Kaieteur News

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Woman waiting NEWS on taxi at 3am dragged into home, robbed by gunman AIETEUR

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

Tuesday Edition August 20, 2019 - Vol. 12 No. 35

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Price $80

Online readership yesterday 112,958

Govt. loses 19 engineers in two years to private

sector - Mid-Year Report GuySuCo aircraft crashes 270,282 registered at Berbice airstrip so far - GECOM - Civil Aviation launches probe Hundreds of $$M owed to NIS by NDCs, municipalities The National Insurance Scheme building on Brickdam

- Local Govt. Commission

Graphic Man kills Rape accused Fleeing chain designer drinking cameraman snatcher is latest partner over granted bail after hospitalised road 'last shot' Appeal Court after running into fatality in bottle overturns conviction police vehicle

Mahaicony Creek rice farmers lose millions to flood waters

Kaieteur News

PAGE 02

Man kills drinking partner over 'last shot' in bottle

A

night of i m b i b i n g alcohol ended in deadly fashion for 36-yearold Oswald Henry of Kumaka Water Front, North West District. Around 21:30 hrs last Saturday, the man was reportedly beaten to death by his drinking partner, for the remaining alcohol that was in the bottle.

According to sources, the men, who were 'good friends', would go to the corner shop to consume alcohol on a regular basis, but things did not as planned last Saturday.

Kaieteur News was told that the men were sitting at the table sharing a bottle of vodka when an argument erupted as to who should be

taking the last shot.

Henry reportedly held onto the bottle, and because of this, his friend became annoyed and as a result he went a few feet away and returned with piece of wood.

The man then dealt Henry several lashes to the head. Henry collapsed and was sometime later taken to the Kumaka District Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

In a n i n t e r v i e w , Samantha Henry, the wife of the victim, told Kaieteur News, “he does always be drinking rum at the shop with that … they are good friends, I really don't know why he had to kill him because of rum”.

“This boy is a known

trouble maker in this place, but Oswald did not hear to lef' this boy alone… now look what happened to him.”

Mr s . H e n r y a l s o explained that when she arrived at the scene, her husband was lying on the ground, and to her, he had already passed away. She then asked persons at the shop why they did not stop the man from hitting her husband.

Persons at the scene said that they were willing to assist the man, but the suspect was menacingly waving the wood at them and also threatened to hit them if they came close. The suspect was apprehended and is in custody assisting with the investigation.

Fleeing chain snatcher hospitalised after running into police vehicle

A

n 18–year–old James Street, Albouystown resident experienced karma almost immediately yesterday, when he was struck by a police vehicle, while trying to escape after snatching a woman's chain.

According to sources, while in the vicinity of Ketley Primary School in Charlestown, the young man snatched a gold chain from a young woman and was running

away when he was hit down by a police vehicle that was patrolling in the area.

An eyewitness stated that, “he snatched the woman chain and is running he running to go home when he bank the corner and the police van knock him down.”

He is presently a patient under guard at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The woman's chain was reportedly in his hand when he was struck down.

Tuesday August 20, 2019

Graphic designer is latest road fatality

A

24-year-old graphic designer is now dead after colliding with a pedestrian on Sunday on the Seafield, West Coast Berbice Public Road.

Reports suggest that Latchman Hansraj was returning from a horse racing meet at Rising Sun Track in Berbice on a motorbike, when he collided with a female on the public road.

Eyewitnesses said that the impact flung Hansraj from his bike, which skidded with sparks flying for several feet before crashing into a moving car.

The pedestrian, who was said to be a female, was picked up in a conscious state and rushed to the Fort Wellington Hospital where she was treated and sent away. Hansraj on the other hand was pronounced dead on arrival. Relatives said at around 23:00 hrs on Sunday they were summoned to the hospital where they were confronted with the shocking news of his demise.

According to police reports, the now deceased

Dead: Latchman Hansraj

man was riding along the northern side of the road while the pedestrian was also using the same side but heading in an easterly direction when the incident took place.

Hansraj sustained severe head injuries and other injuries about the body. His remains were up to yesterday at the Anthony Funeral Home awaiting a post mortem examination.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 20, 2019

PAGE 03

Woman waiting on taxi at 3am dragged into home, robbed by gunman A

neighbourhood in the Grove H o u s i n g Scheme area, East Bank Demerara, is in shock after an early morning incident that saw a woman gunbutted and her apartment invaded. Residents later criticised the police at the Golden Grove Police Station for arriving almost three hours late.

According to Cindy Fredericks, 28, a nurse who works at a city hospital, and who lives with her mom and sister in the lower apartment of a two-storey building, the gunman fired off a shot at a dog in the yard while walking nonchalantly through the street.

The apartment is located a few streets from Kaneville, a known haven for criminals.

The woman said that around 3a.m., her mother, Marcia Fredericks, 49, had gotten ready and was preparing to leave for Essequibo. She had several bags packed and had called for a taxi.

The front door was open.

“We heard the dogs barking and mommy saw the gate open.” The daughter disclosed she went into her room to collect some money to pay the taxi when she

heard screaming.

“I went out and see a guy with a mask on, hitting mommy. He had a gun in his hands and was wearing a haversack.”

The young woman said she grabbed her little cousin and ran to the back of the apartment. However, her sister turned back and held on the hands of the gunman.

By then, he had dragged their mother into the apartment where he continued hitting her.

“My sister thought a dog was trying to come in, but after hearing the continuous screaming, she was not scared.

She ran out and held onto his hands and told him not to hit mommy anymore. He point the gun at her and say, 'you want ah kill you?'”

The man grabbed a phone belonging to the woman and left the apartment, apparently becoming nervous with the screaming. He had spent about 10 minutes there, during which time the daughters' screaming had started to alert neighbours.

While leaving the property, the man shot at one of the dogs.

According to the landlady, who was not at

The gunman dragged the woman into the lower apartment

home at the time, one of her dogs has since not been seen.

From all indications, the gunman had conveniently used an opportunity to attack the woman waiting on transportation, as there was evidence that somebody (most likely the intruder) had attempted to gain entry to the upstairs apartment but was

unsuccessful.

The family suspect that he must have been doing so when he heard the door opening downstairs and pounced instead on the woman. After the gunman left, the woman ran to a next door neighbour and called the Golden Grove Police Station.

Fraud accused miner remanded

A

miner was yesterday hauled before a city magistrate after evading the police for almost a year for two offences in which he is accused of defrauding two persons of monies to the total value of $1.9M. Thirty-eight year-old Cliff Jacobs of 264 Loo Creek Soesdyke/Linden Highway pleaded not guilty to both charges when they were read to him.

The first charge alleged that on September 28, 2018 at Charlotte Street, Georgetown, Jacobs, with intent to defraud Vishwar Singh, obtained $800,000 from the victim by falsely pretending that he was in a position to sell a property at Lot 3 Better Hope, East Coast Demerara.

Finally, it was alleged that on September 24, 2018,

Remanded: Cliff Jacobs at Church Street, Georgetown, he incurred a

debt from Austin Monroe, by taking credit to a total value of $1.1M by fraud.

Jacobs appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts where the charges were read.

According to police prosecutor Shellon Daniels, Jacobs allegedly committed the acts and vanished during the early stages of the investigation. She added that he had given a fake name, “Joseph Gomes”, to the police, which made it more difficult for them to locate him.

Moreover, the prosecutor stated that after Jacobs vanished for almost one year, he was seen at a supermarket where a police officer was shopping. Prosecutor Daniels objected to bail based on the fact that Jacobs is a flight risk and he failed to

meet reporting conditions.

Magistrate Daly then upheld the submission of the prosecutor and remanded the defendant to prison until September 13, when he is expected to make his next court appearance.

“They took about three hours. The ranks that come, including one with brown clothes, said they are not from the area.”

The police station is located a few blocks away.

According to Cindy Fredericks, her mother suffered a swelling to her head.

The women said that the gunman told them he will be returning.

PAGE 4

Tuesday August 20, 2019

Kaieteur News

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

THOSE PEDESTRIAN OVERPASSES Five pedestrian overpasses stand out there on the East Bank. They long for the weight and warmth of those with enough sense to seek their sanctuary. It is a mainly unanswered longing. There is the one at Diamond - almost deserted. Three others at Providence, Eccles and Houston don’t do much better. And the structure at the Harbour Bridge (Peter’s Hall) is the only one sampled, and then not so enthusiastically nor consistently. A shame and waste, however considered.

Each of ten elevators (two at each overpass) came with a price tag of $77 million, and despite repeated promises, only two became operational late last week. Late, but welcomed. But what is the story with the rest? When will they be fully functional?

The construction of elevators was to ease access.

Elevators are an unusual one; the well-travelled should recall that they are rarely seen in many places where overpasses are located, including those well-advanced and with lots of cash.

Police help with sidestepping overpasses, by failing to insist that those are the better options to cross. Actually, ranks assist with on-the-spot, and away from overpass, crossing. At the very busy Demerara Harbour Bridge crossing, though some use the overpass, many are still observed by drivers and other travellers doing their own thing, through the disturbing practice of jaywalking.

Again, ranks of the Guyana Police Force on duty studiously ignore those, who just as readily ignore the existence of an overpass. It is at this specific concentration of constant and heavy traffic from multiple directions that some discipline and order are necessary, if only to reduce the recklessness, the frustrations, and the disregard for order and civility.

Why is this not confronted on those crowded, sometimes high-speed thoroughfares? Why are those who breach safety rules rarely channelled along the right paths?

Overpasses, where they exist? Those who breach unheedingly, from ongoing observation, are never in short supply. There is a swollen population of the reckless and adventurous, daring to challenge machines that don’t lose.

Pedestrians regularly seen risking life and limb, through intermittent invasions of vehicular paths, are now a part of local traffic culture. This puts hapless drivers at risk: inexperienced ones may not gauge or judge the tight spaces accurately, or navigate them safely: injuries result.

Injuries to drivers caught in the whiplash and backlash; the former in personal injury; and the latter with having to report to the station, with the distinct threat of a dreaded “dangerous driving” charge. Loss of time in the interminable station house wait; loss in confidence because of what happened; more loss of time in court, and then money with the possibility of a hefty fine, and in the really reckless cases, loss of freedom through imprisonment.

Meanwhile, most overpasses remain largely unused (the Harbour Bridge’s may experience some feet from now); but the others stand for the underappreciated and the long underbelly of things gone wrong here. It is part of the larger indiscipline, where every man is his own law, either by taking the law into his hands, or disregarding it. When overseas, Guyanese take every precaution and observe most rules. They are model presences, other than for a few hard cases.

The tragedy in the local environment is that upon returning to the homeland, and its unfettered cultures, Guyanese rush right back to their regular reckless, lawless disregard that is best exemplified by embracing rights not entitled to, and discarding the accompanying responsibilities that are part of every citizen’s duty.

They have observed nothing, learned nothing, nor wish to practice anything, but that which breaches both law and the rights of others. It is the way things have been, and which brings personal comfort, and is now simply too far gone to halt and then correct.

The misused and underutilised overpasses mostly exist as mute, but arresting, testimonies to much scarce cash spent, facilities sampled under duress, and good intentions gone wrong.

We cannot afford profit sharing ventures at this time DEAR EDITOR, With the discovery of hundreds of millions of acres of rich oil bearing seabed, Guyana is poised for being one of the world’s richest countries if the oil resources are properly managed.

We are no expert in the field of oil and gas production and

do not have the skills to understand and grapple with the techniques of production, marketing, corruption and all other underhand schemes in the industry. As such, we should go the simplest way in getting the maximum out of minimum risk that is by leasing the millions of acres of our oil rich seabed and collecting the maximum of

royalties.

Profit sharing ventures are more suited for when both parties have the full intricacies of the industry.

Otherwise, the one without the know-how would be bullied. We cannot afford that at this time with this major venture. As such, we should engage all the interested oil companies with the view of

leasing the seabed at an approximate rate of US$10 per acre per annum and a royalty of 25% of gross production with the firm understanding that the lessee would be totally responsible for the protection of their investments and the environment.

Best regards, David Subnauth

I believe there is merit to revert to the pre-1980 Constitution DEAR EDITOR, The AFC is seeking a renegotiation of the Cummingsburg Accord ahead of the impending regional and national elections.

The negotiating process could very well result in a new dispensation less favourable to the AFC given its relative poor showing in the last Local Government elections. There is now some amount of uncertainty as to whether that Party will be given the Prime Ministerial slot in keeping with the current Accord.

The WPA for its part is seeking greater political latitude to influence decision-

making at the policy level after having expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the Granger administration in key and critical areas of governance foremost of which is the issue of constitutional reforms.

The difficulty with the current configuration is that there is no objective way of knowing the electoral strength of any of the constituent elements, which are now disguised under the APNU umbrella. It is doubtful, with the exception of the PNC, whether any of the other parties on their own could win a parliamentary seat on their

own, which renders the coalition little more than of token significance.

These parties, including the AFC and the WPA are represented at the executive and parliamentary levels not on the basis of their individual popular support but by virtue of their insertion in the APNU alliance. Given the above scenario, it is politically prudent for these smaller parties to shelter under the APNU umbrella in any future elections rather than going on their own which more than likely than not could result in their political demise.

This is why I believe there is merit to revert to the pre1980 Constitution which allowed for political parties to

form a coalition government only after the elections are over, provided that they can command a majority of the votes. It was precisely on that basis that the PNC was able to form a coalition government with the United Force in the elections of 1964 despite the fact that the PPP won a plurality of the votes.

What transpired after the 1964 elections is now history.

Suffice it to say that the United Force was unceremoniously kicked out of the Coalition Government a mere three years later and the PNC managed to perpetuate its life in government by undemocratic means until October 1992.

Hydar Ally

For the betterment of Guyana, we must continue along this path DEAREDITOR, The announcement last week of Guyana’s performance at the 2019 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) assessments gave Guyana much to celebrate.

My opinion is that these results validate what is often said about investments in education; and that is, that the results will not be overnight but rather longterm. It is the investment in education, the new strategies and initiatives that have been implemented which have led to the improved performance, particularly at the CSEC level while CAPE remains constant.

The performance has so improved that this year Guyana was able to record its best performance yet with an overall pass rate of 73% at the General and Technical proficiencies for Grades One to three. Last year’s performance was 69%.

Editor, if we are to look at the performance over the years, we would notice that from 2016 to present, there has been a steady climb in the overall performance.

In 2016, there was a 64% pass rate, in 2017 a 63.8% pass rate and in 2018 there was a 69% pass rate. Now is a good

time for Guyana. These improvements can be credited to several factors.

The hard-working staff of the Ministry of Education must be congratulated for their dedication and persistence. I can only imagine how proud they must feel to be seeing the effects of their work.

The teachers too must also feel a sense of pride. It is not easy working year after year to get a process right so as to help their students to produce noteworthy performance.

Leadership in any sector is very important to its performance and development.

As such, we must not fail to acknowledge the heavy interest the government has placed on education. The government’s interest follows its recognition that it is only through education that Guyanese can stop the cycle of poverty and be able to access better jobs and a better standard of living.

The Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry who was chosen to lead the sector has done well thus far and with the continued support by the government, Minister Henry, through her leadership will continue to guide the education sector in the right direction.

The government has committed to continue investing

in the education sector through the national budget. This commitment I notice has been all over the news recently.

Important to note, in 2015 the government plugged $33.8B into the education sector, in 2016 $40.3B, in 2017 $43.1B and for 2019 $52.2B has been provisioned for the sector.

Thus far, we are seeing benefits, positive outcomes from the increased investment and positioning of good leaders.

Editor, if we continue to invest in education, Guyana will continue to achieve greatness.

Finally, I would like to congratulate again the Ministry of Education, the Minister, the teachers, parents and our bright children for the hard work that was done to produce the results that were announced only recently.

We must continue along this path for the sake of the betterment of Guyana and its people.

Yours truly, Tracy Franklin

GPL should be breaking even and not racking up losses DEAR EDITOR, Electricity cost in the UK is about 14.5p per kWh (about $36.5 per kWh). While in Guyana, it is about $52.5 per kWh. When we take into account the loss due to electricity theft, defective meters and line losses (which account for about 30%); we see that the electricity cost is roughly the same as the commercial losses is being passed onto consumers in Guyana (70% of $52.5 is about $36.75).

What this mean is that GPL should be breaking even and not racking up losses!

Clearly, something is wrong in the operation of GPL when it is racking up losses as well as when there is numerous blackouts.

Customers not paying their bills, this is indicative of th e m n o t h a v i n g h u g e disposable income, which is symptomatic of the Guyana economy not performing well.

Other indication of the Guyana economy not performing well is the rise in the non-performing loans rate.

Yours faithfully, Sean Ori

Tuesday August 20, 2019

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Kaieteur News

What we shunned internationally is now visited upon us nationally DEAR EDITOR, The current debate over the unexpected and unexplained arrival of thousands of Haitians all of a sudden in our country was bound to attract national attention.

