Kaieteur News

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KAIETEUR NEWS Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: ADAM HARRIS Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

APRIL IS SEXUAL AWARENESS MONTH

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exual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) is cel ebrated in April every year around the world to raise public awareness about sexual assault against persons, especially women and children. It is also intended to educate communities and individuals on how to prevent these attacks. Each year during countries, community-based organizations, rape crisis centers, Government agencies, businesses and individuals plan events and activities to highlight sexual violence as a human rights and social justice issue. They also seek to reinforce the need to prevent it. This year, Guyana will join with several other countries to celebrate SAAM under theme “Embrace your Voice.” The teal ribbon, a medium to deep blue-green colour ribbon, has been adopted as a symbol of sexual assault awareness and prevention. In 1976, a group of women, “Take Back the Night” organized a week of protest against rape and sexual assault on women and the violence and fear they encountered while walking the streets at night. Over time, these events coordinated into a movement across the United States and Europe to raise awareness of sexual assault and violence against women and children. In the late 1980s, a week in April was selected as Sexual Assault Awareness Week by the National Coalition of Women. But by the late 1990s, Sexual Assault Awareness Week was expanded to the entire month of April due to several events and activities that went beyond the week. SAAM was first observed in April 2001 by many countries, including Guyana. In 2009, United States President Barack Obama was the first United States president to proclaim April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in the United States. Since then many other leaders have followed in Obama’s footsteps. In the United States, it was ironic for President Donald Trump who has himself been repeatedly accused of sexual misconduct by dozens of women to designate the month of April as National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month in America on Good Friday. The 2016 presidential campaign that launched Trump to the White House saw the unearthing of an infamous “Access Hollywood” tape in which the real estate tycoon bragged about groping women. It should be noted that allegations of domestic abuse led two Trump staffers to resign. Since former film mogul Harvey Weinstein’s dramatic downfall over allegations of sexual harassment to rape, there has been a deluge of accusations that toppled men from powerful positions in a number of industries including Hollywood, the media and politics. In Guyana, we all have a role to play in changing the culture of sexual violence against women. We must change how we think and talk about sexual violence and create a culture of respect and equality. Our voices have power, therefore, now is time for everyone to find their voice and embrace this year’s Sexual Assault and Awareness Month’s theme by speaking out against stereotypes or gender biases and take positive steps to end sexual violence in society once and for all. Sexual assault crimes remain tragically common in our society, and offenders too often evade prosecution. The attacks are committed indiscriminately against children and women against their will, in the home, in public spaces and in the workplace. Too often, the victims of assault have remained silent due to fear, retribution from their offender, lack of faith in the justice system, or have difficulty confronting the pain associated with the traumatic experience. As a nation, we must remain steadfast in our efforts to stop sexual violence, provide care for victims and make sure that offenders are prosecuted.

Tuesday April 03 ,2018

A welcome ceremony that comes across as poor politics and public relations DEAR EDITOR, According to the Guyana Chronicle (April 1, 2018) Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo is scheduled to return to Guyana this week after being away in the United States (U.S) for two months, following his illness, surgery and recovery. Like all Guyanese, I wish him the best of health. What I read in the Chronicle - and sincerely hope it was a mistake or overzealous reporting - is that on his return there is expected to be a welcome ceremony. A welcome ceremony after illness and being treated abroad, not by the local healthcare system, and with the support of the government/taxpayers’ expense, comes across as poor politics and public relations. The late President and Leader of the Opposition Hugh Desmond Hoyte did a similar surgery like PM Nagamootoo. This surgery was done

when he was Leader of the Opposition, also in the U.S., and with no financial input from the government/ taxpayers. His recovery and return, though welcomed, were absent a welcome ceremony. Constitutionally, the Leader of the Opposition is one of the two premier political leaders; the other being the President. PPP/C Minister of Agriculture Dr. Leslie Ramsammy had a similar surgery in the U.S. and with the support of the government/taxpayers. His recovery and return to Guyana were also absent of fanfare. It could be said this was because the PPP/C government wanted to keep it quiet, mindful that the taxpayers aided the process and recovery and didn’t want to flaunt it in their faces, or just didn’t think a welcome ceremony was fitting. Any or all of the thinking that informed the decision not to hold a ceremony was/were prudent.

Our society still falls far short of providing basic health services to the masses. Many don’t have the luxury of opportunity and access to pay for local private service, much less go overseas with private funding or have the government/taxpayers’ input. In short, there’s a Marie Antoinette outlook to healthcare in Guyana. In that this exists, it is hurtful to rub it in the face of the hundreds of thousands of Guyanese who cannot afford, don’t have the privilege of government/taxpayer funding, or pray that they don’t fall sick for fear of not being able to access the needed care. PM Nagamootoo wrote an interesting article in his column in the Guyana Chronicle lauding Dr. Cheddi Jagan and presenting himself as ardent admirer and discipline of his beliefs. One of the few things there is unanimity about Dr. Jagan is that he had empathy for the struggles and plight of the

masses and eschewed fanfare, particularly unnecessary ones. This proposed ceremony will obviously come at additional cost to the taxpayers who already feel that they are overtaxed. The Prime Minister and his team have to be mindful of the optics and the politics of what this ceremony will cost and create. There is certainty that society would be more welcoming to have him host a press conference, share his experiences if he cares to, advise of warning health signs and lifestyle changes, and thank the people for their support. The people are already feeling down having to navigate the daily intricacies of life, including finances and appropriate health care. A welcome ceremony will undoubtedly be seen as flaunting wellness, financial access and privilege in the masses’ face. Minette Bacchus

Guyanese & C’bean-Americans will not collectively benefit from the U.S. census DEAR EDITOR, Article 1, Section 2, of the U.S. Constitution provides, ”Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States ... according to their respective Numbers ...The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct.” The 14th Amendment mandates apportionment of representatives ”according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each state,” as distinct from citizens only. An accurate census is critical for all communities to be provided fair resources for services and representation in government, relative to the taxes, sacrifices and the blood, sweat and tears they shed daily for America’s prosperity. Caribbean nationals, West Indians, Guyanese, Trinidadians, Jamaicans, Asian Americans, Latinos and other immigrant communities have historically been undercounted, and this question will only lead to fear and even more drastically reduced response rates, especially in places like New York, DC and California. The hospitals, schools, social services, senior centers, after school programs, pre-K services, day care,

transportation and other services are among the worst in the nation, although immigrants most times have to do 2-3 jobs to make ends meet, pay their taxes willingly, and most refuse social and public assistanceall in pursuit of the sometimes elusive American dream. Consequently, we vehemently oppose the addition of the citizenship question to the 2020 census questionnaire. The Trump administration’s announcement that it intends to include a citizenship question is myopic and ill-advised, and defeats the entire purpose for taking a decennial nationwide census in the first place. Indeed, it violates the Founding Fathers motives for gathering census data as part of the U.S. Constitution. In the last census count, in 2010, despite our collective efforts to get everyone counted, the city’s response rate was only 62 percent. 50,000 residents were not counted, causing New York to lose two Congressional seats, and it may be worse this time around. There are now 3.2 million foreign-born people in New York City, out of 8.6 million residents. Of those foreignborn, 46 percent are noncitizens, with at least 500,000 undocumented, all of whom use public resources and services. Congress depends on

those results not only to decide how to distribute federal resources, but how to determine the number of congressional districts in each state. It is the most important data and economic tool in America, and is used to plan the provision of health care, law enforcement, education, employment, transportation, social services, like where to build new schools, roads, health care facilities, childcare and senior centres. At least 132 government programs use information from the census to determine

how to allocate in excess of $675 billion, much of it for programs that serve lower-income families, like Medicare, Head Start, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Pell grants for college and reduced-price school lunch programs. Census data also apportions highway spending. According to a 2016 study by the Federal Communications Commission, about 12.6 million American households do not have access to broadband, and census data (Continued on page 5)

Mr. Jagmohan’s perceptions are excellent DEAR EDITOR, I refer to a letter in yesterday’s Kaieteur News written by Mr. Doodnauth Jagmohan captioned “There are Dictators in the AFC”. In this letter, the writer accuses a senior Minister of firing i n d e p e n d e n t Directors from the Board of NCN because they were recommending the dismissal of the GM at that entity. He also accuses the same Minister of reinstating a NCN branch Manager who was suspended for 10 months and sent home for falsifying records. He also seems to be saying that it is his opinion

that in General the AFC Ministers are operating a mop-up corrupt operation, since it is most unlikely that they can be reelected given their traditional voter base and their current lack of support therefrom. The accusation that they are very dictatorial has been made before. I would like to give Mr. Jagmohan 100 marks out of 100, since his perceptions are excellent. In closing, there must have been some mistake which seemed not to have been made in dealing with Exxon, but I am at a loss to say what it could have been! Yours faithfully, Tony Vieira

Observing Lawful and Fair Termination and Dismissal DEAR EDITOR, I would like to share with your readers, some thoughts and facts on the issue of Observing Lawful and Fair Termination and Dismissal from employment, both in the private and public sectors. The right to work and to continue working is guided by national and international laws, the application of which demands principled and fair treatment without discrimination and with due process and natural justice. The system of industrial relations is informed, influenced and functions within the norms of national legislation, international labour standards, and regional labour policy of CARICOM. The Constitution of Guyana, the Labour Laws,

and International Labour Conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), ratified by Guyana as treaty obligations and as international law, provide the legal basis, foundation and framework for the conduct of labour relations by the Government, its agencies, and social partners, represented by trade unions and employers and their organizations. Together, these instruments constitute the Labour Code of Guyana. The general declaratory principles of the Constitution of Guyana include the right to work, the right to equality of opportunity and treatment in all aspects of employment, and impose a duty on the State to protect the just rights and interests of citizens.

Chapter III of the Constitution affirms the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual and entitle every citizen, basic rights without distinction and discrimination, including the right, regardless of his/her race, origin, political opinions, colour, creed or sex, subject to the rights and freedoms of others and the public interest, to freedom of conscience, of expression, assembly, and association (Articles 40, 145, 146, and 147). The Prevention of Discrimination Act No. 26 of 1997 protects against unlawful discrimination. Part II, Section 4 of the Act prohibits discrimination on the grounds of: race, sex, religion, colour, ethnic origin, indigenous (Continued on page 6)

Some truths about the late Cheddi Jagan DEAR EDITOR, The past two weeks witnessed some remarkable outpourings of praise for the late Cheddi Jagan on his 21st death anniversary and his 100th birthday, had he lived, thus it would be superfluous to add to this rather devotional acclaim. While Dr. Jagan, who did some good for the country, was allegedly deemed a communist by Britain and America, no one was candid enough to highlight the numerous blunders and shortcomings of their fallen comrade. I will not mention his Jerry Springer-like antics during the Cold War as indicated in an earlier letter. Upon his ascension to office as President of Guyana, Dr. Jagan made some bizarre cabinet appointments. Many of his chosen Ministers did not even have a High School education and some of his development programs were so absurd that they bordered on abject hypocrisy. Without elaborating further, suffice it to say that some of his

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choices of ministers were ridiculous and most depressing. · In 1993, he established the Berbice Antismuggling Squad (BASS) which descended upon vendors and traders in the Corentyne and seized foodstuff, boat engines, clothes etc. in the name of illegal imports. These very people were some of Jagan’s most ardent supporters and huge campaign donors. What was he thinking? · He ordered the Customs Department to be ‘supervised’ by the Fraud Squad with a security guard as its head. · Dr. Jagan established a tighter system to curb illegal emigration—yet the PPP collected millions of dollars from illegal immigrants in North America. · While in opposition, he vehemently criticized the Commissioner of Police, Laurie Lewis, but in assuming office, he retained him as head of the Police Force. · While in power, his government doubled the consumption tax on beers and increased taxes on D’Aguiar

Industries Holdings. Many felt it was payback for D’Aguiar and his United Force for forming a coalition with the PNC in 1964. · While in opposition, Dr. Jagan criticized the PNC government for refusing to set up a Commission of Inquiry into Rodney’s death and extradite his alleged killer, Gregory Smith from French Guiana. But in government, he did neither of the two things he had asked for. To this day, the PPP remains an un-democratic party, as it continues to handpick rather than elect its Presidential candidate. In 1995, President Jagan visited New York and in response to a question from the audience about who would succeed him, his response was there was no need for him to name his successor because, “do I look like I would die soon?” Two years later he died in Washington, DC. Leyland Chitlall Roopnaraine (New York)

