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Kaieteur News
Friday August 23, 2019
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Friday August 23, 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
A second chance For a long time, it was the top of the world, or very near to it. Then came the downfall from pushing things too far and allowed to get away with them too long. The fall was quick and brutal: a long year in the purgatory of ignominious banishment from the green playing fields of cricketing combat for Steven Smith. As falls go, it was overdue, if only to restore some restraint and class back to the game; a gentleman’s game played in whites that had lost its purity and some of its pristine history. Steve Smith, captain of Australia, and Australian cricket exemplifying that dark side of doing anything to gain a sharp edge, which pierced many an opponent, and left many a scar. Dismissed captain Smith languished in his private agony for that year--an eternity for any sportsman-with his shame, pain, and loss of face. Other than for a rare departure (or two) adversaries, including the press, were sympathetic, mainly kind. It is the muted, classy brotherhood of bat and ball. Now only if he would get a second chance… The big chance came in England on the biggest stages. The belligerents came, too. The higher ground was theirs; there was determination to grind this onetime tormentor, Smith, now laid low, through grinding him face-first into the dust, if only to heighten his fall from grace. Payback, it is said, is one raging Fury. She fights dirty. But second chances are worth fighting for, if merely to justify the returning, to take rightful place among peers, and to rebuild the narrative to a better place. This is what comes with the opportunity of redemption, through the resonance and beauty of second chances, and the power of deep personal commitment to make things right. So far, Steven Smith, the man has done so, with humility and serenity. Steven Smith, the cricketer, has risen to the challenge in the best way he knows, by letting his bat be a part of his restoration; a string of impressive scores in the ODIs on the current Ashes tour. In the tests, it has been hundred here, a hundred there at Edgbaston; and at the storeyed Lord’s ground, the mecca of them all, he was well on his way to a third, when he ran into a supersonic missile. Actually, in this field where long-ago legends still live and newer ones are born, it was a missile that zeroed in on him in the form of a fellow named Archer. Does he have the velocity, range and aim of an ICBM! Already Joffra Archer from Sussex, by way of Bridgetown, is being whispered in the same breath as Holding and Marshall for balletic grace and red ball fearsomeness respectively. Time will tell. But up to this time, Smith, though not pretty to watch (especially for regional fans of the game) has been the personification of stoic grit, lacking in flair and spectacle, while turning over the scoreboard. At Lord’s the fairytale grasping of the second chance offered was shattered in the most frightening manner by the sledgehammer called Archer. A hammering and bruising it was; a falling and retreating, too. Steven Smith will be back: battered, but not broken. This is what comes from rising out of the ashes and beginning to live again. It is the healing, reinvigorating electricity of returning from the dead, after being condemned to death, and given up for dead. All of the cricketing world should welcome back Steven Smith. Guyanese of all ages, and in every field of endeavor, could learn a thing or two from taking full advantage of second leases on life. They don’t come frequently.
We stand in solidarity with Houston Gardens and the surrounding communities in their fight against these atrocities DEAR EDITOR, The recent imbroglio surrounding the establishment of a chemical plant at the John Fernandes inland terminal - which sparked protest action by residents of Houston Gardens and other surrounding communities - is yet another example of just how much the regulatory agencies are failing the people of Guyana. This is despite millions of tax dollars being spent year after year on building capacity within these agencies but somehow, the benefits of these investments never result in improved services to the Guyanese populace. Residents of Lamaha Gardens have been enduring more than their fair share over the years. Increased crime and the roadways becoming a racetrack for minibuses traversing in and out of Sophia are two of the more
compelling issues facing residents at the moment. This situation is so dangerous that residents have been involved in life-threatening accidents due to speeding, particularly on Duncan and Garnett Streets. Also, Lamaha Gardens is zoned as a residential area but yet, businesses have been operating with impunity over the last few years. Many may argue that the crime situation is not unique to Lamaha Gardens and this is true. However, poor planning and possibly lack of basic knowledge on the concept of a residential community has contributed to the plight that residents find themselves in. The number of ingresses and egresses, and the resultant free flow of traffic, have allowed for many undesirous activities, such as heavilytinted vehicles parked and scouting the neighbourhood