It is not so much the arrival of the Haitians but the timing of their arrival and the mystery surrounding their departure that has created the stir.

Thus far, no plausible official explanation has been forthcoming neither from the Commissioner of Police, Head of the Immigration Department nor the Ministry of Citizenship about the Haitian arrivals/departures.

The special arrangements in place for the Haitians on arrival at CJIA and the absence of any convincing information about their departure continues to fuel suspicion.

The crescendo of queries from a wide cross section of society notwithstanding, the government refuses to clarify whether the Haitians like everyone else, are stamped in by an Immigration Officer on arrival at CJIA and whether they are stamped out once again, by an Immigration Officer, when departing the jurisdiction.

Where there’s smoke there is fire.

And government’s refusal to come clean on this matter is precisely why suspicions will persist in respect to the Haitian presence in Guyana.

It is not for members of the public to do the work of the police and to inform the police what they have uncovered.

Experience has shown that when that happens the informant is usually abused and asked by the police; “Who asked you to do police ‘wuk’?”

Caught in the web of ethnic solidarity and perhaps, because of some undisclosed agreement with the authorities at Port-au-Prince, the response by spokesmen of the caretaker government, is to talk from the two ends of their mouths.

If there’s anyone to blame for this state of affairs, it is the APNU+AFC Coalition Administration. And it is because of their refusal to answer certain questions raised.

I refuse to participate in the confines of a narrow, romantic, and at times racially tinted debate in which regrettably, much of the current conversation on this

matter has been framed.

We need to situate the Haitian arrivals/departures in context and the big picture.

It is a global and wider problem.

Climate change in Haiti has had a profoundly negative impact on land use resulting in degradation, reduction in food production and insecurity.

Consumables in Haiti have become more expensive and cost of living has surged to unreachable heights.

Unemployment is the order of the day.

The thought of social revolution to usher in changes in ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange at this juncture of Haiti’s historical development is out of the question.

We Guyanese are all proud of the historical and heroic role played by Toussaint l’Overture, Dessalines Christophe and the ‘Black Jacobins’ in the struggle for Haiti’s independence and their determination to free their country from French domination.

Yet there is no room for romanticism and to be sentimental today about that chapter in Haiti’s history.

We live in a world characterized by naked selfinterests and disorder. There are brutal and harsh realities out there. And Haitians know that.

We Guyanese have witnessed on TV and social media, images of millions from Africa and the Middle East pouring into Europe.

We were numb to these images. The happenings were far away from us so we couldn’t care less.

At that time, we were not affected, neither a host or transit country for persons fleeing their country of birth.

As the mass of human souls continued to move worldwide, xenophobia hate crimes and naked racism raised their ugly heads in those countries where migrants and refugees were forced to batten down and to hanker out on the periphery of society.

Currently, there are approximately 70 million refugees around the world;

37,000 are forced to flee their countries every day.

Many are either in detention and/or transit centres in host countries.

Governments in Australia, Bangladesh, Hungary, Italy, Myanmar, and the United States took steps nationally and internationally to distinguish and insulate themselves from this human tragedy.

Others who opened their borders to the moving mass of people suffered electoral defeat at the hands of farright nationalist parties demanding the expulsion of the migrants and refugees.

Those countries, who are not state party to the UN 1951 Refugee Convention nor the 1967 Protocol to the Convention, but are prepared to facilitate safe passage of migrants or refugees through their national territories to a third country, do so as party to the United Nations Global Contract on Refugees and Global Contract on Migration.

It is within this global context that we must situate the Haitian arrivals to departures from Guyana.

What we shunned internationally is now visited upon us nationally.

Why are Haitians moving out of their country? Here is just one explanation. Haiti ranks 168 out of 187 on the UN Human Development Index. According to the World Bank, 80% of Haiti’s population live in poverty.

Fifty-nine percent of the population numbering approximately 104 million live on US$2 per day, while 24.7% live in extreme poverty on less than US$1.25 per day.

About 75% of Haiti’s poverty stricken live in rural areas whilst 49.7% live in the urban areas.

Out of every 1,000 59 Haitians die before reaching their first birthday.

The infant mortality rate is 55 per 1,000 live births. Two thirds of Haiti’s labour force has no jobs.

These are facts about the depressing conditions obtaining in Haiti, a sister CARICOM country, which we Guyanese are not proud about.

We Guyanese know what it is like; we were there once.

Our greatest fear is going

back there under the APNU+AFC. The searching questions that Guyanese would like to have answered about the Haitian arrivals and departures at this time, is bound up with their preoccupations about free and fair elections.

And this is quite understandable in the context of an elections season. It has nothing to do with the Rights of Haitians within the meaning of the CARICOM Treaty. Nor does it have anything to do with racial prejudice as is being

suggested by the usual suspects.

While in government, the PPP/C administration extended tangible support to Haiti in September of 1994 when a detachment of the GDF, was dispatched as part of a CARICOM military contingent to Haiti, to assist in the restoration of democracy and to help rebuild the various facets of free and democratic institutions in Haiti.

In today’s context, the interconnection between concerns over the Haitian arrivals and departures, and

free and fair elections is a genuine concern of the Guyanese electorate.

To claim that the police have investigated the matter and found that the concerns raised are groundless is not good enough.

Given the historical antecedents of elections in our country, full disclosure of the facts by government in respect to the Haitian arrivals and departures is a sine qua non if the deep concerns of the electorate Guyanese are to be dispelled.

Yours faithfully Clement J. Rohee

THE BUCK STOPS WITH THE MINISTER DEAR EDITOR, There are two recent developments at the Ministry of Education that I feel are worthy of comment, as they could be indicative of the quality of leadership there.

The recent CSEC results were celebrat e d b y t h e Honourable Minister with a full-page advertisement with her picture, suggesting that she is taking credit for the performance of the nation’s children.

At the same time, there

was an error made in relation to the top CAPE student and the Ministry was quick to publish a letter of apology from the Superintendent of Examinations taking responsibility for the error.

The latter left a sour taste in my mouth since the little I know about leadership says to me that true leaders take responsibility for everything—good and bad— that occur under their watch and do not throw their subordinates under the bus.

At the end of the day, the buck stops with the Minister and she should be equally bold in accepting that

responsibility and such a letter should have been strictly an internal affair.

Events like this truly demoralise public servants and the Minister should be reminded that she will need the full input of these same individuals in the not too distant future and internal measures should have been instituted.

While people must be held accountable, they need to know that if and when something goes wrong they will not be publicly hung out to dry since no system is infallible.

Nikita Williams

Do your job Mister Minister; hold a press conference, tell us the truth DEAR EDITOR, I have written twice on the subject of Haitians arrival in Guyana asking that the Minister of Citizenship, Mr. Winston Felix, explain the fact, according to him, that over 8,000 Haitians recently arrived in our country and less than 2,000 are recorded as having departed. I asked a simple question, “Where are the 7,000 odd unaccounted for Haitians?”

I am not the only citizen who has expressed this concern, but instead of providing an answer to the nation, the Minister singled me out for attack and called me “xenophobic”. He also failed to provide any reliable information. Mr. Felix, instead of holding a press conference and facing the media on a

subject of major public interest and concern, stages an “ interview” with the Public Information and Press Services of the Ministry of the Presidency to feed him rehearsed questions.

Acknowledging that the Haitians cleared customs and immigration into the country, unbelievably, he has to rely on Brazilian immigration records to tell us that just under 7,000 Haitians have arrived in that country but can offer no evidence that they have legally departed Guyana. In other words, the Haitians who arrived, under our immigration laws, are still in Guyana.

Winston Felix should know better than to call me, of all people, “xenophobic”.

Let me remind him that I

have served my country, longer than he ever will, in and out of the Cabinet under two Presidents, the founder of the party he now represents, Forbes Burnham, and later former President Desmond Hoyte.

When Guyana was beset by the horrors of Jonestown, I was assigned a diplomatic mission by President Burnham, in the USA, to defend our country’s name and reputation, appearing in over 20 television programmes, including NBC and CBS, yet Felix has the gumption to call me “xenophobic”. If anyone needs to apologise, it’s you, Mr. Felix. Do your job Mister Minister. Hold a press conference, tell us the truth.

Kit Nascimento

PAGE 6

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 20, 2019

All constitutional players must act with integrity DEAR EDITOR, “Supporting the truth, even when it is unpopular, shows the capacity for honesty and integrity” Steve Brunkhorst Every Guyanese that embraces truth and that would proudly divorce themselves from the politics of racism would agree that elections in Guyana is being unnecessarily delayed by the APNU/AFC Government that is desperately holding onto power. Elections have not been held because of court cases or because of a credible voters’ list. The court cases and the House-to-House Registration are/were used as excuses to delay the constitutionally due Elections. Even the unlearned amongst us have recognised this transparent ploy.

The cry of every decent, fair-minded and upstanding citizen is for constitutional compliance, that is to say, obedience to Articles 106 (6) and (7) of the Constitution.

The thousands of PPP/C supporters countrywide and growing numbers of others including civil society groups in various protest actions demanding the resignation of the Cabinet, the dissolution of Parliament and the naming of an Election date is not just playing politics; Elections should have been held on or before March 21, 2019. An undisputable fact!

The President if he wants to be described as a man of integrity, would have already named a date for Elections and not hide behind GECOM. However, it has been 8 months and counting since the successful passage of the No Confidence Motion

(NCM) of December 21, 2018.

We have had the definitive ruling of the CCJ on June 18, 2019, the issuance of consequential orders on July 12, 2019; we have had the rulings on August 14, 2019 of our own Chief Justice who stated that House-to-House Registration cannot deregister people who are already on the National Register of Registrants (NRR) database. This credible database was used for the holding of the 2011 and 2016 General and Regional Elections and the 2016 and 2018 Local Government Elections. There was no complaint from any party as it relates to the quality and credibility of the NRR before the NCM. The charade continues, the new narrative being projected comes from the toothless, useless, headline seeking WPA on August 16, 2019 that is to say “Elections would be held in midDecember of this year”.

These few individuals who crave public recognition and are now the beneficiaries of the largesse of the state because of their association with the defeated APNU/AFC Government as one of the listed Coalition partners is content to sit at a press conference and without an iota of moral rectitude peddle a narrative that was given to them about Elections in mid-December, more than 4 months away, ignoring totally the constitution, the rulings of the CCJ, the rulings of the Chief Justice but continues with some plan that factors in the now exposed PNC ‘rigging plan’ of House-to-

House Registration.

It is unbelievable that some who were considered key opinion makers and objective analysts and academics now for the sake of filthy lucre and the enjoyment of the current squandermania will spew and advocate such outlandish and bizarre statements as if they are the ‘good guys’ advocating for early elections.

It was not surprising that this was followed by a story in the media where the Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs, Ms. Valerie Garrido-Lowe of the AFC was reported to have said at a meeting at Springlands in Region 6 that the Elections is in December of this year. It is clear that both of these ‘political parrots’ namely from the AFC and the WPA are reading from the song sheet prepared and distributed by the PNC/ Congress Place Cabal.

GECOM now has a chairperson, the Chief Justice has ruled, the CCJ has ruled, GECOM must now obey the constitution.

Elections should be in a matter of weeks, not December 2019.

What is required is for a period of claims and objections to produce an official list of Electors (OLE), Nominates Day, and the Election 32 days after. Why are these tainted mouthpieces seeking to offer excuses for further delays?

With all reasonableness, counting from Monday, August 19, 2019, with the abundance of caution allowing for 3-4 weeks of claims and objections that will take us to September 18, 2019 by which time we can have a

A simple and less costly solution for people to cross the road DEAR EDITOR, I read in the daily papers about the overpass and the elevators.

The purpose for the overpass and the elevators is for people to cross the road. I see that there will be 5 persons to man the elevators and that will be for 2 shifts,

which will be 10 people per day for each elevators.

A more simple and less costly solution for people to cross the road is to install a light pole on each side of the road, each light pole must have a green button, each pole is to have a sign showing the countdown time, the

countdown time must be 120 seconds, there must be a traffic light at each crossing point, when a person want to cross the road, they simply press the green button, then the traffic light must change from green to yellow then to red, when it change to red, the counting time start and a signal must let the people know it is safe to cross, when the countdown time move from 120 to 0, the traffic light must wait a further 30 seconds to change to green. That is to make sure the people reach the other side of the road.

That is how it is done in NEW YORK. And because it will be much cheaper to install and operate, it can be installed at many other places such as near schools, churches, markets and busy intersections. It may use solar power or electricity.

Mohamed Azad

certified OLE. Elections can be held before the end of October 2019. Why do we have to wait for December? I ask the following: 1) Is the Government hoping to continue the abuse of the allocations in the 2019 Budget to buy support for these Elections? We are aware of the hurried arrangements for the award of contracts without public tender and the movement of monies from one line item to another line item within Budget Agencies to facilitate these expenditures. The people of Guyana will not be fooled by these ‘ice cream promises’ and ‘pipe dreams’.

2) Is the Coalition Government hoping that because of the festive season of Christmas, Guyanese will ‘switch out’ and forget the hardships that they have experienced and the political fatigue that they have endured as a result of the APNU/AFC’s unwillingness to obey the constitution?

APNU/AFC should be reminded of their failed attempt of doing the same with NCM by putting it to December 21, 2019. We, the PPP/C had requested that the NCM be debated before

Budget 2019.

3) Is the defeated Coalition Government hoping for a year-end ‘money splurge’ of salary increases and payments of long overdue bonuses and nonsalaried benefits to public servants and the discipline forces to swing things in their favor? The people of Guyana are aware of the Government’s broken promises and insincerity.

They will not be fooled. They remember the more than 200 new tax measures, increases in licenses and fees and the removal of other welfare benefits. The people want Elections now.

4) Is it a matter of sheer bravado and ‘politics of bullyism’ to prove a point that the Government could stay in office as long as it wants?

Every day more and more Guyanese are concluding and deciding on what to do with this undemocratic, authoritarian, dictatorial cabal who remains in office, outside of constitutional cover. The Caretaker status only lasts for three months. An extension has not been sought and will not be given as publicly stated by the Parliamentary Opposition.

5) Lastly, is the Government hoping for a deal that will deliver them out of the murky water that they are traversing? The APNU/AFC Caretaker Government have utilized Billions of taxpayers’ dollars in Cabinet outreaches, now Ministerial Outreaches, flights to the interior, handouts and other gimmicks. None of it did turn the tide nor will it turn the tide. The fact is the people of Guyana do NOT TRUST the Coalition Government. They were rejected with the successful passage of the NCM. GECOM must play its part, and act with the integrity. GECOM must obey the constitution and without succumbing to political pressure, prepare for Elections.

Mr. Granger must stop pontificating and name a date for Elections. The December hoax that the apologists in the WPA and the AFC are pushing will not suffice. The people want Elections now, not in December.

All constitutional players must act with integrity.

Yours sincerely, Bishop Juan A. Edghill PPP/C MP

Political victimisation in Guyana DEAR EDITOR, As I travel around to conduct a tracking opinion poll, people express fear of giving their views on simple basic issues affecting the country. If one does not engage in the right kind of politics, one is victimized by one’s own party, much more than the opposing party.

There were/are some brutal examples of political oppression as a result of one’s free speech or political affiliation or opposition to a figure. Harsh tactics are used against opponents. People worry that they could become victimised by the directorates of the political parties for giving opinions that are not in sync with their party leadership or government. In short, people, business persons in particular, have become victims of political speech – which is a crime related to political oppression.

Some people complain that they have suffered enormously because of their views – they could not/ cannot speak openly and or freely of their views of decision making of their party leadership or the government or a particular politician or a Minister. Quite often, they can’t speak the truth. They say that if they express disagreement or a contrarian view to that of their party leadership or complain of anything relating to their

party or leadership or a local government Chair, they are victimised. Respondents of the poll related examples of how they were/are targeted by their own party leadership.

Essentially, they said, in some cases the GRA is/was let loose on complainants to audit their business or personal income tax. Then they are/were fined, harassed, intimidated and forced to do things against their conscience like supporting unpopular decisions. Such type of political oppression is not confined to any particular party. It is widespread – it has become the nature of politics in Guyana. It also exists in other third world countries as I experienced in polling in the wider Caribbean, Fiji, Mauritius, India, etc. Only in first world countries, or the white man countries, one don’t experience such kind of political victimization. Many expressed the view that while during colonialism, people blamed the white man for all their ills, after independence, people tend to be worse off (socio-politically) than when the white man governed them.

Many spoke of being insulted, of intimidation and of threats by individuals from their own party who are in leadership positions and who could become or are government officials. There is a scent of blood waiting for

an opportunity to exact revenge on someone for speaking against wrong doings. Such behavior should not be allowed in our democracy. It becomes a kind of mob rule. Politics and government is about serving humanity not victimising people. Democracy allows for free interaction and voicing opinion in a debate to realise the best outcome.

