverbial ‘Big Stick’ to terrorize and intimidate dilatory property owners with threats of harsh legal and other actions in what is being dubbed a campaign to recover some nearly 9 billion dollars in outstanding rates, rather than seeking to inspire and encourage them to honour the sums due.

There continues to be peddled in this one-sided arrangement, the twisted view that only the property owners have an obligation and duty to the Council, while the Council has none to the citizenry, but rather, is doing them a big favour when they provide some meagre service to them.

Are they aware that the Council is bound by law to serve demand notices on each property owner as part of the collection process? Are they aware that the charging of interest is tied to the overdraft the Council has with its bankers and should not be charged willy-nilly as is currently being done?

Are they aware that Solid Waste fees are already included in the property rates charged and should not be

charged again separately as is currently done and which is double taxation. In fact, it was because of the burdensome refuse collection costs due to the services being contracted out that was used as the justification for jacking up property rates on commercial properties from 40% to a whopping 250%. The introduction of separate solid waste charges and container fees now, when the Council does not fix a single road, is just simply duplicitous and shameful.

It would seem to all and sundry that the administration of the Council has already swept under the carpet and is hoping that the citizenry has forgotten the very serious and damning findings of the Commission of Inquiry.

Is the Council seriously expecting citizens to go rushing down to City Hall with bags of money to pay property rates without completed forensic audits in years?

But it is the immorality and unfairness of the Council that is most troubling, where they think it is quite okay to beat up underprivileged persons, including old indigent pensioners, over their heads to come in and pay up their property rates promptly or face exorbitant interest, whilst their friends are allowed to owe the Council tens of millions of dollars over decades and then are rewarded with an amnesty which wipes away all of that interest.

I would like to plead with the Mayor not to be duped by the Council’s Administration into going down the road of leading a ‘Name and Shame’ campaign against these purported recalcitrant commercial property owners or else, like some of his predecessors, he may be the one to find himself and his Council in the awkward position of facing litigation from persons and companies whom they will wrongfully name as recalcitrants.

This has happened many times before, and is because the Council’s financial and other records are in a complete mess. Properties have changed hands several times and yet still the original owners still appear on their records, properties listed as residential are in fact commercial and vice versa, some properties were illegally granted waivers of interest by persons who were not authorized to do so, and some properties have the incorrect valuations attached to them.

Maintaining the rule of law within the city has to begin within the City Council where the COI showed that several senior officers and even some Councillors disregarded with impunity all the financial and other regulations of the municipality- then and only then will persons feel justified in paying up their property rates promptly.

Regards Jermain Johnson

ARE THE GRA AND POLICE ASLEEP? DEAR EDITOR, There is a crisis in this country which is being ignored by the Guyana Revenue Authority and the Guyana Police Service. Due to the neglect by these two government entities, unscrupulous persons are blatantly violating our laws with impunity and contributing to the social decay of our country.

A causal walk around Georgetown and the country will find numerous illegal rum shops and beer gardens at every corner - sometimes many such outfits are in one corner in full view of everyone.

Illegal rum shops exist

with mobile freezers which outwardly claim to sell just snacks and soft drinks, but they carry a full line of beers and in many cases a variety of liquor. I saw illegal rum shops also in markets and at major street corners.

We know of the social ills related to alcohol use and the destruction of homes and lives, and crime also. Too many of our young people are becoming drunkards at a very early age due to the failure of Guyana Revenue Authority and the Guyana Police Service to regulate the sale of liquor and prosecute the law breakers. It is clear that they are turning a blind eye on this

scourge affecting our nation.

What is really happening to our country? Are we promoting a nation of drunkards?

Why are the Guyana Revenue Authority and the Police Service essentially promoting these illegal beer gardens and rum shops? It has to be that they are promoting them, since they have allowed them to operate all over the place and at all hours.

There is blatant disregard for our laws and the promotion of lawlessness and drunkard-ism in our youths and older people. These mobile freezers and makeshift rum shops have no standards and are not accountable to any-

one. Some of them also have loud music which disturbs, and some also sell food in unsanitary conditions.

I have had the unfortunate experience of witnessing my underage grandson become a drunkard at these corner freezer rum shops, and his underage friends are the same way.Are there not laws governing who can sell liquor and where it can be sold?

Do these makeshift illegal shops pay taxes or obtain all the approvals or licences to sell liquor and beer?

Of least concern to me is the competition that they give to approved rum shops and beer gardens, but isn’t that unfair competition to those registered and licensed rum shops and beer gardens?

Is this what we are promoting to foreign visitors and our young people?

It is time for the GRA and Police to wake up from their slumber and enforce the laws and close down these freezer rum shops and other illegal shops selling liquor and beer.

Sincerely Clayton R. Harris

Saturday April 13, 2019

PAGE 7

Kaieteur News

The power of an oil producing country...

Yemen demanded and achieved a labourforce of 90% locals

By Kiana Wilburg

O

il producing na tions have the power to demand that operators do more than just the bare minimum when it comes to employing locals.

To prove this, the International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA) referenced Yemen, the second-largest Arab sovereign state in the Peninsula, which ensured that almost 100 percent of the labour force used for its oil and gas industry, was Yemeni.

Headquartered in London, IPIECA develops shares and promotes good practice and knowledge with oil producing nations.

The Association noted that French oil major, Total, had to invest US$4.5 billion into a Yemen LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) project which was launched in August 2005.

IPIECA said that the project is by far the largest in the nation’s history.

IPIECA said that the company had strict instructions to ensure at least “90% Yemenization of staff.” This was achieved by 2015. But in order to do so, Total had to do several things.

The Association said that Total set up an integrated

strategy to recruit, train, retain and motivate a worldclass Yemeni workforce—all on employment terms and conditions that are highly competitive within the region.

To compensate for the scarcity of local personnel competent in

Out of 7,058 applicants for the supervisory training levels, IPIECA said that 82 engineers and supervisors ultimately joined the ranks of Yemen LNG. The Association said that many of the supervisor trainees for this specific level had

LNG operations, IPIECA said that the Yemen LNG set up training centres that offer an intensive, high-calibre training programme for technical specialists, engineers and supervisors.

To populate that scheme, Total launched an advertising campaign to attract candidates through radio, TV and the national press. Out of 16,000 application forms submitted for technical specialist level, the company chose 200 candidates.

Training began with an intensive three-month English programme (since the official language of Yemen is Arabic), followed by eight months of training in oil and gas techniques.

This was followed by 13 months of hands-on training.

acquired skills and knowledge working abroad.

The transparency body said that Total offered competitive packages to these expatriates to attract them back home and to participate in the development and the operation of the LNG project.

IPIECA said that the training programme for the Yemeni LNG plant was a first for the country. Based on this success, Yemen LNG moved to run further programmes to train technicians to fill vacant positions as the first batch of trainees move on to assume senior and supervisory roles.

EFFECTIVE PROGRAMMES To ensure that locals are able to participate to the fullest extent in the oil and gas sector, IPIECA advised that

Yemen LNG Company an effective local content programme must be in place at the national level.

It said that this usually features training and skills development elements to help the local population achieve the minimum standards required by the company—either in terms of general education or specialist skills. It said that such training can be an in-house initiative, or the company can look to local institutions to provide any necessary training.

In either case, IPIECA said that the programme should be based on a detailed analysis of local capabilities

Media consultant’s home invaded, robbed -intruder confronts wife, phone traced to Albouystown

“Time to rethink my security after feeling safe and comfortable in my neighbourhood for 20 years,” said media personality and C.E.O. of Tagman Media, Troy Alex Graham. Speaking from his South Ruimveldt home hours after it was robbed yesterday around 3 a.m, he said that he feels more vulnerable awake after the ordeal when calls to 911 went unanswered for over two hours.

Graham said that he was forced to make a Facebook post for assistance from an old laptop secluded in the house.

The intruder gained entry through an emergency window about 18 feet from ground level and only accessible by a ladder.

Graham explained that his

Air Conditioner contractor is currently doing some work at the house and two workmen were on duty at the property.

When asked, the contractor who was there during the wake of the robbery, said that while one of the men has been with him for seven months, the other came on board only a month now.

Graham said that he felt uncomfortable around the most recent employee but took it for nothing. Three expensive laptops, a quantity of smart phones and the businessman’s wallet with all his bank cards were stolen.

The thief knew his way around the house and while the family was asleep he took every item from where they were stored without ransack-

Alex Graham speaking with the media yesterday. ing the place. Mrs. Graham was awaken by the masked bandit and told not to make a sound after he ventured into her room.

Her description of his built convinced Graham of the

Citizens could challenge oil contract...

From page 2 of renegotiation has been posed to Government officials several times, and it was constantly iterated that that will likely not happen at this time.

When the presidential candidate of the People's Progressive Party, Mohamed Irfaan Ali, was asked on Thursday last whether he would consider renegotiating the contract if he becomes President, he said that his

party's leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, had already spoken on that issue, and that he would not stray from Jagdeo's declaration. The Opposition Leader had told the press in February that Guyana is now at the stage where it must focus less on the unfair provisions of the “poorly negotiated” contract and look now to make sure that it is not robbed of what it managed to secure under the contract. Asked how the un-

willingness of political leaders' to renegotiate the contract could be remedied, Ram said that the government's hand can't be forced. However, if there is a willingness to upend the contract, there are other options that citizens have at their dispensation.

One of those, he said, is that the oil deal could be challenged in court, if an article is found to be in contravention of the law(s) of Guyana.

workman he suspects. Graham said he fell asleep downstairs watching a series and had no clue what happened until his wife came shouting that thieves were in the house.

In an attempt to trace the stolen phone via his Google account, Graham found a location in James street, Albouystown which was relayed to the police.

He was forced to swiftly wipe the phones as a result of the sensitive information stored in them. There are no CCTV on the property but there are a few security devices on the lower windows of the house. The businessman said that even after the police came he never got that sense of confidence.

and a schedule of the skills requirements over the life of the asset.

The Association said that aspects of such training can include basic education. In this regard, it said, “Depending on the quality of the local education system, training programmes may benefit from education in basic capabilities such as numeracy and literacy.

Although these fundamental requirements add to the time required to train local employees, the results provide a lasting legacy of improved educational levels.”

As far as possible, IPIECA urged that training activities should suit the learning needs of participants in terms of language skills, level of education and style

of learning.

It said, too, that practical experience is fundamental to building competencies in technical and trade skills and for supervisory and managerial positions.

IPIECA said, “This presents a challenge where comparable working environments are not available locally, or for offshore operations where capacity to accommodate trainees is often limited. Some companies have developed programmes that base trainees at their facilities elsewhere in the country or internationally.”

IPIECA also said that scholarship awards can be an effective way to attract talented young people into the industry and a valuable social investment activity.

PAGE 8

Saturday April 13, 2019

Kaieteur News

Public Utilities Commission hosts ‘big tent’ awareness campaign

Woman expecting twins delivers triplets at GPHC

PUC staff interacting with consumers at the CCAC mini-expo

The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) hosted a consumer awareness exercise on Robb Street, Georgetown outside the northern section of the Republic Bank Limited, Water Street Branch, yesterday.

The PUC which is headquartered at 106 New Garden Street, Queenstown,

Georgetown took its Complaints’ Division to the consumers at a central location for this one-day exercise.

In March, the Commission was involved in similar exercises at the mini-expo hosted by the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission in Main Street (March 15), Shopping Plaza Tarmac,

Linden (March 22) and the Government and Ministerial Outreach, Square of the Revolution (March 27).

During these exercises, the Commission received complaints from consumers on various issues affecting consumers. These included issues as it related to billings, internet service, water connections, poor quality of service offerings and applications for service. In almost all of these instances, the Commission addressed these problems, complaints were taken and followed up by the Commission’s staffing.

The aim of these public relation exercises is to lift the profile of the Commission and to engage consumers and other stakeholders so that they are made aware of the PUC, its location, its contact information and the Commission’s statutory mandate.

The Commission is pleased to note that its efforts in 2018 were largely successful and that it received 563 complaints during the year relating to GPL, GWI and Digicel and GT&T. With respect to resolved matters, the Commission received $11,086,086 on behalf of consumers.

The Commission intends to have similar awareness programmes in other parts of the country in 2019 , to reach out to consumers and to address their problems.

The newborn triplets

A pregnant woman turned up at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation [GPHC] yesterday to deliver twin babies but instead triplets were born.

The mother of the triplets is 21-year-old Latifa Stephen of Paradise, East Coast Demerara, a trainee teacher whose partner is a police officer said to be stationed in Berbice.This publication understands that this was the first set of triplets delivered at the premier health institution for this year.

The team delivering the babies included Midwife Carol Trotz, who is said to

Twenty-oneyear old Latifa Stephen, the mother of the triplets.

have a number of complex deliveries under her belt.

This publication understands that one of the Ministers of Public Health will be

visiting the mother, her newborn triplets and the staffers of the Maternity Unit today to extend congratulations for the successful delivery.

‘We robbed the wrong man’- armed men tell court Two young men who appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, were fined on a charge of armed robbery.

Miquel Daniels and Alension Joseph, the two defendants, mumbled their way through the court hearing whenever they were asked a question.

Joseph told the court, “We thought the man thief the money so we went to get it back but is the wrong man we thief from.”

Daniels with tears in his eyes stated that, “Is this man [Joseph] carried me with him in the backdam to rob the man. This man [Joseph] was the one who tek the man bag and run with it.”