during the daytime and early evening. Thankfully Lamaha Gardens has a strong sense of community, so we are able to maintain photographic records of all these vehicles along with their make and registration numbers. The election of Mayor Ubraj Narine has been like a breath of fresh air for the residents of Lamaha Gardens. Mayor Narine has met with our committee on more than one occasion and continues to demonstrate a willingness to work with our community to address our issues. We urge that Mayor Narine’s positive approach to the Council’s regulatory responsibilities, be supported and duplicated by other regulatory entities with community responsibilities. Lamaha Gardens and residential communities will once again enjoy peace and tranquility with the
preservation of an orderly and harmonious environment. Lamaha Gardens was laid out in 1966 and developed based upon a Planning Scheme approved by the Central Housing and Planning Authority. Typically, such Planning Schemes seek to provide for orderly and harmonious land use development through the zoning of land and the preservation of amenities. Therefore, any activities not consistent with these objectives are not to be tolerated. This includes rearing of animals such as cows and the intrusion of incompatible land uses, such as commercial businesses in an area approved as a residential scheme. Further, once a Planning Scheme is duly approved, the CH&PA and other regulatory agencies (Continued on page 5)
The deliberate destruction of GuySuCo DEAR EDITOR, Sugar has been the heart and lifeblood of many Guyanese for over 375 years, going back to the 1630s, and has been aptly described by one writer as ‘the pulse of the nation’s economy’. The current state of the country’s economy bears testimony to this fact. Sugar was king and Burnham wanted to bring it fully under his exploitative state machinery. He saw billions available to be squandered and that was exactly what he did. The nationalisation of the sugar industry in 1976, which gave birth to GuySuCo, saw the industry being used to finance Burnham’s harebrained schemes to mask the massive stealing which was taking place. In the process, billions of dollars - approximately $16 billion Guyana dollars - was squandered, monies which could have gone to fully capitalise and mechanise the industry in line with existing new technology. The bulk of the monies was creamed off during 17 years, through the sugar levy, and flung after the many failings of the PNC dictatorship. The sugar levy was used to fund the Linden community, the Guyana National Service and the Public Service, among others. Today, the sugar industry is cast into ignominy and referred to as the ‘dark hole’, and the sugar workers
accused of robbing and impoverishing the other sectors. Why such ingratitude? At today’s exchange rate, at a conservative $210 to the US dollar, the sugar levy would have translated into more than $100 billion. These monies excluded the cost of the humongous corruption which existed in GuySuCo at that time when managers were living royal and lavish lifestyles. Sugar was ‘king’ and had produced its share of royalties. This levy was later abolished in 2002 by the PPP administration, but the damage had been done. However, the sugar levy was not the only benefit the country received. Sugar was a major contributor to the GDP, it was a major foreign exchange earner, provided over 18,000 jobs, and greatly contributed to the socioeconomic development of this country. The multiplier effect was extensive and promoted high level economic growth in the private sector as well. Today all of that is distant memory. The urge to destroy the sugar industry has taken precedence over objective and rational reasoning. Today, the Guyanese economy is feeling the brunt of the harsh and vindictive measures inflicted by the Coalition on the sugar industry by the closure of Enmore, Wales, Skeldon and Rose Hall estates. Not only
has the industry been failing to reach its paltry annual targets, not only has the foreign exchange earning capacity dropped by more than half, but the callous dismissal of more than 7,000 workers has wreaked havoc in the family lives of these workers, and the domino effect has literally destroyed the related and dependent sectors. Many dependent communities are on the verge of social and economic devastation. Today, everyone has come to full realisation that the sugar industry was deliberately placed under the guillotine by the Coalition in its quest to fulfill the PNC’s mandate in 1991 to destroy the support base of the PPP. It must be recalled that the PPP invested $26 billion dollars in the sugar industry from 2011 to 2015 and the monies were wisely used to capitalise and mechanise the field and factory operations, no estates were closed and no jobs were lost, while the much needed foreign exchange continued to flow and the related industries and service sectors continued to flourish. These monies were well spent and properly accounted for in Parliament. Today it is a grave travesty. This Coalition has spent $32 billion in ‘bailouts’ and $17.6 billion from a $30 billion bond, a total of $49.6 billion and everything has fallen apart. Even the highly watered-down sugar targets