The public knows which Govt. it prefers to be responsible for this nation’s affairs DEAR EDITOR, Referring to the article, “Govt’s meeting with British experts was publicity stunt”, viaKaieteur News of March 23, 2018. What does one expect from an Opposition Leader whose only contribution to national debate is virulent criticism? Before responding to this constitutional office holder, who has become the consummate opposition brand that criticizes for criticism sake, the following observation is apt. Given the avalanche of criticisms, many of which bordered on personal attacks, one would have thought that these “learned local oil and gas experts” would have taken the opportunity to attend the government-sp o n s o r e d , t h r e e day discussions, led by a collective of some of the world’s renowned thinkers. I had thought that these suppo s e d l y G u y a n e s e “patriots”, for all of their decibel high statements etcetera, would have used such a uniqu e o p p o r t u nity to engage with such a panel on the very issues for which they have been verbally berating the gov-

ernment. Although one is entitled to an opinion, it is always best tested in the wider court of public discussion - and what better occasion for these very Guyanese to have had a n o p e n d e b ate on the emerging oil and gas industry, which is all new to this country. After all, this is the seminal period of this country’s socio-economic development history, when an auspicious era is about to begin, as a democratic nation – all are welcomed to air their concerns. But such concerns should be of the type that will assist in finding solutions, rather than being very nasty and partisan in tone. Listen to these so–called knowledgeables, and one cannot help but observe that they have all the answers, and hold the key, to the issues arising from the oil and gas contract. I extend this view to the Leader of the Opposition with his usual grading of the coalition government. Always believing that he is the economist par excellence, he ought to have been present as a national leader at such a gathering. All the other activists

and critics as well, but their fossilized reasoning with its usual political partisanship would have been exposed. Any reasonable Guyanese would ask why Jagdeo particularly was not there, to match arguments with the visitors. They would have made intellectual minced meat of him!Instead, he is now accusing the Granger administration of not educating us. I interpret this to mean the public. He, or any other of his ilk, is damned for such a lie! Whatever this nation has learned about the oil and gas industry, apart from the internet, is primarily due to the numerous public engagements, on the part of the Ministry of Natural Resources whether in the form of individual overseas experts, visiting groups, and even the recently held oil and gas expo. The citizens of this country are not short of informative data. What Jagdeo fails to understand, and maybe, grudgingly accept is that the entire nation is following the unfolding of this emerging sector. They are anticipating the (Continued on page 6)

Guyanese & C’bean-Americans ... From page 4 will determine which communities get priority. In New York, for example, how the already measly $7 billion from the federal government that funds all these aspects of life here, like whether resources are provided for repairs to the Belt, Grand Central and Van Wyck Expressways and nutritional programs and centers for seniors, where new schools and hospitals are built, especially if Region 11 of Richmond Hill (Little Guyana) gets any, could be affected by one question on the 2020 census: Are

you a United States citizen? The federal data has collateral consequences. For example, the city’s education department uses Census data to redraw school zones, the health department uses it to understand illness rates, while businesses use federal information to determine whether to open in underserved neighborhoods. All of this can be solved by just withdrawing the intrusive question from the form, which is unconstitutional and fundamentally un-American. It is an ill-concealed attempt to stop funding for sanctuary

cities like New York and California. Others oppose this measure as an attempt by Republicans to sabotage important census data to rig the political system in their favour. Albert Baldeo

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Observing Lawful and Fair ... From 5 population, national extraction, social origin, economic status, political opinion, disability, family responsibilities, pregnancy, marital status, or age except for the purposes of retirement and restriction on work and employment of minors. The Act also prohibits discrimination against a person by distinction, exclusion or preference, the intent of which is to deny equality of opportunity or treatment in any employment or occupation. Part III, Section 5 of this Act protects against discrimination in employment; for it is unlawful for any employer or his/her agent to discriminate in relation to recruitment, selection, or employment on any grounds, except where genuine occupational qualifications exist in keeping with this Act. These are clear lawful obligations, but there are some serious concerns about the actions of employers or their agents on the application of fairness in bringing an employment relationship to an

end by termination, dismissal or constructive dismissal. The application of fairness relates to: i) procedural fairness requiring that an end of employment should be in accordance with a fair procedure; and ii) substantive fairness which requires that there should be a fair reason for ending an employment contract. The usual valid grounds for termination by employers or their agents, must: i) relate to work performance issues; ii) a series of work-related infractions not so serious as to warrant summary dismissal; iii) serious misconduct; iv) by mutual consent; v) by required notice; vi) for reasons of redundancy relating to the operational requirements of the enterprise; and vii) end of contract without the option for renewal. Where there is an option for the renewal of an employment contract at the end of the current contract, there must be valid reasons based one of the seven grounds listed

The public knows... From page 5 positives from which they will benefit. Most important, though, is that the public knows which government it prefers to be responsible for this nation’s affairs, prior to, and after 2020 first oil. This much, Jagdeo should know. Regards, Earl Hamilton

above, for the non-renewal. End of an optional renewal of a contract must not be used as pretext, excuse, or reason for preferential replacements. The valid grounds for summary dismissal under the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act No 19 of 1997 must relate to the capacity and conduct of the employee at work for good and sufficient cause relating to serious misconduct on the job. Section 4 of this Act states clearly the several reasons which are not valid or constitute good or sufficient cause for dismissal or for disciplinary action against an employee, including race, sex, religion, colour, ethnic origin, national extraction, social origin, political opinion, family responsibility or marital status. A dismissal on any of the several grounds listed under Section 4 of this Act would constitute unfair dismissal. On terminations and dismissals on the initiative of the employer, the burden of valid proof rests with the employer. The issue of constructive dismissal flows from actions or the conduct of the employer, his agent, or manager making it difficult or untenable for the employee to continue working and may be forced to resign or leave the job on his/her own initiative. An employee in such a situation can be deemed to have been unfairly dismissed, and can challenge the employer in a court of law. The burden of proof to establish “constructive dismissal” rests with the concerned employee. Yours faithfully, Samuel J. Goolsarran

Tuesday April 03 ,2018

Winnie Mandela, ‘mother’ of new South Africa, dies at 81 JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Hailed as mother of the ‘new’ South Africa, Winnie MadikizelaMandela’s legacy as an antiapartheid heroine was undone when she was revealed to be a ruthless ideologue prepared to sacrifice laws and lives in pursuit of revolution and redress. Her uncompromising methods and refusal to forgive contrasted sharply with the reconciliation espoused by her husband Nelson Mandela as he worked to forge a stable, pluralistic democracy from the racial division and oppression of apartheid. The contradiction helped kill their marriage and destroyed the esteem in which she was held by many South Africans, although the firebrand activist retained the support of radical black nationalists to the end. In her twilight years, Madikizela-Mandela, who died yesterday aged 81, had frequent run-ins with authority that further undermined her reputation as a fighter against the white-minority regime that ran Africa’s most advanced economy from 1948 to 1994. During her husband’s 27year incarceration, Madikizela-Mandela campaigned tirelessly for his release and for the rights of black South Africans, suffering years of detention, banishment and arrest by the white authorities. She remained steadfast and unbowed throughout, emerging to punch the air triumphantly in the clenchedfist salute of black power as she walked hand-in-hand with Mandela out of Cape

Winnie Mandela (REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo)

Town’s Victor Verster prison on Feb. 11, 1990.For husband and wife, it was a crowning moment that led four years later to the end of centuries of white domination when Mandela became South Africa’s first black president. “HORRIBLY WRONG” But for MadikizelaMandela, the end of apartheid marked the start of a string of legal and political troubles that, accompanied by tales of her glamorous living, kept her in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. As evidence emerged in the dying years of apartheid of the brutality of her Soweto enforcers, the “Mandela United Football Club” (MUFC), her soubriquet switched from ‘Mother of the Nation’ to ‘Mugger’. Blamed for the killing of activist Stompie Seipei, who was found near her Soweto home with his throat cut, she was convicted in 1991 of kidnapping and assaulting the 14-year-old because he was suspected of being an informer. Her six-year jail term was reduced on appeal to a fine. She and Mandela separated in 1992 and her reputation slipped further when he sacked her from his cabinet in 1995 after allegations of corruption. The couple divorced a year later, after which she adopted the surname Madikizela-Mandela. Appearing at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) set up to unearth atrocities committed by both sides in the anti-apartheid struggle, MadikizelaMandela refused to show remorse for abductions and murders carried out in her name. Only after pleading from anguished TRC chairman Archbishop Desmond Tutu did she admit grudgingly that “things went horribly wrong”. In its final report, the TRC ruled that MadikizelaMandela was “politically and morally accountable for the gross violations of human

rights committed by the MUFC”.Four years later, she was back in court, facing fraud and theft charges in relation to an elaborate bank loan scheme.“Somewhere it seems that something went wrong,” magistrate Peet Johnson said as he sentenced her to five years in jail, later overturned on appeal. “You should set the example for all of us.” MARRIED TO THE STRUGGLE Born on Sept. 26, 1936, in Bizana, Eastern Cape province, Madikizela-Mandela became politicized at an early age in her job as a hospital social worker. “I started to realize the abject poverty under which most people were forced to live, the appalling conditions created by the inequalities of the system,” she once said. Strikingly attractive and with a steely air - her given name, Nomzamo, means ‘one who strives’ - the 22-year-old Winnie caught the eye of Mandela at a Soweto busstop in 1957, starting a whirlwind romance that led to their marriage a year later. But with husband and wife pouring their energies into the fight against apartheid, the relationship struggled before being torn apart after six years when Mandela was arrested and sentenced to life in prison. Madikizela-Mandela later described her marriage as a sham and the birth of their two daughters, Zindzi and Zenani, as “quite coincidental” to her one true love - the struggle against white rule. “I was married to the ANC. It was the best marriage I ever had,” she often said. Graca Machel, who stepped into her shoes as South Africa’s first lady when she married Mandela in 1998, paid tribute to her predecessor in the years after her union. “It’s unfortunate that in our lives we don’t interact very easily but I want to state very clearly that Winnie is my hero. Winnie is someone I (Continued on page 24)

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AFC pushes for quick and effective handling of “distressing situation” at GGMC

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he Alliance For Change (AFC) is calling on the relevant authorities to pull out all stops to ensure the health and safety of the hundreds working at the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Brickdam compound where burning of the amalgam is done. This was the subject of AFC’s Sunday column published in this newspaper. AFC said that it noted the “most distressing situation” involving many GGMC workers showing symptoms of mercury poisoning. The party also noted the many, many dangers of mercury poisoning. However, it offered no possible solution to the dilemma being faced by the exposed workers. While media reports only highlighted the plight of GGMC workers who were tested for mercury in blood, the AFC acknowledged the fact that workers attached to the various agencies in same compound are exposed as well. GGMC, the Guyana Gold Board and the Ministry of Natural Resources all share the same compound which is situated next to the Ministry of Public Health. AFC said that for decades, the Gold Board’s testing and assayer’s laboratory has been located in that compound. The party noted that raw gold brought in for declaration by a relatively large brigade of miners/pork knockers, (Venezuelan, Brazilian, Indian, Chinese or Guyanese), is

tested for purity, quality, malleability and ductility, among other things at that very lab. AFC said that “in retrospect, successive Guyanese Governments and GGMC executives at both the Commission and the Board should have been switched on to the fact that prolonged exposure to mercury vapour is a recipe for serious illnesses, medical debilitation or fatality.” The political party said that Governments should have also been guided by the findings of a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) study that was conducted within the Guianas – Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. One of study’s findings was that jewellers working in secure, tightly enclosed rooms presented higher levels of mercury in their bodies than miners who work in open camps. AFC said that that single finding “should have alerted us to the possibility that the people working in the Gold Board’s labs (at least) may have been exposed to this potentially debilitating metallic element.” MOVING FORWARD “So now we know, and now is the time for every authority to act quickly to mitigate the situation at the GGMC and Gold Board,” said the AFC. One of AFC’s representatives in government is Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman. In fact, he is the current leader of the party. He also

has ministerial oversight for the GGMC and the Gold Board. Trotman’s Ministry is also housed in the very compound shared by the other two named agencies. GGMC workers have been calling for the removal of the lab since they say it is waste of time being treated for mercury and returning to the same environment that caused the poisoning. AFC did not support that call in its column neither did it make any other recommendation. However, the party provided an update to the situation. The AFC said that it has been told that nearly 200 GGMC workers are being tested to determine their levels of contamination, if any. The party also stated that, “medical experts may also want to include the staff at the Natural Resources Ministry and the workers in compounds neighbouring and opposite the GGMC. Management says that this situation calls for utmost urgency, and that medical personnel from Eureka Labs have been contracted to conduct the tests, procure emergency medication, and treat all staff who present higher than acceptable levels of contamination.” The party said that both public and private sector agencies and companies should now pay keener attention to their own

Residents of Wakapoa, Lower Pomeroon, Region Two, continue to feel the blunt effects of the harsh dry weather, which continues to plague the community for some month.Wakapoa is an indigenous community, located some 35 miles north of Charity, Pomeroon, Region Two. With a population of about 3000 residents scattered between its three islands, this riverine community has grown increasingly dependent on water for farming, transportation, washing and even consumption. According the community’s Toshao, Errol Williams, the dry season has already taken an effect on the three Wakapoa islands. The Toshao said, “The dry season has already plagued our three islands where we actually have three schools, including a secondary school.”

