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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 HAPPY EASTER HOLIDAYS TO ALL Every year, Easter is celebrated in Guyana by Christians who believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ who rose from the dead after his crucifixion. The scriptures proclaimed that Jesus suffered at the Cross before his death. For some, Easter Sunday is about the Easter Bunny, colorfully decorated Easter eggs, Easter egg hunts and kite flying. Easter is linked to the Jewish Passover by its symbolism and by its position in the calendar and is regarded as the Christian fulfillment. It is the culmination of the Passion for Christ, preceded by Lent, a forty-day period of fasting, prayer, and penance which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday. Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion and death of Christ and Easter Sunday is the celebration of his resurrection. The connection between the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the modern traditions that relate to Easter Sunday essentially occurred to make the Roman Catholic Church more attractive to Christians. It is the mixture of the resurrection and spring fertility rituals which are the source of the egg and bunny traditions. Christians believe that it is appropriate to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on a Sunday which is typically one of the mostwell-attended Sunday services of the year for Christian churches. Christ’s resurrection reinforces the belief that Christians can have an eternal home in Heaven by receiving him as their Lord and Saviour. The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of the Christian faith. It established Christ as the Son of God. Through faith, Christians believe that they are spiritually connected to him and will receive eternal salvation. The message of Easter is therefore about the possibility of an after-life. It is also about the triumph of good over evil, of love, endurance and adversity. As the nation celebrates Jesus’s resurrection, those in authority should reflect upon the state of the country. Never before has there been such a flagrant assault on the sanctity and sacredness of life. There is more darkness in society; human trafficking, illegal drugs, alcohol abuse, poverty, joblessness, homelessness, murders, child molestation, violence in schools and an archaic justice system that is in favor of the rich and powerful. The jails are overcrowded and prisoners are facing peril behind bars. In spite of all the darkness, Easter holds out the ultimate victory of light which darkness cannot overpower. No matter how great the darkness, the light will conquer it. As Christians contemplate Jesus’s resurrection, they should also reflect on those who died of natural causes and who were murdered, especially mothers and children. There is an urgent need to reflect on the senseless murders. More should be done to reduce crime, rehabilitate the prisoners and reform the criminal justice system. We must deter those who are bent on causing harm to others and disregarding completely the order which anchors society. Many feel that they are hopelessly entombed with the ongoing encounters with crime, incidents of graft and corruption, nepotism and waste. Sadly, when one looks at the situation, there is little hope because it is clear that the authorities are still not able to solve these problems and bring light to society. There is much more work that needs to be done to end the darkness and resurrect Guyana. Guyanese should take a cue from the message of Jesus’s resurrection and reassure themselves that darkness can be overcome. All should join in the fight to overcome the systemic darkness that has descended on Guyana. In doing so, the country will be resurrected and its light will shine brightly into the future. Happy Easter to all.

Kaieteur News

Friday April 16, 2016

Kaieteur M@ilbox Send your letters to Kaieteur News 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com

Nigel Hughes is best suited to lead a third political party Dear Editor, I would hate to be critical of Freddie Kissoon in any commentary whatsoever. Freddie is one of four great Guyanese who have raised the consciousness of the Guyanese people. The other three are Forbes Burnham, Cheddi Jagan and Walter Rodney. My letter here does not single out Freddie for criticism but he is included in my sweep because of the approach I have taken which Mr. Editor I will develop as I go along. Guyana is on the verge of having a third political party and without exception, all

the names for its presidential candidate are Indians. This I have a serious problem with. I have read letter after letter and all the names mentioned are Indians. Freddie Kissoon heads the lists. Of the names that are being talked about, I would have no objection to Freddie Kissoon. Freddie is a unique person that can pull serious votes across Guyana. For the record, the Kissoon’s candidacy is accepted. He is the best person to lead a third party into the next election. But it still leaves the question why only an Indian presidential candidate. I think Freddie will

decline to go into politics so I will now leave him out the picture and introduce a Blackman and compare him with nominated Indian candidates. I read about Christopher Ram. Why Ram and not Nigel Hughes? Can Mr. Ram succeed among voters more than Nigel Hughes? The answer is obvious so I move to number two, Ralph Ramkarran. Are people fair in their commentary when they put Mr. Ramkarran in front of Nigel Hughes? Please tell me Mr. Editor, how will Mr. Ramkarran stack up against Black

voters, how will Nigel Hughes stack up against Indian voters? This is where I see the unfairness in judgment. If commentators are saying that you have to go with Mr. Ramkarran because an Indian will do better than a Blackman then I cannot accept that for the simple reason that I believe there is a Blackman that is more likely to get crossracial voting than an Indian, with the exception of Freddie Kissoon. That person is Nigel Hughes. Mr. Editor, we can do the math and you will see it for (Continued on page 5)

Sunday April 16, 2017

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More has to be done for the country’s public servants DEAR EDITOR, As we continue to embrace our national strategy towards a sustainable economy with a focus on ecotourism, we must also continue to develop our reward systems for commitment & excellence in the public service. For time spent providing exemplary work as a teacher, nurse or doctor, police officer, soldier, fireman / firewoman or in other areas within Government irregardless of party affiliation, workers should be given the opportunity to obtain subsidized housing and access to preferential financing rates. This will attract more candidates to these crucial roles

in our society and help ease the heaviest financial burden our citizens undertake, while at the same time fostering economic growth in the housing sector. Also, in the area of teaching, the awarding of tenure for proven success in public schools will help retain top talent and encourage entry into the profession. Continued investment in our infrastructure, specifically in the maintenance and the up keep of our courts, police stations, army bases, schools, hospitals and fire stations should continue to be a top priority in the area of ongoing government investments and expenses. It is essential that our key institutions:

1) Reflect the level of quality that our fellow Guyanese would enjoy being a part of 2) Foster confidence in the general public & visiting tourists 3) Stay competitive versus other tourist destinations Given the size of our government, the additional growth this investment will spur in the construction sector should not be overlooked. As the nation grows we must not forsake that which forms the foundation that allows us to support our growth. Working closely on an agreed agenda with the unions and institutions representing our public servants is a must for any government to be successful in designing

enhancements in the worker benefits provided to government workers. The above examples of benefits that could be additionally provided are at a very low cost to the government given the design of the benefits package. The mentioned investment in the upkeep of the infrastructure of these cornerstone institutions in our nation should be viewed as both necessary and beneficial by administrations focused on economic growth. To govern is to provide a service to those who have empowered you to do so, and public servants make it possible for any government to serve its people well. Jamil Changlee

Reckless and dangerous lighting of fires in Herstelling DEAR EDITOR, I wish to highlight a matter of serious concern for the residents of Plot B, Plantation Herstelling. Some land owners are in the habit of setting fires to clear the land of grass etc. not taking into consideration the threat to properties in close proximity to the fires. On several occasions the Guyana Fire Service had to be called in to put out uncontrollable fires that had spread to other areas. On one occasion a resident lit his garbage on an unoccupied plot of land and the fire spread; the residents had to form bucket brigade to save a property since the fire service when called, said that the fire tender did not have any water so a mes-

sage was sent to have one from another area. On several other occasions the services of the Guyana Fire Service had to be sought to put raging fires out and I had hoped that the fire service report would have been sent to the relevant authorities. I want to believe that by-laws of the Housing Schemes stipulate against setting fires in housing areas. I just cannot understand the mentality of people doing this. Don’t they think beyond lighting a fire? Apart from the threat to people’s properties, houses are engulfed in smoke and ashes, laundry must be redone and in some cases (Continued on page 6)

Are those traffic signals still not working? Government needs a more competent public What an amazingly backward country.” Now DEAR EDITOR, This is an extract from Freddie’s article of February 14 2016, as part of the story of a failed 50 year old journey, quote: “At the junction of UG Road and the Railway Embankment, the scene there is frightening. The signals for some mysterious reason go off at 6 p.m. Any schoolboy can tell you this is a traffic-crazy site. You have UG, Cyril Potter College, Gafoors Complex, Giftland Mall, Caricom Secretariat, Arthur Chung Convention Centre, Aquatic Centre, National Hardware housing estate, plus the construction of a cinema complex, Massy Supermarket and the Specialty Hospital. If any junction needs traffic signals it this area. But they go dead after six in the evening.

I am in Region 11 and as much as I can remember that article. I cannot remember Freddie coming back to it with updated reports. My curiosity is aroused! Could Freddie update us on this junction, especially if it is still frightening! As an activist, Freddie has to be pleased when his activism results in real successful action. Carl Veecock Ontario Canada Editor’s note: Mr. Kissoon informs us that the traffic signals go way beyond 6 pm at that junction but have been out for months now. However there is police traffic control every morning during the rush hour.

Nigel Hughes is best suited to lead a... From page 4 yourself. Blacks will not trust Mr. Ramkarran because they still see him as a dye in the wool PPP. Mr. Ramkarran fell out with the people who corrupted the PPP not with the PPP itself. Mr. Ramkarran still loves his party and Dr. Jagan. Mr. Ramkarran will fall short because he will need a percentage of Black votes which he will not get. Only Freddie Kissoon could get that. While Mr. Ramkarran will struggle with Black voters Mr. Hughes will not have a hard time winning over Indian people chiefly among them being the business class, young educated Indians and the Indian middle class. Let us stack up MajorGeneral Joe Singh against Mr. Hughes. I read the other day a glowing tribute of the multi-

racial stock of the General and the call for him to enter politics. I believe the General will take the step. Mr. Editor, I humbly beg to differ with this picture. Leave Freddie Kissoon out of the equation and you don’t have an Indian with very deep multi-racial credentials. I am sorry if the General takes this the wrong way but I am sharing my opinions and I do so based on how I feel. All respect due to the Major-General. I accept him as a multi-racial man. If the Major-General enters party politics I cannot and will not accept the notion that he is a favoured candidate to be given the presidential nod over Nigel Hughes. No, Mr. Editor, it will not work. It would be unfair to treat outstanding Black candidates like this. I hope the third party

gets off the ground. This is how I see it - a Freddie Kissoon- Nigel Hughes ticket. That would be a moral booster for Guyana. I do not see Freddie Kissoon entering party politics so let us leave him out in the reckoning, now and in the future. The third party should be headed by Nigel Hughes. I am open to Mr. Christopher Ram or Mr. Ramkarran or Mr. Joe Singh being the number two man but as I said Mr. Editor, outside of Freddie Kissoon, our man should be Nigel Hughes. I cannot see it any other way, Mr. Editor. Please let’s keep race out of this thing. The Nigel Hughes candidacy is based on facts on the ground not race-thinking. I hope my respondents act accordingly. Selwyn Bynoe New York

relations team DEAR EDITOR, As the government is doing its work to better Guyana, we on the ground especially here in Berbice are being starved for true and correct information from the government’s public relations department and its officials at large. I must say that on Saturday night (April 8th, 2017) on DTV Ch.8 there was a very good and educational programme called “Alliance On The Move”, which is an AFC programme. It was a programme that touched at the heart of what Berbicians wanted to hear. Minister Ramjattan’s explanations as to why the economy is slow were totally true. We can all see that the previous economy was sustained mostly by illegal monies coming from the narcodealers. He dealt with some very important topics such as the sugar industry, agriculture, security and employment. My most enjoyable part of the programme was to see once again the young and energetic Mr. Abel Seetaram, who was introduced by the moderator as a man missing in action (MIA), but he is ac-

tually travelling all across Berbice doing the government’s work in helping to make Guyana a better place. Mr. Seetaram lit up the programme more with his straight forwardness as to what is hampering development in Berbice and Guyana at large. I totally agreed with the young man, when he mentioned the PPP controlled NDCs and their sidelining of developmental works in the various villages. The Minister of Local Government needs to act quickly to solve those matters. Lots of PPP controlled NDCs are not doing the work they are supposed to. Mr. Seetaram hit the nail directly on the head when he said that all rice farmers are making profit. If the rice farmers were not making a profit, why then are they fighting for more lands to cultivate? I do believe that Berbicians whole-heartedly welcomed last Saturday night’s

programme. We would like to see more programmes of such nature, because it educates us. I think we will also want more of that young man on the programmes, so that we can hear the truth and be educated. I call on the government to have a more dynamic public relations department that will disseminate information to the public in a very timely manner. In this way we will not be led astray by the opposition talkers. I also think it is high time that Berbice also has its own Government\Berbice Public Relations Department. I am sure with people like Seetaram and others in such a department, the PPP won’t bring false and fake news to us as they are doing now. Better your public relations department Mr. President or you and your government will feel the heat come 2020 because of the false and fake news being peddled by the opposition. Hemchand Singh

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Sunday April 16, 2017

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A nation success involves holding its leaders accountable

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

DEAR EDITOR, Response is being made to an aspect of Orrin Gordon’s letter in which he asserted that a very useful plant was given away with nothing coming to the Linden community. The area being addressed is his comment on the matter of the Linden television station where he holds the view that I have taken “a young MP [Member of Parliament] to task.” Gordon knows me long enough to know when it comes to matters of universal principles, rights, and the rule of law there is no sacred space or sacred cow to prevent me from going there or holding persons to account. The MP in question is Jermaine Figueira, who was part of a group that included Linden Mayor Carwyn Holland, Regional Chairman (Region 10) Renis Morian, and CDC Deputy Director Sandra Adams that walked out from the Region 10 Broadcasting Trust Company’s 31, March meeting because their wish for an open vote was not agreed to. That meeting was called specifically to appoint the chairman, vice-chairman and secretary of the Board. The majority of the members agreed that these appointments will be made by votes, and the ballot will be secret. This is a universal acceptable principle in balloting, which the four wanted to be cast

aside, and walked out in protest of it being respected. Figueira needs no singling out for attention because of age, or protection from being held to account like his fellow colleagues, all of whom were named alongside him in my Sunday’s column, “The power-grabbing effort to control Linden television station.” This matter is about being right or wrong and holding public officials, who are paid by our taxes, to do right by the people. The agreement with Central Government to return the television station to the people of Linden/Region 10 was sealed with their blood, sweat, and tears on 21st August 2012. Further, I am contending that the act of the four is another deliberate attempt by the APNU+AFC government to prevent the returning of the station to the people similar to what the PPP/C government did. And here are the reasons: First, the government said it was approached and asked to broaden membership of the Trust before the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) can grant the licence. Then the GNBA immersed itself into the internal affairs of the Trust on the false pretext that a conflict exists, and the issuance of the licence is hinged on resolution. The facts are: 1) the Trust is a private entity, duly established and registered

under the law; 2) the GNBA under the Broadcasting Act only has jurisdiction or supervisory authority over a licensee. The Trust does not have a broadcasting licence. The Trust knows of the proposed assignment of the channel/frequency which is the responsibility of the Frequency Management Unit. Secondly, the anti-democratic antics by the four to prevent the Trust from proceeding with a vote to elect its leadership, after extending its membership at the request of the Prime Minister, was another strategy to delay and deny. In summation, the Trust is a legal private entity and fits eligibility for a licence consistent with Section 23 (1) of the Broadcasting Act; government has no business interfering in the composition of a private entity and; there was no licence issued hence the GNBA had no business in the affairs of the Trust. The government continues to find excuses not to return the people’s television to them, until, like the PPP/C, they can control what the people hear, see and feel about themselves and by extension their selfworth and development. The growth of this nation requires of its citizens holding leaders to account and being uncompromising in their positions on matters pertaining to their welfare that are protected in the laws. Lincoln Lewis

Reckless and dangerous lighting of fires... From page 5 children and adults with respiratory illnesses need medical attention. In most instances, the perpetrators would douse the bushes and grass with flammable substances to ensure that it caught fire. I have witnessed so many run-away fires. Only last week someone lit a fire on their land to clear it and the fire spread to several lots away which is next to my property. On April 12, I witnessed one single

person setting alight his (I assumed) land and the other buildings around it engulfed in smoke. The home owners had already left for work. I emphasized that one single person cannot control the flames should the fire spread. This is a serious matter and I am calling on the NDC to conduct visits in the Council’s area of responsibility and to have matters of this nature brought under control. I am also calling on the Min-

istry of Communities and the Guyana Police Force to cooperate and ensure that such occurrences do not continue and that if it continues perpetrators must be penalized because this is a situation that can seriously go wrong. Imagine you have just completed construction of your property in millions of dollars borrowed from the bank and then some selfish individual (s) come burning up bushes next to it. The Ministry can ensure that notices are put in the newspapers and in the agreement of sale (if it’s not there already), and that this matter be highlighted to residents and land owners continually. Indira Thakurdin

DEAR EDITOR, I have been reading the letters that other concerned citizens have written to you and it pleases me to see that there are others who are able to analyse quite accurately what is currently occurring in this country. When persons voted for change in 2015 the cesspit this country had found itself in was so horrible that those who campaigned, those who supplied resources and those who voted came to an understanding that PPP should not be allowed to win another election. There is a famous quote that says ‘those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.’ As a society we cannot be allowed to forget our not too distant history as it would condemn us to a path from which we may find it impossible to return. Let us take a quick look at

the economy. Many are saying that the economy has slowed and ‘money isn’t stirring’ and many are laying blame at the feet of the government. However, if we take the time to analyse what is actually occurring, our perception of who is to blame may change. This administration has declared a war on drugs. This administration has decided that the scourge of drugs that has been associated with Guyana internationally must be removed. Remember the days when every other day cocaine was going out in fish, or corilla, or wood or in coconuts, to name just a few of the favourites. This administration has decided that those days are going to end and Guyana would no longer be associated with terms such as transshipment point. Now what does this have

to do with the economy? The monies that helped to keep the economy afloat under the previous administration came from drugs. Drugs and other illicit activities kept our economy running. If we want an end to corruption and drugs then we are indirectly saying that we want an economy that is not consumed by these illicit activities. And if we are happy that the government is trying to reduce corruption and the drugs trade we cannot be upset that the amount of monies that are circulating has reduced. We must be able to recognize the relationship between the two and acknowledge that in order for us to grow and develop on a sound economic foundation we have to first face and accept the real state of our economy. Tabitha Sarabo- Halley

Carter Centre is playing a useful role in constitutional reform DEAR EDITOR, The issue of constitutional reforms to address the issue of ethnic security has a long history dating back to over half a century. On October 1962, the then British Guiana Independence Conference met in London for the purpose of settling the form of an independence constitution and the fixing of a date for independence. The conference was attended by representatives from the three parties represented in the Legislative Assembly, namely the PPP, PNC and the United Force. The Secretary of State for the Colonies, Mr. Duncan Sandys presided. Despite exhaustive discussions, the parties failed to reach agreement on a number of major issues, the most important of which were: 1. Should the elections be contested on the basis of single member constituencies as was done in all previous elections or on the basis of proportional representation? 2. Should fresh elections be held before independence?

3. Should the right to vote be retained at age 21 or at age 18 as advoated for by the PPP? After the parties failed to reach agreement on the above issues, a decision was taken by way of a signed letter from the leaders of the three parties to request the British Government to settle, on their authority, all outstanding constitutional issues which the parties undertook to accept. After further meetings with the leaders of the three parties, Mr. Sandys announced that he was satisfied that the root cause of British Guiana’s troubles was the development of party politics along racial lines and had therefore decided that the system of proportional representation be introduced which he felt would encourage coalitions between parties and would make it easier for new political groupings to form on a multi-racial basis. Mr. Sandys was proven correct on one count and that was the formation of a coalition government between the

PNC and the United Force in the elections of 1964. On the issue of multi-racial politics he was way off the mark as the UF left the coalition a mere three years later but not before the PNC took full control of the country and remained in power for close to three decades until the Carter Centre and other western nations intervened to restore democracy to the country on Otober 5, 1992. The Carter Centre with support from the British Government, UNDP and civil society is playing a useful facilitating role in the constitutional reform process but for it to be successful such a process must be driven by the Guyanese people both individually and through their elected representatives and not by the Executive as seems to be the case. Such reforms, I submit, must have as its overarching objective the consolidation and deepening of the democratic fabric of the society while at the same time providing the necessary safeguards to protect minorities and institutionalize good and accountable governance. Hydar Ally PPP Central Committee Member

Sunday April 16, 2017

Kaieteur M@ilbox DEAR EDITOR, Recently I was privileged to be on a study tour to Colombia and Mexico as part of the Government of Guyana’s “Sustainable Urban Transport Study” (SUTS) for Georgetown through the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI). The Study accommodates institutional strengthening in the form of such short tours with a focus on lessons learned and best practices. The tour, for me, provided clarity and coherence of vision and in a way gave vocabulary to ideas I could not articulate before. For such an opportunity I am thankful. The SUTS in general is based on four major action points, namely: Urban Public Transport Improvement Measures, Provision of Public Transport facilities for Minibus Operations with the Central Georgetown Area, Development of a comprehensive Parking Management plan for Central Georgetown; and the Development of a comprehensive Traffic Improvement Program for Georgetown. Our overseas engagement brought us in contact with the public transport regulator in Bogota, Colombia, “TransMelenio”, and also with the largest bus concession operator, “Consorcio Express”. In Mexico City we were privileged to connect with the “Secretariat of Mobility”, similar to MPI, and

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Georgetown can learn from Columbia and Mexico “Metrobús” similar to Colombia’s bus rapid transit (BRT) system and we also engaged “ECOBICI” a public bicycle sharing system. Additionally, we also had discussions with the World Resource Institute (WRI) and had a networking meeting with the Global Green Growth Institute. As cities of model mobility what sets them apart is their mobility hierarchy where the pedestrian has a paramount place, followed by cyclists and motorcyclists and then motorists. Underpinning both countries’ systems is the concept of shared city space with, for instance, specific lanes for the BRT and bicycles. Also in practice is an integrated mobility management system. Because the system is integrated, for example, there is an acute focus on pedestrians as critical shared users of city space. There is a focus on road safety and consistent improvement of infrastructure; programmes that focus on awareness of how motorists and cyclists are to treat with pedestrians; pedestrianization of areas, and in areas with a high level of economic activity. Cycling is an integrated part of their mobility policy with rewards built into the

system. For example, city government employees who use bicycles to work for a specified period get a certain amount of free bus tickets. Additionally, the city transportation regulator, TransMelenio, is collaborating with the city and other stakeholders to implement bicycle storage areas at critical bus stations. This is another acknowledgment that many cyclists ride long distances to work because of economic circumstances; hence they ride from the outskirts, the suburbs but take the bus for parts of their journey given time and distance. This measure ultimately reduces cost, provides a service and improves the mobility of citizens. Of critical note here is that cyclists don’t only solve their individual mobility problem but that of others as well; for every person who cycles, one less car is congesting or polluting the city. The same can be said of pedestrians. Mexico City envisions a city where the pedestrian is the center of public policy. And it is this public policy which is used to drive change in institutions. Undersecretary for Mobility Laura Ballesteros says, “Change the law to change the vicious cycle, the frame-

Class bias in the mining industry continues with the APNU+AFC regime DEAR EDITOR, Two years into this administration double standards and questions still persist at GGMC. Small miners wonder why the commission does not adhere to one policy for all miners. When a small miner has a land dispute the GGMC takes at minimum two years to resolve it; the Commissioner’s excuse being that the GGMC does not have the resources or the personnel to promptly investigate. However, as was the case recently, when a large-scale miner had a land dispute, his matter was immediately ‘investigated’ by two of the most senior officials at the GGMC and resolved in a matter of days. On the orders of the same senior(s), two top GGMC officials travelled to the backdam, ‘investigated’ the matter, amended documented data to suit the desired outcome of the large miner and resolved that land dispute in less than a week. Some staff members quietly

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complained that the senior officials were pressured to arrive at the desired conclusion in this matter. Secondly, if a small miner does not pay the GGMC for the block he owns at the end of the year, he loses that block. However, large miners routinely do not pay for the hundreds of blocks they keep, but instead receive waivers annually for both rental and penalties. In effect they are allowed to keep these hundreds of mining blocks without paying the GGMC for it. This is a blatant form of unprofessional conduct that happens annually at GGMC and has continued under this government. These blocks are valued at billions of dollars, so why

are they being held by these large miners who are not even paying the government for them? If these large miners are not paying the government to keep these thousands of mining blocks, then who are they paying to keep them? It is instructive to know that decision on waivers of this magnitude, which amounts to billions of dollars, can only be made at the level of the Government of Guyana These are just two of the many questionable practices continuing at the GGMC and while we concede that they did not start under this administration, they have had two years to correct them. When will the change that Guyanese voted for in 2015 reach the GGMC? Small Miner

work changes and the institution changes. In both countries what can be noted as critical is the paradigm shift followed by relevant programs. For instance, they are not just managing a public transport system but Mexico City is managing 23 million journeys daily of which 5.5 million are cars. The city is adamant that to pull people from their cars, to reduce congestion the roads must be made safer. The city launched its mobility programme in 2014 of which its road safety’s pedestrian program is critical as Mexico City aims to be a pedestrian city. It sees mobility as a right of every citizen and a human right, with vision of 30% car users; 60% users of public transport. Mexico then has a public transport ecosystem built on public and private mobility, with a “Vision Zero Accident Agenda”, which underpins its philosophy, “No life lost is acceptable.” The City seeks to limit the number of cars from the city. As against build-

ing new roads, and parking lots, it seeks to keep out cars with an efficient public transport system. “We have road deaths because the infrastructure in not oriented to pedestrian usage”, according to the Undersecretary. In both cities the regulator is independent of Central and Local Governments, but its Board is made up of members of both with a 70/30 partnership between Central and Local Government in contributing to the public transport project. The system places a high premium on transparency and as such its finances are managed by a separate entity as a Trust from which all expenses are paid. Mexico City views its alliances with the private sector as critical and also the role that consultation with stakeholders play cannot be overstated. Police in enforcement are not viewed as traffic agents but as agents of change,” and its education programme is geared for long term results, with capacity

building for driving exams. City officials note that political ideology also plays a role. In Mexico City the Leftists seek to implement subsidies and there is a desire to acquire services cheaply. The Left may also have a focus of equality where everyone gets a car as against getting the best transport service. Who will pay for it all? “This is the hard work of politics,” they acknowledge knowing that people will migrate to public transport services because of cost. Both systems have additional features from which Georgetown can benefit as we seek to cultivate a culture of shared space and sustainable urban transport. The future, they say, will not be in selling cars but selling mobility services, digital services with a relevant framework, budget and planning being important tools to building mobility in an intelligent city which changes the quality of life of citizens. Sherod Avery Duncan, LLB, JP. Councillor, Constituency 14 Municipality of Georgetown

