Monday April 30, 2018
Fort Wellington Police Prosecutor dancing to the tune of Abel Seetaram DEAR EDITOR, In Region 5, the name Abel Seetaram is synonymous with disorderly behaviour. He avoids prosecution because of his close friendship with Corporal Rochelle Mars, Court Prosecutor attached to the Fort Wellington Magistrate Court. Although, there is no evidence of the Minister’s direct involvement, the same cannot be said of Police Court Prosecutor, Cpl Rochelle Mars. On Saturday, June 3, 2017, the APNU+AFC Region 5 RDC Councillor was taken to the Fort Wellington Police Station on charges made against him by his neighbour, Mrs. Meenawati Jainauth for alleged threatening behaviour and indecent exposure. The night before, Abel Seetaram got home drunk and launched a verbal assault on his neighbour, accusing her of snitching on him. He allegedly dropped his pants and exposed himself to his neighbour and her 16-year old daughter, and allegedly threatened to have them raped. Seetaram was arrested and placed on $15,000 bail. Although both Mrs. Jainauth and her young daughter gave evidence to the Fort Wellington Police to this effect, when the case was called on July 12, 2017, it was discovered that Abel Seetaram was never charged with the more serious offences of Indecent Exposure and Endangering the Welfare of a Minor.
On March 23, 2017, Guyana Times reported, “APNU/AFC officials implicated in multimilliondollar fraud”. It is alleged that Carol Joseph, while serving as a Member of the MARDS Board of Directors, fraudulently wrote cheques totaling over $6 million. She was implicated along with Abel Seetaram, for allegedly taking $2,108,000 to repair a government owned SUV and a fence he had crashed into at Bath, West Coast Berbice on May 8, 2016 while driving drunk. He was then charged with driving in a dangerous manner; being an unlicensed driver; and breach of insurance. The money he allegedly misappropriated was used to repair the MARDS vehicle and the businessman’s fence, which were both badly damaged. Interestingly, the money that Seetaram claimed it cost to repair the vehicle, exceeds the original value of that very vehicle when it was imported duty free. Following the crash, Abel Seetaram was fired as the Region 5 Special Representative to the Prime Minister, by none other than the Hon. Moses Nagamootoo. To date, this money has not been accounted for in any way, and neither Seetaram nor Carol Joseph has been prosecuted for fraud and misconduct in public office contrary to the common law. Then on January 21, 2018, Abel Seetaram’s son was involved in a physical altercation with Avikar
Rabindranauth, whose father and Abel Seetaram are first cousins. Avikar ’s father, Natheram Rabindranauth, commonly known as “Diamond”, was returning home after plying his plantain chips trade when he saw the two boys fighting. He stopped and told his son to go home. Abel Seetaram allegedly emerged from a nearby rum-shop, picked up a piece of wood, and lashed his cousin across the face, breaking his nose and fracturing his jaw. “Diamond” spent two days at the New Amsterdam Hospital while Seetaram was released on $100,000 bail. During the trial, before Her Worship, Magistrate Rondel Weaver at the Fort Wellington Magistrate Court, the Court Prosecutor, Cpl. Rochelle Mars failed to produce Natheram Rabindranauth’s (“Diamond’s”) x-rays and medical records in Court; she also failed to cross-examine a police witness who testified under oath that “Diamond” told her that Abel Seetaram cuffed him several times. When in fact, Diamond told me he had never seen her before that day in Court. The illegal entry, she is believed to have made in the Occurrence Book was admitted as evidence, and is an attempt to have the Court dismiss the more serious charges of Assault with Intent and Felonious Wounding for which Seetaram is charged. Court Prosecutor, Cpl. Rochelle Mars also failed to give the Court and Seetaram’s Continued on page 6
Where are Our Leaders? DEAR EDITOR, There can be little doubt in the minds of many Guyanese that the PPP and its current executive cannot be allowed back into office. The same is also true for the PNC. Guyana’s experience since Independence, with the exception of Hoyte’s administration, is one of having intelligent, educated people who know nothing about running an economy, doing exactly that. Three tasks this PNC-led Administration has undoubtedly set us are: 1. Understanding that we were racially manipulated in the past, and still are;
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2. Working together to produce a better government than currently obtains; 3. Ensuring that the rigged elections and economic mismanagement as happened under the PNC in the 70s and 80s occur happen again in our history. But this latter point is exactly what confronts us even now. We must never allow a return to the rigged elections and economic
mismanagement of the past. Never! What is unfolding before us has to be stopped at the polls. The immediate challenge for us all is to overcome the diversity of backgrounds from which we all come and commit to discussing our issues in an objective manner. If we can do this, we’re well on our way to solving our problems. Yours faithfully, Craig Sylvester
Abuse prevention requires political will DEAR EDITOR, Combating the brutal war against our womenfolk, as so many have pointed out over time, requires police capacity, necessary reforms and political will. The current widespread perception that is going to the police is a waste of time based on the far too many instances of police refusing to act on complaints and/or coercing victims to not take legal action. More often than not, bribery dictates such attitudes. Thus building police capacity entails oversight to eliminate these behaviours provision of sensitivity training, including empathic communication and first responder skills. Another impediment is the twofold roadblock – “otherization” of the call to action and a culture of double victimization. “Otherization” says that abuse is ‘not my business’ and/or ‘I know what needs to be done but somebody else has to do it’. Double victimization encompasses the victim believing that she deserves the abuse, that abuse is normal and may reflect spousal love, that being abused is a shame that must be hidden and/or that walking away is not an option because of fear. Thus, reform must include widespread information dissemination to combat “otherization” and double victimization and provide a roadmap of to do’s: a ladder of contacts starting with the local police and including counselling access - welfare officers, psychologists, social workers. In this respect, lay counsellors can be the critical first responders and so once again, we urge the return of the Gatekeepers’ Programme. The Caribbean Voice has been offered the free services of a lay counsellor trainer from India through the auspices of the NGO, Seva International. To cover the trainer’s living cost and cost of the training programme, we have launched a ‘gofundme’ account at https:// www.gofundme.com/lay-
counselor-training-program. The account can also be accessed by logging on to our website – www.caribvoice.org - and clicking on the ‘gofundme’ link at the top of the cover page. Please support this effort by donating so that we can institute the training as early as possible. Reform also must include a national support network so that women do not continue to stay in abusive relationships because of economic dependence, or children or family and societal pressure. In fact, the Ministry of Social Protection’s Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Policy Unit (MSSODVPU) seems to already offer such support: shelter and temporary accommodation, financial assistance, rehabilitation, skills training, counselling, social work services, legal aid…but are these services accessible nationwide? Are Guyanese generally aware of these services? Neither seems to be the case currently. Thus, there is URGENT need to set up satellite offices country wide and engage in a national sensitization campaign so these services can be taken advantage by all victims of abuse to preempt femicide and other fatal consequences. Other components of reform should include establishing a database of all
stakeholders on the social landscape to build much needed collaboration and a national stakeholders’ conference to activate a national intervention and support network (last year, we were informally told that both are in the works but to date there has been no indication to that effect). Bipartisan legislation mandating that all cases of abuse should be prosecuted even if the victim withdraws the complaint and/ or refuses to testify; setting up a domestic violence unit in the Police Force with members posted at all stations and stringent application of the law instead of disdainful dismissals and/or mere slaps on the wrist. Additionally, there is need for mechanisms to enable abused victims to break the silence by sharing their experiences and publicly calling out abusers as well as seek help. A hotline would be one such mechanism. Or perhaps the Suicide Helpline can be expanded to include abuse. As well, the government should facilitate the creation of an app that would also enable sharing and reporting of abuse. Meanwhile, The Caribbean Voice continues to offer mental health workshops that address gender based violence among other issues. This month, a workshop was held for Continued on page 6
Bicycles are now a traffic hazard DEAR EDITOR, Our pedestrians and motorists get on the road ways on a daily basis, with the majority intentions of using them safe, but if one is to do a day and night survey, the results would be that many pedal bicycles are not fit— no brakes, bells, headlamps or rear lamps, defective pedals and a hazard is handlebar towing. The above subject is a very dangerous one and certainly, this would urge the Commissioner of Police (ag) to summon a urgent meeting with his superiors, to deal with the pedal bicycles. A countrywide campaign must be carried out, not only for a few days or nights, but continuously. ‘’ Law and order must be maintained on our roads. ‘’ With Best Regards, Parmanand Ram
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Fort Wellington Police Prosecutor... From page 5 defense lawyers a copy of Seetaram’s police statement which in effect, prevented the newly appointed Court Prosecutor from crossexamining Abel Seetaram and pointing out inconsistencies in the statement he gave in the witness box to the written statement he signed the day he was arrested. A late application to get this statement admitted as evidence was denied by Her Worship, Magistrate Rondel Weaver, who said she will not allow the Prosecutor to “ambush the Defence.” Although she was replaced as the prosecutor after a letter of complaint was sent to the DPP by Natheram Rabindranauth (“Diamond”), Cpl. Rochelle Mars had already done an injustice to the victim of a brutal assault, and made a mockery of our Judiciary. Before this trial begun, Seetaram made several attempts through family members to offer “Diamond” as much as $600,000 to settle this case out of Court. He refused because this was not the first time “Diamond” was physically assaulted by Seetaram. Of the two boys that were fighting, only “Diamond’s” son was charged with Common Assault. This case was dismissed after Seetaram’s son refused to testify against his cousin. To my surprise, a warrant was again issued for “Diamond’s”