are now unreachable. Not only that, but these monies have not been properly utilised and cannot be properly accounted for. The $30 billion bond was supposed to be used to upgrade and mechanise the existing sugar estates, set up co-generation plants and a plantation white sugar plant. None of which has even started to take shape. Has this bond been used to perpetuate the corruption which has become endemic and cancerous with this Coalition? The grossly underpriced selling of machinery and equipment of the closed estates has already placed these estates in unsaleable conditions. It has become more urgent that this Coalition be voted out of office or GuySuCo will be beyond redemption. In conclusion, it is the deliberate destruction of GuySuCo which has heralded the downfall of the Coalition by the successful passing of the No Confidence Motion. It is this devastation which has ignited the conscience of Mr. Charrandass Persaud to vote ‘yes’ in favour of the NCM. His vote has identified him as the true ‘champion’ of the sugar workers, and I am sure that in a short while the Coalition will reap the bitter fruit of their misdeeds and the ‘pulse of the economy’ will be regenerated hundredfold. Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf
Friday August 23, 2019
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Kaieteur News
In the absence of parliamentary democracy DEAR EDITOR, In the absence of parliamentary democracy in our nation, it would appear that Members of Parliament are condemned to debate via the letter columns. Unfortunately, in these columns, officials of the government are not bound to stand by their statements whether half-baked, or being economical with the truth, since there are no sanctions based upon privileges. Mr. Patterson’s swift, obfuscated, irrelevant and deflective missive in reply to my own letter, is a case in point, as it is transparent for all to see. I must thank him for stepping up to the microphone, so that the real Patterson is on display. So let’s engage! Since you have a feasibility study for your 188 MW natural gas-powered plant, please tell us the
following: A. Total investment cost. B. Cost of the pipeline from offshore Guyana to bring the gas onshore. C. Which company will be providing the natural gas offshore Guyana? D. What is the cost per KW hour? E. What will be the cost saving to the Guyanese consumer? F. Where would these natural gas generators be located? G. What would it cost GPL to bring this power supply into the grid? I expect answers with the same alacrity as your previous reply. On the issue of the GCAA headquarters, can you tell us what percentage of funding will come from GCAA revenues and what percentage from government? Will this be a loan or will this be based on expected oil money? Since your every pipe dream is being sold as available with oil money.
We stand in solidarity with Houston Gardens... From page 4 must work in a manner to ensure that the provisions of such scheme are respected. This in effect means that the conduct of any activity that compromises the land use development objectives and integrity of the area as a residential scheme ought to be resisted. The time has come for residential communities to take action to ensure they are protected against unwanted impositions. An Association of
Residential Communities should also be formed so that together, we can hold the regulatory agencies accountable for dereliction of duties - an initiative which Lamaha Gardens is examining at this time. The Lamaha Gardens Community stands in solidarity with Houston Gardens and the surrounding communities in their fight against these atrocities. Members of the Lamaha Gardens Management Committee
Don’t be stubborn Mr. Patterson, what is the completion date for the CJIA project. No fancy footwork, a straight answer, eight months and counting have passed since the 31st December 2018 which was your declared completion date to the National Assembly. Did we get value for money? On the D’Urban Park fiasco, the question is not if you gave what you think the Auditor General required, it is: Have you given the AG an account for all the monies expended on this white elephant, and is there full
accountability and transparency as promised? Are you going to continue to dispute a public pronouncement of a large international company such as Virgin Atlantic in the face of their clear denial of requesting or planning to ‘come’ to Guyana in the near future? The Demerara Harbour Bridge Feasibility study is not about what SOCU said, the question that must be answered is: how were tens of millions expended beyond the cabinet approved sum from the Demerara Harbour
Bridge asphalt plant account and same not declared publicly? Further, when asked the question in parliament, you claimed ignorance. An examination of the Demerara Harbour Bridge accounts is what we are talking about, there was a follow-up complaint to the Public Procurement Commission of awarding sums beyond the bid price, and that is now the subject of an investigation by the Auditor General. Thanks for admiring and acknowledging the transformative efforts of the