Mayor and City Council’s consultations do not cater for regular working folks DEAR EDITOR, I have noted several advertisements put out by the M&CC regarding public consultations in relation to the garbage situation. While it is good for the M&CC to do these consultations, I noticed that the consultations are scheduled for 10 am on the dates and also they are at City Hall. I tried to get to one of the consultations for an area next to mine (my area was not included in the consultation list by the way), however, I had a work meeting clash that I could not

get away from. This is my point. How serious can M&CC be about talking with citizens if they put the meetings at a time that most cannot attend? Why not hold meetings after work hours or on weekends. Also why not have teams or the councillor representative for areas have

meetings within the areas so you ensure a proper engagement. I hope that this can be considered by the council especially for engagements on other issues, especially those that are directly community related, in the future. Dr. Raquel ThomasCaesar

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Sunday April 16, 2017

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New Testament Church of God gears to celebrate Diamond Jubilee The New Testament Church of God in Guyana will from Wednesday commence its Diamond Jubilee celebration. The festivity is slated to be glorious, according to National Admin Bishop, Joseph Persaud. Speaking glowingly of the many activities that will characterise the celebration, Bishop Persaud hinted to it being especially enthralling since for the first time in its 60-year history the local reli-

gious movement will be graced by the presence of a sitting World Mission Director. The World Mission Director in question is David Griffis. Director Griffis, according to Bishop Persaud, “will be coming all the way from Cleveland, Tennessee to be with us.” “We will begin with a big celebration service; all the services [during this period] will be geared at celebrating

our anniversary. It will involve dancing, singing, poetry, preaching and so much more,” said Bishop Joseph of the event that will continue until Sunday with a grand church service at the National Cultural Centre. The celebration will also entail a medical outreach which will be led by Reverend Carol Gordon from Maryland, United States. The outreach will commence on Thursday at the Pouderoyen, West

Bank of Demerara Harvest time Church which is headed by Bishop Persaud. It will continue on Friday at the Livingstone New Testament Church of God at South Ruimveldt Gardens which is headed by Pastor Alex Graham. The celebration will then head to Canal Number One the following day and will conclude on Monday at St. Cuthbert’s Mission. According to Bishop Persaud, among the other highlights of the celebration will be a massive banquet catering to a capacity audience on Saturday at the Princess Ramada conference hall. At that event a number of awards will be handed out to several ministers who would have worked hard, to churches that have grown and those that are newly established. Just four years ago the New Testament Church of God movement added 978 new members across Guyana. There are currently 65 churches in Guyana, five of which are deemed mission churches and one located at

Bishop Joseph Persaud Western Suriname, all contributing to a national membership of approximately 5,000. But according to Bishop Persaud who has been at the church’s administrative helm for the past four years, the numbers are constantly growing. The New Testament Church of God which has linkages to the oldest Pentecos-

tal Church in the United States falls under the Church of God movement. According to Bishop Persaud although the Church of God movement commenced in 1886 it only came to Guyana in the 1940s and officially began its operation here in 1956. The New Testament name was adopted because when the movement arrived in Guyana it was found that a Church of God was already operating in Guyana. “The history is similar in most of the Caribbean islands...they also have New Testament Church of God because Church of God churches were there before,” said Bishop Persaud. He continued by explaining that the New Testament Church of God is a Pentecostal movement and is known for its fervour and enthusiastic ‘holy spirit’ influenced worship sessions. “We are known by this, we are also known by the way we are structured and because we are Pentecostal we also pay a lot of attention to miracles because we (Continued on page 16)

Sunday April 16, 2017

Dem boys seh...

De Chat-3 and Basil squaring off We get attached to temporary things then wonder why our happiness never lasts. De Chat-3 get attached to de AG Chamber. He get de AG wuk. He was happy till he lost de wuk. He didn’t realize it was temporary. De new AG behaving just like de Chat-3. He too don’t believe that de wuk temporary and he gun lose it faster than he expect. De Chat-3 tun and sue de present AG because he claim how de AG tell a lie pun he. Before that, de AG tell de world that he gun sue de Chat-3 because de Chat-3 tell lie pun him. Suh is both of dem sue sue-ing one another. That cause dem boys to seh that de two of dem is like two peas in a pod. When de Chat-3 start to cry after he lost de wuk Basil de Willie decide to rub pepper in de cut. He call a press conference and announce how de Chat3 thief some books. De confrontation continue when de Chat-3 report how Basil de Willie threaten a judge. Dem boys seh that some people does only talk because if Basil de Willie was serious he woulda done sue de Chat3. Even de Chat-3 couldn’t be serious because this story bout he and de thiefing books happen a long time. That is why dem boys seh how de two of dem is alike; that dem is two lyahs. Dem study law and now dem is lyahs. Sometimes people does get so vex wid dem that dem does even call dem liars. De Chat-3 did tell dem boys that he rich before he was AG, and how de AG wuk mek him poor. He collect some good money from people who he represent. He even use to represent de government before he was AG. Basil de Willie also is a rich man but dem boys suspect that he don’t have as much money as de Chat-3. What dem know is that de Chat-3 mean to lef him a pauper because de Chat-3 claiming $125 million from Basil de Willie. Because de two of dem using de court as a playground, dem boys wouldn’t be surprised if Basil de Willie sue de Chat-3 fuh $126 million to cover he cost. Remember guys, Life is beautiful. One day, one hour and one minute will not come again in your entire life. Avoid fights, anger and speak lovingly to one another and every person including dem boys. Talk half and buy boxing gloves fuh de Chat-3 and Basil de Willie. Habits are not the product of one decision — They’re the result of repeated choices that eventually become automatic responses. How can you know your true spiritual condition? By the company you keep and the choices you make. When you’re free to go, where do you choose to go? Whose company do you prefer?

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Kaieteur News

Nandlall sues Attorney General for $125M By Abena RockcliffeCampbell Former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, has suffered “considerable distress, anxiety and public humiliation” as a result of words uttered by his successor, Basil Williams. Because of this, the Attorney has caused a court action to be filed against Williams. In the court action, Nandlall is seeking compensation to the tune of $125M. He is also seeking to have an injunction granted stopping Williams from repeating the “harmful” statements. Nandlall is suing for $25M for slander at a press conference, hosted at the National Communication Network Inc. on March 24, last, and a further $25M for utterances at the very press conference. Another $25M is called for because of libel published in the Guyana Times. There is a demand for a further $25M for slander published during an outreach programme in Berbice, and $25 M for libel published by Demerara

Former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall

Attorney General, Basil Williams

Waves. The injunction is to restrain Williams “by himself, his servants and/or agents from publishing or caused to be published or saying or caused to be said or repeating of and concerning the Claimant, the following. Williams’s slanderous statements, according to Nandlall, include, “Mr. Nandlall will be charged for missing law books…Mr.

Nandlall has stolen government property and he will be charged…” “Nandlall stole government property…the law books…he still has the law books and he will get lock up for the law books and anyone who claim they gave him permission to steal the law books will get locked up as well because there is no immunity for stealing and doing criminal acts in this country.”

Other statements were also quoted in the writ. Nandlall notes that he is an Attorney-at-Law of good standing, admitted to practise at the Bar of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago; the former AG; a Member of Parliament and Central and Executive Member of the People’s Progressive Party. But Williams has caused damage to his character. He explained in the writ that Williams is well aware of his innocence in the matter but continues to make him out as a criminal. He included a letter sent to the Auditor General explaining what happened. Nandlall said that when he demitted office, he informed Lexis Nexis and requested that the payment arrangement which existed hitherto be re-activated. Nandlall said that Ramotar also wrote the AG conveying the same story The Auditor General completed this special Continued on page 14

PAGE 16

Guyana mourns passing of respected psychiatrist, Dr. Frank Beckles Guyana is mourning the passing of the Dr. Frank Neville Beckles, who passed away on Thursday. Born on September 18, 1934, in Christ Church, Barbados, to Guyanese parents Winslow and Ines Beckles, he was the sixth of seven children. According to the Ministry of the Presidency, a highly respected psychiatrist, Dr. Beckles was an authority on suicide in Guyana and wrote extensively on the subject. He attended the George Washington University, where he completed a Bachelors of Science Degree in Zoology and Howard University School of Medicine, where he completed his training as a Medical Doctor.

Sunday April 16, 2017

Kaieteur News

The late Dr. Frank Beckles “Dr. Beckles joined the Peace Corps and served in Gabon and Niger before returning to the United States

where he pursued psychiatry studies at the University of Maryland’s Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour. In 1997 he returned to Guyana and s e t u p a Psychiatry practice at Lot 302 Church Street, Q u e e n s t o w n , Georgetown.” President David Granger, who said he was a friend of Dr. Beckles, expressed his deep sorrow a t t h e l o s s a n d e x t e n d e d heartfelt sympathy to the children; Frank Neville, Keith, Colin and Asad Beckles and Ingrid Lewis, grandchild Kaiesha Nicole Fountain and other family members and friends. In 2012, Dr. Beckles was featured as a Special Person by Kaieteur News.

Ahmad should be jailed 30 yrs... (From page 10) from the lenders, members of the conspiracy falsified Department of Housing and Urban Development forms in order to deceive the lenders about disbursements at closings. On July 21, 2011, the defendant was arrested pursuant to a criminal complaint charging him with conspiracy to commit bank fraud. On October 13, 2012, Ahmad pleaded guilty, in a deal, to charges of bank and wire fraud conspiracy. As part of his agreement, he agreed to pay US$500,000 before the date of his sentencing. To date, the defendant only paid US$29,662.18, prosecutors said in their documents. The court documents were explosive. It was disclosed in late fall of 2011, the defendant agreed to meet with the government, and

provide information about his own role in the mortgage fraud conspiracy, as well as information regarding his friend, New York State Senator, John Sampson, who was then the Senate Minority Leader. Most notably, Ahmad described a 2006 payment of US$188,500 to Sampson that Sampson claimed was necessary to replenish embezzled funds in connection with his failed run in 2005 to become the Kings County District Attorney. In return for this secret payment, Sampson engaged in additional official acts on the defendant’s behalf, including successful efforts to arrange for the defendant to become an official broker of bank-owned real estate properties in New York State. Ahmad even agreed to participate in recorded

meetings and phone conversations with Sampson and his associates. During these meetings and phone calls, Sampson’s recorded statements corroborated information provided by the defendant to the government about his efforts to obstruct justice. Sampson, from Guyana, was later charged and convicted. According to prosecutors, Ahmad’s testimony was highly critical to sinking the senator who was recently jailed five years. Ahmad has businesses in Guyana and had planned to build a hotel and casino, overlooking the army headquarters, in Thomas Lands. He was said to a close friend to former President Bharrat Jagdeo. He had even shipped a container of building materials to him.

New Testament Church of God gears...

The Bel Air Springs New Testament Church of God headquarters. From page 8 believe that God still heals...above all we believe in holiness,” asserted Bishop Persaud. The New Testament movement currently exists in over 183 countries with seven billion-odd members. According to Bishop Joseph, the church is unique in its

structure since it is guided by a centralised team of elders in the United States. But even with its various peculiarities, Bishop Joseph made it clear that “everyone is welcome to any New Testament Church of God...anybody can walk off the street and feel like they

belong here.” However, becoming a member of the church requires that individuals are taught the doctrine of the church and accept that the entire bible is inspired by God although members are known to mostly embrace New Testament theology.

Sunday April 16, 2017

Kaieteur News

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$764M to rehabilitate roads in Mabaruma, Port Kaituma After years of numerous protest actions, promises and media reports, residents of Port Kaituma and Mabaruma can now breathe a sigh of relief. Contracts have been awarded to rehabilitate several of the deteriorating roads in these Region One (Barima/Waini) sub-regions. Minister of State Joseph Harmon, at the weekly postCabinet press briefing last Thursday, noted that these roads will be all-weather and will be the first of their kind in these communities. Contracts in the sum of $764M have already been awarded to effect the works. The Minister also noted the urgency to get the works done since there were several complaints made by residents during Ministerial outreaches in the past. Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI), Annette Ferguson, had visited Port Kaituma last year and had a first-hand experience of the deplorable roads and poor infrastructure which prompted her to acknowledge that the community suffered from years of neglect. Harmon said yesterday that contract in the sum of $51M was awarded to Construction firm, S. Lorrick Contractors, to rehabilitate the road from Central Kaituma Wharf Road to the Old Road Junction, Port Kaituma. Further, for the rehabilitation of roads from Port Kaituma to Matthews Ridge Phase Two, a contract

State Minister, Joseph Harmon in the sum of $334.2M was awarded to International Imports and Supplies. The firm was also awarded the $16.8M contract to rehabilitate the Central Kaituma Catwalk Road to Oronoque, Port Kaituma. Likewise, the Port Kaituma road from the airstrip to the Fitzburg Housing Scheme which has been causing headaches for a number of years will also be rehabilitated. The contract in the sum of $213.2M was awarded to KP Thomas and Sons Contracting Incorporated. In Mabaruma, the Kumaka junction to the waterfront by the market road area will also be rehabilitated. The contract in the sum of $66.2M was awarded to

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The condition of the port Kaituma Airstrip road when it rains. (File Photo)

Mohamed Ramzan Ally Khan Construction while the Mabaruma main township road to the airstrip road, will be rehabilitated at a cost of $82.1M. Minister Harmon noted that the Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, has undertaken to visit and witness the works to be undertaken. â€œWe expect that once infrastructure is put into a

community, the community should help protect it because they are the ones who are inconvenienced when they are damaged or improperly used,â€? Harmon said. Funding for these works is catered for in the 2017 budget under hinterland expenditure. A total of $2.302B was allocated for the continuation of road rehabilitation and construction in the hinterland.

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Sunday April 16, 2017

Kaieteur News

Guyana loses $40M every week on untaxed fuel entering Region One â€“GRA Commissioner The lack of proper administrative services in Barima-Waini, Region One for over 20 years has left Guyana leaking billions of dollars in taxes on an annual basis. This is the situation that the government has inherited from the PPP administration and is now scurrying to correct. Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Godfrey Statia, noted that the nation is actually losing approximately $40M in taxes every week on fuel at just two ports in Region One. He informed this newspaper that the matter is being looked at with moves being made to have the necessary infrastructure and officials in place. This matter was also one that was raised by the Tax Reform Commission which was established by the Granger administration. The Tax Committee included the likes of Statia, economist Dr. Thomas Singh, Chartered Accountant, Chris Ram and Head of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Dr. Maurice Odle.

GRA Commissioner, Godfrey Statia According to the Commission, excise taxation of petroleum products in Guyana is quite distorted with a range of exemptions for particular industries and, at least in one case, an entire region. The Committee was informed by the Guyana Revenue Authority that fuel and other items entering Region One attract no tax, a practice which was allowed by former President Bharrat Jagdeo and which continues. Needless to say, the Commission said that this practice is completely unlawful and recommends its immediate cessation.

Forty-three percent decrease in murders recorded in three months The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has recorded a 43 percent decrease in murder with an 87 percent clear up rate at the end of March; when compared to the same period last year. There was a seven percent increase in robberies where no instruments were used, a nine percent increase in robbery under arms where firearms were used, a 12 percent increase in robbery under arms where other instruments were used by the perpetrators. Additionally, there was a 48 percent increase in robbery with violence, 30 percent increase in robbery with aggravation and a two percent increase in burglary. When tallied, there was a three percent reduction in serious crimes. The press release further stated that 37 unlicensed firearms were seized, compared with sixteen 16 for the corresponding period. The seized firearms include 18 pistols; four revolvers; seven shotguns and eight rifles. The police said that reduction of serious crimes though not significant, coupled with the number of illegal weapons seized are positive indicators that the GPF is gaining the publicâ€™s trust and support in the fight against crime. In respect to training and development of ranks, 85 recruits graduated from the

Felix Austin Police College. The ranks have been deployed across the seven policing divisions in an effort to boost the present strength and further aid in the reduction and prevention of crimes, in particular by increased visibility. At present, 274 recruits are in training at the various colleges in the three counties. From January to March of this year, 35 officers and other ranks benefitted from overseas training in all aspects of policing including: Maritime Intelligence, Border Security, Crime Observation, Extortion, Cyber Crime, Immigration, Witness Protection Practitioners, Intelligence Gathering and Analysis and Human Trafficking. Also, the Cops and Faith Community Network dealt with 236 males and 139 females who have been spared the indignity of the Criminal Justice System, due to their intervention between the Complainants/Reporters, Victims and Police. The network also assists in invigilating, marking and supervising of the Learner Driver Theoretical and Practical Examinations as well as offering counseling to police ranks that experienced traumatic encounters and victims of serious crimes among others.

Sunday April 16, 2017

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Kaieteur News

Everyone to get potable water by 2025 Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), Dr. Richard Van West-Charles, has said that his entity is looking to ensure that everyone has access to potable water by 2025. However, before this is achieved there are a number of corrective measures that the water company has now embraced and is working on a number of fronts to ensure the populace can access quality water supply. DEBT COLLECTION The CEO said that when he took over the reins at GWI there was a serious issue with debt collection and while the amount collected from those with outstanding balance have been over $2B there is a need for more work in this regard. Dr. Van West Charles said that the debt recovery unit has now been re-established and the billing system is now being addressed. The water company head said that previously bills were generated every quarter but this has now changed and customers are now getting bills every 28 days. He said that there were some serious issues with the quarterly bills and noted that this was one of the reasons why $5B was owed. “I met a situation where people were not paying their bills on time and was always paying for a previous period and not the current cycle.” He said that at present the

…GWI using technology to improve efficiency

CEO GWI, Dr. Richard Van West Charles water company is zoning communities and in another two months persons who reside in zoned communities will begin to receive their water bills promptly. Dr. Van West Charles explained that it is important that customers make their payments since 60 percent of GWI’s revenue comes from 40 percent of customers who are using meters. It is towards this end that the water company will be installing an additional 40,000 meters by year end. Dr. Van West Charles explained that the evidence is clear that metered customers conserve water and the water company also benefits from financial efficiency. LEAKS According to Dr. Van West Charles, there were copious leaks across the

system previously and work has already commenced to rectify this problem. The CEO informed that in one week GWI will be launching two applications (Apps) where customers can report leaks instantly by using these apps. He said that one of the requirements for the contractors that are under the employ of GWI is to have the application (app) installed on their phones and they are required to take a picture of the leak before the work commences and another one after the leak has been fix. Dr. Van West Charles said this is an important issue since leakages compromise the water pressure. QUALITY OF WATER The water company head said he looks forward to the day when black tanks will become obsolete because of the improvement of the water quality; something this is being aggressively looked at. Dr. Van West Charles said that this issue is being looked at from two frontiers, water treatment in the form of chlorine use for mainly ground water and the installation of filtration systems for places that are accessing surface water. He said that the quality of water has many benefits; chief amidst those benefits is

the reduction of water borne diseases such as diarrhea and other related illnesses. He said previously at the shelter belt in Georgetown there was no laboratory that looked at testing of the water quality. At present, there is a 24hour functioning testing lab that tests the water quality every two hours. Additionally, water lines are now being constantly flushed. Reflectively, the CEO said that this is an area where more emphasis should have been placed. PUMPS AND INTERCONNECTIVITY Dr. Van West Charles also said that the days of having one pump to service a community are over and that the water company is looking to ensure reliable water supply by improving interconnection among pumps in different communities.

The CEO said that this is important because if a particular pump breaks down water can be sourced from another pump that is part of the inter-connecting pumps. He said that this is a more efficient way to distributing water, since the one pump for village system was fraught with many operational issues and if the pump becomes defective the community is without water supply and there are limited alternatives. ABUSE OF GWI WORKERS Turning his attention to professionalism by GWI employees, Dr. Van West Charles said that he expects them to be respectful to customers at all times and nothing less will be tolerated since the customers are at the heart of their operation. However it is by the same token that Dr. Van West Charles expects customers to extend that courtesy to his

employees. It is towards this end that he explained the importance of customers paying their bills. He said that failure to meet those financial obligations will be met with disconnection. Dr. Van West Charles said there have been occasions when GWI employees have been chased with cutlasses when attempting to disconnect errant customers. The CEO warned that such behaviour will not be tolerated and the police will be called in when the water company officials have been threatened or abused. And for those persons who are bent on stealing water, Dr. Van West Charles had a message for them. “If you steal water we will take you before the court.” He said that his company is willing to work out a suitable payment plan for those persons who owe.

PAGE 14

Sunday April 16, 2017

Kaieteur News

Postponement of Sherriff Street/Mandela Ave. tender openings… US authorities slap fine on Dynamic Airways for cancellations, refunds delays ‘We are awaiting no objection from IDB’ – Infrastructure Ministry

Dynamic has been fined US$120,000 for consistently failing to notify passengers of cancellations and in delays of processing refunds. The US Department of Transportation (DoT) has fined Dynamic International Airways, LLC, US$120,000 (estimate $24M) for delays in flights and processing passengers’ refunds. In a consent order served Thursday, DoT disclosed that it concerns violations by Dynamic in relation to regulations on public charter operations with respect to providing prompt refunds to passengers after flight cancellations and promptly notifying passengers of the cancellations. The violations also constitute violations of the regulations which prohibit unfair and deceptive practices and unfair methods of competition in air transportation. The DoT order did not immediately say the complaints it investigated were from Guyana. Dynamic conducts charter flights between Guyana and New York but had faced complaints about cancellations and delays in the past. It is locally being handled by Roraima Airways. Documents seen by Kaieteur News stated that Dynamic’s failure to promptly notify passengers of flight cancellations also violates the cease and desist provision made in March 2016. “This order also concerns reporting delinquencies by Dynamic that constitute violations of 49 U.S.C. § 41708 and the accounting and reporting requirements specified in 14 CFR Part 241. This order directs Dynamic to cease and desist from future violations of the aforementioned regulations and statutes and Order, and assesses the carrier a compromise civil penalty of $120,000.” DoT documents explained that Dynamic is a certificated air carrier based in Greensboro, North Carolina. It conducts single entity charter flights and direct sales public charter flights between the United States and points outside of the United States. “Based on a significant increase of consumer complaints filed with the

Department’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division against Dynamic in 2016, the Department’s Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings (Enforcement Office) conducted an investigation of these complaints and found that in many instances, Dynamic failed to provide refunds in a timely manner to passengers affected by cancelled flights, as is required. “In numerous cases, consumers had to wait for months to receive a refund. The Enforcement Office also found that in several cases, Dynamic also violated section 380.12(b) by failing to provide written notice to passengers after cancellations more than ten days out of their return flights. As a result, some passengers arrived at airports and were forced to purchase separate tickets from other airlines at the last minute.” As a certificated carrier, Dynamic is required to comply with the Department’s reporting requirements. “During 2016, Dynamic consistently failed to file in a timely manner applicable monthly and quarterly financial reports with the Department’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics as required by Sections 23-25 of Part 241.” By way of mitigation and explanation, Dynamic states that it consolidated its flight operations in the summer of 2016 to focus on a few key markets to improve service, and that such consolidation

resulted in numerous flight cancellations in a relatively short amount of time, which in turn resulted in an unusually large number of refunds that needed to be processed. Dynamic stated that it has brought on additional personnel to address the refunds issue. Dynamic asserts that this situation was exacerbated by some passengers making double refund requests, one directly from Dynamic and one via a chargeback through the passenger’s credit card. Dynamic alleged that this practice resulted in Dynamic, Dynamic’s escrow bank, and Dynamic’s credit card processor undertaking repeated lengthy reconciliations of passenger funds in escrow. DoT’s Enforcement Office said it carefully considered the information provided by Dynamic and continues to believe that enforcement action is warranted. “In order to avoid litigation, the Enforcement Office and Dynamic have reached a settlement of this matter, without admitting or denying the violations alleged in this order. “This compromise assessment is appropriate considering the nature and extent of the violations described herein and serves the public interest. It represents a strong deterrent to future noncompliance with the Department’s requirements pertaining to public charters and reporting of financial data,” DoT explained in its order.

In wake of the concerns raised by contractors over the postponement of the opening of tenders for a component of the Sheriff Street/Mandela Avenue Expansion Project, the Government has sought to clarify the situation. According to the release from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure yesterday, the opening of tenders for the project – lot six to seven – was postponed as the Ministry awaits the “No Objection” from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for a revised scope of works. “While the tender opening for this project was slated for April 11, 2017, this process was postponed and bidders have been informed of the postponement while the goahead is awaited. Furthermore, tenders were returned unopened and can be resubmitted on the newly identified tender opening date.” The statement also said that the project was revised following discussions with the Ministry of Finance, with the aim of achieving completion before the loan deadline set out by the IDB. Initially, Loan-2741 was signed in 2012 to the tune of US$66M, with a deadline of March 2018. The revised scope, which is anticipated to cost US$35M,

Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson will include relocation of utilities – the Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Company and the Guyana Water Incorporated have been contracted for this aspect; pedestrian crossing; milling and new overlay of the surface; and repairs to bridges and structures. While the revised scope was submitted to the Ministry of Finance and subsequently forwarded to the IDB, the project must be green-lit before the tender opening can take place. Otherwise, the process would not be recognised by the IDB, the Ministry stated yesterday. The initial project was tendered twice; first in 2014 and then again in 2015, both

Cowboy jailed for chopping another Devon Isaacs called Cowboy, 22, who brutally chopped Trobey Abrams across his face, causing him to lose partial vision in his right eye has been jailed for two and half years. He appeared before Magistrate Alex Moore in the New Amsterdam Magistrate Court and was found guilty. He was also ordered to pay Abrams compensation in the sum of $2M failing which he will have to serve a further two and a half years in jail upon the completion of the first sentence. He was also sentenced to a further six months in jail for threatening to kill the virtual complainant. That incident occurred in the Magistrate Court.

