Friday April 28, 2017
THE AFC BETRAYED THEIR SUPPORTERS DEAR EDITOR, The AFC is destined to be the party in Guyana with the greatest meteoric rise and fall. And to think that they had the objective, intelligent, independent voters eating out of their hands. The AFC – when once it finds the objective fortitude – will look back and admit that their cuddling with the PNC was the worst possible thing they could have done. Not that the Accord was in itself a deathnail to the AFC but the way the party behaved since agreeing to the Accord, is what has killed them. Imagine that they voted to side with the PNC on this latest budget, when they knew that it would negatively affect the fledging middleclass in Guyana. They approved a budget that imposed austere measures on the very group of people that the AFC needs to support them. And it was not even as if the tax impositions were necessary. There was no reason to tax water and light and the AFC should have objected to that, just like the PNC objected to raising the electrical tariffs on Linden, during the PPP days. Why I say that the tax on electricity and water are
austere, is because we all know that the companies will pass those taxes right along to the consumers. So what AFC agreed to by supporting the PNC taxes, is a double and triple taxation on the citizens of Guyana. The question the AFC needs to ask is this. Has the average Guyanese seen any benefits from the reduction of VAT from 16% to 14%? And the answer is a resounding “NO!” In fact, all the basic commodities have gone up in price. The venders and business owners have simply added a 20% increase on all their items and simply tell the consumers that the disproportional increases are because of VAT. The AFC seems to have forgotten who put them there (as an independent party). We all know that the PNC is a political leopard; unable to change her spots, so no one really expected any kind of prolonged, nationalistic and patriotic change from them. When the PNC folks doubled their salaries, Moses Nagamootoo and the AFC said that they were opposed to it. However, Mr. Nagamootoo was mostly silent on the matter, even in the face of seismic public outcry. He remained silent
until he could keep it in no longer and he embarrassed himself publicly in Parliament, by accusing the PPP of living on fat-cat salaries, when they were in power. When the PNC added VAT to education, Moses Nagamootoo and the AFC were again not in favor of it but they again remained silent. Now that the electoral earth is showing signs of shifting, the AFC is now belatedly, pretending to have found their voice. All of a sudden they want a review of the VAT on the minds of our Guyanese children. They did the very same thing with the parking meter saga. They allowed the PNCites to virtually gut Deputy Mayor, Mr. Duncan; calling him all kinds of names and wising the worse for him. Then when the winds of opposition to the parking meter became gale force, the AFC pretended that Mr. Duncan was always their horse in the race. There is yet another storm brewing. The AFC bigwigs, Khemraj, Nigel, Patterson and several of the rank and file members have publically stated that there should be a review of the draconian sentencing of our youths (Continued on page 6)
High Ranking officials are involved in the wrong-doing. If Mr. Jagdeo truly wants gold scandal anyThis is a courageous to be seen as committed to DEAR EDITOR; I am glad to see that Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo in relation to the current Gold Board probe is taking the position that the chips should be allowed to fall where they may (Kaieteur News, April 25, 2017).High ranking officials are implicated in this alleged gold racket which is costing the treasury large sums of money. The CEO of the Gold Board is the daughter of his political colleague and former President, Mr. Donald Ramotar. She gave a statement to SOCU denying
position that Mr. Jagdeo is adopting and if he keeps up with this kind of principled actions, it can bring huge dividends for him in the year 2020. Mr. Jagdeo is alleging that Ministers of the government are also implicated in this racket and he is calling for investigative journalism to uncover this. Mr. Jagdeo cannot be unaware of the $40 billion that was deposited in the banking system in late 2016 and which when questioned in December 2016 by the media, was denied by Central Bank Governor, Ganga.
stamping out corruption and reforming the rotten financial system, then he should step forward and add his voice calling for investigations into which commercial banks facilitated this kind of massive money laundering activity. He can of course say that this is not his responsibility but then again he wants the public to believe that if elected again to high office, that he will not protect the wealthy that are guilty of wrongdoing. As the saying goes, what’s good for the goose, should be good for the gander.” Mike Persaud
Improper boats endanger lives on... From page 4 disembarkation facilities. From experience, the Supenaam crossing is the worst of all. The touts and other loafers at Supenaam are another hazard to safe travel. Those who are employed on these passengers vessels, care little for passengers comfort, safety and dignity. They are basically discourteous, uncouth and most times un-helpful to the weary and scared travellers. Safety vests used on all the routes need regular inspection for their usefulness. Eighteen persons sit in such craft for the journey from Parika to
PAGE 5
Kaieteur News
Supenaam, along with much luggage. The boat itself may not be more than eighteen feet long. Its depth is about one foot and about four to five feet wide. This size of craft must be replaced by the Regulation size vessel. The vessels plying the Essequibo River routes must be upgraded to Regulation dimensions complete with safety features now. Much time has
passed for the owners of these crafts to be compliant with the basic requirement of the Standards set by T&HD Hafiz Rahman RURAL PEOPLE
These young athletes must make full use of this opportunity DEAR EDITOR, Guyana’s exceptional performances and achievements at the recently held Carifta Games in Curacao must be lauded. The team of young athletes has made us proud. Likewise, Government must be commended for its unprecedented initiative of providing scholarships for the successful Carifta Games
team. This augurs well for the future and can serve as an inspiration for up and coming athletes. It is hoped that these young people would not squander this opportunity, but would make full use of the scholarships while at the same time enhancing and furthering their athletic abilities. Maybe someday in the not too distant
future these athletes will be in the Guyana contingent to a Commonwealth Games meet or ultimately the Olympics. Congratulations and continued successes to the Carifta team and all who worked to ensure success. It is important for all to remember this is not the end but rather just the beginning. Shamshun Mohamed
Stupid comment from Mr. Morrison, the REO of Region 5 DEAR EDITOR, I have been following this story in both Kaieteur News, and on the internet, and what strikes me most is the lack of understanding, among those who have expressed an opinion on this issue, about the nature of drug addiction (or if you want to be “nice”, drug dependence). I do not know why this lady started taking the drug, Pethidine; but it is a useful painkiller, often administered to ease labor pains in mothers. However it is also an opioid, that is, a synthetic drug that contains the pain killing chemicals found in opium. And like opium, it is addictive. I suspect, from all that I have read, that the lady has become addicted (dependent) on Pethidine. Now there are two responses that I have seen, neither of which is particularly helpful. On the one hand there are those who c o n d e m n t h e lady. Yes, it is wrong to use o n e ’s p o s i t i o n t o g a i n access to a drug. But it is the nature of drug dependency that the dependent person will do whatever it takes to get a “fix”. But the term “drug addiction” has a pejorative meaning, because a number of addictive drugs are illegal, and can incur jail sentences. Such drugs include, heroin, opium, marijuana, although not alcohol or nicotine which are also addictive. And
here is the problem. Legal painkillers, prescribed by a physician, can also be addictive. People who become addicted to these drugs are often reluctant to admit to addiction, because of the negative connotations of that term. They are therefore reluctant to seek the help they need. On the other hand there are those, many of her political allies, who are equally reluctant to admit that there is a problem that needs to be tackled. There is a letter from the head of the regional office criticizing the nurse who spoke about the problem, because, it was said, she is not a doctor and does not prescribe medications. That was perhaps the most stupid comment on the aff a i r. The nurse, according to news reports, is a midwife. If she is worthy of that position she must know the accepted maximum dose of the drugs she uses (I did mention that it is used to ease labor pains, did I not?). I am neither a doctor nor a nurse, just a reasonably intelligent person who did a Google search for “Pethidine” and found a wealth of information about the drug. Surely the head of a regional authority could do the same before making a comment like that? Then there are those,
many, it seems, her political allies, who say they will not abandon her because she is a good worker. That is surely not the point. No one should abandon her, not because she is, or is not, a good worker, but because she needs help from her friends. This leads me to another comment from a “friend” who said that he/ she knew of the lady’s dependency for some time but had apparently done nothing so far, because to cut her off from the drug could lead her to commit suicide. This “friend” seems not to know the difference between cutting off from a drug and seeking treatment and encouraging the addicted individual to undergo counseling and treatment for drug addiction - which is what she needs. For all those who would condemn this lady as well as those who would deny that there is a problem, may I point out that drug dependency, especially opioid, is a wellknown negative associated with these pain killers, useful though they may be. Betty Ford, the wife of former President Gerald Ford, became addicted to painkillers, and underwent treatment for it. Michael Jackson died of an overdose of a painkiller that he had been prescribed for chronic back pain. Which of these two solutions do those who call themselves her friends prefer? Pat Robinson
PAGE 6
Friday April 28, 2017
Kaieteur News
Justice Holder’s request for an apology from the AG is infamy DEAR EDITOR, The Attorney General is the custodian and guardian of our national patrimony (both land and chattle assets, excepting where statute e.g the lands Department Act Cap 59:01; State Lands Act Cap 62:01 vests such custodianship in the President). Anil Nandlall knows this. Or, he ought to know. He was the AG during the Ramotar presidency. And yet, from that former AG there has been a repertoire of angst against the (incumbent) Attorney General, Basil Williams, S.C – inter alia from allegations about death threats to a judge; to now, a $125M libel action, that begs the question: why? Be that as it may, I argue for a shift of
focus; to President Granger and the Executive power of Pardon; and the Attorney General’s proactivity or activism (or lack of) as regards his constitutional role and duty as custodian of our national patrimony (State’s assets). First, here are my arguments in justification of a pardon. The “Attorney General of Guyana who shall be the principal legal adviser to the government of Guyana…” (article 112 of the Constitution) is threatened by Justice Holder with nonaccess to his court. The public is well aware of this standoff; a constitutional crisis is in gestation. In a previous letter (“The AG is not guilty of contempt”,
Monday, April 3, 2017) I warned of the engendering of a “constitutional crisis” and posited that “the Indians are circling the wagon,” (using an American historical metaphor) (see also a serialized publication by Kaieteur News under Captions – “was the judge unfair to the Attorney General” – “Tuesday April 04; “An Attorney General must be shown and given respect by the Bench” – Wednesday April 05; and “Anil Nandlall is scandalizing the Attorney General” – Saturday, April 08). Ralph Ramkarran, SC. has now veiled manner written of “… a penalty as severe as disbarment” – “Drama in court” SN, Sunday, April 02; Dr. Luncheon too is circling
the wagon (“Luncheon on the politics of the APNU+AFC government” – KN Thursday 13; “Double standards” – SN April 13). And of course, circling too are the Joshua Singhs (KN, Tuesday, April 18 under caption “An Appeal to President Granger for a Cabinet reshuffle”) The prime target is, of course, the Attorney General. So, you may wonder why the President has not invoked his presidential power of pardon to abort this unwanted constitutional crisis that is in gestation. It cannot be in the public interest for it to come to full term and delivery (to use a medical analogy). This has nothing to do with
The Coalition will lose in 2020 because it is like the PPP DEAREDITOR, This Coalition went into Office on a lie and motivated by much political spite. After continuing the PPP’s efforts to confound the sugar industry by moving to prematurely close some of its sugar estates, the government is now trying to create the impression of saving it by belatedly approaching external expertise. The question is, what can you expect from them after they just about destroyed the sugar industry in the first place? Let’s see. The Minister of the Presidency probably stands as the only minister in the current administration who seems to be managing his portfolio in a capable manner. He will unfortunately watch his government fail because of the incompetence of the very ministers under him. This is the practice of PNC “lackeyism” over which he very probably has no control. Times have changed
Mr. Harmon. After 32 years Guyanese are now ahead by a generation of education. ‘Not to be fooled by ministerial/political incompetents’ was the major course completed. Carrying the protest on education VAT to the AFC is the right thing in principle, but it’s barking up the wrong tree. Although the AFC was supposed to be the political balance, the real steam has to be carried at the place of origination and baptism of this nonsense Finance and Congress Place. I still am amazed that we have bought into VAT on water and electricity. The perennial ruckus over that the GPSU with Yarde’s persistent hold on power in the GPSU over the years says that something very wrong going on at this organization. His own ineffectiveness is clear enough indication that the GPSU needs new leadership... Caught in the vice of its own incompetence, the Coalitiion is
now carrying out personal vendettas against the PPP. This is the kind of limited capacity that is a part of the Coalition we had been hoping against hope would deliver the change needed. The Coalition isn’t interested in doing what was supposed to have been done... They’re creating political fodder to mask their gross incompetence across all the functional areas of government. You name it health education, finance, municipalities, natural resources - this is no joke, but a serious indictment of the performance of the Coalition, and is a precursor to what we can expect in the remainder of its term. Guyanese have to prepare for the long haul into 2020. If the Coalition leaders aren’t going to recall the 2017 budget, they’re going to continue to wreck havoc on the economy to maintain political control.
An Appeal to Government to help this Indigenous pensioner DEAR EDITOR, Please publish this letter which relates to the nonrepresentation from senior government officials on behalf of the disadvantaged. This is in relation to Mr. Hubert Cramer, an Amerindian who for over thirteen years is seeking his NIS old age benefits without
success. Amerindians expect to be fully represented through their elected political and community leaders. Politically, Amerindians expect representation from the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs headed by two Amerindian Ministers along with several Amerindian Members Of Parliament, one a former Minister of the then Ministry of Amerindian Affairs. All these esteem officials are aware of Mr. CramerSeon’s dilemma through your media and have failed to
represent him allowing overshadowing of the incompetent and compromised administration of NIS. Are these esteeming Amerindians really representatives of their people? These esteem people are caretakers for themselves, happy with their portfolio, adore the limelight given, ignore the depressed. Mr. Editor, I hope this letter will prick the conscience of those mentioned. But will it? Let’s wait and see. Thanking you. Sidney King (Seba, Mazaruni)
The recent declarations by two of our major commercial banks only underline what has already being pointed out in the public domain - the economy has slowed down. People cut down on their consumption patterns by the end of 2016, and the VAT in the 2017 budget is continuing to shrink their appetite. We can be sure that businesses took a beating this first half.. Will it improve in the second? We can expect a kick at Christmas time and maybe some spending in August, but that’s it. And the Finance Minister can go abroad and curse the private sector for not taking more risks. The things you can say on a podium! Well Mr.Granger can keep that man right there. Don’t let himloose.Thisadministrationisvery well destined to be booted in 2020. And there’s nothing to be done about it because, unfortunately, the politics of the PNC, like the PPP, happens to be the problem… Lance Cumberbatch
independence of the judiciary. Independence of the Judiciary is no license for judicial overreach. And besides, the Constitution itself gives the power to be used at any point in the process: prior DURING or after judicial process. Mr. President you are aware of Justice Holder’s infamous demand for an apology. So, I say with humility to President Granger: Mr. President be like Portia, dispense Portian justice, (as in Shakespeare’s – The Merchant of Venice), render that demand nugatory; grant the Attorney General of Guyana a free PARDON. Frustrate the Shyloks. Mr President, here is your authority: Article 188(1)(a) provides “The President may grant to any person concerned in… any offence under the law of Guyana, a pardon, either free or subject to lawful conditions”. A pardon here would not amount to some tacit admission of guilt of the offence of contempt. The words “concerned in” embraces situations, as the present one, of there being no charge, but yet imputation, and insinuations and the like of an offence from the Judge’s demand; and of course the mischief of the Joshua Singhs in inciting disrepute for the Attorney General. The infamy of an apology (I will shortly explain this infamy) hangs over the Attorney General’s head like the sword of Damocles. Here is my explanation of the infamy. It serves to enhance the justification for a pardon. The full text of Justice Holder’s demand for an apology is now public knowledge. It is quoted in
Ralph Ramkarran’s column “Drama in Court”. In the judges words: “I am not prepared to sit and hear Mr. Williams as an Attorney – at – law in any matter whatsoever, unless he makes a genuine and meaningful apology to my satisfaction, in open court, both to me and to members of the bar since they too were scandalized by his despicable conduct” (emphasis all mine). This is infamy. This is nothing but naked judicial bullyism. And, against an Attorney General. What has he done to deserve this ignominy of remorse by apology under duress? And besides, is an Attorney General just a mere “Attorney – at – law”? Not at all. He is sui generis. And by, “members of the Bar”, I take the Judge to mean (as he only could have meant) those Junior Counsels present in court during that business s e s s i o n , m o st notably among them, Anil Nandlall who, with an accustomed degree of belligerence, is an unrelenting confessed public nemesis of the Attorney General! Such an apology appears to me, to be appeasing, an unapologetic junior Counsel – Anil Nandlall. Has this junior Counsel been demanded by the Judge to issue an open court apology to the Attorney General, as head of the Bar, for his notorious public “despicable” allegations made against the Attorney General. No. But, that is not all. You may wonder: is the true constitutional significance and status of an Attorney General beyond comprehension of this Judge? Maxwell E. Edwards Attorney-at-Law
THE AFC BETRAYED THEIR SUPPORTERS From page 5 for usage and possession of marijuana. The United Republican Party (URP) thinks that it is a commonsensical suggestion. A reduction in the arbitrary legislated sentencing of young people – mostly Black boys – will have a number of positive spinoffs. The courts will deal with the matters in a more timely manner, therefore they will reduce their backlogs. The prisons will have fewer inmates, thereby reducing their overcrowding. More particularly, those caught offending can be handed non-custodial sentences and diverted to counseling and remedial substance abuse programs. The government can then offer a stipend to the
counseling centers, which would amount to much less than it is costing to house and feed these individuals in our penal institutions. This is also the posture of several other developed and developing countries. However, we know the default leader of the country, Mr. Joseph Harmon, saying that there will be no easing of the penalties for those caught with even miniscule amounts of ganja. He is quoted as saying that this is not the priority of the Government. Has Mr. Harmon forgotten that the Cummingsburg Accord states that the AFC is a part of the Guyana Government? As yet, there is not a whisper from the AFC camp on one of the few legislations that they have crafted.