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son, Avikar Rabindranauth, and again it was dismissed when a defence “witness” refused to go to Court to perjure himself. As confirmation of the dismissal of this case, an authorization was given to uplift the bail money. Last evening, I received a call from “Diamond”, informing me that Corporal Hope of the Fort Wellington Police Station, came to his home and “invited” his son to go with him to the station. While there, he was locked up on instructions of Court Prosecutor, Cpl. Rochelle Mars, pending another warrant for his arrest for the same charge that was dismissed twice before. I spoke to Sgt. David, the Officer-in-Charge of Fort Wellington Police Station by phone, and she confirmed that she was given instructions to have Avikar Rabindranauth arrested although she was not in receipt of an arrest warrant. She advised that I call Court Prosecutor, Cpl. Rochelle Mars. I did, as well as and ASP Davidson, but neither answered my many calls. Avikar Rabindranauth was arrested and locked up without a warrant, in violation of his Constitutional Rights. And the person who gave the order to have him arrested is Abel Seetaram’s guardian angel, Court Prosecutor, Cpl. Rochelle Mars. Natheram Rabindranauth has since retained the
services of counsel, Attorney Moti Singh who subsequently requested the intervention of ASP Davidson in an effort to have his client released on reasonable bail. Oddly, as head of the Fort Wellington Police Station, ASP Davidson could neither justify the reason for detaining Avikar Rabindranauth nor for the issuance of an arrest warrant. Despite this, bail was refused; although Attorney Moti Singh threatened legal actions for false imprisonment and malicious prosecution. With this false arrest, It is evident that the Fort Wellington Police Prosecutor is dancing to the tune of Abel Seetaram, in an effort to pressure Natheram Rabindranauth (Diamond) to drop the case against the Region 5 Bad Boy. This will not happen. For despite efforts by Cpl Rochelle Mars to suppress evidence that will finally convict Abel Seetaram and make him accountable for his reckless behaviour, I am confident that Magistrate Rondel Weaver will impose a sentence that is just and fair, and send a strong message to Abel Seetaram and other public officials that they are accountable for their actions in upholding the Laws of Guyana. I once again call upon AFC Leader, the Hon. Raphael Trotman and Minister Ronald Bulkan to condemn the despicable continuous behaviour of this Region 5 APNU+AFC Regional Councillor who behaves as though he’s above the law, and to do what the Honourable Prime Minister has already done… cut him loose! Harry Gill PPP/C Member of Parliament
Abuse prevention requires... From page 5 teachers of the Buxton Branch of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) at Friendship Government School where 126 teachers were in attendance. This is the fourth teachers workshop held this year, with two previously held in Region Six and one at Leonora in Region Three as part of an ongoing series of workshops for teachers through an MOU with the GTU. The attendance at each workshop has been in excess of 100 and at all workshops teachers have been very appreciative of the fact that TCV is helping to address their ‘psycho social’ needs, as one teacher puts it.
A second workshop was held this month at the Buxton Technical Instruction Technical Centre for parents and students and the attendance exceeded 50. This year, too, workshops targeting fired sugar workers have been held at Rose Hall, Canje and Corriverton with another one billed for Albion next month. An initial workshop was held at Wales last year. These workshops have been supported by GAWU, GUYSUCO and various local businesses. Previous workshops have been held in Regions Two and Four, including at schools, while others are being planned for Regions One,
Three, Six and Ten this year. As well, like a number of other NGOs. It must be pointed out that TCV is a fully voluntary, selffunded NGO, with no external funding from any source. Yet our services are free. To arrange for workshops please contact The Caribbean Voice by email at caribvoice@aol.com, hussainnazim18@yahoo.com or by phone at 646-4649 or 644-1152. On our website – www.caribvoice.org – are links to all of our social media pages, through which coping information and strategies to tackle violence against women can be accessed. The Caribbean Voice
A perception of the road Guyana... From page 4 the Marriott for an unrelated meeting. To my surprise, disappointment, and a feeling of rage the Government had held a business summit for people of African descent only, the Business Minister was present. I inquired of one of the attendees if I could be a part. She smiled and said only if I jerry curl my hair. Now if this is not Government sponsored racism to benefit one sector of the country, then please show me how it is not? Is this promoting racial equality as the Government is famous for touting? 6. The oil Contract - I am not going into the details as you are very knowledgeable, my observations are as follows. A. I predicted this outcome in one of my previous letters, which you did not publish a plus year ago. Jewish lawyers are not to be trifled with; they will eat you alive on a negotiation table. We sent morons to
make a deal for us and got exactly the results expected of such idiots. Why cry now? B. The Natural Resources Minister, Minister of Finance, Business Minister, Foreign Affairs Minister, and probably the President of Guyana should be held directly responsible for this catastrophe of a contract. This contract must be renegotiated. If a corrupt organization such as the IMF says it bad then you know you are heading for certain disaster. They have never sided with a host country against an American company. Somebody must have grown a bit of morality overnight there. 7. We have a revenue authority that the CEO has his family nice and cushy living in Florida yet he is allowed to make Draconian rules for ordinary Guyanese. Why do you have to pay duty, excise tax, tax on raw materials, tools and vehicles that grow business? Why are there taxes on
electric vehicles when your whole slogan is a green economy? Why do you still have to apply for an exemption for solar goods when these are duty-free? Is this not the height of foolishness? Why are we paying taxes on the freight of goods imported? Taxes not are meant to kill businesses, can you please let the head of GRA read the memo. He seems to think that the citizens of this country are a cash cow for the good living of the Ministers and Government. 8. Why are Ministers given free electricity, water, telephone etc. when the ordinary people have to pay for these basic necessities? This is a national disgrace and smacks of third world dictatorships of African countries. 9. We have a Minister of Business who thinks that erecting a statue of a woman drinking coconut water, selling plantain chips, sundried tomatoes, jam, and jelly will make this economy boom. This guy has not implemented a single tangible policy that has transferred to economic gains. What a waste of an important position. What makes it worse is the nepotism involved. I will not touch the Police, crime, roads, electricity, garbage in the city and city hall, water, internet, telephone, medical system, procurement system, sewer system, the justice system, the everyday incompetence of Government officials, etc .etc. That would be an encyclopedia. I am not a fan of the opposition either. They were a corrupt bunch; they were competent in a few areas. We are well and truly on our way to an apocalypse. Thank you. Aryan Ghosh
Monday April 30, 2018
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The National Payment System…
Bank of Guyana to implement robust Legal and regulatory framework In an effort to support Guyana’s move to a cashless society, Bank of Guyana intends to implement a robust legal and regulatory framework. It made this known in a special report that focuses on the development of Guyana’s National Payment System (NPS). In this regard, the Bank of Guyana which prepared the report said that it will lead the NPS legal and regulatory reform effort in consultation with the payments industry participants, end-users and other payment industry stakeholders. It said that the work in this regard will be guided by international standards and guidelines, and will be designed to achieve legal clarity, support payment finality and the efficiency of payment arrangements, facilitate innovation in the payments industry, foster an appropriate balance between competition and cooperation, protect end-users (consumers, as well as merchants and other eco-
Bank of Guyana Governor, Dr. Gobind Ganga nomic entities), facilitate effective oversight, foster interoperability, implement effective risk-based AML and CFT measures, deter the fraudulent use of payment services, and enable on-going evolution of the NPS. The Bank of Guyana also said that it intends to enact a Robust National Payment System Act (NPSA). It said that the NPSA will address all key NPS concepts, such as the finality of payments and
legality of electronic signatures and documents. The Bank said that it will ensure that it has the necessary powers to effectively oversee the NPS, including with respect to consumer protections, and clarify the roles and responsibilities of all participants in the NPS. Bank of Guyana noted that it is currently revising its draft NPSA to ensure it covers all the key issues in an appropriate manner. Additionally, the Central Bank intends to establish a Body of Regulations to Implement the NPSA. It said that this body of regulations might include for example: licensing requirements, requirements for the provision of e-money, the participation of non-bank payment service providers (PSPs) and payment system operators (PSOs), changes to the regulations governing remittance services to allow the provision of electronic remittance services and prevent the use of exclusivity agreements, specific reporting require-
ments, and so on. Furthermore, Bank of Guyana said that it is in the process of drafting regulations on electronic fund transfers (EFT) and NPS oversight. It said that Regulations on licensing requirements, emoney, and PSPs and PSOs are also planned. The Bank of Guyana also stated that it intends to ensure that the legal and regulatory framework fosters competition and innovation in the retail payments industry. Initially, the Bank said that this effort will focus on regulatory changes to recognize the legitimate role for nonbank PSPs and PSOs in the retail payments industry and enable the safe and sound participation of non-banks in the industry. In addition, efforts will be undertaken to ensure that licensed non-banks have fair and equitable access to the nation’s payment infrastructures as they are established. PAYMENT PLAN The National Payment System Strategy which was
released by Finance Minister, Winston Jordan consists of four chapters and five annexes. Chapter One examines the current state of payment in Guyana. It notes that the Bank of Guyana is the institution responsible for payments. Be that as it may, the document makes clear that there is need to upgrade the laws, regulations and infrastructure for a safe, efficient and modern payment system. The chapter analyses the role of the main players in the current payments arrangement. Chapter Two examines how the Bank will lead the development of the NPS Strategy. It defines the role of a National Payment System as a series of layers in an inverted pyramid in which each layer is supported by layers beneath it.