Victimisation causes people to withdraw from politics or to become disempowered. Good ideas are silenced. Officials of parties or governments should encourage viewpoints, debates and internal democracy so they have the best choices available from which to make a decision. Those who are critiqued or spoken against should not seek to settle scores by using government agents or hold back on state contracts. Party leadership should ensure that people speak or vote freely (according to their conscience) against or for an issue or a political figure. In answering poll questions, most people are circumspect and answer in hushed tones.

Fortunately, views are obtained. Moreover, one can draw conclusions on support for potential Presidential candidates and parties.

Yours truly, Dr. Vishnu Bisram

Tuesday August 20, 2019

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Kaieteur News

Handyman commits robbery one day after appearing in court A handyman who was charged for four counts of robbery underarms in June, and was released on bail for those charges, yesterday stood in the prisoners dock before another magistrate after he was charged for robbing a man at gunpoint.

Thirty-one-year-old Cheddie Bacchus, of Norton Street, Lodge, Georgetown, appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly in the Georgetown Magistrates Courts where the charge was read to him.

The charge stated that on August 8, 2019, at Chalmers Place,

Georgetown, while in the company of another and armed with a gun, Bacchus robbed Ronald Jones of $47, 000 in articles and $15, 000 cash.

Police prosecutor Shellon Daniels objected to bail being granted to the defendant based on the fact that he has four pending charges against him before another court, and that he was recently released on bail, when he committed the offence.

After listening to the prosecutor, Senior Magistrate Daly remanded the defendant to prison until September 23, when he is ex-

pected to make his next court appearance.

In June, Bacchus had appeared before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty in the Georgetown Magistrates Courts after he was charged with four offences.

The first charge stated that on May 12, 2019, at Cemetery Road, Georgetown, while in the company of another and armed with a gun, he robbed Basil Agard of a gold chain valued at $150,000 and a cellular phone valued at $10,000. The second charge stated that on the said date and location, while in the company of another and armed with a gun, he robbed

Amid Ferguson of a Jialing motorcycle valued at $275,000, and a cell phone valued at $10,000 as well as $3000 in cash. The third charge read that on the June 20, 2019 at Princes Street, Georgetown, while in the company of another and armed with a gun, he robbed Onika Hinds of a gold chain valued at $46,000.

And the final charge stated that on the same date and location, while in the company of another and armed with a gun, he robbed Ashanti Wilson of a LG cellular phone valued $46,000, a gold chain valued $120,000 and a Anne Klein watch valued at $15,000.

Cheddie Bacchus

PAGE 8

Tuesday August 20, 2019

Kaieteur News

Supermarket manager Man committed to High Court for murder of Timehri youth discharged of attempted murder Twenty-two year-old Rickland Bovell will face a murder trial in the High Court after he was yesterday committed to do so, for the murder of 17-yearold David Toney, of Alliance Road, Timehri, East Bank Demerara. It was alleged that on April 19, last, at the Timehri Docks, East Bank Demerara, Bovell murdered Toney.

Bovell, who resides at Swan Village, Linden/Soesdyke Highway, was not required to plead to the indictable charge when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates Courts where the charge was read to him.

As the Preliminary Inquiry concluded yesterday, the Chief Magistrate ruled that the prosecutor of the case, Neville Jeffers, was able to prove every element of the matter by relaying sufficient evidence against the accused.

As a result, the magistrate committed Bovell to stand trial for the offence in the High Court

Committed to stand trial: Rickland Bovell at the next sitting of the assizes.

Bovell is to remain on remand until his arraignment in the High Court.

The facts of the charge had stated that on the day in question, at around 03:30 hrs, Bovell was engaged in an argument with Toney and his parents over a

payment for cabbage.

During the argument, Bovell allegedly pulled out a knife from his pants waist and stabbed Toney to his abdomen. The victim was picked up and rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Yesterday as the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) against the manager of FreshCo Supermarket, Xino Xi Qu, who was charged for attempting to murder Gregory Sanmoogan, came to a close, the defendant was discharged of the offence.

The PI was being conducted in the Georgetown Magistrates Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and led by Police prosecutor Neville Jeffers. The accused was represented by attorneyat-law George Thomas.

Magistrate McLennan ruled in favour of the defence, indicating that there was insufficient evidence presented by the prosecutor for her to commit Xino to the High Court for trial.

On his first appearance before the court, Xino was not allowed to plead to the charge as it was made indictable. The charge stated that on April 22, 2019 at Diamond Public Road, East

Xino Xi Qu Bank Demerara, the defendant, with intent to commit murder, wounded Gregory Sanmoogan.

Xino was placed on $400,000 bail while his PI was being conducted.

The court had heard

that on the day in question, around 08:30hrs, Sanmoogan went to the supermarket where Xino works. Sanmoogan then purchased some items and left.

It was alleged that while Sanmoogan was out on the public road, Xino came from behind and hit him on his head. He then reportedly dealt Sanmoogan several cuffs and kicks about the body.

Sanmoogan headed to the Golden Grove police station where he made a report. He then went to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre and was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital and admitted as a patient for several days. It was alleged that Xino committed this act because he claimed Sanmoogan stole $200,000 cash which was left in a plastic bag on one of the cashing counters at the supermarket.

Tuesday August 20, 2019

PAGE 9

Kaieteur News

1% royalty subject to cost recovery equals zero I don’t want to hear about any more oil discoveries. The more oil discoveries we have, the more we are being robbed.

Guyana is being recolonised by the oil companies. The agreements which have been signed with these oil companies represent the worst deals possible.

Guyana’s petroleum resources are being given away for rockbottom returns.

It was hard to imagine that after the 2% royalties signed be-

tween Exxon Mobil and the Government of Guyana in 2016, that things could have gotten worse.

Little did Guyanese know that another oil company would get a far better deal than Exxon Mobil, and at Guyana’s expense.

This newspaper reported this past week that Tullow, a British oil company, got a deal which would allow it to pay only 1% royalty. And to add insult to injury, this 1% is recoverable.

Where in the world has any gov-

ernment given 1% royalty and then subjected it to cost recovery, meaning it is possible to reclaim it.

1% royalty represents the newest low. It is as if the oil companies are giving you with the right hand and taking back with the left. Is this the better which was promised by APNU+AFC after the bubble had been burst on the Exxon deal?

Royalties are supposed to be free of costs. This means that

Dem boys seh ...

De diplomats don’t cuss dem own De diplomats is real diplomats. When dem talk you would hear a whole speech and don’t understand a word dem seh. Of course de people who does listen is diplomats, too, because dem does clap when de speech done.

Guyana got many diplomats. Some of dem come from foreign countries and some of dem born and grow right here. When is elections time, you does hear these diplomats.

Dem does talk when dem don’t agree wid de government or wid de opposition.

But dem don’t come out and seh suh right away. Dem does talk in a roundabout manner. But sometimes dem does be clear and dat is how Sityra Gyal cuss out de American Ambassador. He

did talk he mind about de radio licence giveaway.

Dem tell Soulja Bai how he got to respect de CCJ court ruling and how he got to abide by de constitution. De only thing dem ain’t tell him public is when to hold elections.

De odda day dem boys discover dat dem diplomats don’t seh nutten when dem involve. Dem never hear a diplomat criticize de leader of de country. Which Guyanese ever hear de US Ambassador seh anything ‘bout Donald Trump?

De British got nuff problems wid Brexit. Dem done change three Prime Minister since de Brexit vote but you never hear a British diplomat talk bad ‘bout any British Prime Minister. And right away dem boys know dat no American Ambassador or Brit-

ish High Commissioner would seh anything bad ‘bout de contract wha Guyana sign wid Exxon and Tullow.

When reporters ask de Ambassador who gone and wuk wid de gold company wha he think ‘bout de contract wid ExxonMobil de man seh it was good. He tell dem don’t only look at de royalty.

Dem must also look at de profit share. No American diplomat would seh de contract is a bad one.

Yesterday, some reporter ask de British High Commissioner wha he think ‘bout de Tullow contract. De man seh he refuse to comment. Dem boys sorry de next question wasn’t about Guyana elections.

Talk half and be like dem diplomats.

nothing is supposed to be deducted from royalties. However, we are being told that the 1% royalty negotiated can be reclaimed as costs by the oil companies. If true, this effectively means that there is no royalty.

It is not clear, also, whether there is any signing bonus. The government secured a US$18M signing bonus from Exxon and hid this fact for many months before it was exposed.

Guyana is being taken to the ‘cleaners’ by these oil companies.

There is no need for a commission of inquiry or an investigation to confirm this. The worst deals ever have been signed by the APNU+AFC government. And these deals raise the possibility of Guyana being an oil-producing country, but still being poor.

Guyana now has something far worse to worry about than the Dutch disease or the resource curse. The oil deals which are being signed are far worse than these curses which oil-producing countries have been forewarned to avoid. It would have been much better if Guyana con-

tracted these oil illnesses than to have signed agreements which represent fiscal murder.

What is disconcerting is the lack of public outrage over these agreements. The politicians are strangely silent on these issues.

They are not saying anything.

They have treated these oil companies as benevolent investors.

The modus operandi of these companies, however, suggests that governments are at risk of being exploited by these oil companies. They have superior negotiating and they are proficient at getting the better of governments.

The people of Guyana should kiss oil riches goodbye. By the time the dust settles on these oil deals, the political mist would have already clouded their judgment or suppressed their conscience. The obvious would be denied.

No manner of excuses, however, will change the reality that Guyana has gotten the rotten end of the stick for two of its major oil blocks. The agreements signed are likely to be used a precedent

by other oil companies. It means that new companies will demand no less favourable terms. And the result of this is that Guyana will be raped of its oil wealth, right in front of our eyes.

The President has to call an emergency meeting of his Cabinet and demand an explanation.

No President should accept such a deal. It stinks to the high heavens. It is rip-off of Guyana, and means that the more oil we get, the worse off we will be.

If he does not, then Guyanese should demand that there be no oil production until all of these deals are renegotiated.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)

PAGE 10

Tuesday August 20, 2019

Kaieteur News

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

Italian coalition breakup proves the AFC is a fraud Right next to the AFC’s head office, is the house of Raymond and Dawn Persaud, two very good friends of mine.

They have a snackette in front of their house and with other friends, I spend many hours liming there. I would watch as many of the AFC people I campaigned with come and go.

As I watched these souls come and go, I would reflect on the nature of people.

Freud once wrote that he never understood the human being.

If Freud could say that, who are we lesser mortals to begin to think we could understand people.

Surely, after four years in power, what is it that these AFC supporters from 2006

cannot see about the degeneracy of the AFC. Where is this multi-racial, independent third force that would transform Guyana and eventually dissolve the perennial ethnic animosities that the PNC and PPP engendered in Guyana over seventy years ago?

Many times, some of them would come over to the snackette and I would engage them.

My inevitable question is why you are still with this party when this is not the AFC that once enchanted you.

Always they would smile, avoid an answer, and leave with the expected reaction which always goes like this – “I like reading your column.”

When I read that the Italian coalition is on the verge of breaking up and Italy will

soon have another general election, I thought of what a fraud the AFC has been all along.

Two right-wing parties with vastly different outlooks on life came together in a covenant of convenience. The League Party and the Five Star Movement have different agendas, and their government has been rocked by disagreements which last week boiled over.

Coalition regimes are inevitably characterised by harmful confrontations over respective agendas.

The reason is simple to understand. If Party BB wants a man on the moon, and Party GG wants a man on Mars, if BB rejects the man on Mars, GG is going to re-

ject the man on the moon.

What happens then is that the nature of coalition administrations is about compromise, with each unit agreeing to accept some of the policies of the other units, while insisting that their policies must be accommodated too.

Why parties in a coalition insist on the recognition of their agenda is because periodically you have to return to the electorate.

So if BB gets its man on the moon and GG didn’t get its man on Mars, the people who voted for GG to be in government will reject them at the next election. This is the fear that Israeli political parties live with at the moment.

In April, Israel went to the poll, but there was no clear majority.

Forming a government became impossible, because one party wants a section of young people to be exempted from compulsory military rule, while another party is insisting that it will not be part of a government that will allow for that exemption.

They all return to another election in September. Why they failed to form a government in April? Because they

are thinking of survival in the future. If they are part of a government that messes up, they are afraid the electorate will punish them.

This is the fate awaiting the AFC. My opinion is that APNU+AFC will not achieve a majority in the December poll, because there is colossal disappointment with the AFC, by the people who voted for them in the 2015 elections.

Those votes are lost to APNU+AFC. This columnist is one of those AFC voters in 2015 that will be jumping so far away from the AFC that I may jump over the moon. I am not for a fraction of a second thinking of voting the way I did in 2015.

When you see how different entities are defending their agendas in coalition governments around the world, then it is easy to see that the AFC is a fraud.

They have not had their agenda translated into policy, because they abandoned the very functionalism of coalition governance.

From the time the AFC got into power they described the Cabinet as a unified feature, of which loyalty was paramount.

Frederick Kissoon This asininity the AFC wears on its shirt-sleeve. You cannot have a unified Cabinet in a coalition government.

There is no such living contradiction.

It is a psychological and political contradiction that is impossible to see in reality.

From the time the coalition government is formed, a marriage of convenience is born, and each party says to each other – “this is what we want, what we agreed on.” The AFC didn’t do that. But they said they did. They lied.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)

Tuesday August 20, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

PAGE 12

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 20, 2019

Shocking oil contract terms…

That’s for Tullow and the Govt. to sort out…I’m not going to get into that discussion.” - British envoy British High Commissioner to Guyana Greg Quinn told media operatives yesterday that he will not get involved in the discussions relating to the one per cent royalty Guyana is to collect from

one of the United Kingdoms leading exploration and production companies, Tullow Oil. Quinn explained, “From my point of view the Tullow find last week is good for

Guyana for two simple reasons; one it demonstrates that there is oil outside of the Exxon Block, so this isnt about the Stabroek, its far bigger than that. Secondly it brings in a whole new set of

companies, a whole new set of countries and operators.

The more operators and companies and countries involved in the oil fields, the better.

The contract terms are for Tullow and the Government to talk about, but fundamentally a find by Tullow is good for Guyana. The contract terms are for Tullow and the government to sort out, and I am not going to get into that discussion.”

It was only eight days ago when the oil giant struck black liquid gold at the Jethro-1 well which is said to hold more than 100 million barrels of recoverable oil.

Following that discovery, Kaieteur News reported that Tullow Oils deal is worse than ExxonMobils Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), which stated that Guyana agreed to collect a one per cent royalty, but this meagre proportion is meant to be recovered by the operators of the block.

President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce (GCCI) Nicholas Boyer was keen to note that there are “varying terms” on both the ExxonMobil and Tullow Oil contracts.

Boyer stated that, “We need to move management of our oil industry out of direct

British High Commissioner to Guyana Greg Quinn control by political actors, insulate it and make it transparent, and when its transparent I think youd see more of a harmonization. We need to activate a petroleum commission…

I have always kept a single position; we need to set up our regulatory bodies for the oil industry… And even if we dont staff it with the best we can always contract them on as-needed bases.

So you have lawyers and investment bankers, or energy

consultants who could give you reviews, who can do studies across the world to see what the terms are in other PSAs across the world, and then highlight the risks and rewards for putting certain terms in or taking certain terms out. And then transparency would allow everyone to make their own judgment.”

The Department of Energy has said that it is looking to finalise a model PSA that will be used for future oil contracts.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 20, 2019

PAGE 13

Caribbean sugar industry faces “binary choice” BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – The Sugar Association of the Caribbean (SAC) is reiterating a position that regional sugar industry faces a binary choice of either enforcing a robust regional domestic market in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) or risk closure with all regional sugar and molasses imported into the Caribbean at volatile global prices.

A spokesman for the SAC told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) yesterday that there has not been no changes to the environment following a position paper released in September last year on the need to reform the Common External Tariff (CET) for a sustainable future for the Caribbean sugar industry.

The Communications and Media Officer with the SAC, William Neal, said CARICOM was

still lagging “far behind” as the efforts continue to revitalise the sugar industry.

In the position paper, the SAC, a trade association supporting the interests of sugar producers within CARICOM, said that a truly regionally integrated sugar industry has for decades been undermined by international European Union and United States policy towards imports of raw sugar.

It said at times of globally high sugar prices, regional manufacturers and industrial users of sugar have long called out for Caribbean suppliers of sugar to give preference to supplying the regional market, but “sadly the market incentives of artificially high sugar prices in Europe and the US prevented that vision from ever coming to pass.

“Yet a regional sugar industry

supplying the needs of industrial users of sugar in the region makes sense – both to reduce import costs, support CARICOM industries, and provide long-term consistent pricing beneficial to both buyer and seller.'