Please note that the URP is not suggesting a decriminalization of marijuana. What we are suggesting is that there should be a review of the sentencing guidelines for those held with negligible amounts of weed. There must me some common ground. Editor, I bet you that when the picketing starts and the country comes out in favor of commonsense marijuana legislation, that the AFC will then find their voice. My hope, therefore, is that now that the URP has pointed this out, the AFC will address it, ahead of the national furor. Let’s see if they have the capacity to be politically proactive. Dr. Vishnu Bandhu Leader, URP
Friday April 28, 2017
PAGE 7
Kaieteur News
Deeds Registrar is innocent State contracts... Govt. admits deficiencies - Attorney with engineers’ estimates
The Registrar of the Deeds and Commercial Registries Authority, Azeena Baksh who has been accused of corrupt practices has retained Nigel Hughes as her legal representative. Baksh is being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Guyana Police Force. It was the Ministry of Legal Affairs that put the matter in the hands of the police. The Ministry said that staff of the Deeds Registry “called upon the Ministry of Legal Affairs to investigate their complaints of alleged financial improprieties” committed by Baksh. According to the Ministry, the Human Resource and Accounting Departments have claimed that as Head of the Budget Agency and sole person in authority to approve and sign off the payroll of the Deeds and Commercial Registries Authority and one of the main signatories on the Authority’s Bank Account, the Registrar unlawfully paid herself gratuity. It is alleged that she did this well knowing that she was a pensionable employee having been appointed by the Judicial Services Commission (JSC). “Registrar Baksh further unlawfully paid herself a higher salary than was approved by the JSC.” Legal Affairs stated that the Deeds Registry officers have disclosed that these payments started since 2014 and continued up to the present. The payments amount to some $4.5M. The Deeds Registry has also laid over with the Ministry of Legal Affairs documents purporting that Baksh “out of revenue due, owing and payable to the Authority in or around the sum of $8.5M, unlawfully waived the sum of $7M upon the request of an Attorneyat-Law, who paid only the sum of $1.5M. Yesterday Hughes sought to defend his client through the media. Via a public missive, Hughes said that in 2013, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Cabinet took a decision that all staff of the Deeds Registry who opted to transfer of the Deeds and Commercial Registry would be paid severance and would be offered gratuity. The lawyer said that pursuant to the issuance of the cabinet memo, the staff of the Deeds and Commercial Registry were written to by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Legal Affairs in 2014 providing them with two options; either refuse the
Deeds Registrar, Azeena Baksh
Attorney Nigel Hughes
offer of employment with the Deeds and Commercial registry and be transferred to another Government Ministry of Department or accept employment with the Deeds and Commercial registry and receive severance under the termination and severance Act. Hughes said that Baksh accepted the offer of employment with the Deeds and Commercial Registry and was paid severance in keeping with the offer from the Permanent Secretary of Legal Affairs. He noted that the payment of salaries for the staff of the Deeds Registry is prepared by the Human Resources Department and submitted to the Finance department for disbursement of salaries. Hughes was keen to note, “Ms Baksh does not have the authority to direct the Human Resources Department or the Finance Department, to make any payment of salaries; these Departments report to the Governing Board of the Deeds and Commercial Registries Authority, nor has she ever authorized the Human Resources Department to place any member of the Deeds and Commercial Registry on the payroll.”
Hughes said that on Tuesday last, Baksh, on the invitation of the head of the fraud department of the CID, attended an interview at which an allegation that she had wrongfully authorized the payment of her own salary on a contract basis when she was still a member of the permanent establishment was made. Hughes said that Baksh denied the allegation and undertook to provide the police with all the documentation related to the Cabinet decision, the offer of severance and the payment of her salary. Hughes said that on Wednesday last, Baksh returned to the CID HQ where she provided the police with copies of the Cabinet memo, the offer from the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Legal affairs and other pertinent documents. Hughes said that no allegation of any waiver of fees or waiver of any monies due to the Registry or the government was ever put to Baksh during the interviews with the Police. “Ms Baksh strenuously denies the allegations and will continue to provide the Guyana Police Force with all the documentation and other material to confirm her innocence.”
The APNU+AFC administration is aware of the deficiencies with the estimates being produced by engineers attached to government agencies and ministries, and is working to address same. This was the assertion of State Minister Joseph Harmon at the government’s weekly post-Cabinet Press Briefing held at the Ministry of Presidency, Georgetown yesterday. Harmon, in responding to questions posed by Kaieteur News, used the opportunity to call on the Guyana Association of Professional Engineers (GAPE) to revisit several aspects that deal with engineers’ competency. He requested that the association “address the matter so that the public can have confidence in the estimates which these engineers provide,” “The Ministry of Public Infrastructure, I know...they are looking at the issue very carefully...Because in awarding contracts, we’re actually seeing where the deficiencies lie.” Harmon’s remarks would come one day after this publication carried an article captioned, “Red Flags raised over Government engineers’ estimates” which entailed concerns raised by contractors over the
competence of government engineers in preparing estimates for state projects. It was contended that all was not right with the Engineers’ Estimates which on many occasions, were way above what contractors were bidding. This was never more evident than last Tuesday, during the opening of tenders for several Governmentfunded projects, where contractors submitted bids – in some cases, millions of dollars below the announced Engineers’ Estimates. One contractor had explained that if contractors consistently bid way below the engineer’s estimate, it signals that works can be done at a cheaper cost. It can further be deduced that the engineers’ estimates are not a true reflection of the cost to carry out a project. There have also been known cases in the past where the engineers’ estimates were being deliberately ‘inflated’. Another contractor said, “The engineers are supposed to be looking out for the State’s interest to ensure that we don’t pay contractors way above (what) we can afford. It creates an impression that these engineers are incompetent or worse yet, corrupt,” He added that the “exorbitant” engineers’
State Minister, Joseph Harmon estimates make it difficult for contractors to compete. Minister Harmon added another dimension when he spoke about “the fact” that some contractors request extensions. “The fact that you now have to (request) extensions, and all of these things, speak to.. in very many cases, the competency of the engineer’s estimate which started the project in the first place. So that is a matter which as a Government, we’ve taken on board.” Harmon said.
A mini health check is the first step to donating blood
PAGE 8
Friday April 28, 2017
Kaieteur News
‘Two Colours’ murder trial…
Sufficient evidence to convict accused for murder - State Prosecutor tells court State Prosecutor Tamieka Clarke submitted yesterday that sufficient evidence has been produced to the court to convict the two men accused of killing cosmetologist, Ashmini Harriram, for murder. Lennox Wayne called “Two Colours,” and Melroy Doris, are on trial for the murder which occurred on July 10, 2014. Harriram was shot once to her neck moments after she disembarked a minibus along the Lusignan Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara. On the day of the incident, the shooter reportedly exited a burgundy-coloured motor car, whipped out a gun and shot the teen then took away her mobile phone and left the scene. Wayne and Doris, a taxi driver, were subsequently arrested and charged with the murder. Their trial is ongoing before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow at the Georgetown High Court. During her closing address to the jury yesterday, Clarke waded into the arguments of the defence in relation the murder. Clarke noted that the defence had contended that the number one accused, Wayne, had marks of violence about his arms and body, purportedly inflicted during a police interrogation at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court, but the accused has no scars to support this argument. Clarke pointed out that
Wayne had worn a short sleeve shirt during the trial, but there were no visible scars on his arms. “Surely the marks would have still been visible,” Clarke added. The Prosecutor further stated while the defence had claimed that police officer Rodwell Sarrabo admitted that Wayne had no injuries when he left Criminal Investigation Department, (CID) “Sarrabo never said that; he said he could not recall whether he (Wayne) had any injuries”. Clarke then asked the jury to disregard the theory put forward by Wayne that he was arrested and charged with the murder after the police found out he had filtered information about a few officers in relation to a similar investigation. She noted rather that Wayne had supplied the information eight months after he was in custody. Clarke said it is her view that he decided to squeal on the officers to possibly get a deal, given that he was already in jail for the murder of Harriram. “He didn’t go to the police with this information, he went to the media first and then the police contacted him afterwards. This was eight months after his arrest. He was already in jail,” the Prosecutor said. In relation to the number two accused, Clarke emphasised that based on the evidence, he should not be looked at as just a simple taxi
Ashmini Harriram
Lennox Wayne called Two Colours
Melroy Doris
driver, but as the driver of the getaway vehicle that transported Wayne, to and from the scene of the crime. “He waited until the act was committed before taking Mr Wayne away from the scene of the shooting. Mr Doris is a facilitator of the murder. Had he not facilitated the act, Ms Harriram would still be alive.” Clarke was rebutting the statements of Attorney Stanley Moore. Moore had previously claimed that his client (Doris) was just a
simple taxi driver that found himself in a predicament. Similarly, Defence Counsel Nigel Hughes told the jury that there were no eyewitnesses who identified his client (Wayne) as the shooter. Hughes pointed out, too, that there was no investigation to resolve the inconsistencies contained in the statements attributed to the two accused. The lawyer suggested this was not done because the statements were concocted. Earlier in the trial, the court
accepted a caution statement taken from Wayne. According to the statement, Wayne had admitted to going to Lusignan and shooting the cosmetologist. The statement read by Police Detective Lakeram Datt outlined that Wayne told detectives, however, that he was contracted to do the job. According to the information, Wayne disclosed that he met Doris on the day of the incident, at Bent Street, in Georgetown. During their meeting, Wayne
said that Doris told him of a job that he has for him and that he would be paid $2.5 million when it is completed. Wayne purportedly told the cops that Doris pulled out a black handgun and gave it to him and told him that he had to bump off a girl. The two later left the city for Lusignan Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara. While there, they waited in the motorcar. Sometime after they saw two females emerge from a minibus. Doris then pointed out the target to Wayne. The statement outlined that the accused told the officers that she was “a fine Indian girl.” According to the statement, Wayne is said to have jumped out of the motorcar, pointed the gun at the head of the victim before shooting her. The accused then grabbed the mortally wounded woman’s cell phone, jumped back into the motorcar and sped off. Wayne is said to have never received payment for “the job.”
GTT, Digicel attribute poor quality service to upgrade efforts Over the past few weeks, Kaieteur News has been receiving complaints about poor quality service being experienced by customers of both Digicel and the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT). Contacted by this newspaper, the two companies admitted that they were experiencing some technical glitches that have resulted in poor mobile data connection, and dropped calls. According to Digicel, the interruptions to its services come as the result of “scheduled repairs to the undersea Americas II Cable, North of St. Croix.” The company said that the repairs may affect DSL speeds from April 28 – April 29, starting at 10:00hrs. Digicel’s Public Relations Officer, Vidya Sanichara said
that efforts are being made to ensure that the repairs are done in a time effective manner. “We sincerely apologise for these recent interruptions, and we are working to have the upgrades completed in the shortest possible time,” Sanichara said. Similarly, GTT is also attributing its service interruptions to system upgrades as well. But this is mostly affecting landline services. The company said that it is working to apply the latest generation of networking technologies and equipment to its broadband network, to provide faster speeds, more capacity and enhanced network reliability. “GTT is partnering with General Data Tech (GDT), a leading systems integrator
and tier 1 Cisco partner to upgrade systems and architecture to a level consistent with the best practices of leading global service providers around the world,” the company noted in a statement. In addition to more efficient services, GTT noted that it will also be able to more
effectively manage aggressive traffic growth scenarios for many years to come. “GDT is an award-winning technology integration partner with expertise in the delivery of enterprise network, collaboration, mobility, and data centre (Continued on page 28)
Friday April 28, 2017
PAGE 9
Kaieteur News
Shut it down! One of the disappointing features of the APNU+AFC government’s policies since it came into office has been its failure to abolish the duty free concessions on vehicles that are granted to remigrants. The coalition government came into office, flush in the knowledge that this was one of the most abused schemes in the country, one that is fraught with massive corruption. It was disappointing that it has done nothing to amend or to abolish this scheme, given the many problems to which the scheme has been subjected. Simply put, the scheme allows Guyanese who would have lived overseas continuously for a specified period, I believe it is four
years, to enjoy a duty free concession on a vehicle which they would have owned for a period of at least six months prior to remigration. What has happened is that persons in Guyana who wish to drive luxury vehicles have had their Guyanese friends and relatives purchase these vehicles, then come to Guyana and claim remigration status. The vehicles come into the country and are registered in the name of the importers, but for all intents and purposes, are used by other persons, something which is not prohibited by law. The importers then go back overseas, only to return to Guyana when the vehicle
has to be re-registered, again which is not against the law. The GRA does not have the capacity nor should it ever be burdened with having to monitor a scheme of this nature. It is just unnecessary. The new government should have abolished the scheme. The PNCR cannot be unaware of the problems associated with this scheme, because it was the PNC which invented this scheme and, under Burnham, had run into problems with it. It was also the PNC government which had been forced to shut it down. It is surprising that for a government seeking to plug taxation loopholes that this is the one area which was not
$58.5M living quarters to be constructed at Mazaruni Prison - Will house long-term prisoners from Camp St. Contracts in the sum of $58,558,000 were awarded to contractors to construct living quarters at the Mazaruni Prisons, Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni). Making this announcement yesterday at the post-Cabinet Press Briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency was State Minister, Joseph Harmon. “For the construction of living quarters at Mazaruni Prisons, Ministry of Public Security – Lot One, a contract in the sum of $28,141,000 was awarded to A. Nazier and Sons Contracting; Lot Two, in sum of $30,447,000,
a contract awarded to R. Kissoon Contracting Services.” Harmon said that the intention is to provide accommodation for some of the longterm prisoners that will be transferred from the Georgetown (Camp Street) Prisons to the Mazaruni facility. Harmon could not provide the entire scope of works or the dimensions of the structures. He however noted that the aforementioned sums will also include providing a ‘proper fence’ for the entire 20 acres that the prison (Continued on page 10)
GRA extends city tax sites to Tuesday The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has extended two city tax sites to Tuesday. The agency, overwhelmed with lastminute rushes at its office in time for the April 30th deadline, disclosed yesterday that the two sites are at the City Mall, Camp Street and Guyana Post Office Corporation, North Road. The openings of the sites would exclude the weekend and Labour Day on Monday. “Additionally, in an effort to facilitate
taxpayers, Tax Sites established at both locations will close at 17:00hours (5:00pm) on Friday April 28, 2017 (today),” the entity said in its Facebook site. On Tuesday, the tax sites will come to a close at 16:00hrs (4:00pm). GRA disclosed that all of its regional offices will be facilitating the submission of returns during normal working hours - inclusive of tomorrow Saturday April 29 and Sunday April 30, 2017 (08:30hours to 16:30hours).
closed. It says a lot about the mindset of the new administration and its priorities. Now that the scheme has once again come into the limelight, it is time for the President himself to intervene and put an end to it. There are a number of grounds why this should be done. For one, the scheme, as mentioned before, is a legal loophole which allows persons to avoid paying taxes on luxury vehicles. Second, a strong and compelling argument has been made that the scheme discriminates against Guyanese who opted to stay at home and develop the country. The scheme is enjoyed by persons who would have migrated. It is not granted to
those who remained here. Also, Guyanese living here have to pay taxes on vehicles which they purchase here. But remigrants are allowed a tax break on their vehicles. Third, there are alternative ways of helping people to remigrate. The government does not have to grant duty free concessions. The persons can be encouraged to sell their vehicles overseas and to use the proceeds to buy a vehicle in Guyana. Fourth, even if the government is disinclined to withdraw altogether the concessions, it should remove it entirely on luxury vehicles. Those returning home can be offered concessions on smaller engine vehicles. Fifth, it is time that some
assessment is done on the contributions of remigrants to the economic development. There is no real study as to how many of them have brought specially needed skills to the country. A study of this sort can perhaps help the government to develop a remigration scheme that is restricted to only persons having certain skills which are in demand, but which are not available in Guyana.