Isaacs, who is well known to the authorities, gave a number of addresses including, Angoy’s Avenue, Church Street, New Amsterdam and Adelphi Village, East Canje, Berbice. He was accused on November 27 last, at Angoy’s Avenue whilst armed with a cutlass, of unlawfully and maliciously wounding Trobey Abrams with intent to maim, disfigure, disable or cause him grievously bodily harm. The court was told that they two men are known to each other, but are not friends. Around 23:30hrs on the night in question, Abrams was asleep at home when he was aroused by a sound. Before he realized what was happening

Nandlall sues Attorney General for...

From page 9 investigation and submitted to the Defendant, his findings in a report during the month of January, 2016. Nandlall said that the AG’s report did not implicate him or the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Legal Affairs in any wrongdoing. The writ noted that Williams had the report from the Auditor- General since January 2016. “On several occasions over the past five months, the Attorney- General, both in jest and seriousness, indicated to me that if I continue to criticize him, publicly, he will make the issue of these books, public, obviously, in an attempt to embarrass me. “Unfazed by such infantile intimidation, on each occasion, I told him to proceed, since I will never compromise my duty to the people of Guyana to criticize and expose executive conduct which warrant criticisms and exposure.” The writ continued, “You will note that this disclosure by the

times under the previous administration. On the second occasion, tenders were returned in May 2015 as none of the contractors were deemed responsive. The tenders were scheduled to open on Tuesday last however, the opening was postponed at the last minute. Representatives of bidders, who reportedly worked around the clock to finish the tender documents, were waiting for the documents to be opened publicly. It was only when representatives of the respective companies arrived at the NPTAB to witness the opening that they were informed of the extension. It was revealed that the submission date was extended to May 2. Bidders, who asked not to be named, said that they only learnt of the cancellation after their representatives contacted them. An email informing the bidders of the cancellation was sent after the announcement was made at the Main Street office of the NPTAB. Contractors subsequently began contacting Kaieteur News raising concerns; questioning the reason for the extension and whether it was done within the confines of the procurement laws.

Attorney- General has come upon the heels of my statement in the press in response to GECOM’s Press Release on the legal position in respect of the local authority organs where they have been tied seats….Over the last few months, whenever the Claimant criticizes the Defendant, the Defendant would repeat the self-same scandalous allegation, accusing the Claimant of dishonesty and legal impropriety in relation to, the said Law Reports.” The court was told that Nandlall believes that unless retrained, Williams will continue to repeat the “said defamatory remarks of and concerning the Applicant.” The “publications complained of are false and malicious and the truth is very much known to the Respondent…the Respondent is motivated by ill-will, spite and malice. The publications complained of are causing and have caused grave and substantial damage to the good character, professional standing and political stature of the Applicant.”

he was chopped across his face. He received a cut stretching from his right ear to his right eye. He was chopped a few more times but wasabletoholdontothecutlass and became entangled with the intruder. The man fled and Abrams was able to recognize the perpetrator even as he shouted for help. Abrams was subsequently taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital where he was admitted for emergency operation. Isaacs was also sentenced to a further six months in jail on a charge of threatening behaviour, in which he threatened to kill Isaacs, which occurred in the New Amsterdam Magistrate Court. That charge reads that around 10:30hrs on Monday 20th February at the New Amsterdam Magistrate Court, Isaacs who was on trial for wounding Abrams threatened to kill the virtual complainant if he was responsible for him going to jail. His remarks were heard by those in the court including Magistrate Moore, who told the VC to make a complaint to the police. The matter was reported and Isaacs was furthered charged and jailed for six months. That sentence will run consecutively with the first sentence.

Sunday April 16, 2017

Kaieteur News

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Sunday April 16, 2017

Kaieteur News

The late Dr. Frank Beckles “Dr. Beckles joined the Peace Corps and served in Gabon and Niger before returning to the United States

New Testament Church of God gears...

Sunday April 16, 2017

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Kaieteur News

Guyana gets PAHO support to attend Mexico Diabetes meeting - three Guyanese elected to inaugural Regional Youth Leaders Board Three Guyanese have been elected to sit on the inaugural board of the Regional Youth Leaders in Diabetes. The Board was formed last month during the International Diabetes Federation’s North America and Caribbean [NAC] region Diabetic Associations meeting in Guadalajara, Mexico. The elected Guyanese are Ms. Keziah Nestor as Vice President; Ms Mallissa Kandhai, Secretary, and First Committee Member on Education, Mr. Martin King. The three are all members of the youth arm of the Guyana Diabetic Association - the Youth Leaders in Diabetes. Other members of the Board are its President Jermaine James of St. Kitts; Treasurer Ashwael Warner of Barbados; Project Manager Clyde Lewis of Belize and Second Committee Member with responsibility for fundraising, Ms. Danielle Harney of Bermuda. Other local members who attended the recent meeting were President of the Diabetic Association, Mrs. Glynis Alonzo-Beaton, and Ms. Shawna Mars-Blaize. The group left Guyana on March 23 last, for the four-day Mexico meeting, which had as its main focus the importance of youth work in helping to battle the scourge of Type One diabetes. Although there were at least 10 territories represented at the NAC meeting, Guyana’s fledgling Youth Leaders in Diabetes was viewed as the most vibrant in helping to raise awareness about Type One diabetes. The youth arm was established in January of last year. In fact, it was in recognition of the important role that the youth arm has been playing here in Guyana, that the move for a regional Diabetic Board was encouraged, so that other countries could see similar benefit. The move was initiated by Mrs. AlonzoBeaton. Travelling to the Mexico meeting came at no small cost. But according to AlonzoBeaton, the Guyana Diabetic Association was able to gain

From left: Mallissa Kandhai, Keziah Nestor, Martin King and Shawna Mars-Blaize. immense support from the Pan American Health Organisation [PAHO] to fund two [Kandhai and King] of the three youth leaders’ travel to Mexico. “Sometimes when you get support from international organisations you take it lightly, but I can say I appreciate PAHO’s assistance,” said Alonzo-Beaton, as she pointed out that because of the stringent requirement of PAHO, the support cannot be taken lightly. “Their requirement is that the persons who were funded...they have to complete a project and implement what they have learned,” said AlonzoBeaton,” as she emphasised that “the PAHO support was important because we do not get subventions...we have to depend on fundraising and membership fees to do whatever we need to do, and a trip like this required hundreds of thousands of dollars, but when I asked PAHO for support, they were ready and willing, and this is not the first time PAHO has assisted us.” According to Nestor, who also holds the position of

President of the Youth Leaders in Diabetes, the trip to Mexico was a success, since “we learnt how to be responsible leaders. We had a twoday meeting with the members of the North American Caribbean region that was conducted by the Chair Elect, Her Excellency Ms. Sharon Fraser, and she taught us as young leaders how to always be responsible.” Nestor explained that the intent of the meeting was to ensure that each territory represented would be able to initiate a Youth Leaders in Diabetes, similar to what Guyana already has in place. At the meeting, the participants were able to meet and interact with some Type One diabetics, many of whom shared their experiences and ideas about what can be done to help tackle the health challenge which has been noticeably increasing. Given the success of the meeting, Nestor too was eager to share her appreciation for the PAHO support. “PAHO did a great job of funding two of our members to learn, so that they can come back and share their knowl-

The Baccoo Speaks The Easter weekend is known for its accidents and this one will be no different. There will be a vehicular crash along the eastern corridor. There will be injuries and serious damage. Speed mixed with alcohol would be the cause as well as careless driving. ** Another fire will break out in the western section of the country. This one will be

blamed on arson because of a domestic dispute. The arsonist will

be caught and will be beaten, because the fire would have threatened neighbouring surroundings. ** The police would make an arrest. They would see suspicious activity and on intervention, would find guns in a car. The plot would have been to execute a robbery in an area that is usually quiet and off the beaten track.

edge.” But the participants of the meeting are slated to have their knowledge further augmented when they attend a Type One Diabetes training camp in Canada in the near future. The training camp, according to Nestor, was initiated by IDF member, Ms. Debbie Jones. “We will be a part of an actual camp to learn all there is to know about dealing with Types Ones, because it is important that we understand what we are doing before we are able to do even more,” Nestor related. Once the training in Canada is completed, the participants will then convene similar camps throughout the NAC region. “We will be ready to start some serious awareness. We thought that it was only in Guyana that there evidence of ignorance about Type One diabetes, but

Ms. Glynis Alonzo-Beaton making a presentation at the recent meeting at the meeting we learnt that this is not unique to Guyana, and we all have to do serious awareness work,” Nestor asserted. Type One Diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes [since it occurs in younger individuals] or insulin diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. The lack of insulin results in high blood sugar levels. This condition has reportedly been responsible for the onset of depression in a number of Type One diabetic patients. The local youth group, even ahead of the meeting, has been working to raise awareness about this. According to Kandhai, she decided to be a part of the group so that she could learn more about diabetes. Both Kandhai and Nestor have relatives who suffer from

diabetes, thus they wanted to learn more so that they could be more supportive. “I am hoping as a group we will be able to push awareness of Type One diabetes so that we can help persons living with it to better cope and have self-empowerment as we strive to reduce this in the region,” said Kandhai, who also holds the position of Secretary of the youth arm. King on the other hand is a Type One diabetic and serves as Treasurer of the group. “At the meeting we learnt a lot about moulding ourselves to be young leaders for our country, to help and motivate other young people to be like us,” said King, as he stressed how crucial it is to raise awareness, in the quest to help Type One diabetics be in a position to better control the chronic disease.

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Sunday April 16, 2017

Kaieteur News

The Monica Reece Murder Mystery Part Three: A cover-up and a possible killer By Michael Jordan “One of these days, I gun tell you something about Monica Reece that gun shock you,” the senior police official said to me. It was Monday, December 27, 1993, eight months after Reece had been murdered, and this policeman, who had at one point been at the forefront of the investigation, was about to tell me something new. We were on Mandela Avenue, collecting bottled water at Banks DIH Limited, and I had gotten him started on Reece after bringing the case up. He had hinted something to me before, when we—the police and the media—were following the Reece case like we had never pursued a case before or since. To use a term Commissioner Laurie Lewis was fond of using, the police appeared to be “leaving no stone unturned” to catch Reece’s killer. BRUTALBEATING Forensic pathologist Dr. Leslie Mootoo’s detailed autopsy report had established that Reece had suffered a savage beating, which left her with a broken jaw and other injuries, before she was unceremoniously dumped in Main Street. The autopsy also showed that she had sexual intercourse some hours before she was slain. Going further, Dr. Mootoo collected pubic and other hair samples from Reece’s remains. These, and samples from the pickups police had impounded, were reportedly sent overseas. Several weeks after she was killed, Reece’s body was exhumed and more samples taken. These, too, were reportedly sent overseas. The results, according to police, were all “inconclusive,” leaving detectives no closer to catching the killer. And some would argue, and some did, that Reece’s lifestyle made it harder for the investigators to pin down who that killer might be. A detailed investigation revealed that the pretty 19year-old security guard had several dates on the Good Friday on which she was slain. David McKenzie, operations manager of the Loss Prevention Guard Service, said that at around 13:00 hrs on Good Friday, he visited Reece at the Ministry of Health in Brickdam, where she was detailed to work. According to McKenzie, Reece said that if a man called ‘Mark’ called for her at the

office, he must tell ‘Mark’ to take lunch to her worksite. Reece also told McKenzie about her relationship with a man who drove a 4×4 pickup, whom she claimed was in love with her. McKenzie claims she also handed him a piece of paper with several names and a telephone number. The security official told investigators that he remembered the name ‘Mark’ on the paper, but he could not recall the telephone number or what he had done with the paper Reece had given him. McKenzie later dropped Reece on his bicycle to a phone booth at Regent and Hinck Streets. That was the last time he saw her alive. Between 16:40 hrs and 17:00 hrs, Reece informed Mark Torrington, a security guard, that she had a date with a Chinese man from McDoom. She told him not to be surprised if he heard she was dead. At 18:30 hrs she left Kalian Yard at Lot 240 Camp Street. She had changed out of her security uniform and was wearing a white T-shirt and black tights. At 19:15 hrs she was seen by Special Constable Linden Samuels entering the Brickdam Police Station compound. She was allegedly crying, and about five minutes later she was seen entering a black Pathfinder parked near the station. At around 20:30 hrs she visited Charles McAllister, a driver, at a Church Street disco. She reportedly left, returned, and then walked west along Church Street. At about 22:05 hrs, an eyewitness saw Reece’s body falling out of a pickup in Main Street. At least 27 pick-ups were impounded by police and 200 persons were questioned. But all this brought the cops no closer to solving the case. Police also announced a $100,000 reward for information on Reece’s killer. There were no takers. SPECULATION APLENTY Commissioner Laurie Lewis and some other investigators complained that the media speculation about who the killer was, and why Reece was slain, was scaring away eyewitnesses. And speculation aplenty there was. One of the stories was that Reece might have been killed because of her knowledge of a 117-pound cocaine bust on a Guyana Airways Corporation plane in the US in March of the same year. Then there was the sud-

Former Police Commissioner, Laurie Lewis

Former Police Commissioner and Crime Chief, Winston Felix

den demise of a street character named ‘Tourist.’ ‘Tourist’ used to hang out in Main Street and he died a few days after Monica Reece. There was speculation in some sections of the press that he was slain because he knew who had killed Reece and had been talking too much. The police insisted that ‘Tourist’, who was suffering from tuberculosis, died of natural causes. One senior officer feels that the stress of seeing Reece’s dumped body caused ‘Tourist’ to collapse. Despite the Commissioner’s pleas, there was also speculation in the press about the killer’s identity. Some suggested that she was killed by a rich city businessman’s son, and some stories suggested that he could be identified because his pickup made a distinctive noise. Others speculated that she had been beaten to death with a baseball bat by the owner of a city disco. Reporters were even going into Tiger Bay at night digging for clues. COVER UP? In the presence of their colleagues, police investigators would insist that they did everything they could to catch the killer. But those who confided in me said they were unhappy with some aspects of the investigation. Some detectives felt that too much information was being fed to the media at the Commissioner’s monthly press conferences. Others felt that some superior officers were deliberately leading them “in another direction” when they came forward with what seemed to be clues leading to the culprit. One of the investigators confirmed that there was a persistent rumour that a son of a very senior police official might have driven the pickup from which Reece was

dumped. The investigator says that this lead was checked out and the official’s son was cleared. The first official statement indicating that someone had indeed tampered with the investigation came in August 2016, after the 23-year-old cold case was re-opened. It was then that Acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine told journalists that “an unprofessional course of action” took place during the initial investigation. He repeatedly refused to identify who was responsible for this “unprofessional” action. Shortly after, one senior investigator told me that a number of obstacles were put in the way of detectives to make it difficult for them to nab Reece’s killer. “A number of things obstructed us,” he told me last year. “It was never intended for it to be a straightforward investigation. Where the obstruction came from, I don’t know, but there are some who knew where the obstruction came from.” But retired Commissioner of Police Winston Felix, who was Crime Chief back then, says he knows of no individual who had deliberately hampered the investigation. According to Felix, investigators “went as far as we could,” but intervention by the media caused a key witness to go into hiding. “We had a certain witness that we wanted to interview…the person who could have helped us. But certain media houses staked out the (eyewitness’) house, and the person disappeared. We could not put our hands on the eyewitness from then to now. We had a certain idea (about the killer’s identity), but we had to have evidence to link (the suspect).” Some senior police officers expressed the view that valuable time and resources

Monica Reece were being wasted on a case involving a female of Reece’s character. Some months after Reece was murdered, I appeared with a few journalists and Reece’s mother, on a television talk show which highlighted the unsolved case. A few days later, I was ‘invited’ to CID Headquarters, Eve Leary, by an official who wanted to know if I had any helpful information. I said I did not. Now, this was one of the officials who was very unhappy with the media’s scrutiny, and he said something that startled me. “You know this is a solved case?” he said. But he said nothing more. Then we had this chance meeting on December 27 on the West Ruimveldt ‘back road,’ where we had both gone to purchase bottled water. “Anything new on Monica Reece?” I asked. The official sucked his teeth and said: “I wish we could just forget she and bury she. When you live by the sword, you die by the sword.” “But it’s a human being,” I replied. “Yes,” he agreed. “And y’all want we fuh clean up the mess she lef behind. One of these days, I gun tell you something about Monica Reece that gun shock you.” And he proceeded to tell me his theory about what had happened that Good Friday night. His belief is that the Reece

case is no murder. He believes Reece was having an affair with a married man, or a man who had another woman. He thinks that Reece was pestering this individual and during an argument, she accidentally fell out of his pickup and succumbed to her injuries. He would tell me nothing about the man’s identity. We never spoke again about the case. I put forward the official’s theory to one of the detectives who had initially spearheaded the investigation. He insists that Dr. Mootoo’s autopsy shows that Reece was beaten to death and succumbed before she was dumped from the pick-up. WHO KILLED MONICA REECE? So who killed Monica Reece? Detectives believe that the man whose pick-up seems to match the numbers June Holland saw, is their suspect. One investigator says despite his denials, there is evidence that he knew Reece. The investigator laughs, but does not confirm or deny suggestions that some persons tried to protect this individual. And to this day, I find myself asking: Did he really kill Monica Reece? What drove him to this brazen act? Does he sometimes feel a tinge of remorse, or even a stab of dread, when he passes through Main Street, or if he sees someone resembling her, or if someone mentions her (Continued on page 71)

Sunday April 16, 2017

Kaieteur News

The cultural contortion of Guyana was going on all the time

There has been a huge outcry over the rhetoric of a Christian pastor in one of the more well-known high schools in the country. He was invited by the Headmistress. The preacher is known for tempestuous denunciation of non-Christian religions and cultures. The angry reaction has led to a declaration by the Ministry of Education that such types of preachers would not be invited in the future. One wonders why the outcry at this time. This country has been going through a moral, spiritual and cultural debasement, some manifestations of which are so sickening that they would not happen in any other country in the entire world. The simple fact is that there are sociological, social and cultural deformities that have overtaken this nation and have destroyed the psychic integrity of the Guyanese people. I have done about six columns documenting the cultural insults to this society from advertisements, some of which are so demeaning that even banana republics (there

may be only one banana republic left in the world, and that is Guyana) would display angry revulsion. I saw a GBTI advertisement inviting tertiary education pursuers to apply for a special education loan, and it featured a number of students all of whom were Caucasian, with knapsacks on their backs and broad smiles on their faces. This was in a country were non-white citizens constitute about 95 percent of the population. Most definitely, no African country would have tolerated that advertisement. French people would have seen red if such an advertisement had appeared in the media and all the faces were Mexicans or Chinese. I saw an advertisement from Toucan Industries featuring popsicles for children. All the children in the photo were Caucasian. Surely, Toucan wouldn’t make a profit on their popsicles if they waited on only White children to buy them in Guyana. I was driving on Camp Road going north to the seawall when I noticed a huge billboard in the compound of

the Everest Cricket Club. It was an insurance advertisement from Hand-In-Hand. It lauded the value of having an insurance policy and the man welcoming you on the billboard to take out an insurance policy was a hugely-built Caucasian fellow all dressed up in a three-piece suit. The next day, I went to Hand-InHand to see its boss, Keith Evelyn, to ask why that colour content. He refused to see me. There is a private school named Global Technology that mostly uses White faces in their media placements. In one of the columns I did on this cultural debasement of Guyanese and Guyana, I made mention of this. I spoke to the general-manager about it and he agreed it was wrong. It has never changed up to this day. Pick up the newspapers and look at the Global Technology placements, you will see the perennial face of a White woman with a cute smile. One of Guyana’s most competent sports writers told me a story about what happened at one of the motor racing events. I remember this

conversation vividly. It took place while I was having a snack at JR Burgers one Sunday evening in 2013. He said there was a special VIP section in the pavilion. People were coming into and going from the pavilion quite freely without being stopped. When this dark-skinned African guy walked in, the guard asked him if he had permission. This is what Guyana has become and all of a sudden we discovered it after the incident at the school. Let me say in all honesty, and I may be wrong but it is my opinion; I would not be surprised if motor racing sports naturally evolve into segregated audiences as I

knew it growing up in Guyana. Please don’t get me wrong, I know that existed back then, but I never went to one of those races, and I doubt I ever will go. A man has got to know his limitations. I think with my skin colour I would be at home at a football game or cricket match. So where was the outrage at all of these sociological aberrations and social insults that I have just described about? Let me end with an incident in a supermarket. I saw this with my own two eyes. I was in the cashier’s line and this Caucasian fellow produced a $5000 (in local lingo it is called a “Granger”). This was when the new bill

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Frederick Kissoon had just come out. The cashier casually took the bill and handed the change. When the local guy gave her a “Granger,” she held it up against the light.

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Sunday April 16, 2017

Kaieteur News

All it takes is your imagination and some capital input Due diligence and mapping are in progress for a fully functional onshore oil and gas facility at Crab Island located in the mouth of the Berbice River at 6.283°N 57.517°W. The island measures one mile in circumference, and it was so named because of the numerous crabs living and breeding there. Incidentally, before the British took over Berbice in the year 1815, the Dutch settlers had built a fort on the island called St. Andries. The Ministry of Natural Resources is convinced that it is an ideal location for an onshore supply base equipped and resourced to cater to the oil and gas exploration and eventually the production companies. The companies that have been issued licences to explore Guyana’s deep waters include Repsol, Tullow Oil, CGX, JHI, Eco Atlantic and Ratio Oil. The government will be investing US$500 million to construct the onshore supply base, and all things being equal, construction should begin in 2017. When completed, the facility will serve as a logistics and supply base

for offshore oil platforms in the Stabroek Block and other locations in Guyana’s territorial waters. BENEFITS FOR PRIVATE BUSINESS The supply base will consist of many different components including heavy industrial businesses for maintenance of industrial equipment, metal fabrication, warehousing, storage and handling of spare parts, vehicle repairs and even hospitality services such as food production and accommodation. The supply base is expected to create approximately 600 jobs that will have a positive impact on Berbice. For many years the business community has been looking for solutions to keep their young people and their trained skills in the county, graduates of secondary schools, Tech/Voc institutes and graduates from the Tain and John’s UG campuses. For decades, rice growers, millers and producers of byproducts; metal work establishment owners, large scale retailers, private cane farmers and others have been decrying the shortage of labour

and skills at every level. On the other hand, youths and other employable citizens bemoan the shortage of jobs, so they migrate to the city or out of the country. The decision to locate the Logistics and Supply Base at Crab Island was influenced by several factors, the major one being the many jobs that will be created with the establishment of new enterprises that should be supplying the oil vessels and platforms. Secondly, the location with its available space is ideal. The term used to describe the Crab Island location in this context is “Most Optimal”. In addition, there is a need to set up a dedicated supply base away from the always congested Port Georgetown (Water St.) in the city. One more essential factor in the choice of location is the need to ensure that there is local involvement to better regulate the supply chain for this exploration and oil production business. We are determined to ensure that the people of Guyana could participate in this venture as far as circumstances permit. CREATING OUR OWN

JOB OPPORTUNITIES We have heard the advice given by the Chairman of the Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Dax Driver, during a visit to Guyana. He said, “There is plenty of room for small and medium sized businesses to find a niche for themselves in a hydrocarbon industry (in upstream and downstream service businesses). Jobs in the energy sector are not just for highly qualified professionals with Masters Degrees. There are lots of extremely well paying jobs in the industry for people with technical or craft-level qualifications. In fact, the jobs for people with practical technical skills tend to be the best paying jobs”. He noted though, that it will be tough for inexperienced Guyanese to land jobs on this major offshore floating, production storage and off-take (FPSO) operation which is extremely complex, risky and highly capital intensive. World class operators such as Exxon and Esso, he warned, generally prefer to employ contractors and service companies they know and trust. The thing for us to do right away is a lot of research; first to determine the best products to supply to the facility, then to acquire the highest phytosanitary and ISO

certifications. The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) is equipped to provide the necessary guidance. Considering all the positive spin-offs, Guyana needs to establish this supply base here to support the oil operations. It may be a public-private partnership, or government-funded arrangement. At present, ExxonMobil uses bases in neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago and Port Georgetown, but their officials have made reference to the longer time periods for supply vessels to travel between the vessels and the T&T base. Guyana is closer, and Crab Island is even closer. Trinidad is planning to continue providing onshore supply services to ExxonMobil when production starts, so setting up our Crab Island supply base assumes greater importance. SPIN-OFF INDUSTRIES Worldwide, experts agree that there at least 167 different industries that spin off of oil and gas production. We say again that few countries are as widely resourced as Guyana is, but unfortunately as unknown. The Department of Tourism has been touting the many avenues for enterprising Guyanese to tap the resources in their own environments, manufacture byproducts that are uniquely

Guyanese, utilize the Internet to market the products and improve your visibility to customers anywhere in the world, and give your business an injection. We say that this imminent oil industry will not only provide much needed funds to the national treasury, it will provide a readymade market for many of our products. Take Berbice for instance, where Crab Island is located. There is so much potential in these regions (5 and 6) for new endeavours, e.g. inland fish farms to provide aquatic creatures for decoration (aquariums) and fresh water fish and crustaceans for food. Rice and sugar cane are grown in abundance and the prospects for a wealth of value-added products are great. The people working on the oil vessels, some of whom would be here for protracted periods, would welcome the chance to eat indigenous foods, to participate in our cultures, to experience the much touted Guyanese hospitality, and even visit rice mills and production facilities to see how the products are made. We urge you to take full advantage of the oil industry and all it has to offer. All it takes is your imagination and some capital input.