Chapter Three explores Guyana’s vision to build a safe, robust, sound, efficient and inclusive payment system that meets the current and future needs of the economy. It proposes the year 2030 as a realistic target for full realization of the NPS vision. However, in the medium term, it proposes a 2017-2021 action plan as a first phase on achieving that vision. The fourth chapter concludes with a highlight of the 2017 – 2021 NPS Development Strategy and plan of actions. The Strategy also has attached five annexes. The preparation of the payment strategy has been a joint effort of the Bank of Guyana and a team from the World Bank. A preliminary draft of the strategy was issued to stakeholders for their comments in August 2016.
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New policy in place… Police stations not allowed to keep more than $25,000 in bail money After years of ongoing discrepancies, the Guyana Police Force has finally put a cap on the amount of bail money that can be held at stations. This was revealed in the Government’s Treasury Memorandum that was laid in the National Assembly last week. It provides the steps that the government intends to take to correct the weaknesses of its systems to ensure accountability and transparency in the use of taxpayers’ dollars. Every year, the Auditor General has highlighted in his annual reports that the Guyana Police Force
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needs to take corrective action when it comes to bail money that is not properly accounted for at certain stations. But it appears that this will come to an end as the Police Force has put a ceiling of $25,000 as the amount of bail money that can be kept at a station. The Auditor General’s report for 2010 and 2011 notes that from a sample of eight police stations that spanned three operational Divisions, there were four stations where discrepancies in relation to bail money were unearthed during the reporting period. The reports said that the Sparendaam Police Station was also affected by another cash discrepancy of $51,000. In the year 2009, a shortage of bail monies lodged at the Kitty Police Station in the amount of $58,500 was also noted. This amount remains outstanding to date. OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
The Public Accounts Committee has also made other recommendations to improve transparency and accountability in the force and these were implemented. In this regard, the Police Force noted that it has adjusted its vehicle management procedures, which will include weekly vehicle inspection and submission of returns. It noted that ranks found guilty of non-adherence to the Standing Order applicable to the use of vehicles would be subjected to disciplinary charges. The Guyana Police Force also noted that an internal audit and inspection department has been setup as part of its mandate. It said that this is in response to the Committee’s recommendation that a periodic review be conducted to evaluate the progress of the system after it has been revised.
Special officers being trained to monitor metered oil production by Exxon Mobil The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) intends to have special officers trained to monitor metered oil production by ExxonMobil. This was revealed recently by GRA Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia. During an exclusive interview with Kaieteur News, the tax chief said this is an important part of ensuring accountability and transparency in the oil and gas sector. He assured that customs officers will be trained to deal with monitoring in quality and quantity of oil produced. The Chartered Accountant noted that this type of monitoring is important as there are documented cases where the failure to do so has cost nations billions of dollars in revenue it deserves. In fact, several anticorruption agencies have been warning nations on the road to first oil, like Guyana, to be vigilant when it comes to the determination of the volume of oil produced. The Canada-based organization, Publish What You Pay (PWYP), has published a detailed report documenting how many countries have suffered for failing to have an independent team monitoring the oil being metered and assessed by oil companies. Publish What You Pay is the world’s leading coalition of civil society organizations united in the call for a more transparent and accountable extractive sector. With more than 800 mem-
- GRA Boss bers, a global secretariat and 40 national coalitions that span the globe, PWYP has committed to working together to ensure that citizens have a say over whether their resources are extracted, how they are extracted and how their revenues are spent. In its latest report, PWYP explained that the determination of the volume of petroleum produced is easier than most minerals as the methodologies for measurement are widely accepted. It noted however that, “careful government monitoring is essential”. In this regard, the organization said that the Norwegian government, for example, employs five individuals to ensure the accurate metering of petroleum production and export. The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate notes that, “even small deviations in the volume of production can have a significant impact on government revenues.” In their example, an error of just 0.35 percent at one of their metering stations would amount to a loss of four million NOK (US$660,000). PWYP also stated that ensuring fair taxation depends not only on tracking the volumes of the resource produced, but also that they are applied against each relevant fiscal instrument. The anticorruption entity also stressed that the solution
GRA Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia to protecting government revenues from under-reporting of production by oil companies is effective monitoring of both the quantity and quality of the natural resources extracted and exported. It said that while this may seem obvious, in many jurisdictions, reporting on production is based on self-assessment and there is little government oversight. A failure to address this, it said has resulted in oil producing nations losing billions of dollars in profits. It highlighted that Tanzania paid dearly for this and only recently began tracking the quantity and quality of mineral and oil production with the creation of the Tanzania Audit Agency. Zambia was also rowing in the same and recently launched a project to independently monitor its resource production.
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Section 18 of the Cybercrime Bill does not restrict criticisms of the government We are getting ahead of ourselves in the debate over Section 18 of the Cybercrime Bill. It seems that most of those persons who are up in arms (no pun intended) over this Bill have not read Section 18 in its entirety. Had they done so, they would have been informed about the various acts which the Bill specifies as not constituting sedition. As the learned Attorney General has observed, the offence of sedition remains on the law books of Guyana. Sections 321 and 323 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act of Guyana creates the offences of “seditious libel” and “engaging in a seditious purpose”. Former army officer Oliver Hinckson was charged in 2008 with making seditious statements. Former President Desmond Hoyte had described sedition as archaic and used only in England to go after opponents of the Crown. It is precisely the fear that sedition can be used for political headhunting purposes that is creating all the hysteria in Guyana over the Bill. Facebook users and even the media are concerned that future posts can be deemed seditious. There is fear that they can be targeted under the new legislation. The former Attorney General of Guyana, Anil Nandlal, has also expressed some concerns, even though his party was represented in the Selected Committee which reviewed the Bill. The
general consensus of those making the most noises at this time is that Section 18 violates free expression. It does not. The Cybercrime Bill was tabled in the National Assembly in August of 2016 and was sent to a Special Select Committee. It seems that it is only now that many Rip Van Winkles are now awakening to Section 18 of the Bill. That section is quite straightforward. It creates the cybercrime offence of sedition. In fact, the entirety of Section 18 is closely patterned after the Sedition Act of Trinidad and Tobago. T h e a b s t r a c t of that section, which is causing the greatest concern in Guyana at the moment states that a person commits an offence of sedition if that person intentionally publishes, transmits or circulates by use of a computer system or any other means, a statement or words, either spoken or written, a text, video, image, sign, visible representation, or other thing, that brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the Government established by law in Guyana. This section is seen as limiting freedom of expression. The fear is that any criticism of the government can be deemed as constituting disaffection towards the government and those making the criticism can be charged with sedition.
This is a far stretch because the very Section 18 provides for exceptions to sedition under the Bill. The exceptions, that is those acts which do not constitute sedition, include comments which express disapprobation (disapproval) of the government policies and measures with a view to their alternation by lawful means. What this means is that a person who criticizes the government’s policies and actions and calls for changes to those policies and actions cannot be charged with sedition. Criticism of the government is therefore not curtailed by Section 18. Saying that the President, Prime Minister or any Minister of the Government or the Government has been misled or mistaken in their measures; and pointing to errors of defects in the government, the Constitution and Parliament does not also create an offence of sedition. John Public would be free to criticize, in cyberspace, personalities within the government and also to be critical of the parliament and the Constitution. Those persons who are having sleepless nights over Section 18 of the Cybercrime Bill are probably reading only the first half of that Section and not the second half, which creates exclusions from the offence of sedition. Sedition, of course, is an offence, which needs to be debated because it is archaic and outmoded and should no
DEM BOYS SEH
Likker does lef you expose Most people does tek drink but some does drink to de extreme. One man drink so much dat he end up sleeping at de road corner. He wake up when a dog tek him for a post. He had de nerve to cuss de dog. Another time, some boys went to a camp and of course dem had a session and a half. One of dem pass out and dem boys put him to bed. Then de oddas use some toothpaste when most men does seh is dem exit only entrance. When de drunk one wake up, he feel de sticky thing and he get vex to kill. Then he had de nerve to ask who was de one dat interfere wid him. Nobody didn’t answer and de man get more vex. Later, when he tek a bathe get de smell and realize was toothpaste. Dem boys seh he stop drinking to dis day! Indeed, some matters don’t end up so nice wid people laughing. A man from
Angoy’s Avenue in Berbice in jail right now waiting fuh he murder trial. He chop up he pardner. De neighbor hear de sound of chopping and when she look outside, all she coulda do was scream. De police did come and when dem ask de man why he do it, he tell dem dat he always use to warn he pardner not to sodomise him when he drunk. Of course, when he sober up, he always feel de discomfort suh he know dat something happen to him. Dem boys know bout dem really wild party. People does drink and strip and have wild sex. One day, a boy watch he mudda and ask how she white and he black. De mudda tell
him dat, he got to be lucky dat he don’t bark. Some young girls get rape and dem don’t know is who. Dat is really dangerous and sad. Likker does mek strange things happen to people. Dem boys believe dat ExxonMobil tek de Guyana negotiating team to Texas and fete dem. When dem good and drunk, Exxon produce dem Jewish lawyers. Well even if de Guyanese team was sober, dem Jewish lawyers woulda chew dem up over de negotiation table. But because dem was drunk, one man describe dem as morons. Talk half and watch how you drinking.
longer be on the statute books. It has an ugly history in England and elsewhere. It
is an offence, which should be struck off the statute books.