PAGE 10
Friday April 28, 2017
Kaieteur News
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
My dog’s Danish and the economy The people of Guyana should be grateful to the government. What for? Two reasons. The tax threshold has increased, benefitting the working people. So the low income folks would have more take-home pay. Secondly, VAT has been reduced to 14 percent. Well if citizens ought to be grateful for these two swashbuckling acts of generosity, this columnist here is not one of them. Many things in the last budget have militated against these two generosities.
Many taxes have gone up; on the list is the price for vehicle road licences. It is VAT on electricity that is the big monster. My bill has gone up, but so have the things people sell who have to pay more for electricity. This is where the two generosities have been dissolved. The government is lying to the nation if it says that it does not know that prices for almost everything have gone up. The thing is commonsensical – businesses that have to pay VAT on electricity are going
to pass it on. Here are just two examples of whopping price increases. One day two years ago, I had my dog in the car and there were many bags of sweet pastries on the front seat. The dog kept staring at those sweet cakes non-stop. So I pulled over, chose a box at random and fed her. It was Danish. There were four in the box and she had two of them. When we went home, she ate a third. It was then that I knew my dog loved Danish. For the past two years I have been buying Danish for her. There
are four in the box, and it was being sold at $442 VAT inclusive. After the budget with VAT on electricity that box is now $692. Believe it. That is the new price. My wife’s favourite cereal is Post. Post has a wide variety, one of which is with pecans. That type, we have been buying for years now. It was $995 a box. Since VAT on electricity it is now $1505. The explanation is simple. The retail trade has passed the 14% VAT on electricity to the customers. I challenge anyone in this entire country to tell me they know about food prices in the supermarket more than I do. A simple telephone call to the four big supermarkets on Sheriff Street – DSL, Survival, Budget and Nirva - would reveal that I am in those places almost four times a week. All those workers know me. All the security personnel know me and my dog, because they normally keep an eye on her when I am shopping. I can say in unambiguous language, almost all of the products I buy as an upper, working class man have gone up in price since the last
budget. You take a large supermarket that we know on Sheriff Street and look at the type of operation it has, and you must know that its owner’s electricity bill would have swollen substantially because of VAT. They will not absorb that cost. It is the consumers that will carry the burden. The average person out there has complained to me bitterly that the government gave with one hand and took back with the other in the last budget. My honest opinion is that it has. And how do I know this? Because I shop every day; and I mean every day. VAT on private tuition has further complicated life for the working families. Then UG has gone and raised fees. I do not think I have publicized my views consistently on these two measures. I have participated in most of the picketing exercises against the parking meters, but I haven’t joined the demonstration against VAT on private tuition. I hope to do so soon. I did turn up at the picket outside the AFC office, but it was already finished. I did speak to the
Frederick Kissoon leader of the exercise to offer my support. I cannot accept the increase in fees for UG students. I will always remember the generosity of Brian Rodway of the Working People’s Alliance. When I began UG, fees were required. I applied, got in, but found it difficult to raise the fee. Brian gave me half. I was a student then a lecturer at UG. I know there are substantial numbers of students who were in my position when I first started UG. It is wide exaggeration to think all UG students can find that increase. There are many at UG that will be burdened. Where Guyana is heading I don’t know, but this I know it is not easy being a poor citizen of this land.
$58.5M living quarters to be... From page 9 sits upon. “We are trying to make better accommodation for prisoners that are in keeping with the standards that are obtained all round the world. Even though they’re in Prison, we still have to deal with them and treat with them as proper human beings, and therefore, the conditions that we provide for them in these facilities, we’re looking to
upgrade those. At the same time, we’re trying to strengthen the facilities there at the Mazaruni Prison.” On February last, Cabinet had approved the contract for the construction of six living quarters at the Mazaruni Prisons. The contract was allocated in two lots, with lot one, in the sum of $41,127,930 going to N&A Construction and lot two, in the sum of
$35,820,000, awarded to A.A.V Raghubeer General Construction. Harmon said yesterday that the contracts to carry out works on the prison, would have stemmed from a Presidential Visit to the facility last year, where the Head of State, David Granger, “had a firsthand look at what was there and recognised that we needed to do a little better”.
Dem boys seh ...
De Queen want Soulja Bai oil Life is all about you self and some people don’t care wha dem got to do to get up or get on in life. When Soulja Bai lef to go to England he tell de nation he was going to do Guyana business. When he meet England he get a message that de Queen want to see him. De whole world does want to see and meet wid de Queen except dem boys. Dem don’t care to see nobody because dem don’t plan to go nowhere. Soulja Bai feel nice. If you see picture wha dem tek out. He tek out more picture than wha Obama tek out when he meet de Queen. Wha he didn’t know was de Queen had she eye, not on him but on Guyana oilfields wha Quinn and others done eye up and waiting patiently to attack.
Everybody know that de ABC embassies and Jagdeo, that scamp, never get along. As a matter of fact, dem didn’t want to talk to him because dem realize he is a bigger scamp than dem. Jagdeo been as president fuh 12 years and everybody know he was never invited to meet de British PM much less de Queen. And he wife was from England. Something got to be wrang. And as soon as Soulja Bai tek office de Queen send to meet him. Dem boys seh is not because of ee good looks. Is because dem know dem can tek advantage pun him and rob de nation. Dem boys waiting to see wha deal gun sign wid any British coming to invest in Guyana. Dem boys warning dem don’t think you gun come like that spirogyra BaiShanLin. That company get nuff deal
from Jagdeo and de Chat-3. Dem use to run and hide when de Waterfalls paper expose de concessions between dem and BaiShanLin. Soulja Bai use to cuss and behave bad and dem use to laugh. Well de whole country laff yesterday when SOCU arrest de Chat-3 and drag him before de court in de prison van. He and Jagdeo get fun when dem put de Waterfalls boss man before de court. Dem laugh. De Chat-3 tell de Waterfalls boss man that if he win de case he, de Chat-3, gun appeal and keep de matter in court fuh years to come. Yesterday de Waterfalls boss man laff till he nearly end in hospital. Talk half and hope SOCU keep de Chat-3 in court fuh years to come.
Friday April 28, 2017
Kaieteur News
Study launched to determine feasibility of piping natural gas to shore Government has started moves to determine the feasibility of bringing natural gas from the oil well that will be operated by US-owned ExxonMobil, via pipelines to shore, to power its generators. The announcement was made yesterday by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, during his weekly postCabinet press briefing. The location of the proposed oil well is more than 100 miles offshore Guyana, and commercial operations are expected to commence in three years’ time, 2020. With a huge amount of natural gas and Guyana depending on imported fossil fuel to meet its energy needs, the administration is hoping to bring down costs significantly from the over US$80M spent annually by the Guyana Power and Light Inc. On Tuesday, Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, made a proposal to Cabinet for a study that will determine the way forward. The plan was approved. According to Harmon, the US$70,000 desk study is to determine the options, cost, economics, impact, and key considerations of transporting and utilising natural gas from offshore Guyana for electricity generation. Already, Energy Narrative, a network of energy experts, which provides strategic market analysis to industry and government leaders across the Americas, has already begun the eight-week study. Among other things,
Energy Narrative will seek to verify the natural gas supply projections and analyse the technical feasibility of the proposed natural gas pipeline. The consultant will also seek to compare the proposed natural gas pipeline with other transportation media and analyse the technical feasibility of existing power generation equipment. One of the important tasks of the consultant, also, will be to analyse the cost to deliver natural gas and estimated impact on electricity prices. The company has submitted its financial and technical proposals to the government, Minister Harmon noted. Over 100 countries around the world have been utilizing natural gas for energy needs, with the US being the biggest. The latest information from ExxonMobil quantifies the available natural gas, which was found along with the oil, at around 30-50 million
cubic feet per day. “That amount can provide, if we choose to go in that direction, a 200 megawatt generation plant,” Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman has said. “These are decisions that have to be made, including the decision as to where we wish to land the gas if there is going to be a pipeline along the coast whether from Georgetown right up to Crab Island,” Minister Trotman pointed out. Natural gas, while not green, is cleaner than fossil fuel which is currently consumed for electricity generation in Guyana. Minister Trotman had previously noted that Guyana currently imports some 4.7M barrels of fuel yearly. Using natural gas for energy production could dramatically reduce the country’s fuel bill which is also the largest foreign currency bill, the Minister posited.
PAGE 11
PAGE 12
Friday April 28, 2017
Kaieteur News
Granger persuades UK diaspora to support Guyana’s development
President David Granger interacting with the crowd after the meeting. President David Granger stated that his overwhelmingly successful engagements over the past few days in London are a clear indication that there is renewed interest and investors’ confidence in Guyana. He also said that while there is still a lot more work to be done, the current mood of restored democracy in the country has made it an extremely attractive investment destination. Granger said that what Guyana needs now more than ever, is a surge in entrepreneurship and for its own people to come home with their capital and technical ‘know-how’ to play their part in the local economy. He was at the time, addressing members of the diaspora at a forum in London.
The Head of State explained that this renewed interest stems not only from the discovery of petroleum, but also from the steps that the Government has been taking over the past two years to ensure that Guyana becomes a lawful state. These steps include the passage of legislation to fight corruption, money laundering and the financing of terrorism, the holding of local government elections and the setting up of the Procurement Commission and other constitutional bodies to improve transparency and accountability and foster good governance. “What we need is investment and this is where you, who have saved your money, can look at Guyana as a safe destination; we have
Brazilian investors, we have Chinese investors, we have Canadian investors, we have Russian investors and, in our minds, we are confident that if Guyanese see that the door is open to them too, they will see their homeland, their motherland as a safe destination for their investments,” President Granger said. The Head of State explained that the diaspora can play a role in the transformation of the country’s economy, which has been largely dependent on primary products. “In Guyana, our economy has been dependent for over 350 years on a few limited commodities… Unless we become a manufacturing country, unless we move our (Continued on page 31)
Friday April 28, 2017
Bauxite Union wants to engage RUSAL on outstanding matters General Secretary of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers’ Union (GB&GWU), Lincoln Lewis said yesterday that his Union will be working on arranging a sit down with the Management of the Russian Aluminium Company (RUSAL). Seeking an update on the Industrial Relations engagement between the company and the Union, this newspaper yesterday contacted Lewis, who said that there is no significant update on the Union’s engagement with the company. He said that as of late, all that has been happening are exchanges of correspondence between the two entities. Lewis said that the company had sent two proposals to the Union. However, the Union representative said that he believes more can be done if
PAGE 13
Kaieteur News
GB&GWU General Secretary, Lincoln Lewis both parties sit and have a face to face discourse to iron out matters which have not been dealt with. The last time a sit down was arranged between the GB&GWU and Rusal was November of last year when representatives of the
company failed to appear at a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Social Protection’s Department of Labour. The meeting was organised by the Ministry to discuss a number of outstanding labour-related issues which exist between the company and the Union. The company was chided on that occasion by Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection with responsibility for Labour, Keith Scott. He had said that himself and then Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence were upset and annoyed with RUSAL’s failure to attend the meeting. Scott went further to say that his Ministry was concerned at the lack of respect by the company. He said that such behaviour would not be encouraged. “We will not accept this (Continued on page 14)
Former AG Nandlall slapped with... From page 3 Nandlall sued Williams for $125M for what he deemed were libelous and slanderous claims in relation to the said Law Reports. He also secured a Conservatory Order from the Supreme Court, preventing the State and the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) from seizing the 15 Law Reports. In a release, the PPP/C condemned the arrest of Nandlall and saw it as a prolongation of an inconsequential issue totally unrelated to the mandate of SOCU.
The party said this latest move demonstrates once again the repressive and vindictive nature of the APNU+AFC coalition government. The battery of lawyers that represented the former AG included Mursaline Bacchus, Bibi Shaddick, Odai Ramischand, Priya Manickchand, Adrian Anamayah, Euclin Gomes, Sase Gunraj, Manoj Narayan, C.V Satram, L. Mark Conway, Sasha S. MahadeoNarayan, Rajendra R. Jaigobin and Glenn Hanoman.
PAGE 14
Friday April 28, 2017
Kaieteur News
Universal primary health care by 2020 - Minister pledges The provision of the best quality public health care and services to all people living in Guyana is not only important but it is a national priority. This was the assertion of Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings, when she addressed a forum at City Hall yesterday. “We want to make sure that we cover all people across the life cycle including children, pregnant mothers and the elderly...as a consequence strategic measures are being put in place to achieve universal primary health care by 2020,” Minister Cummings assured. This, according to her, will be characterised by measures to reduce and ultimately remove the
inequities of access to public health care on the coastland and the hinterland. Such efforts, the Minister emphasised, will ensure that the entire nation is getting the full attention of the Public Health Ministry. “In an effort to reduce disparity in the screening rate and access to health information in spite of persistent social, economic and other barriers, the Ministry of Public Health continues to work to develop and sustain culturally competent health education and outreach intervention,” Minister Cummings noted. A strategy that is being embraced by the Ministry to realise its goal is the implementation of community health fairs to bring needed
Bauxite Union wants to... (From page 13) any longer, I don’t know what went on in the past with any other government, but this government over the last 17 months has made every effort to see a peaceful and amicable resolution of the outstanding issues.” The Ministry and the company had met in August 2016 to discuss over 30 grievances which workers had expressed to ministry representatives when they had visited the company’s mining site. Additionally, in that same month the GB&GWU had condemned the government for meeting with the bauxite company in the absence of complying with the 2012 High Court decision to reissue letters for the start of arbitration.
...as City municipality hosts Vaccination Week health fair
Minister Karen Cummings addresses the gathering at the opening. health screenings and health information to low income and medically under-served communities through informal community settings, where a broad spectrum of community health services are offered. Moreover, Minister Cummings, who was yesterday speaking at a health fair spearheaded by the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown, said “we at the Ministry of Public Health applaud this initiative...that will provide much needed public health information and offer quality public health services.” “It is indeed timely that this health fair is being held during this special week, as Guyana and other countries in the Americas are observing the 15th annual Vaccination Week,” said Minister Cummings as she dubbed yesterday health fair an “excellent opportunity.” The health fair saw the participation of a number of organisations including the Public Health Ministry, Industrial Safety Supplies Inc., Colgate Palmolive [Guyana] Ltd, Massy Distribution, in addition to a several health-oriented departments of the municipality. According to the Public
A section of the audience
A scene from yesterday’s health fair Health Minister, fairs of such proportions serve an intrinsic purpose in providing much needed health information. In addition, they create the facilitation of public awareness regarding public health issues, Minister Cummings underscored, as she pointed out “we cannot overemphasise the value to be accrued from the public awareness generated at such
events, which ultimately gives rise to a healthy people; healthy people make healthy communities, healthy communities make healthy regions and healthy regions will ultimately make a healthy Guyana.” She continued, “We believe that such activities can effectively change the culture and the environment of communities in ways that
support the pursuits of the constituents’ optimal potential and improve their overall health status.” In fact, she emphasised that the health fair is a demonstration of applied public health promotion in action “which is highly commendable and one that we applaud loudly and sincerely.” Yesterday’s fair represented the first such venture hosted by the Georgetown municipality and according to City Mayor, Ms. Patricia Chase-Green, it is among the positive things that the Council has to offer to the citizens of the capital city. “Whenever we hit the media, we hit it with negativity...these are the positive things that we have in the city, and we hope that after today’s visit of the fair, you can really appreciate the work of the Council,” said Chase-Green, as she shared with the audience the extensive work of the Council. “We are responsible for you from the womb to the tomb,” Chase-Green highlighted as she spoke of the evolution of the services offered by the municipality to ensure that the city has healthy people living in a healthy environment.
Friday April 28, 2017
Kaieteur News
PAGE 15
PAGE 16
Friday April 28, 2017
Kaieteur News
Health officials should give explanation before surgery - Mother urges More than one month after an investigation was launched into the questionable surgical procedure conducted on her daughter, Ms. Kelcie Browne is still awaiting answers. The woman last month shared how her daughter, who was 15 years old at the time, was operated on at the Region Seven Bartica Hospital by a doctor who failed to explain to her, the need for the surgery, ahead of conducting the surgery. Browne had expressed her conviction that the doctor was not absolutely certain of the need for the surgery before proceeding. Following the surgery, Browne said she filed a complaint with the Regional Health Officer, Dr. Edward Sagala, who had given assurance that the matter would be investigated.
“I told him all of my concerns and he promised that he wouldn’t leave the matter down and he would get to the bottom of it,” Browne related. However, according to the woman, she was subsequently contacted by Dr. Sagala’s secretary who informed her that she would be required to give a statement and that the matter would have to be investigated at the level of the Ministry of Public Health. But more than a month later, Browne said that she still hadn’t received any word from the Ministry or the Bartica Hospital’s RHO on the status of the investigation. According to Browne, although she was worried about her daughter’s recovery, she is grateful that she is now progressing well and was able to recently celebrate her 16th birthday.