The charge read that on March 28, last, at Balata Backdam, Mazaruni River; the duo while being in company of others and armed with a knife, robbed Andre Francis of articles amounting to $82,000.

Both men were not represented by an attorney. Daniels told the court he is 18 years old while Joseph indicated that he is 20 years old. Both of them are miners who reside at Barmitang Village, Region Seven.

Police prosecutor Gordon Mansfield reported that Francis is the owner of a dredging operation. On the day in question, about 23:42 hrs the victim was asleep in his camp.

He was awakened by the two defendants; Joseph was armed with a knife. They attacked Francis and relieved him of a bag which contained 2.2 pennyweight of gold, a gold scale and silver which totaled to $82, 000.

Daniels and Joseph then made good their escape.

The victim reported the matter at the Kamarang Police Station which led to an investigation. The two were subsequently arrested, told of the allegation and they admitted to committing the act.

Alension Joseph and Miquel Daniels following behind They were charged and escorted to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts for the present charge. Prosecutor Mansfield further indicated that the articles were not recovered.

After listening to the prosecutor Magistrate McLennan gave the men an opportunity to say something to the court.

After listening to the men Magistrate McLennan instructed that the men are to each pay a fine of $70,000 or in default, spend three months in prison.

Saturday April 13, 2019

PAGE 9

Kaieteur News

Our dysfunctional Guyana

T

he institutions which the British left were flawed but they were functional.

These institutions upheld and protected certain class interests but they also ensured order and control.

The law – an institution – protected private property– and it ensured that the right to private property was upheld. In that regard, the law discriminated in favour of the upper class. But it also provided protection to the man or woman from the lower classes who one day was able to own a property. The system was flawed but worked.

The institutions of the State are not working today because our institutions have been perverted. They have

been redirected to advance personal and political interests. They are part of the ‘hustle’.

Instead of allowing the system to work, there developed something called ‘lines.’

Once you had the right connections, you could get things done and enjoy favours. This situation also existed in the colonial institutions but then it was seen as aberrations rather than the norm.

The post-rulers have institutionalized these aberrations. They have turned the exceptions into the rule. Instead of the system becoming fairer, instead of its wrongs being corrected, the system has become more unfair and unjust.

Years ago, St. Margaret’s Primary School was considered – whether real or perceived – as being one of the better primary schools. A great many parents wanted their children to attend that school because they felt that it allowed their children to do well and gain entry into one of the top secondary schools.

However, with free education, it meant that there were more children whose parents wanted them in that school than the school could accommodate. At the time, the then socialist government, in keeping with their idea of equality, decided that children must attend the school in their catchment area. Thus if you lived in an area, you were supposed to attend the school in

Dem boys seh ...

Irfaat open he mouth and sorry Is only time before Irfaat hold a press conference but dem boys seh is better he didn’t hold one.

De man walk wid Kwame just like how Jagdeo use to walk wid Kwame. Luncheon also use to walk wid Kwame to he press conferences suh it got to be that Kwame is some specialist.

Irfaat decide that he gun answer as little questions as possible suh he write an essay.

It tek him 51 minutes to read de essay. And de press conference was only fuh one hour.

But old people seh, ‘Stricter de government, de wiser de population’. Some odda people does quick to remind people bout de smart fly. Irfaat was de smart fly on Thursday. Dem boys know he would try hiding any question about he qualifications but dem reporters like alligator. Dem got patience.

Dem sit down and wait till he done read he essay. Then de question come.

De man mek dem boys shame. Every question he answer, “De Opposition Leader done talk bout that.” Dem ask bout he quali-

fications and he seh de Opposition leader talk bout that and he, Irfaat, ain’t got nutten to seh.

People woulda tun dem face and ask bout something else but is when de man seh how he travel de country and he now know wha de people suffering. This was a Minister fuh nearly ten years.

This was a man who was link to Jagdeo skirt tail, and he didn’t know what was going on in de country.

Dem boys seh he is really M.I.A. and that don’t mean Mohamed Irfaan Ali. It mean Missing In Action. He had to be missing from reality. If that is to be de new president dem boys got nuff to write about and people gun always be talking.

And Kwame deh hollering and barking at every reporter who ask Irfaat a question like how a dog does deh barking when he deh by he massa foot and he want to mek he massa feel happy.

Jagdeo train Irfaat well, right down to keeping Kwame pun a leash.

that area.

Do you know how many children who did not live anywhere near Cummingsburg ended up attending St. Margaret’s Primary School?

The number of persons who claimed that they were living in Quamina Street, which is in the catchment area, exceeded the number of homes in that street.

But who checked? People used the system to their advantage.

And this disadvantaged many eligible students from the same or nearby areas who could not gain entry. When asked why this unfairness was being allowed, it was explained that apart from the catchment criteria there was also a system of random placements. This is an example of how the system was perverted and made dysfunctional.

Membership had its privileges. There were persons who did not meet the qualifications for entry into the University of Guyana. But they pulled ‘strings’ and gained

backdoor entry.

Have you ever seen any top businessmen in Guyana in the line at the Passport Office? Have you ever asked how it is they managed to get their passports without joining the daily queue at the Passport Office?

Do you know how many persons who owned property got Government house lots even though there is a rule which states that once you or your spouse is a property owner you are not eligible?

Who was checking? People simply declared that they were not property owners, when in fact they were.

Nobody is checking on that today.

In fact, there were instances in which some persons got more than one house lot. An engineer, now deceased, got house lots for every one of his three adult children, at the same time.

The perversion of institutions is not only a Guyanese problem. It is also a problem in other parts of the Englishspeaking Caribbean. There

was a law student who was thrown out of the University of the West Indies for misconduct. That student somehow managed, years after, to reenter the system and today holds a senior appointment.

The system left by the British was flawed but there was an element of fairness in the system. In the post-colonial period, the system has been perverted to serve the interests of political and bureaucratic elite and has become corrupted rather than fairer.

Rules against conflict of interests in government – an institutional standards of good governance – have therefore become alien and impractical. One man remarked yesterday, “Conflict of interest? What is that? Dem things don’t wuk in Guyana.

PAGE 10

Saturday April 13, 2019

Kaieteur News

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

The West criticizes us but are they better than the Third World What you are about to read happened in one of the oldest countries in the world and a top nation in the European Union. You are not going to believe it but this happened not in the movies but in real life.

A group of criminals invaded the North Korean Embassy in Madrid, the capital of Spain.

They beat and tied up the employees. An employee escaped from the top floor, sprained her ankle as she jumped from top of the building. Using incoherent language because she was traumatized, she ran into the street and shouted for help.

Two policemen turned up at the entrance of the embassy and knocked on the door.

A Caucasian man dressed up to look like an Asian,

speaking in a fake North Korean accent greeted the policemen.

They inquired of him, “Is everything all right here?”

The criminal said; “Yes yes, no problem man, no problem!”

These two policemen are jackasses or they are deadly racist. It is either they could not be bothered with what happened because it was North Korea or they are hopelessly incompetent. A delirious woman runs to the police saying there is a criminal invasion of her workplace, and they did not follow standard police procedure and ask to take a look inside.

These are the countries that look down upon the Third World. Italy is a far more shambolic, crazy society than most Third World states.

The average westerner

comes down to the Caribbean; they frown upon our hotel service as if they offer a better quality.

If you haven’t read it, please take a look at my column for Tuesday, February 20, 2018 captioned, “Australian horror: Thank God it wasn’t a Black family.”

On a cruise ship, a family with extended members and relatives and friends got drunk and terrorized an entire cruise ship, meaning both staff and holiday-makers. You only see those things in the movies. None of the major newspapers and television stations around the world featured this modern display of evil.

If that cruise ship had touched down in Jamaica and a group of West Indians had boarded it and got into a

drunken brawl, the next day all the tourist magazines in Australia, Canada, Europe and the US would have urged its citizens to avoid the West Indian islands.

None of the West Indian cricketers have ever displayed the philistine instincts that some English and Australian have on the field.

Can one imagine what the English international, Ben Stokes, has done? He was in a nightclub fight in which the scene looked like rabid dogs attacking a pack of wolves and mayhem was the result.

Yet the English media was awash with criticism of Shannon Gabriel for making a homophobic remark at the English test captain.

The western mind thinks that it is superior to the nonwhite world but the myth of that keeps exploding with each passing day.

Western governments act with alacrity in issuing travel advisories on Third World countries once there is a spiral in crime but I have never seen a European travel advi-

sory on the US. The US is a dangerous country in which the level of alienation runs so deep that anyone could lose one’s life at anytime.

In Glasgow, Scotland, you should not go out late at night in certain parts; you can easily be violently robbed.

I grew up believing that Jamaica was the hell hole of the world and that crime had taken over the country. When I grew up I was confused about the US. We all thought that was the paradise of the world but as I grew older I couldn’t understand how such a rich country could have such a violent culture that makes the violence in Jamaica look like a tea party.

I still cannot understand how post-modern US could produce the kind of senators and congress people in the Republican Party that the US currently has. These people’s views are very, very scary. We are not talking about some little obscure Third World country but rich, rich America.

What drives those people to

Frederick Kissoon be so backward?

We must not exclude the white race in Eastern Europe.

The Russians are morbidly racist. Imagine during the World Cup there, a Parliamentarian urged white women not to get pregnant for non-white men visiting for the World Cup because those children will face a lifetime of discrimination. What a frightening country.

I guess in a world where poor non-white countries have to depend on aid and trade from the West, the superiority complex will never go away.

Saturday April 13, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

PAGE 12

Saturday April 13, 2019

Kaieteur News

Veteran Nurse, Marva Hawker, passes on The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation [GPHC] is in mourning. This development comes on the heels of the demise of one of its longest serving nurses, Sister Marva Hawker.

Sister Hawker, who was 73 years at the time of her death, was also in her 53rd year of nursing having entered the profession in January 1966.

According to reports reaching this publication, Sister Hawker endured a brief illness before passing away Tuesday evening at the GPHC. The stellar nurse, who

was born to parents Maxwell and Irene Callender on February 12, 1946, leaves to mourn her husband of 49 years, Desmond Hawker, and their two children Kathy Ann and Nicolette, other relatives, friends and the local nursing fraternity.

But despite her sudden passing, the impact that Sister Hawker was able to make in nursing, particularly at the GPHC, will forever be remembered and embrace.

Sister Hawker who was raised in Virginia Village, a small community at Cane Grove, East Coast Demerara, served in many nursing ca-

pacities over the years, most prominently the positions of Matron at both the West Demerara Regional Hospital and the GPHC. The veteran nurse, who was featured in this publication as a ‘Special Person’ back in 2017, reflected on her years in the nursing profession during an interview. She recalled having to manage nurses even while facing strike actions. This occurred on two occasions.

She told of how the public service strike action which occurred while she was Matron at the West Demerara Hospital was impactful, but

was nothing compared to the 89-day nurses’ strike she endured while at the Georgetown Hospital. “It was a year-end…Christmas time,” Sister Hawker had recalled.

But she was prepared to deal with the challenge. It did, however, help that she, at the time, was an Executive of the Guyana Public Service Union, the very union that initiated the strike action.

By this time the hospital was a Corporation and Sister Hawker was a de facto member of the Board too. She was also serving as the Secretary to the Guyana Nurses’ Association.

As an executive of the union, she’d received some vital training in industrial relations and, she had revealed, “that training is what gave me the wherewithal to cope.” ”The major thing was to have in place, a skeleton staff, because providing nursing care is a 24-hour service at an institution caring for sick

people. I ensured that I had that skeleton staff in place, and that made sure that there was no total shutdown.”

Sister Hawker had remembered with pride, “That was one of the successes that I felt completely satisfied with.”

Sister Hawker retired as Matron in 2000, but never severed ties with the nursing profession. “I just love helping people; I love patient care, it is in me,” she’d shared with this publication.

She had confessed, too, “There is nothing more gratifying to me as a nurse than to see a patient enter the ward on a stretcher or in a wheelchair and walk out on his or her own as a strong person.

“You get satisfaction when an unconscious or semi-conscious person revives and you had something to do with it. If our nurses can feel like that, then we are well on our way to having many success stories.”

However, up to the time of

her demise, Sister Hawker was perhaps performing the greatest nursing task of her life.

Since October 2016, her services, along with two other veteran nurses, were requested by the Georgetown Hospital to help revamp the nursing system.

This strategic move was one intended to help address some shortcomings in nursing care. Sister Hawker had shared her eagerness to help, since, according to her, it has been found that proper supervision in the system is currently lacking.

Sister Hawker’s passing has, moreover, left a void in the nursing system that the health sector will be hardpressed to fill.

While a number of plans are already in motion to remember Hawker’s contribution to nursing, a date for her burial is yet to be decided; her grieving husband told this publication yesterday.

Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre Capacity Building Spinal & Lower Limb Orthotics programme a success.

The Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre, benefitted from a two-week programme with regards to Centre Capacity Building Spinal and Lower Limb Orthotics, done by and overseas team.

Mr John Brummond, acting chairperson of the institution, expressed his gratitude, to the team for training, and working along with the local staff to make the programme a success.

The project was funded

by PAHO/WHO. During the first week focused on the lower extremity orthotics inclusive of leg splinting, week two focused on spinal orthotics and the management of scoliosis.

The team along with the local technicians focused on and learned a lot of new things with regards to the making of prosthetics and braces to help patients suffering from the various disabilities.