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Kaieteur News
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Int’l Anti-money laundering workshop…
Case management training high on agenda for Judges, Prosecutors Over twenty- five Judges and Prosecutors from around the world will be in attendance of the upcoming Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) Conference to be hosted in Guyana. The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/ CFT) workshop for Judges and Prosecutors, set to commence on May 2, 2018 at the Pegasus Hotel, will focus on evidence and case management for money laundering and confiscation. The workshop will feature several short presentations or panels to help participants focus on relevant issues, followed by open discussions with conclusions to be drawn. It aims to gather experiences from practitioners on the challenges and difficulties they face while investigating a n d p r o s e c u t i n g money laundering and terrorist financing. Challenges relating to international cooperation and the roles of judges and prosecutors in countering terrorism, terrorist financing and violent extremism will also be addressed. In addition to a report, which will act as a guide on tackling money laundering, a short summary record to brief the May 2018 plenary of the CFATF on the issues dis-
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Kaieteur News
cussed, primarily encompassing challenges and best practices. Last week, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams disclosed that a Judge and a prosecutor will represent each of the 25 participating nations. Commonwealth Secretariat member states including Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) and Dominica, among others are participating in the workshop. Chief Magistrate, TCI, Margaret Ramsey-Hale, Law Enforcement Advisor, CFATF Secretariat, Pedro Harry and Executive Director, CFATF Dawne Spicer are among the 60 participants expected at the workshop. Guyana will be represented by two Judges and the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack. The judges were selected by the Chancellor of the Judiciary Yonette CummingsEdwards. President David Granger and Commonwealth Secretary General, Patricia Scotland, will open the conference. Guyana has established the legal framework to ensure it is compliant with CFATF and FATF regulations. The country is now working towards clearing the fourth round of
mutual evaluation. The country has also taken several measures to ensure it deters corruption in public offices. According to the CFATF, the work of judges and prosecutors is crucial to consolidating stable and effective institutions, transparency and the rule of law, which are all pillars of the effective antimoney laundering and countering terrorist financing system. The FATF is bringing together judges and prosecutors from all around the world in a series of regional workshops. This will contribute to improve the effectiveness in fighting money laundering and terrorist financing. The hosting of the workshop signals a step in the right direction by the country, which was once blacklisted by both the CFATF and FATF under the previous regime. Two days of the conference will be dedicated to workshop exercises and discussions on CFATF’s mutual evaluation reports, investigative orders, prosecution and management of money laundering cases, international cooperation among others. The meeting is being hosted in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Caribbean Development Bank.
Byderabo Centre keeping reading alive
The Byderabo Multipurpose Centre Councillor Hazel Allicock, along with the Bartica Mayor and Town Council, is calling on local stakeholders to collaborate with the municipality on an initiative aimed at ensuring the gift of reading is kept alive in Region Seven. Allicock told the Department of Public Information that the Byderabo Multipurpose Centre was rehabilitated by the Town Council and provided with books, along with other teaching tools and materials and sports equipment. An education and sports programme was then de-
signed to cater for the youths in the community and surrounding areas. Allicock said that thanks to volunteers, there has been an ongoing reading session managed at the centre. This initiative between the parents and councillors has seen an improvement in the vocabulary and reading skills of thoseparticipating children. However, the councillor is appealing to the necessary stakeholders to support the centre. According to Allicock, the reading programme is in need of more books and vol-
unteers, to accommodate the flow of youths who utilise the services of the centre. The centre was commissioned by the Bartica Interim Management Committee (IMC) under the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in 2014. It is also equipped with a computer laboratory, a library, an indoor gaming facility, and a small volleyball court. There have also been sewing, embroidery and other handicraft programmes conducted by women groups at the facility.
Gun toting bandits rob New Amsterdam lotto office A man and his partner are currently nursing injuries about their bodi e s a f t e r armed bandits pounced on them at around 19:30 hrs on Saturday at the business they operate at Lot 25 Charles Place, New Amsterdam, Berbice. The couple, Nareesha Khan, 20 and Faraz Khan, 22, had just closed for the evening when two men held
- young business couple beaten them at gunpoint and demanded that they hand over their valuables. The robber with the handgun reportedly pushed Nareesha Khan against the wall of the lotto office and gun butted her several times, during which time, a round was discharged. Her partner, Faraz Khan
was also dealt blows about his body by the same gunman. The men carted off the day's earnings, two cell phones and a GTT top up machine with approximately $32,000 credit. They then fled the scene. The victims were treated at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital.
Monday April 30, 2018
Kaieteur News
AG touts dispute resolution training as key to address oil and gas issues Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams has endorsed the need for dispute resolution training in strengthening Guyana’s legal capacity to deal with matters relating to the emerging Oil and Gas sector. There have been calls from various sectors of society as it relates to strengthening Guyana’s legal capacity to deal with issues arising from the oil and gas sector. Arbitration has been cited as a key component of settling matters arising out of the sector. In this regard, the Attorney General; (AG) welcomed the launch of the
third International Commercial Arbitration Conference, which opened here on Wednesday. Speaking at the opening ceremony, AG Williams endorsed the need for upgrades to the legal framework, specifically in the area of dispute resolution in view of the emerging oil and gas sector. He noted that with Guyana quickly becoming a global investment hot spot, investor interest is high in the oil and gas sector. As such, he noted that legal standards must be raised to the highest international benchmarks. He noted further that with the recent rise in Guyana’s involvement in international
Sol repositions itself for oil and gas
Sol Guyana General Manager, Liz Wyatt Sol Guyana has repositioned itself to play a role in Guyana’s emerging oil and gas sector. With a renewed vision, the company has put together a new management team. This change, Lizz Wyatt, General Manager of Sol Guyana said, comes as Sol is confident that Guyana is on the verge of a major breakthrough to greater social and economic development. The new management team includes General Manager Liz Wyatt; Commercial and Lubricants Manager Ayanna Watson; Operations Manager Felino Florendo; Human Resource Officer Hollis Halley, and Financial Controller, Derick Lowe. “Sol is the leading provider of petroleum-based products in the Caribbean Basin, and we are very excited about the new developments in the local petroleum sector. We are confident that we have the technical expertise to truly create an environment in Guyana where the petroleum industry thrives and produces exceptional benefits for the Guyanese people,” Wyatt said.
Wyatt further stated that Sol Guyana’s new vision included improving the company’s operational standards by further strengthening their Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) standards. “Sol is well known for extremely robust HSE standards, and we are committed to making them even more meticulous,” Wyatt said. “Our goal is that, as we continue to build a sound, safe and viable business in Guyana, we create a reputation for providing innovative petroleum-based solutions and delighting customers with our superior service experience,” she adds. With Sol’s partnership with Exxon Mobil, Guyanese can expect employment opportunities, more CSR projects in Guyana among other things. “We are aware that we must play our role as responsible corporate citizens, which is why much of our vision relates directly to how we can better support the people of Guyana, in all our initiatives and endeavors,” Wyatt said. The Sol Group of companies operates in 23 countries across the Eastern Caribbean, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Bermuda, Bahamas, Cayman, Belize, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Martinique and Guadeloupe. Sol supplies fuels, lubricants, bitumen and LPG through an extensive service station network, with marine, aviation and commercial operations in the Caribbean. “We are truly happy to be here in Guyana and we are excited to see what the future holds,” Wyatt said.
transactions, which is projected to accelerate, a more conducive legal climate is warranted. Arbitration has been the traditional and preferred means of resolving international disputes. International commercial investors generally favour arbitration, with the power of autonomy over the process, the ability to negotiate and tailor the procedure, as opposed to the strict and often lengthy and costly court proceedings.
In reference to these preferences, Williams highlighted case studies from the United Kingdom, Singapore, India and China, which gave credence to the position that local arbitration laws needs upgrading. The Attorney General said that there is still a critical role for the court, even in the arbitral process, since ultimately the court acts as gatekeeper for guaranteeing the integrity of the process. “The time has come to promulgate modern
arbitration laws to meet internationally acceptable standards,” Williams declared. The conference was hosted by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) Caribbean Branch, an internationally recognised body promoting the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution. It is being held in collaboration with the University of Guyana; the Caribbean International Chamber of Commerce; the
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Attorney General, Basil Williams International Centre for the Settlement of Disputes; CARICOM; and the Dispute Resolution Centre.
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India says electrified all villages ahead of prime minister’s deadline FOR RENT
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi been electrified. When Modi took office in 2014, there were some 18,452 villages without electricity. But just because all villages are connected to the grid does not mean all Indians have access to power. The government considers a village electrified if it has basic electrical infrastructure and 10 percent of its households and public places including schools, local administrative offices and health centres have power.