However, Browne said that what she is particularly concerned about at this juncture is what appears to be the lack of a standard enforced policy to ensure that even before a surgery is conducted, a next of kin should be allowed to give consent only after they are w e l l i n f o r m e d of the situation. “This didn’t happen...my daughter was in no position to give consent and I was nowhere around when the doctor decided that my daughter needed a surgery...I was asked to give consent, but had no idea for what,” the woman related. “The Ministry has to do something about this...not just for me, but for other
people too. These people need to say what surgery is needed and why it is necessary...and if possible even give people’s family the chance to seek a second opinion before surgery,” Browne related. According to Browne, it wasn’t until her daughter’s operation that she was informed that the doctor had operated on her daughter for an inflamed appendix. Browne, in recounting how her daughter, Phebehola Stanford, became a patient of the hospital, said that she’d brought her daughter to the Bartica Hospital on March 5 last. This was due to the fact that she was experiencing a severe case of diarrhoea and vomiting. Browne said that she was hopeful that her daughter would have been given a gravol injection to stop the vomiting. According to Browne, at the hospital her daughter was first attended to by a female doctor who administered the requested injection, but also decided to admit her daughter for observation overnight. Browne disclosed that the
doctor revealed that she made the decision to admit Stanford, since they resided some distance away – at One and Half Miles Bartica, Potaro Road. The woman said that she left her daughter in the care of the hospital and returned the next day to visit. It was then that she was informed by a nurse that her daughter would have to undergo surgery. The nurse, according to Browne, was unable to explain the reason for the surgery. “I asked the nurse why my daughter needed surgery, but all she said was that she didn’t know, but it could help to save my daughter’s life,” Browne recounted. The woman said that she learnt that the decision for the surgery was made by a Cuban male doctor who assumed duty on the ward the day after her daughter was admitted. “I tried to find out why she needed the surgery…but because I was so worried and I didn’t want anything to happen, I decided to sign, giving consent for the surgery,” Browne revealed. It wasn’t until after the surgery, Browne said, that she was able to have a brief conversation with the doctor, who said that the surgery was warranted because an
ultrasound revealed that her daughter had an inflamed appendix. “He said that he could see what looked like pus in her belly and surgery was the only option…he left me thinking too that by giving consent, I helped to save my daughter’s life.” But the woman said that she became enraged when she examined the wound left by the surgical procedure. “It was this ugly, horrible cut left on my daughter with these horrible looking stitches from my daughter’s vagina area to her navel. This is my young daughter with these cuts! I know women who got cut for their babies and didn’t get a horrible cut like what he left on my daughter,” the woman lamented. She said it was upon seeing that, she started to question whether the doctor had in fact removed her daughter’s appendix. “Nobody showed me anything and nobody was explaining anything to me either.” According to the woman, days after the surgery her daughter continued to experience the same discomfort in addition to pains to her side and spine.
Govt. awaiting written judgment to challenge presidential term limit ruling Government is awaiting a written judgment from the Court of Appeal in order to proceed further with the presidential third term limit case. In February of this year, the Court of Appeal ruled that presidential term limits are unconstitutional. The government then said that it would be moving to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to challenge the ruling. “That is basically where we are, a notice of appeal has been filed and the specific terms will have to await the written judgment by the court,” Minister Harmon explained during a postCabinet press briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency yesterday. During the February ruling, Justice B.S. Roy and former Chancellor of the
Judiciary, Carl Singh dismissed the appeal by Attorney General Basil Williams, SC and former Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman, and upheld the ruling of the former Chief Justice, Ian Chang. The then Chief Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards gave a dissenting judgement, and ruled in favour of allowing an appeal. In 2015, the then Chief Justice, Ian Chang (ag) ruled that the constitutional amendment, Act No. 17 of 2001, which limits the number of times a person could be elected as President was unconstitutional. He said that such decisions require a referendum. In 2014, Cedric Richardson, a Guyanese citizen, filed a constitutional challenge regarding the two-
Former President, Bharrat Jagdeo term limit for the country’s presidency. The challenge was filed by Attorneys-atLaw Emily Dodson and Shawn Allicock, on behalf of Richardson. In 2000, the National Assembly passed amendments to the Act governing eligibility to seek the Presidency of Guyana. Those amendments made it ineligible for someone who would have been elected to serve twice as President to seek a third term. It is widely expected that the court action was to pave the way for former president Bharrat Jagdeo to make another run for office when elections are scheduled to be held in 2020.
PAGE 26
Friday April 28, 2017
Kaieteur News
Texas company to supply subsea equipment for Liza oil project ExxonMobil has awarded TechnipFMC, a Texas-based firm, a contract for the engineering, manufacture and delivery of the subsea equipment for the Liza deepwater project. The award scope, announced yesterday, includes 17 total enhanced vertical deepwater trees and associated tooling, as well as five manifolds and associated controls and tie-in equipment. “We are committed to execution excellence and the successful long-term development of the project in Guyana,” said Hallvard Hasselknipe, President Subsea Projects, TechnipFMC. Liza, operated by ExxonMobil subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana, is in the Stabroek block approximately 193km (120mi) offshore Guyana in water depths of 1500m (4900ft) to 1900m (6200ft). In late March,
Exxon reported a new find near Liza in the southern portion of the Stabroek block, encountering more than 82ft (25m) of high-quality, oilbearing sandstone reservoirs. The Liza well had ExxonMobil estimating between 800M-1.4B billion barrels of oil. The estimates are expected to go up when the US oil giant confirms its findings. ExxonMobil is expected to drill several more wells in its concessions before starting commercial operations in 2020. It will be Guyana’s first foray into commercial oil production with the find described as one of the major ones in the region within recent years. Guyana has been taking steps, including training and new legislation, as well as plans to build an onshore site in Crab Island, Berbice, to cater for commercial activities.
25 police officers learning Mandarin The government continues to build the capacity of officers of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) through a number of training programmes. Twenty-five officers yesterday commenced a 90day training course in “The Introduction of Mandarin” at the Police Officers’ Training Centre, Camp Road and Young Street, Eve- Leary. The training will be conducted by tutors from Confucius Institute of China. Mandarin is a group of related varieties of Chinese spoken across most of northern and southwestern China. Senior Superintended and Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said that he was delighted that officers of the force have been given the opportunity to learn a second language. “Guyana is poised to become an oil economy, and definitely we are going to have an influx of many nationalities. so we are making a step in the right direction by having the facilitators from the Confucius Institute,” the Crime Chief stated. Blanhum also urged the
participants to make full use of the opportunity, and become a member of the GPF who are fluent in speaking Chinese. Assistant Commissioner Paul Williams said that the training course being afforded to the officers will bear fruit. “I know definitely out of this training we will benefit, but then I want to see that there is an initial gap or bridge being established rather than waiting for another engagement.” The Assistant Commissioner said that the course will also help officers to assist Chinese nationals making reports while awaiting an expert. Assistant Commissioner Williams stated that, “I want to see this relationship blossom, get stronger and in terms of where we can be able to serve the Chinese community.” The first phase of the course will run for four weeks, and upon completion, the officers will undergo an assessment. Those who are successful will participate in a summer camp in Shanghai, China.
Friday April 28, 2017
PAGE 27
Kaieteur News
Web-based surveillance system for hotels on the cards ...as Guyana and CARPHA collaborate to boost health, tourism synergy The establishment of a web-based disease surveillance system for hotels, together with training for hospitality staff to report events that could threaten the nation’s health, is currently on the cards. This is according to Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings, who at a forum last Wednesday evening revealed that plans are also apace for the training and certification of hotel staff on food safety hygiene. In order to achieve the foregoing goals, the Ministry of Public Health, and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) in collaboration with the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) launched the Tourism and Health Programme, under the theme “Your Experience, Your Health, Your Safety Matters”. The opening ceremony at the Kingston, Georgetown Marriott Hotel, which was chaired by Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, saw, in addition to Minister Cummings, a number of other high level officials in attendance. Minister Cummings in delivering remarks at the event said that the launch of the collaborative move was not only timely but very fitting as it envisages the establishment of a visionary approach to boost the collaboration between the health and hospitality sectors. She moreover revealed that she is “delighted by the multi-sectoral collaboration”
and added that “this tourism and health synergy is aimed at making the country’s tourism industry economically viable, as it seeks to match the regional and international standard of hotel service and hospitality while ensuring that the requisite health requirements are embodied in the programme.” The collaborative move was nestled against the backdrop that tourism growth and sustainability in the Caribbean face serious health, safety and environmental (HSE) threats. These include disease outbreaks and deficiencies in food safety and environmental sanitation. This contributes to reduced tourism arrivals, which in turn impacts those whose livelihoods depend on the sector, and possibly leads to adverse economic and social burdens. Guyana has recognised the need to strengthen its capacity in order to monitor and respond to health, safety and environmental outbreaks. In opening remarks at the ceremony, Dr. Lisa Indar, Head of CARPHA’s Regional Tourism and Health Programme, said that the theme of the launch alone reflects the country’s strong commitment towards tourism and health. She said too that as Guyana positions itself as a leading ecotourism destination, it cannot afford the reputational damage as a consequence of adverse public health events,
From left: Mr. Indranauth Haralsingh, Director Guyana Tourism Authority; Dr. Lisa Indar, Head CARPHA Regional Tourism and Health Programme; Dr. C. James Hospedales, Executive Director CARPHA; Dr. Karen Cummings, Minister within the Ministry of Public Health; and Dr. Shamdeo Persaud Chief Medical Officer Ministry of Public Health. impacting on its tourism product, and on the health of its visitors and local population.” In addressing the gathering at the launch too, Dr. C. James Hospedales, CARPHA Executive Director, said ”travel and tourism is the ‘business of the Caribbean’ and we are the most tourism dependent region in the world. However, the industry is vulnerable to a range of HSE threats, and the intensity of movement of residents and visitors is now a significant regional health security issue. Solutions to improve industry quality and competitiveness include attention to health monitoring and response, food safety and environment sanitation. These require a multi-sectoral approach to implementation.”
Director of GTA, Mr. Indranauth Haralsingh, also delivered brief remarks, during which he congratulated CARPHA for the initiative. He stated that the GTA sees the Tourism and Health Programme as an intervention that is critically needed and is committed to improving safety, security and standards in tourism. It is expected that the programme’s health surveillance system and
capacity building will positively impact on Guyana’s reputation and provide the country with a competitive advantage. It has long been deduced that enhancing sustainable tourism promotes economic development, poverty eradication and improvement of quality of life in Caribbean countries. As such it is critical that to sustain Caribbean tourism, efforts be made to monitor and respond to travel-related
illnesses and support tourism to adopt proper health and environmental sanitation practices. In January 2014, CARPHA, in collaboration with the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), established the Regional Tourism and Health Programme to address the Health, Safety and Environmental Sanitation (HSE) threats in tourism. The aim is to improve the health and safety of visitors, and locals, thereby contributing to Caribbean tourism being more competitive, resilient and sustainable.
PAGE 28
Kaieteur News
Friday April 28, 2017
Friday April 28, 2017
PAGE 29
Kaieteur News
Asylum-seekers fleeing U.S. may find Over 200 rounds of ammunition cold comfort in Canada’s courts seized in anti-crime exercise (Reuters) Migrants who applied for asylum in the United States but then fled north, fearing they would be swept up in President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, may have miscalculated in viewing Canada as a safe haven. That is because their time in the United States could count against them when they apply for asylum in Canada, according to a Reuters review of Canadian federal court rulings on asylum seekers and interviews with refugee lawyers. Last year, 160 asylum cases came to the federal courts after being rejected by refugee tribunals. Of those, 33 had been rejected in part because the applicants had spent time in the United States, the Reuters review found. Lawyers said there could be many more such cases among the thousands of applicants who were rejected by the tribunals in the same period but did not appeal to the federal courts. The 2016 court rulings underscore the potentially precarious legal situation now facing many of the nearly 2,000 people who have crossed illegally into Canada since January. Most of those border crossers had been living legally in the United States, including people awaiting the outcome of U.S. asylum applications, according to Canadian and U.S. government officials and Reuters interviews with dozens of migrants. Trump’s tough talk on illegal immigration, however, spurred them northward to Canada, whose government
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Officers of the Inter-Agency Task Force Strike Team seized over 270 rounds of assorted ammunition was well as quantity of cocaine during an anticrime exercise here on Wednesday. The police reported that during the exercise between 6am and 11:30 am (local time) , the contraband was found on the roof of an apartment building. It’s reported that on the roof of one building members of the team found 29 rounds of 20 gauge shotgun carA man who told police that he was from Sudan is taken into custody by a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer they viewed as more welcoming to migrants. There, they have begun applying for asylum, citing continued fears of persecution or violence in their homelands, including Somalia and Eritrea. But Canadian refugee tribunals are wary of “asylumshopping” and look askance at people coming from one of the world’s richest countries to file claims, the refugee lawyers said. “Abandoning a claim in the United States or coming to Canada after a negative decision in the United States, or failing to claim and remaining in the States for a long period of time - those are all big negatives,” said Torontobased legal aid lawyer Anthony Navaneelan, who is representing applicants who came to Canada from the United States in recent months. The Canadian government has not given a precise
figure on how many of the border crossers were asylum seekers in the United States. But it appears their fears may have been misplaced. Trump’s attorney general, Jeff Sessions, has said that anyone in the United States illegally is subject to deportation, but there is no evidence that asylum seekers with pending cases are considered illegal under the new administration. “LACK OF SERIOUSNESS” The asylum seekers will make their cases before Canada’s refugee tribunals, which rejected 5,000 cases last year. The tribunals’ decisions are not made public, so the reasons are not known. An Immigration and Refugee Board spokeswoman confirmed, h o w e v e r, that an a p p l i c a n t ’s t i m e in the United States can be a factor in a tribunal’s decision.
United Airlines reaches settlement with passenger dragged from plane (Reuters) United Airlines (UAL.N) and the passenger who was dragged from a Chicago flight earlier this month have reached a settlement for an undisclosed sum, they said on Th u r s d a y, i n t h e carrier’s latest step to contain damage from an incident which has sparked international outrage. Viral videos of Dr. David Dao being dragged down the aisle of a United jet and Chief Executive Oscar Munoz’s handling of the incident touched off a public outcry, prompted calls for new regulation of the industry by congressmen, and led United’s board of directors to reverse an agreement to make Munoz the company’s chairman in
2018. United said earlier on Thursday that it would offer passengers who give up their seats up to $10,000, reduce overbooking of flights and no longer call on law enforcement officers to deny ticketed passengers their seats. Southwest Airlines also said on Thursday it would end overbooking of flights. Dao, a 69-year-old Vietnamese-American doctor, was injured and hospitalized after Chicago aviation police dragged him from the plane to make space for four crew members on the flight from the city’s O’Hare International Airport to Louisville, Kentucky. United has taken “full re-
sponsibility for what happened on Flight 3411, without attempting to blame others, including the City of Chicago,” Thomas Demetrio, an attorney for Dao, said in a statement. Demetrio said there was no need to proceed with separate litigation against the city. Republic Airways, United’s regional partner which operated the flight that Dao was on, has also been released from responsibility as part of the settlement, Demetrio’s office said. United said in a separate statement that it was pleased to reach “an amicable resolution of the unfortunate incident that occurred aboard flight 3411.”
tridges, while a search of the roof of another building yielded 85 grams of cocaine. As they searched another area, the officers later discovered a black plastic bag, con-
taining 245 rounds of .22mm ammunition, along with five rounds of .9mm ammunition. No one was arrested in connection with the finds.
Farmers count cost as drought hits Bermuda HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC – Bermuda’s farmers are counting the cost of drought conditions now hitting the island. They are concerned as less than an inch of rain has fallen on the island in the past 30 days and total rainfall for the year is now almost an inch down on average – despite a January 5 deluge breaking an old record. The Bermuda Weather Service (BWS) said the island
was now “across the threshold into drought”. “Things out there are just terrible,” farmer Roger Pacheco told the Royal Gazette newspaper after harvesting parched potatoes and carrots from soils toughened by the lack of water. A total of 5.34 inches of rain fell on January 5, easily beating the previous January record of 3.99 inches in a day set in 1986. Pacheco said the last decent downfall was around
three weeks ago. Lettuces and corn are “suffering”, he said, while lawns are turning brown and water tanks are running low. A BWS spokesman said the present cloudy interval was likely to give way soon to “probably at least a week” of fine skies. “May is the driest month, and April is the second-driest,” he said. “So, we have come into a dry time a bit drier than the norm.”