Training was done in a variety of areas such as casting, moulding and producing the various devices that were needed for the various body parts. The director of rehabilitation, Ministry of Public

Health, Dr. Ariane Mangar, on behalf of the Minister of Public Health gave her remarks, where she expressed sincere and heartfelt gratitude to not only PAHO/WHO, but also the team for their dedicated and thorough work.

Members of the Latter Day Saints Church, donated two electric ovens to the centre to aid in producing the prosthetics needed, as the one they had before was so out dated it didn’t even have temperature control.

Over the two weeks they have worked with a variety of patients from adults who suffered strokes to children who suffered from congenital scoliosis. Different analyses were done to see the level of care and the type of prosthetic or brace and therapy they would need.

The overall outcome of the programme was a success as patients were pleased with their new gears. The biggest success however was that of Uttamkumar Isurdeen who hasn’t walked for nine years due to an accident.

He was fitted with a brace from his back to his ankles, which was to allow him only to stand as there was a metal strap to support his back.

The young man didn’t only just stand, but he took his first steps in nine years, and the metal strap had to be changed to a flexible plastic to enable easier movement.

Saturday April 13, 2019

Kaieteur News

Damian Fernandes appointed local chief of Conservation Int’l Conservation International-Guyana yesterday announced the appointment of Damian Fernandes as Executive Director.

Fernandes was selected as part of an open recruitment process.

He is a graduate of the University of Guyana. He has 18 years’ experience working on conservation and community development in Guyana, according to CI in a release.

Fernandes was the first commissioner of the Protected Areas Commission (PAC) and supported the development of the National Protected Areas System.

Most recently, he worked with the North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB) and the World Wildlife Fund-Guianas in advocating for integrated land-use planning, conservation, and sustainable development in Guyana’s North Rupununi Wetlands. ”I am grateful for this opportunity to serve my country, and to build on the efforts of my predecessors,” said Fernandes. “I look forward to joining the dedicated team at Conservation InternationalGuyana, and to working with

Appointed: Damian Fernandes our partners as we shape solutions for Guyana’s environmental challenges.”

Former Vice President of

Conservation InternationalGuyana, Dr. David Singh said: “I wish to extend my heartiest congratulations to Damian on his appointment.

He is the right person to lead Conservation InternationalGuyana at this time.”

As the Executive Director, Fernandes will lead the programme and guide the implementation of conservation and sustainable development projects within the country.

Conservation International uses science, policy and partnerships to protect the nature that people rely on for food, fresh water and livelihoods.

Founded in 1987, Conservation International works in more than 30 countries on six continents.

PAGE 13

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Saturday April 13, 2019

Kaieteur News

Elderly woman found dead in Onderneeming home

Police on the Essequibo Coast are investigating the murder of an elderly woman within the Little Red Village, Onderneeming, sometime between 8:30 and 9:30 hrs yesterday morning.

The dead woman has since been ide n t i f i e d a s Molly, an elderly shopkeeper in her 50s. According to reports, the woman was discovered yesterday morning, lying motionless on her bed.

One neighbour who was on the scene told this publication, “When I come I see Aunty Molly lying on the bed with she face up, she two hands on she chest, like by she neck, two foot on the ground, she underwear at she k n e e s a n d s he face appeared to be beat-up.”

Since police had no positive identification of a s u s p e c t y e s t e r d a y, t h e question of who may be responsible for the death of this elderly woman still remained unanswered.

Based on statements

The home where the body was found.

from witnesses within Red Village, the deceased operated a shop in the community.

One resident who was close to the deceased told this publication that a man

who appears to be in his 30s had owed the woman.

The description given to this publication indicates that the individual was of a mixed race, slim, and brown in complexion.

An individual who would usually supply the business woman with ice in the mornings, claims that he last saw Aunty Molly alive around 08:30 hrs. yesterday. The man said that when he returned sometime around 11:45 hrs, he discovered the woman dead. And he immediately raised an alarm.

Another individual said that he picked up an intoxicated man of mixed race, and

transported him out of the community sometime between 9:30 hrs. and 10:00hrs.

The individual, he claims, was a man of mixed race, thin, brown in complexion, and appeared to be in his 30s.

Witnesses claim that the man was last seen wearing a brown jersey and black jeans.

The taxi driver went on to say, “I saw the man un-

der the tree and he ask me if I going out… When he get in the car he appeared to be drunk.

A n y w a y, w h e n w e reach the Suddie Car Park he tell me how he ain’t got money to pay so I tell he go down…”

This publication understands that an individual matching such description was last seen on board a ferry, bound for Parika.

Saturday April 13, 2019

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Saturday April 13, 2019

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Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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Saturday April 13, 2019

New facilities commissioned at New Amsterdam Regional Hospital

Ministers Lawrence and Cummings along with Mayor Winifred Haywood and others cutting the ribbon to commission the new dental Lab at the New Amsterdam Hospital

A

number of facilities at the N e w Amsterdam Regional Hospital in Berbice were commissioned by Minister

of Public Health, Volda Lawrence and Minister within the Ministry, Dr. Karen Cummings, when the two along with a delegation from The Ministry of Public

Health visited Berbice last week.

Among the facilities commissioned were a new and spacious Dental Unit, a doctor's quarters, a medical

Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence greets kitchen staff attached to the New Amsterdam Regional Hospital. laboratory and a remodeled kitchen were also commissioned.

The Medical Laboratory and a Staff On-Call Quarter are housed in the same building with the Staff On-

Call Quarter located on the upper flat and the Medical Laboratory on the lower flat.

The Staff Quarter was constructed and furnished at an estimated $8M. The medical laboratory will ensure better service delivery to patients. The facility also caters for the expansion of laboratory services while improving those currently offered to the public.

The new building has allowed for the individualisation of departments such as Microbiology, Phlebotomy, Haematology and Biochemistry, and the furnishing of new and improved equipment to the departments. The hospital is also boosting that with the addition of the equipment they have experienced little

to no downtime in servicing communities in both Regions Five and Six. Minister Lawrence in her speech noted that the improvements and developments within the health care system of Region Six are in keeping with the Ministry of Public Health's vision 2020 and assured of further developments in the health care system.

It was noted that the New Dental Unit is a step in the right direction which makes way for continued development to the dental programme in the region and services provided by the hospital.

The new and upgraded Unit plays well into the hospital plans for the future where it will be offering more conservative and (continued on page 24)

Saturday April 13, 2019

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Kaieteur News

Hospital Administrator takes fight to keep job to Appeal Court Dissatisfied with a judgment handed down on Wednesday by Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire, Sanjah Persaud has now taken his fight to keep his job at the Court of Appeal.

Chief Justice GeorgeWiltshire ruled that there was no evidence to support that Persaud was qualified to hold the post of Region Three Hospital Administrator from which he was demoted to Accounts Clerk II. He now argues that he had been acting in the post since 2013 and therefore had a legitimate expectation that he would have been confirmed as Hospital Administrator.

In September 2016, via a letter from the Region Three Administration, Persaud said that without prior notification and for reasons unknown, he was notified of a decision to rescind his appointment as Region Three Hospital

Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire Administrator, a position he had been acting in since 2013.

The decision was that he should revert to his previous position of Accounts Clerk II with immediate effect.

In June 2016, Persaud said he was informed by Dennis Jaikaran, the Regional Executive Officer, Region Three, that the Public Service Commission had granted approval

Five more treated after allegedly inhaling fumes from aluminum works Despite the fact that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had promised to look into the issue of residents at San Souci, Wakenaam, being affected by fumes from a villager processing aluminum pot/pans, residents yesterday reported that there are still cases of persons being treated medically as a result of these issues.

Just yesterday, residents said that since this publication carried an article on this situation last week, five more patients have been treated at the Wakenaam Cottage Hospital for direct inhalation of fumes from works carried on at the home of a businessman.

Sources at the hospital yesterday did acknowledge that there were some cases that were treated at the hospital with complaints of respiratory problems resulting from suggested inhalation.

The residents of San Souci, Wakenaam, continue to fear that the unethical prac-

tice of a businessman may later result in major health complications.

Based on reports reaching Kaieteur News, a businessman who makes aluminum pots and other utensils using mercury solution, has been polluting the atmosphere for quite a prolonged period.

Research shows that aluminum can form an amalgam [often a liquid form which can be molded into objects] in solution with mercury. Research also indicates that exposure to mercury can cause serious health problems, especially amongst children.

Residents are complaining that for the past nine months, they have been feeling the effects of the fumes that emanate from the businessman’s workshop.

According to neighbours, this has been an everyday practice that goes on for hours. Residents who spoke with this publication earlier this week, all had the same

complaints of feeling nauseous while the fumes swept through their neighbourhood.

Prior reports coming from the Wakenaam Cottage Hospital had dictated that 11 patients were treated for the same reasons not so long ago all coming from the community in which the businessman carried out his operations.

EPA sources had promised that they would ensure the businessman erect a protective emission stack that will direct the fumes away from direct contact with villagers, but according to residents, this has not happened.

When the EPA was contacted yesterday, sources there indicated that the agency was looking into the matter and it was still under investigation.

This publication understands that multiple complaints were lodged at the local Neighbourhood (Continued on page 22)

for him to be appointed Hospital Administrator, within Region Three on probation for one year, with effect from 2016-05-13.

The following year, Persaud, thorough his Attorney-at-Law Anil Nandlall, moved to the High Court where he complained that he was not afforded a hearing neither was any reason given for the decision. He also pointed out that the constitutional tenure of the Public Service Commission (PSC), which made the decision to revoke his appointment on the basis that he was not qualified, had ended.

In delivering her ruling on Wednesday, Justice GeorgeWiltshire noted, that Persaud failed to produce evidence of his qualifications. She ruled that the court could not determine whether he was qualified for the post. According to Justice George-Wiltshire, the probationary period for the appointment had ended, and there was also no evidence to show that Persaud made attempts to adequately qualify himself.

In this regard, Justice George-Wiltshire discharged an Order of Rule Nisi of Certiorari directed to the PSC, which she had earlier granted

in the matter which temporarily halted the decision of the two bodies, until a hearing and determination by the court.

In a Notice of Appeal filed some time after Justice George-Wiltshire’s ruling, Persaud is asking the Court of Appeal to dismiss the ruling of the Chief Justice, on the basis that she misdirected herself on the law by ruling that he did not adduce evidence that he acted as Hospital Administrator of the West Demerara Regional Hospital.

He argues that the ruling of the Judge is contrary to the law, erroneous and against the weight of the evidence.

Persaud argues, “The Learned Hearing Judge erred and misdirected herself by failing to appreciate that the legal challenge was to the decision-making process and not the decision of the Region Three Administration and PCS. “The Learned Hearing Judge erred and misdirected herself in law by failing to appreciate that the decisionmaking process embarked upon by the Respondents (Region Three Administration and PSC) was unfair and contrary to the rules of natural justice.”

According to him, Justice George-Wiltshire erred, and misdirected herself in law and misapplied or failed to apply the relevant legal principles in respect of the burden of proof when an Order Nisi is granted calling on the PSC and Region Three A d m i n istration to show cause.

Persaud says that he had legitimate expectation that he would have been confirmed as Hospital Administrator within Region Three, after acting in the position since 2013, and then successfully completing a period of probation of a year.

Apart from seeking an order from the Court of Appeal setting aside the decision and order made by Justice GeorgeWiltshire, he also seeks a Writ of Certiorari directed to the PSC quashing its decision to rescind his appointment in a letter dated September 26, 2017, since according to him, it is contrary to the rules of natural justice, arbitrary, whimsical, capricious, in excess of and without jurisdiction, unconstitutional, unfair, unlawful, void and of no effect.

Persaud is also asking the court for any other orders that the court may deem fit.

PAGE 20

Guyanese on shopping spree with Visa card granted bail Barbados (Nation) - After several attempts, Guyana national Kelvin Richard Nixon who is accused of several fraud offences was able to post bail in the sum of $40,000.

The 35-year-old from East Coast Demerara had been on remand at HMP Dodds since his first appearance in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court in August 2018.

He is accused along with a female relative of obtaining goods from PMST (Barbados) Limited on Augu s t 7 , 2 0 1 8 b y using a First Caribbean International Bank visa d e b i t c a r d b e l o nging to Anthony D. Phillips.

Nixon is also charged with conducting a series of transactions using Phillips’ card between August 2 and August 22, 2018; dishonestly obtaining a $12,939.30 engine from Star Products Limited; $3,632 in

40

Saturday April 13, 2019

Kaieteur News

Granted bail: Kelvin Richard Nixon goods from Pro Sales; $779.98 in goods from Galaxy Fashions; $2,435.95 in goods from West Riley Electronics Company Limited; $460 in goods from Fusionz Boutique; $1,130.84 in goods from Shopsmart Inc; two airline tickets valued at $1,646.42 from LIAT (1974) Limited; $702.36 in goods from F&B Automotive Arts; $7,150.85

in goods from Carters and Company; and $4,357.58 in goods from Cost-U-Less.

He is further accused of stealing $39,000 from Phillips’s account at the bank’s Broad Street branch, as well as laundering $82,134.40 in proceeds of crime.

The prosecution maintained objections to bail on the grounds that the accused was a flight risk given that he was arrested at the departure lounge of the Grantley Adams International Airport.