Kaieteur News understands that children would usually canoe to school via the savannah creeks. The Toshao noted that canoeing to school is now a challenge for student since the creeks are now slushy due to the consistent heat. This community is predominantly a farming community, where most farmers depend on the produce from their farmers as a source of income. The Toshao noted that farmers have already complained about the withering of vegetation. Unlike the Coastlanders, residents in Pomeroon have no access to GWI. As the Toshao explained, the custom is for the people to store water by means of water tanks. This supply of water is then used primarily for cooking and drinking. With the absence of the rains, however, sourcing water for drinking and cook-

ing also becomes a challenge. This publication was informed that three wells are installed on each of the three islands in the Wakapoa community. The Toshao explained that these wells were dug some six years back but little effort was made to maintain them. Toshao Williams added, “Of the three wells, only one really produced water, but due to water mismanagement there is hardly any water left in the one well… People would usually boil this water, treat it and use it for cooking and drinking.” The Ministry of Agriculture issued a release earlier this month, indicating that severe drought is expected to hit the northern parts of Guyana, until the end of April. The Toshao noted that intervention by Government authority at this point is most needed. [Romario Blair.]

- Says successive Governments and GGMC executives should have known mercury burning lab is recipe for disaster

Harsh dry weather continues to plague Wakapoa

operations and hasten to take every precautionary action if their workers deal with any hazardous material, “even bleach and toilet cleaner, on a daily basis.” The party further noted, “Proprietors of jewellery stores, in particular, ought to have their gemologists, repairers, cleaners and polishers, even janitors, tested for possible mercury contamination. “This situation brings to mind the fact that there are a few buildings still in use in and outside the City that have asbestos roofs, walls and ceilings. We could hazard a guess at 40-year-old buildings. This too is dangerous to the health of all who enter those edifices.” GUYANALEFT BEHIND The AFC noted that Guyana has been left behind. The party said, “Guyana is among the last few goldproducing states in the world that have not instituted an outright ban, or imposed stringent restrictions on the use of elemental mercury. “We have found out that mercury released by smallscale mining around the world is a very significant source of atmospheric pollution, and it has been added to the list of ‘must-dos’ in the fight against global warming.” Mercury is easily absorbed by humans, animals and marine life. Mercury is

absorbed directly through the skin, but the main route of exposure is inhalation. Both mercury vapour and methyl mercury affect the brain, the nervous system, and all of your five senses – vision, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. It affects internal organs as well, e.g. liver, kidneys and glands. Mercury also passes through the placenta in pregnant women, affecting developing foetuses. Mercury would impair proper development of nervous tissue and can result in mild to severe reduced intelligence and coordination, and distortion of limbs, at birth or later. GGMC workers claimed that there might have been at least one death associated with the inhalation of mercury e m i s s i o n s . Staffers said that last January, a carpenter attached to GGMC died of kidney failure. That complication is believed to have been associated with high exposure to mercury. “He was a fairly young man; he worked for years at the carpentry workshop which is close to the lab where the burning is done.” Staffers said that for over

six years, no testing of workers has been done, “so the man might have had high levels of mercury in his blood but never knew.” Kaieteur News also learnt that only about five of the 55 workers recently tested were found to have safe levels of mercury in the blood. The industrial nurse attached to GGMC told the workers that 0-6 microgram per litre (mcg/l) is safe; 7-10 mcg/l is high, and anything more than 11 mcg/l would be considered dangerous. However, the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) has advised workers that they consider 3mcg/l and above to be worthy of medical attention. Hardly any of the workers who were tested were found to have under 2mcg/l. While most workers fell in the range of 6 to 12, alarmingly some persons are as high as 21. NIS has told the workers that they will treat the issue as an industrial accident in terms of exposure and negligence. There is no treatment for mercury available in Guyana. GGMC has announced that it is importing relevant medication needed by those affected.

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Make fiscal concessions for oil part of law ...Int’l group says one-onone negotiations open gateway for corruption, manipulation ...Int’l group says one-on-one negotiations open gateway for corruption, manipulaA sustainable oil and gas sector must be underpinned by a system which ensures that there is hardly any room for manipulation or collusion for personal gains. This is according to the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI). This is an international body which provides expert advice to administrations around the world as it relates to getting the best deals and arrangements out of extractive sectors. The Institute notes that there are several characteristics of a strong, fiscal regime governing an oil and gas sector. In listing some of these, the Institute said that Members of Parliamentarian (MPs) should set fiscal instruments through laws rather than individual contracts. It said that negotiated, rather than standardized fiscal regimes, are prevalent in the extractive sector. In this regard, it noted that setting fiscal regimes through laws increases transparency and accountability, because contracts are more likely to be kept secret. Also, the Institute said that negotiations bring additional opportunities for corruption or manipulation.

Additionally, if the applicable fiscal regime varies from contract to contract, NRGI said it can make monitoring onerous and frustrate the efforts of policymakers to carry out policy reforms. The international group stated, too, that fiscal regimes should divide risk appropriately between the investor and the state. Uncertainty, it articulated, is inherent in the extractive sector. It said that oil, gas and mineral projects may encounter technical challenges or be affected by unexpected price increases or contractions. As such, the Institute stressed that the fiscal regime should ensure that the state does not end up bearing a share of risk disproportionate to its expected return. It said, too, that the state should be compensated for the loss of resources, regardless of the profitability of a given operation. NRGI said that this is because oil, gas and mineral resources are finite. It stressed that fiscal instruments such as baseline royalties provide a guaranteed return for the state even if a project runs losses. The Institute also noted that transparency and consistency can help strengthen the state’s position. In this regard, the body noted, “The extractive industries are characterized by significant asymmetries between states and private

...Int’l group says one-on-one negotiations open gateway for corruption, manipulation

Some of the nation’s MPs during a sitting of the House

actors. States own the resources and thus have real bargaining power. However, companies often have more information about the specific parameters of extractive projects and are more sophisticated in tax planning, which can give them the upper hand in negotiations.” Furthermore, NRGI

stressed that fiscal regimes should be progressive. In this regard, it noted that extractive projects can generate substantial rents. It pointed out that rents (sometimes called “windfall tax”) are the financial returns above those a company requires to make the investment profitable. NRGI stressed that

mechanisms to measure and tax a share of windfalls can enhance state returns in times of high profits and adjust to allow for adequate company returns during times of low profits. OVERSIGHT The Natural Resource Governance Institute also believes that parliamentarians

must ensure strict oversight of the oil and gas sector. The independent nonprofit organization stressed in a parliamentary briefing that parliamentarians should also exercise their oversight role to ensure that good deals are made in the extractive sector. NRGI said, “Through their (Continued on page 22)

Tragedy for Berbice family

A

family from Num ber 45 Village, Corentyne, East Berbice suffered a major tragedy yesterday. The family members were reportedly out for the Easter celebrations when fire, which started shortly before 20:00 hours, consumed their home. The property was owned by a rice farmer, who lived on the roadside property with his wife and two children. The fire engine had to come all the way from Corriverton, which is located about 15 miles away.

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Kremlin says Trump suggested Putin visit the White House

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MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Kremlin aide said yesterday that U.S. President Donald Trump suggested the White House as the venue for a summit with Russia’s Vladimir Putin when they discussed the idea of meeting in a telephone call last month. Since that call, on March 20, preparations for a possible summit have not progressed because of a diplomatic row, the aide, Yuri Ushakov, said. “When our presidents spoke on the phone, Trump proposed having the first

meeting in Washington, in the White House,” Ushakov told reporters at a briefing. “Trump called Putin last month to congratulate him on his election victory and told reporters he believed he and Putin would meet “in the not too distant future.” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders did not confirm an invitation had been issued to Putin, but said the two had discussed a number of venues for a potential meeting, including the White House.

From page 8 oversight role, parliamentarians should ensure that all legislation affecting the fiscal elements of oil, gas and mining projects are coherent. “Some countries have wrestled with inconsistencies between pieces of legislation. For example, mining laws and investment promotion laws might each spell out distinct incentives, which together may give away far too much or result in a lack of clarity as to which incentives apply.” In the interest of transparency and accountability, the Organization noted that opposition parliamentarians should ask the government to provide revenue projections over the life of any major project— particularly when special fiscal exemptions or i n c e n t i v e s a r e g ranted. It also said that the Opposition MPs should request a detailed listing of all assumptions (prices, costs, etc.) upon which these

projections are based. The Institute asserted, “Over time, legislators should request regular reporting of revenues the state receives and compare them against these projections.” NRGI stated, too, that there should also be a request for disclosure of all contracts with companies. It said that this is pertinent so that parliamentarians can access information about deals, including all the exemptions and incentives offered to companies that may deviate from those contained in generally applicable law. It stressed that contract disclosure is essential for effective parliamentary oversight. In another note to opposition parliamentarians, NRGI said that they should ask Government officials to explain the actions they take to ensure compliance with the fiscal regime, including conducting independent tax audits.

Make fiscal ...

Kite flying….a cherished ... VACANCY Porters, Apply in person at Alabama Trading, Georgetown Ferry Stelling, Stabroek Janitor, Apply in person at Alabama Trading, Georgetown Ferry Stelling, Stabroek Cook/Baker & Welder for interior location. Applicants must be experienced. Call: 6182020 Paralegal with degree in law. Duties: secretarial, clerical & research tasks. Email: lawofficegy@gmail.com/ guyana@hotmail.com Experienced male sales attendant, stocktaking knowledge, computer literate, excellent service attitude, able bodied. Key Food McDoom Village. Exists for one experienced dispatcher- Call: 231-5784

From page 16 “caddy ole punch”. We would take a few pointers from the broom, some black thread preferably and tear plastic bag would make the tail for the kite. But it was a fun experience. Just to try and raise the caddy,” one patron noted. “Very few children enjoy that experience these days. Everybody wants the easy

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way out; a bird kite,” he noted. Bird Kites Bird Kites are sold almost everywhere especially during the season of Easter. It has become an ease. But many persons hold to the view that purchasing a bird kite or readymade kites takes away from the process of making a kite. “It can be an enjoyable experience for a father to share with his children. However, the bird kite has its advantage. Nowadays most parents work and cannot afford to sit and make the kites. So bird kites are their only choice,” a mother of three explained. Shenika Thomas, 8 of La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, explained that her bird kite usually lasts for quite some time. After last year Easter, I put my kite in a big garbage bag and put it up safe. After a while, I forgot about it and now I am flying it. I kept the new one for Easter morning.