The AC said that this is the model which is in place in the vast majority of sugar-growing regions around the world and it believes it can be achieved in CARICOM. The SAC said that the industry, together with governments from across CARICOM, therefore faces a binary choice of enforcing a robust regional domestic market in CARICOM for regional sugar which will allow the industry to upgrade and invest in new capacity to produce sugar as required by regional industrial users more efficiently, at fair prices, securing the place of Caribbean sugar in Caribbean products.

It said the alternative is to risk closure of the industry, with all regional sugar and molasses imported into the region at volatile global prices, a significantly weakened CARICOM single market and considerable unemployment across the region.

“The industry is ready to invest and has already advanced plans to adapt its existing production capacity to meet the regional demands for white sugar, with an estimated 290,000 tonnes of plantation white or other high q u a l i t y, f o o d g r a d e d i r e c t consumption sugar produced annually by 2020 across the region.

“This will be more than sufficient to meet the requirements of the current regional market for such sugars,” the SAC said, noting that its providing a solution to strengthening the regional market for sugar which will allow that investment to proceed whilst offering continued protections to the legitimate needs of manufacturers in the region who are significant buyers of white and other domestic consumption sugars.

It argued that reform of the system will enable CARICOM to reduce its balance of trade deficit by between US$132.5 million and US$271.7 million annually by reducing imports of extra-regional sugar.

“It will further safeguard the already valuable foreign exchange earnings made by the sugar industry from sales of any sugar surplus to other profitable world markets. It will enable the region to retain and enhance a vibrant CARICOM agricultural industry,

safeguarding jobs and growth and stimulating investment in the region and demonstrating how the CSME (CARICOM Single Market and Economy) allows small individual national Caribbean industries to be viable in a way which national support alone would not.”

The SAC said that by offering sugar producers a price for sugar in their domestic market, which covers the cost of production and incentivizes increased production efficiency, the producers are able to be solvent businesses which can build their capacity to focus primarily on meeting the needs of their natural domestic customer base at competitive prices.

“The win-win is that sugar producers are protected from going out of business during periods when the world sugar price is extremely low; and industrial users are protected from extreme price hikes on major inputs for them when the world sugar price is extremely high. Independent impact assessments on a reformed Caribbean sugar market indicate that there would be little to no impact on the end-price of food products for consumers.

“Presently the CARICOM brown sugar market is adequately protected through effective implementation of the CET. However, CARICOM white sugar is displaced by the variable customs and tariff treatment of (continued on page 14)

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 20, 2019

U.S. grants Huawei another 90 days to buy from American suppliers

W

ASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will extend a reprieve that permits China's Huawei Te c h n o l o g i e s t o b u y components from U.S. companies to supply existing customers, the Commerce Department said yesterday, but it also moved to add more than 40 of Huawei's units to its economic blacklist.

The extension, dated Thursday and first reported by Reuters on Friday, was announced by U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, even though President Donald Trump suggested on Sunday that no such reprieve would be granted.

Shares of U.S. chip makers that sell to Huawei rose, including those of Qualcomm , Intel and Micron Technology.

The 90-day extension “is intended to afford consumers across America the necessary time to transition away from Huawei equipment, given the persistent national security and foreign policy threat,” the department said in a statement.

“As we continue to urge consumers to transition away from Huawei's products, we recognize that more time is necessary to prevent any disruption,” said Ross.

Huawei said in a statement that the temporary extension “does not change the fact that Huawei has been treated unjustly. Today's decision won't have a substantial impact on Huawei's business either way.” Trump had indicated over the weekend that there would be no extension, saying what would happen would be the “opposite” of what was reported on Friday. “We're actually open not to doing business with them,” Trump said on Sunday.

The U.S. government blacklisted Huawei in May, alleging the Chinese company

is involved in activities contrary to U.S. national security or foreign policy interests.

Shortly after the blacklisting, the Commerce Department allowed Huawei to purchase some Americanmade goods in a move designed to minimize disruption for its customers, including rural U.S. telecommunications firms that use Huawei equipment in their networks. Ross said the latest extension also was aimed at aiding those same customers.

At the same time, he said he was adding 46 Huawei affiliates to the so-called “Entity List” - a list of companies effectively banned from doing businesses with U.S. firms - raising the total number to more than 100 Huawei entities covered by the restrictions.

The list includes Huawei affiliates in Argentina, Australia, Belarus, China, Costa Rica, France, India, Italy, Mexico and numerous other countries.

Huawei said it opposes the decision to add another 46 affiliates to the Entity List. “It's clear that this decision, made at this particular time, is politically motivated and has nothing to do with national security,” the company said.

'PLENTY OF NOTICE' The extension, through Nov. 18, renews an agreement continuing the Chinese company's ability to maintain existing telecommunications networks and provide software updates to Huawei handsets.

The Commerce Department also said on Monday it is requiring the exporter, re-exporter, or transferor to obtain a certification statement from any Huawei entity prior to using the temporary general license.

Asked what will happen in November to U.S. customers of Huawei, Ross said: “Everybody has had plenty of notice of it, there have been plenty of discussions with the president.”

The semiconductor industry has lobbied to sell non-sensitive items that Huawei could easily buy abroad, arguing that a blanket ban harms American companies.

When the Commerce Department blocked Huawei from buying U.S. goods earlier this year, it was seen as a major escalation in the Sino-U.S. trade war.

As an example, the blacklisting order cited a pending federal criminal case concerning allegations that Huawei violated U.S. sanctions against Iran. Huawei has pleaded not guilty in the case.

The order noted that the indictment also accused Huawei of “deceptive and obstructive acts.”

At the same time, the United States says Huawei's smartphones and network equipment could be used by China to spy on Americans, allegations the company has repeatedly denied.

Huawei, the world's largest telecommunications equipment maker, is still prohibited from buying American parts and components to manufacture new products without additional special licenses.

Many Huawei suppliers have requested the special licenses to sell to the firm. Ross told reporters late last month he had received more than 50 applications, and that he expected to receive more.

Of $70 billion that Huawei spent buying components in 2018, about $11 billion went to U.S. companies.

Caribbean sugar industry faces...

From page 13 extra-regional white sugar.

“We believe that the current regional market urgently needs reform to offer sugar producers the same certainty they enjoy for the brown market, for all sugars produced in the region to ensure that their products will find a market at a price in the region which allows them to operate sustainably and justify the considerable investment currently underway in those industries.”

In its list of recommendations, the SAC said that differential national treatment of white sugar for

import duty across the CSME be discontinued by the CARICOM Council for Tr a d e a n d E c o n o m i c Development (COTED) by removing sugar from List A to ensure all countries have the 40% CET applied.

It said that there's need for an urgent reform by COTED to the alteration and suspension mechanism “to ensure that when an application is made, COTED has all of the necessary information it needs to judge whether similar products are available in CARICOM. “This should include detailed information on why the requirement is necessary,

specific information on why plantation white or other food grade sugars cannot be used; realistic notice period; fair timetables for responses, a route for direct exchange of information and dialogue on quantity and quality' ability to allow regional sugar producers to meet the request in part and a facility to enable the suspension for inputs to products which are destined entirely for export outside CARICOM.” SAC is also wants a review of the operation of CET on sugar and its effectiveness after three years and that it be mandated

by COTED.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 20, 2019

PAGE 15

Digitisation, data protection feature at major telecoms meeting in Trinidad

T

he Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) recently focused on the digital transformation of the Caribbean region – and its own role - when several of its personnel attended the 35th Annual CANTO Conference held in Trinidad.

“GTT appreciates that it connects its customers to the wider Caribbean region and the world – and that as a telecommunication provider, it has responsibility at an individual and collective level to help propel our people closer towards the benefits that can be derived f r o m d i g i t a l transformation,” said GTT CEO, Justin Nedd.

Representatives within the GTT Operations, Legal and Commercial Teams joined over 500 other participants at the annual event, attending with customers in mind.

“Forums such as those hosted by the Caribbean Association of National Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Organisations (CANTO) – provide the space for providers and other key stakeholders to collaborate, co-ordinate, disrupt where necessary – and harmonize

where possible, the regulatory structures in the Caribbean and Latin America,” noted Nedd.

Nedd, an appointed CANTO Board Director for the period 2019-2020, also said that GTT team members who attended the conference, had the opportunity to engage in strategic industry discussions via sessions on Caribbean digital literacy, cyber security and data protection – an opportunity he described as “important” as the company seeks to develop its people, the clients they serve and the country as whole.

Farah Samad, GTT Team Lead of Recharge and Distribution, lauded the event as an impactful networking and professional developmental tool.

“This being my first CANTO Conference, I was not sure what to expect.

However, it certainly did not disappoint. The extensive panel discussions by various countries were very informative and expanded my understanding of how e x t e n s i v e t h e telecommunication industry is and what our counterparts are doing within their markets. I took ample notes on best practices.”

Team GTT at the recent CANTO Conference held in Trinidad

“Caribbean residents, it was stated, may reside in small countries, but they expect 'the best the world has to offer – best service, lowest price – so they can compete in the global market'. Being well represented at CANTO's Annual Conference ensures that

continued technological evolution is forthcoming as propelled by GTT,” Samad

added.

Sharing similar sentiment was Ian La

Fargue, GTT Senior Engineer, who said that, (continued on page 20)

PAGE 16

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 20, 2019

JetBlue planning team to arrive in Guyana in Sept.

Exterior of JetBlue airplane

“They will be mounting a mission next month… the first or second week of next month. They will start looking at things like facilities, hotels, staffing,” said Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson in an exclusive interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI).

The minister was responding to the reports that that the American carrier is expected to add Guyana to its international routes in early 2020.

JetBlue Airways Corporation, stylised as JetBlue, is a major American airline low cost passenger carrier, and the sixth largest in the United States by passengers carried “ F r o m m y

understanding, they received the aircraft late, so it is pushed back a bit. They were supposed to start in November and they are still pushing [towards the launch of operations in Guyana],” Minister Patterson explained.

Commenting on Guyana being an attractive hub for other airlines, Minister Patterson expressed confidence that with 'first oil' in 2020, many more airlines are expected to come on stream.

With the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority turning the sod last Friday for its new headquarters, Minister Patterson said “the need for a robust and an increased GCAA is indisputable,” as Guyana's aviation sector increases.

GuySuCo aircraft crashes at Berbice - Civil Aviation airstrip launches probe

T

he Guyana Civil A v i a t i o n Authority (GCAA) has launched a probe into an incident involving an aircraft at a Berbice airstrip over a week ago. According to DirectorGeneral of GCAA, Lt Colonel, Egbert Field, who recently returned home after leave, he has been briefed of an incident that occurred in Region Six. Reportedly, the plane is attached to the stateowned Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).

According to Berbice officials, the aircraft landed over a week ago at the Rose Hall airstrip and was said to have hit a structure nearby.

No one was hurt and from indications, there was not much damage to the aircraft.

Field disclosed that part of the investigation will be to determine whether a timely report of the incident was made to the GCAA - the regulator of the country's airspace. Inspectors of the GCAA journeyed to Berbice the day after the incident to check on the damage.

According to the D i r e c t o r- G e n e r a l , t h e GCAA will be calling in the pilot for an interview this week. “We are checking on a matter. A team went up the day after the incident. The matter is under investigation,” the DirectorGeneral disclosed.

He said that from his briefings the incident occurred less than two weeks ago.

Field said that the plane was not badly damaged.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 20, 2019

Age is not a barrier: Top 10 performer writes CSEC at 14 - wants to be a doctor

Manoj Lachhman with his parents “You don't really feel the difference because after awhile you just blend in, and you don't really remember who is what age,” said 14year old Manoj Lachhman, who claimed his rightful place among Guyana's top 10 outstanding performers at this year's Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examinations.

According to the young scholar, his tender age did not adversely affect the relationship shared with his classmates.

“Sometimes if they don't understand something, they would come to me. If I don't understand, I would then try to understand and explain to them,” Lachhman explained.

A student of the Saraswati Vidya Niketan School on the West Coast of Demerara, Lachhman's parents were particularly overjoyed with his performance.

“I cried, but it was tears of joy. I was so excited… I feel on top of the world. I feel like God is so great. God did a wonderful job,” the lad's teary-eyed mother stated.

She noted that she is most proud of teaching the CSEC top student to read from an early age.

Meanwhile, Lachhman's father shared that his son's performance came as a happy surprise.

“I advised him to continue to do what he is doing because he has a goal to become a doctor,” the

proud father related.

In his words of encouragement for other students, Lachhman said that academic success “depends on how much you focus in class.

If you focus in class, then you don't really have to do much studying, because you retain most of the information from class… focus on class. Do not get distracted at all. When you come home every night, revise what you did for the day.”

The young man is currently enrolled to sit the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE), after which he plans to attend the University of Guyana (UG) to further his studies. (DPI)

270,282 registered so far - GECOM's House-to-House Registration climbs

T

he Guyana E l e c t i o n s Commission (GECOM) has reported that 270,282 Guyanese have been registered, thus far.

Less than a week ago, the High Court ruled that the House-to-House Registration process is legitimate.

Public Relations Officer ( P R O ) , Yo l a n d a Wa r d confirmed this total during an interview with the Department of Public Information yesterday.

Before the High Court ruling, the PRO had told DPI that some enumerators had encountered some challenges, but maintained that this would not prevent the commission from carrying out its mandate.

On Wednesday, August 14, Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George ruled that

there was nothing unlawful or unconstitutional about GECOM's House-to-House Registration exercise.

Accountant Christopher Ram had challenged the legality of this exercise and had lost in his bid to have the court block the registration process from taking place.

The government has always maintained that for credible elections to be held, there must be a clean, credible list - which could only be arrived at through

House-to-House Registration.

The current Official List of Electors (OLE) expired at the end of April of this year.

PAGE 17

Kaieteur News

PAGE 18

Tuesday August 20, 2019

Mahaicony rice farmers lose millions to flood waters The flooding has indeed taken its toll at First Savannah, Mahaicony Creek

R

ice farmers at First Savannah, Mahaicony Creek, are blaming the authorities at the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA) for causing them to lose over $7M in bearing rice crop that has recently been destroyed by flood waters.

Yesterday, a group of farmers visited this publication and claimed that they have been neglected for almost eight years, during which time they were “begging and pleading� for improved drainage and irrigation in the area.

They said a dam that was supposed to be completed to prevent flood waters from getting to their rice crops has been left unfinished for several years now, thus causing rising waters during heavy rainfall to flood their rice fields.

The farmers said that in one instance, 150 acres of bearing rice

plants were destroyed, while 60 acres of land with very young rice plants came under flood waters, thus destroying the entire expected crop.

They claimed that for years now the MMA/ADA has stopped cleaning a main irrigation canal in their neighbourhood, and it has become overgrown with weeds, shrubs and even bush, preventing any form of free flowing of water.

They said as a result, even the canal overflows its banks, and does not allow excess water to seep out of their area, as would have happened if the canal was properly maintained.

They said that the MMA/ADA has cleaned areas but stopped up to Garden Table Village, an adjacent community in the Mahaicony Creek, and did not go further, despite the pleas and lamentations of the farmers in First Savannah.

The farmers said that for other areas to be attended to, they had to

form large bodies and lobby their cause at the MMA/ADA Berbice office before any action would be taken.

Farmers Ramchand Bhola and Ramcharran Joshan said that when they approached the MMA/ADA office only last week, they were again promised that works will begin in their area, but nothing has happened until now.

The men said that in some areas, the MMA/ADA has solicited the assistance of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), who allowed them to use machinery (belonging to the NDIA) to effect proper drainage in other areas.

They said that despite their efforts, the machinery was not sent to their area at all.

The farmers are claiming that their area has been neglected for many years and are calling on the Government to intervene on their behalf.

Rice farmers Ramchand Bhola (left) and Ramcharran Joshan are claiming that there have been losses of at least $7M to flood waters When the MMA/ADA office was contacted yesterday, sources there said that systematic works have been ongoing in the

Mahaicony Creek and Mahaicony River areas, and First Savannah farming areas are also on the list for works to be done.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 20, 2019

PAGE 19

Global network's nuclear Rape accused cameraman sensors in Russia went granted bail after Appeal offline after mystery blast Court overturns conviction

V

I E N N A (Reuters) - The operator of a global network of radioactive-particle sensors said yesterday its two Russian sites closest to a mysterious explosion went offline days after the blast, soon followed by two more, fuelling suspicions that Russia tampered with them.

The Russian Defence Ministry, which operates the two stations, did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Russia's state nuclear agency, Rosatom, has acknowledged that nuclear workers were killed in the explosion on Aug. 8, which occurred during a rocket engine test near the White Sea in far northern Russia.

The explosion also caused a spike in radiation in a nearby city and prompted a local run on iodine, which is used to reduce the effects of radiation exposure.

Russian authorities have given no official explanation for why the blast triggered the rise in radiation. U.S.based nuclear experts have said they suspect Russia was testing a nuclear-powered cruise missile vaunted by President Vladimir Putin last year.