Sunday April 16, 2017

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Kaieteur News

My column

Mob violence is always with us Today is Easter Sunday, one of the holiest days in the Christian calendar. It is supposed to celebrate the return of the Lord and Saviour from the dead. The Scriptures proclaim that Jesus the Christ died on the cross on Good Friday after some of the worst beating any human ever suffered. It is said that he did not complain. As I reflect on the public torture that Jesus endured, I cannot help but reflect on the torture that some in this modern society have had to endure. Just this past week, a lady came to me to complain about the treatment her son received at the hands of the police. As she put it, her son was arrested for simple larceny. She said that he has a mental illness and on many occasions she has had to call on the police to help restrain him. Since his condition is known to the police, she could not understand their treatment of him. Not only did they put him in a cell, but they also took him out, she said, and carried him to the backlands where they beat the living daylights out of him. When she spoke to the officer in charge of the Suddie police station, the man reportedly asked her if her son had fathered any children. When she answered in the negative, the man reportedly told her that she had nothing to worry about, then. Not only was that callous,

but it exposed the reaction of the people entrusted with maintaining peace to people with mental illness. It also exposes something else. It exposes the human delight in torturing others. This very woman spoke of another young man who was arrested while she was at the Suddie Police Station. The man was shackled, so there was no possibility of him escaping. According to her, the man objected to being placed in the Suddie lock-ups, which she said is not fit for human habitation. Immediately the man was set upon by a group of policemen in the compound and struck in the face and other parts of the body, so severely that blood flowed. There must have been some joy in this for the vicious policemen. There are other instances of this. I know of a case where Claudius Sam, now deceased, was taken to the back of the Botanical Gardens and beaten. The report is that the police ranks who took him there almost drowned him. Then they sheared his locks, which his sisters managed to recover and bring to the media. These days such beatings of suspects continue to the extent that many a defendant or accused who appear in court challenge their statements on the grounds that the statements were extracted by violent means. Not only the police beat people. There is the vigilante

justice. People would catch a thief and beat him, sometimes killing him. There was this young black man who was mentally ill and happened to wander into a West Bank Demerara community. The people questioned him and in his disoriented state, he must have given them answers that they could not comprehend. The people beat him to death. A young prisoner was found with some bullets when he returned to the Camp Street jail. As it was told to me, the officers beat the young man until his flesh separated from his body. He died. The pants he wore was found in a cupboard, smelling to high heavens because of the rotting flesh it contained. Even prisoners exact their vengeance. Just recently a man who was convicted of molesting an eight-year-old girl and sentenced to a prolonged term in jail got a beating. Someone also chopped him. He is alive to tell the story and think about the act he committed. Another prisoner who chopped his three children to death got similar treatment. His sister told me that her phone rang and the prisoners who called her wanted her to hear what happened to child killers. She said that she heard the blows rain down on her brother. The man was to get another beating a few days later, as if the first was not enough.

I understand that this is standard treatment in any part of the world for people who molest children. It is as if even prisoners have a code. Adults are one thing, but children are out of bounds. There must be some sadistic joy in mob violence. It is as if the basic animal crawls into the human psyche. How else can one explain the behaviour of human beings who under normal conditions would not harm a fly if these people are alone? I see dogs behave in this way. One dog would stand and bark at something or at a person, but as soon as others join in, the charge begins. I have seen a pack of dogs kill. And so it was with Jesus the Christ. There he was, accused of a crime that even the

ruler of the day could not support, but the mob smelled and wanted blood. The crucifixion was the end of the mob behaviour. When the execution was over they slunk home, sated with what they had participated in and witnessed. The celebration on that Sunday could be understood. Jesus the Christ had survived the mob violence. But it must have been a very sore man who emerged from the tomb. Some say he ascended into Heaven; others say that he went to India and preached until he died of a ripe old age. Whatever the case, Christians the world over are celebrating. The churches have been adorned in white, a change from the mournful purple that adorned the altars

Adam Harris and pulpits during the preceding days. In Guyana, kites would adorn the skies symbolizing the rising of the Christ. There is this joy, but when it is all over, the cycle of violence would continue until the next Easter.

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Sunday April 16, 2017

Kaieteur News

Economic production, political cooperation and social cohesion The Pomeroon-Supenaam Region is a vast area of 6,195 km2. It is larger than the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines can all fit into this region – all at same time. The Region, despite its size and population, has been punching above its weight in terms of its share of national output of coconut, fish, rice and timber. The region, in

2016 produced 85,745 metric tonnes of rice, 810 metric tonnes of marine fish and shrimp, 270,319 metric tonnes of aquaculture fish and 44.4 million coconuts. The Region, in 2016, accounted for 16 per cent of total national rice output, 48 per cent of national production of coconuts, 14 per cent of the national catch of fish and shrimp and 60 per cent of national aquaculture production. The Region contributes to

our food security. Its economic activities generate wealth and create jobs. It has tremendous potential for economic development. It is endowed with very fertile land. It has considerable experience and expertise in agriculture. The Region is this country’s food bowl and fish basket, and can help to feed the rest of Guyana and find export markets for its produce and products within the eastern Caribbean. The industriousness of

the Region’s hard-working residents and the intelligence of its students – as evident in their performance at the CSEC examinations in science and technical-vocational subjects – can contribute to a strong agro-processing and manufacturing base. Pomeroon-Supenaam, however, faces challenges. The Region has comparative advantages in agricultural production. Economy production can be diversified, political collaboration can be improved and social cohesion can be enhanced among the various political organizations, geographical zones and social groups. Central government, the regional administration, the Anna Regina town council and stakeholders in the private sector must work together for the Region’s economic diversification. This Region’s economic development must be driven by its capital town – Anna Regina. The town: - is the Region’s administrative centre, with a quarter of the population and responsibility for the delivery of public services such as public health, public infrastructure, public transportation, public education, public security and social protection. - is the Region’s commercial centre, with its main business district, government offices, commercial banks, entertainment places, hotels, markets, post office, police station, rice mills, shops, sports facilities and stores. The Regional Administration, the town council, central government and other stakeholders such as the Essequibo Chamber of Commerce must collaborate so as to convert the Region’s unquestionable potential into

prosperity for everyone. The Region’s economy cannot be tied eternally to raw rice, coconuts, fish, and timber. The Region’s economy can be made more resilient through agro-processing and manufacturing. This diversification requires a multi-stakeholder fashioned Regional Action Plan. We propose that this plan be established on four pillars: Institutions: The Region’s principal institutions – the Regional Democratic Council, the town council and the Chamber of Commerce – must work together with Central Government to develop a realistic plan for the region’s development. A mechanism must be established to facilitate this collaboration. The Central Government is prepared to work along with all these stakeholders in promoting economic development and diversification. - Investment: The Region needs investments to enable economic diversification. Micro- and small business financing, including financing for cottage industries, will help create jobs for the people of Essequibo through selfemployment. The region should actively court investors for economic diversification such as energy-generation from solar, wind and hydro-power. The Region’s economy can be boosted through manufacturing, including cottage industries, around its fruit production. Fruit can be processed as jams, jellies and juices. Rice can be processed into cereals and other products. Coconut-based products are enjoying high demand on account of their health and beauty benefits, and can be-

come a strong a manufacturing base. - Infrastructure: The Region’s economic development can be improved with more extensive transportation infrastructure. The underdevelopment of transportation continues to affect farmers and businesses. Government will work to support efforts to improve riverine transportation in order to make it easier for farmers and manufacturers to move their produce and products to markets. Flooding has led to crop losses by farmers. Investments to improve drainage are needed. - Information communications technology: Information communication technology is a window to the world. It allows businesses to understand the needs and demands of external markets. It can help them promote their products overseas and attract investment. It improves communication. Information communication technology can create hundreds of jobs for the young people of this region though the establishment of call centres. The Essequibo Chamber of Commerce has been making strident demands for the improvement of the Region’s telephone and internet services. The Essequibo Agro and Trade Exposition is an opportunity for the PomeroonSupenaam Region to make a national statement about economic development and economic diversification. The Region must followup this ‘Exposition’ with improved political collaboration and enhanced social cohesion among the various political organizations, geographical zones and social groups in order to craft a plan for faster growth and prosperity for all.

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Kaieteur News

Irregular vaginal bleeding: What you need to know By Dr Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine Irregular vaginal bleeding is a very common condition in women. Up to 14% are affected by this condition. Irregular vaginal bleeding, better known as Dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB), is any bleeding from the vagina that varies from a woman’s normal menstrual cycle. The normal cycle is triggered by signals from hormones. Dysfunctional uterine bleeding occurs when the cycle’s hormonal signals get thrown off. This can include alternating periods that are heavy and light, spotting or unpredictable shorter and longer cycles. Regular monthly menstrual cycles flush out the endometrial lining, which is the blood-enriched layer of tissue that grows inside the uterus every month in anticipation of a possible pregnancy. If ovulation (egg formation) does not occur, periods can be delayed, which allows the lining to grow thicker. For this reason, delayed periods are often heavy ones. Lighter periods, or spotting between periods, may represent an endometrial lining that is unstable and leaking, either because hormonal levels don’t adequately support it or because the lining may be too thick. Other factors that can change bleeding patterns include:

· Hormonal abnormalities (thyroid problems, elevated prolactin hormone) · Medications · Excessive exercise or weight loss · Obesity · Stress or illness · The start of menstruation in adolescence — Regular ovulatory cycles may not develop for a few months or even years. · The end of menstruation — Dysfunctional uterine bleeding is common in the months to years before menopause. ARETHEREANY SYMPTOMS? Irregular bleeding can come at different times from month to month and last for different lengths of time. The amount of blood flow may vary from light to extremely heavy with large clots. In some people, the bleeding may be associated with uterine cramps. HOW IS IT DIAGNOSED? Your doctor will ask about your medical history and about symptoms that might suggest a cause for the irregular bleeding or other hormonal abnormalities. Your doctor may do various tests to check for these causes of abnormal bleeding patterns: · Pregnancy — Urine or blood tests · Thyroid hormone and prolactin hormone abnormalities — Blood tests · Menopause (especially

in women in their 40s or 50s) — Blood tests to determine if estrogen levels are falling, which suggests the beginning stages of menopause · Abnormalities of the uterus or ovaries — A transvaginal ultrasound in which a small, rod-like probe is inserted into the vagina to take measurements of the endometrial lining · Possible cancer in women over 35; or those who have had breast, ovarian or colon cancer; or who have a strong family history of these cancers; or who have not had a period in six months — An endometrial biopsy, done in the office, in which the doctor uses a speculum to look at the cervix, then inserts a thin, straw-like tube through the cervix into the uterus, and brushes it along the endometrial layer to collect a tissue sample If you have heavy bleeding, your doctor will check iron levels in your blood to see if your blood count is low. HOW LONG DOES IT LAST? Most women have a period that is irregular in timing or in the amount of bleeding at some point during their menstrual years, most often because of a cycle without a normal ovulation. Normal periods may resume as early as the next period or might take a few months to become regular again. Some women become regular only with the help of treatments, such as birth control pills. If irregular

periods signal the beginning of menopause, the last period may not occur for a few months or a few years. WHATARE THE TREATMENT OPTIONS? If the cause of dysfunctional uterine bleeding is another medical condition, treating that condition should restore normal cycles. Otherwise, treatment is based on the cause, the amount of bleeding and the woman’s reproductive goals (whether she wants to have children or not). Birth control pills, which combine the hormones estrogen and progesterone, can regulate and decrease the amount of bleeding. Your doctor may recommend that you take monthly pills containing progesterone only. Women seeking to become pregnant may be treated with medications to help their ova-

ries ovulate more regularly. Heavy bleeding can be stopped with higher doses of hormone pills — either estrogen or progesterone. When bleeding is more severe, hospitalization may be necessary. If hormonal therapy does not work, a surgical D and C (dilation and curettage) can stop severe cases of bleeding. During this procedure, the tissue lining of the uterus is removed, allowing a healthier lining to take its place. If an endometrial biopsy reveals endometrial hyperplasia, which is a thicker and abnormal looking lining, closer monitoring with treatment may be required, especially in older women and postmenopausal women on hormone replacement therapy. Endometrial hyperplasia increases a woman’s risk of developing endometrial cancer. There are many effective

Dr. Zulfikar Bux treatments to help regulate periods and control irregular bleeding. If you have irregular periods and are having difficulty becoming pregnant, you can take drugs that stimulate ovulation. Having irregular periods, however, does not mean you are infertile. You still need to use protection against pregnancy when you are sexually active.

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Kaieteur News

SUNDAY SPECIAL

quency and amounts that Rasul, and the companies he is related to, did.

SOCU DETAINS EX-RICE BOARD CHIEF, ESSEQUIBO MILLER The country’s former head of the Guyana Rice Board and a prominent Essequibo miller were both pulled in for questioning last week Saturday as investigators of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) continued its probe into the spending of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB). Both former General Manager, Jagnarine Singh, and miller, Wazeer Hussein, were reportedly grilled at SOCU’s headquarters, Camp Road. SOCU’s head, Assistant Commissioner, Sydney James, gave little details. He would only admit that a number of persons were being questioned in relation to the GRDB forensic audit report which had been handed over by Government to the police for further investigations. Last Saturday, significant activities were observed at SOCU’s office with James and his investigators present. A number of private vehicles were seen outside the compound. Hussein is a prominent rice miller who has taken over the Kayman Sankar mills on the Essequibo Coast and in Berbice. He is said to be one of the largest purchasers from rice farmers in Region Two. Singh headed GRDB until the Coalition Government took office in May 2015. At that time, the David Granger administration ordered a number of forensic audits into several state agencies, including GRDB, the entity that regulates the rice industry. Billions of dollars were handled by GRDB annually under the previous administration. GRDB also overlooked the lucrative Venezuela oil-for-rice deal which saw billions of dollars being passed through the accounts of the entity over a five-year period to pay rice farmers who were supplying that market. Venezuela scrapped the deal in 2015 after it was announced that Guyana had struck oil in waters that the neighbouring country later

Sunday April 16, 2017

$$$ MILLIONS IN DRUGS UNDER THREAT OF SPOILAGE AT DIAMOND BOND

claimed. It was alleged that the forensic audit report found a number of alarming transactions that the administration said warranted further investigation from the police for possible criminal charges. ALLEGEDMONEY LAUNDERING…SOCU ENGAGED TO PROBE RASUL’S ACTIVITIES -POSSIBLE COLLUSION WITH GOLD BOARD OFFICIALS Government has engaged the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), an arm of the police, to investigate alleged money laundering dealings of embattled gold dealer, Saddiqi ‘Bobby’ Rasul. Officials confirmed over the weekend that SOCU, which has been involved in a number of high-profiled investigations, will be looking into transactions of Rasul’s companies with the Guyana Gold Board (GGB). Among other things, SOCU will also be investigating if any staffers of GGB facilitated and benefitted from the transactions which reportedly amounted to billions of dollars within the last year alone. SOCU’s involvement will complement that of the Board of Directors for GGB which was tasked Tuesday to look into the allegations. A statement from the Natural Resources Ministry on Tuesday dis-

closed that the new directors, headed by Chairman, Gabriel Lall, will have to determine whether anyone from the agency acted improperly or outside of their mandate in conducting business with Rasul. The gold dealer suddenly became a major force on the trading scene around mid last year. He reportedly owns or has linkages to three companies – SSS Mineral Trading Enterprises, Hard Rock Mining and R Mining. The first is licensed to deal in gold while the latter is supposed to conduct mining operations. Under arrangements, mining companies are not required to pay the two percent tax. Rather, they only pay five percent royalties to the GGB. On the other hand, the licensed gold dealing companies have to pay five percent royalty and two percent taxes (seven percent in all) – the last goes to the Guyana Revenue Authority. Investigators will be looking to find out how Rasul sold GGB billions of dollars in gold within the last nine months through the mining companies without any suspicions being raised, especially at the level of GGB and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission. Suspicions should have been raised as medium and small scale miners do not normally wash down daily and in any case very few would have been able produce at the fre-

Contrary to excuses about traffic jams and possibility of a fire offered by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo as reason why the Sussex Street drug bond is needed, Manager of the Diamond facility, Silhouette Craig, has shed new light on the issue. Craig has said that the Diamond warehouse is plagued by unstable electricity. Also, the walk in refrigerator at that facility malfunctions periodically. Since certain drugs need to be stored at a low and maintained temperature, one can easily understand why these shortcomings would pose a big problem for the safety of the drugs. Indeed, it would have been much cheaper to fix the issues at the Diamond bond than to rent the Sussex Street bond for over $12M per month but Craig said that the facility is coming in handy for the time being. Craig said that there is an utmost need for the walk in fridge at the Sussex Street Bond adding that it has come to the rescue on several occasions already. Craig indicated that the Diamond walk in fridge is not filled “because the last time it was down we had to relocate stuff here (Sussex Street bond) then we relocate back so it was back and forth. That is why we did not fill it to capacity just in case something happens again we have to come and move.” Asked how long the drugs can survive after the fridge malfunctions Craig responded, “It should be removed immediately because the temperature would keep dropping.” She added, “We would not like that to happen over a weekend because no one is there (Diamond) on the weekend.” Craig said that the fridge began malfunctioning last year, but did not point out whether this was before the rental of the Sussex Street bond. The manager said that the fridge has a built-in thermometer which is monitored and the temperature is re-

corded in a log three times daily. She said that the temperature sometimes fluctuates “but not very often. ”When it does (fluctuate) we call in the technicians to deal with it.” Then there is the electricity supply problem which Craig said the Ministry of Public Health is actively trying to get fixed. She said that the electricity problem has caused much damage to equipment. Because of the problem, the charging compartment has been damaged. “Then we have lights that would just go out ever so often.” Craig admitted her ignorance about the electrician trade but said she thinks that the power problem may very well be responsible for the fridge’s problems as well. MONDAY PARIKAWIFE-KILLER SHOT, CAPTURED NEAR HOME – “OW MOMMY, OW MOMMY, AH GONE DEAD,” SUSPECT CRIES Three days after plunging into the Essequibo River to escape from the police, Parika wife-killer, Ganesh Dhanraj tried the same trick again. It didn’t work this time. Instead, he was shot last Sunday by a police rank after plunging into a trench a short distance from where he killed his partner. The 30-year-old labourer, who strangled his wife, Dhanwantie Ram with a bed sheet the previous Wednesday was found hiding out in an unoccupied house at Parika Façade, East Bank Essequibo (EBD), about five houses from the one he shared with the mother of his three children. He was shot to the right arm around 02:00hrs Sunday and was taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where he was treated and then taken into custody. The police believe that Dhanraj, after visiting his parents on Saturday, might have been informed that the property was unoccupied and decided to spend the night there. Kaieteur News understands that neighbours spotted the wife-killer in the area and alerted the police. “The police come and they kicked down the door and he run in a trench and jump and like they see (Continued on page 33)

Sunday April 16, 2017

Kaieteur News

(From page 32) the bubble in the water and they shoot and he come out because they tell him if he doesn’t come out, they gon shoot, and his family call him out,” Bagotram Jailall, the dead woman’s father said. He praised the cops for finding the man who allegedly murdered his daughter. SOME WOMEN BEING MURDERED DESPITE FILING RESTRAINING ORDERS – CRIME CHIEF URGES VICTIMS IN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS TO INFORM POLICE Dhanwantie Ram, a 29-year-old mother in Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), told her neighbours that her husband had beat her and that she feared for her life. She got a temporary restraining order to keep her husband of 12 years, Ganesh Dhanraj away from her, to keep herself and her children safe. But last Wednesday as she was heading to the Parika Police Station, her husband allegedly dragged her into the couple’s Parika Façade, East Bank Essequibo home. He allegedly strangled her with a bed-sheet before fleeing. Some neighbours would later contend that the restraining order was just a piece of paper that aggravated Dhanraj. Even with the restraining order, the 30-year-old labourer who was described as abusive would visit the woman at her sister’s home and attack her. Like Dhanwantie Ram, there are other cases in which restraining orders failed to help those it was intended to protect. On October 18, 2015, Marc Angoy violated a restraining order his estranged partner, Shelly Norton had taken out against him and is alleged to have fatally shot the woman’s one-year-old granddaughter, Arian Gill and injured his daughter, 14-year-old Ashley Wellington. Prior to the shooting, Angoy had reportedly made several attempts to harm the woman and when he did not succeed, he is said to have threatened to hurt the “closest thing to her.” He was remanded to prison after turning himself in to the police with a lawyer. On December 18, 2014, Jerome Franklin allegedly went berserk after he found out that his wife, Geeta Boodhoo had taken out a restraining order, preventing him from going to his Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo home. DDL RECORDS $89M IN PROFIT FOR 2016 Notwithstanding its complete withdrawal from the bulk rum market, Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) has recorded an overall revenue increase of 0.5 percent or $89M in 2016. According to Board Chairman of DDL Komal Samaroo, despite the company’s decision to withdraw from a market that was no longer profitable, the company re-aligned its business to meet the challenges of an increasingly harsh economic environment.

Addressing what contributed to the profitable year, Samaroo said increased international sale from branded products and high value rum fully compensated for the loss in sales from the bulk rum market. The revenue from those sales increased by 9.5 percent in 2016 compared to the previous year, while domestic revenue increased by 2.6 percent. The company also recorded group profits of $1.8B, an increase of 16 percent or $296M as compared to the previous year. DDL’s overseas subsidiaries also performed favourably during the reporting year. The overseas aspect of the business raked in $189M in profit as compared with $172M recorded in 2015. Explaining the need to exit that market, Samaroo said low prices combined with the decline in international value of the EURO currency were chief among the reasons for the cessation of business with countries that trade in the EURO. The Chairman explained that the withdrawal resulted in a 43 percent decline in bulk rum export revenue in 2015; hence the company took a decision to completely withdraw from the market in 2016. He said although DDL has withdrawn from that aspect of its export market, efforts were made to ensure that the company can re-enter if and when economic circumstances present profitable opportunities in the future. Addressing the future of the beverage giant, the chairman said that the early presentation of the 2017 budget will ensure effective and improved business planning for 2017. Samaroo said that although there are uncertainties with the global business environment and the increase in regulatory pressures locally; the beverage giant is well positioned to expand its global footprint. This will be done through its rum brands and its continued growth in this vital segment of its business. TUESDAY RICE MILLERALLEGEDLY PAID FEMALE RELATIVE OF FORMER GRDB BOSS OVER $40M Investigators working on the spending of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) prior to the

May 11 2015 general elections have stumbled on some strange payments. Some of those payments, to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars, include to Essequibo rice miller, Wazeer Hussein, and others in the industry. It was unclear what those payments to a number of millers were for and whether it was required that GRDB be reimbursed. Of special interest to investigators of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) were payments amounting to tens of millions of dollars by Hussein’s milling company, to a close relative of Jagnarine Singh, former General Manager of GRDB. The payments were said to be made prior to the 2015 elections. It is unclear why a rice miller would be paying the female relative of the GRDB head. Jagnarine, the female relative and Hussein were pulled in last Saturday for questioning at SOCU headquarters, Eve Leary. They were reportedly picked up at their respective homes, on the East Coast of Demerara and on the Essequibo Coast, Region Two, early Saturday. SOCU has been tasked to investigate the spending after Government handed over a number of forensic audit reports to the police. The GRDB report was one of them. The audits were commissioned by the administration after the Coalition Government took office in May 2015. The audits were supposed to gauge the health of a number of state agencies. However, the audits raised several alarm bells especially over procedures and questionable payments. The administration said it decided to hand over those reports to the police for further investigations. SOCU is an arm of the police. GRDB would be of especial interest as it handled more the US$500M over a five-year period when the entity overlooked the Venezuela oil-for-rice deal with Guyana. Under that arrangement, Guyana would ship rice to Venezuela and take oil as payments. Hussein, who has taken over the Essequibo and Berbice facilities of former rice magnate, Kayman Sankar, was said to have been granted a sig-

PAGE 33

nificant quota of rice to Venezuela while the arrangements lasted. GRDB was given monies, from oil sales locally, by the then government to pay the millers and other farmers who participated as suppliers in the deal. ALLEGATIONS OF MONEYLAUNDERINGAGAINST GOLD DEALER…$100M IN TAXES LOST IN THREE MONTHS More details are coming out that would raise alarming questions over the lax attention paid by regulators to transactions of embattled gold dealer, Saddiqi ‘Bobby’ Rasul. Over a three-month period, September to November last year, Rasul’s gold dealing company, SSS Mineral Trading Enterprises, conducted over $7.67B in sales with the Guyana Gold Board (GGB) representing over 31,790 ounces sold. Of that, he used a company named R. Mining Inc. that he reportedly controls, to process and sell to GGB over 19,500 ounces alone. It is believed that that quantity of gold is what was purchased from legit miners but passed through R. Mining to make it appear as mined gold. Under arrangements, mining companies are only obliged to pay five percent royalties upfront. They are not obligated to pay an additional two percent tax like small miners are mandated to do. As a result, over that threemonth period, an estimated $95.5M was lost in taxes (two percent of the gross value to GGB). Why the GGB, and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) never questioned how one mining company managed to produce over 19,500 ounces of gold over a three-month period is the big question now. Not even the large scale producers – and there are two of them currently in the country – managed to meet that when they first started. Under tough anti-money laundering regulations passed by Government, regulators have to be on the lookout for suspicious transactions and report these. In the case of Rasul, there are no indications that any of R.