PAGE 30
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620
Ladies to work in Suriname. Call: +597-875-4660
1 Complete Sawmill at Yarrowkabra Linden Soesdyke Highway and 1 F66 – Clarke, Ranger Skidder. Call: 609-8041/ 644-1190
Bottom flat house @ 25 North Road & Oronoque Street, fully furnished/ air condition/ residence /business.Call: 226-7012
Land to buy in: Uitvlugt, Tuschen, Zeelugt and La Pafaite Harmonie. Call: 642-1252
1 Double Stall for sale @ Bourda Market Section D. Call: 665-7896
Attractive live in waitressCall: 327-0252/674-4665 One female shop assistant to work in the Interior, age 2345. Contact: 668-6421
Design & Make Aluminum windows, doors, stainless rails, showcases, rolling shutters, make & install automatic doors. Call: 2336818/677-5599/659-9999
Space for rent @ Vreed-en Hoop Junction, lessons place, church, storage bond, office, others -$20,000 monthly. Call: 603-6400
One live in couple to work in Mahaicony River to take care of house and do garden work. Call: 655-9419/ 225-6571
Nissan Murano 2009, woman driven, immaculate condition. Price $5.5M negotiable. Call: 617-8202
Female 18-30yrs to live in & work for single business man. Whatsapp 673-9283
14 Acres farm land @ Yarrowkobra, Soesdyke/ Linden Highway, price negotiable - $13M. Call: 6178202
One nail technician at West Shore Plaza, 15 Public Road Ruimzeight. Call: 269-1524/ 656-3561
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.-CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620
SALON - Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc. - Cosmetology Courses: $120,000 - Technician Course: $45,000. Call: 6471773/660-5257
Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana passport application. Graphics design, advertisement. Tel: 6267040; 265-4535. INNOVATIVEMARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, busi ness cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Floor sanding & Lacquering, house plans, estimate & painting, boat for Santa Mission. Call: 650-4362 Passport, permanent & visitor visa application, Professional Immigration Consultant – Sabita Immigration Services. Call: 225-6496/ 662-6045 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 Eagle’s: Re-gas -$8,000, Washing machine repairs, Gas Stove, Plasma flat Screen, computer repairs & more. Call: 697-2969/646-0966 General Computer Repairs and maintenance, replaced damaged laptops screens and more. Contact Dynatec: 225-2303
TAXI SERVICE GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 225-7878 (24HRS)
VEHICLE FOR SALE Fully loaded Ford explore sport truck, excellent condition, 22" rims, surrender sound system, DVD head rest. Call: 627-7718 1 RZ bus EFI in Excellent condition, BKK Series $900,000 negotiable. Call: 6176781 SALE! SALE! 2011 ALLION $3.350M, 2011 BLUEBIRD $2.7M, 2010 RACTICS $2.5M,ALLVEHICLESFULLY LOADED&UNREGISTERED. CALL: 642-7295 Allion, Primo, Fielder Wagon, Spacio, Bluebird, 212 Carina, NZE, Honda CRV, Toyota IST, RZ & Pit-bull – Call: 650-7501 Toyota 212 New Model, Fielder Wagon 07, Spacio, all in excellent condition. Price neg. Tel: 681-6488, 657-5839.
CAR RENTAL CAR RENTAL DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL:PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MIN BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPOTR & FAMILY OUTING, CHEAPEST RATE . Call: 698-7807
Contract hire car to work @ GR Taxi. Contact Ganesh: 614-6202
Need left hand drivers for garbage trucks. Contact: 6707920 Cleaners @ Tuschen Scheme -$13,000 per week. Call: 662-9341 Drivers & Porters to work on water truck - $30,000 per week. Call: 684-8231 We buy land in Eccles, Herstelling, Farm, La Parfaite Harmonie, Zeelugt, Tuschen. We pay best price and cash. Call: 666-2326 Farm worker (live in) age 40 & older. Call: 265-3586
One Diesel welder on trailer. Call: 699-4300/ 228-2734 1 Transported property @ Covent Garden Island E.C.D, Music Equipment: speaker, 1 complete rock, etc. Call: 2653586 Great Deals on video games & all gaming consoles. PC, video games & repairs – Call: 672-2566; 265-3231
PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 677-7827, 6435122 ,EMAIL:PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP REATES,SPECIALOFFERS FOR THE SEASON. CALL: 690-6494
Hiring 1 Maid 18-25yrs, minimum of 2 CXC subjects. Contact Arch Villas of Ulverston Corentyne at jchanglee1@hotmail.com Hiring 1 mason and 1 painter to work at Arch Villas of Ulverston Corentyne. Contact Arch Villas of Ulverston Corentyne, email: jchanglee1@hotmail.com One night security, one cleaner+ male to work as operator in ice factory at Meadowbank. Call: 642-9191
3 Bedrooms upper flat, fully grilled with toilet, bath, kitchen, parking @ Block ‘8’ Mon Repos, E.C.D -$70,000 monthly. Call: 687-1050 One bedroom apartment well secured for working couple $35,000 monthly, light and water included. Call: 638-8858 One bedroom apartment, PVC ceiling, tiled floored, corner spot -$40,000, preferably couple. Address: 25 Craig St C/Ville. Call: 223-1332 One & two bedroom apartment available semifurnished. Call: 681-4275/ 2314432
Transported land for sale size 37X270 @ Coglan Dam, Vreed-en-Hoop, W.B.D. Call: 650-5644/677-9938 PROPERTY FOR SALE Transported property @ Grove and Diamond $16M negotiable. Call: 625-5461 Property Execution Sale Berbice Sub- Registry 27-Apr-2017 at 10.00 hrs. Contact 335-3344 or 616-4821 for details. Subryanville property for sale: 44 fifth Avenue., Subryanville, Georgetown $45M or best offer. Call Mortimer: 625-7669/ Shari 626-4215
ACCOMMODATION MASSAGE The Gent’s Spa: Massage done by Tiffany, mobile services. Book appointment now! Call: 677-5465
VACANCY Experienced cook (for canteen), porters, bond clerks, snackette attendants, drivers. Apply: Survival, Lot 10 Vlissengen Rd, Kitty. Painter. Apply in person at Alabama Trading, Georgetown Ferry Stelling, Stabroek. Experienced female Accounts clerk – Maths & English. Apply in person @ Alabama Trading, 65 Robb Street Bourda Cook/Baker and Kitchen Assistant for interior location. Applicants must be experienced, for details call: 618-2020 EXPERIENCED GENERAL MANAGER FOR H3 CRUSHER GOLD MINING O P E R A T I O N KNOWLEDGEABLEINTHE RELEVANT EQUIPMENT. CALL: 664-7688/601-2430 Experienced bartenders. Call: 225-8572 between 7am-9am A cleaner helper and a cosmetologist needed to work at salon. Call 658-8669 Female kitchen assistant & male assistant with driver’s license to work @ outdoor grill, weekend included. Call: 656-9313/675-2550
TO LET
LAND FOR SALE
1 RZ Bus Driver age 50-65yrs to work & keep. Call: 2195138/689-9592 (anytime) Journey Inn apartments: Fully furnished with Kitchen and AC for short term. Call: 233-2300/ 7182301695/646-3011634
Business property to rent near Campbellville Secondary School. Call: 6276480/ 613-6815
Pups for sale. Call: 216-3408/ 680-0192
We seriously pay cash for land in Eccles, Herstelling, La Parfaite Harmonie & other places. Call Ravena: 6845822/ 629-2881 PEN PAL You deserve a relationship filled with love and excitement. Call Harmony Singles: 626-2629, 676-6312
FOR RENT
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754.
WANTED
SERVICES
Friday April 28, 2017
Kaieteur News
Tuschen Phase 2 - $1.4M, Uitvlugt -$2.5M with fence, La Parfaite Harmonie -$1.5M. Call: 642-1252 La Parfaite Harmonie - $1.4M, $1.6M, $1.2M, Tuschen Phase II -$1.3M, House & land in La Parfaite Harmonie. Can go through the bank $14M. Call: 666-2326 La Parfaite Harmonie Main Road -$1.8M, Last Bridge $1.2M, $1.4M, Herstelling $3.5M, Tuschen Phase II $1.4M. Call: 604-6724 or 6736300 Farm (East Bank) -$2.8M, Herstelling (110ftX60ft) -$5M, Uitvlugt -$2.6M. Call: 6585897/ 651-1969
4 AC Rooms/2 large hall with 1 extra room, suitable for business/offices @ 21 Seaforth St. Campbellville, Georgetown. Call: 226-1877, 624-7436, 654-9350 Fully furnished air-condition apartments, refrigerator, television, queen size bed and microwave etc. - $65,000 monthly.Call:694-7817/668-0306 Furnished apartments April, 22 2017- April 29 2017. 318 East St, North C/Burg between Middle + New Market. Call: 653-0490/ 6414614/ 226-3199 3 Bedrooms fully furnished upper flat size 38X40ft -$160,000 monthly. Call: 644-5151
LEARN TO DRIVE C. Persaud & N. Outar Driving School formerly Soman & Sons Driving School @ Maraj Building- Call: 644-5166; 6222872; 615-0964; 689-5997 (affordable packages).
Friday April 28, 2017
PAGE 31
Kaieteur News
NYPD cop charged in drunken driving Berbice cops intercept stolen car crash that killed Guyanese woman - Crane man in custody New York (New York Daily News) -Prosecutors charged an off-duty NYPD detective who killed a 22-year-old woman in a booze-fueled crash in Queens with criminally negligent homicide during a brief hospital arraignment Wednesday, officials said. Neville Smith, 32, was also charged with vehicular manslaughter and drunken driving for crashing his 2010 Mercedes-Benz into Va n e s s a R a g h u b a r ’s vehicle on the Van Wyck Expressway near Rockaway Blvd. in South Ozone Park at about 4 a.m. Sunday, authorities said. Moments after the accident, Smith told responding officers he was returning home “from a dinner function for an old co-worker” when he struck Raghbuar’s car, according to court papers. R a g h u b a r, a psychology student at York College preparing to graduate in June, suffered a massive head injury and bleeding on the brain, officials said. She died of her injuries at Jamaica Hospital on Monday, cops said. The soon-to-be college
grad was driving home from her sister’s birthday celebration when the fatal collision took place, heartbroken family members said. Smith, a detective assigned to the 48th Precinct in the Bronx, was heading south on the Van Wyck Expressway at an unsafe speed when he rearended Raghubar’s red Honda Accord in the center lane, according to cops. The collision sent Raghubar’s car careening across the highway onto a grassy shoulder, where it struck a tree and an overhead light pole, critically injuring her and her two passengers. Her younger sister Maria Raghubar, 2 1 , a n d h e r sister’s boyfriend, Justin Harricharran, 20, remained at Jamaica Hospital, where Maria has undergone four surgeries for a shattered pelvis, a shredded bladder and a broken arm. Maria Raghubar was seated in the rear seat when Smith struck the car, officials said. Harricharran was sitting in the passenger seat. Smith plowed into a Jersey barrier after hitting
Raghubar’s car, officials said. He was rushed to Jamaica Hospital with serious, but not lifethreatening injuries, cops said. Smith appeared drunk and reeked of alcohol, but refused to have a Breathalyzer test taken for several hours after the collision, forcing investigators to get a court order to draw his blood, officials said. A judge ordered Smith held on $300,000 bail, officials said. If convicted, he faces up to seven years in prison, prosecutors said. “Drinking and then driving is a deadly combination,” Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said in a statement. “The defendant — a police officer bound to enforce the law — is now accused of breaking the law and with deadly consequences.” Raghubar’s family has been calling for criminal charges against Smith since the fatal impact. “He was a cop and he was drunk. We want justice,” Raghubar’s aunt Esther Mongul told the Daily News Monday. “He was supposed to protect us, not kill us.”
Granger persuades UK diaspora... From page 12 economy forward we will always remain poor…We have to work together to transform our economy and that is why we are here,” he said. Speaking of the c o u n t r y ’s abundant natural resources, the President said that Guyana’s tourism potential is wealth in itself, but investments are needed in order to convert that wealth into a good quality of life for citizens. He also spoke of the c o u n t r y ’s ‘green’ development thrust as well as its renewable energy potential, ranging from solar to biomass to wind and hydropower.
Following the President presentations, attendees directed questions and comments to the Head of State, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Carl Greenidge, calling on Government to do more in the areas of education, social protection; with regard to domestic violence and suicides, art and culture development, security transparency and diaspora engagement.
President Granger outlined what was being done in each of these sectors, but also called for the support of the diaspora through non-governmental organisations and civil society movements, particularly in the area of the arts and social development, while committing to continuing to tackle the challenges the country faces for the benefit of all Guyanese.
The stolen car
Police in B Division on We d n e s d a y evening intercepted a stolen car during a road block in Fort Wellington, West Coast Berbice. Commander of B Division, Ian Amsterdam told reporters that the driver of the car was filling up gas at the Guyoil Gas Station at Seawell, Corentyne, around 6 pm, when a man inquired if he was heading to New Amsterdam, the driver of
the car told him that he was not, after which the individual then asked if he was heading to Canje, and the driver answered in the positive. He then boarded the vehicle. The Commander related that during the journey to Canje, the passenger whipped out a knife and ordered the driver out of the vehicle, after which, the perpetrator made good his escape with the black
Toyota Fielder wagon. The owner immediately made a report to the police and road blocks were set up at various locations in the district. Shortly after 9pm, police intercepted the car a t F o r t We l l i n g t o n a n d placed the suspect, who was at the time driving the car, under arrest. According to the Commander, the suspect r e s i d e s i n C r a n e , We s t Coast Demerara.
PAGE 32
UG, Movie Towne ink MoU for solar farm
Professor Ivelaw Griffith (second left) and Movie Towne’s Derek Chin (right) sign the MoUs in the presence of Deputy Vice Chancellor, Dr. Paloma Mohamed (middle), and Registrar, Dr. Nigel Gravesande . Before the end of this year, the University of Guyana and Movie Towne Incorporated are expected to establish a solar power farm at the institution’s Turkeyen Campus. A Memorandum of Understanding was yesterday inked between the two entities to pave the way for not only alternative energy, but the construction of a new housing complex for students as well. Derek Chin, the Guyanaborn Chairman of Trinidad’s Movie Towne Company explained that the plan is to install sufficient solar panels, capable of powering not only the entire Turkeyen campus, b u t t h e M o v i e To w n Complex which is currently under construction, as well. The MoU, which was signed yesterday by Chin and UG’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Griffith,
merely signals the intention to have the two projects up and running. As a result, officials of the two entities could not determine the location, cost or the power capacity of the solar farm. It was explained that over the next few weeks, technical teams from Trinidad are expected to arrive in Guyana to conduct the full study of what the establishment of the solar farm will entail. As it relates to the construction housing complex for UG students, this project is scheduled to come off the ground during the first quarter of next year. “The housing project is one that has a lot of dynamics, who obviously this will take some more time,” Professor Griffith pointed out. The housing complex is expected to be outfitted with approximately 150 rooms.
Intentions were signalled to have a similar project come on stream at the University’s Tain Campus in Berbice. Professor Griffith said that both partnerships will see UG students benefiting tremendously. He explained that students will be exposed and rallied to work along on both the solar farm and the housing projects. Negotiations for the two MoUs began earlier this year, with UG’s Dr. Paloma Mohamed, Deputy Chancellor, Philanthropy, Alumni and Civic Engagement (PACE) and Registrar Dr. Nigel Gravesande leading Guyana’s team. Th e partnership between Movie Towne and UG also makes provisions for external assistance, from the Florida International University for example.
GTT, Digicel attribute poor quality... From page 8 technologies to service providers, large enterprises, and businesses of all sizes,” the statement read. GTT’s broadband network provides access to the Internet for more than 50,000 customers. “This system upgrade, coupled with GTT’s substantial undersea capacity, will facilitate a substantial improvement in broadband and data connectivity.”
Friday April 28, 2017
Kaieteur News
The project for upgrading the network is expected to be completed by third quarter 2017. During this time, some customers may continue to experience intermittent outages. The telephone company said too, that it “deeply regrets any inconvenience experienced and commits to making all efforts to minimize the outages during the business day and early evening.” Meanwhile, officials of
the Public Utilities Commission said that they have only received three complaints of poor service, against each of the two companies, as it relates to their mobile services. “For this year, there haven’t been many complaints,” the PUC official emphasized. However, it is the Ministry of Public Telecommunications that is being bombarded with criticisms against the two companies – Digicel and GTT. According to the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Derrick Cummings, complaints are usually deferred to the individual companies, which would commit to solving the problems. “The Ministry is constantly engaging both Digicel and GTT, in relation to better services.”