“We're ... addressing w/station operators technical problems experienced at two neighbouring stations,” Lassina Zerbo, head of the Comprehensive NuclearTest-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), said on Twitter overnight.

T h e C T B TO ' s International Monitoring System includes atmospheric sensors that pick up so-called radionuclide particles wafting through the air.

Zerbo said data from stations on or near the path of a potential plume of gas from the explosion were still being analyzed.

'COMMUNICATION AND NETWORK ISSUES' While the CTBTO's IMS network is global and its stations report data back to CTBTO headquarters in Vienna, those stations are operated by the countries in which they are located.

The two Russian monitoring stations nearest the explosion, Dubna and Kirov, stopped transmitting on Aug. 10, and Russian officials told the CTBTO they were having “communication and network issues”, a CTBTO spokeswoman said yesterday.

“We're awaiting further reports on when the stations and/or the communication system will be restored to full functionality.”

It is not clear what caused the outage or whether the stations were tampered with by Russia.

Zerbo also tweeted a simulation of the explosion's possible plume, showing it reaching Dubna and Kirov on Aug. 10 and Aug. 11, two and three days after the explosion.

The spokeswoman said later that two more stations, Bilibino and Zalesovo, stopped transmitting data on Aug. 13. Bilibino is in far eastern Siberia, outside the map of the simulated plume that Zerbo tweeted. But that simulation also showed the plume reaching Zalesovo on Aug. 13.

“About 48 hours after the incident in Russia on Aug. 8, these stations (Dubna and Kirov) stopped transmitting data. I find that to be a curious coincidence,” said

Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, a Washingtonbased think tank.

He and other analysts said any Russian tampering with IMS stations would be a serious matter but it was also likely to be futile as other IMS or national stations could also pick up telltale particles.

“There is no point in what Russia seems to have tried to do. The network of international sensors is too dense for one country withholding data to hide an event,” said Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Non-Proliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute in California.

Rosatom has said the accident, which killed five of its staff, involved “isotope power sources”.

The CTBTO's IMS here comprises more than 300 seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound and radionuclide stations dotted around the world that together are aimed at detecting and locating a nuclear test anywhere.

Its technology can be put to other uses, however, such as when the CTBTO passed on data from two hydroacoustic stations to Argentina in 2017 to help locate the wreckage of a missing submarine.

A

ndre Hetsberger, whose rape conviction and 25-year sentence was overturned by the Court of Appeal, was on Friday, August 9 granted bail to the tune of $200,000 pending appeal, by Justice Jo-Ann Barlow, at the High Court in Demerara.

Despite being able to afford the sum, Hetsberger still remains in jail due to what was described by his lawyer Dexter Todd as an “administrative glitch”.

Back in 2016, H e t s b e r g e r, a f o r m e r television cameraman, was found unanimously guilty by a jury of raping a 13-year-old girl on October 17. 2014.

Following his conviction and sentence, he filed an appeal contending that the verdict was unreasonable and cannot be support with regard to the evidence cited at his trial before Justice Navindra Singh.

On July 24, the Court of Appeal overturned the conviction and sentence, and ordered that Hetsberger be retried for the offence at the next sitting of the Demerara Assizes which begins in October. Hetsberger's lawyer had applied for bail then, but was advised by the Court of Appeal to make a formal application before the High Court.

Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd Andre Hetsberger His lawyer did exactly that. However, when his family turned up to the pay the bail, it was discovered that Hetsberger had another sexual offence allegation pending in the court system.

In that regard, the bail could not have been posted until things were rectified. That allegation has to do with an act committed on the same 13-year-old girl.

Hetsberger's lawyer explained that his client was initially charged with two sex-related offences in the Magistrate's Court.

According to Todd, his client was committed to stand trial at the High Court for both offences after the Magistrate found that there was prima facie evidence. However, Todd pointed out that one of

the charges was bad in law and should have been withdrawn, since there was no evidence to substantiate it.

Furthermore, Todd said that the Magistrate erred in law in committing his client to stand trial on such a charge. That aside, Todd said that the following week after the judge granted his client bail, he wrote a letter to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) indicating the situation at hand.

Todd said that while his client remains incarcerated, he is still awaiting a reply from the DPP in relation to making a formal withdrawal of the charge from the court records, before the bail amount can be posted and an order sent to the prison for his release.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 20

Tuesday August 20, 2019

Over 800 migrant Venezuelan children now in school - teachers to be trained in English as a second language

N

i n e t e e n teachers will s o o n commence training, which will equip them with the necessary skills to teach English as a second language to children of Venezuelan migrants in Barima-Waini (Region One).

The Government, through the Ministry of Education, has been working with the Office of the Un ited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to develop educational interventions, which will improve the learning and communication skills of these children.

Eight communities in the region are expected to benefit from this

initiative.

UNHCR representative on the Multi-Stakeholder Committee, Cecilie Guerrero made this announcem ent at yesterday's stakeholder meeting, which was held at the Department of Citizenship.

The Committee is tasked with monitoring the arrival of Venezuelan migrants into Guyana.

Guerrero informed the Committee that 17 teachers from Region One and two from Georgetown will gather in Mabaruma later this week for the training, which will last until the end of the month.

The two Georgetownbased teachers, she said,

Over 800 Venezuelan children have been enrolled in school, government has announced will be trained to be trainers. These teachers w ill be tasked with training their colleagues when and

wherever the need arises, according to a Ministry of the Presidency report yesterday.

The Committee was

Only 11 multi-drug resistant TB cases recorded thus far for 2019 - Guyana likely on course to not reach WHO's projected 30 cases

G

u y a n a i s currently winning the battle against the multi-drug resistant [MDR] strain of tuberculosis [TB]. Well at least this is based on information contained in the recently released Mid-Year Report, which points to the fact that “while the incidence of this disease has been on the rise, the rate of increase is lower than that projected by t h e Wo r l d H e a l t h Organisation [WHO].”

This development comes even as government, through the Ministry of Public Health, aims to sustain its efforts to combat existing and emerging threats to the nation's health such as the MDR strain of TB. According to the report, based on historical declaration, the WHO has projected that Guyana would see 30 cases of MDR-TB cases in Guyana this year.

However, with more than half of the year gone, it is believed that Guyana is on track to dent the impact of MDR-TB with a mere 11 reported cases.

“There have been only 11 such cases revealed through screenings [and] government will continue to fight the

disease,” the report stated.

The bacteria that cause TB, according to WHO, can develop resistance to the antimicrobial drugs used to cure the disease. MDR-TB, therefore, is TB that does not respond to at least Isoniazid and Rifampicin, the two most powerful anti-TB drugs.

“The two reasons why multi-drug resistance continues to emerge and spread are mismanagement of TB treatment and personto-person transmission,” WHO has noted.

In order to sustain its laudable gains, government will be moving to sustain its gains through its Direct Observed Treatment Short [DOTS] programme. In the first half of 2019, the DOTS programme was bolstered by increased personnel, training of staff and the purchase of a new vehicle to facilitate the mobile unit outreaches, the report noted.

Usually, most people with TB are cured by a strictly followed, six-month drug regimen that is provided to patients with support and supervision.

But challenges towards the end of last year had threatened to undermine the

gains made.

This manifested in the form of a TB medication shortage, but the Ministry even then assured that there wasn't cause for alarm since emergency measures were put in place.

The local TB programme is said to have made great strides in the programmatic management of MDR patients. This has been bolstered by Guyana's implementation of the 10 WHO recommendations which include increased screening in Guyana to identify all possible MDR, Manager of the National TB Programme, Dr. Jeetendra Mohanlall posited.

Other strides in the sector include improving the management of patients. “ W i t h t h i s accomplishment, there needs to be more dedicated resources in the DOTS programme to do daily visits to patients,” Dr. Mohanlall shared, pointing out that “Even doctors attached to the TB Programme visit patients in their homes with the mobile teams that are established.”

He disclosed that TB patients generally have socio-economic challenges

and they need psycho-social support in their management.

To strengthen his position, the National TB Programme Manager has remained a strong advocate for the social protection of these patients, a tactic that is in line with the END TB Strategy.

Although Guyana is said to have 90 percent coverage of DOTS, there are still many challenges presented by defaulting patients, such as the homeless and the internal migrant population - miners and loggers.

In 2017 it was observed, too, that a fifth or 20 per cent of TB patients also habitually abuse drugs and alcohol. “These can be difficult to manage under the DOTS strategy and there are some who need to be in specialised care facilities such as TB Step Down Care Unit,” according to Dr. Mohanlall.

The TB Step Down Care Unit was commissioned in the first quarter of this year.

But even in the face of a number of challenges, government is boasting in the M i d - Ye a r r e p o r t t h a t measures implemented have been yielding positive results which it anticipates will be retained.

informed too th a t t h e Canadian-based facilitator, who will be conducting th e training, arrived in Guyana earlier in the day.

So far, in excess of 800 Venezuelan children are enrolled in schools.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is working along with the Guyana Water Incorporated to i m p l e m e n t a Wa t e r , Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project, which focuses on the provision and storage of water, sanitation and hygiene promotion interventions in six communities in Region One. As part of this project, a 100-metre well will be drilled at Whitewater, Region One, to provi de water on a consistent basis to residents.

This will complement

the rain water harvesting tanks, water storage facilities and portable water filters, which have already been handed over to the communities.

Given the positive impacts made in BarimaWaini through the pilot project, the two entities a re now looking to roll out the project in Cuyuni – Mazaruni (Region Seven). It will target three communities in its initial phase: Eteringbang, Arrau and Kurutuku.

Over the last few years, more than 6,000 Ve n e z u e l a m i g r a n t s crossed over to Guyana.

G o v er n m e n t has been providing food and other supplies with plans to build a community.

Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans have fled hardships in the oil-rich neighbouring country .

Digitisation, data protection feature at major telecoms ...

From page 15 “CANTO continues to provide a platform for networking with colleagues in the region, meeting with equipment vendors and being part of the discussion on key topics affecting communications in the region. Equally important, was the fellowship and networking with colleagues f r o m G T T a n d AT N I (Atlantic Tele-Network) – GTT's parent company.”

CANTO Trinidad attracted participants from the Caribbean, Latin America and the United States of America

representing government, telecommunications operators and regulators, the private sector, academia and others.

According to a CANTO statement, the event was deemed a success as it delivered a packed programme that was relevant and varied in its scope, allowing members of society as well as young gamers and animators to equally voice their opinions on the digital future of the Caribbean and Latin America.

CANTO 2020 will be held in Miami, Florida, on July 19-22, 2020.

Tuesday August 20, 2019

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

Hundreds of $$M owed to NIS by NDCs, Govt. loses 19 engineers in two years municipalities – Local Govt. Commission to private sector - Mid-Year Report

The Local Government Commission (LGC) has written to several Town Councils and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) requesting that they settle outstanding balances owed to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).

At the top of the list is the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) of Georgetown, followed by the Golden Grove / Diamond NDC, Queenstown Local Authority Essequibo, Charity /Urasara NDC , Bartica Town Council ,Port Kaituma/ Matthews Ridge/Arakaka NDC , Mabaruma Town Council, Buxton/Friendship NDC , and Beterverwagting /Triumph NDC. Chairman of the LGC, Mortimer Mingo, told Kaieteur News that the Commission was not at liberty to divulge the sum of money owed by each Local Government Organ. The total monies owed is estimated to be in hundreds of millions.

Mingo explained that about a month ago, the LGC received a letter from the General Manager of the NIS requesting the intervention of the Commission to get the various NDCs and municipalities to settle the large sums of monies owed to the scheme.

According to Mingo, the LGC has been notified that a number of local government organs would deduct NIS contributions from their employees but fail to remit those monies to NIS. “The Commission has written to the vari-

Local Government Commission Chairman, Mortimer Mingo ous Town Councils and NDCs to remind them of their statutory responsibility to remit those contributions to NIS… we also reminded them of the need to clear the monies owed to the scheme.”

The LGC Chairman added that “If these Councils and NDC continue to ignore the advice of the Commission, NIS reserves the right to take legal recourse against them.”

Last week, Town Clerk (ag) Sherry Jerrick, informed the Councillors of the Georgetown M&CC of the LGC’s intention to have the Council clear its debt to NIS. The M&CC debt is in excess of $200M. During a statutory meeting held at City Hall, Jerrick noted that the Commission

had asked that the Council to pay the monthly contributions of employees regularly.

Jerrick furnished the Council with a letter signed by LGC Chairman Mingo.

According to Jerrick, the letter outlined that the Georgetown M&CC’s current debt to NIS is $218,416,918. She noted that the correspondence served to remind the Council that non–payment of the contributions would result in loss of benefits for City Hall staffers.

In addition, Jerrick noted the letter emphasised the statutory obligations of M&CC to pay current contributions on behalf of the employees when they fall due.

Further alluding to the letter, Jerrick said the LGC warned that, “It should be recognised that through the non-payment and corresponding non-submission of schedules, the stated debt continues to increase”.

In keeping with powers vested in the Local Government Commission Act of 2013, she said that the Commission had therefore instructed that the M&CC “submit to NIS payments submission of the mentioned outstanding remittance to enable computation of the real debt and further to actualise the settlement of the debt on or before August 12, 2019.” Jerrick said too that the Commission has requested monthly status updates as it regards the payment of City Council debt and the monthly remittance of employees NIS deducted.

The roles of engineers are critical to the development of infrastructural works.

However, from 2017 to first half of this year, 19 engineers have left the public sector.

This was highlighted in the Ministry of Finances MidYear Report which noted that the engineers have since sought employment within the private sector.

This shortfall has resulted in a shortage of critical positions which has resulted in the delay of several infrastructural projects.

According to the report, “The infrastructure sector continued to face challenges with implementation, resulting mainly from a lack of staff in critical positions. Human capacity constraints also stymied planning,

procurement and contract management.”

Cognizant that this is a serious issue, government has implemented a measure to attract and retain staff whereby an updated compensation structure for engineers and technicians was approved last month.

Hence, it is expected that the engineering corps will be augmented significantly going forward, the report noted. In 2016, Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson had reported that there was a shortage of engineers. Patterson had said the shortage at the time was primarily the cause of delays in the implementation of several projects. The Minister had pointed out that government could not

compete with the salaries being offered in the private sector. Patterson had explained that government was finding it difficult to recruit qualified engineers, more so graduate engineers.

He had also disclosed that the Public Service Commission was offering a salary of $80,000 to a graduate engineer. Notwithstanding this, infrastructure connectivity across all ten administrative Regions remains a core priority within the national infrastructure programme. Of the $38.5 billion allocated for infrastructure for 2019, approximately $16.5 billion was spent during the first half of the year. Of that amount, $5.2 billion was current and $11.3 billion was capital expenditure.

PAGE 22

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Property for sale at Lot 271 Thomas St, North Cummingsburg. Contact Info: Dennis James #676-1337/2170208, Winifred James #6699969/225-7286 @200,000,000 Negotiable Lot 192 Atlantic Gardens, East Coast Demerara. Contact #691-0230 Business property for sale, lot 27 Grove Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara. Contact #691-0230 (1) 3 bedroom house located at Middle St, Stewartville.

Tel#625-3299/268-3129

LAND FOR SALE

EDUCATION

Parfaite Harmonie $1.5M $2M Parfaite Harmonie Transferable $2.3M Tuschen Phase II $1.3M Providence, Herstelling, Farm. All price drop Tel#666-2326

Earn a Diploma in Computer.

9 Course, special offer for CSEC 2019. Micrographics, Vreed-en-Hoop.#264-3057

LEARN TO DRIVE N. Outar Driving School, Learn to Drive the right way @ Cuffy Square. Affordable package. Call: 644-5166/6912561/681-2808

Tuesday August 20, 2019

Kaieteur News

FOR RENT

WANTED

PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620

1 Security personnel to work shift. 6 Days a week. Tel# 2275536/ 223-0504

2 Bedroom apartment top/ bottom @ 575 block XDiamond, E.B.D.3 bedroom, 1 master room single home @ 95-2nd street Craig,E.B.D.Call June:623-1562.

Newly Renovated Apartments for rent at Peter’s Hall. #698-5800/648-1391 Apartment- Vreed-en-hoop, two bedroom (Kitchen, bath, grill, security camera, A/C, Granite countertop) family preferable. $25,000 Tel: 6825230, 615-4414 House to rent- upstairs & downstairs, fully grilled. 422 Block Y Golden Grove, EBD. #255-0466/683-3389/609-9178

Fish processing workers. Call: 223-5180 One Live-in caretaker to care for elderly person in Bel Air. Call: 227-0373 1 maid needed. Age 30-40. Call: 226-7766 Tailor & Seamstress. Contact #253-3070/601-9855

GPL forced to reschedule projects due to repairs of damaged submarine cable – Mid Year report Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) was forced to reschedule some of its capital projects to facilitate repairs to its damaged submarine cables, a mid-year financial report on the agency highlighted.