PPPC, and its successful modernisation of Guyana. You are now asking for feasibility studies for projects that have been completed, and financed, some by external financial institutions, I am asking for feasibility studies for your ‘announcements’ yet to be discussed in any forum. The transparency and accountability you promised Guyana in 2015, was never you show me yours and I’ll show you mine. Yours Truly Bishop Juan A. Edghill PPP/C MP
I urge Mr. Das and his neighbours to take legal action against this abusive cattle owner DEAR EDITOR, I use this opportunity to share my thoughts with your newspaper in reference to Mr. Kishore Das’ letter titled ‘We need the relevant authorities to help us out of this mess’ published on 22nd August, 2019 I foremost wish to sympathize with Mr. Das and the residents of Nandy Park and Continental Park, East Bank Demerara, concerning the unlawful grazing of cattle in those beautiful neighbourhoods. Mr. Das spoke of the uncouth behaviour of the herd owner and I hereafter confirmed the same. In the past, I have had to deal with him on a similar occurrence and the Honourable Chief of Staff – Mr. Joe Singh - even took it further and had him
arrested and charged. I do not know the outcome of the case, but what I do know is, this cow herder is violent, abusive and couldn’t care less about the aesthetics of the community. Complaining to the local authority is a total waste of time. I guarantee you that hundreds of complaints and reports were lodged with that department. Twenty years ago, I had another similar experience with a gentleman who worked at the said local authority office, and who was attending to his cows in his yard just
behind my residence. The stench and the chemicals he used for sanitizing gave my entire family and the surrounding neighbours nausea and made us all sick. Complaints and personal discussion were completely ignored. I contemplated to remove my residence to a different location. However, logic told me to seek legal advice. I met my friend, the former Chief Justice – Honourable Ian Chang. He advised me to take legal action against the cow owner. I then engaged my lawyer who filed the necessary papers in
court. The matter was called before the Honorable Madam Justice Claudette La Bennett. The honourable judge then ordered the owner of the cows to remove same within two weeks. She was outraged and furious, because she had to deal with similar situations. That was indeed a big relief for the entire community. Today, I am still living in the same house in Republic Park. I urge Mr. Das and his neighbours to do the same as I hope you will find relief soon. Yours truly, Mr. Nazar Mohamed
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Friday August 23, 2019
Kaieteur News
Commonsense suggests two voters’ lists: current and appended DEAR EDITOR, Mr. Vincent Alexander is a member of Gecom Board, but he always comes off in the press as an appointed spokesman of the Board. So, I ask him to refer to his letter of a few years ago in SN, in which he said no name can be removed from the Voters’ List (V.L.) unless it is subjected to a very arduous and difficult legal procedure. (Hope he recalls that letter). Alexander had possessed a bias at that time that was clearly against removing names. So what is the big deal now? Leave all the names on V.L. - long dead and emigrated folks. They will not show up to
vote. And, no one can impersonate them. Strict ID laws are enforced. What is the purpose of House-to-House (HtH) registration? To capture two categories of eligible voters: (a) Recently Naturalized citizens (b) Guyanese-born citizens who never bothered to register and vote. Both categories, I am reliably told, will not amount to more than 3,000. One other category: those newly eligible voters who turned 18 since last November should already have made it onto the Voters’ List, as per the 2005 Law requiring Continual Updating. And, what about the aching and monumentally
duplicitous task of Reregistering over 400,000 names who are already registered - and voted in the May 2015 and as recently as November 2018? Does it make sense to launch a HtH operation costing $3.5 billion - just to find those 3,000 new voters, when such an exercise will take an estimated eight months - and risk violating the stipulations of the constitution? Is it not easier and more efficient to ask those 3,000 voters (via public announcements) to report to the local District office and register? Also, party scrutineers always know who their supporters are. They will make sure their supporters
visit the local district office to register. Here is a very commonsensical method to prepare the Voters’ List: (1) Scrap HtH: Reregistering over 400,000 names is not only a huge waste of time and money - but how do you integrate these 400,000 with the Old List from last November’s election? This blending of two lists will be susceptible to too many mistakes dropping of names, duplicating names. [The Chief Justice has essentially ruled that Gecom cannot throw away that Old List; if they do, they risk dropping names of thousands of eligible voters].