However, on his last appearance in court his attorney Angela MitchellGittens provided the court with medical c o r r e s p o n d e n c e outlining Nixon’s health status. After considering the circumstances Magistrate Doulgas Frederick offered the non-national bail with orders that he reports to the District ‘A’ Police Station every Wednesday before 10 a.m. with valid identification.

Nixon who informed the magistrate that officers at the Criminal Investigation Department were in possession of his travel documents must also reside with his surety until the matter is adjudicated.

The accused was then released after the court accepted his surety to return to court on June 11, 2019.

Trial of alleged wife killer to begin April 23 The trial of alleged wife killer, Seon Singh, which was scheduled to commence a few days ago, has now been fixed for Tuesday, April 23, before Justice James BovellDrakes at the High Court in Georgetown.

Singh is accused of the November 25, 2012 killing of his wi f e 3 9 - y e a r - o l d Indranie Sugrim whom he allegedly stabbed to death with a knife at her 503 Block ‘Y’ Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown home.

Upon his arraignment before the Judge and a 12member jury, he pleaded not guilty to a murder charge.

According to reports, the woman shared a five-year abusive relationship with Singh. It is alleged that on the day in question, they were involved in a heated

MURDERED: Indranie Sugrim

MURDER ACCUSED: Seon Singh

argument during which Singh stabbed her about her body.

He later fled the scene but was caught.

State Counsel Tiffini

Lyken is presenting the case for the prosecution, while Attorney-at-Law Maxwell McKay is appearing for the accused.

GRA announces new procedures for faster importation of food, drugs The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has announced new procedures that it says will see drugs and perishable foods being imported are cleared within hours.

“Goods being monitored by the Government Analyst-Food and Drugs Department (GA-FDD) will be prioritized for faster processing and clearance so that consignments of food and drugs are not delayed or detained,” GRA said in a notice published yesterday in Kaieteur

News.

GRA says it is now in partnership with the GAFDD to develop a number of measures to fast-track processing.

“Impor t e r s of commercial food items and drugs being monitored by the GAFDD are required to present the original and copy of the free sale certificate (and any other document requested) to the GA-FDD before the arrival of the goods,” GRA explained as one of the measures.

“The GA-FDD will stamp both original and copy and return the copy to the importer and broker to upload as an attached document in the ASYCUDA World.”

According to the authority, when the e-SAD (Electronic Single A d m i n i s t r a t i v e Documents) is being processed and the copy is verified by the representative of the GAFDD, the release of the shipment is done either immediately or within the (Continued on page 23)

Saturday April 13, 2019

Jamaica latest Caribbean country to sign on to China’s Belt and Road Initiative KINGSTON,Jamaica(CMC) – Jamaica has become the latest Caribbean country to sign on to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which Beijing says now opens up a new era for cooperation between the two countries.

Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith said BRI provides a powerful framework to ensure that development cooperation brings shared benefits to China and its partners, including Jamaica.

She told the signing ceremony on Thursday that over the past 47 years, the two countries have forged a mutually beneficial and dynamic partnership, and currently enjoy a robust and dynamic cooperation programme.

She said this has resulted in many tangible outcomes such as the acquisition of Alpart in 2016

by Chinese entity Jiuquan Iron and Steel Company (JISCO), and the proposed development of an Industrial Park and Special Economic Zone alongside the JISCO/ Alpart operations, as well as the completion of two state-of-theart early childhood institutions.

“Our relationship has been built on the principle of mutual respect, a shared commitment to responsible growth and development, as well as a common desire to positively impact the lives of our citizens,” she said at the signing ceremony.

“By doing so, we join over 100 other countries and international organisations that have also decided to cooperate within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative,” Johnson Smith added. Beijing’s BRI is an international development strategy through which China seeks to leverage partnerships in a buildout of its economic and geopolitical power.

Jamaica joins several Caribbean countries including Barbados, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana that have signed on to the BRI and according to Tian Qi, the Chinese ambassador to Jamaica, the agreement raises the level of bilateral cooperation to a higher bar.

“This signing is hugely significant, and it now opens up a new era for cooperation between Jamaica and the People’s Republic of China,” he said, adding that the soon-to-be-constructed 220bed Western Children’s Hospital in Montego Bay was also a symbol of deepening integration.

“Jamaica has decided to further strengthen and deepen the bonds of cooperation with China, by signing this MoU. In doing so, we join over 100 other countries and international

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith and Tian Qi, the Chinese ambassador to Jamaica, following the signing of MOU. organisations that have also decided to cooperate within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative,” John Smith said, noting that the two countries must now identify specific proposals and develop a mechanism for projects and programmes for

potential agreements.

The Belt and Road Initiative was first proposed by China in 2013, and is designed to facilitate physical, economic, digital and social connections between China and participating countries.

Region urged to fight crime collectively St George’s, Grenada (CMC) – Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)’s Council for Security and Law Enforcement (CONSLE), Grenada’s Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell says a collective approach is needed to effectively address security across the region.

“We need each other as our fight against crime is a collective one”, he said. “As small fledgling economies we are also unfairly subjected to international assessments that sometimes result in blacklisting,” said Mitchell at the opening of the 20th meeting of CONSLE in Grenada yesterday.

The Prime Minister, who is also the Minister of National Security noted that “security could never be overemphasised”. “Without security nothing else works”, he said and pointed to other matters including the issue of border security.

He emphasised that there should be unified positions, given the nature of our borders. “The relevance of border security at the regional level takes on even greater significance because of the porous nature of our borders.”

Concerning the current situation in Venezuela, and its

impact and potential impact to affect our countries, he called for regular discourse on security and for the” the adoption of regional positions that give consideration to what is best for all concerned”… each country’s security is correlated with others…[and], we have to accept that”, he said.

The prime minister reiterated that “crime is an escapable reality “that must be faced.

“Some of our neighbouring countries right here … are classified amongst the most violent in the world by virtue of the number of homicides to population ratio.”

“New and emerging threats in the domain of cyberspace” brought on by significant technological advances have been moved from being at our doorsteps to the status of fast becoming a pervasive threat, as our new virtual world often provides the cover of anonymity to many who wish to ply their nefarious trades within our borders”, he continued This 20th CONSLE will, among other matters, review the management framework for crime and security; the regional single domestic space and the requirements for same. In this last context, matters such as the movement of

persons within a harmonised framework for entry and a harmonised visa regime will receive consideration.

The Caribbean’s resilience agenda and its implications for hard security and diplomacy is another policy issue on the table, given the Region’s vulnerability to natural hazards, geological and climate/weather related, as well as crime and security threats with their potential to amplify the impact of climate change and the after-effects of natural hazard events, poses serious challenges.

Geo-political issues affecting security in the Region, and in this context, the implications of the Framework for Migrant Health on the security sector including the nexus for health security; implications of the non-hemispheric military presence in Region, counter-terrorism in the Region and what programmes have been put in place to respond to this challenge are included in the matters to be discussed.

Crime and security is the fourth pillar of the regional integration process and the Council for National Security and Law Enforcement (CONSLE) coordinates security and law enforcement arrangements across the Community.

PAGE 22

Saturday April 13, 2019

Kaieteur News

Five more treated after...

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From page 19 Democratic Council [NDC] office, located on the island.

The NDC claims, however, that they do not have the authority to deal with such an issue, since they only have a Public Health Inspector who does not work in the capacity to monitor air pollution.

Residents indicated that despite the EPA being contacted on the issue since early

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Georgetown

last year it only recently sent two junior officers to investigate the matter.

While the EPA continues to deliberate on the way forward, residents within the community are left no choice, but to put up with unethical practice.

The question raised by most residents is, however, “Why does the businessman continue to operate even though his business is believed to be illegal?

“And even if he was operating legally, why within a residential area?”

Saturday April 13, 2019

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Kaieteur News

Santa Rosa Village Council to address land issues Santa Rosa and its ten satellite communities will be meeting shortly to discuss a proposed “Team” which will address land issues affecting residents in the Moruca subdistrict, Barima-Waini, Region One area.

Vice President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, who led a twelve- member team to the Region on Sunday, proposed a land “Team” during a public meeting hosted at the Santa Rosa Secondary School.

After hearing several concerns relating to village lands raised by residents, the council has promised to meet with residents in two weeks for discussions. Should there be disagreement on the proposed Team, then alternative solutions must be made.

Should there be agreement on the proposal, they will also have to discuss the composition of the team so that the investigations can commence and closures on these matters can be realized.

Minister Allicock said he believes that the proposed “Team”, once dul y b a l anced, will see immediate action to resolving these issues which are causing tension, distress and bringing division among residents. “We need a team,

persons within the community, who have history and would be able to bring a balance to some situations that might be extra serious.

“You have to make some serious decisions to get the answer to fix things here. I would like to see that team

Man shifts woman teeth over plywood Josh Charles, a 31-yearold driver from Lot 910 Rosemary Lane, South Cummingsburg, Georgetown, was yesterday hauled before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly accused of dislodging a woman’s teeth during a row over a piece of plywood.

It was alleged that on April 4, last, at Lot 910 Lane South Cummingsburg, Georgetown, the defendant inflicted grievous bodily harm on Jillian Favourite.

Charles pleaded not guilty. Police prosecutor Sanj Singh related that both parties are known to each other; they live at the same location.

On the day in question they had a misunderstanding over a piece of plywood and

Josh Charles Charles dealt the victim one cuff to the face.

This caused her to receive

injuries to her left jaw. The matter was reported to the police who saw that Favourite was escorted to the hospital to seek medical attention.

According to the prosecutor, the medical report given by the doctor on duty who attended to Favourite stated that she suffered a fractured jaw, a separation of 2cm between the teeth and she now has difficulties opening her mouth.

The defendant was later contacted and charged for the present offence.

After listening to the prosecutor the magistrate granted bail to Charles in the sum of $80,000. Charles was instructed to return to court on May 10, next.

also look at all previous issues; look at the previous agreement with Toshaos.

After all, the council is the authority of the village…and things have been agreed upon and documents have been submitted. We need to find the best possible way of managing our land.”

The Minister said it is his desire for Village Councils to address issues within the village but should this prove futile, he must then resort to Section 45 (7) of the Amerindian Act which states that “if a village general meeting is unable to reach a decision, the dispute shall be referred to the Minister who shall make a decision one month following the submission of the dispute for

resolution to the Minister.

His decision shall be final”.

Santa Rosa has a population of more than 10,000 residents. Among the concerns raised were several relatives in dispute over communal lands, boundaries not properly identified and persons occupying lands that were known to be reserved for village/public use.

The Minister assured, “We would be happy to be a part of it and as we move on we can seek technical support…Most of all, we need to have the buy-in of everyone in the community to fix this problem.”

He said it can be challenging since the ability to make provision for the construction of houses and acquiring lands for agricultural purposes are being hindered be-

cause of these issues.

“It is painful to know that you want to do something and you’re being held back; it’s painful to know that you can do something and you are not given the opportunity because of these red tapes.

“It is painful to know that you worked to get the council in place and then when you come for rescue you feel rejected, you feel that you are not important so it is everyone’s part to look for solutions”, the Minister said.

Santa Rosa has the largest indigenous population in Guyana and with two major projects on the way in this sub-district, (Santa Rosa Ground Coffee and the Kwebanna Cassava Flour projects) these issues will have to be addressed in a timely manner.

GRA announces new procedures for faster importation of food, drugs

Man allegedly chops father who protected grandmother A son was lucky to be granted bail after he appeared before a city magistrate yesterday, and was slapped with a charge of unlawful wounding. The victim is his father.

Foy Fredricks, 62, an engineer from Lot 3490 Stevedore Housing Scheme, North Ruimveldt, appeared yesterday in the Georgetown Magistrates Courts before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly. He pleaded not guilty to the charge made out against him.

It was alleged that on April 7, 2019 at Lot 3490 Stevedore Housing Scheme, North Ruimveldt, Fredricks unlawfully and maliciously wounded his father, Derwin Fredricks.

According to reports, on the day in question the victim and his son had an argument.

As a result of the misunderstanding Foy went into the kitchen and returned with a chopper.

Somehow, the grandmother intervened.

The defendant then started to advance toward his grandmother, causing Derwin to run into his path using his hands to block the chops.

Derwin sustained injuries to his left palm and right little finger.

The victim went to the East La Penitence Police Station where a report was made. He was then escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). He was later sent away that very day.

Foy was subsequently arrested. When the allegation was put to him he reportedly admitted to the offence. Hence, the charge was made out for him.

Senior Magistrate Leron Daly granted bail to Foy in the sum of $30, 00 and adjourned the matter until April 26, 2019.

GRA says it has developed measures to speed up processing of drugs and food being imported to Guyana.

From page 20 space of one day or half day.

“GRA will also be facilitating the releases of samples using controlled procedures as requested by the GA-FDD. These releases will be done in the presence of the importers.”

There have been growing complaints in the recent years of the sloth at GRA to release documents to process drugs and food, both which are perishable.

PAGE 24

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un says U.S. must change stance, gives deadline SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the breakdown in talks with the United States has raised the risks of returning to past tensions, but he is only interested in meeting President Donald Trump again if the United States comes with the right attitude, state media KCNA said today.

Kim said that he will wait “until the end of this year” for the United States to decide, according to KCNA. “What is needed is for the U.S. to stop its current way of calculation, and come to us with a new calculation,” Kim said in a speech to the Supreme People’s Assembly yesterday, KCNA said.

Trump and Kim have met twice, in Hanoi in February and Singapore in June, building good will but failing to agree on a deal to lift sanctions in exchange for North Korea abandoning its nuclear and missile programs.