In the report released by the Ministry of Finance last week, it was pointed out that the submarine cables were damaged on two occasions in the month of June.

1 General Domestic worker.

Must know to cook. Tel#2269492 Live-in General Domestic 3045 yrs. Salary $25,000 wkly. #610-3974 VACANCY Cashiers to work at Superbet.

Tel#691-7123 Drivers ‘Your Taxi Service’ #219-5555/662-0070 Also contract cars needed

3 bedroom House to rent located at 1298 Diamond H/ Scheme EBD. Tel#680-4798

1 experienced driver, must have license for car/van/ minibus & motorbus, residing in G/town between ages 24-50 yrs old. #2251429/641-5075 Pump attendant & cashier, shift rotated weekly (6am3pm & 3pm-11pm) Shell Service Station Providence EBD. Email: Shellramsburg@gmail.com

VEHICLE FOR SALE

CAR RENTAL DOLLYS AUTO RENTAL CALL: 225-7126 & 2263693 -DOLLYS AUTO RENTAL @ YAHOO.COM/ W W W . D O L L Y SAUTORENTAL.COM PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS FROM $4000 & UP, SUV’S PER DAY- CALL: 656-0087 / 643-5122 ,EMAIL:PRO_ A U T O R E N TA L @YAHOO.COM Speedy Auto Rental & Bus Service: Lowest rates guaranteed. Special pakages for overseas customers. Call: 629-2915/616-7351. Email: speedyautorentals @gmail.com WANTED Experienced Cashier, Apply with handwritten application.

Hack’s Halaal 5 Commerce St

Computerized Accounting, 4 courses Quickbooks, POS, Peachtree, Excel.

Micrographics, Vreed-enhoop. #264-3057

Wanted One truck, car & van driver at VV&I General Store.

Tel# 223-9677

Study in Canada/USA 100% Acceptance. Micrographics, Vreed-en-hoop. #264-3057

Wanted- Salesman, Cashier and Office Clerk. Apply in Person at Lot 10 Vlissengen Road, Survival.

1 Honda CRV. includes TV, music system, alarm, reverse camera, sproiler, crash bar, Low mileage. PTT Series (First Owner) Contact #6490956 New model premio, pearl white 2009 registered $2.3M , Toyota Vitz 2010 Black unregistered $1.8M . Tel#2235615/600-4212 1-Tundra $1.8M, 1-Audi Convertible $2.5M Contact#650-0402/603-1402 Two Vehicles: 1.Nissan Pathfinder Jeep, 2.Nissan Laurel Sedan-Both in Superb condition. All documents intact, Let’s negotiate #6097766/225-8427 VACANCY Vacancy exist for a Spanish Teacher- must be able to teach (2 & 7) years old. Call: 600-6887 for more information One Experienced Mason.

Apply at Alabama Trading, 65 Robb St Bourda Vacancy for operators to work day & night shift @ Del Ice Company, must be 25 years or older. Training provided. Call: 231-1408/642-9191 Room attendant 25-45 years 233 South Road Lacytown #225-0198

Industrial Sales Representative, 5 Subject CXC Age 25+ Experience in Sales, must own vehicle, email resume: vacancy@josarltd.com Handyman. Contact# 2235273/223-5274 Vacancy exist for a Full time/ Part time teacher, must be able to teach (2 & 7) years old. Call: 600-6887 for more information Vacancy exist for Receptionist 25yrs & older. Send Application to Agri Parts Machinery & Services. 193 Mandela Avenue, Georgetown Vacancy for (2) professional and experienced nail technician @ Natural Beauty Salon & Spa. Call: 652-5800 Waitress & Cook preferably carnegie trained & cashier/ waitress #225-7933 or visit 172 Sheriff Street Diesel Mechanic. Contact# 223-5273/223-5274 TRUCK DRIVER. Contact #223-5273/223-5274 One General Domestic, must be able to prepare vegetarian meal. Apply at Alabama Trading, 65 Robb Street Bourda

According to the report, on June 2, GPL’s 69 kilovolts cable sustained damage, resulting in unavailability of 14 megawatts of generation to the eastern half of the Demerara Bridge’s interconnected system.

In another incident, GPL reported that a ship’s anchor damaged its submarine cable connecting the Kingston, Georgetown and Vreed -enHoop, and West Bank Demerara locations.

“At the end of June 2019, technical and non- technical losses were at 28.2 percent compared to 29 in the same period in 2018. The company therefore anticipates closing the year with the deficit of $9.5 billion that was projected at the beginning of the year,” the report highlighted.

GPL had announced, earlier this month, that it will now be attempting to correct the problems that came from the works of the Chinese contractor, CMC, by burying the submarine cable deeper.

The Power Company nevertheless will continue to upgrade its networks to aid the reduction of electricity diversions through the installments of smart meters and load balancing on low voltage and primary networks.

Meanwhile, in the half year report it was pointed out that by the end of June 2019, the Guyana Power and Light recorded a deficit of $4.2 billion, compared to a cash deficit of $3.7 billion for the corresponding period in 2018.

GPL’s receipts were $15.7B, a shortfall of $1.4B from the budgetary position, and $0.6 B lower than the first half of 2018. This was mainly due to decline in sales collection, which was as a result of a 61.5 percent collect rate for government accounts and actual billed sales falling below budget by three percent.

In addition, there was reduced income from investments in treasury bills as well as from services provided by the company. These services included new connections, reconnection tampering charges and service investigation.

Tuesday August 20, 2019

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Kaieteur News

15 LED streetlights for Burma - road works to commence when rains ease “It is a good gesture by the government. It is a good gesture for them to come forward to look after the road because, with roads in the community, it is a sign of development,” said Ivor Hamilton, a resident of Burma, during a community meeting at that East Coast farming village recently.

Another resident, Nigel Bradford said: “The hire cars that come in, they charge a higher sum because of the condition of the road and the expense they have to maintain their car. So, if the road is improved, it would ease the cost of coming in.”

These comments came after Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, pledged to ensure Burmas main road is rehabilitated.

“The maintenance crew is supposed to be here shortly… That contract will start, and you will have at least temporary relief from the bad pothole status it is in at the moment,” said Minister Patterson.

Relating to major

upgrades to the road, Minister Patterson noted: “We [the Ministry of Public Infrastructure] have decided we would be doing it in phases - in 3 phases… in three different sections and it will probably take us 18 months.”

The patching of the roads will commence after the rainy season.

Burma community is also set to receive streetlights. Minister Patterson committed to providing 15 LED lights to the community that will be positioned at points decided by the residents.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Agriculture, N o e l H o l d e r, l e d a delegation of officials to the agriculturally-based community to listen to the concerns of residents.

At the meeting, General Manager, Aubrey Charles, of the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary/Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA) encouraged farmers to apply for land that is available under MMA. “On the left bank of the Berbice River… those lands

GPL workers on a utility pole in Burma.

are undeveloped. So, you would have to put in the necessary infrastructure. We have the main irrigation canal.

We have the main drainage.

We have access [canal], and those are the lands we are giving out in blocks of

approximately 500 acres,” the General-Manager explained.

The meeting in Burma was one of several meetings held

by government ministers within Region 5 to listen to the issues of residents and to offer solutions. (DPI)

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Kaieteur News

Sudan’s Bashir got $90 mn from Saudi, investigator tells court Khartoum (AFP) Sudan’s deposed military ruler Omar al-Bashir has admitted to receiving $90 million in cash from Saudi royals, an investigator told a Khartoum court on Monday.

Police Brigadier Ahmed Ali said at the opening of Bashir’s corruption trial, which an AFP correspondent attended, that the former president told him that the latest payment was “delivered by some of Mohammed bin Salman’s envoys”.

Bashir, whose military Islamist regime ruled Sudan for 30 years, arrived at the Judicial and Legal Science Institute where the trial is taking place in a huge military convoy.

Inside the courtroom, he was sitting in a metal cage, unshaven and wearing a

white traditional gown.

His relatives in the courtroom chanted “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest), to which he responded with the same words.

The former strongman was forced from power on April 11 after months of protests. A transitional constitution meant to guide Sudan towards civilian rule was officially signed on Saturday.

Bashir faces a raft of charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide from the International Criminal Court over his role in the war in Sudan’s western Darfur region.

However, the jailed leader appeared in court Monday on charges of receiving and possessing foreign funds illegally.

The police investigator

told the court that nearly seven million euros ($7.8 million) were found at Bashir’s residence, as well as smaller amounts in US dollars and Sudanese pounds.

“The accused told us that the money was part of a sum of $25 million sent to him by Prince Mohammed bin Salman to be used outside of the state budget,” Ahmed Ali said.

The investigator said Bashir had said he also received two previous payments of $35 million and $30 million from Saudi’s King Abdullah, who died in 2015.

The investigator said Bashir had said the Saudi money was exchanged and spent and that he could not remember how nor did he have documents providing further details.

Tuesday August 20, 2019

Donald Trump signs budget bill as experts warn he’s on track to add trillions to U.S. debt WASHINGTON – Donald Trump promised during his campaign that if he won the White House, he would wipe out the national debt in just eight years.

But in his first 2½ years in office, he has gone in the opposite direction.

Trump Friday signed into law a budget bill hammered out with leaders of the Democratic-led House and the Republican-controlled Senate. It was a rare bipartisan agreement but some in the GOP were furious over the increase in spending.

The legislation will add an estimated $1.7 trillion to the national debt over the next decade, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

That’s not all: When other bills that Trump has signed are factored in, Trump’s total contribution to the national debt is projected to top $4.1 trillion, the budget watchdog group said.“Our national debt is a self-inflicted wound,” said

Maya MacGuineas, the group’s president. “It will take the kind of leadership that currently doesn’t exist in Washington to fix.”

A spokesman for the White House Office of Management and Budget defended Trump’s fiscal record.

“Washington has a spending problem and President Trump has committed to using every tool at his disposal to help get our fiscal house back in order,” spokesman Jacob Wood said. “This can be seen through the many actions he’s taken: balanced budgets, rescissions package, and even deregulation efforts. “This administration will continue to find areas where we can cut federal spending to ensure we provide relief to future generations of Americans. We encourage Congress to do the same.”

‘The national debt already has grown at a fast clip and surpassed $22 trillion for the first time in February, a milestone that experts say is fur-

ther proof the country is on an unsustainable financial path. As of Friday, the debt stood at $22.55 trillion.

For Americans, the growing debt should be a concern, experts said, because over time it can push up interest rates for consumers and businesses. The higher rates can ripple through the economy, nudging up rates for mortgages, corporate bonds and other types of consumer and business loans.

Analysts warn the debt will climb even higher under the new budget deal, which provides a broad outline for $2.7 trillion in spending and raises the debt ceiling over the next two years. That amounts to a $320 billion increase over spending limits.

Under the agreement, negotiated by the White House and congressional Democrats, spending will jump by 21 percent during Trump’s first term, adding $1.7 trillion to the projected debt, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget said.

Tuesday August 20, 2019

Kaieteur News

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Tuesday August 20, 2019

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Fifties for Vihari, Rahane in drawn contest

India batsman Hanuma Vihari.

Tuesday August 20, 2019 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) A group with which you're affiliated may be temporarily torn apart by politics and quarrels. If so, it's best to stay out of it. A friend could be having trouble and come to you for advice and help.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Changes in your home could cause temporary frustration that creates some tension with family members. Perhaps you're cleaning, or refurnishing, and everyone is getting in everyone else's way.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Miscommunication with someone far away could lead to bruised egos, heightened emotions, and angry phone calls. Don't get sucked into a quarrel.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Your psychoanalytical talents could be put to work today when misunderstandings come up. Your friends aren't likely to be thinking clearly and may not respond to reassurances, Cancer.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Perhaps you planned to attend a group event but circumstances beyond your control got in the way.

Maybe it was canceled.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) A visitor who needs a little sympathy could visit you today. Your friend probably wants some advice about some problems. He or she could also bring information involving new scientific studies that you find fascinating.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Some important plans, perhaps for a vacation or involving education in some way, could be temporarily blocked by circumstances beyond your control.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) A letter or phone call could bring upsetting news about money. Your first reaction may be to blame yourself or someone else, but the circumstances are probably beyond anyone's control.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) A person you're attracted to may seem to be interested in someone else. This could bring up your insecurities and jealousy. Don't make yourself crazy, Leo.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Jealousy could rear its ugly head today, Aquarius. This may involve a romantic relationship. Jealousy is often groundless. If you want to avoid an upset, try a little communicating.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Someone is keeping secrets from you. We all have private issues we don't wish to share, Virgo, but this affects you.

Your intuition will probably tell you who this person is.

Try to get him or her to open up without exerting pressure.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Nervous tension could cause a temporary malaise that keeps your energy low today. Tasks and chores need to be done, Pisces, so you will probably drag yourself up and try to finish them in spite of the way you feel.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Hanuma Vihari and Ajinkya Rahane both gathered half-centuries as India’s three-day warm-up match against West Indies A petered out into a stalemate here yesterday.

Resuming from their overnight 84 for one at Coolidge Cricket Ground, India declared their second innings on 188 for five with Vihari top-scoring with 64 and Rahane stroking 54.

O ff - s p i n n e r Akim Fraser eventually accounted for both to finish with two for 43.

S e t 3 0 5 f o r v i c t o r y, West Indies reached 47 for three before the game was called off at the scheduled tea break.

Kavem Hodge, who top-scored with 51 in the first innings, fell cheaply for five after miscuing a pull at pacer Jasprit Bumrah to square leg while Brandon King’s run-a-ball 14 ended when he edged a drive at off-spinner Ravi Ashwin to slip.

And opener Jeremy Solozano’s hour-long vigil over 16 ended when he missed a forward defensive stroke to left-arm spinner Ravi Jadeja and was lbw.

2019 Courts 10k launched...

From page 30 logistics, while the junior athletes will receive vouchers for school supplies.

The total prize money remains at $1.15 million since its increase from $960,000 in 2018 and the top six overall finishers will benefit.

Courts Brand Manager, Odetta Aaron, was on hand at the launch and she expressed her company’s pleasure with partnering with the AAG for yet another year and noted that the event promises to be fun filled. In addition to the 10k, there will also be a golden mile race for the youth athletes and the 3k race for Courts Guyana Inc. employees.

The winners of the open male and female categories will pocket $100,000 each, while the immediate runners up will take home $80,000, $60,000, $40,000, $20,000 and $10,000 respectively.

Last year, Winston Missigher broke the winning streak of Cleveland Forde in the open men’s category, while Aliyah Moore won the open women’s category.

Hutson noted during the simple but significant ceremony that Banks DIH through their Rainforest Waters brand remains as part sponsors.

Vihari and Rahane had earlier dominated in a second wicket stand which they stretched to 96 before being separated.

The right-handed Vihari, resuming on 48, reached his half-century off the fourth ball of the morning with an edged boundary off pacer Marquino Mindley.

All told, he faced 125 balls and struck nine fours and a six while opener Rahane, starting the day on 20, counted five fours and a six off 162 balls in just over 3-½ hours.

The match is the only warm-up for India before

the opening Test starting Thursday at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.

Scores: INDIA 297 for six decl.

(Cheteshwar Pujara 100, Rohit Sharma 68, Hanuma Vihari 37 not out, Lokesh Rahul 36, Rishabh Pant 33; Jonathan Carter 3-39) and 188 for five decl. ( H a n u m a Vi h a r i 6 4 , Ajinkya Rahane 54; Akim Fraser 2-43).

WEST INDIES A 181 (Kavem Hodge 51, Jahmar Hamilton 33, Jonathan Carter 26; Umesh Yadav 319, Ishant Sharma 3-21, Kuldeep Yadav 3-35) and 47 for three.

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Tuesday August 20, 2019

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African players in Europe: Angolan wonder boy helps shock PSG AFP - Angolan 16-yearold Eduardo Camavinga, who practised judo as a child, was the African star in Europe at the weekend, helping Rennes shock star-stacked Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 in the French Ligue 1.

Born in the oil-rich enclave of Cabinda, he is already being compared to PSG star Kylian Mbappe despite only 10 senior appearances for Rennes.

He debuted in Ligue 1 toward the end of last season and coach Julien Stephan says “he is confirming all the talent we think he has at the start of this season”.

ENGLAND SADIO MANE (Liverpool) The Senegalese was in sublime form on his return to Southampton with a goal and an assist as Liverpool won 21. Mane masked a poor firsthalf performance from the European champions by curling into the top corner in stoppage time before the break. He then turned provider for Roberto Firmino to score the visitors’ second.

PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG (Arsenal) The Gabonese

international was Arsenal’s match winner for the second weekend in a row, scoring the vital goal in a 2-1 win over Burnley.

It was Aubameyang’s seventh goal in four league appearances against Burnley — four more than he has managed against any other club since joining from Borussia Dortmund.