Mining’s transactions raised any red-flags, not from GGB or GGMC, which monitor the mining areas. Hard Rock Mining, a company that has been named in also selling gold to Rasul, on Monday made it clear that the only connection it has with the gold dealer is the selling of gold. The company, in distancing itself, insisted that it has no other relations, contrary to what was reported before. It is believed that the use of R. Mining to sell the gold as mined gold was deliberately done to escape the two percent tax. Rasul, who became one of the biggest dealers by the end of last year, was last week slapped with several fraud charges. He was accused of, in late March, depositing a number of bounced cheques at the Bartica branch of the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry and later withdrawing over $950M. LACK OF GUIDELINES FOR PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS… YOU DON’T NEED A FIXED FRAMEWORK FOR EVERYTHING – JAGDEO Leader of the political Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, reflected Monday on comments made recently by Business Minister, Dominic Gaskin, as it relates to Public Private Partnerships. At the recently held Heads of Mission Conference, Gaskin had revealed that there are no guidelines or framework which exists for governing the manner in which Public Private Partnerships are constructed to prevent any form of abuse or breach of law. However, Jagdeo emphasized at his press conference held at his Church Street-based office that “not everything needs a fixed framework.” In fact, Jagdeo shared that during the time of the People’s Progressive Party, they formulated their own prospectus for guiding individual Public Private Partnerships. The former President said that there is a huge demand for Public Private Partnerships. He said, “What the Minister needs to know is that you don’t need a fixed framework for everything. If the Minister is serious, he would look at an investment opportunity, where they need a public private partnership.” Jagdeo added, “They will develop a prospectus, the prospectus will estimate the cost of the project; it will state the conditions under which Government will participate, the conditions under which the Private Sector will participate, what are the benefits to Private Sector being involved, like would they get a guaranteed rate of return on their investment or would they get a special tax break and then you advertise that.” The government could have done 50 of these proposals by now. He noted that it is a simple thing to be done. He said that it is not a legislative framework that is needed (Continued on page 34)

PAGE 34

(From page 33) in the National Assembly. The Opposition Leader stressed that it is just “ordinary work” to pursue Public Private Partnerships. The former President said, “We had started this model; that’s why the Berbice Bridge was the one we started with. We developed a prospectus and we said we are going to offer investors a particular tax break, a return on their investment and we advertised it for people who are interested in putting their money in the project. You can go this route…” During the Heads of Mission Conference last week, Gaskin said that many potential investors are looking for what are essentially public-private partnerships. He said, however, that this is problematic because, “We don’t have a framework in place for public-private partnerships in Guyana. A lot of what is coming our way are unsolicited proposals that are only viable with the input of the government, or if government procures a particular service or protects a particular entity from competition.” WEDNESDAY YOUTH DROWNS AT PARIKA WHILE TAKINGGIRLFRIEND FOR A SWIM Police on Tuesday recovered the body of a 20-year-old man at an East Bank Essequibo foreshore, a day after he drowned while taking his girlfriend for a swim. The victim, identified as Richard Ramkissoon, of Sisters Village, West Bank Demerara, is believed to have drowned around 08.30 hrs on Sunday, while assisting his 19-year-old girlfriend, Bibi Hussain, to swim near the Parika, Essequibo Sea Dam. Passersby managed to rescue Hussain. According to reports, Ramkissoon, who works at a Vreeden-Hoop store, had visited his girlfriend, who lives near the Parika Sea Dam, around 08.30 hrs on Sunday.

Kaieteur News

The girlfriend reportedly indicated that she was going to the river “to dump chicken skin,” and Ramkissoon and the girlfriend’s 14year-old sister accompanied her. Ramkissoon reportedly then suggested that they all swim. When both girls said they could not swim, the youth reportedly said they would hold onto him while he took them into the water. He reportedly took the younger sister out first, and brought her back to the shore, but he told the older girl to “put her hands around his neck,” while he took her into the river. With the girlfriend clinging to his neck, Ramkissoon reportedly swam some 20 feet out from the shore, when he suddenly began to experience difficulty swimming. He then reportedly began to sink, but made an effort to push his girlfriend to the surface. An alarm was raised, and persons nearby plunged in and rescued the girl but were unable to locate Ramkissoon. OPPOSITION DENIES ROLE IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SHORTAGE Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has denied allegations to the effect that the shortage of United States dollars on the local market and consequent depreciation of the Guyana dollar was orchestrated by him and his Party to destabilize the government. Jagdeo said that if that is the case, then it is to be understood that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) also colluded with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to undermine the government. ”So did we tell the IDB to write that report too? Did we tell them to write that foreign remittances are down? Did we tell them to write that foreign direct investment is down? Did we tell them to write that proceeds are down from rice, bauxite and sugar?” Jagdeo urged, “Look at the bal-

ance of payments number in (Minister of Finance Winston) Jordan’s Budget. If the supply to the market is down and the demand is still there then you are going to have depreciation of the currency.” Jagdeo also noted that the IMF did a study where it found that the lack of coordination between the banks in setting a rate of exchange was another factor that led to the current situation, “The IMF did not state the PPP…This is the reality of the situation but the PPP gets blame for everything.” Jagdeo also said that the government is to be blamed for its incompetence and its “harsh” measures. Jagdeo said that “this thing about going into people’s bank account, blocking them at the airport, these SARU raids will not do good. It will make people want to hold more foreign currency.” The Opposition Leader said that there is a “thriving black market for currency exchange now.” A few weeks back, the US to Guyana dollar exchange reached a record high. The exchange was $230 to US$1. Through interventions by the Bank of Guyana, the rate is now $215 to US$1in banks and cambios, but Jagdeo said that the black market is making huge profits and the government is, as a result, losing revenue. THURSDAY MANDELAAVENUE/SHERIFF STREET EXPANSION PROJECT…SUDDEN CANCELLATION OF TENDER OPENING SPARKS CONCERNS FROM BIDDERS The decision to extend the tender submission deadline of one of the largest projects for this year has sparked concerns from bidders. Tenders were scheduled to be opened for the multibillion-dollar Sheriff Street/Mandela Avenue Enhancement Project (Lots Six to Seven) on Tuesday at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).

Sunday April 16, 2017

However, at the last minute, the opening was cancelled. Representatives of bidders who reportedly worked around the clock to finish the tender documents, were waiting for the documents to be opened publicly. It was only when representatives of the respective companies arrived at the NPTAB to witness the opening that they were informed of the extension. It was revealed that the submission date was extended to May 2 of this year. Bidders, who asked not to be named, said that they only learnt of the cancellation after their representatives contacted them. An email informing the bidders of the cancellation was sent after the announcement was made at the Main Street office of the NPTAB. Contractors subsequently began contacting Kaieteur News raising concerns; questioning the reason for the extension and whether it was done within the confines of the procurement laws. Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, who was present at a stakeholder consultation exercise in Georgetown Wednesday, said that he did not have all the facts at hand and could not definitively state why the deadline was extended. He referred this publication to the Permanent Secretary (Acting), Geoffrey Vaughn. Efforts to contact Vaughn on Wednesday were futile. Multiple calls to his cellular phone went unanswered. However, former Auditor General (AG) and Chartered Accountant, Anand Goolsarran explained that the situation was highly unusual – based on what he was told. The former AG noted that according to Section 35(2), of the Procurement Act, if a procuring entity issues clarification or modification of the tender documents, or if a meeting is held with suppliers or contractors, it shall, prior to the deadline,

extend the deadline as necessary to allow all bidders enough time to submit their tenders based on the clarification/modification, or the results of the meeting. CASH-JET LOCAL OPERATIONS CONTINUE UNHINDERED -SOCU REPORTEDLY PROBING LOCAL PROPERTIES Embattled Guyanese born pilot, Khamraj Lall, may be facing legal worries in the US but it appears that his local businesses are fully on stream and running. He has reportedly over the past year acquired hundreds of millions of dollars in heavy duty equipment and appears to be involved in the transportation and mining business. Overhead shots of the Kaylees Service Station, Coverden, East Bank Demerara, which he owns, were sent to Kaieteur News this week. They indicated the presence of several heavy duty trucks and equipment. Some of the vehicles are reportedly being used at a number of mining areas, Kaieteur News was told. Although the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) has declined to admit it, sources have indicated that the entity has been quietly investigating Lall and his properties here. That would be significant, as the US authorities have reportedly moved to seize properties, including homes, two planes and bank accounts, of the pilot in that country. This was after he pleaded guilty to attempting to smuggle more than US$600,000 in cash, believed to be from illegal proceeds, to Guyana in late 2014. Lall became known to Guyana in a major way after Puerto Rican security officials boarded his plane, during a fuel stop, and during a search found several packets of cash hidden around the plane. It sparked court cases which now span three US (Continued on page 35)

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(From page 34) jurisdictions- Puerto Rico, New Jersey and New York. Following his arrest and charges in Puerto Rico, Lall found himself in more trouble in July 2015 when he was arrested in New Jersey and accused by prosecutors of conspiring to bring five kilos of cocaine aboard his plane from Guyana to the US. Shortly before those cocaine charges, the businessman, who is well known in Guyana, had pleaded guilty to cash smuggling charges in a deal with US prosecutors and was out on bail awaiting sentencing. The coke charges carry a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life and a US$10,000,000 fine. Lall’s drug arrest was connected to that of nine other defendants in February 2015 in the US where prosecutors said they have broken a ring. The cocaine-related charge had meant that Lall violated his bail in the bulk cash smuggling by participating in another crime. In a plea deal submitted for the cash smuggling charges, Lall agreed for the US$620,588 along with the 1988 Israel fixed wing multi-engine aircraft bearing Registration N822Ql and used in the crime, to be forfeited. Authorities have also moved to seize another plane he owns along with properties. Under the deal with the US Government, Lall pleaded guilty to one count – of concealing more than US$10,000 in his plane and attempting to transfer it outside of the US to Guyana. SMUGGLERS ESCAPEAS GEA SEIZES BOATS, ILLEGALFUEL IN MAHAICAOPERATION Inspectors of the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), with support from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), on Monday conducted an operation in the Mahaica area, seizing two boats of illegal fuel. According to GEA, during the course of the operation, officers observed two boats, linked together, containing several drums in the area of Helena Number One.

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The agency said that the occupants of the vessels refused to comply with instructions issued by the officers for them to come ashore. However, shortly after, they abandoned the vessels by jumping into the river and escaping. Efforts by officials to pursue them proved futile. A public spirited citizen assisted by swimming and pulling the boats ashore. Upon retrieving the vessels, it was discovered that there were efforts by the occupants to sink the larger of the two vessels. The officials discovered 38 drums containing fuel which is estimated to be 1,900 gallons. Field tests carried out by GEA’s inspectors revealed that the fuel was illegal as the marker concentration was below the legal level. As a result, all 38 drums of fuel were seized along with both vessels, an outboard engine and a gasoline powered pump. Investigations into the incident are ongoing, GEA said. FRIDAY ASSET RECOVERY BILL…GOVT. FORCES LEGISLATION THROUGH; OPPOSITION WALKS OUT The debate over the controversial State Assets Recovery Bill in the National Assembly was abruptly cut short Thursday. After nearly eight hours of going head-to-head on this legislation, Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman appealed to the Speaker of the House, Dr. Barton Scotland to fast-forward the proceedings to consider the clauses of the Bill and have it passed. Following this request, the political opposition walked out. In spite of this, members of the Government side still went ahead with the consideration of the clauses and amendments to the Bill, after which it was put to a vote and successfully passed by the House. The State Asset Recovery Bill will pave the way for the formal establishment of a State Asset Recovery Agency (SARA). The State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU), currently a department in the Ministry of the Presidency, is headed by Pro-

fessor Clive Thomas. Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General Basil Williams moved for the Bill to be read a second time Thursday. In his remarks on the Bill, Williams explained that it is intended to give effect to the non-conviction based asset recovery recommendations contained in the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) 2003, which was ratified by the Government of Guyana in April 2008. The Parliamentarian noted that the Bill therefore introduces legislation to combat unlawful conduct and corrupt practices in relation to

property and other assets owned by the State, or in which the State has an interest. In this context, he said that the Bill provides for the establishment of the State Asset Recovery Agency (SARA) which has as its primary function, the civil recovery of state property obtained through the unlawful conduct of a public official or other person, or any benefit obtained in connection with that unlawful conduct, by way of civil proceedings taken in the High Court for a civil recovery order. Williams explained that the granting of a civil recovery order vests in the state, ownership of any property subject to the order. EVIDENCE POINTS TO US DOLLARS HEADINGALSO TO SURINAME Local businesses have described the current foreign currency trading situation as unnerving. On Monday last, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) met with the Governor of the Bank of Guyana, Dr. Gobind Ganga, on the foreign exchange issue and related matters. During the meeting it was disclosed that there is evidence of precious foreign currency making its way across to Suriname via businesses which would have collected same in payment for goods. If true, it would lend credence to several claims that the local foreign trade is being pressured from different directions, not least neighbouring countries which badly need the US

dollars to conduct their business, and from lower exports. Local businesses have been complaining of difficulties and delays in wiring money with some waiting for w e e k s . PSC, reporting on the meeting with Central Bank, said Thursday that the Governor assured the Commission that there is an adequate supply of foreign exchange. He also provided statistical evidence to support this p o s i t i o n . ”Also, Dr. Ganga explained that the Guyana dollar should remain relatively stable due to the current low price of imports of petroleum and petroleum products which more than offset the decline in export receipts.” According to the PSC, the Governor believed that persons and businesses should not pay more than $215 to $218 for a US dollar. He conceded that there is currently a relatively short waiting period for persons who wish to purchase foreign currency. ”He also cautioned that demand should be screened to establish the legitimacy of the requests,” PSC reported. ”The Governor revealed that the Bank is exploring reports that foreign goods, meant for another country, were being paid for using foreign currency sourced from Guyana. In addition, there were some flows of foreign currency to Suriname by businesses who collected US$ in payment for goods.” PSC said it pointed out to the (Continued on page 36)

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(From page 35) Governor that Guyana enjoyed a stable rate of exchange over several years and the present change is unnerving. ”Notwithstanding, the Governor pointed out that even with all the speculation in the market, the depreciation of the Guyana dollar was modest. The Commission promised to collaborate with the Central Bank in regular monitoring of the system to defend the currency against speculative threats.” SARU CEO TO JAGDEO…I’M WILLING TO TAKE A POLYGRAPH TEST… ARE YOU? Chief Executive Officer of

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the State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU), Aubrey HeathRetemyer says that he is willing to submit himself to a polygraph test and is challenging opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo to take one as well. Retemyer said that he can account for every penny he has and he is willing to have an international firm conduct the exercise. The SARU head challenged the former president to submit himself to the test if he has nothing to hide. The SARU head was responding to Jagdeo’s accusation that SARU officials are shaking down businessmen and that their personal bank accounts have swollen with cash of late. Retemyer said that

Jagdeo’s accusation against SARU officials is disgusting and has no substance. He said that if the former head of state has proof of such behaviour by officials from his unit, he should share it with the police. The outspoken CEO said that if officials from SARU are engaged in such behaviour, let them be embarrassed, and his unit will stand by the consequences. Retemyer said that Jagdeo is a desperate individual who is hungry for power and he is sure that the former president has no evidence. He said that if that were the case, “why aren’t the businessmen coming forward?” Retemyer said that Jagdeo constantly distorts the truth

and continues to spread propaganda about government officials of the ruling administration. ”He tries to pin officials with some kind of label that he and his colleagues truly deserve”. that he is willing to submit himself to a polygraph test and is challenging opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo to take one as well. COP CAUGHT WITH STOLEN PHONE AFTER IT VIBRATES IN HIS CROTCH A Tactical Services Unit (TSU) rank was reportedly exposed as a petty thief, after a phone that he had stolen from a colleague rang while the ranks were on parade.

Sunday April 16, 2017

The embarrassing episode started last Tuesday, when the constable saw the phone, which belonged to a TSU driver, in the barrackroom. He then stashed the device in his crotch before joining his colleagues on the drill square. Unfortunately, the rank who had lost his phone borrowed a colleague’s device and dialled the number, while passing by the drill square. Ranks on the drill square were reportedly shocked when the phone began to vibrate and ring in the culprit’s crotch. The device was quickly recovered and the culprit placed in custody. On being questioned, the constable allegedly claimed that someone had hidden the phone in his crotch. Kaieteur News understands that relatives of the detained rank have offered the victim a financial settlement. However, the constable is likely to be dismissed and placed before the court. PROTECT YOUR ENVIRONMENT; YOU

WILL BE PROTECTING YOUR EMPLOYMENT “Believe me boys and girls, your employment will come from right here, so I’m calling on you (residents) to protect your environment, because in so doing you will be protecting your employment!” President David Granger exhorted Muritaro residents on Thursday, during a brief address before presenting scores of children with kites in the community’s school compound. The children were drawn from the upper Demerara villages of Muritaro and Malali. Before presenting the kites to the excited children, some of whom had taken time out from their National Grade Six Assessment, the President also spoke of the genesis of kites which he said were invented and first flown by the Chinese, who brought the culture here. The children were also presented with pens and exercise books featuring some of the largest animals in the world that are unique to Guyana.

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Benefits from an Oil and Gas Industry (Conclusion) By Kiana Wilburg (Continued from last week) Leaders of many oil-rich nations can testify that the oil and gas sector often attracts some of the most notorious elements of corruption. And since the discovery of significant oil finds in Guyana’s backyard, advice has been pouring in on how the authorities of the day can protect the sector as much as possible from fraudulent schemes. If used correctly, the oil and gas sector can have a booming effect on Guyana’s growth and development, providing the various contracts and agreements are appropriately designed. One of the ways in which the Government can ensure that Guyana benefits from the oil sector is with the use of a Production Sharing Agreement (PSA). In my article last week Sunday, it was discussed that a PSA is one instrument used to ensure that the country receives a fair return from the

Chartered Accountant, Shawn Naughton industry. In exploring this subject matter, Kaieteur News interviewed Chartered Accountant, Shawn Naughton. Naughton provided insight into some of the potential benefits and associated risks to countries with oil, while speaking to the importance of paying attention to partnerships with foreign companies. According to Naughton,

some important potential benefits to a country, which usually flows from the oil and gas industry include: signature bonus, production bonus, rentals, royalty, the country’s equity share, corporate tax, export duty, withholding tax, value added tax, and income tax. These were explained last week. Today, we continue with this subject by exploring other potential benefits and associated risks. REVENUE RISKAND CORPORATE TAX According to Naughton, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) found in July 2015, that profit-shifting by major companies deprives developing countries of approximately US$200B per year. In a separate case from Australia, Chevron (Oil Company) was forced to pay approximately US$300M. News articles indicate that Chevron created a subsidiary (a related entity) in Delaware USA (low tax territory) to charge excessive interest (increasing the interest expense of Chevron and

therefore Australian taxes payable). Naughton explained that this is a valuation issue which, before the court’s decision, resulted in a potential loss of US$260M in Australian tax (US$300M including penalties). In addition to the valuation risks, Naughton said that there is a risk that foreign companies, which provide support services to the oil company, will be able to avoid corporate tax of the oil-producing country. In this regard, he said, “Basically, if any person (corporate or not) earns income in a foreign country, taxes are payable to that foreign country on that income. A branch of a US company should therefore be made to pay corporate taxes to Guyana if it provides services here (whether to an oil company operating here or to any other entity here).” Naughton continued, “The conditions for determining when a foreign company is earning income from business activities ‘in’

(say) Guyana as opposed to ‘with’ Guyana need to be unambiguously described in law. This distinction is important since Guyana would not have taxing rights over the income if it is not earned from business activities ‘in’ Guyana.” The Chartered Accountant added that the law needs to provide an approach to calculating the profits of a local branch of a foreign company. He said that this may seem straightforward, but there are likely to be business transactions between the foreign company (head office) and the branch which may pose valuation problems, if parameters are not set in law. EXPORT DUTY Naughton explained that Export duty is simply a tax levied on the export of the oil to foreign countries, once produced. He said that this represents a further source of earnings for the oil-producing country, where agreed. WITHHOLDINGTAX Countries seek to have

foreign companies, which are operating domestically, retain their profits in the domestic country. Naughton said that this is because the domestic country stands to benefit from these profits being reinvested domestically (job creation etc). To discourage repatriation of profits to foreign countries, the tax expert said that domestic countries typically impose a withholding tax on profit repatriated in the form of dividends. He said that any portion of profits retained in the domestic country escapes the withholding tax. VALUEADDED TAX According to Naughton, the general rule about VAT on professional services is that the service is consumed where the benefits of the services are received. He said that this means that companies (whether domestic or foreign) which provide services to the oil company, will typically have to charge VAT on those services, which should be collected by the (Continued on page 66)

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US appeals court holds that Antigua-Barbuda not liable to Stanford Ponzi victims NEW ORLEANS, USA — The US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has held that the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) bars Stanford International Bank Ltd (SIBL) Ponzi scheme victims from bringing a claim against Antigua and Barbuda, a foreign state. The decision reversed a ruling by the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas. The Stanford victims successfully argued in the trial court that the commercial activity exception allowed civil suits brought by them, as well as the argument that Antigua and Barbuda had waived sovereign immunity, but the Fifth Circuit disagreed, reversing the lower court decision, on both issues. The consolidated cases were based on Antigua and Barbuda’s alleged involvement with the Stanford Ponzi scheme. The convicted

perpetrator of the fraud, Allen Stanford, owned and operated multiple financial entities, including the SIBL, which was an offshore bank located in Antigua and Barbuda. Through these entities, Stanford sold certificates of deposit (CDs) to investors, promising exceptionally high rates of return. Most of the funds raised from the sale of these CDs were never invested, as promised, but were used to pay back other investors in the scheme. When the scheme collapsed in 2009, Stanford had sold over $7 billion in fraudulent CDs. Stanford was subsequently convicted of multiple federal crimes and was sentenced to 110 years’ imprisonment. The primary allegation in the lawsuits is that Antigua and Barbuda acted as an active and willing participant in Stanford’s scheme and knowingly provided Stanford

and his businesses a safe harbour from regulatory scrutiny. Plaintiffs in both suits allege that Stanford and Antigua engaged in a quid pro quo relationship in which Stanford provided Antigua financial incentives to encourage and ensure its involvement in his scheme by bribing public officials and providing loans to Antigua, which were never repaid. Specifically, the plaintiffs alleged that the “loans were merely a way to transfer the proceeds of the Ponzi scheme to Antigua”. In exchange for the loans, they alleged that “Antigua assisted Stanford by conferring legitimacy on the fraudulent enterprise and on Stanford himself, providing assurance to investors that the activities of SIBL and Stanford were legitimate and subject to regulatory authority”. The plaintiffs contended that, as part of its involvement in the Ponzi

scheme, Antigua and Barbuda allowed Stanford undue influence over the regulations his organizations would be subject to. They also allege that Stanford exerted undue influence over the individuals charged with ensuring that he and his organizations were in compliance with the relevant regulations. Crucial to Antigua and Barbuda’s alleged involvement with Stanford’s scheme was the Financial Services Regulatory Commission of Antigua (FSRC) and Leroy King, the FSRC’s administrator and chief executive officer, who were tasked with regulating SIBL. The plaintiffs alleged that Stanford bribed King in order to allow SIBL to escape regulatory scrutiny from the FSRC. As a foreign nation, Antigua and Barbuda challenged the district court’s jurisdiction in each suit under the FSIA. The district court determined that it had jurisdiction over the suits under both the commercial activity and waiver exceptions of the FSIA. Antigua and Barbuda appealed these rulings. Antigua and Barbuda did not, however, contest the application of the so-called commercial activity exception in relation to a claim brought by the Official Stanford Investors Committee (OSIC),

Convicted Ponzi schemer Allen Stanford

which provides that a foreign state is not immune from suit in the United States when “[1] the action is based... upon an act outside the territory of the United States [2] in connection with a commercial activity of the foreign state elsewhere and [3] that act causes a direct effect in the United States”. OSIC argued that Antigua and Barbuda had waived sovereign immunity in two loan agreements it entered into with Stanford. The

agreement for the first of the loans, referred to as the “$40 million loan”, was provided to Antigua to “pay salaries and for other discretionary purposes”. The second loan, referred to as the “$31 million loan”, was provided to Antigua and Barbuda by Stanford to build a hospital. The district court found that provisions of both loan agreements explicitly waived sovereign immunity for OSIC’s contract claims based on either loan.

More mindful music, less... From page 38 Tourette's syndrome, Alzheimer's, and general dementia can be helped by this subliminal response to music. From individual patients to entire communities, psychiatrist Anthony Storr in his book 'Music and the Mind' observes that a primary function of music is collective and communal, to bring and bind people together. He says people sing and dance together in every culture, and this primal role of music is partly reproduced today in modern gatherings like church, concert, and music festival where the collective excitement and bonding are recaptured. He adds, “In such a situation there seems to be an actual binding of nervous systems; the unification of an audience by a veritable

neurogamy.” One aspect of music/brain research focuses on how productivity is affected in the workplace environment. Again, there seems to be a distinctly positive effect if tasks are well-defined and/or repetitive. This is however not the case when the task is creative or more immersive. Generally though, the piping of ambient music in an office setting or the use of headphones in a 'computer' office seems to both give a fillip to workers' sense of well being and increase productivity. I won't dwell on what researchers term music's dark side, except to say that it seems to be a real phenomenon. The New Yorker in a recent article stated, 'We resist evidence suggesting that music can cloud reason, stir rage, cause pain, and even kill' while

a 10-year-old study by a California Research Centre suggested that young people who listen to Rap and Hip-Hop (Why those two??) are more likely to abuse alcohol and commit violent acts. (What about Heavy Metal and Dancehall?) So what does all this have to do with Guyana's social, political, and economic future? A lot, or a little; let the musicologists, psychologists, and Human Resource managers work on that. But as our gold is coaxed from subterranean veins, as our hardwoods are felled and our oil is sucked up from submarine beds, as our farmers and labourers bend their backs and our civil servants badger their computers, maybe music can hitch its magic to their minds. (And hearts) And that would be not only for their benefit, but for the resurgence of such a theme like the one encompassed in what I refer to as our second national anthem, Valerie Rodway's 'Oh Beautiful Guyana.' Now that would be music to our collective ears.