Pence to address American states ahead of Venezuela poll
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MUMBAI (Reuters) India has electrified all its villages 12 days ahead of a deadline set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government said yesterday, which could give the ruling party a boost ahead of a general election in 2019. Asia’s third-largest economy has been held back for years by a power shortage, with industries having to cope with blackouts and hospitals forced to rely on diesel-run generators for backup. But Modi said yesterday that April 28, on the evening of which a remote village in the northeast became the last to be connected to the grid, would be remembered as a “historic day in the development journey of India”. “Yesterday, we fulfilled a commitment due to which the lives of several Indians will be transformed forever!” Modi wrote on Twitter, as various ministers in his government took to social media to congratulate him. Government data showed that all of India’s 597,464 census villages have now
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Washington (AFP) - US Vice President Mike Pence will address the Organization of American States on May 7, aides told AFP, a bid to ramp up the pressure on the Venezuelan regime ahead of crunch elections. Pence has accepted an invitation to address the bloc in Washington, when the focus will, in part, be on holding “undemocratic actors” accountable. The organization, and the region, has been deadlocked between members keen to hold Venezuela accountable for democratic backsliding and long-standing allies of President Nicolas Maduro. The address will come two weeks before a divisive presidential poll in Ve n e z u e l a o n M a y 2 0 which is being boycotted by the opposition and branded illegitimate by much of the international community. “The Vice President will reaffirm our commitment to increasing economic prosperity and joint security cooperation with our friends and allies in the Western Hemisphere,” said spokeswoman Alyssa Farah. Pence will also “hold undemocratic actors in the region accountable for their actions,” she added.
Monday April 30, 2018
Kaieteur News
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Monday April 30, 2018
Kaieteur News
Rohingya refugees tearfully plead for U.N. Security Council help
British United Nations Ambassador Karen Pierce consoles a 12-year-old Rohingya refugee near Cox’s Bazar, in Bangladesh, yesterday. REUTERS/ Michelle Nichols KUTUPALONG REFUGEE CAMP, Bangladesh (Reuters) - Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh made emotional pleas to the U.N. Security Council yesterday for help to return safely to their homes in neighbouring Myanmar and for justice over the reason they fled - accusations of killings, rapes and arson. During a visit to an unclaimed strip of territory between the two states dubbed noman’s land, several tearful women and girls threw themselves at British U.N. Ambassador Karen Pierce as they recounted what had happened to them. “It shows the scale of the challenge as we try as a Security Council to find some way through that enables these poor people to go home,” Pierce said. “The sad thing is there’s nothing we can do right today that will make their distress any less.” The Security Council envoys - who will travel to Myanmar today and meet with its de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi - also visited a dry and dusty Kutupalong refugee camp that housed many of the nearly 700,000 Rohingya who fled Myanmar’s Rakhine state. “It’s quite overwhelming. Obviously the scale of this camp is unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” said deputy U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Kelley Currie. “It is going to be a disaster when the rains come.” United Nations officials and aid groups have voiced concern that the coming monsoon season will worsen the humanitarian situation. Hundreds of thousands of refugees are living in temporary shelters made of bamboo and tarpaulins at Kutupalong, many on steep hills
and in low-lying areas likely to be flooded. Myanmar’s Social Welfare Minister Win Myat Aye, who visited the camps in Bangladesh earlier this month, expressed concern about “very poor conditions.” The refugee crisis exploded about eight months ago when the Myanmar military launched a crackdown over Rohingya insurgent attacks on security posts. The United States, Britain, United Nations and others described the operation as ethnic cleansing of the minority mainly Muslim Rohingya, a charge Myanmar denies. Hundreds of refugees lined a road in Kutupalong camp yesterday with signs that read “we demand justice” and “protected return to protected homeland.” “We are standing here to demand justice as they (Myanmar military) have killed our men and tortured our women so much, so we are compelled to seek justice for those abuses,” Rohingya refugee Sajida Begum told Reuters. Several female refugees who met with council envoys accused Myanmar troops of gang-raping them, attacking their young children and killing their husbands. Myanmar has said that its operations in Rakhine were a legitimate response to attacks on security forces by Rohingya insurgents. “This is very complicated issue, and it’s related with history, with ethnicity, with religions,” Chinese deputy U.N. Ambassador Wu Haitao told reporters, in response to a question about whether China and Russia were preventing the council from considering a resolution on Myanmar.
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CARICOM worried over Antigua PM says ‘no justice’ in new British legislation de-banking Caribbean countries GEORGETOWN, Guyana - CMC – The 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grouping Saturday said it is “deeply concerned” about the potential impact on the economies of some of its associate members as Britain lawmakers get ready to debate new anti-money laundering legislation. “The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) recognises that global security and financial crime are increasingly intertwined and therefore supports the work of the FATF (Financial Action Task Force) and its regional bodies in developing international AML/CFT (Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism) standards to combat money laundering and terrorist financing,” the Guyanabased CARICOM Secretariat said in a statement. The UK Parliament will on Tuesday be debating the sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill which will have an effect on the financial services of the overseas countries and territories including CARICOM member states such as Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and Turks & Caicos Islands. CARICOM said that its members as well as associate members have expended considerable resources towards achieving compliance with AML/CFT standards. “Countries in the region have also supported global initiatives led by the OECD
Global Forum and have entered the necessary international agreements to facilitate the sharing of information on beneficial ownership. “CARICOM Associate Members are an integral part of the Caribbean Community family whose circumstances, self-governance and democratic rights should not be disregarded. In that context, we are deeply concerned about the potential impact on their economies by any impositions that would go against the spirit of democracy and diminish their standard of living. “ A number of our Associate Members have for some time run successful financial centres that meet the high standards of regulation set by international standard setting bodies such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and OECD Global Forum,” the statement noted. It said that as opposed to unilateral measures, CARICOM believes it is desirable for members of the FATF and OECD Global Forum to work together to establish new international regulatory standards in areas such as beneficial ownership and tax information exchange. “Such co-operation would be in the best interest of all in the pursuit of a more economically prosperous future, underpinned by international institutions, and where all societies, their internal institutions and peoples are respected,” it added.
Stuart: Foreign reserves talk is ‘scare bait’ Daily Nation - Prime Minister Freundel Stuart is debunking what he believes are false narratives being perpetrated on Barbadians as scare bait. His comments were in relation to the opinions of some including Opposition Barbados Labour Party leader Mia Mottley, who claim that Barbados was in some type of economic free-fall because its foreign reserves had fallen below the recommended 12 week standard. “All of a sudden, some strange doctrines have suddenly become part of the public discourse of Barbados. And if you don’t have 12 weeks of foreign reserves you are considered to be some outcast of a country,” he told DLP supporters at the party’s 63rd anniversary social at its
George Street head quarters on Friday night. While admitting that Barbados’ foreign reserves had fallen below the suggested standard, Stuart noted that according to documented evidence this was not an anomaly in the country’s history. In fact, he recalled that in the ten years between 1976 and 1986 when the BLP administration, led by former Prime Minister the late Tom Adams was at the helm of the country, the island’s foreign reserves never exceeded the same 12 weeks. “You have heard a lot of talk in Barbados over the last few years about the foreign reserves and how we have fallen below the 12 week benchmark for foreign reserves and so on. Now let me say this, Barbados needs
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua CMC – The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne says there is no justice in the de-banking and barring of small Caribbean states from the international payment system. “De-banking and derisking undermines the ability of small countries to meet their development agenda and injures them without any mechanism for remedy”, Browne told an audience of fellow Caribbean Prime Ministers, central bank and financial officials, and private sector representatives in addressing a recent forum in St Lucia organised by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). Browne’s remarks were part of a wide-ranging discourse on the severe challenges that Caribbean countries face in the financial services sector as a consequence of actions of the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the European Union Commission and the United States government. Browne, who has lead responsibility for financial matters in the quasi-Cabinet of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of
Government, said that derisking, which involves the loss of banking relations between Caribbean banks and international banks, “remains a looming threat that could create financial instability, plunging our countries into poverty, chaos and confusion. “The consequences of derisking – intended or unintended – could be more devastating than any natural disaster,” said Browne, a former banker and financial manager. Recalling that “de-risking is utilized as a policy tool of financial warfare, to sanction rogue or uncooperative states”, the Antigua and Barbuda leader argued that it “should never be utilized as a
KINGSTON, Jamaica CMC – The Jamaica government says it is satisfied with the steps taken to revise its approach to achieving economic growth, by implementing “well tried and well-studied” polices. Prime Minister Andrew Holness, says while Jamaica is growing “very slowly” and that the figures “are not what we want,” he is nonetheless confident that “we are on the right track.” Addressing the second phase and the closure of the two-year pilot phase of the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) Innovation Grant from New Ideas to Entrepreneurship (IGNITE) project, Holness said “we are doing the things that are necessary… and we are not hoping for growth to happen organically. “We are right there in the field with you doing the granular things such as actually identifying the creativity and the innovativeness and we are giving those support to
develop (them) into entrepreneurism, which we are supplying with the resources to create an enterprise that will grow, employ people and create the prosperity that we need,” Holness said. He praised the DBJ for implementing IGNITE, which provides grant funding support for micro, small and medium-size enterprises (MSMEs). Holness emphasising the importance of the government’s “instrumental” approach to business development, said this “is the engine of growth”. He said as such it is incumbent on the government to support entrepreneurs in expanding their businesses, as also innovators and start-ups, to create employment, an essential underlay to achieving growth. Holness said equally important is creating the linkages between sectors, citing agriculture and tourism as an example. “Linkages are absolutely
Prime Minister Gaston Browne
tool to punish innocent people in cooperative and compliant countries in the Caribbean. “The provision of correspondent banking service is a fundamental human right,” he said. “It is just as important as the provision of other basic services, including include water, electricity and broadband services.” According to a government statement, Browne set out measures to address the problem of derisking which, he said, could shut down established and regulated financial systems, and so encourage unregulated methods that would fuel money laundering and other financial crimes. Among the proposals that the prime minister made are encouraging all banks to focus on managing financial crime risks, instead of risk avoidance, and the utilization of new technology, including block chain, to identify suspicious transactions and to ensure full traceability, according to the statement. Browne has been the lead advocate of the rights of Caribbean countries in this matter since July 2014, taking his mission to international financial institutions, multilateral bodies and the private sector.