WILFRED NDIDI (Leicester) The Nigerian international went through a rollercoaster of emotions in Leicester’s 1-1 draw at Chelsea with a huge hand in both goals. Ndidi gifted the opener to Mason Mount as he was caught in possession on the edge of his own box, but bounced back in style with a thumping header 23 minutes from time to atone for that error.

SPAIN SAMUELCHUKWUEZE (Villarreal) Chukwueze scored his first goal of the season but could not combine it with a victory as Villarreal drew 4-4 with promoted Granada. The Nigerian put Villarreal 4-2 up at home in the second half, driving forward and curling a

shot into the corner. But Granada scored twice in the last 15 minutes to ensure a thrilling contest ended all square. Chukwueze scored eight La Liga goals last season.

GERMANY JAMILU COLLINS (Paderborn) Nigerian international Collins made his first appearance in the Bundesliga with promoted Paderborn, who went down fighting as they twice equalised in a 3-2 defeat at Champions League qualifiers Bayer Leverkusen.

ISHAK BELFODIL (Hoffenheim) Back after a knee injury ruled him out of Algeria’s Africa Cup of Nationswinning campaign, Belfodil’s entry on 71 minutes coincided with Hoffenheim’s sharpest period in attack during a 1-0 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt. He headed wide when unmarked in front of goal and had a stoppage-time goal ruled out for offside.

ANTHONY UJAH (Union Berlin) The Nigerian forward brought some much-needed experience to Union as the

The Nand Persaud Group of Companies expresses appreciation The Nand Persaud Group of Companies along with its Sky Plus Incorporated Promotion Group once again extends gratitude to all those who assisted in making their 8th, one day horserace meet as success.

The event which was held on Sunday 11th August at the club’s facility at No36 Macedonia, Corentyne, Berbice was dubbed the “Nand Persaud Karibee Mega Sprint Classic”.

The company with its main head Office situated at the No36 Corentyne Complex is well known for its Karibee Rice Brand.

The organisers would like to take the opportunity to express thanks to Managing Director Ramesh Sunich and his Trophy Stall Group, Ansa McAl Trading, 4R Bearings and Belts, Jumbo Jet Auto Sales, Nand Persaud Agri and Spare Parts, NPIC, NPG Packaging and Plastics Incorporated, A. Ramcharitar Construction, Exotic Style Trucking Service, Flexotech Incorporated, Rice FarmersP Misir, S Jagmohan, D.

Persaud, Jagdeo Racing Stables, Prem’s Electrical, Retired Jockey Abdul Latiff and NTN television among others.

It is one of the premier horseracing entities in the country and boasts a full package that includes racing track, promotional group, racehorses, stables and feed and other supplies for the horses. Known as a pacesetter and for its innovation, generosity and organising ability, the activity was well organised and attended. It is the only race track with big screen television that offers slow motion replays.

The Nand Persaud Group of Companies is one of the leading business entities in the country and boosts a number of subsidiaries and branches throughout the country.

Among them are its Rice Milling and Packaging Complex at No36 Village, Its Retail and Wholesale Outlet at Skeldon, Blue Sky Incorporated, Nand Persaud International Communication,

Green Power Solution Incorporation, NPG Packaging and Plastic Inc. its Spares Parts Agricultural and Machinery Department, and its NPI Communication, Amazonia Rice Investment Incorporated, Flexotech Incorporated, Plastific Incorporation, CV Renewables Incorporated, General Store at Rose Hall Town and the Nand Persaud Foundation. It is a leading player in the country’s Green Energy drive.

It is presently constructing a multi-milliondollar ($40M) soil testing lab at the University of Guyana (UG) Tain Berbice Campus.

The committee will also like to thank Commander B Division, Assistant Commissioner Paul Langevine and ranks of the Guyana Police Force and all for their support and look forward for their continued patronage.

Coordinator Mohindra “Mohin” Persaud is grateful for the support shown and vows to maintain the same high standard for future events. (Samuel Whyte)

Rennes’ Angolan teenager Eduardo Camavinga (R) pursues Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe during a Ligue 1 match at the weekend. (AFP / Jean-Francois Monier) club played their first game in the German top division, which ended in a 4-0 home loss to RB Leipzig. Ujah came off the bench at half-time and went close to scoring Berlin’s first Bundesliga goal late in the second half.

FRANCE EDUARDO CAMAVINGA (Rennes) The Angolan teenager was influential as his side

shocked French champions Paris Saint-Germain 2-1. The midfielder set up the winner in Brittany and missed a good chance to claim a late third goal for Rennes.

HABIB DIALLO (Metz) The Senegalese striker continued his fine start to life back in Ligue 1 with a double in Metz’s 3-0 drubbing of 10-man Monaco. The 24-year-old scored 26 goals last season to lead Metz

to promotion and has already netted three times in two games in the top flight.

IGNATIUS GANAGO (Nice) The Cameroonian youngster turned in what proved to be the winner with his knee in the first half as Nice edged to a 2-1 victory at Nimes in a match which saw three men sent off. The 20year-old scored twice last season in just nine starts.

Anderson left out as England name unchanged squad for third test (Reuters) - England have named an unchanged 12-man squad for the third Ashes test against Australia starting on Thursday, with recovering seamer James Anderson set to play for Lancashire’s second XI to step up his rehabilitation.

Anderson, who is recuperating from a right calf injury, will feature against Leicestershire in a three-day friendly match starting on Tuesday.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said the 37-year-old will be assessed on “an ongoing basis” and will be considered for selection ahead of the fourth test at Old Trafford starting Sept.

4.

England’s leading test wicket-taker Anderson aggravated his calf injury during the first test at Edgbaston, which Australia won by 251 runs.

Fast bowler Jofra A r c h e r, w h o r e p l a c e d Anderson in the second test, claimed five wickets on debut at Lord’s and bowled consistently over 90 mph.

England’s James Anderson looks dejected after Australia win the first test.

(Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine) The second test ended in a draw on Sunday, with Australia leading the fivetest series 1-0.

Squad: Joe Root (captain), Jofra Archer,

Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Jason Roy, B e n Stokes, Chris Woakes.

Tuesday August 20, 2019

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Kaieteur News

Twenty Person Guyana Squad Departs for 2020 Concacaf Women’s U-17 Qualifiers A 20-person National U17 shortlisted squad has departed Guyana yesterday for Curacao to compete in the 2020 Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship firstround Qualifiers which began on August 17 and will conclude on August 25.

The squad comprises six international-based and 14 Guyana-based players including two Goalkeepers, five Defenders, eight Midfielders and five Forwards. Head Coach of the

National U17 Women’s Team Akilah Castello, said while some last-minute squad changes had to be made, individual technical and physical evaluations influenced the selection of the final 20.

“Continuous individual technical and physical assessments were done to arrive at the final squad. We believe that providing the girls are technical and physically prepared, we will have a better chance at

managing tactical decisions one match at a time.”

Guyana will play host Curacao in its first match, scheduled for tomorrow from 20:30hrs at the Stadion Ergilio Hato Willemstad. Guyana’s next Group D matches will be as follows: Match 2: 23rd August – St. Vincent & The Grenadines vs Guyana @ 18:00hrs Match 3: 25th August – Guyana vs The Bahamas @ 17:00hrs According to Concacaf,

U 17 Women’s Squad: Concacaf Championship: # Name Position Club 1 Ludesha Reynolds Goalkeeper Georgetown FC 2 Deekola Dougles Goalkeeper Fruta Conquerors FC 3 Allianna Holder Defender AYSO United-Los Angeles 4 Affia Hartman Defender New Amsterdam United 5 Hasha Holder Defender Fruta Conquerors FC 6 Angel Denny Defender Fruta Conquerors FC 7 Akasha Low-Koan Defender Brazil Girls FC 8 Amanda McKenzie Midfielder Fruta Conquerors FC 9 Samara Rodrigues Midfielder Region One 10 Latesha Sutherdland Midfielder Fruta Conquerors FC 11 Samantha Banfield Midfielder United FA OPDL 12 Aliea Moses Midfielder Essequibo FC 13 Sidney Facey Midfielder Unionville-Milliken Soccer Club 14 Jaida Brooks Midfielder Durham FC 15 Jenea Knight Midfielder AJAX FC 16 Alleia Alleyne Forward Fruta Conquerors FC 17 Kersti Thomas Forward Bartica FC 18 Jalade Trim Forward Kwakwani FC 19 Shanic Thornhill Forward Fruta Conquerors FC 20 Shamya Daniels Forward Fruta Conquerors FC Technical Staff Position Name Head Coach Akilah Castello Assistant Coach Gavin Fredericks Goalkeeper Coach Jersild Wright Physiotherapist Angelica Holder Head of Sports Science Levi Braithwaite International Team Coordinator Paul Beresford Team Operations Manager Naseya Brewster Equipment Manager Sarafina Lam

there will be 32 participating teams.

The qualifiers comprise the lowest ranked 16 teams, based on the Concacaf Wo m e n ’s U n d e r- 1 7 Ranking as of July 2018, where the top-finisher of each group will advance to the knock-out stage of the championship.

These teams are: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bonaire, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominica, Guyana, Honduras, Martinique, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines and US Virgin

Islands.

The remaining 16 teams, consisting of top-ranked teams, based o n t h e Concacaf Women’s Under17 Ranking as of July 2018, will participate in the Finals Championship. Each has been placed in four groups – E, F, G and H – and will play round-robin following which “the top three finishers in each of the groups will join the winners of Groups A, B, C and D (from the qualifiers) in the round of 16,” according to Concacaf.

“The 16 teams participating in the group stage of the Final

Championship are (in alphabetical order): Bermuda, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago and the United States.

The knockout stage of the competition - round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and final - will be played in its entirety in a single match elimination format, with the finalists and third place finisher automatically qualifying for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2020.”

Part of the Guyana-Based National U17 Women’s Team.

Tickets sale for GAW CPL home matches commences Fans can now purchase tickets for the Guyana Amazon Warriors first three home matches at the local box office at 238 Camp and Quamina Streets, Georgetown. The sale of tickets here commenced yesterday and fans can also purchase official GAW merchandise.

Fans can also purchase Guyana Amazon Warriors team jerseys.

The prices are; Green stand $5,000, Red Stand $5,000, Orange Stand $3,000 and Grass Mound $2,000.

The CPL is one of the fastest growing leagues in the world as over 200 million fans watched the 2018 season. The tournament made a positive economic impact across the Caribbean of US$127million.

PAGE 30

Tuesday August 20, 2019

Kaieteur News

Winfield Braithwaite C’bean Schoolboys & Juniors Boxing C/Ships

Guyana win 4th successive title with 11 Gold & 2 silver, T&T finish 2nd

The Ref steps in as T&T’s Juan Rodriguez is floored by Guyana’s Patrick Harvey.

By Sean Devers While a far from capacity crowd, the final night of the Winfield Braithwaite Caribbean Schoolboys & Juniors Boxing Championships on Sunday at the Cliff Anderson National Sports Hall (CASH) had the best fan support of the three nights and when the dust had settled the Guyanese did not did disappoint their vocal fans, winning Championship honours for the fourth consecutive time since this tournament was inaugurated in 2016.

Guyana finished with 11 Gold and two Silver Medals

as the South Americans accumulated 30 points, while Trinidad & Tobago who brought the largest contingent finished runnersup with 12 points and two Gold Medals.

St Lucia with five points and a Gold Medal finished third, while Cayman Islands took the fourth spot with four points. Barbados, unlucky not win a Gold medal, Dominica and Grenada were the other participating nations.

Entertained by some exciting action in the Ring and pulsating music from the Fame Band Sound from South

Best Boxers Alisha Jackman (female) and Patrick Harvey (Male) show off their hardware.

Ruimveldt, the large gathering included Mike Parris, the only Boxer from the English speaking Caribbean to win an Olympic Medal with Bronze in Moscow in 1980, Keevin Allicock, who has the best chance of emulating him, former Champion Wayne Harris, Boxing promotors Herman Harris and Seon Bristol and TV personality Allen Fenty.

The night had six International bouts and despite minor glitches like late starts and the lack of larger crowds, the tournament, staged for the first time at the Sports Hall, could be deemed a success, while Guyana’s continued success at this level was the icing on the cake for the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA).

In the first fight, St Lucian Krishone Pierre lost to Guyana’s Richard Howard in a 52kg Youth bout. Pierre was hit with a vicious upper cut in the first round which resulted in him receiving a standing 8 count and although he got in a few shots towards the end of the round, it was Howard who dominated the first stanza.

A hard body shot at the start of round two caused the Referee to administer another 8 count on Pierre who was looking aggressive, but his big swings missed their mark as Howard evaded the big shots and countered with a flurry of shots to the head and body to end another big round for the Guyanese.

Looking for a knock-out the St Lucian was caught with some wicked shots to the mid-section which sent

The Ref rushes in to stop bout in 1min 16 sec of round 1 as Trini Shirley Wolfe (right) took battering from Alisha Jackman in the shortest fight of the tournament. him back peddling and he was given another 8-count.

Pierre, engaging in gamesmanship, dropping his guard and inviting Howard to come into his range and hit him but the Guyanese tried to use his jabs and survived a late rally as the St Lucian threw some big heave hoes in the dying stages of the contest.

In the second bout, Gilchris Medard used his superior height and reach advantage to jab his way to St Lucia’s only Gold Medal; winning a close fight against Guyanese Dwayne Castello in the 52kg Junior match-up.

In the opening round Castello was kept at long range by Medard’s long pawing left jabs but he soon got on the inside and peppered the St Lucian with digs to the body as he backed him up against the ropes.

In the second round Medard danced away from Castello punches and scored a few good long range shots to Castello’s head but the Guyanese counterpunched with body shots which pushed Medard back.

However, the St Lucia, cautioned a few times for turning his back on Castello, forced the 14year-old Southpaw to fight his fight.

The final round saw Medard using his reach to good effect as Castello charged him and landed some nice combinations but most of them were taken on the gloves or shoulder of Medard.

The next bout, the only female bout on the Card, featured Guyanese Alisha Jackman and T&T’s Shirley Wolfe and watched by her Mother and elder sister Abiola who was denied the opportunity to fight due to the no-show of her opponent from Sophia, the 14-year-old Alisha charged Wolfe and hit her like a truck.

The Trini wobbled backwards and was given an 8-count before Jackman went in for kill with a fivepunch combination to the body and head of her stunned opponent resulting in a second 8count being given and when Jackman was accidently pushed to the Canvas she launched into Wolfe with a merciless attack and the Ref put a halt to the battering in 1minute, 16 seconds of the round for the shortest fight of the tournament to win her 52kg Junior Women’s battle.

In the 81+kg Junior division, 15-year-old Deshane Vousden from the Cayman Islands, built like a like a Wrestler, was no match for Emmanuel P o m p e y.

The burly Vousden, throwing some mighty blows which missed, was caught with several hard shots and after being given two standing 8 counts in each of the two rounds he fought, the fight was stopped in the second round.

Trinidad and Tobago’s second Gold Medal of the tournament came the 57kg Juniors division, thanks to Nyrel Hosein who used his

hand speed and good Boxing savvy to outbox Guyana’s Travis Inverary, who earlier in the day had beaten Grenadian Jaffer Shade who only arrived in Guyana on Saturday evening.

Inverary, a 15-year-old Southpaw, was consistently beaten to the punch by the quicker Trini in the first round.

In the second Hosein bobbed and weaved away from Inverary’s punches and connected with upper cuts to the body of the Guyanese and hit him with hooks to his head to win the fight.

In the last fight of an entertaining night in which the Guyanese pugilists were urged on by the blowing of horns and chatting of their names, Guyana’s Patrick Harvey made light work of Juan Rodriguez; faking him with right jabs and then hitting him to the face seconds after the fake jabs.

Seon Bristol read a message from former Commonwealth Gold Medallist Wi n f i e l d Braithwaite who is overseas and whom the tournament is named after, while Harold ‘top gun’ Hopkinson, the Managing Director of Secure Innovations & Concepts, presented $20,000 Guyana dollars to each of the 14 Boxers who won Gold medals.

The Guyana team celebrated another C h a m p i o n s hip win by dancing and lifting their three Coaches (Sebert Blake, Lennox Daniel and Clive Atwell) above their heads, one at a time.

Tuesday August 20, 2019

PAGE 31

Kaieteur News

Golden Jaguars’ Head Coach accepts new role; tenders resignation - New Interim Head Coach appointed for CNL campaign The Senior Men’s National Team’s Head Coach Michael Johnson has accepted a position in England that will be announced soon and thus has tendered his resignation to the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), effective 13th August.

The GFF has since appointed Márcio Máximo as the Interim Head Coach for the 2019-2020 Concacaf Nations League (CNL) campaign, effective 21st August. This development follows Johnson’s successful tenure with the Golden Jaguars’, having led the team to its historic participation at the Concacaf Gold Cup 2019, which no doubt has boosted his professional profile and created the opportunity for him to advance.