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Breast-Feeding Success Hinges on Support for Mom, Baby

Information and support can help new mothers overcome breast-feeding difficulties, a lactation expert says. A pregnant woman should tell her partner and family about her breast-feeding goals and why they’re important to her, said Dr. Nicole Hackman. She’s a pediatrician and medical director for lactation services at Penn State Children’s Hospital, in Hershey. New mothers “will need to rely on that support during the challenging days,” she said in a hospital news release. It’s important for the mother and baby to have skin-to-skin contact for the first hour after birth, she said. “Not only does that regulate the baby’s heart rate, temperature and glucose level, but it can help the baby latch on and have the first breastfeeding session,” Hackman said. She said it’s also a good idea to limit visitors during a baby’s first week of life. That gives mother and baby private time to bond and learn

to breast-feed. It also gives mom a chance to rest when her baby sleeps. During that first week, a new mother should try to breast-feed whenever the baby is awake, Hackman said. “Because breast milk volume is all about supply and demand, the more demand a baby puts on mom, the more her supply will increase,” she explained. Though some mothers prefer to pump breast milk, their babies can still reap the benefits of mother’s milk. It contains antibodies that help babies fight off germs, Hackman said. Lactation consultants can help mothers achieve painfree breast-feeding. “There may be initial discomfort, but something isn’t right if there is pain throughout the feeding session,” Hackman said. “Nipple pain is not normal.” She added that babies who have been given a bottle or pacifier sometimes need to be retaught to latch comfortably at the breast. www.medlineplus.com

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Kerry Washington Reveals the One Thing From Scandal’s 100th Episode She Just Had to Keep for Herself It’s not every day that a TV series hits 100 episodes. So when your series does manage to hit that most special of milestones, a few things are guaranteed. Your network will throw you and your costars a massive party to celebrate. You’ll get to cut into an ornately detailed cake that calls back to plot points of your show. And you’ll usually take something home from set with you. You know, to remember the occasion by. In the case of Scandal’s 100th episode, airing Thursday, April 13, star Kerry Washington made sure that she go home empty handed. And true to Olivia Pope’s white hatform, she made sure to do it the right way. “I did actually purchase the earrings from the wedding scene,” she admitted to E! News’ Carissa Culiner at the show’s big celebration, “Because I feel like it’s our 100th episode, they were beautiful Tiffany’s drop pearls and I just thought they would be special to have for the rest of my life to remember this milestone.” And if you’re thinking, “Wait, wedding scene?!” after reading that answer, yep, the special episode has quite a few surprises in store. The hour, which finds Olivia wondering how her life—and the country—would be different if she had never agreed with Mellie (Bellamy Young) and Cyrus (Jeff Perry) to rig Fitz’s (Tony Goldwyn) election, will present fans with quite an alternative reality to the dark and twisty D.C. we’ve come

to know over the past 99 episodes. And yes, that also means we’ll see Liv walk down the aisle. Who’s she marrying? Washington obviously wouldn’t say, but she did have this tantalizing tease about the gown she wore for the big moment. “I can tell you there is a secret element to that wedding dress and I will post a secret social media video, probably on

Instagram, about that’s really going on with that wedding dress,” she admitted. “So you’ll have to look out for it.” Be sure to keep your eyes peeled, Gladiators! For more from Washignton, including her favorite memory from the past 100 episodes as well, be sure to check out the video above! Scandal’s 100th episode aired Thursday, April 13 at 9 p.m. on ABC. ww.eonline.com.

Melania Trump Settles With Daily Mail Parent Company Over Escort Story First Lady Melania Trump has a reason to celebrate. Trump has settled her defamation lawsuit against Mail Media over a Daily Mail story that insinuated she was an escort shortly after emigrating to the United States. Trump and Mail Media released a joint press release that revealed the media company would be paying the first lady an undisclosed sum as well as giving her a formal apology and retraction. The first lady sued Mail Media in September 2016 after Daily Mail published an article titled, “Naked photoshoots, and troubling questions about vi-

sas that won’t go away: The VERY racy past of Donald Trump’s Slovenian wife.” It cited a Slovenian journalist who co-authored an unauthorized biography of Trump, as well as a Slovenian magazine that claimed the modeling agency Trump worked for was run by a New York entrepreneur who also reportedly operated an escort agency. The Daily Mail’s article also alleged Trump and her husband, President Donald Trump, met three years earlier than they claim and “staged” a meeting as a “ruse.” Trump hired Charles Harder, the attorney who represented Hulk Hogan in

his privacy lawsuit against Gawker Media. In her lawsuit, which was filed in New York after a Maryland judge ruled it was out of her jurisdiction, Trump claimed she lost business opportunities as a result of the story. “We accept that these allegations about Mrs Trump are not true and we retract and withdraw them,” the publication’s parent company said in the statement. “We apologize to Mrs Trump for any distress that our publication caused her. To settle Mrs Trump’s two lawsuits against us, we have agreed to pay her damages and costs.” http:/ /www.eonline.com.

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Trinidad banks on Guyana’s oil for Petrotrin - also facing foreign currency woes Trinidad (Trinidad Guardian) - The committee set up by Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley to look at the operations of the state energy company Petrotrin has asked for a six month extension to complete its first report. The committee, which was appointed in March, was due to report to Dr. Rowley on June 1 but has asked to be given until December to finish the task. Dr. Rowley said: “Petrotrin is the major state enterprise and there are so many things going wrong there. This audit is meant to identify these things and make recommendations.” He assured that the report will be made public and Government will not be hesitate to make decisions which might be unpopular in some quarters. The seven-member committee was set up shortly after Government moved to stave off a strike at Petrotrin. It is chaired by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy Selwyn Lashley and includes two representatives from the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU). Dr. Rowley has confirmed that he held discussions with both Exxon Mobil and the government of Guyana for Petrotrin to refine oil from Guyana. He said the Petrotrin refinery has a production capacity of 168,000 thousand barrels of oil per day. However, current production is 72,000 barrels a day.

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TT PM, Dr. Keith Rowley “If we can get oil from Guyana it will put us in a better position,” he said. The Prime Minister said Government was considering its options to deal with the foreign exchange shortage in the country. He admitted he was concerned that the Central Bank was making the same amount of foreign exchange available but there continued to be problems getting US currency. “The Central Bank is making it available but it is not getting out where it is supposed to go because of operational systems,” he said. Dr. Rowley is convinced that if the banks properly distribute what was given out by the Central Bank “we

would be better off than we are right now.” He said: “This government has to look at options. We are always considering options but we don’t have the amount of foreign exchange one would like us to have because we not earning those levels of revenues again.” He is also concerned that people have signs in their business places offering TT$8 for US$1. “That is illegal but every police officer passes that by and does not ask any questions,” he said. According to Dr. Rowley, a combination of capital flight and hoarding is taking place and people who have the ability are buying and hoarding US currency abroad, or buying and holding it, then encouraging a change in the exchange rate.” While he admitted that there was not enough foreign exchange for all the country’s needs, the Prime Minister said Government was telling the banks to prioritise m a n u f a c t u r i n g , pharmaceuticals and the public debt. He said that manufacturers were being given priority because they were producing something and creating employment.”

The weakness of assaults on second... From page 24 communities, concern has been expressed about the Citizenship programme on the basis that successful applicants then have access to all the other countries in each group. That argument is stronger in the case of the EU that does have unrestricted cross-border access and rights to establish business and take-up residence, although the Maltese government stresses that its citizens by investment are more thoroughly scrutinised than native-born European citizens. The argument is weaker in the case of CARICOM, where nationals of the member countries do not enjoy the rights

enjoyed in the EU. Even native-born nationals of CARICOM countries do not have rights of residence and establishment, except for a small category of workers and, even then, the individual governments have the right to reject any person in keeping with their national laws. But, if the high worth persons, who become citizens of one CARICOM country by way of investment, chose to spread their investment to other countries within the community, governments have the right to reject it. They also have the privilege of welcoming the new investment without having to undertake the expense of attracting it or

vetting the bona fides of the investor. At the bottom line, critics of the CIP will continue to beat the drum of condemnation – some of them for murky reasons. The answer to such criticism must be transparent, accountable programmes that maintain the highest standard of vetting that is possible. (The writer is Antigua and Barbuda's Ambassador to the US and the OAS. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto) Responses and previous c o m m e n t a r i e s : www.sirronaldsanders.com

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Benefits from an Oil and... (From page 46) oil-producing country. INCOME TAX The Chartered Accountant said that employee income tax is generally receivable by the oil-producing country from all employees earning in that country, regardless of his/her place of residence. He said that this is because the legal position that is widely applied is that the country in which income is earned has priority taxing rights over that income. He said it therefore does not matter whether the employee is from the oil-producing country or simply came in to the country to work in the industry. Naughton also noted that double tax treaties may however allow for some flexibility with respect to taxing rights. OFFSHORE OILAND GAS EXPLORATIONAND PRODUCTION Offshore activities have some specific risk issues as it relates to the oil-producing

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Kaieteur News

country’s revenue. The question of whether or not an employee is earning income ‘in’ a country depends on the boundaries set in the laws of that country for answering this question. Naughton said that clearly those boundaries need to include the country’s waters if income earned offshore is to be taxed by that country. He said that local branches of a foreign company must have a fixed place of business through which it operates its business locally. “This is the global opinion. Clearly, offshore vessels operated by a foreign company, may or may not meet the ‘fixed place’ component of the definition. Typically, a vessel operating offshore in one fixed location for an extended time period, would meet this component of the definition. There is therefore a need for clarity of law on the issue of ‘fixed place’ and ‘boundaries’ if offshore oil and gas revenue risk is to be effectively minimized,” the Chartered Ac-

countant expressed. CONCLUSION For Naughton, Guyana’s tax laws have always focused on domestic tax issues. He said that these laws therefore do not offer much help with the protection of the country’s revenues, as it relates to international tax issues. Naughton said that Guyana is now being forced to make a quantum leap from managing purely domestic taxes to managing the specialized international tax area known as “upstream oil and gas tax.” “We therefore have no option but to rely on a strong PSA for revenue protection, as it relates to our oil and gas industry. There is also an urgent need for the updating of relevant laws to further assist in our attempts to protect this resource.” The Chartered Accountant said that Guyana can benefit significantly from its offshore oil and gas resource, providing the various contracts and agreements are appropriately designed. With that in mind, he stressed, “Guyana has a valuable asset which can only be exploited once; no second chance to get it right. Therefore, this period of preparation is crucial.”

Police capture prime suspect in Courtney Crum-Ewing murder Regan “Grey Boy” Rodrigues, the prime suspect in the death of Political Activist, Courtney CrumEwing, was captured on Good Friday at a house in Middle Road, La Penitence, Georgetown, almost a month after the Director of Public Prosecutions ordered that the case be reopened. Rodrigues’s arrest follows two video recordings he made proclaiming his innocence in the executionstyle killing of Crum-Ewing. In the recording, the 33-yearold murder suspect said that he would not surrender. The Guyana Police Force (GPF) in a press released said that Rodriques was arrested around 16:15hrs on Friday. There was no resistance or confrontation during the arrest. Rodrigues, who has been on the run since the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) requested that the case be reopened, said in the recording that he was freed for the murder last year and that the police wanted to frame him. He said that he is convinced that there is a plot to have him go down for the murder. “They want I suffer for their crime,” he said.

Dead: Courtney Crum-Ewing

Regan Rodrigues called “Grey Boy”

He added, “I ain’t turning back mah self in. This country ain’t got justice. That is why people does turn bad. I leave them in the hands of God.” Rodrigues failed to show up in court on April 3, last, when the case was called in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Judy Latchman, for the taking of further evidence from police witnesses and to rule on the voluntariness of all of Rodrigues’s oral statements. Courtney Crum-Ewing’s body was found on March 10, 2015, hours after he had been urging residents, with a bullhorn, to vote against the then ruling People’s Progressive Party. One month later, Rodrigues was charged with

the activist’s death after he was found with the gun that was later confirmed to be the weapon used to execute the political activist. After the charges were read to him, he told the court, “I know that in this country once money passes to the police they do respond to you… I am an APNU stronghold.” He further added, “I know (name of police officer) kill Crum-Ewing, because when they ask me to kill Crum-Ewing and Mark Benschop. I told them no, because I’m not no killer. I even went to the police to make a report on the matter and they never took my statement.” Rodrigues was subsequently freed on September 14, 2016.

Poultry farmer admitted to 11 pounds coke bust on E’bo coast

The car which was stopped by police on Essequibo coast and in which the illegal drugs was found. Police said that a suspect in the coke bust Thursday afternoon is a poultry farmer from Wakenaam, Region

Three, and Canal Bank, Port Kaituma, Region One. The suspect has since admitted the offence and is

being processed for court. According to the police report, about 16:10hrs Thursday, ranks of ‘G’ Division whilst conducting a road block exercise on the Aurora Public Road, Essequibo Coast arrested the 30-year-old after a search of his vehicle unearthed 11 pounds of suspected cocaine. “The suspect who has since admitted ownership of the illegal substance is being processed for court,” police said. His vehicle, a Toyota Ipsum, HB 5808, was also impounded.

Sunday April 16, 2017

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Kaieteur News

Trigeminal Neuralgia By Dr. Neromini Fagu Each of us usually has 12 pairs of nerves that transmit signals from our brain to our head and neck. These nerves are known as the cranial nerves and send motor, sensory or mixed (both motor and sensory) impulses. The fifth cranial nerve is called the Trigeminal Nerve. It is the largest cranial nerve and it branches into three divisions, each of which includes both motor and sensory fibres. Together, these nerves provide sensation to the skin of the face and also control the muscles involved in chewing. Sometimes the trigeminal nerve malfunctions, leading to facial pain that is characterized by sudden and severe stabbing bursts of shock-like or electrical pain usually on one side of the face. This condition is known as trigeminal neuralgia, or tic douloureux as the affected

individual sometimes responds with a facial grimace (tic) when they are experiencing the pain. The onset of the pain is sudden and makes whatever you were doing impossible to continue to do. The exact cause of trigeminal neuralgia is not known but it has been suggested that it may be caused by the compression of the nerve by a blood vessel or by a tumor. Injury to the trigeminal nerve such as from sinus surgery, oral surgery, stroke, or facial trauma may also result in the condition. Also, other medical conditions such as multiple sclerosis may predispose a person to experience the pain. The type of pain may vary and may be triggered by light stimulation of your cheeks, such as from shaving, washing your face, or applying makeup. Other triggers include brushing teeth, eating, drinking, talking, or being exposed to a light

breeze. The trigger zones include the lateral brow, the side of the nostril, and corner of the lip. The pain is usually sudden, shocking, and lasts for a brief moment or up to a minute followed by a period of burning pain. Diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia consists of a thorough medical history and identifying the type, location, and triggers of the pain. The pain may be confused with dental pain as sometimes it seems to emanate from the teeth and jaw. Some of the questions you may be asked are: • How often do you experience bouts of facial pain, and have you noticed if anything seems to trigger your facial pain? • What are your symptoms and where is the location? • When did you first develop these symptoms? • Have your symptoms gotten worse over time? • How long does an attack of facial pain typically last? • How much are these symptoms affecting your quality of life?

STANDARDS IN FOCUS

Used Tyres - The Perspective of the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) An objective of the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), is to promote standardization in industry and commerce; we partner with: Government, Industry, other stakeholders and Consumers. In this regard, Guyanese must pay keen attention to the quality of products and services available locally. We must recognize there are instances of substandard products and even substandard services locally. The National Standards Body recognizes, only a small percentage of the population, pays attention to the value of standards, while another percentage, only recognizes the absence of standards when it affects them directly. With the emerging oil and gas sector locally, we can anticipate an influx of international and multinational investors, who may have extended stays in Guyana; improvements in relation to, quality of products and services are relevant. In this regard, the quality of goods and services available in Guyana must be improved and to ensure, that Guyana is branded as a country, which embraces global recognized standards. In order for one to measure the quality or performance of any product or service objectively, standards are the recognized tools that are used internationally, regionally and nationally as the benchmark for Quality and Performance. This applies to: the quality and safety of food consumed, the quality of hospitality services, the quality of service sectors generally, and the quality of products purchased. These quality and performance expectations are often defined in standards, specifications or guidelines developed; all through a consensus and transparent process by a team of experts. With regards to the subject herein (used tyres), the quality and performance

requirements for tyres have been established locally and it is expected that manufacturers, importers and retailers, ensure that all tyres conform to the stated requirements as published by the GNBS in the first instance – the local agency which regulates in such regards. From the perspective of the National Standards Body, it is expected, that once a standard is available for a product or service, it is utilized for the purpose intended and so that, our consumers will get value for money. As Guyanese, we owe it to ourselves and our country, to purchase products, which conform to recognized standards. The GYS 67: 2001 standard – ‘Specification for pneumatic passenger car tyres,’ specifies the requirements for pneumatic car tyres. This mandatory standard is currently being used by our Standards Compliance Department, to monitor the physical parameters of tyres, as defined in the Standard, during inspections and surveillance visits. It should be noted, that in the absence of testing facilities, importers and retailers, are required to ensure that tyres imported, meet the requirements of our national standard, as a minimal requirement. The GNBS will be intensifying efforts to ensure that importers of commodities monitored, provide the applicable valid test certificate, as issued by a laboratory or similar institution in the country where the commodity is manufactured (originated); all show that the commodity – in this case tyres, are in compliance with a standard recognized by the GNBS. Our agency has the authority to refuse, the entry of commodities, not conforming to standards; (GNBS Act 1984 sections 23 and 24). Importers of tyres are advised that with the existing directive; directive to ban the Continued on page 69

• Have you ever had dental surgery, or surgery on or near your face such as sinus surgery? • Have you had any facial trauma, such as an injury or accident that affected your face? • Have you tried any treatments for your facial pain so far - has anything helped? Facial pain may be due to a variety of conditions so it is important to get an accurate diagnosis. A neurological examination may be done to help determine exactly where the pain is occurring and which branch or branches of the trigeminal nerve is or are involved. You may also be required to do a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of your head to determine if any other underlying medical condition is a factor.

The treatment options for trigeminal neuralgia include medication, surgery, and alternative approaches. Medications are used to alleviate or block the pain signals sent to the brain and include anticonvulsants, muscle relaxing agents, and antidepressants. Other treatment types include acupuncture, chiropractic, yoga, meditation, nutritional therapy, and vitamin therapy. Individuals usually have various coping mechanisms to deal with this debilitating condition but they may still be vulnerable to depression and a feeling of isolation. Having a good support structure is important in promoting well-being. Living with trigeminal neuralgia can be difficult, and sometimes patients may

Dr. Neromini Fagu neglect their oral health for fear of triggering the pain. However, it is important to maintain good oral health practices at home as well as ensuring regular dental check-ups. For more information contact OMNI DENTAL at 295 Quamina Street, Georgetown Tel: 227-0025, Parika Tel: 260-3133 or send emails to nerominifagu@hotmail.com.

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WANTED One male or female to look after layer birds in Interior. Call: 668-6421

SERVICES

VEHICLE FOR SALE

One female domestic worker to work in Trinidad. between ages of 25-35. Call 1868- 6831528

PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.-CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620

Allion, Primo, Fielder Wagon, Spacio, Bluebird, 212 Carina, NZE, Honda CRV, Toyota IST, RZ & Pit-bull – Call: 650-7501

1 Experienced general domestic to work in G/town, must know to cook Indian dishes. Call: 656-6388

Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana passport application. Graphics design, advertisement. Tel: 6267040; 265-4535. INNOVATIVEMARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, busi ness cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Eagle’s: Re-gas -$8,000, Washing machine repairs, Gas Stove, Plasma flat Screen computer repairs & more. Call: 697-2969/646-0966 Floor sanding & Lacquering, house plans, estimate & painting, boat for Santa Mission. Call: 650-4362 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158

Toyota Pickup (Tacoma) 2002 /4 wheel drive Manual 4 cylinder - $3M negotiableCall: 649-7771/ 690-7155 Toyota Spacio, fully loaded, big music, leather interior, alarm -$1.6M. Call: 689-7701/ 666-7823 (owner migrating) Not working vehicles for sale, 1 small bus, 1 canter, 2 cars, 2 motor bikes, 1 bobcat. Call: 227-4377/624-6013 1 Toyota Vigo, with 3 RZ engines - $2M. Call: 698-7807 Fully loaded Ford explore sport truck, excellent condition, 22" rims, surrender sound system, DVD head rest. Call: 627-7718 One Toyota Verossa $2.450M negotiable. Call: 6140694 One 212 new model, price negotiable. Call:264-2954/ 664-1759

BUILDING CONTRACTOR, ESTIMATES, HOUSE PLAN TO BE DRAWN, ETC. CALL: 216-0671, 692-8464, 622-0267

Experienced curry cooks, puri cook, waiters & cleaners. Apply Hacks Halaal, 5 Commerce Street, Day Shift Only. Experienced Cashier, Apply at Hacks Halaal Restaurant, with written application, 5 Commerce Street. We are buying land in Eccles, Herstelling, Farm, La Parfaite Harmonie, Zeelugt, Melanie (East Coast). Call: 233-3006/ 658-5897/651-1969 FULL TIME WAITER/ WAITRESS TO WORK AT AAGMAN RESTURANT, SHERIFF STREET, EXPERIENCEDPREFERRED. CALL: 219-0161/219-0158 Plumber/ Mason for septic tank repairs. Call: 223-6147 or 669- 7064 Driver for water truck, preferably on the E.B.D- Call/ Whatsapp: 682-1048 Workers needed for interior. Call: 674-1767

Brian Moe @ 642-3543: Computer Technician, FB: Brian.Moe.165; Home and office visits at your comfort!! Veterinary Services, East Side Animal Clinic @ 147 Section ‘A’ Grove Block ‘Y’ East Bank. Call: 216-4144/ 681-7215

Sunday April 16, 2017

Kaieteur News

FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. 1 Complete Sawmill at Ya r r o w k a b r a Linden Soesdyke Highway and 1 F66 – Clarke, Ranger Skidder. Call: 609-8041/ 6441190 1 (3) Ton Enclose canter $1,050,000. Call: 254-0401 200HP Yamaha Engine ports, top fine crankshaft, pistons, bearings. Call Terry: 6521819, location: East Bank Demerara

Clarke Kent Cabs, located at Kingston, exceptional services. Email: clarkekentcabs@yahoo.com. Call: 231-0800/ 231-0801

PROGRESSIVE CAR R E N TA L : S U V F O R RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 6777827, 643-5122 ,EMAIL:PRO_AUTO RENTAL @YAHOO.COM

DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM

AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL: PICKUP, 9-11 SEAT MIN BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPOTR & FAMILY OUTING, CHEAPEST RATE . Call: 698-7807

WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP REATES,SPECIALOFFERS FOR THE SEASON. CALL: 690-6494

CAR RENTAL

Well maintained self contained 2 bedroom apartments @ William Street, Campbellville -$45,000. Call: 226-6787

Experienced female Accounts Clerk, apply in person to Alabama Trading, 65-66 Robb Street Bourda.

Two bedroom apartment with toilet & bath. Contact Nas: 220-6799/ 603-9547

Experienced cook (for canteen), porters, bond clerks, snackette attendants. Apply: Survival, Lot 10 Vlissengen Rd, Kitty.