(2) PRINT two lists: (a) Old List used in last November’s election (b) An Appended List containing the estimated 3,000 newly registered names comprising recently naturalized citizens and those who had never bothered to register and vote in previous elections. Registering an estimated 3,000 new voters, allowing one month for Claims and Objections, printing of two Lists containing an estimated 500,000 names - all can be done in six weeks. If I am given the job to run Gecom, with a trained and reasonably competent staff, I will guarantee the preparation of these two lists in six weeks – with reasonable standards
of accuracy. And, I will do the job for no pay. Note: Chief Justice’s ruling is a facile guarantee no name will be dropped. Guyanese citizens have to take basic responsibility for simple things: (1) If they don’t have an ID, visit your district office today or within four weeks to get a new ID (2) Not sure your name is on the List - visit your district office and make sure your name is on the list (3) Voted in the last two elections - you don’t have to do anything. Your name is guaranteed to be on the list. And, this will be true for at least 410,000 voters who voted in May 2015. Mike Persaud
Some additional details on turning GuySuCo around DEAR EDITOR, For the purpose of maintaining an objective view of the Sugar Industry, I would encourage an unemotional view be taken to the P&L. Playing the blame game while not also focusing on a solution, does not add much value to the discussion at hand. Many have been able to improve and turn around such a business/industry and there is no reason why Guyana should not be able to also do so, especially given the premium pricing currently underway in lucrative world markets for products which are sweetened with sugar. 1. Starting with the revenues, the key question is how do we increase the revenues and the associated gross margin to overcome the net loss in the near to medium term? 1. a) With a pending
increase in the buying power of the populace you take price. Remember a glass of cane juice is $200 and a pound of sugar is a fraction of that price. 1. b) You build your brand in key markets where this product profile has profitable share. This is easily seen on the shelves in the USA where a pound of such sugar is approximately $1.50 US or $313 G before taxes at current FX rates. I have shared this information with some previous members of the board while they were active. 2. Looking at costs, it is clear that the performance of the operations need to bring up quite a few levels: 2. a) The investment in automation and increased factory yield has been an area of underinvestment as seen in the issues surrounding inventory
quality and inventory makeup. It is also clear that lean has not been implemented at a high level and as a result, this weakens working capital and negatively impacts cash flow. 2. b) The yield rates of the fields are not on par with those of high yield locations such as Brazil. This I have also shared with some previous board members while they were active. This is an opportunity to maximize prepared estates while also better covering the associated costs via adjusting planting methods and harvesting techniques. 2. c) Adjacent services such as canal cleaning which others including the government benefit from, need to be market priced and not priced using cost plus pricing, which has been the historical norm. Thus shifting these services form a cost centre to a profit centre. 2. d) The hourly labour compensation package is not competitive and should be renegotiated with the union to allow for both a livable wage while bringing compensation in line with industry norms and standards. Keeping in mind that the buying power of the worker will increase
in the near to mid-term. There is also an opportunity to expand the compensation structure utilizing non cash assets of the Government. 2. e) Financing costs / Interest expenses are not competitive and currently there is quite a bit of it that is avoidable. This should be curtailed as soon as possible and improved rates secured via support of the central bank and government backing. 2. f) The Government providing a temporary tax holiday for the industry stakeholders as they are doing for the oil industry would go a long way in terms of a subsidy and would place the pressure back onto the industry vs. direct dollar investment in the paying of expenses. This will also
increase the accountability of the Board. 2. g) NIS / Pension expenses are also another opportunity for improvement within the P&L and a full & thorough audit of the assets of GuySuCo needs to be completed ASAP to ensure that the management team h a s i n p l a c e robust processes to control the managing of the company. This will also allow for process improvement where weaknesses are uncovered. Please note that this information is usually paid for and would be more detailed if a fresh e y e s a u d i t a n d capabilities assessment were conducted throughout GuySuCo. Diversification is always a good consideration. However, a company does
best by first understanding what their core capabilities & competitive advantages are, and then they can benefit from leveraging these capabilities & a d v a n t a ges via diversification. At the end of the day, to diversify, the assessment needs to occur, and this is not a long theoretical process. It is quite pragmatic and can be done in a timely manner with the involvement and commitment of key stakeholders. Refocusing on the solution for the Sugar Industry, I would encourage a close and serious look be taken to the suggestions mentioned above. Our industry can be fixed and made successful. Best Regards, Mr. Jamil Changlee
Congratulations, India, on your Lunar Mission DEAR EDITOR, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the India Space Research Organization (ISRO) on the Chandrayaan-2 (Moon vehicle) entering the 2nd Lunar Orbit. The Chandrayaan-2 moon vehicle was launched on 22nd July 2019 and took one month to reach the moon.