Permanent Secretaries warned to save taxpayers’ dollars, reduce waste Senior government officials responsible for holding the purse strings of Government have been warned to pull out all stops to ensure savings and reduce waste. The disclosure will come at a time when export revenues have dropped significantly from a dismal sugar performance and a reduction in other sectors. A clampdown on illegal activities, including fuel and drugs smuggling, have not been helping revenues much. A number of forensic and state audits have also signaled that corruption and waste have been eating away at the precious little resources the country can ill-afford at this time. The need for careful spending would take even more significance in face of the regional situation where a number of the country’s neighbours have been experiencing major financial problems, including foreign currency shortages. In March, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon announced that a list of measures that will serve to promote more efficient utilisation of the state resources would be circulated for adoption by the government ministries. Yesterday, during a postCabinet media briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency, Harmon said that despite this, the “big ticket items” remain
- the contracts which are awarded and the manner in which these contracts are supervised, and the items which are put into these contracts. He was referring, of course, to the cost of materials. He cited the purchases of sardines for dietary supplies as against use of locally caught fish. Yesterday, the minister said he met with Permanent Secretaries of the various ministries to stress prudence in the way in which they go about tendering, contracting and supervising government jobs. Minister Harmon said that he particularly stressed the importance of using local building materials. This would also come after an announcement last week by the Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, who said that Government was moving to restrict importation of pinewood to protect local trade of forest products. Minister Harmon said that the government would be focusing more on local materials, not only because they are economical and readily available, but are also a means of promoting the development of the local industries that supply many of these materials. “By just changing a little bit on the way the govern-
ment purchases things, would be a big help to some of our local farmers and local producers,” the minister noted. Particularly the Permanent Secretaries have also been advised to use lesser used species of wood to stimulate the forestry sector and economic activities for smaller loggers. “We do not all have to use greenheart, but there are several species of wood in this country that can do the same thing that greenheart could,” the minister noted. The cost-saving measures are meant to ensure that the budget allocated to the respective ministries lasts longer, and lessens the incidences of ministries having to return to the National Assembly for supplementary funding. In the past, there have been continuous complaints of contracts being awarded under questionable circumstances with contractors claiming cost overruns and even unqualified companies and persons benefitting. There are numerous cited cases of contractors overpaid and exorbitant prices being charged to the various ministries and agencies. Experts have estimated that more than 50 percent of the monies for contracts go to corruption and waste.
Enrico Woolford is new NCN chairman Government has picked two veteran media operatives, Enrico Woolford and Gordon Moseley, to help turn the fortunes of stateowned National Communications Network (NCN) around. Woolford will be the Chairman of the NCN, which runs a network and television and radio stations across the country. He has been more known for Capitol News, a newscast that been running for more than two decades now. Woolford at the moment is attached to the Ministry of Public Telecommunications. Moseley, who initially rose to prominence at Capitol News, will be a board member. The other board members will be Beverly Alert, Margaret Lawrence, Michael Leonard, Kamal Persaud and Dane Gobin. This board will serve from May 1, 2017 to April 30, 2018. Yesterday, at the postCabinet press briefing, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, made it clear that the new board will be guided by policy. In a direct response to a
New NCN Chairman, Enrico Woolford question on government’s expectation of the NCN’s new board, Minister Harmon noted that, “the guidelines that they will receive with respect to ensuring that the entity operates as one that provides information to the Guyanese public, that the information is timely, accurate, and that it is something that Guyanese people can look forward to.” There have been instances of political interference in the past in NCN, a fact that critics said contributed to the poor performance, despite the millions of dol-
lars in subventions the entity received annually. Also announced yesterday was a new board for the Privatisation Unit. It will be chaired by Dr. Grantley Walrond with its members including Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin; Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Jaipaul Sharma; Sabina Savory, Grantley Culbard and a representative of the private sector. This board will serve until December 2017. The Privatisation Board had been established to oversee the divestment of the country’s assets.
Friday April 28, 2017
Kaieteur News
PAGE 33
PAGE 34
Friday April 28, 2017
Kaieteur News
Anthony Joshua v Wladimir... ICC’s $400 million offer to BCCI... (From page 36) introduced as the challenger still feels “weird” but pointed to his experience, stating he had been involved in boxing for the 27 years Joshua has been alive. Victory for the Ukrainian would see him become a three-time heavyweight champion, like his retired
brother Vitali, who believes Joshua is complacent in his approach. ”I’ve never seen my brother so concentrated,” said Vitali. “I want to say that Joshua is a great fighter, great skills, but he has never been at such a high level. He looks relaxed, like it will be easy. It will not be.
”After I was told about the fight I studied Joshua and I was happy. He has the right style for Wladimir, a good opponent.” Joshua enters Saturday’s fight with 18 knockout wins in his 18 matches, while Klitschko boasts a record of 64 wins 53 by KO - and four defeats. (BBCsport)
Major Sports Tourism Seminar... (From page 38) the Diplomatic community in a constructive conversation aimed at identifying the Lines of Action needed in Guyana for a successful sports Tourism industry. From cricket and football to golf and athletics, from motor-racing and swimming
to horse-racing and basketball, Guyana offers Sports Tourism opportunities that have so far been barely tapped; Hence the need for such a Seminar/Workshop. The keynote address will be given by Sports Consultant Mr. Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira, while Mr. Dave Martins will chair the Opening Session. Participants will include personnel from the Department of Tourism, the Guyana Tourism Authority, the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana, GO-
Invest, the University of Guyana, the National Sports Commission, the Guyana Olympic Association, members of the Media, the Diplomatic community in Guyana as well as other celebrated figures in the domain of business and tourism. Vice President and Minister of Education Dr. Rupert Roopnarine will give the Opening Remarks. Registration is from 8.30 am and the event starts at 9.00 am sharp in the Savannah Suite of the Pegasus Hotel.
(From page 35) financial help. It is understood ZC could be given $19 million to clear its debt while the WICB had asked for $40 million as a grant. What now for the BCCI? A ray of hope still exists, considering Manohar wants the BCCI to be happy. A source who has worked closely with Manohar since he arrived at the ICC last year said he has no “desire to alienate” the BCCI. He has asked the ICC to continue engaging with the BCCI. The other reason for the BCCI remaining optimistic was a significant decision the ICC Board agreed on: to move the finance model out of the constitution. The BCCI feels there is still some room for manoeuvre. The working group will meet once again during the ICC’s annual conference in
June to approve the final changes to the constitution, governance structure and finance model - all of which would be finally ratified by the ICC Board. “All the boards want this resolved also,” the official said. “What happened yesterday does not mean India has diminished.” Choudhury told the ICC that he would need to head back to the BCCI, which will take a final decision at a special general body meeting (SGM). The official said India still had the bargaining power because of its importance in bilateral cricket. He pointed out that the ICC might need to increase its settlement offer and “go beyond” the proposed $100 million. ”There are two ways of resolving this now. One is the SGM says okay, 390 is good. Let us go ahead. The ICC will agree immediately and resolve
it. Or [the SGM] says we need more time. Then there will be another round of negotiations [with the ICC].” However, the scope of any further negotiations, the source pointed out, were remote. “He [Manohar] would still want to negotiate with the BCCI, but would he take it beyond $390 million? Questionable.” One other interested party, which could play the catalyst, is the CoA. It has been keeping a close watch on the events in Dubai this week. Any decision taken by the BCCI office bearers would need to be conveyed to the CoA, which would need to approve anything that is sent in writing to the ICC as per the court order. “The CoA can step in, but it will only step in also at $445 million,” the official said. (ESPNcricinfo)
Friday April 28,2017 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You must look into your options. Look into real estate. Love and romance are evident. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You could have a need to make some changes today. Do not sign your life away. You'll regret every word for some time to come. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Your partner may make you feel jealous and unloved. You will not be able to trust someone you work with. Your relationship appears to be stressed out and depleted. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Be careful not to show your temper when dealing with the boss. You must follow your desires and dreams. Look for something entertaining to do. You've got that competitive edge. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You must get out and mingle. If you can't get away, make plans to do something special with friends or relatives. You need to get out if you want to meet potential partners. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Organize your house and be sure to include the whole family in the projects you have set out to do. Be sure to cover all the necessary groundwork before signing binding contracts. Pursue outdoor activities or any physical exertion.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Changes in your domestic scene are apparent. You are best to work at home, clearing up overdue projects. Your compassion will be appreciated more than you can imagine. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Refrain from using the highway as a racetrack. Don't let others bait you into arguments. You may be able to get some good advice about your personal problems. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) You will expand your circle of friends if you join groups. You should consider submitting some of your written work for publication. Be aware that you don't get anything for nothing. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You could be blind to the defects of those you love. Look into intellectual and physical games that will test your abilities. You will have to face each issue separately and in person. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Spend time with your lover today. Social functions will bring you in touch with new lovers. You may have a tendency to put on weight. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You can make money if you concentrate on producing services or goods that will make domestic chores easier. Drastic changes regarding your personal attitude are evident. You need to get out and be an observer.
PAGE 35
Kaieteur News
Friday April 28, 2017
T20 leagues threaten new international schedule Burgeoning domestic T20 leagues are becoming obstacles as cricket administrators try and find a way to make Test and ODI leagues work in a new international calendar. And more than just a logistical issue, the problem seems to cut right to the heart of wider debates about the relevance of the international game. One of the proposals to resolve the conflict, suggested by ICC general manager cricket Geoff Allardice, is to schedule fewer Test matches. Chief executives of Full Member boards met this week in Dubai to discuss a Future Tours Programme (FTP) model they produced in March, but which is already looking unviable. The proposed FTP is the result of a scheduling summit that built on plans to introduce a 12-team Test league played over two years, and a 13-team ODI league played over three. Those plans were approved at ICC meetings in February. But ICC management has identified a number of issues with the calendar and has told Members that, as it stands, the schedule means the new structures will not be approved by the ICC Board. ” I n s u m m a r y, t h e schedule developed by Members is too congested, and the competition models that CEC [chief executives committee] identified in February cannot be recommended to the ICC Board for approval if they are to be accompanied by this schedule,” Allardice wrote in an assessment of the
schedules seen by E S P N c r i c i n f o . ”The schedule will need to be substantially revised by Members if these Test and ODI competitions are to be introduced.” As an indication of the scale of the problems apparent in this FTP, Allardice identifies “overlapping of tours” where some teams are listed as being in two places at once; there being “insufficient time” allocated for some series; series being scheduled “out of season”; and wrong formats being played in preparation for ICC events. Allardice also pointed to other issues, including the fact that there was no reduction in the amount of Test cricket - which was one of the central aims of the process of giving greater context to international cricket and of providing more meaning to each Test, rather than just more Tests. The thorniest point, however, is about T20 leagues, and new ones such as the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and South Africa’s T20 league, set to launch later this year, and their growth ambitions. The ICC treads carefully around what is effectively an internal members’ issue but it does put in clear perspective the dilemma facing cricket: how to balance the need for a money-spinning T20 league with that of the demands of international cricket? ”The windows for domestic T20 leagues (other than IPL) are relatively new, and have contributed to there being insufficient time
available,” Allardice wrote. “In particular, a 6-week block for the new CSA T20 league, and an 8-week block for the expanding PSL, have made the scheduling of international competitions more difficult. These windows have been positioned at a time when the majority of Members are looking to host their international cricket during the October to March period.” These issues gained sharp focus during a teleconference held last week between the cricket boards of Australia, England, Pakistan, South Africa and New Zealand, to forge a way out of the schedule jam. Instead, it prompted boards into a mild tit-for-tat over the windows afforded to various T20 leagues (see graphic). In particular the new South Africa T20 league, announced just as talks to create new international structures were gaining momentum and scheduled for end of the year, had irked some boards. ”One board raised an issue saying that because of the new South Africa league, we are having problems in our scheduling for international cricket,” an official who attended said. That led to another board pointing to the IPL: “We argued that the IPL takes up April-May in the calendar and in that block, effectively, six countries including Australia have said we cannot play international cricket.” ”You can’t say one thing to one league - you have done that yourselves, six countries not playing for two
BCB Management needs... (From page 37) remember his brilliant winning knock of 59 in the 2015 Under-15 final versus Demerara at Wales - where he was named Man-of-theFinals. Benjamin is also a very prolific batsman for Tucker Park at the Under-17, Under19 and Second Division levels. We would be very grateful for answers to the following questions: 1. Why is the most prolific opening junior batsman batting out of his normal position? 2. Was Sinclair demoted to accommodate a player from the club of the New
Czar of Berbice cricket, who is introducing himself as Secretary of BCB which is secret to most clubs? 3. Why is Benjamin carrying water when he is a senior player to several players in the final eleven? 4. Why is the Berbice team playing two left arms spinners, an off spinner, two pacers and a leg spinner when Junior Sinclair is a very capable off-spinner while Anderson bowls medium pace as well. Sinclair in 2016 and 2017 has taken 79 wickets at an average of 8.52 for Rose Hall at all levels while Anderson has bowled well for Rose Hall Town, Berbice
and Guyana, why was the leg spinner not left out of the team to accommodate Benjamin? 5. Why was an unqualified coach selected to coach the team when Berbice has several qualified and highly successful coaches? We do not know the persons who are selecting the Berbice team are or w h o i s i n c h a rg e o f Berbice cricket but the Berbice Public deserves answers to the above questions. Hilbert Foster Secretary/CEO RHTY&SC
months in that time.” Having acknowledged that these were serious issues the members then agreed to move discussions to Dubai. Allardice ends by suggesting three remedies for this impasse: schedule less Test cricket, allocate more time in the calendar to international cricket or play fewer series in the Test and ODI competitions. None of it will be easy. As an exercise, the ICC built
an alternative model using the minimum requirements for each format, but even that schedule faced congestion issues. And failure to find a workable schedule this week, Allardice warned, would mean having to develop new structures altogether; given the hope that is being invested in them, that would be a significant step backwards. ”It has got to work,” one
CEO said. “Yes, the fact that everybody has got (T20) leagues puts pressure on the (international) calendar. But it just means we have got to find the mechanism and a way to work it out. Fivematch or four-match Test series may not work (anymore). Maybe we consider two-match Test series and share the points. Just like the Premiership football.” (ESPNcricinfo)
Draw determines groups for 2017 Scotiabank CONCACAF Under-13 Champions League Mexico City – CONCACAF and Scotiabank conducted Wednesday the draw for the third edition of the Scotiabank CONCACAF Under-13 Champions League at the JW Marriott in the Polanco section of Mexico City. The event, which determined the groups for the tournament to be played from August 5-12, was opened with a welcoming address from CONCACAF General Secretary Phillipe Moggio. Also present were Hector Paniagua, Deputy General Director of Consumer Banking at Scotiabank in Mexico, and Juan Adalberto Lopez, General Director of Amateur Programs of the Mexican Football Federation. ”It is a pleasure to announce the third edition of t h e S c o t i a b a n k CONCACAF Under-13 Champions League. We would like to thank our
Phillipe Moggio (Photo: Mexsport) commercial partner Scotiabank for believing in CONCACAF and in our youth, while offering this important development platform,” said CONCACAF General Secretary Philippe Moggio. “The international tournament provides a significant opportunity to encourage football passion, foster talent as well as fair play values, which are
essential for the future generations within the region.” The sixteen participating clubs from ten CONCACAF nations were drawn into four groups of four for round-robin play. The competition will be played at the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol’s new facilities in Toluca. ”At Scotiabank we are commitment to continue supporting amateur athletes. We are proud to host this championship once again in Mexico, as well as to witness the enthusiasm and talent of the players from the countries they represent,” said Hector Paniagua, Deputy General Director of Consumer Banking at Scotiabank Mexico. Defending champion Santa Ana (El Salvador) was drawn into Group B with Universidad Cantera Norte (Mexico), Toronto FC (Canada) and Real Esteli (Nicaragua)
Kaieteur News
PAGE 36
Friday April 28, 2017
Chelsea thrashes Man City to win FA Youth Cup for 4th year in a row Antonio Conte just couldn’t contain his delight. A broad smile lit up his face and his inner child came out as he reached over to the equally delighted Roman Abramovich for a high-five. Dujon Sterling had just scored Chelsea’s fourth of the evening, making absolutely sure of the club’s fourth consecutive FA Youth Cup triumph, and both men knew the dynasty was secure. As he watched the next generation sweep aside Manchester City in this match for the third straight y e a r, i t w o u l d h a v e especially pleased Abramovich that the gap between the two most lavishly-resourced academies in England appears to be widening. Chelsea were just so superior, the quality of their goals so high, that their dominance of this prestigious old competition shows no signs of ending. This was their eighth Youth Cup triumph overall and another next season would equal the accomplishments of the Manchester United ‘Busby Babes’ - featuring the likes of Duncan Edwards and Bobby Charlton - in the 1950s by winning five-in-a-row. High class goals from Trevoh Chalobah, Ike Ugbo, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Sterling and Cole DaSilva
Chelsea celebrate retaining the FA Youth Cup after thrashing Manchester City on aggregate
made this second leg a procession and it’s clear Chelsea’s conveyor belt of talent is in overdrive. City - who had rallied to draw last week’s first leg 1-1 - were simply blown away by Chelsea’s superior speed and skill, plus the audacity of their finishing, even though a Lukas Nmecha goal early in the second-half had offered brief hope. You sensed that if City were to avoid a repeat of their last two finals here, they’d have to keep it tight early on. What happened was the polar opposite, with Chelsea in the ascendancy
from kick-off. Playing their club hallmark 3-4-3 formation, the holders set an impressive tempo, twice forcing City goalkeeper Aro Muric into early reflex saves through curling efforts from Sterling and Jacob Maddox. A corner resulted from the second of those and as captain Mason Mount delivered, the lanky Chalobah managed to get the slip on the City defenders and ahead of fellow defender Marc Guehi. His towering header crashed into the net and Jody Morris and his team had their perfect start.