1 Steel hull boat for sale 50’X13’X6’, 1-GM Engine 165 HP, Alison gearbox. Call: 691-5104

Space for rent @ Vreed-en Hoop Junction, lessons place, church, storage bond, office, others -$20,000 monthly. Call: 603-6400

1 85 Daf hauler truck with trailer, swap for 1 double axel sand truck or tanker tel: 6941258 3 Ton Mitsubishi CanterGMM, negotiable . Call:6985604

Live in waitress, domestic & supervisor 18-45yrs, salary starts -$80,000 monthly, boarding & lodging free (Bar & Grocery). Call: 610-3974 1 female to live-in for cooking Indian food, answering phone, cleaning etc for single male Whatsapp : 673-9283

Nail Technician who knows to do everything to work. Special on hair, plaiting & stitching Contact Mia : 679-7044 1 Accounts Clerk, preferably from E.B.D – 5 subjects CXC minimum @ gtcareers592@gmail.com Washbay staff living in Georgetown, driver’s License will be an asset. Call: 664-0802 Driver with minibus license living in G/town, to work with company. Call: 664-0802

Room attendant, male security age 30-55, 233 South Road, Lacytown. Call: 225-0198 Accounts Clerk for Eccles, Industrial Site area knowledge of NIS, PAYE, VAT, Quickbooks. Call: 6144358

Upper flat for rent 3 bedrooms in Atlantic Gardens- Call: 2274377/227-0613/624-6013

7840 Ford Tractor Baldan Rome Plough Chipper, cage wheel, 16inch pump, complete music set. Call: 2282551/ 613-3175

VACANCY Trainee A.C, Refrigerator, Technician –Call: 231-0655

Bottom flat house @ 25 North Road & Oronoque Street, fully furnished/ air condition/ residence /business.Call: 226-7012

Upper flat 2 bedroom apartment in Eccles -$60,000. Call: 233-2082/663-1109 House to rent @ Nimes W.B.D – Call: 622-3197 Business property to rent near Campbellville Secondary School. Call: 6276480/ 613-6815 One and two bedrooms apartment Herstelling E.B.D - Tel: 641-2311 or 627-3882

PROPERTY FOR SALE Transported property @ Grove and Diamond $16M negotiable. Call: 625-5461 House & Land available for sale. Contact Pacific Development Inc @ Lot 3 Church Street, G/Town. Call: 223-6035/227-8274 Newly built @ Craig E.B.D land 91X50, house 40X28, 3 rooms, 1 self-contained$23M. Call: 718-213-6496/ 617-7691 House for sale- 2 flat no flooding, 6ft fence, price $21Million negotiable. Call: 233-5400/ 218-0595

One nail technician at West Shore Plaza, 15 Public Road Ruimzeight. Call: 269-1524/ 656-3561

1 Car to buy on terms tel: 6941258

CAR RENTAL

PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620

1 Fishing boat & 7000 lb ice box (fiber glass). Call: 6470800/680-3853 or email: vineshprashad@gmail.com

One female shop assistant to work in the Interior, age 2345. Contact: 668-6421

TAXI SERVICE GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 225-7878 (24HRS)

FOR RENT

WANTED Business opportunities needed to invest in Gold trade in Interior. Call: 658-7553 One cashier, Attractive salary. Phone 696-9386. Or send application by WhatsApp and SMS Maid required for domestic work and cooking. Call: 6588669. Experienced shop workers, handyman & domestic to work in the Interior, age 1840yrs. Call: 231-0363 (9am4:30pm). (TIN, ID & NIS) Labourers for wood concession -$5,000 per dayCall: 618-0487 SALON - Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc. - Cosmetology Courses: $120,000 - Technician Course: $45,000. Call: 6471773/660-5257

TO LET Fully furnished vacation home with all amenities Call during working hours 2271218 2 & 3 Bedrooms, fully furnished luxury apartments, long and short term rental. Call: 665-3505/ 655-6270

Property @ 87E, Albert Street, Alberttown, front lot, size 80X20 price $35Million. Call: 669-8701 Subryanville property for sale: 44 fifth Avenue., Subryanville, Georgetown $45M or best offer. Call Mortimer: 625-7669/ Richard: 624-1154

4 AC Rooms/2 large hall with 1 extra room, suitable for business/offices @ 21 Seaforth St. Campbellville, Georgetown. Call: 226-1877, 624-7436, 654-9350

EDUCATIONAL French Classes: 276B Peter Rose Street, Monday-Friday open from 1-5pm, www.alliancefrancaiseguyana. com. Tel: 226-1882

LEARN TO DRIVE C. Persaud & N. Outar Driving School formerly Soman & Sons Driving School @ Maraj BuildingCall: 644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997 (affordable packages). Continued on page 69

Sunday April 16, 2017

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Kaieteur News

CONSUMER CONCERNS

Consumers must protect themselves from ubiquitous substandard imports By PAT DIAL By the 1990s Guyana had adopted the Free Market and Globalization which were promoted throughout the Western World as being the most successful way in which a country’s economic life could be structured. Both theories advocated free imports from any part of the world as well as the abolition of all currency controls and Guyana has been conducting its economic life in accordance with these doctrines. This has led to goods from all parts of the world being imported into the Guyana market resulting in a great number of substandard goods being sold everywhere. This situation contrasts with a few decades previously when the overwhelming majority of imported consumer goods derived from Western countries which had strong national and manufacturing standards. Most goods had well-known brand names and were properly labelled and consumers used them with confidence. Now, the consumer must be careful to read labels and carefully examine goods being purchased, especially foodstuffs, drugs and toiletries. This situation puts an added inspection burden on the Food and Drugs Department, the National Bureau of Standards and Consumer Protection bodies. Many of these substandard foods, drugs and toiletries are injurious to health. In recent weeks, the Food and Drugs Department under its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Marlon Cole, has been able to prevent the entry into the Guyana market of a

shipment of tuna from China where the producer tried to deceive consumers by using a name which could easily be confused with “Brunswick”, a well-known North American producer. This tuna could easily have deceived the unsuspecting Guyanese consumer. Then there was the banning of a condensed milk from Malaysia which was a vegetable product trying to pass itself as a diary product. Brazilian meat imports were temporarily banned in several countries owing to health fears and this resulted in the accumulation of massive quantities of unsold meat which became spoilt. Some manufacturers, including some well-known brand names like Friboi and Swift were using the spoilt meat to make sausages for the export market, some of which was imported into Guyana. The Brazilian government was able to track down the offending manufacturers and informed Guyana. The Food and Drugs Department was able to take immediate action. Had that sausage entered Guyana, it would very likely have been used by fast-food restaurants. Other examples of substandard foods brought into the country are mints from Holland with far too much menthol that could damage one’s stomach, pastas of the lowest grade from Korea and “olive oil”, 80% of which was soya oil, from Brazil. A major danger of these substandard food imports lies in the poor hygienic conditions in which they are produced and in the case of canned foods, they often contain ingredients other than what they purport to be,

Used Tyres - The Perspective of the... From page 67 importation of the ‘specific categories of used tyres’; as such, the local sale of such used tyres, will be regulated to be phasedout in a timely manner. On this note, all manufacturers, importers, and retailers of products, monitored by the GNBS, are encouraged to purchase copies of respective standards, so that the specifications outlined in respective standards, can be adhered to. Consumers are also encouraged to purchase wisely and to ensure, products purchased conform to: recognized standards, read labels, and purpose intended for product. As the National Standards Body, we have an obligation to ensure, standards are applied in all sections of our society; the objective of improving quality of life for all Guyanese is important. Candelle Walcott- Bostwick Executive Director For further information on this subject, call the GNBS on Telephone number: 219-0065 or 219-0069 or visit the Bureau’s website: www.gnbsgy.org

as for example, bits of shark or pork in fish. They often have no expiry date. These substandard foods could be very harmful to health. The same position occurs in toiletries. Some years ago, in Panama, at least 200 people were known to have died from using a tooth paste exported from China. Also from China to Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean was “Colgate tooth paste” packed exactly like the genuine Colgate. The fraud was uncovered by the box stating that the place of manufacture was South Africa when Colgate did not have any factory in that country; or cheap lip-sticks which damage the skin of the user’s lips. Drug imports are beset with even more problems. The drugs produced by the six or eight multi-nationals such as Glaxo, Novartis and Pfizer are probably the only drugs one could use with full confidence. Drugs sourced from the developed countries are not necessarily safe or of good quality. Some years ago, for example, a supplier from Hamburg, Germany had secured a great part of the Guyana market for certain drugs, until the Bureau of Standards, having received

From page 68

LAND FOR SALE Transported land for sale size 37X270 @ Coglan Dam, Vreed-en-Hoop, W.B.D. Call: 650-5644/677-9938 Farm (East Bank) $3M, La Parfaite Harmonie -$1.6M, Uitvlugt -$2.6M, Providence -$5M, Bartica - $3M. Call:2333006; 658-5897; 651-1969 East ½ 84 David Street, back lot for sale- Contact: 84davidstreet@gmail.com

many complaints of the quality of their drugs, did some research into the Company. They found that the Company did not manufacture any drug but instead had unauthorized low-grade Third World producers making the drugs for them which they labelled as if they were German-made. The Bureau had imports from that company immediately banned. Recognized Indian companies have been producing top-of-the line generics which are sold all over the world including Europe and North America. All the big multi-national

drug companies are established in India and an Indian-produced Vicks or Dettol is the same as the Western-produced, except it may be less expensive. Indian drugs imported into Guyana are from the reputable companies. Through the Bureau of Standards, the Food and Drugs and the Consumer bodies do their best to protect the public from substandard imports, they are all under-funded and could only do a limited amount of regulating and policing. The onus rests on the consumer to protect himself or herself. In protecting one’s self, one

has to read labels thoroughly looking for country of production, ingredients, measures, expiry dates and be sure that instructions are clear and labels are written in English. Also, one must physically examine the product and ascertain it is the same as one had used before. If any of these requirements is absent, then do not purchase the product. One may also alert the consumer protection bodies who would take immediate action so as to help other unsuspecting consumers from being victims of substandard goods.

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Sunday April 16, 2017

Kaieteur News

Thirteen-year-old paralysed after HPV vaccine (Newsday) THREE months after she received the first round of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine, a 13-year-old primary school pupil became partially paralysed on the left side of her body.Danielle Flavinney, of New Grant, received the vaccine in October last year. Doctors have diagnosed her with a rare psychological disorder but her mother believes the vaccine is to blame. Six months on Danielle’s mother Jamie Flavinney said the teen has no feeling on the left side of her face, her left arm, left torso or left leg. She said she traced the beginning of her daughter ’s condition to October 21, when she received the first round of the vaccine with other students of the St Matthew’s Anglican Primary School. The elder Flavinney said Danielle in January began complaining of not feeling anything in her left hand and arm. “She came to me and said “Mummy, look at my hand. What happen to my hand?” Flavinney said. “The hand was bent up in a way, almost like it was deformed,” she added. Again in January, after she first lost feeling in the hand and arm, Danielle received the second round of the vaccine in school. With no improvement in her condition, Flavinney took her daughter to the Indian Walk Health Centre. She was then referred to the San Fernando Teaching Hospital. “They first sent her to a bone doctor who said he couldn’t do anything because she had no broken bones. They did an MRI, but before the results came back they sent a psychiatrist to review her. “The psychiatrist said he didn’t find anything

wrong with her, but he didn’t know why they would send her to him when the results of the MRI didn’t come back yet,” Flavinney said. An MRA (Magnetic Resonance Angiogram) was also done and doctors said nothing was physically wrong with Danielle’s brain, spine or left hand. After spending nine days warded at the San Fernando Teaching Hospital, Danielle was diagnosed with ‘conversion disorder’ and discharged. She has not been back to school since. In an interview with Newsday, Professor Gerard Hutchinson, head of Clinical Medical Sciences, at the University of the West Indies explained that ‘conversion disorder’ was once called hysteria and suggests that there was some serious psychological conflict that the person has that expresses itself in that way. Hutchinson said because of Danielle’s age and the fact that her paralysis is only on one side of her body, ‘all physical explanations must be checked out.’ “For example, it could be related to epilepsy, but if they are sure that nothing is going on there, then it is likely to be that (conversion disorder).” Hutchinson said if Danielle did have conversion disorder, it was not a conscious choice. “It is almost as if your brain is telling your body to react to a stressor or a conflict in this way. So you have to identify the conflict, resolve it, and then the person is able to recover,” he said. Since her first diagnosis, Danielle’s condition has progressively worsened, her mother said. In February, she lost feeling in her leg. Flavinney showed Newsday a video

of a doctor pinching Danielle’s torso and sticking her with a needle in different parts of her body during a second visit to the San Fernando Teaching Hospital in February. In the video, Danielle was seen flinching only when she was pinched and stuck with the needle on the right side of her body. She was discharged with the same diagnosis of conversion disorder and on February 24, she lost feeling on the left side of her face. Flavinney also said Danielle has had no bowel movement from January 21 to March 17. “They (doctors) are telling me that is impossible, but I am telling them what is happening. What could cause this to happen in a 13-year-old girl?” the worried mother said. Flavinney says she cannot accept the diagnosis of conversion disorder. “I am not accepting that. I am not accepting that at all,” she said. She is hoping for another medical opinion. Contacted for his opinion, gynaecological oncologist Dr Gordon Narayansingh said while he could not comment directly on Danielle’s case since he did not have all the information, he said he has never seen a patient become paralysed after receiving the HPV vaccine. Narayansingh has been a long-time advocate of the HPV vaccine before its introduction in schools in 2013. Danielle is scheduled to undergo a counselling session at the Child Guidance Clinic in Pleasantville on May 9. Her mother, however, is appealing for help to find out what is wrong with the teenager. Dr Hutchinson has offered to do a clinical assessment at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences

The Monica Reece Murder Mystery From page 76 name? But in my heart I believe that he just thinks: I killed a woman…dumped her in a public street over two decades ago. Try all you want. You can’t touch me… As I write this, another Good Friday has just passed with Reece’s killer still at large. But something tells me that time is catching up with him. I imagine writing this, perhaps before next Good Friday: “After 24 years, the veil appears to have finally lifted on one of the nation’s most intriguing cold cases, and the identity of a killer may now be known.

“In a stunning development last night, detectives detained a member of a prominent business family for the Good Friday Night 1993 murder of Monica Reece…” I want to see his face when this happens. If you have any further information on this case or any other, please contact us at our Lot 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown office or by telep h o n e . We can be reached on telephone numbers 2258458, 22-58465, or 22-58491. You need not disclose your identity. You can also contact Michael Jordan at his email address: mjdragon@hotmail.com.

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North Korea displays apparently new missiles as U.S. carrier group approaches By Sue-Lin Wong and James Pearson (Reuters) North Korea displayed what appeared to be new long-range and submarine-based missiles on the 105th birth anniversary of its founding father, Kim Il Sung, yesterday, as a nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier group steamed towards the region. Missiles appeared to be the main theme of a giant military parade, with Kim’s grandson, leader Kim Jong Un, taking time to greet the commander of the Strategic Forces, the branch that oversees the missile arsenal. A U.S. Navy attack on a Syrian airfield this month with Tomahawk missiles raised questions about U.S. President Donald Trump’s plans for reclusive North Korea, which has conducted several missile and nuclear tests in defiance of U.N. sanctions, regularly threatening to destroy the United States. Kim Jong Un, looking relaxed in a dark suit and laughing with aides, oversaw the festivities on the “Day of the Sun” at Pyongyang’s main Kim Il Sung Square.

Goose-stepping soldiers and marching bands filled the square, next to the Taedonggang River that flows through Pyongyang, in the hazy spring sunshine, followed by tanks, multiplelaunch rocket systems and other weapons. Single-engine propellerpowered planes flew in a 105 formation overhead. Unlike at some previous parades attended by Kim, there did not appear to be a senior Chinese official in attendance. China is North Korea’s lone major ally but has spoken out against its missile and nuclear tests and has supported U.N. sanctions. China on Friday again called for talks to defuse the crisis. Weapons analysts said they believed some of the missiles on display were new types of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). The North has said it has developed and would launch a missile that can strike the mainland United States but officials and experts believe it is some time away from mastering all the necessary technology.

“EARLY DAYS” North Korea showed two new kinds of ICBM enclosed in canister launchers mounted on the back of trucks, suggesting Pyongyang was working towards a “new concept” of ICBM, said Melissa Hanham, a senior research associate at the U.S.-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, California. Military vehicles carry missiles with characters reading ‘Pukkuksong’ during a military parade marking the 105th birth anniversary of country’s founding father, Kim Il Sung in Pyongyang, April 15, 2017. REUTERS/ Damir Sagolj “However, North Korea has a habit of showing off new concepts in parades before they ever test or launch them,” Hanham said. “It is still early days for these missile designs.” The Pukkuksong submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) were also on parade. It was the first time North Korea had shown the missiles, which have a range of more than 1,000 km (600 miles), at a military parade.

Displaying more than one of the missiles indicates North Korea is progressing with its plan to base a missile on a submarine, which are hard to detect, said Joshua Pollack, editor of the Washingtonbased Nonproliferation Review. “It suggests a commitment to this program,” said Pollack. “Multiple SLBMs seems like a declaration of intent to advance the program.” North Korea, still technically at war with the South after their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce but not a treaty, has on occasion conducted missile or nuclear tests to coincide with big political events and often threatens the United States, South Korea and Japan. C h o e Ry o n g H a e , a close aide to Kim Jong Un, addressed the packed square with a characteristically bellicose warning to the United States. “If the United States wages reckless provocation against us, our revolutionary power will instantly counter with anni-

hilating strike, and we will respond to full-out war with full-out war and to nuclear war with our style of nuclear strike warfare,” he said. PENCE TO VISIT SOUTH State news agency KCNA said the Trump administration’s “serious military hysteria” had reached a “dangerous phase which can no longer be overlooked”. The United States has warned that a policy of “strategic patience” with North Korea is over. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence travels to South Korea on Sunday on a long-planned 10-day trip to Asia. China has also stepped up economic pressure on North Korea. It banned all imports of North Korean coal on Feb. 26 under U.N. sanctions, cutting off the North’s most important export product. China’s national airline, Air China, weeks ago canceled some flights to Pyongyang due to poor demand but it has not suspended all flights there, it

said on Friday, denying a report by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV that all flights run by the airline between the two cities were to be suspended. China’s Global Times newspaper, which is publ i s h e d b y t h e P e o p l e ’s D a i l y, t h e C o m m u n i s t Party’s official paper, said North Korea must have felt the shockwave from the 11ton “mother of all bombs” dropped by U.S. forces on Islamic State-linked fighters in Afghanistan on Thursday. “It would be nice if the bomb could frighten Pyongyang, but its actual impact may just be the opposite,” it said in an editorial. North Korea on Friday denounced the United States for bringing “huge nuclear strategic assets” to the region as the USS Carl Vinson strike group with a flag-ship nuclear-powered aircraft carrier steamed closer. In Dandong, China’s main border post with North Korea, hundreds of North Koreans gathered at a cultural center carrying floral displays.

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Over 100 killed during Syria’s troubled population transfer BEIRUT (AP) — A stalled population transfer resumed yesterday after a deadly explosion killed at least 100, including children, government supporters and opposition fighters, at an evacuation point — adding new urgency to the widely criticized operation. The blast ripped through a bus depot in the alRashideen area where thousands of government loyalists evacuated the day before waited restlessly for hours, as opposition fighters guarded the area while negotiators bickered over the completion of the transfer deal. Only meters away, hundreds of evacuees from pro-rebels areas also loitered in a walled-off parking lot, guarded by government troops. Footage from the scene showed bodies, including those of fighters, lying alongside buses, some of which were charred and others gutted from the blast. Personal belongings could be seen dangling out of the windows. Fires raged from a number of vehicles as rescuers struggled to put

them out. The scenes were the last in the unyielding bloodshed Syrians are living through. Earlier this month, at least 89 people were killed in a chemical attack as children foaming at the mouth and adults gasping for last breath were also caught on camera. The bloody mayhem that followed the Saturday attack only deepened the resentment of the transfer criticized as population engineering. It also reflected the chaos surrounding negotiations between the warring parties. The United Nations did not oversee the transfer deal of the villages of Foua and Kfraya, besieged by the rebels, and Madaya and Zabadani, encircled by the government. No one claimed responsibility for the attack but pro-government media and the opposition exchanged accusations, each pointing to foreign interference or conspiracies undermining the deal. State TV al-Ikhbariya said the attack was the result of a car bomb carrying food aid to

be delivered to the evacuees in the rebel-held area — ostensibly crisps for the children — and accused rebel groups of carrying it out. A TV broadcaster from the area said: “There can be no life with the terrorist groups.” “I know nothing of my family. I can’t find them,” said a woman who appeared on alIkhbariya, weeping outside the state hospital in Aleppo where the wounded were transported. Ahrar al-Sham, the rebel group that negotiated the deal, denounced the “cowardly” attack, saying a number of opposition fighters as well as government supporters were killed in the attack. The group said the attack only serves to deflect the attention from government “crimes” and said it was ready to cooperate with an international probe to determine who did it. Yasser Abdelatif, a media official for Ahrar al-Sham, said about 30 rebel gunmen were killed in the blast. He accused the government or extremist rebel groups of orchestrating the attack to discredit the opposition.

The Syrian Civil Defense in Aleppo province, also known as the White Helmets, said their volunteers pulled at least 100 bodies from the site of the explosion. White Helmets member Ibrahim Alhaj said the 100 fatalities documented by the rescuers included many children and women, as well as fighters. Syrian state media said at least 39 were killed, including children. The opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights put the death toll at 43, adding that it would likely rise because of the extensive damage. A Facebook page belonging to the progovernment Foua and Kfraya villages said all those in three buses were killed or are still missing while a rebel official said at least 30 opposition fighters who were guarding the evacuees were killed in the blast. According to Abdul Hakim Baghdadi, an interlocutor who helped the government negotiate the evacuations, 140 were killed in the attack. He added it was not clear how many rebels

were killed because they were evacuated to their areas. Hours after the explosion, the transfer resumed — as dozens of buses, starting with the wounded, left to their respective destinations. Before midnight Saturday, 100 of some 120 buses from both sides had already arrived. The explosion hit the alRashideen area, a rebelcontrolled district outside Aleppo city where evacuation buses carrying nearly 5,000 people from the northern rebelbesieged villages of Foua and Kfraya were stuck. Residents from the two villages had been evacuated Friday, along with more than 2,000 from Madaya, an oppositionh e ld town outside of Damascus besieged by government forces. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack Saturday in a statement from his spokesman Stephane Dujarric, and called on all parties “to ensure the safety and security of those waiting to be evacuated.” “Those responsible for

today’s attack must be brought to justice,” the statement added. The coordinated evacuations delivered warweary fighters and residents from two years of siege and hunger, but moved Syria closer to a division of its national population by loyalty and sect. Madaya and Zabadani, once summer resorts to Damascus, have been shattered under the cruelty of a government siege. The two towns rebelled against Damascus’ authority in 2011 when demonstrations swept through the country demanding the end of President Bashar Assad’s rule. Residents were reduced to hunting rodents and eating tree leaves. Photos of children gaunt with hunger shocked the world and gave new urgency to U.N. relief operations in Syria. Foua and Kfraya, besieged by the rebels, lived under a steady hail of rockets and mortars. They were supplied with food and medical supplies through military airdrops.

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Sunday April 16, 2017

Kaieteur News

MVP candidates square off as NBA playoffs get underway One of the fiercest MVP debates basketball has seen in years will add another chapter when the NBA Playoffs open this weekend with award frontrunners Russell Westbrook and James Harden meeting face to face. In one corner: Oklahoma City’s Westbrook, who averaged the league’s second ever triple-double with dizzying numbers of 31.6 points per game, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists for the Thunder. In the other: the bearded Harden, who facilitated a surprising Rockets surge to 55 wins while putting up 29.1 points, 11.2 assists and 8.1 rebounds for Houston. Individual mastery or team superiority? The first-round matchup between the number three seed Rockets and sixthseeded Thunder will have no bearing on the MVP trophy but will be yet another talking point in the raging discussion. Defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers and top-seeded Golden State Warriors have a

chance to extend their own rivalry - and become the first teams ever to meet in three straight NBA Finals – if they can overcome hurdles. The Cavs lost 14 of their final 24 games to drop to second in the Eastern Conference, behind the Boston Celtics, and enter the postseason shakily with a first-round matchup vs. the Indiana Pacers that launched the playoffs yesterday. In the West, the Warriors caught a late-season rhythm but did so mostly without prized off-season acquisition Kevin Durant, who missed 19 games with a knee sprain and is being reinserted into the lineup on the fly. Golden State put their AllStar backcourt of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson against Portland’s own impressive guard duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum in the opening round against the Blazers. The West’s secondseeded San Antonio Spurs look to put recent playoff dis-

appointments behind and open against Memphis. The series will pit Spanish brothers Pau Gasol (Spurs) and Marc Gasol (Grizzlies) against one another for the first time in the playoffs. Despite their current core of stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, the Los Angeles Clippers have never advanced beyond the playoff’s second round. The Clippers will take another crack at it beginning against the Utah Jazz and their emerging French big man Rudy Gobert. In the East, the Celtics seek to prove that their scrappy run to the top of the East was not a fluke. The Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizareds are viewed as the other East contenders tasked with trying to stop James from reaching his seventh consecutive Finals. The Raptors play their firstround series against the Milwaukee Bucks, while the Wizards try to work their magic against the Atlanta Hawks. (Reuters)

Sunday April 16, 2017 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Changes in your domestic scene are evident. You may want to make plans to take a vacation together. You can expect your mate to get fed up and make the choices for you or back off completely. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You could be cornered, so be prepared to tell the truth. Don't push your luck with authority. You will meet a person who may turn out to be more than just a friend. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Correspondence may not clear up issues. Helping children may be rewarding and challenging. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Hard work will not go unnoticed. Anger may cause you grief; control your temper and try to sit back and calm down. Your generous nature could be taken advantage of. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Don't bang your head against a wall. Romance is likely if you can bring yourself to go out with friends VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Empty promises will cause upset. You can make favorable real estate offers today. You may have difficulty trying to get your mate to understand your position.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Talk to someone with experience about budgets or consolidating debts. You will have to face each issue separately and in person. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Don't try to hide your true feelings from your mate. You may have to explain your actions to your family. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) You can expect to experience delays or additional red tape if you deal with institutions. Don't jump the gun; you may find yourself getting angry at the wrong person. Try to be understanding. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You can persuade even the toughest opponents to think your way. Your involvement in organizational events could open doors to new and exciting opportunities. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) This may not be the day to get involved in risky joint financial ventures. You can make changes to your living quarters that should please family members. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Your ability to deal with humanitarian groups will enhance your reputation. Secret affairs will come back to haunt you.

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Wellman Demerara, Trophy Stall E’bo... (From page 77) Malone made 48 and Raymond Harper 18. Trophy Stall Essequibo beat Valvoline Demerara by 74 runs. Trophy Stall Essequibo batted first and posted 187-3 in 19.5 overs. Anthony Persaud stroked 88 not out, Ramesh Narine slammed an unbeaten 62 and Mohamed Rafeek got 25. Valvoline Demerara was sent packing for 113 in 16.2 overs in reply. Greg De Franca made 24 and Fazleem Mohamed 23. Ramesh Narine captured 4-17 and Richie Bishop 3-30. Permaul’s Berbice overcame Trophy Stall Essequibo by seven wickets. Trophy

Stall Essequibo managed 171-9, taking first strike. Rafeek hit 44 and Sahadeo Hardaiow 38. Kash Lutchman and Ravi Lutchman snared three wickets apiece. Permaul’s Berbice responded with 172-3 in 18.2 overs. Khemraj Sumair hammered 96 while Eon Abel made 35. Narine had 2-31. Wellman Demerara beat Valvoline Demerara by five wickets. Valvoline Demerara took first strike and were bowled out for 126 in 16.5 overs. Robert Mohan made 40 while Greg De Franca got 39. Mahendra Arjune claimed 423 and Clive Canterbury 2-14. Wellman Demerara reached 132-5 in 18.4 overs in reply.

Wayne Jones hit 37, Lloyd Rooplall 36 and Arjune 22. The competition continues today from 09:30hrs. Trophy Stall Essequibo will face Wellman Demerara and Valvoline Demerara will play Permaul’s Berbice in the final preliminary round games after which the top two teams will meet in the final from 13:30hrs. There will also be a female matchup featuring Mike’s Wellwoman and Trophy Stall Angels. Fans will also be entertained by Caribbean Hot Shots band while there will also be a well stock bar and Bar-Be-Cue on sale. (Zaheer Mohamed)

Scorpions frustrated by Greaves... (From page 76) was caught at leg slip by Blackwood off Bulli. With Pride in turmoil, Greaves came to the fore, anchoring two critical partnerships to turn the innings around. He added

Battle of the... (From page 78) would be contested using a 20/20 format, Eagles will open against Pouderoyen with this clash followed by what is anticipated to be a humdinger of a battle between home team Den Amstel and Uitvlugt Warriors. The respective semi final winners will face off in the final over 80 minutes for the first place prize of $100,000 with the loser to pocket half that amount. The losers of the semis will face off in the third place match for 60 minutes and the winner will walk away with $20,000. Individual prizes will be awarded to the best goalkeeper on show; Highest Goal Scorer and Best Young Player. There will also be lost of giveaways for the fans including US$50.00. The National Sports Commission through its ‘Light it Up’ Initiative is on board a the lone sponsor of the event that is organized by the Super 4 Massive group Alex Greene a former junior national player, Akantunde Rudder aka Rigget, Roger Miller and Miles Miller, all former residents of Den Amstel who have come together to give back not only to the community, but the association.