While there is still a lot of work to be done in landing the moon lander “Vikram” on the surface of the moon, a lot has been achieved. About 50 years earlier, the American Apollo-11 took four days to reach the moon, while 10 years earlier the USSR Luna 2 craft took 34 hours to reach the moon. The Saturn V launcher in
the Apollo-11 mission had a lifting capability of some 43 tonnes. By contrast Chandrayaan-2 launch vehicle (GSLV-Mk111) has a lifting capability of 4 tonnes. What this means is that India still has a long way to go to “catch-up” with Russia and USA space technology. Yours Faithfully Sean Ori
Kaieteur News
Friday August 23, 2019
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PPP, Civil Society picket Ministry of Presidency
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he People's Progressive Party, two civil society organizations and some concerned citizens congregated outside of the Ministry of the Presidency on
Vlissengen Road to protest for a series of reasons related to the No Confidence Motion of December 21, 2018. Tracy Shamsudeen of the Association of Democracy
and Human Rights told the media that House to House Registration will not allow for elections to be held within a short period. She said “[The need for] claims and objections has been
reiterated by numerous civil society members and it's also a faster means for registering people for an election period considering the political affairs of Guyana now.” She has called for an
“Voices Against Violence” Candle Light Vigil To Be Held Countrywide
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irst launched under the umbrella Voices Against Violence in 2016 the candlelight vigil over the past three years has amassed a nu m b e r o f organizations and special interest groups. Normally held on September 10 which is World Suicide Prevention Day, it is not only to bring awareness to Suicide Prevention but other social ills as well. Three vigils have been held so far and have included institutions, organisations and communities from seven of Guyana's ten administrative regions. This year, however, the C a r i b b e a n Vo i c e a n organisation that not only has a domestic violence campaign spanning a few countries, also has a training programme where it trains “Gatekeepers”, who are persons within a community that can identify signs of abuse or suicide in any form and to seek the necessary help for them. Ms Bibi Ahamad, the Managing Director, explained, “Over the years, the Caribbean Voice along with a number of
A previous vigil (Caribbean Voice FB Photo) NGOs and faith-base d organisations have been doing awareness on suicide prevention on World Suicide Prevention Day. “We're hoping this year that we would be able to do it
on a larger scale throughout the country. The intent is for the community itself to be able to deal with its social ills to a lesser extent”. “We have helped in excess of 400 persons. Most of them are still a work in progress because, for counselling someone, it does not happen one or two times. It's an ongoing process. Every one of us volunteer, here in Guyana, we have three trained psychologists and a batch of online counsellors so we network to help people.” The vigils have a number of objectives to involve all group and institution within the respective communities where they are held with regards to violence activism and to address the issue holistically. Another aspect is enhancing the process of the communities taking ownership, and to foster the concept for community wellbeing.
election date to be announced, and is contending that GECOM is being used by Government to delay the election. “ T h e Vo t e o f N o Confidence was passed on December 21, 2018. Within three months of that time, we should have been in an election season,” Shamsudeen said. A representative of the Mass Action People's Movement (MAPM), formerly known as the Movement Against Parking Meters also was there to continue a protest started by the organization last week, under the banner of “Disrespect for Constitution = Disrespect for Guyanese.” In addition, MAPM is calling on businesses to close operations during the hour of the protest in order to facilitate both the business owners and their staff to join the protest. PPP stalwart and Member of Parliament, Juan Edghill, echoed the sentiments of the Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, that although House to House Registration was not deemed unconstitutional by the Chief Justice, the
timeline of 290 days laid out in GECOM's workplace flies in the face of the threemonth timeframe stipulated by the Constitution, after the passing of a No Confidence Motion. “Elections can be held simply by using a claims and objections period, where all the people that are not on the list could get on the list. People who have had a change of name could get their names changed. People who have moved from one electoral division to another can have a transfer. We can have a certified official [with claims and objections]. Asked what would be a realistic date for elections, he said that from his assessment, if claims and objections starts immediately, elections can be held before October ends. B u t G E C O M Commissioner Vincent Alexander said on Wednesday that claims and objections can't sanitise the Official List of Electors (OLE). He maintains that House to House Registration, which has already registered over 270,000 people, is the only exercise that can produce a credible list.
Kaieteur News
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Airport manager heads to court today on sex charge
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he deputy head of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) is set to appear in a city court today to face a sex charge. This development comes one week after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) advised the police to charge Andre Kellman, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He is likely to be charged with sexual assault of an employee of a duty free concession that operates at the Timehri airport. The case has been engaging the public's attention since June. Last week, the DPP in response to a request for an update on the file, said that the police have been advised to lay a charge of sexual assault. The advice comes days after the alleged victim, a supervisor of a business which has a concession at the
airport, complained that she is in limbo with her job with little word on the investigations. In June, the woman alleged that she was held and kissed twice in the office of the manager when she visited him last year. The supervisor claimed that she visited Kellman's office, to ask his help in removing the wheel clamps on her employer's vehicles. The vehicle had been left overnight in the parking lot of the airport. While in the office, the woman said she was blocked from leaving and kissed twice without her permission. She claimed she did not have that level of relations with the manager. The supervisor reported the matter the next day to CEO, Ramesh Ghir, who she said promised to probe the matter. However, for several months there was no word
Friday August 23, 2019
Deadly Eteringbang plane crash‌ Domestic Airways CEO fined $200,000 for failing to provide accident details
CJIA's deputy chief, Andre Kellman despite her queries. It was some time in June that after demanding a response, that she was told by an official of the Human Resources Department that the matter had been resolved. She was not told how. She later complained to the police and the media. Days later, she was ejected from the airport and had her security passes
revoked. Kellman was sent on leave but resumed work after. The airport's handling of the matter had come under fire with the board of directors later making it clear that it does not tolerate workers' victimization. The board also said that it has ordered a review and update of CJIA's protocols on how to better deal with issues like this.