Trump said on Thursday he is open to meeting Kim again, but in his speech on

Saturday April 13, 2019

Kaieteur News

Friday, the North Korean leader said the outcome in Hanoi has forced him to question the strategy he embraced last year of international engagement and economic development. “The second DPRK-U.S. summit in Hanoi in February raised strong questions about whether the steps we took under our strategic decision were right, and gave us a sense of caution about whether the U.S. is even really trying to improve the DPRK-U.S. relationship,” Kim said, using the initials of North Korea’s full name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. In Hanoi, the United States came with “completely unrealizable plans” and was “not really ready to sit with us face-toface and solve the problem,” Kim said. “By that sort of thinking, the U.S. will not be able to move us one iota even if they sat with us a hundred, thousand times, and will not be able to get what it wants at all,” he said.

Kim said his personal re-

lationship with Trump is still good, but that he had no interest in a third summit if it is a repeat of Hanoi.

“The U.S. said recently that it is thinking again of a third DPRK-U.S. summit and have been strongly implying problem-solving through dialogue,” Kim continued. “But they continue to ignore the basic way of the new DPRKU.S. relations, including withdrawing hostile policies, and mistakenly believe that if they pressure us to the maximum, they can subdue us.”

At a summit with South Korean President Moon in Washington on Thursday, Trump expressed a willingness to hold a third summit with Kim but said that Washington would leave sanctions in place on Pyongyang.

Last month, a senior North Korean official warned that Kim might rethink a moratorium on missile launches and nuclear tests in place since 2017 unless Washington makes concessions such as easing sanctions.

Pompeo slams China, Russia involvement in Venezuela SANTIAGO (Reuters) U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo yesterday accused China of aiding Venezuela’s economic collapse by bankrolling Presid e n t N i c o l a s M a d u r o ’s government and said Russian troop presence in the country was an “obvious

provocation.”

“China and others are being hypocritical in calling for ‘non-intervention’ in Venezuela’s affairs,” Pompeo said in a speech in Chile’s capital. “Their own financial interventions have helped destroy the country.”

He slammed the arrival of

Russian troops in Venezuela, and said Russia’s investments in police training and a satellite compound in Nicaragua “to put it mildly aren’t good.”

“We shouldn’t stand for Russia escalating an already precarious situation in these ways,” Pompeo added.

Head of Sudan’s military council steps down, a day after Bashir toppled KHARTOUM (Reuters) Sudan’s defense minister stepped down abruptly on Friday as head of the country’s transitional ruling military council after only a day in the post, as protesters demanded quicker political change following President Omar al-Bashir’s ouster by the armed forces.

Hours after the military council sought to calm public anger by promising a new civilian government, Defence Minister Awad Ibn Auf said in a televised speech he was quitting as head of the council.

Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman will be the new head of the council, Ibn Auf said. He also said Chief of Staff Kamal Abdelmarouf al-Mahi was relieved of his position as deputy head of the transitional military council.

“In order to ensure the cohesion of the security system, and the armed forces in particular, from cracks and strife, and relying on God, let us begin this path of change,” Ibn Auf said.

News of the change sparked joyful celebrations in

the streets of Khartoum as people chanted, “The second has fallen!” in reference to Bashir, witnesses said.

“What happened is a step in the right direction and is a bow to the will of the masses, and we have become closer to victory,” Rashid Saeed, a spokesman for the main protest group, the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), told Reuters.

“We are committed to our demands that we submitted to the army,” he said. “We call on the masses to stay on the streets until all the demands are met.”

The military council said earlier that it expected a preelection transition to last two years at most or much less if chaos can be avoided. The head of the military council’s political committee, Omar Zain al-Abideen, said the council would hold a dialogue with political entities.

The announcement of a future civilian government appeared aimed at reassuring demonstrators who had pressed for months for Bashir’s departure and quickly resumed protests against army rule after his

ouster on Thursday, calling for quicker and more substantial change.

But the SPA said the military council was “not capable of creating change.” In a statement, the group restated its demand for power to be handed immediately to “a transitional civilian government.”

Sudanese military officers and demonstrators ride atop a military tanker as they protest against the army’s announcement that President Omar al-Bashir would be replaced by a military-led transitional council, near Defence Ministry in Khartoum, Sudan April 12, 2019. REUTERS/ Stringer Bashir, 75, himself seized power in a 1989 military coup.

He had faced 16 weeks of demonstrations sparked by rising food costs, high unemployment and increasing repression during his three decades of autocratic rule.

Worshippers packed the streets around the Defence Ministry for Friday prayers, heeding a call by the SPA to challenge the military council.

The numbers swelled in the afternoon, and a Reuters witness estimated hundreds of

Saturday April 13, 2019

Kaieteur News

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Saturday April 13, 2019

Kaieteur News

PANCAP meets to finalise HIV treatment for migrants The Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), the mechanism that provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, concluded the regional meeting to provide guidance on the implementation of the Regional Framework on Migrant Health and Rights on April 11, 2019 in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

The purpose of the meeting was to facilitate input from regional stakeholders for finalising a guidance document on how to implement the Framework on Migrant Health and Rights within their country context.

The outcomes of the meeting included an agreement on a holistic approach to providing services for migrants including social services through an intersectoral strategy.

Participants emphasised that the health priorities of each territory must guide the implementation of the Migrant Framework at the country level as well as all policies governing access to migrants’ health.

Participants also agreed on the implementation of the Framework on Migrant Health and Rights at the country level in the interest of protecting and safeguarding public health throughout the region.

Participants were exposed to country presentations from Guyana and the Republic of

Delegates at the metting Trinidad and Tobago, which provided details of the situation and response to Venezuelan migrants, as well as experiences from Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, The Bahamas and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

These experiences illustrated the need for the implementation of the Framework to ensure consistent access to health by migrants.

There was also broad agreement on the need to implement the Framework at the country level from a Human Rights perspective.

Participants called for research into the financial and human resource capacity that is essential to provide holistic health services for migrants. The meeting noted the urgent need for strategic in-

formation for decision-making regarding the type of services necessary for migrants.

It was also recommended that countries research the requirements for a minimum package of services for migrants.

Participants also recommended research into sourcing a financial mechanism to mobilise funding for access to all healthcare by migrants.

Building strategic partnerships within the public health system to advance holistic treatment for migrants was proposed as a necessary step which would provide immediate results for improving access to services by migrants.

Participants also advocated for creating strategic alliances with social services to offer comprehensive care for migrants including sexual

New facilities commissioned at New ...

From page 18 preventative treatment. It was noted that things have improved drastically since the opening of the new unit.

The previous department was very cramped, it wasn't well laid, it wasn't well lit, and there wasn't enough space for patients. It was better laid out better lit with a better atmosphere. The new department has three operating clinics an expansion to the previous number.

The dental clinic at the hospital offers all basic dental services including “root

canal treatment to school kids, basic surgeries like dental extraction, surgical extraction and soft tissue surgeries.”

The facility has a separate sterilization area, a reception area, a staff lounge and washroom.

Patients upon visiting the new unit have collectively expressed their appreciation for the refurbished facility. It is much more comfortable, Dr. Rogers explained.

Head of dental services in Guyana, Dr. Kester Sullivan was present at the commissioning ceremony.

In addition, a state-of-theart kitchen valued $8M was commissioned by Ministers Volda Lawrence and Dr. Karen Cummings.

The ministers on touring the refurbished facility were impressed with the work done at the facility. Dr. Cummings encouraged the staff of the New Amsterdam Hospital, to maintain the highest standards possible so that both patients and employees can benefit from its use.

The projects are in keeping with the Ministry of Public Health vision 2020.

and reproductive health services, housing, nutrition, etc.

There were calls for an education, training and sensitisation programme for immigration and border patrol officers to provide guidance on the health, social and psychological requirements of migrants.

Educating the media on the positive impact of migration and highlighting the benefits of integrating migrants into society through public awareness communication campaigns was also recommended.

Participants emphasised the need to utilise the regional media to highlight the positive aspects of migrants’ culture to reduce negative perceptions.

Mr Dereck Springer, Director of PANCAP, committed to PANCAP continuing high-

level engagements with policymakers, including Ministers of Health and Finance and the CARICOM Secretariat to advocate for access to health by migrants as a public health priority.

The Director highlighted that PANCAP would follow up with countries on the implementation of the Migrant Framework through the PANCAP Justice for All Programme and the PANCAP Policy and Strategy Working Group on Stigma and Discrimination.

The PANCAP Director concluded the meeting with a challenge for participants to advocate at the country-level for an intersectoral holistic approach to providing services for migrants which would incorporate their social and psychological needs.

He noted that the draft guidance on the implementation of the framework proposed by participants is not prescriptive and can be adapted based on the requirements of each territory.

Participants included Port Health Medical Officers, Representatives of Ministries of National Security and Border Affairs, Legal officers and Protection Officers, International Development partners, Permanent Secretaries, Ministries of Health, Chief Medical Of f i c e r s , N a t i o n a l AIDS Programme Managers, Immigration Officers, Civil society partners that work with key populations, Youth Leaders, Private Sector, Academia, and the International Organization for Migration.

$565M Solar Farm to provide Lethem with a more stable source of electricity Solar Farm in Mabaruma (Region 1) commissioned in 2018

A one-megawatt (1 MW) solar farm valued at $565M is expected to be constructed in Lethem.

The plan for the solar farm is currently awaiting approval from the International Tender, after which the construction will commence.The project, which “is anticipated to take a year to come into fruition,” will provide Lethem with a more stable source of electricity.

It is also expected to supplement the diesel-based electricity supply and

according to Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, it is anticipated that within two and a half years, Lethem will be fully operable on renewable energy.The establishment of the Lethem Solar Farm is part of a larger, national project to equip the Rupununi and other outlying areas, such as Mabaruma, Bartica and Mahdia, with enough access to a reliable energy source by 2020. The government has already commissioned a 0.4MW solar farm in

Mabaruma in 2018, a solar photovoltaic (PV) system is expected to be constructed in Mahdia in June of this year.

Minister Patterson told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that a loan from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) was recently approved. This loan is expected to fund the feasibility study for the establishment of $1.4Billion hydropower system, using the Moco Moco and Kumu Falls located in the Rupununi.

(DPI)

Saturday April 13,2019

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Kaieteur News

Carter, Gabriel recalled in squad missing IPL stars ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Left-hander Jonathan Carter has been recalled following a two-year absence while speedster Shannon Gabriel also returns after a 16-month break, in a weakened West Indies 14man squad for next month’s Tri-Nations Series against hosts Ireland and Bangladesh.

The side, which will be led by regular captain J a s o n H o l d e r, w i l l b e without key players who featured against recently against England, with the likes of veteran Chris Gayle, Carlos Brathwaite, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran and Oshane Thomas all tied up in the ongoing Indian Premier

League.

All-rounder Keemo Paul, who was forced out of the England series due to injury, is fit again but also plying his trade in the IPL. The squad is the first one to be chosen by the new selection panel headed by Robert Haynes and which includes director of cricket, Jimmy Adams, and interim head coach, Floyd Reifer.

“We are immediately implementing the new policy of having the best West Indies team selected based on availability, form and fitness,” Haynes said.

“The pace attack of Shannon Gabriel, Kemar Roach and Jason Holder

will only serve to enhance the performances we expect from the team. We felt that the composition of the team brought together a harmony of experienced international players and players who have been on the periphery of international cricket.”

Adams reiterated the squad was not the World Cup side which is set to be announced later this month, but said it would allow players the experience of English conditions.

“They have selected a squad to Ireland that allows a slightly wider pool of players to get 50-over experience in UK conditions which I think is

Saturday April 13, 2019 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Today's planetary energies may put spiritual matters in your mind, Aries. You may not be thinking in religious terms.

Your focus is likely to be on the state of humanity and what you can do to help others less fortunate.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You may be thinking about political or social matters today, specifically, the deterioration of the planet. You may be worried about your future and that of your children.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Today is going to present not only a continuation but also an intensification of the strong energies that have been pushing you toward self-discovery.

CANCER(June21–July22) Today you should be asking yourself a lot of important questions. The Universe is pushing you on your journey of self-discovery. If you resist, you aren't going to be in a very good mood.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) If you're feeling unappreciated by the people around you,try going somewhere else. Begging for attention is unattractive, and so is strutting around trying to distract everyone with your gorgeous physique or charming wit.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You could be in an uncomfortable situation with friends today, Virgo. There may be gossip going around about a mutual friend and you will be tempted to join in.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) A close friend or colleague could receive special recognition for good works today.

You're pleased with your friend's success, and grateful for your own good fortune.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)You may have heard a juicy story about a friend lately and be just dying to share it with your entourage.

Be careful with this impulse!

The party in question would not appreciate hearing about what you're doing.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Today you may find all your recent efforts rewarded.

Your quick thinking and astute powers of observation have impressed others. Today you're likely to be recognized in some way.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Today you may find all your recent efforts rewarded.

Your quick thinking and astute powers of observation have impressed others. Today you're likely to be recognized in some way.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) If you're a salesperson, expect orders to roll in today.

You're unusually persuasive, making it virtually impossible for anyone to say no to you.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) This is a good day to spend with your family, as you love to do. Try to get chores out of the way as quickly as possible and schedule something fun for the afternoon.

very important,” said the former Test captain.

“This is not the World Cup squad, as a number of players are not available for this series as they are still participating in the IPL.” All-rounder Rovman

Five overseas...