President Wayne Forde, on behalf of the Executive Committee, said he was proud of the work done by Johnson, especially in aiding the professional development of the senior national programme and the creditable performance of the team at its inaugural Gold Cup participation.

The Executive Committee wishes coach Johnson well in

Márcio Máximo his future endeavours.

Meanwhile, Máximo, a Brazilian national, comes to the post with a CONMEBOL Pro License and over 30 years’ experience as a Coach and Coaching Instructor at both club and national team levels.

To date, he has coached the Brazil National U17 and U20 teams (1992-1993), Qatar National U20 Team, Cayman Islands National Team (19992002), which resulted in Caribbean Cup and World Cup Qualification respectively and the Tanzania National Team (2006 – 2010), where they reached qualifiers for the World Cup – Germany and South Africa – and also qualified for theAfrican Cup

Michael Johnson shakes hands with Golden Jaguar Daniel Wilson before Guyana match agains Panama at the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup. of Nations for the first time ever.

The coach has also worked with club teams across the world including Germany, Saudia Arabia, Costa Rica and Scotland (United Kingdom). The new Head Coach, who is expected

Teams rewarded for efforts at REAL Sports Entertainment Group Masters tourney The REAL Sports Entertainment Group masters football tournament concluded recently at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue where Club 45 were crowned champions after gaining a walk over from GT Panthers in the final.

The teams were rewarded for their efforts at a presentation ceremony held on Saturday last. Speaking with Kaieteur Sport following the presentation ceremony, REAL Sport Entertainment Group Director Challus McKinnon said the tournament went well and the players are happy with the initiative. “That’s encouraging even though we had a few hiccups, we achieved what were looking for which was to have the masters players playing in a competitive atmosphere,” he added.

He stated that the youths look up to the older players who can help to mentor them.

“If the older players can get their acts together and play well and represent well on and off the pitch, the youths will be encouraged.” He said that the response has been good the players were elated and want more of it.

McKinnon thanked Ansa Mc Al under their Carib and Lucozade brands, Superbets, Nerva, Supermarket, Survival Supermarket, Vishaul Auto, Dennis Adams, M and M Snackette, Magistrate Annette Singh, Pay Less Variety Store, Fat Boys’, CRC, Marta’s Snackette, Imperior Furniture Store, Beacons Café, GFF, King’s Jewellery World, Ministry of the Presidency and the Ministry of Social Cohesion among others.

to arrive to Guyana next week, will reside in Guyana during his eight-month tenure and will work with the Guyanabased senior national team players to improve their chances of breaking into the team.

He is also expected to contribute to the national development programmes and Coaching Education initiatives. Following the

conclusion of the CNL qualification, a performance evaluation will be done, which will inform next steps to be taken.

Guyana’s opening match in the CNL League B, Group G is on Friday September 6 away to Aruba at the Stadion Ergilio Hato in Curacao, kicking off at 19:00hrs.

Antigua & Barbuda will then host Guyana on October 11

and three days later, the Antiguans will make their way to Guyana for the return fixture.

Friday November 15 is the date for the return clash between Guyana and Aruba here in the Land of Many Waters after which Guyana will make their way to the Land of Reggae to take on Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz on Monday November 18.

GCOS assists Table Tennis player, Persaud

Leslie Black of GCOS (left) presents Danish Persaud with his contribution towards his participation in the regional table tennis tournament.

Representatives of the 1st to 4th place teams with their prizes (from left) Gordon Braithwaite (Beacons 4th), Trevor Parjohn (West Demerara 3rd), Kirlis Davis (Club 45 1st) and Sheldon Bobb (GT Panthers 2nd).

The Guyana Committee of Service’s mandate is to assist sportsmen and sports women along with the performing arts, and yesterday they continued with a contribution to Danish Persaud, who will be contesting the Caribbean Mini and Pre-Cadet table tennis tournament in the Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

The event begins tomorrow and will conclude on the 27th and according to committee member, Leslie Black, when the GCOS heard that the young Persaud was in need of assistance, the GCOS was quick to react.

The committee has assisted Persaud with

his tournament Levy fees and 50% of his airfare to the Spanish-speaking capital. The Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) has paid the other 50% of Persaud’s airfare.

Meanwhile, efforts are being stepped up for the next Sunday’s GCOS Annual Summer Camp 5k road race which is being held in the National Park.

In addition, the committee’s grand raffle, which profits goes towards their mandate, will be drawn on August 31st. The first place prize is $1million, second place; a Hero Honda Motorcycle, third; one refrigerator, fourth; a 32-inch Television and fifth; a microwave. The cost of a raffle ticket is just $500.

PAGE 32

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 20, 2019

CGI Issues Revamped GAPLF Raw National C/ships set for this Sunday at Saints Academy Contract Structure The Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) will host its Raw National Championships this Sunday, August 25th, 2019 at St. Stanislaus College Auditorium, Brickdam Georgetown.

According to a release from the GAPLF, athletes would be lifting with little to no additional equipment during their lifts.

Those athletes competing in Flight ‘A’ are required to be at the venue for 08:00hrs in order to be weighed in.

Weigh will last for one and a half hours, ending at 09:30hrs. Competition will get cracking at 10:00hrs; entrance fee will be $1,000. All those athletes interested in competing at Sunday’s event are required to submit their applications and pay the required fees.

Forms and monies can be

- Competitive 3-Tier Contracts for 2019/2020 Season

2018 RAW Nationals Overall Winners! Lisa Oudit (left) and Vijai Rahim display their trophies. submitted to the Championship Secretary, Martin Webster. A screenshot of the filled out registration

along with the deposit slip to the GAPLF Bank Account #6552194 will be accepted as well.

Best performers from UWI World Universities T20 tournament to train with CPL teams The Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is continuing its support of aspiring young cricketers. Having signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of the West Indies (UWI) to support their efforts to give their students the best possible sporting opportunities, CPL will be inviting five cricketers who have excelled during the 2019 UWI Faculty of Sport (FoS) World Universities T20 Competition to join CPL franchises for their pretournament training camps.

The teams which took part in this inaugural event were Combined Colleges and Campuses (CCC) the 2019 CWI Super50 champions, Tertiary Sports Association of Trinidad & Tobago (TSATT), University of the West Indies (UWI), USA Combined Universities (USA) and Oxford MCCU (UK).

The criteria for selecting the players are as follows: Batsman (player scoring most runs in the tournament) Fast Bowler (fast bowler taking the most wickets in the tournament) Spin Bowler (spin Bowler taking the most wickets in the tournament) Wicket Keeper (keeper not necessarily having the most dismissals, but consideration should be given to positioning, technique, involvement in the game etc.)

Fielder (fieldsman not necessarily claiming the most catches but also consideration should be given to run outs

effected, athleticism, throwing accuracy etc.)

The players were selected on the basis of the following performances: Best fast bowlerJavon Searles (CCC) – 9 wkts @ 14.44 / SR 13.33 / Econ 6.50 / BB 3 for 13 (Assigned to Trinbago Knight Riders) Best batsman- Christopher McBride (Oxford) – Matches 6 / Innings 6 / Runs 245 / 3 x 50s / HS 74 / Ave 40.83 / SR 136.87 (Assigned to Jamaica Tallawahs) Best spinner- Dominic Clutterbuck (Oxford) – 11 wkts @ 15.45 / SR 14.73 / Econ 6.30 / BB 3 for 24 (Assigned to Barbados Tridents) Best wicketkeeper- James Seward (Oxford) – 5 catches, 5 stumpings and 1 run out (Assigned to GuyanaAmazon Warriors) Best Fielder- Keron Cottoy (CCC) won the award for best fielder, and was selected in the player draft by the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, guaranteeing for himself even greater involvement in this year’s tournament.

Michael Hall, Tournament Operations Director for CPL, said: “We are firmly committed to working with the University of the West Indies (UWI) to help unearth the next generation of cricketers who can go on to represent the region on the international stage. By creating this opportunity we hope to get more of our student / cricketers interested in playing at a higher level. After all, critical thinking is a key ingredient for success in sports as well as life.”

Daren Ganga, Project Officer at the UWI Faculty of Sport and LOC Chairman for the UWI World Universities T20 Tournament stated: “In the spirit of collaboration and development of sport in the region, the UWI Faculty of Sport has shown exactly how healthy relationships with sporting stakeholders like Cricket West Indies (CWI) and Caribbean Premier League (CPL) can contribute significantly towards building capacity in young people and advancing our sporting stock.

“The UWI Faculty of Sport blazed a trail with its inaugural World Universities T20 Cricket Tournament in January 2019 and intends to host said Tournament every two years with the blessings of all stakeholders in cricket. More significantly, with this inaugural tournament we created a real conduit for student athletes to effectively transition from amateurs into professional cricket. Student cricketers had the opportunity to compete in a professional university cricket tournament earlier this year, unknown talents were unearthed and as you can see, the very best performers were rewarded with opportunities to advance their cricket careers alongside CPL Franchises. Effectively, CPL, CWI and the UWI have improved the player development pathway in the region and strengthened the tertiary tier of cricket considerably with this initiative.”

Cricket Guyana Inc. continues to lead the way in formulating and enhancing the territorial professional Franchise structure, with comparative 3-tier contract system as done with the Regional franchises, facilitation of coaches, physiotherapist and Strength and Conditioner management staff, as well as the creation and facilitation of a training venue with first class standards.

This year’s offer of the – tier Academy contracts for the 2019/2020 season is perceived as a significant step for CGI and its beneficiaries, as it was implemented due to a robust drive to make the recipient allocation of Academy contracts more competitive and valuable.

This initiative resulted in Academy players being offered Ranked A, B and C contracts, with last year’s monthly Academy contract fee per player of $75,000 being the amount given for B contracts, with the 2014/ 2015 season initial monthly Academy Contract fees per players of $50,000 being the value of a C contract and spiraling $100,000 monthly fee per player, going to those who are awarded A contracts.

The directors of CGI are of the view, that the 3-tier

Academy contracts provides an added incentive for players to work hard at improving their game in an effort to give themselves the best opportunity of performing outstandingly well on a consistent basis.

In comparison to the previous years, it also provides outstanding players an opportunity to benefit more financially from local contracts, especially in cases where they may have narrowly missed out on Regional Franchise contracts, or have been noticeably recognized by CGI for exceptional performance in the locally conducted training and preparatory programmes.

The directors of CGI credits the Academy structure as providing unwavering support to the 5 times champions, the Guyana Jaguars, ensuring that replacement players were well prepared and equipped to excel at the regional and international levels.

The 3-tier Academy contracts will be complimented by the usual management staff, with two (2) Academy coaches, a physiotherapist and Strength and conditioner. Further, during the early path of the 2019/2020 season, the Academy is also likely to benefit from training facilities of first class standards which

will be situated on the LBI grounds.

For the season 2019/2020 Robin Bacchus and Joshua Persaud misses out on offers for Academy contracts, with last Year Academy player Bhaskar Yadram being picked up by the Windward Islands Volcanoes Franchise, while Raun Johnson opted out of last year contract during the latter part of the season.

This season, Trevon Griffith signs on to a CGI Academy contract, after plying his trade with the Jamaica Scorpions for the last few seasons. The 2019/2020 Academy Contracts are allocated as follows: Ranked A: Trevon Griffith, Akshaya Persaud, Anthony Adams and Richie Looknauth.

Ranked B: Kemol Savory, Ronaldo Ali Mohamed, Raymond Perez and Kevin Sinclair.

Ranked C: Ricardo Adams, Kevlon Anderson, Kevin Umroa and Ashmead Nedd.

Prior to the signing of the 2019/2020 Academy contracts, all earmarked contracted players met with representative of CGI, Mr. Anand Sanasie, the Academy coaches and Technical Advisor, Colin Stuart to examine and discuss players’ expectations and contract obligations.

2019 Courts 10k launched

Odetta Aaron of Courts Guyana Inc. presents Aubrey Hutson of the AAG with the $2million cheque for the 9th Courts 10k road race slated for Sept. 15.

Athletes will be licking their lips as the lucrative and annual Courts 10k road race is back and will run off on Sunday, September 15. The ninth edition of the event was launched yesterday at the sponsor’s head office on

Main Street.

The event will speed off from 06:00hrs sharp and the head of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), Aubrey Hutson, noted that no late additions will be allowed into the race

so athletes are encouraged to be on time.

Courts Guyana Inc. has contributed $2million to the marquee road race on the AAG’s calendar which will go towards the top finishers and (Continued on page 25)

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 20, 2019

PAGE 33

CAREBACO Junior Under-19 International Badminton Championship 2019

Guyanese players finish with 5-gold and 1-bronze

O

n D a y F o u r, Sunday last, at t h e CAREBACO Junior Under19 International Badminton Championship which was played at the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium in St. Michael Barbados August 15-18, the outstanding Guyanese players won Three of the Five Finals and their performances shows that our preparation and training methods was executed as instructed and planed. The players were very focused and their determination was only to win.

It was a very proud moment for the team when the Guyanese National Anthem was Played three times for the three gold medals captured.

Last Year Champion Priyanna Ramdhani, who was the No. 1 Seeded Player in the Tournament, won Three Gold in the Ladies Singles, Ladies Doubles and Mixed Doubles and was

crowned the Triple Champion at the age of 17 years old.

At 16 years old she was also the Under-17 Triple Champion Last Year.

Tyrese Jeffrey won Gold in the Mixed Doubles and Bronze in the Men Doubles.

Akili Haynes won Bronze in the Men Doubles.

The Finals Results on Day-4 are: Ladies Singles: Priyanna Ramdhani of Guyana defeated of Imani Mangroe of Suriname in a thrilling three setter: 21-8, 18-21, 21-17 Mixed Doubles: Priyanna Ramdhani & Tyrese Jeffrey of Guyana defeated Dominick Scantlebury & Sobers Robyn: 21-11, 21-9 Ladies Doubles: Priyanna Ramdhani of Guyana & Chequeda De Boulet of Trinidad defeated Imani Mangroe & Chaista Soemodipoero of Suriname: 21-18, 21-11

Doubles champs, Priyanna Ramdhani (right) of Guyana and Chequeda De Boulet of Trinidad display their medals.

Priyanna Ramdhani and Tyrese Jeffrey of Guyana captured the Mixed Doubles title.

Tropical Shipping continues ‘invaluable’ motorsport support

T

ropical shipping continues to share an invaluable partnership with motorsport locally, the shipping provider yesterday, assisted with three 40ft containers for Guyanese cars headed to Barbados next month.

Five cars, Rameez Momamed (Group 2 and 3 Honda Civic), Danny Persaud (Group 3 and 4 Mazda Miata), Mohan Rangasammy (Group 4 Mazda Rx7), Andrew King (Group 4 Mazda Rx7) and K r i s t i a n J e ff r e y ( S R 3 Radicals) are the five cars that have been loaded.

The five fulfilled a request by the Bushy Park Motorsport Inc, (BPMSI) for their Williams Industries International Racemeet on September 1.

Mohamed, who is also the President of Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club, commented on the support that tropical shipping has offered the sport.

“Tropical shipping has become a pillar for

Rameez Mohamed’s Honda civic being loaded into the Topical Shipping sponsored container.

motorsport in this country.

They take our cars and our bikes where we need to go and their support is obviously something that is invaluable to the sport.”

Apart from loading cars for Barbados, the company is also shipping four vehicles

from Trinidad for the upcoming 1320 heat drag racing event next weekend.

A rail car belonging to Sheldon Bissessar along with the Nissan Skyline of Jagdeo ‘Mad Cow’ Seecharran and two drag bikes are expected here in the

next few days.

The rail car, which was here a few years ago, has sent out a strong challenge to the team Mohamed’s Enterprise GTR Godzilla.

The 1320 heat international drag race-meet speeds off this Sunday at the

South Dakota Circuit, Timehri.

Admission for the event is $2000 for adults and $1000.

Sponsors include ISG, DEL CO ICE, R.kissoon Contracting, Deryck Jaisingh Trucking Service

and Machinery Rentals, Mohamed’s Enterprise, B . M . S o a t , P r e m ’s Electrical, E-Networks, Trans-Pacific Auto Sales, Cyrils’ Taxi, Blue Spring Water, Choke Gas Station, Miracle Optical, Tropical shipping and Hand in Hand.

Winfield Braithwaite C’bean Schoolboys & Juniors Boxing C/Ships

Guyana win 4th successive title with 11 Gold & 2 silver, T&T finish 2nd

t r o Sp

Four times Champions Guyana with Keevin Alicock, GBA President Steve Ninvalle, GBA’s TD Terrence Poole and the three Coaches who worked with the team celebrate victory. (Sean Devers photo)

The successful Guyana team proudly flies the Golden Arrowhead after their triumphs at the championships.

CAREBACO Junior Under-19 International Badminton Championship 2019

Guyanese players finish with 5-gold and 1-bronze Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.