Domestic Airlines CEO Orlando Charles
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rlando Charles, Chief Executive Officer, (CEO) of Domestic Airways, yesterday returned to the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and was fined for failing to provide accident details. He was slapped with four charges in relation to the deadly plane crash at Eteringbang, Region Seven, which claimed the life of Captain Randy Liverpool last February. Liverpool perished in the Cessna 206 aircraft which crash-landed near the Eteringbang airstrip. The charges brought against his employer were filed under the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) regulations by acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Social Protection, Adrian Ramrattan. The first charge stated that Airline between February 20, 2019, and February 25, 2019, at Georgetown, being the employer of Randy Liverpool, a pilot, failed to keep a register of accidents, as required by law. Charles pleaded not guilty to the charge. A second charge stated that during the same period, the Airline also failed to provide to OS&H Officer, D w a i n Vy p h u i s , w i t h information in relation to the
Dead: Captain Randy Liverpool accident which led to the death of Liverpool. The third charge stated the company also failed to give written notice of an accident arising out of the death of Liverpool. The last charge stated that also between February 20, 2019, and March 20, 2019, the Airways failed to make an application to the Chief Officer of the OS&H within 30 days of their establishment. The defendant pleaded guilty to the last three charges and was fined a sum of $75,000 on the last two charges or in default he is to spend three weeks in prison. For the second charge the magistrate fined him $200,000, taking into consideration the defendant's request to provide all requested details within one week. He was also instructed to pay his $200,000 fine by next week. Meanwhile, Charles, who was unrepresented in court had explained that he is new to aviation management in Guyana. He said that he has been a pilot for 18 years. He claimed that the aviation industry is strictly regulated by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority and he acquired their licence to operate and was not aware of the agency's OSH regulations and risks. Domestic Airlines was operating in Guyana since 2014. The lawyer claimed that the company had been certified in January 2018. According to Morgan, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority is currently conducting a separate investigation into the matter.
Kaieteur News
Friday August 23, 2019
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Offer science students free university tuition
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he raging fires in the Amazon should be a wakeup call for the government. The fires are exposing the real dangers of deforestation and what can happen. Not only are the fires destroying the forests in Brazil but they are also killing the biodiversity of the Amazon. Guyana should take note since it is clear that increased mining results in increased deforestation and exposes Guyana to the same risks as the fires in Brazil. The need for greater environmental education has always been used as a cliché to respond to such crises. But
what the world needs is not greater environmental education but greater environmental action. Many years ago, the suggestion was floated that biodiversity and climate change should be introduced into the schools' curriculum. It is surprising that the APNU+AFC which is so hyped about green development has never over the past four years, introduced biodiversity and climate change into the schools. It is a good thing that it has not. The resources that would have been spent on introducing these subjects
into schools would have been better utilized towards helping more of our students study biology and other natural science subjects. The local schools are illequipped for the teaching of climate change and biodiversity as individual subjects. The laboratories within most schools are deficient. Most of them are not up to standard and therefore burdening them with new subjects which require laboratory specimens which are not available, makes no sense. The global climate change debate has spiked students' interest in
Draft Local Content Policy favours oil companies…
No sanctions in place for non-compliance - GCCI
EPA Head, Vincent Adams
T
hree drafts and two local content e x p e r t s l a t e r, there are still no sanctions for non-adherence, in Guyana's Local Content Plan. First Oil is months away, and the draft plan, which details how much Guyanese will be able to participate in the sector, needs to have provisions which ensure compliance by International Oil Companies (IOC). This was widely criticised at a recent roundtable discussion, held by the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) at Duke Lodge, Kingston. Principally, the issue was noted by GCCI President, Nicholas DeygooBoyer. He said that the GCCI would like to see the policy implemented as soon as possible. He explained, “I think that [it] can really kick off a new wave of industrialization in Guyana. And we have to recognise that we are behind in certain areas of
Executive Member of the Private Sector Commission Ramesh Dookhoo
GCCI President, Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer
development. So we are going to need the policy's help to get us over a few hurdles.” But he went on to say, of the third and current draft, “Impositions of penalties for non-compliance with local content targets, the policy does not set…” The concern was echoed by Executive Member of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Ramesh Dookhoo, who asked “If there is no provision for a breach, why do we have a policy?” H e a d o f t h e Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Vincent Adams, explained, “When you tell ExxonMobil [et al] 'you've got to give priority to local content', that doesn't mean anything.” It is necessary, Adams explained, that there is something which ensures compliancewith its targets. Adams noted that there are many complaints and excuses companies would make to shy away from
adhering to the targets set out in the policy. He suggested, in addition to penalties, there could on the other hand be incentives to encourage compliance by oil companies. Past GCCI President, Deodat Indar, in calling for assurance for the success of the policy, said that it is necessary to have legislation. He said that, without legislation, it simply won't work. The lack of penalties in such a policy is dire news, as Guyana is only months away from First Oil. And with oil, the local content policy is an important element to ensure that Guyanese benefit from resource exploitation, said Attorney at Law, Charles Ramson Jr. While revenues from oil go to the Government, Ramson, who is Chair of the GCCI Petroleum Committee, said that the advancement of local content ensures that the benefit goes directly to the people.