Rose Hall murder/robbery... Two more arrested as employees remain prime suspects Two more employees have been arrested up to late yesterday afternoon in connection with the murder of the security guard that was on duty at Sukhram General Store and Agro Chemicals (Fat-lady), located along the Rose Hall Town Public Road, Saturday night. This arrest brings to nine the number of persons in custody. Seven were detained Sunday night. Police sources have since confirmed that they have received information that there was an attempted break-in at the store five days earlier. Those in custody include a former employee and his parents. The source, who is close to the investigation, also revealed that they are working on the theory that employees would have contracted persons to rob the business. A door was reportedly left open. Two employees were said to be responsible for closing the business in the afternoon. Divisional Commander Lyndon Alves confirmed that $1.2 M was stolen during the robbery. Munesh Prem Ayasammy Monien’s battered body was discovered by police slouched on sandbags near the back entrance of the general store Saturday night. Monien, 53, who was employed as a security guard for only a few months, was found with a gaping wound to his head, a slash to his throat and legs that appeared to be broken. The guard, who resided with his sister at Clifton Village, Port Mourant, Berbice, some two villages away from

1`

Dead :Munesh Monien his work site, left for work to begin his shift at 17:00 hrs on Saturday, as he normally would every day. He was the only guard on duty and was at the back entrance of the business. This entrance could only be accessed through the front of the store. Shanta Seepersaud, who was left in charge of the store since the owners were overseas, said she received a call around 23:00 hrs Saturday night informing her of what

had happened. She said she rushed to the scene and upon her entry into the building accompanied by the police, she saw the gruesome image of the guard lying lifeless in a corner with blood splattered on the walls and sand bags. She refused to give any other information. She was even reluctant to provide the name of the guard when asked. She is one of the nine in custody. Police are continuing their investigations.

Christmas Eve night burglar jailed A man who waited until his neighbours left and went out for their Christmas Eve Night outing then broke and entered the dwelling house has been jailed for eight months. Safraz Ally, 26, of East Canefield, East Canje, was handed the penalty by Magistrate Renita Singh in the Reliance Magistrate’s Court after he was found guilty of break and entering the

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dwelling house of Latchman Harripersaud. According to the Prosecution case, the accused and virtual complainant are known to each other. On December 24, last, Harripersaud secured his house and went out with his son to enjoy the Christmas Eve night celebrations. On his return, he noticed his house broken into. Further checks revealed that the

GWI advancing ... From page 13 February and March, the aforementioned wells were rehabilitated resulting in a 47.4 percent and 87.5 percent increase in the level of service respectively. According to GWI information, the engineer responsible for the zone also took the opportunity to upgrade the pipe network and roll out a leak repair drive in the respective areas. Some 1,057 consumers from Uitvlugt and Anna Catherina have since started to benefit from this project.

place was ransacked and one 48-inch television set, worth $240,000 was missing. The matter was reported and upon investigation, Ally a known convict was arrested and charged. He was reportedly seen by residents during his escape bid. He first admitted to the crime, but subsequently changed his plea and was found guilty and handed the eight-month sentence.

Bandits shoot market vendor... From page 3 been right here when them tek out the gun.” The distraught woman said that the robbers escaped with money she and her husband garnered from selling goods between Sunday and yesterday. The money, she disclosed, was to pay persons who had supplied them with stocks. Still in a state of disbelief, Meena was waiting on her husband, who had already been rushed to the hospital, to return and drive a minibus they would use to transport supplies to and from their stall. What was most unbelievable about the shooting is that the bandits carried out the act in the presence of the three female Constabulary ranks who were assigned to watch over the market. The Ruimveldt Police Sta-

tion is located a short distance from where the shooting occurred. Ranks from the station arrived at the scene shortly after the shooting and transported an injured Doodnauth who was bleeding profusely from the head to the Georgetown Public Hospital. Detectives were seen inquiring of a description of the bandits and about acquiring CCTV footage from nearby businesses. Reports are that the bandits are well-known in the Albouystown area and would often times be seen riding around the market. According to an eyewitness, “I know them (the ban-

dits) by seeing them. I don't know them by their names. One of them had on a black jersey and the other one had on a red jersey. They (the bandits) does be riding about this market every day. After they shoot the man, they ride through James Street (Albouystown).” The shooting brought a female market constable to tears. The constable related that she was conversing with Doodnauth and his wife when the bandits launched their attack. Other market vendors were also brought to tears by the unexpected shooting.

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China hits U.S. goods with tariffs as ‘sparks’ of trade war fly BEIJING (Reuters) China has increased tariffs by up to 25 percent on 128 U.S. products, from frozen pork and wine to certain fruits and nuts, escalating a dispute between the world’s biggest economies in response to U.S. duties on imports of aluminium and steel. The tariffs, which took effect yesterday, were announced late on Sunday by China’s finance ministry and matched a list of possible tariffs on up to $3 billion in U.S. goods published by China on March 23. Soon after the announcement, an editorial in the widely read Global Times newspaper warned that if the United States had thought China would not retaliate or would only take symbolic countermeasures, it could “say goodbye to that delusion”. “Even though China and the U.S. have not publicly said they are in a trade war, the sparks of such a war have already started to fly,” the newspaper said. The Ministry of Commerce said it was suspending its obligations to the World Trade Organization (WTO) to reduce tariffs on 120 U.S. goods, including fruit and ethanol. The tariffs on those products will be raised by an

extra 15 percent. Eight other products, including pork and scrap aluminium, would now be subject to additional tariffs of 25 percent, it said, with the measures effective starting April 2. “China’s suspension of its tariff concessions is a legitimate action adopted under WTO rules to safeguard China’s interests,” the finance ministry said. China is moving swiftly with retaliatory action amid escalating trade tension with the United States, which has rocked global financial markets in the past week as investors fear a full-blown trade dispute between the two economic superpowers will damage world growth. In response to China’s move, Washington said Beijing’s subsidies and overcapacity were behind the action on steel. “Instead of targeting fairly traded U.S. exports, China needs to stop its unfair trading practices which are harming U.S national security and distorting global markets,” White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said in a statement. MORE TARIFFS COMING FROM WASHINGTON U.S. President Donald

Workers cut pork at Park Packing in Chicago, Illinois.(REUTERS/Karl Plume/File Photo) Trump is separately preparing to impose tariffs of more than $50 billion on Chinese goods following an investigation under Section 301 of the 1974 U.S. Trade Act. The U.S. administration says China has systematically misappropriated American intellectual property - allegations China denies. About the Section 301 investigation, China had “yet to unsheathe its sword,” the

official Xinhua news agency said. Sometime this week, the Trump administration is expected to unveil a list of Chinese goods that could be subjected to new U.S. tariffs. U.S. technology industry officials said they expected the list to target products that benefit from Beijing’s “Made in China 2025” program, which aims to upgrade the domestic manufacturing base

Saudi crown prince says Israelis have right to their own land RIYADH (Reuters) Saudi Arabia’s crown prince said Israelis are entitled to live peacefully on their own land in an interview published yesterday in U.S. magazine The Atlantic, another public sign of ties between Riyadh and Tel Aviv appearing to grow closer. Asked if he believes the Jewish people have a right to a nation-state in at least part of their ancestral homeland, Mohammed bin Salman was quoted as saying: “I believe the Palestinians and the Israelis have the right to have their own land. But we have to have a peace agreement to assure the stability for everyone and to have normal relations.” Saudi Arabia - birthplace of Islam and home to its holiest shrines - does not recognize Israel. It has maintained

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud. (REUTERS/Amir Levy/File Photo) for years that normalizing relations hinges on Israeli withdrawal from Arab lands captured in the 1967 Middle East war, territory Palestinians seek

for a future state. “We have religious concerns about the fate of the holy mosque in Jerusalem and about the rights of the Palestinian people. This is what we have. We don’t have any objection against any other people,” said Prince Mohammed who is touring the United States to drum up investments and support for his efforts to contain Iranian influence. Increased tension be-

tween Tehran and Riyadh has fueled speculation that shared interests may push Saudi Arabia and Israel to work together against what they see as a common Iranian threat. “There are a lot of interests we share with Israel and if there is peace, there would be a lot of interest between Israel and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries”, Prince Mohammed added. Saudi Arabia opened its airspace for the first time to a commercial flight to Israel last month, which an Israeli official hailed as historic following two years of efforts. In November, an Israeli cabinet member disclosed covert contacts with Saudi Arabia, a rare acknowledgment of long-rumored secret dealings which Riyadh still denies. Saudi Arabia condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s move to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel last year, but Arab officials told Reuters at the time that Riyadh appears to be on board with a broader U.S. strategy for an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan still in its early phases of development.

with more advanced products. China has repeatedly promised to open its economy further, but many foreign companies complain of unfair treatment. China warned the United States on Thursday not to open a Pandora’s Box and spark a flurry of protectionist practices across the globe. “There are some people in the West who think that China looks tough for the sake of a domestic audience, and would easily make concessions,” the Global Times said.

“But they are wrong.” The Global Times is run by the ruling Communist Party’s official People’s Daily, although its stance does not necessarily reflect government policy. Reaction to China’s measures varied on social media, with some saying Chinese customers would be the ones to ultimately pay for a trade war. “Why not directly target soybean and planes? The tariffs that China announced today don’t sound a lot to me,” said a user on the Weibo microblog platform. Aircraft and soybeans were China’s biggest U.S. imports by value last year. In a statement published on Monday morning, the commerce ministry said the United States had “seriously violated” the principles of nondiscrimination enshrined in World Trade Organization rules, and had also damaged China’s interests. “China’s suspension of some of its obligations to the United States is its legitimate right as a member of the World Trade Organization,” it said, adding that differences should be resolved through negotiation. Weibo prominently featured the list of U.S. goods that China is targeting among the day’s “hot” trending topics. “I will never buy fruit from the U.S.,” a Weibo user wrote.

Winnie Mandela, ... From page 6 respect highly,” Machel once said. “I’M NOT SORRY” As the years passed and Madikizela-Mandela’s public standing plummeted, her relationship with the party she loved soured. She bore the air of a troublemaker, arriving late at rallies and haranguing comrades, including Thabo Mbeki, Mandela’s successor as president. In 2001, a television camera caught Mbeki brushing Madikizela-Mandela away and knocking off her hat after she arrived an hour late for a rally to commemorate a 1976 anti-apartheid uprising by Soweto schoolchildren and students. Years later, she clashed with the next president, Jacob Zuma, becoming a political patron of renegade ANC youth leader Julius Malema, who quit the century-old movement to found his own ultra-leftist political party. Confirming her support for Malema and his calls for seizure of white-owned farms and banks, MadikizelaMandela revealed her con-

tempt in 2010 for the deal her ex-husband struck with South Africa’s white minority nearly two decades before. In a London newspaper interview, she attacked Mandela, who died in December 2013, saying he had gone soft in prison and sold out the black cause. “Mandela did go to prison and he went in there as a burning young revolutionary. But look what came out,” she said. “Mandela let us down. He agreed to a bad deal for the blacks.” She also dismissed Tutu, post-apartheid South Africa’s moral fulcrum, as a “cretin” and rubbished his attempts at national healing as a “religious circus”. “I told him a few home truths. I told him that he and his other like-minded cretins were only sitting here because of our struggle and me - because of the things I and people like me had done to get freedom,” she said. “I am not sorry. I will never be sorry,” she concluded. “I would do everything I did again if I had to. Everything.”