Govt. satisfied with economic policies - PM
Prime Minister Freundel Stuart foreign reserves because most of the things we consume we have to import, so don’t let us gainsay any idea about us needing foreign reserves,” Stuart said. The St Michael South incumbent further contended that the perpetuation of Barbados as a country in rapid decline in some circles was these people attempting to fool the Barbadian public.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness important to growth. So (we must ensure) that the raw material, which is the product of one enterprise, becomes the raw material for the other… and that is how we start to secure growth in the economy. “Economic growth is not a mystery. It is a well-studied area and there is a suite of policies that are very well understood that have been implemented and tried across the world,” Holness added.
Monday April 30, 2018
Hamilton wins chaotic Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton holds the winners’ trophy aloft in front of second placed Kimi Raikkonen (left) and third placed Sergio Perez. (AFP/Getty Images) NBC Sports - Chaos was the name of game yesterday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with a slew of incidents late in the race dramatically shaking up the finishing order. In the end, Mercedes AMG Petronas’ Lewis Hamilton survived the chaos and overcame early-race tire problems to take his first victory of the 2018 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season. Scuderia Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen finished second, a comeback drive for him after contact with Sahara Force India’s Esteban Ocon on Lap 1. The contact knocked Ocon out of the race, and forced Raikkonen to pit for a new front wing. However, Sergio Perez gave Force India a reason to smile by claiming his first podium since 2016. Behind them, Valtteri Bottas, who emerged in the lead after clever tire strategy and a timely Safety Car, suffered a terrible turn of misfortune when he ran over a piece of debris on Lap 47, resulting in a cut right-rear tire. Prior to that, Sebastian Vettel tried a daring overtake on Bottas entering Turn 1 on a Lap 46 restart, but the Ferrari driver badly overshot Turn 1 after locking up his front tires. Bottas, Hamilton, and Raikkonen all got by at the time, with Perez passing him a short time later. Vettel eventually emerged in fourth after Bottas’ problems. Red Bull Racing looked to be in for a strong result, with Daniel Ricciardo and Max
Verstappen holding fourth and fifth for much of the race, and engaged in a spirited battle for the position at that. Ricciardo tried to pass Verstappen multiple times, with the young Dutchman holding firm every time, the two even touching wheels slightly at one point, before Ricciardo made his way around Verstappen on the outside entering Turn 1 on Lap 35. However, everything went wrong on Lap 40. Ricciardo, who dropped back behind Verstappen after pit stops, tried to slipstream by Verstappen on the front straightaway, but his teammate swerved to block, and Ricciardo was left with nowhere to go but straight into the back the sister RB14. Both crashed in the Turn 1 runoff area, ending their days on the spot and adding more tension to their already tense rivalry. F1 Standings 1 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes 70pts 2 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Ferrari 66 3 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 48 4 Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Mercedes 40 5 Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Red Bull 37 6 Fernando Alonso (Spa) McLaren 28 7 Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Renault 22 8 Max Verstappen (Hol) Red Bull 18 9 Sergio Perez (Mex) Force India 15 10 Carlos Sainz (Spa) Renault 13 11 Pierre Gasly (Fra) Toro Rosso 12 12 Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas 11
Hamilton had otherwise endured a poor afternoon in Baku before the clash between Red Bull drivers changed the race. (AP)
Late Fellaini header condemns Wenger... From page 28 well-placed low shot. Fellaini was brought on to add height and physical presence for United and not for the first time - that approach worked. He headed against the post but Marcus Rashford’s follow-in was ruled offside before United tried the same approach again, the Belgian rising to head in Young’s cross and
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Kaieteur News
keep Mourinho’s side firmly on course for a second-place finish. They are five points ahead of third-placed Liverpool but 16 adrift of champions Manchester City with three games left. For Wenger, there was satisfaction in seeing his young players compete against one of the top sides.
KKR batting might too much for de Villiers-less RCB
Andre Russell commemorated his 30th Virat Kohli’s flamboyant strokeplay birthday with a three-wicket haul and increased Royal Challengers’ some decent dance moves ©BCCI scoring rate ©BCCI ESPNcricinfo - Kolkata Knight Riders gained two significant advantages even before a ball was bowled in Bengaluru. First, Dinesh Karthik chose to bowl at a favourable chasing ground. Then, Knight Riders found out that AB de Villiers was out with a viral fever. Both those factors had a decisive impact as Knight Riders chased down a target of 176 with relative ease, with five balls to spare, consigning Royal Challengers to their fifth loss in seven games. Without their highest runscorer of the season, Royal Challengers had to employ a less attacking approach, aiming for par instead of a 200plus score, like the one they got in the previous game against Chennai Super Kings after losing the toss. All they could manage was 175 - the par score in day-night games at this ground in the IPL since 2015 has been 172 - even with a terrific, 44-ball 68 fromVirat Kohli. Even on a pitch that was turning appreciably, Knight Riders had too much firepower. Led by Chris Lynn’s 62, along with rapid cameos from Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa and Dinesh Karthik, Knight Riders cruised home against a bowling attack that lacked penetration and sufficient defensive skill. Sussing out conditions Brendon McCullum was brought into the XI due to de Villiers’ sickness. Quinton de Kock, despite coming off a half-century in the previous game, hadn’t quite found his fluency. For Royal Challengers’ batting line-up, already weakened significantly, a strong start was imperative.
McCullum and de Kock scored 40 runs in the Powerplay, 11 runs below their average score in the period this season. McCullum soon found his hitting rhythm, though, with two fours and two sixes in two overs after the Powerplay, lifting the scoring rate to over eight. Soon after the time-out, however, Royal Challengers lost their way. De Kock holed out to deep cover. McCullum toe-ended a pull to the keeper. Two balls later, Manan Vohra was bowled off the inside edge. A score of 67 for 0 quickly turned to 75 for 3. Kohli owns the death De Villiers’ absence also hampered Kohli’s scoring template. Aware that his presence in the death overs could marginally increase the utility of Royal Challengers’ score, Kohli was cautious early in his innings. He took 18 balls to score 20, but with Royal Challengers at 100 for 3 in 14 overs at that point, Kohli couldn’t wait any longer. Royal Challengers hit nine boundaries in six overs thereon; Kohli hit six of them. Royal Challengers scored 75 from there; Kohli hit 48 of them. His innings included three sixes, two of which were a direct result of a strong bottom hand through the line of the ball, hit in the arc between long-on and deep Indian Premier League Team M SRH 8 CSK 7 KXIP 7 KKR 8 RR 7 MI 7 RCB 7 DD 7
W 6 5 5 4 3 2 2 2
midwicket. Royal Challengers had 175, a score that seemed below par given the ground dimensions. Theatrics of T20s Before the start of the chase, Knight Riders’ target of 176 - one less than the score Royal Challengers needed to beat Delhi Daredevils earlier this season and one more than the score Knight Riders needed in the reverse fixture against Royal Challengers at the Eden Gardens - seemed insufficient. Lynn and Narine made a strong start before a rain interruption that lasted 30 minutes. Then, with Knight Riders seemingly in control, the game drifted on with the illusion of control. Royal Challengers made a strong comeback in that period, including having Andre Russell caught for a golden duck on his 30th birthday. The equation by then came down to 43 off 24 balls. But just when the game seemed in the balance, Knight Riders broke the chase open, much like those two previous games Royal Challengers were involved in. Scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 176 for 4 (Lynn 62, Uthappa 36) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 175 for 4 (Kohli 68*, McCullum 38, Russell 3-31) by six wickets. L 2 2 2 4 4 5 5 5
PT 12 10 10 8 6 4 4 4
NRR 0.514 0.538 0.228 0.110 -0.751 0.033 -0.447 -0.482
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Monday April 30, 2018
Kaieteur News
Barca clinch title in style as Danes hand Bermuda crushing defeat Messi treble downs Deportivo after all-rounder Leverock is omitted
Messi had doubled Barcelona’s advantage with a well-taken volley at the back post after 38 minutes on the clock. (Getty Images) CORUNA, Spain (Reuters) - Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick as Barcelona clinched a 25th Liga title yesterday after winning 4-2 at Deportivo La Coruna despite throwing away a two-goal lead in a thrilling game which also confirmed Depor’s relegation. Barca only needed a draw to seal the title and they made a perfect start when record signing Philippe Coutinho scored with a stylish chipped shot in the seventh minute while Messi doubled their lead in the 38th by volleying home an outrageous cross by Luis Suarez. Deportivo had been unlucky to go two goals down and they deservedly pulled one back through Lucas Perez five minutes before halftime before Turkish midfielder Emre Colak equalized in the 68th. Clarence Seedorf’s side needed victory to survive in the top flight for another week and they came close to finding a third goal and becoming the first team to beat Barca in the league this season. But the runaway leaders kept coming back at them on the counter-attack and it was top scorer and talisman Messi who restored their lead, striking from close range in the 82nd minute after being teed up by Suarez. Messi claimed his 32nd league goal of the season with the help of another pass from Suarez to round off the victory and give Barca a seventh Liga title in 10 years, completing a fourth domestic double in that same period after beating Sevilla 5-0 in the King’s Cup final last week.