Nadal, Murray advance to Barca Open quarter-finals Third seed Rafael Nadal remained on course for a 10th Barcelona Open title after reaching the quarterfinals with a 6-3 6-4 victory over Kevin Anderson yesterday. World number one Andy Murray also advanced as he stepped up his recovery from an elbow injury by breezing past Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 6-4 6-4. It was Nadal’s 50th victory at the tournament and the Mallorcan never looked in danger against world number 66 Anderson, forcing 10 break points in the match. Nadal, who broke the big-serving South African twice, said the rain throughout the morning in Catalonia meant the newlyrenamed Rafa Nadal Court
Rafael Nadal. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard was moving slower than usual. He will be hoping for better weather when he takes on South Korean qualifier Hyeon Chung in the last
eight today. “They weren’t the best conditions for me. I much prefer it when the ball is doing more,” Nadal said. ”It wasn’t easy. He’s a really tall player who hits the ball well in comfortable positions. I tried to make him take the ball on the move in order to make him less comfy.” To p s e e d M u r r a y ’s victory set up a meeting with Albert Ramos-Vinolas, the Spaniard who knocked him out of the Monte Carlo Masters last week, today. The 29-year-old is the last Briton in the draw after the country’s number two Dan Evans lost 7-6(5) 6-2 to Austria’s Dominic Thiem, who faces Yuichi Sugita for a semi-final place. (Reuters)
Chelsea were fleet of foot and most effective with direct runs right through the heart of City’s midfield. Both Chalobah and HudsonOdoi surged unchecked
through the middle. City just hadn’t turned up - their livewire forwards were muzzled and it’s never a good sign when creative force Jadon Sancho drops back to his
own penalty area to get a feel f o r t h e b a l l . It would soon get worse for the shell-shocked visitors, as Chelsea doubled their lead in stunning fashion. Sterling surged past Tyreke Wilson down the right and crossed invitingly to the near post. You expected Ugbo to attack it with his head but instead the striker produced an acrobatic overhead kick to leave Muric beaten all ends up. It continued Ugbo’s run of scoring in every match of Chelsea’s Youth Cup run this season, taking his tally to eight in total in the competition. The television cameras panned to Antonio Conte, sitting up in the posh seats, with a beaming smile across his face. Owner Roman Abramovich, Captain John Terry and legend Frank Lampard were among other luminaries taking a peek at the next generation. (MailOnline)
Sharapova eases past Makarova into Stuttgart quarters Former world number one Maria Sharapova eased past fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova 7-5 6-1 yesterday to reach the Stuttgart Grand Prix quarter-finals and continue her winning comeback from a 15-month doping ban. The 30-year-old Russian, who has won five Grand Slams and is among the highest-paid athletes in the world, returned to action on Wednesday with a straight sets win over Roberta Vinci following her suspension for the use of banned substance meldonium. She has yet to drop a set in Stuttgart where she has won the title three times. “I settled down a bit (compared to Wednesday). I executed a great plan today and I was really glad I pulled that off,” Sharapova told reporters. ”Practicing is so different to matches, you cannot compare it. You just have to trust the work you have put in. It’s great to come out and play matches. Being in the quarter-finals again is special.” Sharapova, who had tested positive for the banned substance at the 2016 Australian Open,
Maria Sharapova. REUTERS/Ralph Orlowski picked up where she had left off against Vinci, powering through her first two service games without dropping a point but struggling somewhat with her return consistency. Makarova cleverly mixed up the height and depth of her shots during rallies on the very quick Stuttgart clay with Sharapova still lacking match practice. Makarova wasted her only break opportunity at 5-5 and Sharapova never looked back. She earned her first break points a game later,
powering a crosscourt forehand winner to grab the first set. She broke Makarova twice in the second set to race 5-1 ahead and served out the match with an ace to set up a quarter-final clash against Estonian qualifier Anett Kontaveit. Sharapova received a wild card for the tournament, having lost all her ranking points in the wake of her suspension, and she has also been invited to play in Madrid and Rome moves that have angered some players. (Reuters)
Kaieteur News
Friday April 28, 2017
Badree flickers, Gayle flops and RCB lose Bangalore, India, CMC – West Indies leg-spinner Samuel Badree made two early strikes but they were not enough to save Royal Challengers Bangalore from a heavy seven-wicket defeat to Gujarat Lions in the Indian Premier League here yesterday. Defending an inadequate 134 all out off their 20 overs at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the hosts started brightly when Trinidadian Badree removed both openers to reduce Lions to 23 for two in the fifth over. Ishan Kishan missed a sweep
at a straight delivery in the third over and was hit in front for 16 while danger man Brendon McCullum picked out AB de Villiers in the deep in Badree’s next over. However, Australian Aaron Finch blasted 72 off 34 deliveries, in a 92-run third wicket stand with Captain Suresh Raina (34 not out) which pulled the innings around. Badree finished with two for 29 from his three overs. Earlier, superstar opener Chris Gayle failed for the second straight innings with
a single digit score as RCB failed to get going after being asked to bat. The left-hander was the second to fall in the fifth over for eight, edging a defensive prod at Aussie seamer Andrew Tye to be caught behind. Pawan Negi, batting at number seven, top-scored with 32 while Kedar Jadhav chipped in with 31, but were the only two of the top order to pass 10. The defeat for RCB – their sixth in eight outings – left them one from bottom of the standings and facing early elimination from the tournament.
RHTY&SC Dolphin Award of Excellence
PM Moses Nagamootoo, Ministers Ally and Lawerence head list of awardees
Mohindra Persaud, CEO of Nand Persaud & Co. receives his award. A total of fifteen outstanding Guyanese headed by Acting President of Guyana, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo on Sunday last received the prestigious Dolphin Award of Excellence, the highest Award of Guyana’s leading Yo u t h a n d S p o r t s organisation, the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, M.S. The award was presented during the club’s gala 27 Annual Awards Ceremony which was held at the Ttraining Centre of the St. Francis Community Developers, the Parent body of the club. The other awardees were Minister of Social Protection – Amna Ally, Minister of Public Health – Volda Lawerence, Managing Director of Nand Persaud Ltd – Mohindra Persaud, Managing Director of Ansa Mcal – Troy Cadogan, Senior Manager of Food for the Poor – Jimeel David, Food for the Poor CEO Kent Vincent, Region 6 Regional Chairman David Armogan, Bakewell General Manager – Rajin Ganga, th
Police ‘B’ Division Commander – Ian Amsterdam, Director of Sports – Christopher Jones, Marketing Executive of Farfan and Mendes Ltd – Onai Vasconcellos, Cricket Journalist Sean Danvers, Kaieteur News Sports Editor. Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster stated that the Dolphin Award of Excellence is the highest of the twelve awards of the club. Awardees are selected by a special awards committee headed by Foster and Vice President Mark Papannah. T h e Aw a r d e e s a r e selected based on contributions to youth and sport development in Guyana, role model status to be emulated by youths and being an outstanding friend of the club. Foster stated that the club strongly believes in honouring heroes as it is very important for youths to follow in their footsteps and also because outstanding persons should be honoured while they are alive. He informed that over the last twenty-seven years, the
club has developed relationships with outstanding Guyanese who also partner with them to make Guyana a better place for youths, the elderly and l e s s f o r t u n a t e . All of the awardees have worked along with the RHTY&SC in the past and are some of the main reasons why the club has been able to have such a great impact across Berbice and Guyana. General Manager of Sterling Products Ramsay Ali and NAMILCO’s Managing Director Bert Sukhai would receive their Awards shortly as they were unable to attend last Sunday’s activity. Minister Ally and Jimeel Davis spoke on behalf of the Awardees. Davis spoke on how special it felt to be honoured by the club as it is a highly successful entity which Food for the Poor has worked with on numerous programmes. Minister Ally stated that she enjoys very good relationships with both the RHTY&SC and its parent body, the ST. Francis Community Developers. She expressed gratitude to the club, its cricketers and executive for awarding her for her contribution towards the development of Guyana. Others persons who received the Award since its official launch are President David Granger, Busta General Manager Robert Selman, Gizmos and Gadgets CEO Ravi Mangar, Scotia Bank Marketing Manager Jennifer Cipriani, Metro Office Supplies CEO Avia Lindee, DDL Marketing Manager Larry Wills and journalists F r a n k l y n Wi l s o n a n d Gregory Rambarran.
PAGE 37
Windies batsman Samuels signs for Daredevils New Delhi, India, CMC – West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels has been drafted in by Delhi Daredevils for the remainder of their Indian Premier League campaign, as a replacement for injured South African wicketkeeper/batsman Quinton de Kock. The 36-year-old Jamaican, who went unsold in the IPL auction this year, joins a franchise that already has West Indies teammate Carlos Brathwaite on their r o s t e r. S a m u e l s i s represented West Indies in 71 Tests, 187 one-day internationals and 55 twenty20 internationals, but was not selected for the ongoing Test series against Pakistan in the Caribbean. He was a key member or the side that won the T20 World Cup in India last April, hitting a brilliant Man-of-the-Match unbeaten 85 in the final to see West Indies to a dramatic win over England. Samuels, who last played for the Windies in the four-match T20 series
Marlon Samuels against Pakistan last month, links up with a Daredevils side which has struggled this season and lie rock bottom of the IPL standings on four points with just two wins in six outings. De Kock was ruled out of
the tournament after sustaining an injury to his right index finger on last month’s tour of New Zealand. Daredevils play their next game against leaders Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday at Eden Gardens.
ICC’s $400 million offer to BCCI still on table The door has not yet been completely shut on the BCCI as far as the ICC’s finance model is concerned. ESPNcricinfo understands that immediately after the BCCI was outvoted at the ICC Board meeting on We d n e s d a y, t h e I C C chairman Shashank Manohar informed Amitabh Choudhury, the BCCI secretary that the settlement offer of an additional $100 million was still on the table. Under the new finance model, the BCCI stands to receive $293 million from the ICC revenue across an eight-year cycle. The BCCI had wanted $570 million - the share it would have received under the previous Big Three finance model - but Manohar had made a counter offer of an additional $100 million over the $293 million to raise the Indian board’s share to nearly $400 million. On Wednesday, the ICC board read the letter submitted by Choudhury on the mandate given to him by the BCCI and rejected his proposal.
How did the BCCI lose? Hours before before the ICC Board met, Choudhury and BCCI CEO Rahul Johri conducted discussions with heads of various boards such as the ECB, Cricket Australia, the WICB, Associates representative Imran Khawaja, and Manohar. It is understood that both BCCI representatives wanted to try and find a “middle path” on the finance model. The idea was to get as close to the $445 million figure the Committee of Administrators (CoA, appointed by Supreme Court of India to supervise the BCCI) had asked Manohar for in March. There was then a separate meeting between Choudhury and three members of the ICC working group, which had drafted the new constitution. Manohar, ECB chairman Giles Clarke and CA chairman David Peever once again placed the offer of an additional $100 million to Choudhury. ”Earlier the offer had been made by Manohar, but this was a formal offer from
the ICC working group. He [Choudhury] turned it down,” an official said. “He was told that in that case the original proposal had already been approved in February and we can’t change that. Hence the ICC model went through.” With Choudhury refusing to enter a discussion on the settlement deal, the ICC working group was left with no choice but to ask for a show of hands. The BCCI was taken aback when Full Members whom it understood to be in its corner swayed to the ICC side. The BCB, Zimbabwe Cricket and the WICB have been BCCI allies for a long time, but on Wednesday they voted against it. The case of the BCB and ZC was surprising only because both had submitted strong reservations at the outset of the ICC Board meeting. ZC even called the draft c o n s t i t u t i o n “discriminatory.” The official said one main reason behind these three boards changing stance was the ICC’s decision to provide them (Continued on page 32)
Kaieteur News
PAGE 38
Friday April 28, 2017
Igloo Ice cream U-17 Inter County Cricket
Algoo spurs Berbice to second win A pugnacious 43 from the inform Alex Algoo and three wickets apiece from Kelvon Anderson, Mahendra Dorasami and Kelvin Omrao powered Berbice to a second win in three days when they destroyed the National Under-15s at Everest by 9 wickets in the second round of the Igloo Ice Cream U-17 Inter-County 50-over cricket tournament. The National U-15s won the toss and elected to bat in sultry conditions on a flat track and fast outfield and started in promising fashion before slumping from 33 without loss to 70 all out in 34.3 overs. Openers Ricardo Ramdeho, who struck a boundary in his 29-ball 16 and Shamar Yearwood, whose 12 took 45 balls and included one four; once this duo was separated only Abudal Ramsammy, who
labored for 21 balls to make 10 with a single boundary, reached double figures. Kelvon Anderson (3-2), Mahendra Dorasami (3-13) and Kelvin Omrao (3-16) all bowled well for Berbice who galloped to 71-1 to record an emphatic win. Although Ramdeho and Yearwood did not exactly set the Everest sward on fire they occupied the crease for 13 overs and reached the boundary twice in a cautiously constructed 33run partnership before Yearwood was caught behind by Junior Sinclair to trigger a dramatic collapse. Mahendra Dindyal (3), Marvan Prashad (3) and 14year-old Essequibo U-17 player Sheldon Charles (0) in his second year in the Guyana U-15 side, all departed with the score on 42.
One run later when Daniel Dharamdat had his stumps knocked out by Dorasami at 43-6, the writing was on the wall as 10 wickets tumbled for 37 runs. The right-handed Algoo, who blasted an entertaining 81 on Tuesday against Essequibo at the same venue, played confidently and was not afraid to go after the bowling; dominating a quick-fire 61-run opening stand with Brandon Mangal (14*) before he attempted clear the boundary for the fourth time and was caught at long-on; Daniel Motoo making the break through with victory just nine runs away. The final round is set for tomorrow with the U-15s facing Essequibo at Everest and defending Champions Demerara opposing Berbice at Bourda. (Sean Devers)
Anthony Joshua v Wladimir Klitschko: ’Memory stick mind games won’t faze me’
Rankin grabs 5 as Essequibo beat Demerara by three wickets Mark Rankin produced a consistent and effective spell of medium pace bowling as Essequibo registered their first win of the Guyana Cricket Board Igloo Ice Cream Under-17 50-over inter county tournament, beating Demerara by three wickets in the second round yesterday. Rankin bagged 5-23 from 9.5 overs to help bowl out Demerara for 127 in 41.5 overs at Bourda. The home team was to regret their decision to bat on a difficult pitch as impressive fast bowler Reyaz Khan had opener Sachin Singh (00) caught at the wicket off the very first ball before fellow opener Adrian Hinds attempted to pull a ball that kept low from Leon Swami and was bowled for four leaving the score at 20-2. Alphius Bookie and Robin Williams added 32 for the third wicket but after hitting four fours Williams failed to control a cut shot and was caught at point off Lance Roberts for 18. Rankin trapped skipper Paradesh Balkishun and Bookie lbw for 1 and 18 respectively before accounting for Ashmead Nedd
Lance Roberts (04) to leave Demerara at 716. Andrew Samaroo was then taken off Roberts without scoring, but useful contributions from Hemnauth Dindyal (18) Elion Whyte (12) and Qumar To r r i n g t o n ( 1 0 ) s a w Demerara to their eventual total. Roberts 2-18, Swami 2-22 and Khan 1-47 were the other successful bowlers. Openers Orlando Jailall and Kevin Christian put on 38 for the opening stand to set Essequibo on course. Jailall, who timed the ball well struck Torrington to the
cover boundary and drove Elion Whyte through mid-on for four before using his feet to Nedd and smashed him for a straight six. The lefthanded Jailall continued to look positive, but when on 23 he got a ball from Balkishun that did not rise above his ankle and was bowled. The level-headed Christian and Azeem Mohamed continued to frustrate their opponents as they added 42 for the second wicket before Christain was bowled by Nedd for 29. Balkishun then sent back Mohamed for 16 before Nedd bowled Swami for eight leaving Essequibo at 104-4. While Roberts kept his composure rotating the strike, Essequibo lost Badesh Parsotam who was bowled by Balkishun without scoring; Devendra Mohan (01) and Saeed Hakh (00) both needlessly run out to be at 115-7. But Roberts who remained unbeaten on 29 and Khan (06*) saw their team home as they finished on 130-7 in 38.1 overs. Balkishun had 3-26 and Nedd 2-18. Rankin was named man-of-the-match.