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Former Minister backs probe into Cambridge Analytica activities in T&T PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Former national security minister, Gary Griffith, has backed the decision of the Trinidad and Tobago government to investigate whether or not the British based political consulting firm, Cambridge Analytica (CA), had undertaken a project here involving harvesting the data of this country’s population. Last Wednesday, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi told Parliament that a whistleblower, Christopher Wylie, had told United Kingdom lawmakers that the company, which combines data mining, data brokerage, and data analysis with strategic communication for the electoral process, had undertaken the work here in 2013 under the former People’s Partnership administration headed by Kamla Persad Bissessar. “Madam Speaker, this government will do all in its power to investigate this very important matter. To unearth whether the rights of the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago have been infringed and to hold all such persons responsible for breaches of the law of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago properly accountable,” Al-Rawi said. In a statement, Griffith, who served as a national se-

curity minister in the Persad Bissessar administration, said that he welcomed any investigation into alleged works by Cambridge Analytica in Trinidad and Tobago. “That if what is alleged is true and certain individuals used State funds to pay for political campaigns and contracted an agency to be involved in committing illegal acts, then by this investigation, these individuals would be exposed and brought to justice,” he said. Griffith said that it was also necessary to ensure the reputation of Trinidad and Tobago. “The image of our country has been affected internationally all because one man with a bright pink hairstyle decided to make any investigation accusation and it has become a reality by some, without any evidence being brought forward, and only by the words of that one individual. So if it is not true, then it must also be exposed to clear our nation’s reputation.” Last weekend, the Congress of the People (COP) party, a partner in the coalition People’s Partnership government, said it too welcomed the probe. “We need to investigate this…I fully support the gov-

Former Nat’l Security Minister, Gary Griffith ernment investigating this. Any such illegality must not be allowed to take place in our country,” COP leader Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan told a news conference. “Furthermore it is important that we determine those who are culpable for supporting that type of activity, if it indeed took place and if public officers were involved. We are not aware and until that investigation is carried out, we do not know,” she said, adding that if at any point in time, persons within the COP did enter into a contractual arrangement with SCL or Cambridge Analytica, it was never sanctioned by the party. Persad Bissessar has de-

scribed as “a malicious, deliberate falsehood” the statements made by Al-Rawi in the Parliament and has indicated that at the earliest opportunity “we intend to file a motion of breach of privilege by the Attorney General in Parliament”. “I reiterate my previous comments and say that in no way, manner or form did the UNC (United National Congress) members of the former People’s Partnership Coalition Government nor did any member of our Party Executive have any such interaction or dealings, engagements or contracts with SCL/Cambridge Analytica before 2010, post 2010, before 2015 or post 2015.”

But she seemed to indicate that any involvement the British firm had in Trinidad and Tobago was with the COP.She said that a “mere “Google Search” of this matter today provided me with the following details, contained in a news article published by top and internationally reputed Canadian broadcaster and news service, the CBC News” which stated that the British company’s first contract with SCL was in 2013, for political work in Trinidad and Tobago with the Congress of the People party.” “It is therefore evident from this respectable and credible news report from the CBC News of Canada that the UNC was not the political party referred to by Mr Wylie, nor were any of its sitting members of the People’s Partnership Government,” she added. In his statement, Griffith said the security of the many outweighs the confidentiality of the few who wish to harm the many. “As it pertains to Intelligence gathering for a State,and as done in most countries, electronic monitoring to acquire data of “illegal activities” is accepted and something that I do support and endorse. As such, moni-

toring is critical to suppress terrorism, premeditated serious crime, child pornography etc. This is also catered for and is legal, but controlled through the Interception of Communication Act to avoid misuse,” he added. Griffith said this has nothing to do regarding the accusations made by the alleged whistleblower. “To acquire approval to monitor and intercept, via IOCA, you require a warrant for approval which would never be granted for such purposes.“So again I reemphasise, at no time did I ever make any request for any such illegal purpose with any organisation as my sole aim was to secure the nation and politics was irrelevant to me. At no time did I request, contract, or approve payment to any organisation for any such illegal activity. If this accusation is true, it was not through me,” Griffith said.

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Tuesday April 03 ,2018

Haitian-American Legislator worried at new Trump move on TPS, DACA NEW YORK (CMC) – The Haitian-American Legislative Caucus of the New York State Assembly has held talks with US Senate Minority Leader, Charles “Chuck” Schumer, on the “resurrection and continuance” of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians, as part of the US immigration deal, along with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). “Upsetting, but not shocking, yesterday (Sunday) on Easter, also known as ‘Resurrection Day,’ to many, it was reported that after minutes of wishing the nation a ‘Happy Easter’, President Trump vowed ‘no more DACA deal,” Haitian American Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte said. The Trump administration said it will end DACA, a programme instituted by former US President Barack Obama that allowed hundreds of thousands of young, undocumented Caribbean and other immigrants brought to the United States by their parents as children. Under the programme, these immigrants were permitted to live, work and attend school in the US. But Trump tweeted on Sunday, shortly after wishing

the country “Happy Easter” that he will end the programme. “We cannot allow injustices to humanity to continually plague this country,” said Bichotte, the first Haitian American in New York City to be elected to the State Assembly, who represents the largest population of Haitian descendants in New York State. “It is not only unconscionable, but it is inhumane; and these programs (DACA and TPS) must be resurrected now,” she told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC). Without revealing details of the meeting, Bichotte said “it was great” to meet with Schumer “to discuss an issue of the upmost importance to the Haitian community. “Because it is no longer in the headlines, the issue of TPS and DACA may seem like they are a done deal in the minds of many Americans. However, for many of our constituents, it is ever present; and we will do everything in our power to come up with a viable solution.” Bichotte said, although there have been rallies and marches opposing the decision not to renew TPS and

Rodneyse Bichotte DACA, “the fact remains that 60,000 Haitians will still have to leave the United States by July 2019, unless the current administration has a change of heart.”In addition, she noted that several lawsuits on DACA and TPS have been filed against the Trump administration “and are moving through the courts.” She identified, among them, lawsuits filed by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Legal Defense Fund and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice. The NAACP is the largest and

oldest civil rights organization in the US. “But the public outcry around the experience for Black imm i g r a n t s h a s largely been missing from the national debate. Therefore, it is even more critical that HaitianAmerican elected officials continue to have TPS and DACA as one of their core issues.” Haitians living illegally in the US were granted TPS soon after the devastation wrought by a massive earthquake on January 12, 2010. But the Trump administration has refused to renew their

TPS status, giving the undocumented Haitians until July next year to return to the French-speaking Caribbean country. Bichotte said the HaitianAmerican Legislative Caucus of the New York State Assembly is planning a series of actions to bring more public awareness of the Haitian plight. She said the group is planning a lobby day later this year in Washington, D.C. April 20 marks the 28th anniversary of the “historical march of 1990” over the Brooklyn Bridge, and Bichotte said another march will be held on the same day and venue. She said the march, by the Haitian-American community, will “make a statement to the Trump administration demanding immigration reform and restoration of TPS and DACA, as well as an apology from President Trump for his litany of insulting remarks about the country of Haiti.” The original march, on April 20, 1990, “brought awareness about how the American Red Cross and the US Food Drug Administration (FDA) defamed Haitians by stating that being Haitian was a risk factor for HIV/AIDS,” Bichotte said.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday April 03 ,2018

Egypt’s Sisi wins 97 percent in election with no real opposition CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah alSisi has been re-elected with 97 percent of votes, the same proportion that the former military commander secured four years ago for his first term but with a lower turnout, official results showed yesterday. Turnout was 41 percent, despite efforts to get as many Egyptians as possible to polling stations during last week’s vote. Sisi had been virtually guaranteed a landslide win, confirmed by early tallies as voting ended on Wednesday. The election featured only one other candidate himself an ardent Sisi supporter - after all serious opposition contenders halted their campaigns in January. The main challenger was arrested and his campaign manager beaten up, while other presidential hopefuls pulled out, citing intimidation. Sisi said he had wanted more candidates to run and that he had nothing to do with the opposition withdrawals. The election commission said the vote was held according to the “highest international standards of integrity and transparency” as it read out the results in a televised announcement. Sisi won 21.8 million votes compared with 656,534 for his opponent, Moussa Mostafa Moussa, whose tally was less than the 1.8 million spoiled ballots. “The sight of Egyptian citizens from all walks of society lining up was impressive and inspiring,” Sisi said in a speech to the nation. Thousands of Egyptians waving flags celebrated the victory in several of the country’s governorates just after the results. Critics have said the lower turnout is a potential setback for Sisi, who suggested before the vote that he saw it as a referendum on his presidency rather than a genuine contest. Turnout in the 2014 vote was 47 percent. The election has revealed “obvious problems related to participation and the reluctance of young people (to vote)”, said a statement from politician Mohamed Anwar Sadat, a candidate who withdrew in January citing intimidation of his supporters.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (REUTERS Photo) State media had portrayed failure to vote as a betrayal of Egypt. Some voters said they were offered incentives to cast their ballots including money and food, local and international media reported, but did not say who had made the offers. Officials said that if any such incidents took place they were not state-sponsored and extremely limited. CRITICISM Critics say former general Sisi’s popularity has been eroded amid tough economic reforms, which have left most Egyptians worse off, and also an unprecedented crackdown on dissent. His supporters say those measures are needed to stabilize the country, which faces a stubborn Islamic State insurgency in the northern Sinai Peninsula and which was rocked by unrest after the 2011 uprising that ousted veteran leader Hosni Mubarak. Sisi led the 2013 military overthrow of Egypt’s first freely-elected president, Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood, after protests against Mursi. Sisi swept to victory in an election a year later with 97 percent of the vote. The United Nations expressed concern over the crackdown on dissent, including the media, which took place before last week’s vote. In a call to Sisi yesterday, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his “sincere congratulations” and said the United States was keen on

strengthening strategic relations, according to Egyptian state news agency MENA. Trump has been a strong supporter of Sisi, describing him as a “fantastic guy” and inviting him to the White House, something former president Barack Obama had never done. British foreign minister Boris Johnson appeared to strike a more cautious tone, writing on Twitter: “Look forward to working with President Sisi’s government in his 2nd constitutional term. Egypt has an opportunity over next 4 years to build a prosperous & democratic society, building on rights set out in 2014 constitution”. Sisi’s main Western and regional allies have been mostly silent over alleged human rights abuses in Egypt. The U.S. State Department said it had noted “reports of constraints on freedoms of expression and association in the run-up to the elections” and “will continue to encourage a broadening of opportunities for political participation for Egyptians, and emphasize the importance of the protection of human rights and the vital role of civil society in Egypt.” Russia congratulated Sisi on his election win ahead of the official results, and regional ally King Salman of Saudi Arabia called Sisi on Monday to express support, saying his victory came as a result of strong efforts to combat terrorism.

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Tuesday April 03, 2018

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Another Masters moment beckons Woods as he makes major return Augusta, Georgia (Reuters) - Tiger Woods has produced a collection of magical feats at the U.S. Masters but the 14-times major champion has set the stage for what could be one of golf’s greatest moments as he takes his comeback to Augusta National Golf Club next week. After long battles with back issues and many false starts, the 42-year-old Woods returns to stately Augusta for the first time since 2015. Despite playing just a handful of tournaments, he arrives at the year’s first major as one of the hot favorites to claim the coveted Green Jacket.“This is a little bit like a Lazarus resurrection here with respect to where he was,” Steve Mona, World Golf Foundation CEO, told

Reuters. “Only last September he was talking about whether he would be able to comeback at all. Now he is the favorite at the Masters it is just astonishing. “He is certainly in form. I don’t think anyone would be terribly surprised if he were in the hunt. “I would not count him out just based on what we have seen from him the last three events it is not outside the realm of possibility that he would do and what a tremendous story that would be.”A year ago Woods appeared to be closer to a sad end rather than a new beginning to his storied career. He had not won a major since the 2008 U.S. Open and was missing the Masters for

a second consecutive year. The back that had caused him so much pain was getting no better despite numerous surgeries and treatments, as the former-world number one dropped out of the top 1,000 of the world rankings. Even the ever-positive Woods suddenly seemed resigned to a dour fate. Yet after undergoing spinal fusion surgery last April the dark clouds hanging over Woods slowly began to lift. Shaking off years of competitive rust, Woods returned with an encouraging tie for ninth at the H e r o Wo r l d C h a l l e n g e followed by a tie for 23rd at the Farmers Insurance Open and a missed cut at the Genesis Open. Then suddenly Woods grabbed the spotlight as only he can, announcing his return

to form with three impressive results — a 12th at the Honda Classic, a tie for second at the Valspar Championship and a tie for fifth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. “If you would have asked me at the beginning of the year that I would have had a chance to win two golf tournaments, I would have taken that in a heart beat,” said Woods after his final round at the Arnold Palmer, his final tune-up for the Masters. “If I can play with no pain and I can feel like I can make golf swings I’ll figure it out.”Those results have generated an almost unprecedented buzz around this year’s Masters as Tiger-mania once again washes over the golf world. With Woods back in the hunt television ratings have soared along with expectations and like the fans, his fellow golfers have taken notice.