“When you have been chasing the title for so long you feel a lot of happiness at winning it at last but as well as that we feel satisfied,” Barca coach Ernesto Valverde told reporters. “The season is very long, it starts in August and here we are after everything that has happened. The title is not decided by a couple of games but by many, we have been chasing it since the start and we have been top of the table since the start. “We have won it with a very big margin and in the end we were the best in the league.” Valverde’s unbeaten side have 86 points after 34 games, second-placed Atletico have 75 from 35 and third-placed Real Madrid 71 from 35. Deportivo are 18th on 28th, 12 points adrift of 17th-placed Levante with three games left. While Deportivo’s players and supporters mourned their return to Spain’s second tier for the first time since 2014, Barcelona’s squad formed a human chain and danced around the center circle. “This double tastes glorious,” midfielder Sergio Busquets said. “Winning seven league titles out of the last 10 is outrageous and just look at how we did it this year, with four games remaining. We have had an almost perfect Liga campaign,” Busquets added. “We haven’t lost all season and we have won the league by having a very good start, which gave us a lot of confidence and then after beating Atletico Madrid (in March) we continued to perform at a very high level.”
Messi combined with Suarez late on to put Barca back in front before adding another one to round-off his hat-trick. (Getty Images)
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, CMC – Freddie Klokker’s unbeaten century propelled Denmark to an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Bermuda, who left out leading all-rounder Kamau Leverock from their opening ICC World Cricket League Division Four match at the Royal Selangor Club here yesterday following a public outburst. Reports said 23-year-old Leverock was omitted after an expletive-laden rant at the team’s final training session at Kinrara Oval before the start of the week-long tournament. It was not immediately clear what sparked Leverock’s tirade or how long he will remain out of the side, who face Uganda today. Bermuda officials declined comment in the wake of the defeat. ESPNcricinfo reporter Peter Della Penna, who was close to the training session, reported: “Young Bermuda allrounder Kamau Leverock is throwing a mini-tantrum at Kinrara Oval training session. Just stormed out of the nets, knocked over a box of bottled water, took off his boots, chucked his Bermuda hat on the ground while unleashing some F-bombs. Unclear what sparked it.” He added: “Leverock briefly went back for a batting net after bowling, but has stormed off again after three
Leading all-rounder Kamau Leverock.
balls, unleashing another Fbomb tirade while heaving his helmet into the pavilion chair back seats and chucking his bat on the ground. Hopefully, he saves some energy for tomorrow.” Bermuda made a promising start with the bat in Leverock’s absence at the top of the order, reaching 134 for one after being sent in but then collapsed spectacularly. Wicketkeeper Okera Bascome struck four sixes and six fours in his 63 off 41 balls in an opening stand of 81 with captain Terryn Fray (32) and although number three Tre Manders followed up with 40 from 56 balls Bermuda collapsed from 134 for one to 155 for seven as the middle order folded. Number eight Charles Trott rallied the tail with 36 off
45 balls to help Bermuda past the 200-run mark but slow left-arm bowler Bashir Khan shackled the batting with three for 17 from 10 overs. In the absence of Leverock’s pace bowling the Danes made light of their target as opener Klokker finished on 108 not out from 130 balls, with eight fours and a six, as he and new captain Hamid Shah (48 not out) added an unbeaten 115 for the third wicket. In the day’s other games, hosts Malaysia clinched a nine-run win over Uganda with a controversial last-over run-out while Jersey won the battle of the Channel Islanders versus the Pacific Islanders with a seven-wicket win over Vanuatu. Both teams earlier came up from Division Five.
Late Fellaini header condemns Wenger to Old Trafford defeat MANCHESTER, England, (Reuters) MANCHESTER UNITED 2 ARSENAL 1 Arsene Wenger’s final match at Old Trafford as Arsenal manager ended in defeat as a stoppage-time header from substitute Marouane Fellaini earned Manchester United a 2-1 Premier League win yesterday. Paul Pogba had given United a 16th-minute lead before Henrikh Mkhitaryan, signed from United in January, brought Arsenal level, six minutes after the interval. It looked like a youthful, mostly secondstring Arsenal side had earned a respectable draw before Belgian Fellaini nodded in a cross from Ashley Young to seal victory for Jose Mourinho’s side and secure their Champions League place for next season. Wenger, who will leave Arsenal at the end of this season, has not tasted victory at United for 10 years and has never won away against a Mourinho team in the Premier League. The Frenchman, who clinched the league and Cup double at Old Trafford in 2002, was centre stage before the game as he was presented with a gift by former United manager Alex Ferguson and Mourinho, and he was warmly applauded by the crowd. But while the past was being generously acknowledged, Wenger also had an eye on the near future. With a trip to Madrid to face Atletico on Thursday in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final, poised at 1-1, Wenger rang
the changes, bringing in several fringe players and handing a debut to 21-year-old Greek defender Konstantinos Mavropanos. YOUNGEST SIDE It was the youngest side put out for a Premier League game by Wenger in nearly seven years but with the Europa League offering the only chance of Champions League football for his sixth-placed team, it was an understandable choice. With no Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey or Alexandre Lacazette, Arsenal were relying on their younger players and there were glimpses of promise. But it was United who drew first blood when Pogba burst through the midfield and fed Romelu Lukaku whose cross was headed against the post by ex-Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez and Pogba was on hand to convert. It was a low key half, though, with little of the tension of some of Wenger’s other visits to Old Trafford, although Mkhitaryan went close and United’s Young struck the post with an attempted cross. The hosts were mostly untroubled but lacked sharpness and they had a narrow escape just before the break when Reiss Nelson headed just wide. The Gunners did get their equaliser, though, six minutes after the restart when Mkhitaryan was allowed to run at the United box before beating David de Gea with a Continued on page 27
Monday April 30, 2018
Kaieteur News
Balanced Brazil reduces dependence on Neymar
Balanced Brazil reduces dependence on Neymar. (Photo: Alexander Zemlianichenko, AP) SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil is shaking off the embarrassment of losing 7-1 to Germany in its home World Cup. Since Tite took over as coach in 2016, the five-time world champions have become a winning machine again and were the first to qualify for Russia. Neymar, who missed the Germany humiliation through injury, is now racing to recover from a broken foot to make the trip to Russia. But there isn’t such a reliance now on the world’s most expensive player. In six games without Neymar, Brazil still won four times, including a friendly against Germany in Berlin in March. “He will be missed by any team,” defender Thiago Silva said, “but not having him sometimes helps us consolidate the style we want.” Indeed, the Brazilians head into this World Cup looking more balanced on the pitch and with a range of top players available in every position. They were so dominant in South American qualifying that they would still have secured top spot without the points secured in six games under Dunga before the coach was fired. Brazil should be even more dangerous in Russia if Neymar, who sustained the injury playing for Paris SaintGermain in February, is fully fit. “Skill wise, he is already the best player in the world,” Brazil great Pele said. “This is his time to shine.” Here’s a closer look at the Brazil team: COACH In less than two years on the job, Adenor Leonardo Bachi — universally known as Tite — has turned Brazil from a flop into a favorite for the title. A former pupil of defense-minded Luiz Felipe Scolari — the 2002 World Cup champion who presided over the Germany humiliation — Tite has grown into a fan of Carlo Ancelotti and his well-
balanced teams. The two have exchanged ideas since 2014. Detractors say Tite’s teams are low scoring and that he charms players and journalists into sparing him from criticism. But his title streak at Corinthians from 2011 to 2015 underscores his credentials for the national team job. GOALKEEPERS Alisson Becker wasn’t a household name in Brazil when he started wearing the No. 1 jersey two years ago. Now a starter for Roma, the 25-year-old Becker’s admirers include Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon. Alisson’s skills with both hands and feet made Tite relegate Manchester City’s Ederson to the bench and he is being linked with a move to Real Madrid. The third option is likely to be Tite’s most trusted goalkeeper, Cassio of Corinthians. DEFENDERS In 12 South American World Cup qualifiers games under Tite, Brazil conceded only three goals. The coach
likes to play with a solid back four featuring Paris SaintGermain duo Dani Alves and Marquinhos, Inter Milan’s Miranda and Real Madrid’s Marcelo. The two reserves are likely to be PSG central defender Thiago Silva and Juventus left back Alex Sandro. Man City’s Danilo and Corinthians’ Fagner will fight to be Alves’ reserve. MIDFIELDERS Philippe Coutinho could replace Renato Augusto, who plays at China’s Beijing Guoan, as the playmaker. If that happens, Coutinho’s position on the left could be filled by Chelsea’s Willian. Fred is also in contention to start. A more defensive variation would see Fernandinho, a newly crowned Premier League champion with Manchester City, take Augusto’s place. While Real Madrid’s Casemiro offers great protection to the defense, Paulinho of Barcelona is a boxto-box player who also provides goals. Other candidates to be reserves in Brazil’s midfield are
not as talented, which could become a hindrance in the case of injuries and suspensions. FORWARDS Even if Neymar is match fit for the World Cup, his form will only be known once the tournament begins in Russia. Tite might have to resort to using Willian in his place. While Gabriel Jesus was Brazil’s top scorer in qualifying, the Man City title winner faces greater competition from Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino. Tite lacks an old-fashioned center forward, so reserves are likely to be other mobile players: Juventus’ Douglas Costa and Shahktar Donetsk’s Taison. GROUP GAMES Brazil stuck with its base in Sochi despite playing no games near the Black Sea resort. Group E begins in Rostov-on-Don against Switzerland on June 17. St. Petersburg is the next destination for Brazil to play Costa Rica on June 22 and Serbia awaits in Moscow on June 27.