124 for the sixth wicket with Williams and 75 with Nurse in an unbroken seventh wicket stand. The 23-year-old, better known for his right-arm pace, faced 182 balls in just over 31/2 hours at the crease and counted eight fours. Williams, meanwhile, struck eight fours in a knock spanning 155 deliveries in just under three hours at the crease. When Bulli had him caught at square leg in the first hour after tea, Nurse entered to further frustrated Scorpions, ensuring that Greaves also went past three

figures for the first time in 10 first class matches. Red Force 269-6 vs Hurricanes – 1st day, 10th round Basseterre, St Kitts, CMC – Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, sent in by Leeward Islands Hurricanes, reached 269 for six at the close on the opening day of their final round game in the Regional four-day championship at Warner Park yesterday. Scores: RED FORCE 269 for six (Yannic Cariah 73 not out, Amir Jangoo 46, Ewart Nicholson 45, Isaiah Rajah 40; Nkrumah Bonner 1-1) vs HURRICANES.

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Sunday April 16, 2017

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Paul’s 6-28 & Fudadin’s unbeaten 113 put Jaguars in control Story and photos by Sean Devers Playing before a handful of fans on one of the ‘old’ pitches, the Guyana Jaguars ended the opening day of their ninth round Digicel Regional First-Class match against the Windwards Volcanoes in firm control at

Providence yesterday. In sultry conditions the visitors were blown away for 95 by an incisive 10-over spell of medium pace bowling from 19-year-old Essequibian Kemo Paul. Paul snatched 6-28 in only his second match at this level and got support from 22-year-old Berbice pacer

Romario Shepherd (2-17), in his fourth match at this level. Steven Jacobs took 1-5 from his only over while Sunil Ambris top-scored with 29 which included six fours. Shane Shillingford, the only other batsman to reach 15, was run out for 24 after hitting a four and two

sixes. The Jaguars were 209-2 by the end of the day with the lights turned on. Assad Fudadin (113) and night watchman Gudakesh Motie (2) were at the crease. Fudadin has so far faced 172 balls, batted for 240 minutes and hit 12 fours and two sixes.

The left-hander added 107 in 106 minutes with Rajendra Chandrika who reached the boundary five times from 57 balls to give their team a solid foundation. The 23-year-old Chanderpaul Hemraj, back in First-Class action after five matches and three years, passed his previous best of 34, making 54 from 202 balls and 110 minutes with five fours and two sixes before he fell just before the close after adding 92 with Fudadin. By Lunch the Volcanoes were precariously placed at 78-7 with Shillingford counter-attacking on 18 and the left-handed Larry Edwards on five after Shepherd had started the slide by removing openers Devon Smith for a second ball duck and Tyrone Theophile (1) to leave on 32. Paul, who missed the last match in Barbados due a cut finger, trapped Jerlani Robinson (2) LBW at 6-3 before dismissing Andre Fletcher (13), Kaveem Hodge for a duck and Kyle Mayers (6) as the Volcanoes imploded to 29-6. Ambris was trapped in front to Paul at 71-7 before Shillingford and Edwards took their team to Lunch but after the interval Shillingford was run out looking for a suicidal run after an LWB from Paul was turned down. Jacobs rocked back the stumps of Delorn Johnson (0) and Paul polished off the innings by getting rid of Edwards for 12 and the Jaguars, hunting their third consecutive First-Class title, were large and in charge in the own backyard,

When the Jaguars began their reply Chandrika ondrove Sherman Lewis elegantly for four and repeated a similar shot for the same results, this time off of Mayers to post the 50 in 10.1 overs. Fudadin danced into Shillingford’s first ball and deposited it over long-off for six before smashing him for four. The left-hander, who has played three Tests, stroked Lewis for four and reached his 22nd fifty in the 16th over, lofting Shillingford one bounce to the extra cover boundary. His half century took just 53 balls and was decorated with two fours and a six as he continued to dominate the partnership with Chandrika and by Tea the Jaguars were 92 without loss from 20 overs with Fudadin on 60 and Chandrika 29. After the break Chandrika was caught behind as Johnson made the break through to bring Hemraj to the middle and he and Fudadin batted with authority as the flayed the bowling to all parts of lush green outfield. Fudadin reached his sixth ton from 149 balls and 207 minutes with 11 fours and two sixes while Hemraj, who dumped Hodge back over his head for six to move into the forties and soon reached his maiden50 from 93 balls, 107 minutes with five fours and two sixes. Hemraj edged Shillingford to the keeper before Fudadin, who will want go past his highest First-Class score of 122 today and Motie saw their team safely to the close.

Sunday April 16, 2017

Kaieteur News

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Jamaica nab four medals in opening session

Bermudian Sakari Famous Willemstad, Curacao, CMC – Perennial champions Jamaica sent early warning shots in the morning session of the 46th CARIFTA Games when Janique Burgher captured gold and teammate Lamara Distin, silver, in the girls Under-18 high jump f i n a l h e r e y e s t e r d a y. Their successes were two of four for giants Jamaica who also picked up medals in the two other finals staged in the

boys Under-20 javelin and the girls under-18 shot put. Burgher’s effort was the only g o l d e n o n e , h o w e v e r, successfully clearing 1.77 metres to finish ahead of Distin who clinched silver with a mark of 1.74. Bermudian Sakari Famous finished with bronze with a clearance of 1.71m. Distin and Famous were also second and third respectively at last year’s

showpiece in Martinique. Burgher was impressive, effortlessly cruising to the mark of 1.77 before missing her first clearance but succeeding with the second. However, the emerging star failed thrice at the 1.80m mark, despite clearing the height at the Puma Gibson McCook Relays in Kingston last February. Meanwhile, Keyon Burton handed Dominica their first gold medal of the games when he threw the javelin 62.14 metres, to win the boys Under-20 event. Barbadian Kalvin Marcus claimed silver with a throw of 60.40m while Jamaican Kevin Nedrick finished with bronze with a mark of 58.33. Last year, Burton won silver with a throw of 64.87m. Trinidad and Tobago also claimed their first medal through Ianna Roach who won the girls Under-18 shot put with a mark of 14.43

Caribbean Junior, Cadet Table Tennis Championships Opens at Sports Hall The battle for regional Junior and Cadet Table Te n n i s h o n o u r s a n d qualification for the second P a n A m e r i c a n Championships has heightened with the arrival of nine teams to participate in the 2017 Caribbean Junior and Cadet Table Tennis Championships at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. The nine teams from the region here in Guyana to participate in the prestigious Championships includes Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Cuba, Aruba, St. Vincent, Dominican Republic, St. Lucia along with host Guyana, which will see approximately 135 youth athletes in competition, which is expected to be a showcase of talent and expertise. The games commence with the early rounds in the teams competition on Friday and continued yesterday with a semi-finals and finals scheduled for sometime last night. The competition will be used as the qualification event for the second Pan American Junior and Cadet Table Tennis Championships scheduled for the Argentina in July. This competition will be used to select the top four teams from the Caribbean, which will join the top four from Central America and the top four teams from

South America to qualify for the Pan American event. The qualification event is a compulsory event; all the top teams from the region have definitely come to battle for their qualification spot. The categories to be contested are: Boys and Girls 18 and under, 15 years and under – Teams, Doubles, Mixed Doubles and Singles, and Girls Teams, Doubles, Mixed Doubles and Singles, in the respective age groups. The Championships have taken on an added dimension with the presence of the Latin American Table Tennis Union President, J u a n Vi l a , T h e o r d o r e Mathews, Miguel Delgado the former Latin American President and Chief Executive Officer of Raise Rexford Tables Tennis Equipment manufacturer have all come to witness the Championships. The Technical Director for the Championships is Bob Roopnarine of Trinidad and Tobago and he will be assisted by ITTF accredited umpires and referees from Guyana Ryan Narine, Warren Hackshaw, Vernon Rodrigues, Bertnell Richards, Dwayne Gibson, Shavin Green , Maurice Cummings, Shaquel John, Candacy McKenzie, Debra Daniels and Leona Kyte. From the quality of skills exhibited thus far table tennis lovers will be in for a treat. The Cadet and Junior

Caribbean Championship is an incubator for regional table tennis talents. Guyana’s Table Tennis Association is proud to be host of this event. The tournament provides the opportunity for 32 of Guyana’s top cadet and junior table tennis athletes to represent Guyana and compete against the region’s best for regional honours, which has long term benefits for the development of the sport. According to the GTTA Guyana’s charge will be led in the Under 18 Boys A team of Miguel Wong, Elishaba Johnson, Kyle Edghill and Nickolus Romain with Guyana Boys B team c o m i n g f r o m Ty r i q Saunders, Vishan Harrynauth, Vishan Deo, Krystian Sahadeo, Dhanesh Persaud and Colin Wong. Girls 15 years and under Neveah Clarkston, Abigale Martin Selenas Jackman, Thuria Thomas and Girls 18 years and under Priscillia Greaves, Jamaali Homer, Aneka Philips and Davona Best. Boys 15 years and under where a nucleus of talent abounds will see Jamal Nicholas, Kaysan Ninvalle, Terrence Rausche and Yeudistir Persaud forming Guyana A team and Niron Bissu Isaiah Layne, Brandon Jaikarran and Navindra Persaud forming the B team.

metres, after finishing with silver in the event last year. Danielle Sloley thew 14.12 to hand Jamaica their fourth

medal of the morning with silver while Tamera Manette of Martinique took bronze w i t h 1 3 . 8 6 .

Day one will wrap up with the finals of the marquee 100 metres and the 400m, in both the boys and girls categories.

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Sunday April 16, 2017

Kaieteur News

Elite league matter is closed – GFF Left-handers keep Pakistanis The Executive Committee of the Guyana Football Federation notes with consternation the adverse ruling against it by the Disciplinary Committee in the matter of a complaint made by four Elite Clubs. While the Executive Committee fully respects the independence and role of the Disciplinary Committee, it is our position that this matter does not fall within the jurisdiction of that Committee, as was formally communicated to the Chairman at the outset. The governing bodies, FIFA and CONCACAF, have confirmed that the Executive Committee acted fully within its rights and powers, as clearly laid out in the GFF Constitution; that no breach to the Constitution occurred, and that no change to the Constitution was required in order to expand the League as was stated in respective correspondences from CONCACAF dated November 8, 2016 and FIFA, February 1, 2017. Article 36.2.i of the Constitution states that it is within the powers of the Executive Committee to

FIFA and CONCACAF, concur “draw up regulations governing the conditions of participation in and the staging of competitions organised by the Federation, including the playing schedule. This shall not affect the composition of the Congress.” In addition, the four clubs that chose to boycott this season’s League were in violation of Article 13.1.c of the Constitution, which states that members are obliged “to take part in competitions (if applicable) or other sporting activities organised/approved by the Federation.” As a consequence of this breach of the Constitution, which automatically meant the clubs had chosen not to be in good standing with the GFF, CONCACAF was forced to take the very di ff i c u l t d e c i s i o n t o exclude those clubs from t h i s y e a r ’s r e g i o n a l competition. It is vital that all of our members are fully familiar with, and willing to abide by, the full content of the

Constitution, as we seek to reform and rebuild football i n G u y a n a . The GFF Executive Committee is working hard to restore the image of football in Guyana, and to lay sustainable foundations for a professional, accountable and successful future for football, through reform, respect for the rules and careful investment in development and facilities. We extend our full sympathy to the players – our number one priority – who have missed out on the opportunity of regional competition this year, due to the unconstitutional behaviour of the clubs in question. We are working to ensure that our best players can compete in as much international football as possible this year, in order to further their professional development. A full copy of the Constitution can be found at: http://www.gffonline.com/ w p content/uploads/2015/07/2 015-GFF-Constitution.pdf

Following is the written decision of the GFF Disciplinary Committee made up of - Mr. Sanjcev Datadin (Chairman), Ms. Natasha Vieira and Dr. Clement Mc Ewan. The Decision of the Panel (on written submissions) The Disciplinary Committee invited and received written submissions from both parties in relation to the complaint. Complaint. The Elite Leagues complained by letter dated 3" December 2016 against the members of the Executive Committee of the Guyana Football Federation (hereinafter ‘`the Executive Committee”) that

the latter had unlawfully changed the Elite League Rules and Regulations to allow Football Clubs that were not Elite Teams to participate. The substance of the co mp lain t is th at th e Executive Committee, without the approval of Congress purported to amend the Rules and Regulations of the Elite League to ten (10) members when the Guyana Football Federation Constitution (hereinafter “the

Flying Ace Cycle Club to stage Troy’s Taxi 40-miler in West Berbice today All is set for the return of cycling action on the West Coast of Berbice today when the Flying Ace Cycling Club (FACC) of New Amsterdam will stages the Troy’s Taxi Service 40-mile event. The event which is sponsored by former m e m b e r Ty r o n e R a y Kishore of Rosignol West Bank Berbice is for club cyclists only. Kishore will be on hand to send the riders off and will also assist with the presentation of prizes at the conclusion

of the race. Race time is 09:00hrs from the Taxi Service Bennet Dam base proceeds to the Weldaad Police Station before returning to its place of origin. Prizes will be awarded to the first four finishers, first Juvenile and female, first two veterans and 12-14 riders; six sprint prizes will also be u p f o r g r a b s . The females and BMX riders will be riding from Cotton tree to the finish line. Randolph Roberts is the coordinator.

Constitution) Clause 10 provides that there are eight (8) Elite League members. R u l i n g . T h e Constitution can only be amended by Congress and the Executive Committee had no authority to unilaterally amend the Constitution in any manner whatsoever. The amendment to increase the Elite League Members from 8 Members to 10 Members was ultra vires the powers of the Executive Committee and is unlawful. Orders for Disposal of M a t t e r I. The Complaint by the Elite Clubs is upheld. 2. The amendment to the Elite League Rules and Regulations by the Executive Committee is ultra vires and declared unlawful. 3. It is declared that there are eight (8) fixed Elite League Members as listed in Clause 10 of the Constitution and any change / amendment to Clause 10 of the Constitution must be made by the Congress. The written reasons for the decision will be made available within seven (7) days. This 14' day of April, 2017.

at bay – 1st day, Tour Match Florence Hall, Jamaica, CMC – Shimron Hetmyer led a triumvirate of lefthanded batsmen that collected half-centuries, as the WICB President’s XI made Pakistan toil in the field all day in their first-class tour match yesterday here. Hetmyer led the way with a typically enterprising 97, fellow Guyana Jaguars batsman Vishaul Singh was unbeaten on 81 and resurgent Kieran Powell made 58, as the President’s XI reached 311 for five in their first innings at the close, after deciding to bat on a windy, but clear first day of the three-day contest at the Trelawny Multiplex. Hetmyer dominated the first half of the day and shared 148 for the second wicket with Powell to give a solid platform for the rest of the home team’s batting to flourish which Singh did to anchor two half-century stands with Jahmar Hamilton and left-handed Jaguars teammate Raymon Reifer to advance claims for higher duty. The day started bitterly for the President’s XI, when Kyle Hope, one of the contenders to open the batting with Kraigg Brathwaite in the forthcoming three-Test series against the Pakistanis, was caught at forward short leg for two from a sharply rising, second ball of the match from left-arm fast bowler Muhammad Amir. Hetmyer came to the crease and immediately got into the groove and continued to bat fluently throughout his near 2 ½ hour stay in the middle that yielded 11 fours and two sixes, but Powell was

Shimron Hetmyer led the way for the WICB President’s XI with 97. (File photo)

prepared to bide his time and chose discretion as the best part of valour. The pair carried the composite side to 119 for one at lunch, but Hetmyer was dismissed inside the first hour after the interval just when it seemed that they were about to jam down hard on the accelerator. Hetmyer, the West Indies U n d e r- 1 9 Wo r l d C u p winning captain, was caught at slip off leg-spinner Yasir Shah playing defensively forward to his 115th ball to leave the hosts on 150 for two. Powell was unfortunate when he was run out eight balls later, failing to beat Asad Shafiq’s direct hit at the striker’s end from cover, as the left-hander advanced for a single, but got a negative response from his captain Shamarh Brooks at the bowler’s end. Brooks was quite subdued in his hour-long stay

at the crease during which time he added 34 with Singh before left-arm spinner Muhammad Asghar trapped him lbw for nine playing forward to leave the President’s XI on 193 for four. Hamilton joined Singh and carried the Caribbean side to 214 for four at tea before the pair emerged from the break to continue scoring freely against the disciplined Pakistani attack. The pair shared 51 for the fifth wicket during which Singh passed 50 before Muhammad Amir bowled Hamilton for 26 in the first hour after the break. For the remainder of the day, Singh and Reifer defied all that the Pakistanis served up to add 67 – unbroken – for the sixth wicket, including a late burst with the second new ball from Amir, the visitors most successful bowler with 2-45 from 18 overs, and Hassan Ali.

Scorpions frustrated by Greaves maiden hundred Bridgetown, Barbados, CMC – Justin Greaves struck a maiden first class hundred to help prop up Barbados Pride on the opening day of their final round game in the Regional four-day championship against Jamaica Scorpions. Sent in at Kensington Oval, Pride were in danger of collapse at 98 for five before Greaves arrived to pummel an attractive unbeaten 104 which propelled the hosts to 297 for six at the close here yesterday. Kenroy Williams

chipped in with a career-best 82 while opener Kyle Corbin added 51 and West Indies one-day player Ashley Nurse, 33 not out. Seamer Derval Green (2-36) and leftarm spinner Dennis Bulli (286) both finished with two wickets apiece. Fielding a weakened side with most of their first team players on West Indies duty, Pride endured a rocky start as they lost several early wickets. Left-hander Anthony Alleyne perished for one with the score on 25 in the fifth over of the

morning, edging a defenisve prod at fast bowler Jerome Ta y l o r t o J e r m a i n e Blackwood at second slip. One-day batsman Jonathan Carter edged a drive at Green and was taken behind for 10 at 43 for two on the stroke of the first hour and soon afterward, Ryan Wiggins on debut was caught at slip by Blackwood off left-arm spinner Fabian Allen for one at 50 for three. Kevin Stoute fell for 11 and Corbin, after facing 96 balls and striking six fours, (Continued on page 73)

Sunday April 16, 2017

Kaieteur News

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XXXII 2017 Carifta Swimming Championships

Daniel Scott and Alex Winter for historic Open-Water Swim debut For the first time in Carifta history Guyana will have two swimmers in the Open-Water Swim (OWS), with Daniel Scott and Alex Winter both entered in the B o y s 1 6 - 1 8 c a t e g o r y. Scott and Winter showed potential in OWS during 2016 - placing 1st and 2nd respectively in a Bartica OWS organised by the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) in April and 1st and 3rd in the “Sawaki” Bartica-to-River View OWS on September 11th. They then entered the Maracas Bay Classic (Trinidad; September 18th) where, in their first and only attempt at swimming in the sea, they placed 9th and 20th

of sixty swimmers in the Men’s Open 2,650m event. Both swimmers are members of the Dorado Speed Swim Club and the club asked GASA to enter them in the Carifta OWS. Permission was granted and the boys leave Guyana today to participate in the 5k swim on Wednesday. Open-Water Swimming differs significantly from pool swimming, not only in the choppiness of the water, but also in the battle to hold your course without the accustomed pool markings. Although the Carifta 5k is almost double their previous distance and they will be competing against swimmers from the “sun and

Wellman Demerara, Trophy Stall E’bo, Permaul’s B’ce triumph GFSCA Masters Inter County T20

Jagdesh Persaud

Mahendra Arjune

Khemraj Sumair

Anthony Persaud

Wellman Demerara, Trophy Stall Essequibo and P e r m a u l ’s B e r b i c e registered victories when the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association Masters Inter County T20 tournament commenced yesterday at Ogle Community Centre ground. We l l m a n D e m e r a r a defeated Permaul’s Berbice by nine wickets in the

opening fixture. Batting first Permaul’s Berbice scored 150 all out in 20 overs. Khemraj Sumair made 42, Anil Beharry 31 and Jaga Bhoj 21. Clive Canterbury, David Harper and Raymond Harper took two wickets each. Wellman Demerara responded with 151-1 in 18.1 overs. Jagdesh Persaud struck 62 while Ramo (Continued on page 73)

sand” islands, Scott and Winter are prepared to do their best. They will be accompanied by Coach Ewin Enmore who participated in the 2016 GASA/FINA Open Water Coaching Clinic.

Coach Ewin Enmore is flanked by Daniel Scott (left) and Alex Winter.

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Sunday April 16, 2017

Kaieteur News

Benn gives to Cathedral of Immaculate Conception

Waveney Benn (centre) hands over the gift to Monsignor Terrence Montrose in the presence of Athletic Coach Leslie Black. UK-based former middle distance queen Waveney Benn continue to give back to her home country following another act of goodwill this time to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception which became the latest recipient to benefit from her ongoing exercise. Benn presented a small quantity of basketballs and footballs to Monsignor Terrence Montrose at the Churchâ€™s Head Office on Brickdam last Wednesday to fulfill a promise she had made during a visit last year. Monsignor Montrose in his response thanked Benn for keeping her promise to the Church, informing that the gift will be used by the young members to hone their skills during their l e i s u r e t i m e . The former outstanding athlete also donated a quantity of athletic apparel and jogging shoes to the

Junior Carifta Games athletes shortly, before they departed these shores on Thursday last for the event. Benn was a former 400 and 800 metres champion, who also participated at the Junior Carifta Games has always sought to give back during her annual visits, a passion she said developed after listening to some of the hardships young promising athletes face in their pursuit of fulfilling their dreams. She reflected on the time she too faced such a dilemma coming from a poor family and her parents financially incapable of providing the essential tools to guarantee success. Benn said it was more about her determination to success than having the requisite attire to compete. She promised to continue to support athletes and organisations in need of support.

Battle of the top four today at Super 4 Massive Football today at Den Amstel

Alex Green The best of the West side is set to collude today at the Den Amstel Community Centre ground when the Super 4 Massive Easter Football Fiesta is contested from 17:00hrs. Den Amstel, Uitvlugt

Akantunde Rudder Warriors, Pouderoyen and Eagles United of Stewartville will be battling for close to $200,000 in cash and other incentives with fans also down to cash in big. In the semi finals which (Continued on page 73)

Sunday April 16, 2017

Kaieteur News

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Dave Scott seeks six in a row, Jose Jardine after 4th as Regatta opens today Champion Driver to walk away with 1 Million Undisputed Bartica Regatta Speedboat Racing Champion Dave Scott will be seeking his sixth consecutive champion title in the open category while Jose Jardine will be going after his fourth when the 2017 edition of Bartica Regatta opens today. Scott signaled his intention of making it six in a row in an interview when he disclosed that his boat, dubbed ‘Jaguar’ enters the water this morning, all he will be seeking to do is to win in every race. He informed that he is unfazed by those that are seeking to break his hold on the championship trophy this year. “There is only one thing on my mind and that is to defend my title successfully regardless of who my opposition are as I have a mission to accomplish and believe me I will endeavor to accomplish it,” he declared. Jardine, who again would be battling in the 200 horsepower category noted that he wants to continue ruling this category. Scott and Jardine who have established themselves as two of the top speedboat racers in expressed the view that they have been doing their rounds in terms of getting their skills further sharpened through aggressive training. Both men expressed the view that that they are excited by the passion and determination of their competitors noting that it has served to fuel their desires to be successful. Examining the races, both men pointed out that twenty-two races will be contested over the two days. They disclosed that day one will see twelve races being contested while day two will have the renaming ten races. However, Scott pointed out that he will be

competing in the six open races while Jardine will power up for four of the 200 horsepower races. ”I will be competing in the smaller category which is the 200 horsepower races with a smaller boat,” Jardine revealed. Scott said that he is excited by the Champion Driver’s prize purse this year noting that one million dollars will be given to the champion racer which he disclosed is jointly sponsored by Sir Service Station and BK International.The other sponsors of the races are Banks DIH, DDL, Ricky Ramnarine, Aruwai Resort, Digicel and Kadir Mohamed Enterprise. Expressing confidence of winning for yet another year, Jardine said that he knows that he will be forced to bring his A game as he will be faced with stiff competition from some of the big names, among those that will be going after the title also are Neil Gonsalves, Clarence Bell and Selwin Joseph. Meanwhile, in the smaller category Jardine will be hard pressed to retain his title that he won last year as he will be competing against the likes of Dave Young, Raymond Russel and Clint Gonsalves. Jardine stressed that his dominance of the smaller category will continue this year adding that spectators are assured of a major showdown of skills, speed and talent. He revealed that his race strategy continues to work very well. “I just don’t come out and race, I have a strategy which I work on every year as this helps me to stay ahead of the pack and with great execution I am able to come out victorious,” he asserted. The first race is expected to get going at 10 am this morning.

Regional Chairman Gordon Bradford (left) and Dave Scott.

Jose Jardine Defending Chamion of the smaller catergory.

t r o Sp Caribbean Junior, Cadet Table Tennis Championships Opens at Sports Hall

SERVING OFF! The visiting countries assembly for the Opening Ceremony of the Caribbean Championships with hosts Guyana at left last night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Paulâ€™s 6-28 & Fudadinâ€™s unbeaten 113 put Jaguars in control

Teenager Kemo Paul leads the Jaguars off the field after taking 6-28 in his 2nd match yesterday.

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