Yussuf century... Tuesday April 03, 2018 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You might be much more aware of yourself than usual and hyper-alert to every move you make today, especially around others, Aries. TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Your attitude is calm and matter-of-fact when talking to others,. You tell it like it is while omitting the frills and fantasies. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You're likely to have tremendous concentration that seems to have materialized out of nowhere. Use this to your advantage, Gemini, because it may not last long. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Be careful about shutting yourself off from the rest of the world. You might hesitate to talk to people. You may have the feeling that they're unworthy of your time LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You might talk as if you possess many lifetimes of wisdom, Leo. Perhaps you do, but that doesn't mean you should be arrogant about it. Your words might have the tone of a sage schooled in every subject. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Once you've made up your mind, Virgo, it's doubtful that anyone can change it. You're set in your ways and your plans are set in stone. Having this solid base to stand on will let others support you effectively.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You might talk as if you possess many lifetimes of wisdom, Leo. Perhaps you do, but that doesn't mean you should be arrogant about it. Your words might have the tone of a sage schooled in every subject. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You're likely to be feeling a bit lonely, perhaps even isolated, Scorpio. Maybe you think no one else has your same wild thoughts running through their heads. You'd be surprised to learn how many people do. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) If you have the opportunity to teach someone a lesson, Sagittarius, feel free to do so. There's probably someone in your world who could use a bit of instruction now. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You could hesitate to take the initiative, Capricorn. Instead, you'd rather wait and see how things pan out before you make a major move. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You could feel increasingly uncomfortable as the day goes on, Aquarius. Perhaps you're tongue-tied in conversations - quite rare for you. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You could lapse into pessimism, Pisces. Suddenly the glass appears half empty and everything looks bleak. You feel like you're going around in circles.

From page 34 encounter. Batting first, HS Masters managed 142 all out in 10.5 overs. Danny Mohanram made 37, A. Sukram 25 and Clyde Hoyte 19. Pooran Singh and Zameer Hassan had two wickets each. Fisherman Masters responded with 146-6 in 16.2 overs. Yussuf and Hassan got 28 each, while Nadram Samlall had 3-32. Regal Masters beat Tropical Spring in the second semi final. Speaking at the presentation ceremony president of the GSCL Inc Ian John congratulated the winners and thanked the participating teams. (Zaheer Mohamed)

West Indies... From page 33 up with a twisted left-ankle. He received treatment for several minutes by the physio before being stretchered off the field. He was taken to a local hospital, and did not bat in the second innings. This stretches an alr e a d y t h i n We s t I n d i e s touring squad to just 12 available players, and given the series ends on Tuesday, it is extremely unlikely a replacement player will be called up. That means West Indies are set to hand a maiden international cap to one of Odean Smith or Andre McCarthy, the two players left out of their playing XI on Sunday. We s t I n d i e s w i l l b e looking to bounce back from a heavy defeat in the first game, where they were shot out for 60 chasing 204.

Morkel keeps South... From page 32 side have been rocked by the ball-tampering scandal in which former captain Steve Smith, his deputy David Warner and batsman Cameron Bancroft were sent home after the third test in Cape Town. Having been dropped in the gully by Temba Bavuma off Philander, Australia opener Matt Renshaw’s tortured stay at the crease was ended by Morkel, who is playing in his final test before international retirement, as he was trapped plumb lbw after a 42-ball innings that yielded five runs. South Africa’s second wicket was more controversial as Usman Khawaja (seven) was given out lbw by umpire Nigel Llong off the bowling of spinner Keshav Maharaj. The ball struck the lefthander outside the line of off-stump, but Llong and third umpire Richard Illingworth agreed he had not been offering a shot, a decision the Australian clearly felt was wrong. Opener Joe Burns (42)

had looked in good touch until he became the third batsman trapped in front, this time from a rare Morkel yorker that was hitting middle stump. A relieved Du Plessis (120) reached his eighth test century after passing 50 for the first time in 11 innings, seven of which have been single-figure scores. He was out edging seamer Pat Cummins (4-58) to a diving Handscomb at second slip, ending a fourth-wicket partnership of 170 with opener Dean Elgar (81). Elgar’s 250-ball vigil ended shortly afterwards when he tried to attack spinner Nathan Lyon (2-116), but skied his shot to Shaun Marsh at mid-on. Quinton de Kock (four) was trapped lbw by Cummins, who recorded the best test match figures of his career, 9-141. Scores: Australia 221 and 88 for 3 (Handscomb 23*, Shaun Marsh 7*) need 524 more runs to beat South Africa 488 and 344 for 6 (du Plessis 120, Elgar 81).

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Tuesday April 03, 2018

Kaieteur News

GFF Elite League

Easter Sunday double header produces two goalless draws -Western Tigers remain top of the table The latest match day of the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) Elite League which kicked off at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground on Easter Sunday, produced two nil-all draws. The first match was contested amongst league leaders Western Tigers and fourth placed, East Coast Demerara based Victoria Kings. The Ruimveldt based Tigers (20 points) are favourites to finish above defending champions, Guyana Defence Force (GDF) FC, who are seated in third place on the league table, five points behind the them and second place Fruta Conquerors (19 points).

Fifth placed Victoria Kings’ Aubrey Gibson, the league’s leading goalscorer, would have been disappointed to not add to his tally as neither team found a way past the respective goalkeepers. In the feature match, GDF tackled Tucville based Fruta Conquerors who needed a win to go one point clear of Western Tigers for the lead and with four match days remaining in the first half of the competition, Conquerors failed to capitalize on the Golden opportunity by settling with a draw of their own. Conquerors had the bulk of chances against GDF FC but poor conversion rates continue to plague this team which plays with much fluid-

ity. The two draws on Easter Sunday meant that the league standings remained unchanged and GDF FC’s chance of finishing on top of the standings for the first half of the league which concludes on April 28 is unrealistic. The next match day is this Friday at the GFC ground which will host a double header from 18:00hrs. Cougars versus Buxton in the first match that will be followed by an all-East Coast clash between Ann’s Grove and Victoria King’s in the feature game that kicks off at 20:00hrs. Admission to the venue is $500 and women and children are free.

Bartica Easter Regatta 2018

Dave Scott (Unlimited), Jose Jardine (40hp, 90hp), Alex Hopkinson (Jet Ski) are overall champs Story and photos by Franklin Wilson in Bartica While Dave Scott aboard the now famous ‘Jaguar’ dominated the F1/Unlimited category for the 7thconsecutive year, equally commanding in his performances was Jose Jardine who won the 15hp, 40hp and 90hp categories as the curtains came down on the 2018 edition of the Bartica Easter Regatta yesterday afternoon at the Golden Beach Circuit. Also being declared an overall champion was Alec Hopkinson who ruled the roost in the Jet Ski competition in the two-day competition which witnessed a number of exciting races as well as a few spills but no major accidents.One such accident in the final race of the day which featured the 200hp boys, there was an unfortunate mishap which resulted in one boat colliding with the other. The organiser, Bartica Development Business Association (BDBA) has taken a decision that it would review the race and make a decision on the winner as well as the Overall Winner of t h i s c a t e g o r y. B u t a p a r t from that incident, Dave Scott who also competed in this category was defeated by Sean Belle aboard Quicksilver and Selwyn Joseph in D Girls Dem Suga. Scott’s chances of also winning this category was smashed when he

Flash doing a victory lap after one of yesterday’s win at Golden Beach. lost his engine negotiating the final turn to the finish line and sustained some damage to his boat ‘Jaguar’. Like the Belle’s which had two boats competing under the name Quicksilver, Scott also had two under the Jaguar brand. Yesterday was a busy day for the racers and officials as many of the races which were scheduled for day one were done yesterday. Patrons and supporters came out in their numbers yesterday to absorb the action and many left satisfied with what was served up by the competitors and organisers. BDBA Chairman, Ramcharran Boodhoo commented that the committee was elated with the response from the patrons towards every event that was held. He informed that a meeting to review the event would be held and a statement would be made. Following are the Overall Results:

15hp 1st Jose Jardine - 9 points – Prize 2hp Engine 2nd Mark Daniels - 6 points 3rd Terrance Gonsalves 3 points 40hp Jose Jardine - 12 points – Prize $200,000 Saigon Hopkinson - 7 points Sanja Ramkissoon - 2 points 90hp Jose Jardine - 15 points – Prize $300,000 Raymond Rasul - 8 points Danny Benjamin - 6 points F1/Unlimited Dave Scott - 15 points – Prize 1Million Dollars Selwyn Joseph - 6 points Clarence Belle - 5 points Jet Ski Alec Hopkinson - 21 points – Prize Trophy Donovan Washington - 5 points Dylan Williams - 3 points

The GDF (Green) versus Fruta Conquerors top flight match didn’t produce the action that fans expected.

Records tumble again as Jamaica maintain intensity NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC – Outstanding 16-yearold Briana Williams spearheaded a record-breaking run by the girls Under-17 sprint relay team, as Jamaica swept all four headline events on day two of the 47th CARIFTA Games here Sunday. Just 24 hours after the USbased sprinter smashed a two-decade old 100m record at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium, she returned as part of the quartet who won the 100 metres in a time of 44.95 seconds. The new time broke the old mark of 45.05 also set by the Jamaicans nine years ago in St Lucia. Williams was joined in the feat by Sashieka Steele, Serena Cole and Tia Clayton, as they set the tone for Jamaica’s dominance of the relays. The Bahamian team of Anthaya Charlton, Jaida Knowles, Danielle Saunders and Megan Moss finished second in 46.24 seconds while Cayman Islands picked up bronze in 47.74. In the boys equivalent, Jahvel Granville, Vashaun Vascianna, Rajay Morris and Terrique Stennett brought the baton around in 41.04, leaving second placed Cayman Islands far in their wake to cross the line in 44.29. Turks and Caicos picked up bronze in 44.34. Jamaica also had things much their own way in the Under-20s as Ockera Myrie, Michae Harriott, Ray-Donna Lee and Amoi Brown clocked

Briana Williams … won her second gold of the meet with the sprint relay team. 44.73 to dismiss the threat from the Bahamas who were second in 45.14. Martinique crossed the line third in 46.48. The team of Ryiem Robertson, Christopher Taylor, Xavier Nairne and Michael Bentley then excited in the boys equivalent, holding off a strong challenge from Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados to bring the baton home in an impressive 39.56. Significantly, the time was just outside the meet record of 39.38 established by Jamaica four years ago in Martinique. T&T were second in 40.29 while the Barbadians were close on their heels for bronze, clocking 40.43. Jamaica’s superiority also extended to the 400 metres hurdles, where they impressively swept all four, headlined by Shiann Salmon’s record-breaking efforts in the

girs Under-20 event. She sped to a time of 56.22 to reset fellow Jamaican Shannon Kalawan’s old mark of 56.29 established in Grenada two years ago. Importantly, she dragged counterpart Sanique Walker with her to cross the line in 57.97, and formalise a Jamaica one-two. Reanda Richards of St Kitts and Nevis settled for bronze in 59.83. Meanwhile, Rovane Williams snatched the boys Under-20 in 50.69 seconds, outlasting Curacao’s Ramsey Angela (50.75), with Jamaican Malik James-King finishing third in 51 seconds flat. In the Under-17s. Devonte Archer clinched the boys title in 52.85 while Barbadian Kyle Gale, disqualified after breaking Usain Bolt’s 16-year-old 400m record on Saturday, redeemed himself somewhat with silver.