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Dominant Pliskova beats Vandeweghe to win Stuttgart title (Reuters) - Karolina Pliskova won her first title of the year yesterday with a 7-6(2) 6-4 victory over American CoCo Vandeweghe in the final of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. The dominant Czech fifth seed fired 11 aces and wrapped up the match in an hour and 56 minutes to halt Vandeweghe’s fine run in the claycourt tournament at Stuttgart. The 26-year-old Vandeweghe beat world number one Simona Halep and U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens earlier in the tournament but could not find a way past Pliskova. “It’s the best atmosphere to play in Germany,” Pliskova said after the match. “I want to thank my team. I think we had a great week and without them I would not have the trophy.” Former world number one Pliskova trailed 2-0 in the tiebreak at the end of a tight first set but reeled off seven points in a row for an early advantage in the contest. After Vandeweghe called for the trainer following a tumble early in the second set, Pliskova raised her level and broke her bruised opponent’s serve to go up 3-2. Pliskova saved a breakpoint in the next game to increase her lead. She then broke Vandeweghe again to make it 5-2 before the American attempted a late fightback with a break of her own. Pliskova, however, maintained focus to serve out the match. Victory in Stuttgart gave world number six Pliskova a 10th career title and her first since winning the trophy in Eastbourne last year.
Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova raises the trophy after she won the final match against Coco Vandeweghe from the U.S. at the WTA tennis tournament in Stuttgart. (Marijan Murat/dpa via AP)
Another glitzy awards...
Brazil’s Neymar, center, fights for the ball with Colombia’s Abel Aguilar, left, and James Rodriguez, during a 2018 Russia World Cup qualifying soccer match. (Fernando Vergara, AP)
From page 30 may be from a small town but our achievements are unmatched. Of course we had our share of problems and they included the high cost of transportation, GPL bills and cricket gear. Our main plans for 2018 include obtaining funding for an all weather outdoor practice facility, completing restoration of the Area ‘H’ ground and assisting our promising players with cricket gear.” A number of persons were singled out for their special support: “They are too many to mention but I would like to specially thank the world’s greatest Patron, His Excellency President David Granger for his great support over the last year and also Regional Chairman David Armogan, Vice Chairman Dennis DeRoop, REO Kim Williams-Stephens and Mayor Vijai Ramoo. A big, gig thanks to all our official sponsors and donors; our success is yours as well. I wish to reassure you that your funds/donated items were used for the intended purpose and played a great part in making a positive difference.” Mr. Rajin Ganga of BAKEWELL was also commended for his unbelievable support not only financially but for his words of encouragement.
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Monday April 30, 2018
Kaieteur News
Another glitzy awards ceremony hosted by RHTY&SC, 28 and counting Kevin Sinclair & Shemaine Campbelle are MALE AND FEMALE CRICKETERS OF THE YEAR By Franklin Wilson The St. Francis Training Centre, Rose Hall Town was the venue yesterday for yet another glitzy and well attended Annual Awards Presentation hosted by the leading youth and sports club in Guyana, the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club MS (RHTY&SC). Getting better with each passing year of their 28-year history, Secretary CEO Hilbert Foster was yesterday joined by a number of VIP’s including CEO of Guyana Water Inc. Dr. Richard Van West Charles, former West Indies Vice Captain and Georgetown Cricket Association President Roger Harper, Regional Chairman Reg #6 David Armogan, Director of Sports Christopher Jones, Commander of Region 6 Assistant Commissioner of Police Lyndon Alves and Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs among other dignitaries. The feature address was delivered by Dr. Alistair Collins who represented His Excellency President David Granger who was unavoidably absent. President Granger is also Patron of the club. Dr. Collins in his brief address to the gathering
complimented the club members for working as a collective to bring the entity to where it’s at, the leading sports club in Guyana and the Caribbean. The Head of the President’s Youth Awards Programme complimented Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster for the high level of leadership and commitment given to the club and for being a positive role model to the members. The Long serving Foster was described as a great son of the soil for his selfless service to the club and by extension, Guyana. “Foster loves people and has a spirit of honour, his exemplary work is rooted in compassion and love for humanity.” Dr. Collins also noted that sports, is a uniting component of life. Apart from the marquee awards, headlined by the male and female cricketers of the year, the RHY&SC also recognized the services of a number of persons and entities for their collective efforts which all add up to deliver a better life for the youths and elderly in the Ancient County. These included the Law Enforcement Awards Scheme where five outstanding Officers were recognised,
Tribute to Retired Teachers and the Scotiabank Tribute to Student and Teacher programmes, among others. The Dolphin Awards, the highest award given out by the club was presented to a number of persons for their contributions which has helped to shape the club into what is has become. Among those being presented with the award yesterday were Mr. Poonai Bihrog, Mr. Bishwa Panday, Dr. Richard Van West Charles, Mr. Anil Beharry, Mr. Haridass Ganesh, Mr. Deonarine Shane, Mr. Anandranauth Gosai, Mr. Sherlock Isaacs and Mr. Roger Harper. Sponsors, one of the main lifeline of the club, were also recognized for their partnerships with the club and some were given the opportunity to bring brief remarks, among them were, Poonai’s Pharmacy whose representative noted that for a nation to develop, the youths must be taken care of and this is one of the reasons for him contributing to the entity. Mr. Poonai made a clarion call for the private sector to get on board and support sports and youths. Metro Office and Computer Supplies was the other entity to offer remarks of encouragement to
Male cricketer of the year Kevin Sinclair receives his prizes from Dr. Alistair Collins.
the RHTY&SC members. Foster, in his reporting that 2017 was another thriving year for the club, highlighted what was accomplished from January 2017 to April 2018. A total of 712 activities/ programmes were accomplished by club members under education, charity, sports, community development, youth development, anti-suicide, religious, jobs for youths, health and anti-crime, among others. Foster stated: “The RHTY&SC simply had a remarkable year and all of us deserve a pat on the back. We Continued on page 29
Metro Female cricketer of the year, Shemaine Campbelle being rewarded.
Unity Cup National T10 championship bowls off next weekend in all regions Male Open; Female Open; U-15 and Masters Over-40 and 1 ball for fans included The Unity Cup Softball Cricket tournament organized by The Guyana Softball League, which will determine the national champions in four categories, Males Open; female; Under15 and Over-40 Masters will commence next weekend in all Regions. The tournament will have incentives as well as appropriate trophies and medals for winners. A new format will be introduced for sport fans as well in the one ball which will have incentives as well. Each day of cricket will have its fair share of one ball and each day’s winner will move onto the next round after clashing with the other winners. Each region will produce their winner and those winners will pay off against each other at various stages of the tournament. The overall winner will be known as the KING or Queen of the One Ball. The other games will see the four categories of the regions coming off against each other to claim the title of National Champion. The organizers noted that even though the tournament is not the richest, it is the prestige that is at stake as each region will want to produce the best team in the country. The Under-15 will be contested between schools and the representatives of each area are eager to get started. There are a number of schools who have already indicated their willingness to participate and efforts by the reps to get the grounds in order to have the best games are commendable. The liaison officer of GSL Mr. Mortimer Denny has been tirelessly working to get all the representatives together in order to have the best tournament in a while. The female and the male Open will be contested in the 10/10 format and the Masters in the 20/20 format. The one ball new creative game designed to give the fan a chance to feel how it is out in the middle and will be between two individuals and no other players will be on the field. Individuals can enter at the venues and the
reps will guide them on the rules. The champion will be determined when the last man is left standing. Any individual male or female can enter. Any team can register in any zone. Teams can contact representatives for more details on playing condition and other concerns. In case reps are unavailable teams are advised to call Mortimer Denny on tel numbers -6873326; 442-1562 who can address all concerns in the reps absence. Players are urged to respect each decision of the umpires at all times and there will be no recourse for this. Discipline must be maintained and each umpire will be graded during the tournament as teams are urged to give feedback to the reps on all games to dispel any doubts. The representatives of the various areas are as follows. West Demerara – Ravendra Ramgobin – 268-1372; Premnauth Bimchan (Pampalam)– 670-9982; Rawle Higgins – 667-6374; East Bank Demerara/ Georgetown – Nadir Baksh (Gas)– 672-0378; Lower East Coast Demerara – up to Enmore – Rafman Ally – 654-2233/ Darmin Ramnarine – 642-3165;Upper East Coast Herman Persaud – 643-3033;Linden – Mortimer Denny – 687-3326/442-1562; Berbice- Corentyne – Rajin Moonsammy – 650-7647; Canje – David Lukenauth/Pinkey Arthur-615-2493/ Revi Ramkumar – 642-1206 ; Essequibo board has not yet indicated that they will be participating therefore no representation has been named. Discussions are ongoing.