From page 28 Appadu, and Vera’s Finally of the Jumbo Jet Racing Stables will be feature event for the turfites.

The feature race on Easter Sunday will attract a total prize purse amounting to almost $2million with the winner of that C Class and lower race pocketing $1million.

The winner of the threeyear-old Guyana bred race which Valentina will be looking to complete her triple crown in, will pocket $400,000, the F Class winner; $350,000, H Class; $300,000, I Class; $250,000, J class; $230,000, K Class; $220,000, L Class; $200,000, L Class and lower; $140,000.

Who will survive...

From page 29 trophies have been sponsored by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo.

Also at stake are the individual rewards for the Most Goals/MVP who will take home a Dinette Chair from China Trading and a Lazy Boy chair from AH&L Kissoon, along with the Best Goalkeeper who will claim the Minister of Natural Resources trophy.

Among the sponsors so far are Techno mills, Ready mix, Sataur Gafoor, EC Veira, BEV Enterprises, BK International, IPA, New Thriving, Ricks and Sari, ENetworks, Star Computers, NAMILCO, Cummings Electrical, National Sports Commission, Star Entertainment, Alfro Alphonso, the Guyana Police Force, Ministry of State, Prime Minister and Ministry of Legal Affairs.

Soesdyke’s Khan leads the goalscoring column with 2 goals, while Alfred, Bobb and Harvey, all have 1.

P o w e l l , w h o l e d We s t Indies on the tour of Bangladesh last year, is missing from the squad. He was forced out of the England series with injury but there was no word from CWI on if he has returned to fitness.

And even in a weakened squad, there still is no place for Leeward Islands off-spinning allrounder Rahkeem Cornwall, who has been repeatedly ignored in recent years despite outstanding performances for the Hurricanes franchise domestically and for West Indies A. Carter, meanwhile, has not played since India’s tour of the Caribbean in 2017 while Gabriel last turned out in an ODI on the tour of New Zealand later

that year.

The 31-year-old Carter averaged 50 and scored over 350 runs in the last Super50 Cup and also was also among the leading scorers in the just concluded Regional first class tournament with nearly 700 runs at an average of 40.

The Tri-Nations Series runs from May 3-17 and is the final one-day tour for the Caribbean side before the ICC World Cup which starts May 30 in England.

SQUAD – Jason Holder (captain), John Campbell, Darren Bravo, Shai Hope, Sheldon Cottrell, Shannon Gabriel, Kemar Roach, Sunil Ambris, Raymon R e i f e r, F a b i a n A l l e n , Ashley Nurse, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Jonathan Carter.

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Saturday April 13,2019

Kaieteur News

Q/F Police Commissioner B/Day Inter-Division T20 cricket

Leitch, Browne’s century feature in 118-run stand as ‘A’ beat ‘B’ - PG upset HQ book other semi-final spot

Kelvin Leitch clips National fast bowler Raun Johnson for a dismissive boundary during 34-ball 80 at Eve Leary yesterday. (Sean Devers photos)

By Sean Devers Yesterday, on a flat track and rough and bone dry Eve Leary outfield, Kelvin Leitch was as fiery as the mid-day sun as latched onto ‘B’ Division’s innocuous bowling attack like a leech in a destructive exhibition to power ‘A’ Division into Tuesday’s Semi-finals of the Commissioner of Police Birth Anniversary Inter-Division and Branches T20 cricket Tournament, while defending Champions President’s

Guards (PH) beat Head Quarter (HQ) to a book the Semi-final spot.

In the morning game, an aggressive 60 from Kaveem Mentore, who smashed eight boundaries including four sixes, helped the Berbicians to what seemed a daunting 186-6.

Mentore shared in a 74run fourth wicket stand with left-hander Troy Drakes (18) before Kord Griffith (13*) and Collis Cort put together 24 for the seventh wicket.

Openers Kedar Amsterdam (19) and Philbert Wilburg (12) have put ‘B’ Division on course for a big total, while National fast bowler Raun Johnson followed up his 53 in his last innings with 16 and at the half way stage the ‘B’ Division camp, with Johnson spearheading their attack, were already planning for Tuesday’s semis.

Off-spinner Leitch took 230, while Jason Heyliger had 2-35 for ‘A’ Division who decimated the hapless bowlers in a murderous assault which saw them achieve victory 31 balls to spare as ‘A’ Division sprinted to 187-1 in 14.1 overs.

Leitch hit eight fours and seven sixes in a destructive 80 from just 36 balls and added 118 with Rawle Browne, who ended unbeaten on 46 with three fours and two sixes. Browne and Kelis Christian, who finished not out on 36 from just nine balls with two fours and two sixes, added 79 in the last four overs.

Such was the brutality of Leitch’s power-hitting that he had drivers on the road

Pan American games boxing qualifiers

“Allicock could’ve easily won gold”- Terrence Poole Guyana’s contingent that participated in the American Boxing Confederation’s (AMBC) Pan American games 2019 qualifiers in Nicaragua earlier this month, returned home, yesterday. Kaieteur Sport made contact with the Terrence Poole M.S., the Technical Director of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), who served in the capacity of coach of the team.

Although national Bantamweight champion, Keevin Allicock, who was debarred from contesting his quarterfinal match against Alexy DeCruz of the Dominican Republic due to a poor decision from now under fire match c o m m i s s i o n e r, R a f e h l Vargas of Costa Rica, the Guyanese has secured qualification for the 2019 Pan Am games that will held in Peru after GBA head Steve Ninvalle and Poole, escalated the issue.

Coach Poole was extremely annoyed with the decision at the conclusion of

Keevin Allicock

Terrence Poole

the tournament because DeCruz went on to win the Gold Medal in the event, gaining a walkover in his semifinal match before being matched up with, “An easy opponent”, in the final.

Progression from the quarterfinal to the semifinal would have guaranteed Allicock a medal and qualification to the games but Vargas’ disregard to the new International Boxing Association (AIBA) rules (48.3.4) that allows a boxer to compete in his national colours instead of the normal red or blue attire.

Allicock was attired in red and black; colours of the Golden Arrowhead, and was

cleared by the International Technical Officer (ITO) 45 minutes before the bout but minutes before the fight, Vargas stopped him and told him that he had one minute to change his attire.

Poole shared with Kaieteur Sport that he immediately set his stop watch and Allicock returned attired as instructed in 55 seconds but Vargas still informed the announcers that the match will be forfeited.

Head of the St. Lucia Boxing Association, David ‘Shakes’ Christopher, has called for the debarment of Rafehl Vargas from officiating in future games.

Kameer Mentore goes over cover during his entertaining 60 to take ‘B’ Division to what seemed a winning total at the half way stage. rushing to move their vehicles to safety as he unleashed an array of shots including a ‘Dilscoop’ off ‘B’ Division Skipper Michael Newland, which raced to the fine leg boundary for four.

Browne, in his best innings in recent times, played the classy shots and effortlessly stroked Newland back over his head for four to post to 50 in the seventh over, while Leitch charged Raul James and clobbered him for six to reach his 50 in the 10 over.

Leitch hit Daryl Thompson to long-off and just out of reach of the Johnson, the tallest man on the field for six to post the 100 in the 11th over before Leitch was run out by a direct hit from veteran Newland off his own bowling at 118-1 in the 12th over.

Christian joined Browne, who played the supporting role in the carnage as Christian sliced a beamer to third man for four and hit the ‘Free-Hit’ from the expensive Johnson into the pavilion,

packed with screaming ‘A’Division supporters.

Mentore ended the contest with a wide in an over which cost 20.

When ‘B’ Division batted, off-spinner Leitch broke the opening stand when he had Wilburg caught behind at 361 before Amsterdam was bowled by Darson LaRose at 47-2.

Leitch, who had a wonderful day at the office, soon bowled Haslim George (2) at 57 but Mentore and Drakes joined forces to orchestrate ‘Operation rebuild’ and carried the score to 135 before Mentore was bowled by Patrick Morris.

Drakes and Raun Johnson (16), who made 53 in his last innings, took the score to 162 before offspinner Jason Heyliger removed them both to leave the Berbicians on 162-6 before Griffith and Cort saw them to what seemed to be a winning total. But Leitch, Browne and Christian had others plans and the rest is now history.

In the afternoon game, PG beat HQ by 34 runs after making 221-7 with Kareem Naughton hitting three fours and eight sixes in 63, while Kemp Mayers (31) and Zane London (30) offered support as Kevin Allicock (2-25) was the most successful bowler for HQ, who were bowled out for 187 off 19.3 overs.

Kevon Boodie reached the boundary eight times and cleared it thrice, while Munilall Persaud (28 1) and skipper Troy Benn (27) got starts in a losing effort as Andrew Lyght, one of only two batsmen with centuries in the tournament, fell for two as Paul Tyndall (2-32), Nicolai Reddy (2-25) and Jermaine Semple (2-29) bowled their team into the semis.

The semis are set for Tuesday when ‘F’ will play ‘A’ and ‘D’ will battle PG who will hope to qualify for their third title in the six-year history of the T20 Format.

TSU won the inaugural tournament while FAPC and HQ are the other titles holders.

Rawle Browne hits ‘B’ Division skipper Michael Newland for six yesterday at Eve Leary.

Saturday April 13,2019

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Kaieteur News

AMCHAM’s Inaugural Open Golf Tournament set for today at Lusignan Today at the Lusignan Golf Club, 60 Golfers from Guyana, the Caribbean and North America are expected to participate in the Inaugural AMCHAM’s Open Golf Tournament and the entire family is being encouraged to turn out for a day of exciting Golf and lots of other activities for all ages.

Present at yesterday’s Event launch at the Marriot Hotel, were President of the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC), Aleem Hussain, Chairman of AMCHAM Guyana, Zulfikar Alli, Red E n tertainment and AMCHAM Board member, Saskia Wyngaarde, Carum Group’s Imon Cummings and Local Golfer Richard Hanif.

This is the fourth tournament of the year with the others being the Guyana Cup, Lusignan Cup and the President’s Cup. The tournament comprises of four Categories of Players - Championship 010, First Flight 11-20, Second Flight 21-32 (Stableford System) and Ladies Open 0-

32 all competing for the title of the AMCHAM Best Gross Player and Best Net Player.

A Long Drive Championship is also planned where any person (even those who have never played Golf) can compete against AMCHAM Sponsored Golf Pro, Richard Hanif and $50,000 is at stake for any who hits the ball further than Hanif.

Golfing Members will pay US$50/G$10,000, while Golfing Invitees will pay US$75/G$15,000, while there will also Non-Golf Guest Passes for US$40/G$8,000 which includes Lunch and non-alcoholic beverages.

Alcoholic beverages will be on sale while the rental clubs and caddies are available for the event.

“When we host an event, it is something unlike any other! This inaugural golf tournament is a preview of things to come from AMCHAM Guyana as the tournament will be one of a kind, on a scale never seen before in Guyana,” informed

Red Entertainment and AMCHAM Board member, Saskia Wyngaarde.

It was disclosed that a Championship Cup, Longest Drive and Nearest to Pin contests for the players will be held in addition to a special Putting Contest for young players under the age of 12 in which over 20 Medals will be Won. There will be a Chip & Putt contest open for all ages and abilities for Big Prizes and Bragging Rights.

Entry fees for players include Snacks and drinks on the course for players, complimentary lunch and a Players Gift Bag. Music and entertainment after play concludes for all ages, while there will be Trophies and Prizes for all levels of players. A Complimentary cocktail hour will take place from 4-5pm with wines from The Wine Cellar.

Hussain and Alli, along with Board Member Paul James are confident that this will be the first of many activities that the entities will

host together as their philosophies and goals are very similar.

Hussain stated that the commitment by AMCHAM Guyana to make this an annual event that will grow tremendously in the years ahead, makes it a must for every business person to come out this year and partake in the event.

He emphasized that, “It is the best opportunity for networking and social mingling that has come along and it is not just for golfers.

However, if you are a golfer who misses the opportunity to have your name placed first on the AMCHAM Cup, you will definitely regret it.”

In August 2018, AMCHAM Guyana was created to promote and create US-Guyana trade and business opportunities and partnerships. To date, both American and Guyanese companies have benefitted from the organization as more than 50 companies have become members.

“We all know that foreign investment will only increase in the coming years and the potential is enormous with the real job creation in Guyana coming not directly from oil, but rather in the sectors that support that industry, and AMCHAM Guyana, which was just an idea less than a year ago, demonstrates how quickly we must move.

According to Former US Ambassador Perry Holloway, “This idea has reached fruition well before expectation.”

With AMCHAM existing in 28 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, Chairman Zulfikar Ally said, “AMCHAM offers businesses and entrepreneurs the opportunity to network, make new contacts and transfer knowledge. We are using this event as a medium for community involvement and social corporate responsibility.”

AMCHAM Guyana is open to both foreign and local companies with business

activities in Guyana. The board comprises a representative from each of the following 16 companies: ExxonMobil Guyana, Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd., Guyana Marriott Hotel, Queens Atlantic Investment Inc., Corum Group Guyana, GTT, Sol Guyana, Nabi and Sons Ltd., RED Entertainment, London House Chambers, Baker Hughes, Republic Bank, the National Milling Company of Guyana Inc. (NAMILCO), RAMPS Logistics, Massy Guyana Inc., and Machinery Corporation of Guyana (MACORP).