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NBA roundup: Aldridge, Gay help Spurs hold down Rockets 100-83 NBA roundup: Aldridge, Gay help Spurs hold down Rockets 100-83 The Associated Press - SAN ANTONIO — LaMarcus Aldridge had 23 points and 14 rebounds and Rudy Gay added 21 points as the San Antonio Spurs held Houston to its lowest-scoring game of the season, beating the Rockets 100-83 on Sunday. The Spurs remained fourth in the Western Conference after preventing a season sweep by the Rockets. Houston owns the NBA’s best record. San Antonio outscored Houston 19-8 to open the fourth quarter in taking a 94-74 lead with 5 minutes remaining. Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni opted to take his starters out two minutes later. The Rockets were without injured Chris Paul and the Spurs were without Kawhi Leonard, who has played in only nine games this season. James Harden scored 25 points for Houston on 8-of-19 shooting. He also had eight assists, but battled foul trouble before exiting with five fouls. Eric Gordon added 18 points for the Rockets. CAVALIERS 98, MAVERICKS 87 CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron James struggled before extending his record double-digit scoring streak to 868 games and Cleveland had a rough time with Dallas before putting away the lottery-bound Mavericks. James, who broke Michael Jordan’s NBA mark for consecutive games with at least 10 points on Friday night, didn’t reach 10 until 7:59 remained. He finished just 5 of 21 from the field but made a pair of 3pointers as the Cavs finally pulled away with a 15-2 run in the fourth quarter. James had 16 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, his 17th triple-double this season and No. 72 of his career. Harrison Barnes scored 30 points to lead Dallas, which has dropped eight of nine. TRAIL BLAZERS 113, GRIZZLIES 98 PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Damian Lillard had 27 points and nine assists, and Portland held off a late run by Memphis. The Trail Blazers clinched their fifth straight playoff spot earlier in the evening when Utah won at Minnesota.CJ McCollum added 20 points and another nine assists for Portland, which is still holding on to third place in the Western Conference with five games remaining. The Blazers have won four of their last five. Rookie Dillon Brooks had 28 points for Memphis, which sits second-to-last in the West. WARRIORS 117, SUNS 107 OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kevin Durant had 29 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, and Golden State overcame a sloppy start to hand Phoenix its franchise-record 15th consecutive loss. Draymond Green added 13 points and 12 assists, Klay Thomp-

son scored 23 points and Quinn Cook had 19 points for Golden State. The Warriors have won two straight since dropping four of five. Golden State’s victory was the 263rd under coach Steve Kerr, tying him for third-most in franchise history. Al Attles (557) and Don Nelson (422) hold the top two spots. Hours before the game, the Warriors received encouraging word on injured guard Pat McCaw, who was released from a Sacramento hospital with a bruised lumbar spine following a terrifying fall during Saturday’s game against the Kings. THUNDER 109, PELICANS 104 NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Russell Westbrook had a tripledouble to lead Oklahoma City. Westbrook finished with 26 points, 15 rebounds and 13 assists. Paul George scored Oklahoma City’s first 11 points in the second quarter and finished with 27. Carmelo Anthony added 16 and Steven Adams had 14. The Pelicans got within 104-99 with 1:57 left, but Westbrook scored on a layup, and after a basket by Anthony Davis, George made a 3pointer. Davis led the Pelicans with 25 points and 11 rebounds, Ian Clark scored 16 points and E’Twaun Moore had 15. 76ERS 119, HORNETS 102 CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Ben Simmons had 20 points and 15 assists as Philadelphia kept up its passing prowess to beat Charlotte. The Sixers set a team record with its ninth straight game of 30 or more assists — they had 36 on their 48 baskets. Former Hornet Marco Belinelli scored 22 points off the bench and J.J. Redick had 20. Robert Covington added 17 points and 11 rebounds. Charlotte was led by Malik Monk and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist with 16 points apiece. Willy Hernangomez added 15 points and 11 rebounds. PISTONS 108, NETS 96 NEW YORK (AP) — Reggie Jackson scored 29 points, Stanley Johnson had 17 and Detroit preserved its slim playoff hopes with a victory over Brooklyn. Detroit, playing its third straight game without injured All-Star forward Blake Griffin, avoided elimination from postseason contention for at least one game. Griffin, acquired Jan. 30 from the Los Angeles Clippers, suffered a bone bruise in his right ankle during last Monday’s win over the Lakers. Ish Smith had 17 points and Andre Drummond added 13 points and 14 rebounds for the Pistons, who have now won five straight for the third time this season. The Pistons are four games behind Miami — which holds the eighth and last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference — with five games remaining for each team. PACERS 111, CLIPPERS 104 LOS ANGELES (AP) — Victor Oladipo scored 30 points, Myles Turner added 24 and Indiana rallied for its fifth straight victory. Oladipo shot 11 of 17 from the

San Antonio Spurs’ LaMarcus Aldridge (12) grabs the rebound away from Houston Rockets’ Clint Capela during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday. (AP Photo/Darren Abate) field and had 12 assists for the playoff-bound Pacers, who have won four in a row over the Clippers. Neither team led by more than seven points in the fourth quarter, when the Pacers scored on nearly every possession over the last five minutes. They’ve won 12 of their last 16. Tobias Harris led the Clippers with 21 points. Lou Williams added 20 and Montrezl Harrell had 19 off the bench. Austin Rivers scored 18 and DeAndre Jordan grabbed 12 rebounds. NUGGETS 128, BUCKS 125, OT DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 35 points and 13 rebounds, Jamal Murray scored 18 of his 27 points after the third quarter and Denver rallied from eight down in the final minute of regulation to win in overtime.Paul Millsap had 26 points and 13 rebounds for Denver, which took over in the extra period to strengthen its playoff chances. The Nuggets (42-35) moved within a game of eighth-place New Orleans, which lost its fourth straight Sunday, and 1 1/2 games of Minnesota, which also lost. Jabari Parker scored a seasonhigh 35 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Eric Bledsoe had 31 points for Milwaukee (41-36). The Bucks’ magic number for clinching a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference remains at two.

JAZZ 121, TIMBERWOLVES 97 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Ricky Rubio scored 23 points, including a season-high 5-for-6 shooting on 3pointers, and Donovan Mitchell added 21 points for Utah. Dante Exum had 14 points and Jonas Jerebko scored 13 points to help Utah climb a half-game ahead of Minnesota for sixth in the Western Conference. The loss kept the Timberwolves one game ahead of New Orleans, which lost at home to Oklahoma City. The Jazz shot a season-high 60.5 percent from the field and got 50 points from their reserves to split the season series with the Wolves by winning the last two games. Utah has won 25 of its past 30 games. Andrew Wiggins scored 23 points for Minnesota, which had won two straight but fell to 19-5 at home against Western Conference opponents this season. Karl-Anthony Towns had 20 points. BULLS 113, WIZARDS 94 CHICAGO (AP) — Rookie Lauri Markkanen scored 23 points and connected on 5 of 8 3-pointers to lead Chicago. Bobby Portis had 18 points and hit 4 of 5 from long range, and Sean Kilpatrick added 14 points. Chicago shot 52.4 percent overall from the floor and was 18 for 34 on 3s — matching its season high — as Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg missed the game with an upper-respiratory in-

fection. Hoiberg returned home before tipoff, leaving associate head coach Jim Boylen to direct Chicago to its second straight win following a seven-game skid. Otto Porter Jr. led the Wizards with 17 points as five-time All-Star John Wall rested. Bradley Beal scored 15 points and reserve Mike Scott added 14. KINGS 84, LAKERS 83 LOS ANGELES (AP) — Buddy Hield scored 19 points to help Sacramento snap a four-game losing streak. Bodgan Bodganovic had 15 points, while Willie Cauley-Stein added 11 points and seven rebounds for the Kings, who were on the second night of a back-to-back. They lost to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.Julius Randle scored 19 points, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 16 for Los Angeles, which has lost seven of nine. HAWKS 94, MAGIC 88 ATLANTA (AP) — Tyler Dorsey scored 19 points, including back-toback baskets after Orlando trimmed Atlanta’s lead to five points late in a matchup of the Eastern Conference’s worst records.Dewayne Dedmon had 17 points and 10 rebounds and rookie John Collins added another double-double for Atlanta with 10 points and 11 rebounds. The Hawks snapped a five-game losing streak.

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Tuesday April 03, 2018

Kaieteur News

Persaud, batsmen hand Everest big win

Malta Supreme ‘March Madness’ Open Final

MVP Marlon Pollydore 30 points lights up Royals 84-72 clobbering of Bulls

Birthday boy Ramesh Narine (right) hands over the winning trophy to Rajesh Singh of the Everest Masters. A hat-trick from medium pacer, Basil Persaud helped flatten Invaders Masters in their feature T20 match on Sunday against Everest Masters at the Everest Cricket Club (ECC) ground. Set a daunting 225 to win from 20 overs in ideal conditions, Invaders out of the Essequibo coast were bowled out for 130 from 18.4 overs falling short by 94 runs. Persaud, who had a terrible start with the ball where he sent down 12 wides in two overs from the Carifesta avenue end, made amends when he was switched to the seawall end. In the seventh over, he plucked out three batsmen in three balls to leave the visitors at 39 for 4 after a cautious start. Only birthday boy Ramesh Narine looked assured with an attractive half century to the quality bowling employed by the home side. Narine hit two sixes and four fours before he was ninth out for 53. Persaud finished with 4 for 19 to be named Man-ofthe-Match, while Surrendra Hiralall 2 for 10 (1.4) and Imtiaz Sadik gave valuable support to the Everest Masters who just a day before beat Busta Enterprise Sports Club Masters by six wickets to crown a marvelous weekend. The victory was set up by the Everest Masters batsmen who immediately went to work after Rajesh Singh won the toss. Openers Sahadeo Hardaiow and Saheed Mohamed laid the foundation with a shot filled opening century stand. Mohamed was more attacking and clobbered four sixes and eight fours in 75 from just 42 balls.When he was dismissed at 137 for 1, West Indies legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul joined Hardaiow and they continued the assault. However, after hitting

Victory Valley Royals won Malta Supreme Open Basketball Championship after beating Half Mile Bulls 84-62 points at the MSC.

Basil Persaud (right) collects the Man of the Match trophy from Everest Cricket Club executive John Ramsingh.

Sahadeo Hardaiow top scored with 77 for Everest Masters. three sixes and nine fours, Hardaiow perished for the top score of 77 from 37 balls at 174 for 2 before Chanderpaul and Rakesh Garbarran (9 not out) smoked 50 runs for the third wicket when the overs expired.Chanderpaul finished on 51 not out (6x3; 4x2) from 28 balls.Only Dubraj Singh (133) and Beesham Seepersaud (1-34) picked up wickets for

the visitors who won the opening match between the two sides in February in Essequibo.With Everest Masters leveling the series, the decider becomes mouthwatering as both sides are confident of victory.Trophies for the match were sponsored by the Rockaway Group of Companies of New York.

Former outstanding National Under 19 player Marlon Pollydore had a sterling shooting night as he planted five bombs from beyond the arc in a 30 point display which effectively accounted for the Victory Valley Royals carting off their second successive championship win, this time the final of the Linden Amateur Basketball Association’s Malta Supreme ‘March Madness’ Open basketball championship last Saturday night at the MSC hard court. The win was a commanding 84-62 drubbing of arch rivals Half Mile Bulls at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court.Later named the Most valuable Player of the final, Marlon Pollydore steadied his side in the face of an opponent who had ended their 11 game run in the MSC Open Basketball league in December but this time, despite their best player Harold Adams not having the best of nights and the absence of Chris Williams and Orlando Glasgow, the Royals

proved too much for Bulls. Without Travin ‘Babylon’ Dryden to shore up their inside game and the exit of Michael Turner, Terron Welch and company were unable to stave off the rush by the Royals to win this title after playing unbeaten in the preliminary round like the Bulls. Adams made his impact early to put his team up 17-12 when the first quarter ended in association with young Yannick Tappin and the experienced Alwyn Rodney, giving them the guidance. Under the circumstances Adams was satisfied with the addition of another young talented player Daniel Lee who also got into the act early on. In the end Lee scored 10 points, Rodney contributing nine, Tappin eight and Akali Moore added six in the Royals triumph. While the Bulls were able to get their way against the Royals in their last matchup, the Royals would have none of it this time around and after

a 23-18 run in favour of the Linden champions to end the first half, the scores were reading Royals up by ten, 4030. This laid the platform for the Royals to ride home to another solid win despite the subsequent third quarter exchange in their favour 1312 and then finally 33-30, as they maintained their better showing to win 86-72. The Bulls’ shooting guard, Welch, after getting seven second quarter points ended with just 13 in the game, while Dillon Pellew netted 10 and Kevin Easton added seven with Emmanuel LaRose and Vibert Benjamin each getting six points. In the third place playoff game, Amelia’s Ward Jets closed out the challenge from Retrieve Raiders, romping home 8462 after leading at half time 38-32 before a 23-6 stifling run over the Raiders put the game beyond their reach. Individual scores were not available for that game.