Masters Easter Classic KO Football starts today Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko will collide at Wembley Stadium on Saturday (tomorrow) night Anthony Joshua has challenged Wladimir Klitschko to “stand up to the power” after the Ukrainian branded him only “a puncher” in the run up to tomorrow’s bout. Klitschko, who is entering his 29th world title fight, revealed yesterday he has made a video of his prediction for their heavyweight bout at Wembley. That has been saved on a memory stick which will be sewn into his robe. “It’s strategy,” said Joshua, 27. “An attempt at a mind game. I didn’t take it the way he wanted to express it.” Former heavyweight champion Klitschko, 41, will auction his robe - and its contents - for charity after the Wembley Stadium super fight for Joshua’s IBF title
and the vacant WBA belt. At a news conference free of the antics seen at many prefight gatherings, he told BBC Radio 5 live: “Don’t ask me what’s on the stick. Only one person will know about it. If that person wants to put it on social media, then the world will know.” The pair will meet in front of an expected 90,000 fans, a post-war record for a UK boxing match. Neither man has spoken negatively about their rival during the build-up, but Klitschko broke rank briefly yesterday, saying Joshua is no more than a “puncher” while adding that he himself is “a boxer who can punch”. The Ukrainian added: “I am the winner, already before the event. Even if it is his home, I’m taking it as my
event and my fight, my win.” Joshua, who has had 18 professional fights compared to Klitschko’s 68, responded: “If I couldn’t box I wouldn’t be here. I may not be the best but what I do good, I do brilliantly. That’s got me here. ”If he claims to be the better boxer so be it, but when I start punching you in your jaw, you best stand up to the power. This is just another stepping stone towards greatness.” Klitschko - who shouted “fake news” at one reporter when asked about a rumoured eye-socket injury - is bidding to regain two of the three major titles he lost to Tyson Fury in his last outing in 2015. He admits being (Continued on page 32)
Pele, Santos, Thomas United, Beacons, Rasta Patriots and Plaisance are among eight teams to have signaled their intention to participate in the three-day Masters Easter Classic Knockout Football Tournament which opens today with a double header, at the Tucville g r o u n d . In today’s fixtures, Beacons go up against Rasta Patriots from 18:00hrs and this encounter will be followed by the clash between Santos
and Wales at 20:00hrs. Action in the competition continues tomorrow with another double header at the s a m e v e n u e . In the first game, Thomas United tackles Park
Rangers, before Pele and Plaisance square off at 20:00hrs. The semi-finals and final will be played on Sunday, at the same v e n u e . Meanwhile, a source close to the Organisers disclosed that the winning team will take away $75,000 and the runner-up $25,000 along with trophies. Among the entities that have contributed to the event are: Guyana Beverages Company, Star Party Rentals, De Sinco Trading, Bounty, Hamson General Store and Jermaine’s Enterprise.
South Turkeyen SC, QC SC host Day of Sports The South Turkeyen Sports Committee in collaboration with the Queen’s College (QC) Sports Committee will host a Day of Sports tomorrow, at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue.
According to Coorganiser Johnny ‘Overseas’ Barnwell among the activities planned are six overs Softball and Tapeball cricket, inter-class football for second and third forms students, both boys and girls, a cricket match for
parents and a grudge match that will feature students from Forms 1A and 1B. Trophies and medals will be up for grabs, games time is 09:30hrs. The event is also being organised by Shellon Beckles.
Kaieteur News
Friday April 28, 2017
PAGE 39
Pachuca wins Scotiabank CCL title Pachuca, Mexico — Pachuca captured its second Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League title with a 1-0 win over visiting Tigres on Wednesday night at the Estadio Hidalgo, prevailing in the two-legged final 2-1 on aggregate. It is the Tuzos’ fifth CONCACAF club championship, while Tigres fell in the decider for the second straight year. Mexican clubs have captured all nine editions of the competition, with M o n t e r r e y ( 2 0 1 0 / 11 , 2011/12, 2012/13) and Club America (2014/15, 2015/16) being the other sides to lift the trophy more than once. Franco Jara scored the only goal in the 83rd minute, when he pounced on a loose ball after Tigres goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman couldn’t control Hirving Lozano’s right-footed effort from 31yards out. The 28-year Argentinean finished second on the tournament’s scoring chart with six goals, two behind Golden Boot winner Lozano. The strike came just five minutes after UANL’s Guido
Pachuca celebrates after prevailing over visiting Tigres in the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League final, second leg. (Photo: Mexsport) Pizarro was ejected for a second yellow card. The key midfielder played with a face mask due to a broken nose suffered in the first leg. Tigres, which would have secured its first-ever
international crown with a win or a draw that ended in a score of 2-2 or higher, had its chances to get on the scoreboard. France international Andre-Pierre Gignac, however, was thwarted on
three occasions. He was denied by leftdiving goalkeeper Alfonso Blanco in the 15th minute, hit the crossbar with a swerving right-footed attempt from distance in the 33rd minute and had a goal
disallowed for offside in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time. Despite his miscue, Guzman made two notable stops on Franco at the end of the first half, saving a 44thminute header and making a
point-blank stop seconds later. Pachuca will travel to the United Arab Emirates for its fourth FIFA Club World Cup appearance, December 6-16, 2017. (CONCACAF)
Letter to the Sport Editor
BCB Management needs to explain The Management of the Berbice Under-17 cricket team needs to urgently explain to the cricketing public of Berbice why Junior Sinclair, Berbice’ most prolific junior opening batsman along with Alex Algoo is being forced to bat out of position at No. 3. This talented batsman has opened batting for Rose Hall Town, Berbice and Guyana and is one of the most prolific youth batsmen in his age group in Berbice along with Algoo, Kevlon Anderson, Garfield Benjamin and Seon
Glasgow. Sinclair to date has a total of eight centuries at the junior level since 2015 opening the batting. In total he has scored a total of 1653 runs at an average of 50.12 for the RHTY&SC. Some of the centuries are a majestic 107 vs Young Warriors in an Under-19 BCB semi-final, 105 vs a touring Trinidad Under-19 Cricket Academy team, 145 vs Line Path (2016), 110 vs Tamarind Root, 106 vs Tucker Park (Under-17) and 115 vs N0. 73.
Sinclair is also one of the main reasons why LCCSS won the National School Championship in 2017 and RHT Pepsi and Berbice
Under-19 title in 2016 with a high volume of runs. We at the RHTY&SC are very upset at this undeserved demotion in the batting order
for Junior Sinclair and the non-selection of Tucker Park’s Garfield Benjamin in the final eleven. Benjamin is a national Under-15 player
who has represented Berbice since 2015 at the junior level with great success. All Berbicians (Continued on page 33)
Kaieteur News
PAGE 40
Friday April 28, 2017
RHTY&SC Cricket Teams and Scotiabank recognise Berbice Teachers Under their Tribute to O u t s t a n d i n g Te a c h e r s Programme, the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) and Scotiabank, nine (9) outstanding teachers drawn from schools in the Berbice were on Sunday last honoured. Undertaken by the club’s Cricket Teams, the Teachers of the Year - 2016 for their respective schools were drawn from the Lower Corentyne Secondary, J.C. Chandisingh Secondary, Port Mourant Secondary, New Amsterdam Secondary, Corentyne Comprehensive, Rose Hall Town Primary, Rose Hall Town Nursery, Belvedere Primary and Tain Primary Schools. The main objective of the Scotiabank Tribute to Teachers programme is to recognise teachers who are making a positive difference in the educational sector and is designed to inspire educators to perform to the highest standard; to be role
President (ag) Moses Nagamootoo poses with the Teachers of the Year. models for students and to inspire youths to enter the teaching profession. Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster stated that the programme is organised on an annual basis as part of the Say NO/Say YES campaign. The schools involved are the ones closely aligned to the RHTY&SC and the teachers honoured were Nikita Loncke – RHT Primary, Eric Seenarine Rose Hall Town
Major Sports Tourism Seminar/Workshop scheduled for tomorrow at Pegasus
Donald Sinclair Director General of Tourism The development of Sports Tourism in Guyana is high on the agenda of the Department of Tourism in the Ministry of Business. Globally, sporting events are driving tourism business as governments recognise the economic benefit of hosting international sports and are seeking to maximise the return on their investments in sports stadiums, tournament venues, track and field facilities, sporting arenas and other facilities. In this regard the
Department of Tourism in the Ministry of Business has identified the development of a Sports Tourism Policy as one of its objectives for 2017. The theme for the event is: Improving sports through tourism; growing tourism through Sports. The Sports Tourism Seminar/Workshop seeks to bring together all Sporting Associations, business and tourism entities, Regional Sports administrators, and (Continued on page 32)
Primary, Christel Lester Nedd – Tain Primary, Ms. Naressa Drijodhan – B e l v e d e r e P r i m a r y, Rajwattie Pertals-Jainarine – CCHS, Orletta John – NASS, Deborah Tambaran – J.C.C.S.S, Sharon Hawker – LCSS and Tracy AustinJ o n a s – P M S S . Foster who has served as the RHTY&SC Secretary/CEO since 2000 congratulated the awardees and urged them to
always strive for success. He spoke on the importance of teachers being positive role models to their students in and out of the classroom. The RHTY&SC, he stated was able to attracted discipline and committed members because of the hard work and commitment of teachers in the Lower Corentyne district. The Secretary/CEO also expressed gratitude to the
Management of Scotiabank for their continued confidence in the Club and special mention was made of Marketing Executive Ms. Jennifer Cipriani, Acting President and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Minister of Social Protection Amna Ally, Regional Chairman David Armogan and RHTY&SC President Keith Foster, also congratulated the awardees.
Nagamaootoo presented the awards to the recipients who received a collection of gifts along with a trophy, medal and framed certificate. The cricket teams that organised the event were the Farfan and Mendes Under-15, Bakewell U n d e r- 1 7 a n d S e c o n d Division, Pepsi Under-19 and Intermediate, Metro Female and Gizmos and Gadgets Under-21 and First Division teams.
2nd Boyce & Jefford Relay Classic & Family Fun Day
Sparta could add another trophy to their burgeoning cabinet They are among the three hottest teams in the shorter version of football and this sentiment is not restricted to their achievements, but they are undoubtedly crowd pullers and a promoter’s dream. The teams we are talking about here are Sparta Boss, the real bosses of the shorter version, the new kids on the block Back Circle and the most star-studded lineup on paper Bent Street. These teams are set to appear in Sunday’s second staging of the Boyce & Jefford Relay Classic & Family Fun Day at the Police Sports Club, Eve Leary. Sparta Boss recent winners of the Petra Organisation / GT Beer Futsal Competition and current national Guinness champions will no doubt be aiming to add another title to their burgeoning cabinet when they face some of the best exponents in the 5-aside version of the sport. Some of the notable players expected to appear for the bosses are Devon Millington, Gregory Richardson, Solomon
This is the kind of excitement that will be witnessed on Sunday, at the Police Sports Club ground. Austin, Sheldon Shepherd and Cleon Forrester. Back Circle has been the revelation so far for the year, especially in the absence of the experienced Andy Duke; the young guns have stepped up and are regarded as one of the most dangerous teams to face. Akeemo Anthony has been the bright spark for the team, while Jermine Beckles, Stephon McLean
and Curtez Kellman are not too far off as well. What more could be said about Bent Street? This is a team that is a virtual national team with the likes of Konata Manning, Dwight Peters, Colin Nelson, Joshua Browne, Okanie Fraser and Anthony Abrams in their lineup. They will no doubt be seeking some amount of redemption folowing their
disappointing semi-final exit in the GT Beer Competition. The other teams confirmed are: Agricola Champion Boys, Broad Street Bullies, Sophia, Police, GDF and Camp Street All Stars and West Front Road ‘Gold is Money’. Up for grabs is $50,000 for the winners and $25,000 for the losing finalist.
Kaieteur News
Friday April 28, 2017
PAGE 41
Ministry of Social Protection donate footballs Coach Gilbert’s ‘Back Road’ clinic the beneficiaries By Sean Devers If you pass on the ‘East Back Road’ in the afternoons you are likely to see the dreadlocked Football Coach Sampson Gilbert hard at work with several children from ages 6 to 15 from the surrounding areas on the Roxanne Burnham Gardens playfield but yesterday’s session was slightly different from the usual. The enthusiastic youngsters including one female footballer was told of the importance of staying in school and acquiring an education, the ills of peer pressure, staying focused on their goals in Society and being a role model in Society. These words of wisdom were presented by Probation and Social Services Officer, Pamela Atwell and Senior Probation and Social
Services Officer Debra Joseph. Atwell told the young people that even if some might not be academically inclined, there were schools they could attend to learn a trade since even if they become famous footballers and they score four goals in a match the media will want interviews and if they stay in school and take in their education they will be ready for anything in life. Probation Officer Joel Gibson, himself a former footballer, said he was inspired to organise assistance for the group of mainly underprivileged youths after seeing them training when he passed on the ‘Back Road’ in the afternoons. Atwell noticed that some of the children did not have football boots and promised to assist. She stressed on the
Probation Officer Joel Gibson hands overs one of the balls to Coach Sampson Gilbert at the Roxanne Burnham Gardens playfield yesterday. importance of what is taught in the Churches, Mosques and Temples, Schools and most importantly, in the homes.
Gibson emphasised the value of discipline and respect for Teachers, Peers, Referees and Coaches if they wanted to be successful in
NSC hands over equipment to Archery Guyana Archery Guyana received some useful equipment to aid in the training and practice sessions of the discipline, compliments of the National Sports Commission (NSC). The presentation was made by Deputy Director Mr. Brian Smith at the NSC’s Office, Homestretch Avenue to President Mrs. Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon in the presence of Chairman of the Archery Task Force, Mr. Nicholas Hing, and Directors Dr. Pravesh Harry and Mr. David Dharry. Archery Guyana has expressed gratitude to the National Sports Commission for its pledged and kind support towards the national Archery Development Programme. Mr. Hing commented: “This equipment will not only help boost training for our local archers, but will also prevent damage to archery equipment”. The Backstop Safety Net is essential for any archery range to catch arrows that miss the target, hereby preventing lost and/or broken arrows. This particular model presented
NSC Deputy Director Mr. Brian Smith hands over equipment to Mrs. Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon in the presence of Mr. Nicholas Hing, Dr. Pravesh Harry and Mr. David Dharry. has metal grommets every 3 feet along the top band for easy hanging and can be mounted between any sturdy upright objects or trees thereby enabling safety for Archery Guyana’s Indoor and Outdoor shooting activities. The two donated Bulldog Archery Targets are the recommended ones to stop arrows and built with an extra tough 10" of stopping power to hold up to the blisteringly fast arrows as the local archers develop skills; there is also the easy
arrow removal. Archery Guyana is a subsidiary of the Guyana Sport Shooting Federation
and more information can be found on its website: www.GuyanaSportShootin g.com.
football and life. Coach Gilbert collected the donation of balls for his private programme while Elijah Newton received balls on behalf of the Roxanne Burnham Gardens group. Both donations were made by Gibson who informed that similar programmes were done in other areas including Sophia and Albouystown. Also present at the simple ceremony and handing over of the balls were three key members of the Roxanne Burnham Gardens Development Council; it’s President Juliet J u l i a n , Vi c e - P r e s i d e n t Winston Bentham and Secretary, Lynette Roberts. Coach Gibson told the gathering that he has spent all of his adult life helping talented youths develop not only football skills but life skills which could keep them away from crime, violence and other social ills. ”I was just like these kids when I attended the St John’s College as part of the Class
of 1982. I remember being involved in football in form three and how the game helped to change my life. 1980 was International Year of the Child and our school which won the second division competition qualified for the Demico Division One league in G e o rg e t o w n ” r e v e a l e d Coach Gilbert. Gilbert, who joined Pele FC and later played for Fruta Conquers soon got into Coaching because of his love for helping others improve. ”It is nice to have these ceremonial presentations but I need the support of Government and other entities to help with these kids since they need a lot more than a few balls and motivating words but I believe this is a great start and hope it continues” said Coach Gilbert, in thanking t h e M i n i s t r y ’s representatives for their kind gesture. Gilbert is the Guyana Football federation Technical Development Officer of Georgetown.
t r o Sp Igloo Ice cream U-17 Inter County Cricket
Algoo spurs Berbice Rankin grabs 5 as Essequibo to second win beat Demerara by three wickets
Chairman of the National youth selectors Nazimul Drepaul hands over the MOM Award to Alex Algoo at Everest yesterday.
RHTY&SC Dolphin Award of Excellence
PM Moses Nagamootoo, Ministers Ally and Lawerence head list of awardees
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo receives his award from RHTY&SC President Keith Foster.
Man-of-the-match Mark Rankin accepts his prize from match referee Colin Stuart.
ICC’s $400 million offer to BCCI still on table
ICC chairman Shashank Manohar (right) and ECB chairman Giles Clarke Š Getty Images
Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210