To join AMCHAM Guyana, interested companies and entrepreneurs can contact AMCHAM Guyana at info@amchamguyana.com for application forms.

Tickets and entry forms for the event will be available at all AMCHAM member companies, the Lusignan Golf Club or by calling the AMCHAM Guyana Office at 231-2524. (Sean Devers)

Bartica Easter Regatta Volleyball

Top Form waltz into final, will play Ruff Necks on Easter Sunday at Golden Beach

The four teams that are contesting the Bartica Easter Regatta 2019 Volleyball tournament pose with Sports Coordinator, Michael Dos Santos.

Intense exchanges between these two teams during the Bartica Easter Regatta Volleyball preliminary rounds on Sunday at the Bartica Community Center Volleyball Court.

Top Form has proven that they are the team to beat, serving their way into the final of the Bartica Easter Regatta 2019 Volleyball tournament securing three wins in as many matches.

They have earned the right to face for a second time, Ruff Necks whose only loss was to Top Form in the preliminary rounds of the tournament. The final would be contested on Easter Sunday (April 21st) at Golden Beach during the much anticipated Power Boat Races.

Top Form was flawless in postings wins against Ruff Necks, Underdogs and Makoria Defenders.

Ruff Necks lost to Top Form but secured wins over

Underdogs and Makroia Defenders. Underdogs’ only win came against Makoria Defenders which lost all their matches.

The players leading the v i c t o r y c h a rg e f o r To p Form are Devon Elias, Marlon Cane, Joseph Wailoo, Shawn Garraway and Antonio Melville, while those charting the way for Ruff Necks which will hope to turn the tide against Top Form in the f i n a l a r e , Te v o n St o l l , Oswald Hudson, Breaon Burnett, Kelon Tracey and Lanzo Narine.

Following are the full results of the preliminary rounds, all matches were contested at the Bartica Community Centre, Volleyball

Court on Sunday last: Top Form got past Underdogs in a three set thriller 25/10, 22/ 25, 16/14; Rough Necks thrashed Makoria Defenders 25/13, 25/8; Underdogs were too good for Makoria Defenders whom they eased past 25/11, 25/23; Top Form roughed up Rough Necks 25/ 19 25/16; Top Form thumped Makoria Defenders 25/14, 25/ 10; Rough Necks eased past Underdogs 25/16, 25/18.

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Saturday April 13,2019

Kaieteur News

Guyana Under-15 team departs for Antigua, start title quest today Guyana Under-15 team will commence their efforts to secure the 2019 CWI Regional Under-15 title from today 13th April, when they oppose Jamaica at the Ball Beef Ground, Liberta. Guyana last won the Regional Under-15 title in 2015.

Guyana’s second round match will be against B a r b a d o s a t S i r Vi v i a n Richards Stadium tomorrow 14th April, the third round against Windward Islands at Coolidge Cricket ground on 16th April, with their fourth match a g a i n s t L e e w a r d Islands at Ball Beef Ground, Liberta on 18th April, and the last and final match on 20th April, against Trinidad and

To b a g o a t B a l l B e e f Ground, Liberta.

The Guyana National Under-15 team departed Guyana Thursday morning from the Eugene F. Correia International Airport, Ogle.

The team, which benefitted from exposure in the GCB Under-17 Inter County Tournament, appeared high in confidence and well prepared for their competitive regional encounter.

The 14 man squad is being coached by CWI Level 3 coach, Julian Moore and Managed by Latchman Yadram. The team which did extremely well in the intense 2019 GCB/ Rubis Bel Air under 17 Inter county tournament seems ready to

face Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Windward Islands, Leeward Islands and Jamaica.

The Guyana team is as follow: 1. Zachary Jodah (Captain) 2. Mavendra Dindyal Vice Captain) 3. Isai Thorne 4. Jadon Campbell 5. Omari Lallbachan 6. Anthony Khan 7. T a m e s h w a r Mahadeo 8. Alvin Mohabir 9. Ravishkar Sobhai 10. Jonathan Van Lange 11. Krsna Singh 12. Mathew Pottaya 13. Thaddeus Loveell 14. R a m p e r t a b Ramnauth

National Under-15 team along with Coach Julian Moore (far left) and Manager Latchman Yadram (far right).

Minister Norton is Right in...

From page 29 their own area of responsibility. In the East Coast of Demerara a group calling themselves East Coast Cricket Committee manages the cricket yet a so called Stakeholder claims all the best cricketers come out of there or Georgetown.

The GCA nor ECCB have not sent an age group team to participate in Demerara Cricket Board’s Cricket in six years; same for GCA under Roger Harper.

The real stakeholders are those people that bring together the youths in these areas for the last

six years. Are we really interested in the youths and Guyana’s cricket?

The way in which Mr. Sanasie has executed his mandate to govern our cricket, considering he does not have a relative playing the game is commendable.

I was also informed that he is an exemplary director at CWI and highly respected. Thanks again Mr. Sanasie, you and the GCB have the support of North Essequibo and myself any time of the day.

We must all support Guyanese cricket and this unreasonable nonsense in the court must come to an end. I

also commend Minister George Norton for finally taking a stand and appointing the cricket ombudsman.

These issues ought to be resolved sooner rather than later to let cricket in Guyana continue to flourish.

Those that are afraid to go to elections in their Associations and Committees will have a problem when the Ombudsman arrives. Start the verification process.

Yours Sincerely, Prince Holder, President of North Essequibo Cricket Committee

Letter to the Sports Editor

How Moronic! We are about to lose hosting rights Dear Editor, When I read and listened to Mr. Arun Gossai counsel for Berbice Cricket Board, it is quite evident that he is uniformed and ignorant of how the GCB and cricket in general is managed in Guyana. In reality, his media appearances appear to be a publicity stunt rather than genuine interest in progressive thinking for our cricket. Those that he represents clearly seem to have no knowledge either, so maybe I can excuse his ignorance on the grounds that his clients are incapable of advising.

It also takes me back eight (8) years when the then BCB secretary took the GCB to court claiming that the GCB had no legal identity and does not exist, while the BCB was a member of the GCB. The CCJ obviously ruled in favour of the GCB. It was madness then and moronic now, when we have so much to lose and have been doing so well on the field of play. Power at all cost, I guess, but posit that Mr. Gossai and his clients are oblivious to the dangers lurking, playing into the hands of those CWI members wanting the games in their islands.

As Minister Norton stated, our hosting of the India Tour in 2019 is now in jeopardy. This brings back memories of some years ago when the Australia Tour was cancelled because of government interference under the PPP. This government certainly and rightly stayed clear of the chaos created by their predecessor and I hope would step into assist the GCB. Guyana may also lose the right to host the CWI Under19 Tournament scheduled to be played in July/ August of 2019 as telegraphed by the CWI President, solely because a few disgruntled,

self- serving individuals want to use our cricket to raise personal fortune for themselves or promote their status.

I am fully aware that the BCB is a one man show and Rabindranauth Sawack is operating under instruction from Hilbert Foster, the perennial fund raising Guru.

As for Roger Harper, it is mind boggling that the most organized clubs in Guyana are based in Georgetown and Harper continues to file court action without, what appears to be, consent from those GCA members. It is time GCC, Everest, Police, DCC and all others put a stop to this nonsense. The GCA has not sent a representative youth team to any Guyana or Demerara competition in six years. Who really can say they are interested in youth development?

As for Berbice, I predict a sudden collapse of the famous tale of 365 events or competitions for the year, that is, one for each day. It has been over 3 years that no proper first division cricket has been played. T20, 100 BALLS, Jim Jones cricket and you name it, is what we are having. Hilbert Foster must be complimented for his personal fund raising drive and media clout. We are all aware that he is a director at Chronicle but seems to have special relationship at Kaieteur News, where all his articles of cricket in Berbice find place in the sports pages.

Foster certainly has good public relations abilities however, the recent performance of BCB youth team can attest to the farce in Berbice cricket. Clubs such as Albion, Blairmont, and Tucber Park (not admitted as a member) continues to produce cricketers, Young Warriors and Rose Hall Community Centre recently seem to be doing well also but

the sad thing is the purging of players to join the RHTYSC because it is how you get selected to play, this is sad. Selection must be on merit.

As a lover of the game I must compliment the Guyana Cricket Board for their history making performances regionally. Evidence of cricket development in Guyana exists so let’s take our heads out of the sand and make our own judgments. Is it Sanasie and the GCB or Hilbert Foster and Roger Harper who can take us into the future? My pick is the current GCB as composed.

I cannot close without mentioning the man who many of us know to be very litigious and claims to be the next GCB president “Roachie” is the man facilitating all the court actions. This man has never managed a cricket club, claims to be president of ECCB which had no elections in six years, rewrote the ECCB constitution three times and exclude all the establish clubs. It is time the clubs on the East Coast of Demerara take control of their situation, this person does not have a clue when it comes to management of cricket.We are certainly in silly times.

The “stakeholders” or “majority stakeholders” consist of a few living in the past. We must reject them and speak out against the continuous mayhem created to disrupt the smooth operation of the GCB, this madness must stop immediately.

We must all support the current individuals and ensure that this present situation comes to an end quickly and the CWI does not have an excuse to move the cricket from Guyana.

Yours in Sports, Frank Budram.

Jumbo Jet Triple Crown final leg

Five overseas horses to arrive next week The Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee (JJTRC) will complete the first Triple Crown horseracing event to be contested in Guyana on Easter Sunday (April 21) at the Port Mourant Turf Club in Corentyne, Berbice and a release from the Chairman of the organising committee, Nasrudeen Mohamed Jr., has

indicated that there will be five surprise overseas entries for the final showdown.

Three of the horses are Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) bred, one a USA bred and the other a Jamaican bred.

In a release to this publication, Mohamed noted that the JJTRC always look to do something special for the turfites and this Triple Crown event, which provides a bonus of $500,000 for whichever horse can

complete three consecutive victories, is already a treat, and come this Easter, the mare Valentina, in the threeyear-old Guyana Bred category, will be the only animal in the running for the Triple Crown bonus.

More importantly, a rematch between Lucky Star; the unprecedented winner of the second leg’s feature race, which was jockeyed by 18year-old sensation Marvin (Continued on page 25)

Saturday April 13,2019

PAGE 31

Kaieteur News

Milo Schools’ football tournament

Bartica Regatta Motocross

Final kicks off 19:00hrs tomorrow night

BLB racing team revving for next weekend’s showdown

Play between Annandale (possession) and CWSS during the latter’s 1-0 victory at the MOE ground, last Sunday.

Team BLB bikers from left, Bobby Rasul, Stephen Vieira and Andrew Wong.

A new champion will be crowned tomorrow night in the Milo Schools’ football tournament that will see its final being contested by Linden’s Christianburg/Wismar Secondary School (CWSS) and Lodge Secondary of Georgetown from 19:00hrs at the Ministry of Education (MOE) ground on Carifesta Avenue.

Both teams had contrasting paths during their respective last four matchups at the Ministry of Education (MOE) ground on Carifesta Avenue, last Sunday, but the final is anticipated to be keenly contested.

In their semifinal win against Annandale Secondary, CWSS had a scrappy 1-0 win courtesy of a free kick off the boot of Andre Mayers but after this early goal against the

East Coast boys, CWSS struggled and were lucky to not concede.

In the other semifinal, Lodge didn’t hold back and they thumped President’s College (PC) 7-0.

The Georgetown based side seemed to score at will with a brace on either side of the half from Dorwin George (37th and 76th) leading the line with single strikes from Rasheed Roberts (27th), Turston Gordon (44th), Nicolas Trotman (70th), Leroy Sealey (84th) and Marcus Bamfield (90th).

Preceding the final will be the third place playoff between PC and Annandale at 17:00hrs. The tournament is also sponsored by the Ministry of Public Health through its stop gender based violence campaign.

Letter to the Sports Editor

Minister Norton is Right in appointing the Ombudsman Dear Editor, I am penning this letter after reading a bundle of nonsense written by the so called “majority Stakeholders”. After Five years of the passage of the Cricket Administration Act the CWI and our Minister Responsible for Sports have finally reached agreement on a name for the position of Cricket Ombudsman and as expected the “Stakeholders” again have a problem. It is time the nonsense stops, I fully support the Minister’s appointment, which cannot be changed by anyone as it is a one off decision as stipulated in the CAA. It is even crazier to be asking the President to rescind the appointment, what next? Take it back to parliament? Or maybe ask the next elected President to reconsider the Appointment?

When the GCB appointed the Ombudsman, court actions were filed claiming the Minister has to do the

appointment, now the Minister made the appointment and it is a problem of which club the man was a member, or who his associates are, well we live in a small, closed society so what else is expected?

The first Ombudsman, Mr. McGowan, was a close friend of many “Stakeholders”, even served for 20 years on the GCB Cricket Development committee with Claude Raphael as chairman. The stakeholders agreed with this PPP appointee, why not now?

When we progress it is expected that those responsible for such success be recognized. I take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Sanasie and the GCB for the effective management of Guyana’s cricket which has produced the most consistent results in the history of our nation’s most popular sport.

As a usual critic of the GCB, I must admit that those who oppose them lack the knowledge and ability to do a

better job. More so, the dedication of Mr. Sanasie to ensure Guyana’s cricket is on the right path especially his recent intervention, despite apparent court orders to shut down the GCB, to ensure our Under 17 Competition was played. Time and time again I have written to criticize the GCB but that position has come an end, the GCB has prevailed against the challenges and against all odds our game is in good hands. I’m making it clear that myself and North Essequibo Cricket Committee are no longer part of the group calling themselves “majority Stakeholders”, as we are of the opinion that they are not interested in progress but just want to be disruptive. I call on everyone to follow the path of proven success.