Morkel keeps South Africa on course for big win over wilting Australia JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Tall seamer Morne Morkel took two wickets to restrict struggling Australia to 88 for three at the close on the fourth day of the final test as South Africa marched towards an emphatic victory yesterday. Having set Australia a massive 612 for a win that would level the series, the home side removed the tourists’ top three batsmen, de-

spite injury concerns over their pace trio which delayed South Africa’s declaration until the tea interval. Peter Handscomb (23) and Shaun Marsh (seven) will set about saving the test on the fifth day, but only a near impossible victory would ensure Australia avoid a first series defeat in South Africa for almost 50 years. The home side have injury worries over all their fast

bowlers, though, with Kagiso Rabada suffering from a stiff lower back, Morkel struggling with a side strain and Vernon Philander nursing a groin problem. That meant they limited the number of overs the trio would have to bowl as the hosts declared on 344 for six after a stylish century from captain Faf du Plessis. The wilting Australian (Continued on page 29)

Tuesday April 03, 2018

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Kaieteur News

Lame display sends Windies to series defeat KARACHI, Pakistan, CMC – An out-of-sorts West Indies fared little better in the second Twenty20 International, producing another insipid display in an 82-run defeat, to concede the threematch series to Pakistan here yesterday. Only 24 hours after being dismissed for their lowestever T20 total and suffering the second heaviest defeat in the format, West Indies once again failed to show any enterprise, crashing to 123 all out with four balls left, in pursuit of an intimidating 206 at the National Stadium. Opener Chadwick Walton belted a top score of 40 from 29 balls but veteran Denesh Ramdin with 21 was the only other batsman to make it past 20. The Windies found their scoring restricted early on and crawled to 92 for three before the presssure told and they lost their last seven wickets for 31 runs. Left-arm seamer led the hosts attack with three for 22 while seamer Hussain Talat (212) and leg-spinner Shadab Khan (2-23) supported with two wickets apiece. Babar Azam had earlier narrowly missed out on a maiden T20 International hundred when he finished unbeaten on 97 as Pakistan piled up 205 for three off their 20 overs – their highest-ever T20 total while passing the 200run mark for a second straight game. Talat, who debuted on Sunday, stroked 63 to also

take advantage of a ragged Windies bowling effort which mirrored Sunday’s performance. Opting to bat first, Pakistan suffered an early loss when Fakhar Zaman perished for six in the second over with the score on 11, gloving a pull at seamer Rayad Emrit through to wicketkeeper Ramdin. However, immediate further success proved illusive as Babar and Talat combined in an excellent 119-run, second wicket stand which put Pakistan in a commanding position. The right-handed Babar, dropped by Samuel Badree at square leg on 78 in the 17th over from seamer Kesrick Williams, struck 13 fours and a six in a 58-ball knock. Talat, meanwhile, faced 41 balls and carved out eight fours a six before being brilliantly hauled in at point by captain Jason Mohammed, to give debutant medium pacer Odean Smith his first international wicket. Babar then anchored two key partnerships which left the Windies in disarray, putting on 47 off 18 balls for the third wicket with Asif Ali (14) before adding a further 38 off 18 deliveries in an unbroken fourth wicket stand with Shoaib Malik (17 not out). Faced with a daunting target, the Windies lost Andre Fletcher cheaply in the third over for one, chopping on to left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz with 11 runs on the

Opener Chadwick Walton … top-scored with 40 for West Indies. board. Walton, however, inspired the best stand of the innings when he posted 39 for the second wicket with Marlon Samuels who made 12, as West Indies tried to stabilise. The right-handed Walton counted five fours and a couple of sixes and appeared set for a half-century when he missed a heave at a Shadab googly and had his stumps rattled in the ninth over. By then, the required run rate had skyrocketed to 13 an over and Samuels, who laboured for 21 balls with a single four, tried to break the

shackles but only succeeded in picking out long off at the start of the 11th over from Shadab. Ramdin stepped up the tempo, albeit briefly, hoisting Shadab over the ropes at midwicket and then drilling the next ball to the cover boundary in the 13th over which leaked 13 runs, as he added 35 for the fourth wicket in quick time with Mohammed (15). But Talat broke the stand in the 15th over, getting Ramdin to hole out to square leg and Mohammed followed in the next over, yorked by Amir as he backed away to leg.

Tottering on 94 for five, the innings spectacularly imploded in the 18th. Amir knocked over Rovman Powell (3) and Keemo Paul (17) to off-side catches inside the

first four balls of the over, and Emrit and Williams then ended up in the same crease at the striker’s end in a horrible mix-up over a second run, sending Emrit on his way.

West Indies reduced to 12 men as Permaul injures ankle No70 Spartans, Scottsburg

Ramnaresh Sarwan UCCA Second Division 40 overs cricket competition

United among latest winners

Veerasammy Permaul gestures as he lies on a stretcher after being injured. (AFP) ESPNcricinfo - West Indies spinner Veerasammy Permaul will play no further part in the ongoing series

against Pakistan because of a ruptured muscle. Permaul, 28, had bowled just three balls on

his T20I debut at the National Stadium Karachi on Sunday before he pulled (Continued on page 29)

No70 Spartans, Scottsburg United among latest winnerNo70 Spartans destroyed No70 Young Blood by 240 runs after scoring 3407 in 35 overs. Tameshwar Ramoutar plundered the bowling to lead the way with a quick fire 102 (5x4, 10x6). He got support from Ryan Jacobs 59(6x4, 1x6), Naieem Yakoob 53 and Navin Budhoo 24. Bowling for Young Blood, there were 2 wickets each for Jason Walton and Navendra Balram. They were dismissed for 77 in 19.3 overs. Doing the damage were Omesh Khemraj and Ryan Jacobs with 4 wickets each. Scottsburg United continued their winning way with a 131 runs win over No71 Sports Club.Scotsburg made 239 with Alex Burnett 55,

Michael Kendall 54 and Raj Samaroo 20. Bowling for No71 D. Ramroop picked up 3 wickets with Somdat Singh taking 2. They were then dismissed for 108 in 25 overs. Bowling for the winners Michael Kendall 4-16 was supported by James Heart and Alex Burnett with 2 wickets each. Crabwood Creek Sports Club got the better of Yakusari Caribs by 112 runs. CWCSP batted first and made 201 in 30 overs with M. Bhola 51(3x4, 4x6), D. Chalitar and Q. Khan 32 and J. Singh 21. Bowling for The Caribs there were 3 wickets each for D. Parsram and P. Rauy. Caribs were bundled out for 89 with T. Ramsar 28 and K. Amid 21. Doing the damage for CWCSP were Q. Khan 3 and

L. Tamessar with 2 wickets. A Six wicket haul by Michael Singh helped his team, No72 Cut and Load, defeat CWC Bomb Squad by 19 runs in a low scoring affair. Cut and Load batted and were bowled out for 106 in 22.2 overs with Kadil Ajib 25. Bowling for Bomb Squad A. Gobin picked up 4 wickets with A. Hussein taking 3. Bomb Squad was then blown away for 81 in 15 overs with T. Tshember alone showing fight with 41. The batsmen had no answers to the bowling of Singh with 6-30, while Rishi Persaud supported with 4-27. The competition, which is in its fourth round, is being played for teams in the Upper Corentyne and Black Bush Areas.

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Tuesday April 03, 2018

Kaieteur News

Benjamin continues his benevolence gives wheels to junior female champion

Police in community clean up of Gangaram playfield and school compound

Police led by Inspector Michael Newland clearing the Gangaram ball filed and school compound.

Overseas based former national cyclist Wilbert Benjamin hands over the pair of wheels to Shenika Texeira in the presence of her mother. Former national cyclist Wilbert Benjamin, now a successful businessman both in Guyana and his adopted home in Canada, former continues with his heart of benevolence where he shows love and affection for his fellow countrymen. He continues to assist with donations of bikes, parts, uniforms and other paraphernalia on a regular basis. His latest donation was made to national junior female champion Shenika Texeira of a pair of albumin racing bicycle wheels which will be used for her spares. The wheels are valued over $30,000 per pair. Benjamin, who owns the Benjamin Sports Store, Benjamin Fitness Gym and Car wash situated at Lot

2 2 0 C o u r t l a n d Vi l l a g e Corentyne Berbice, stated that he knows where he came from and would like to assist as much as possible. The presentation was done at the sports store. He has a special place in his heart for his fellow Berbicians and would do his best to allow them to excel. He said that he admired Texeira’s courage and because she is doing well right now on the racing circuit he feels compelled to assist her in her quest for higher heights. Texeira, who was accompanied by her mother, was overwhelmed in thanking Benjamin for his kind heartedness. She promised to make the best use of the gifts and do her best in her

quest for more success. The 18 years old Corentyne Comprehensive Secondary School Student stated that she aims this year to do well in her examinations and step up in her cycling exploits. “I want to do more than I did before. I want to venture out into the Caribbean circuit and represent Guyana to the best of my ability,” a smiling Texeira stated. She is encouraging other females to come forward and ride since there are many opportunities. She said that females need encouragement and sponsorship. She is grateful to ‘Uncle Wilbert’ (Benjamin) for all he has done for her and will definitely give it her best shot.

Led by Commander, Assistant Commissioner Lyndon Alves and Second in Command, Superintendent Wayne De Hearte the police in B Division are integrally involved in sports and community development. Over the years the cops have shown that they are not only about fighting and prosecuting wrong doers, but are employing different strategies to get members in the community to be better citizens. The Division has over the years established a number of

youth and sports groups that are being attended by hundreds of youths. They are also making sure that there are adequate facilities available to be used by the youths and members of the wider community for their benefit. Recently ranks of the Reliance Police Station led by Inspector Michael Newland led a massive cleanup exercise in the Gangaram area. With the cricket season taking off in Berbice the Gangaram ball field and

school compound were in bad shape. Newland, a hard hitting middle order batsman and opening bowler, led his troupe in getting the ground and villagers ready for the cricket action and Easter activities.Members of the village came out in support and were loud in praise for Inspector Newland and his team. They also took the opportunity to express their sentiments to Commander Alves and second in command De Hearte.

Yussuf century hands Fisherman Masters eight-run win over Regal Masters Led by a fine unbeaten century from Unnis Yusuf, Fisherman Masters defeated Regal Masters by eight runs to win the final of the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc (GSCL) Pooran Singh 50thbirth anniversary softball tournament which was contested on Sunday at Malteenoes Sports Club. Yussuf struck an unbeaten 124 to guide Fisherman Masters to a commendable 183-3 off their allotted 20 overs, batting first. Pacer Laurie Singh handed Regal Masters the breakthrough when he bowled Ramo Malone for five with the score on 25. Mahendra Hardyal then removed Jagdesh Persaud for 10 before Singh

sent back Troy Ramsaywack for nine leaving the score at 62-3. However, Yussuf and Zameer Hassan put on 126 for the fourth wicket to steady the innings in favourable sunshine. Yusuf struck 11 fours and eight sixes while Hassan made 31 not out with three fours. Singh claimed 2-17 and Hardyal 1-30. Regal Masters were off to solid start with Mahase Chunilall and Eon Abel adding 98 for the opening stand to set their team well on course before Chunilall was bowled by Stanley Mohabir for 38 after hitting two fours and a similar number of sixes. Abel and Mohendra Arjune (09) then took the score to 124

before they both fell in quick succession to Yussuf; Abel slammed seven fours in a top score of 62. Tidy bowling and fielding by Fisherman Masters thereafter then restricted Regal Masters batting. Their batsmen were guilty of trying too hard and perished attempting to hit out. However, despite losing Hardyal for 14, David Harper for one and Lynden Lyght for four, the match came down to the wire with 12 needed from the final over. But with Eric Thomas still at the crease Regal Masters could have still prevailed, however when Thomas perished for 22, Fisherman Masters breathed a sigh of relief as Regal Masters finished on

The victorious Fisherman Masters team with their hardware. 180-7. Yussuf claimed 3-19 to take the man-of-the-match

award, while Mohabir had 226 and Pooran Singh 2-31. Fisherman Masters over-

come HS Masters by four wickets in their semi final (Continued on page 29)