To say that the so called “stakeholders” can do better would be hypocritical when in fact they have not mirrored the same level of success in (Continued on page 28)

It’s exactly one week before the Annual Motocross event speeds off at Mongrippa Hill ground in Bartica, as part of the town’s activities for the annual Regatta festivities.

And, much like the consistency of the Bartica Regatta that has been the annual marquee event in the town for decades; defending 125cc champions; BLB racing team, aim not only to defend their title but to be a force to reckon with for years to come.

In a correspondence to Kaieteur Sport, the Bartica based racing team that consists of Andrew Wong with his 2018 KTM 125cc dirt bike, Bobby Rasul ( 2019 YZ Yamaha 125cc) and Stephen Vieira (2016 YZ Yamaha 125cc),

noted confidence of a repeat of their impressive showing last year.

At the 2018 Bartica Regatta Motocross event, Rasul and Vieira were tied for the champion biker accolade in the 125cc event after each of them notched one win, one second and one third place finish in their three races competed, while Wong won the third race.

News from Team BLB indicate that their machines are in prime working condition while reports from Bartica has explained that the Mongrippa Hill ground has all systems in place for keen rivalry amongst bikers from Georgetown, Essequibo and Bartica.

Hamilton Green 9-a-side Inter Ward Cup

Who will survive Round of 16 action tomorrow?

Who will survive Round of 16 action in the Hamilton Green Cup Inter Ward/ Village 9-a-side Knockout football tournament will be known tomorrow when play resumes at the Den Amstel Community Centre ground.

Action starts at 15:00hrs and Coordinator Lennox Arthur, the former National Football player and Coach, is asking all teams to be at the venue by 14:00hrs to ensure that there is a prompt start to the day’s proceedings.

In the opening encounter, Timehri take on the red hot Bourda Blues and this clash promises end to end action.

Timehri will be led by Owen Denny, Prince Forde and Kevin Sobers, while Deon Alfred, Lennox Cort and Marcus Wilson will spearhead the Blues quest to advance.

The Tyrone Khan led Soesdyke then match strides with Sophia and this too have the hallmark of a sizzling encounter.

Khan will be supported

Delon Lanferman

by Roger Dey, Dwayne Barker and Delon Smith, while Sophia chances of progressing will depend on the services of the Smith’s siblings Peter, Simon and Ernie.

The Charlestown versus Mocha affair is a virtual final in itself with some of the country’s top players on show.

Jamal Cozier, Devon Charles, Keiron Solomon and Jermin Junor will be the key to Charlestown’s pursuit of victory, while Dorville and Orville Stewart along with

Kevin Gordon and Rollett Smith will lead the charge for Mocha.

Another game of interest is the one between hosts Den Amstel Backstreet and De Kindren.

Delon Lanferman, Kevyn Murray and Kobe Kingston will be the players to watch for Den Amstel, while Junior Benn and Steffon Coleman will lead the attack for De Kindren.

The other fixtures are as follows: Mahaica vs Lilliendaal, Goed Fortuin vs.

Bagotsville, Pouderoyen vs.

Sara Lodge and Uitvlugt vs.

Zeelugt.

The teams will be battling for a chance to claim the John Fernandes $300,000 first prize and Prime Minister trophy along with hampers from Ricks and Sari.

The second placed team will take away the Courtney Benn sponsored $100,000, third $60,000 put up by Techno mills and fourth $40,000 donated by Ready Mix along with the respective trophies. All the (Continued on page 25)

PAGE 32

Saturday April 13,2019

Kaieteur News

Bounty Paper Towel & Solo drink hockey leagues

Stag Easter Futsal Festival

Action continue this weekend at Saints ground

Four teams to walk the plank as Round of 16 get cracking tonight

Some of the Captains along with one of the Organisers, Frank Parris (2nd right) seen after collecting the Fixtures from the round of 16, onwards.

Hikers speedy striker Sherwayne Caesar in possession against GCC. The Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) organised Bounty Paper Towel Second Division and the Solo Under-20 Division Outdoor Leagues continues this weekend with a total of 12 matches; six games each today and Sunday, in both male and female categories.

The Saints Stanislaus College (SSC) ground will play host to all the matches and the size of the Carifesta Avenue facility allows for two matches to be played simultaneously.

The feature matches today will be in the Second Division League that hits off at 16:40hrs. The unbeaten, GCC The Sequel, plays YMCA Old Fort (OF) Aces that are coming off a 1-0 loss to Saints Hockey Club

(SHC) Savages, on pitch one, while Saints Hockey Club (SHC) Shockwave will play YMCA OF Rusty on pitch two.

The first pair of games tomorrow will be in the Solo Boys’ Under-20 Division with Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) Pitbulls playing YMCA OF Generals in match one, while YMCA OF Ballerz will plays SHC Storm, both at 15:00hrs.

The under-20 girls will take to the pitch in the second pair of matches that hits off at 15:50hrs, Bingo GCC Spartans will play YMCA OF Bellas on pitch one, while Saints that pulled off a 2-1 win over defending champions GBTI GCC last weekend, will match sticks with GCC Her-Ricanes.

GFF Elite League Season 4

Early matches scheduled for tomorrow; changes due to unavailability of East Coast venues The GFF Elite League matches for tomorrow will now be held from at 14:00hrs and 16:00hrs respectively due to the hosting of the Milo School Football finals scheduled for 17:00hrs and 19:00hrs, also tomorrow.

The matches are scheduled for the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary and will see Ann’s Grove taking on Buxton United from 14:00hrs followed by home team Police against Victoria Kings from 16:00hrs.

Additionally, due to the unavailability of the Buxton Community Centre Ground, matches scheduled for Saturday April 20 have now been brought forward to Thursday, April 18 at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) Ground from 18:30hrs and 20:30hrs respectively

with Ann’s Grove coming up against Western Tigers and Buxton United aiming for full points against Fruta Conquerors.

On April 24, a double header will be played featuring Fruta Conquerors taking on Ann’s Grove from 18:30hrs and Milerock against Den Amstel at the GFC Ground, while matches scheduled for Saturday, April 27 at Victoria Community Centre Ground have now been moved to Friday, April 26 at GFC Ground when Buxton United oppose Western Tigers from 18:30hrs and Victoria Kings match skills with Fruta Conquerors in the night capper.

Clubs are competing for a chance to win the grand $Two Million Dollars, 2nd place is $1.2 Million, 3rd place $800,000 and 4th place,

$500,000.

The GFF Elite League is the highest form of competitive football played in Guyana and according to the Rules and Regulations of Season 4, the 10 clubs “will play one (1) round of football, resulting in the club acquiring the most points being declared the winner.

Match Days will feature mostly double-headers at stipulated venues on Fridays and Sundays with a few Match Days being scheduled for Saturdays.

The overall league Champion Club will be awarded an automatic qualifying spot at the CONCACAF / Caribbean Shield Championships.”

Admission to the GFF Elite League is set at $500.

It’s going to be do or die from tonight at the National Gymnasium when the roundof-16 in the Stag Easter Futsal Festival championship gets cracking at the National Gymnasium from 20:00hrs.

Setting the tone for what is anticipated to be a night of fierce battles would be North East against Young Ballers.

Leopold Street will then take to the centre of proceedings as they seek a place in the quarter finals when take match skills with Kingston from 21:00hrs.

Next up from 22:00hrs would be Back Circle and Sophia with main attraction for the night between Gaza

Squad and Sparta Boss.

Round-of-16 action will continue on Tuesday from 20:00hrs when California Square oppose Melanie followed by Future Stars against Ansa McAl; Gold is Money then comes up against Hustlers with eth night capper bringing together Bent Street and Tiger Bay. The respective winners from tonight and Tuesday evening will move on to the quarter finals which would be played next Thursday at the same venue and times. The final night of action would be contested on Saturday April 27th next.

A total of 32 teams had started the competition which was initially played on a group basis. It is now down to the business end of proceedings with a total of 1.5 Million in cash and prizes up for grabs.

The winning team will walk away with $700,000, 2nd place $300,000, 3rd place $200,000 and 4th place $100,000. The sponsors are Stag, Bakewell, Dinars Trading, Broomes Foundation, Power Producers & Distributors Inc., 94.1FM, Star Party Rentals, GuyBisco, Ground Structural and Engineering Inc. and DeSinco Trading.

Goodluck is best shot at latest GuyanaNRA Recorded Shoot The Timehri Rifle Ranges was once more on fire when the Guyana National Rifle Association (GuyanaNRA) held its latest Recorded Shoot.

Veteran marksman and the reigning National Individual champion, Ransford Goodluck turned the tables on another top shot, Lennox Braithwaite to emerge victorious in this latest face off.

Goodluck tallied 97.8 out of a possible 100 with scores of 49.4 at the 300 yards and 48.4 at the 600 yards distances. Braithwaite, who had a perfect score at the last shoot, dropped four points at the 300 yards which turned out to be detrimental, shooting 46.4.

He bounced back with a 49.3 at the 600 yards to end with a total of 95.7. However that was not enough, as Goodluck maintained the lead. Claiming the third place was Leo Romalho with a total of 95.6.

Romalho was tied with Goodluck at the 300 yards range

Ransford Goodluck. with 49.4, but the strong competition saw him dropping four points at the 600 yards to end with a score of 46.2.

Romalho edged National Fullbore Vice-Captain Dylan Fields by a single point, having tallied 94.4.

Sherwin Felicien tallied 92.4, Peter Persaud 87.2 and Lt. Col. Terrence Stuart 80.2.

The GuyanaNRA wishes to thank Mr. Harold Hopkinson who recently assisted Mr.

Lennox Braithwaite with full sponsorship of over one million dollars to attend the 150th Anniversary of the Imperial Shoot at Bisley, England.

Due to the high costs attached in attending, other shooters are finding it difficult to attend and represent the nation. We commend his company, Secure Innovations & Concepts Inc, for their timely corporate response to our call.

Kaieteur News

Saturday April 13, 2019

PAGE 33

Bakewell honours RHTY&SC, MS for being good ambassador of its brand “Bakewell is very proud and honoured to have the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, MS as a partner in our promotional efforts.

The Club and its Bakewell U n d e r- 1 7 a n d S e c o n d Division Teams have been outstanding ambassadors of the Company’s brand.

Together the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club and Bakewell have grown side by side to become the best in Guyana,” these were the words of Bakewell’s General Manager Rajin Ganga at a simple presentation ceremony to honour the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club at the Company’s head office at Tr i u m p h , E a s t C o a s t , Demerara.

The bakery giant on Wednesday last handed over a sizeable donation to Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster as a thank you gesture for the outstanding performance of the Bakewell Second Division over the last twelve months.

The team under the leadership of Kevin Sinclair won five tournaments, while the Bakewell Under-17 Te a m a l s o w o n t h e Ramnaresh Sarwan BCB Under-17 Tournament.

The Tournaments won by the Second Division Team

Govindan, Jeremy Sandia, Christopher Deroop, Keith Simpson and Sylus Tyndall.

Ganga noted that Bakewell is now a household name in Berbice because of the outstanding performance of the two teams over the last nineteen years and he predicted that the very successful relationship would continue in the future.

Foster, who is also President of the Berbice Cricket Board, stated that the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club is humbled to be recognised by Bakewell as a good brand ambassador.

The remarkable success of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, MS over the years has been due to the reliable support of Bakewell.

The Members of the Team would be specially honoured for their

RHTYSC Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster receives the donation from Natasha Bhikari of Bakewell.

were Nasir Memorial, Rhonda Lewis Memorial 20/20, Raffik Construction 100 Balls, New Building Society 40-Overs and Magic Moments 20/20.

Additionally, the two teams

under took dozens of personal development programmes under the name of the sponsorship.

The two teams also produced several National and Berbice Players in 2018

and 2019 including Matthew Pottaya, Mahendra Gopilall, Jonathan Rampersaud, Kevin Sinclair, Kevlon Anderson, Junior Sinclair, Shemaine Campbelle, Erva Giddings, Chanderpaul

outstanding performances at the Club’s 29th Award Ceremony on Sunday 12th May, 2019, at the St. Francis Community Centre.

The Award Ceremony was scheduled for the 28th April, 2019, but a fire in the Club’s storage bond forced a two weeks postponement.

Asst Secretary/CEO Simon Naidu expressed gratitude to Ganga, CEO Mrs. Nasisr and Secretary Natasha Bhikari for their continued confidence in the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club and disclosed that all Members of both teams felt privileged to represent the Bakewell brand.

The Bakewell Second Division team in 2019 is being captained by Kevin Sinclair, while Jonathan Rampersaud would lead the Under-17 team.

t r o Sp

AMCHAM’s Inaugural Open Golf Tournament set for today at Lusignan

From left LGC President Aleem Hussain, Imon Cummings, Amcham President Zulfikor Alli, Saskia Wyngaard of Red Entertainment and local Golfer & Amchan representative Richard Hanif. (Sean Devers photo)

Bartica Easter Regatta Volleyball

Top Form waltz into final, will play Ruff Necks on Easter Sunday at Golden Beach Action in the Bartica Easter Regatta Volleyball tournament at the Bartica Community Centre Volleyball Court.

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