environmental studies. A great many students are studying environmental studies at the University of Guyana. But what is going to happen when they graduate? Where are the jobs for these young people. There are no jobs available. All the hype about green development is just hot air because there are no jobs being generated for those who have jumped on the green development bandwagon and have registered at university for environmental studies. The government must also show where the climate change jobs are going to be generated so as to encourage persons to enter into these fields. There are not many such jobs in Guyana so why should students want to enter a field for which they will not secure employment.
Will these kids be given jobs in climate mitigation and adaptation professions when the Norway funds begin to pour in? Or will these jobs be reserved for the children and associates of the members of the ruling elite? Eighty per cent of all university graduates end up overseas. Each year the teachers' training college turns out hundreds of trained teachers. A great many of them are leaving for greener pastures. Hundreds of nurses have already left for England. We are told that there is a shortage of engineers within the public sector. The jobs are not there and where they are available they are poor-paying. So how is the government going to retain its graduates when the pay is so poor?
An incentive has to be offered to students to study science. And a good start would be to allow for free tuition for students in the engineering and natural science faculties. Free education for all ends up being a substandard education. It is therefore better to give priority to the skills which are most needed to be retained. And right now those are the engineers and the scientists. The government recently hinted that free university education will be reintroduced. But would it not have been better if instead of offering free education to social scientists, for it to be offered to those pursuing studies in natural science?
Kaieteur News
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Friday August 23, 2019
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
What Glenn Lall asked of, told and gave me W
hen the call came, I was actually bathing my dog. It was Glenn on the line. He said, “Wuh “happen? I ain't seeing yuh,” to which I replied, “I'm out de country.” H e s a i d ; “ Yu h i n Jamaica?' I said; “No, I'm in Moscow.” Glenn then asked me to see him on my
return. I finished my dog's bath, left her with my wife and off to Kaieteur News I drove. This was Wednesday. I left to see Glenn because I did request an increase. So I anticipated that Glenn made a decision and it was in my favour. Yes, I do get paid for my columns and I declare my income to GRA each year. I
file PAYE. I don't want any problem with our sick politicians so I stay on the right side of the law. Since ten years ago when GRA strongman Khurshid Sattaur demanded I submit property tax returns, I have been doing so even though I do not pay a cent in property tax because it starts from
Dem boys seh...
Wood sharing and people watching
W
oman does lef dem husband after de men fail to mek dem pregnant. Some women deh wid de man fuh years, trying fuh get pregnant but when de man fail, de woman does walk out. Imagine de government had three attempt over four years fuh mek a local content plan and to this day it can't come up wid a plan. De first time dem put forward de draft was like de woman going to de doctor and hearing that whatever dem do fail. Couple months past and dem go back again; same result. De big one in de planning is like a man wid 'wind seed'. He useless like a fifth wheel to a coach. But dem have some men who believe that dem can get any woman pregnant. One of dem going to court today. He been sitting good in he office and a woman go to complain to him. Dem boys don't know whether he hear
she complaint because when she go to walk out he kiss de woman against she will. It tek a whole year fuh anything happen. De boys cover up but as old people seh, moon does run till day ketch am. He get send home but before de dust settle de man get call back. When he walk in front de magistrate he got a serious problem. Is a woman he trouble and is a woman who gun judge him. Just like how de timber company now judging who gun get pole and who got to do without. BaiShanLin had control of all de timber lands in Berbice. Just like de moon running, de government ketch up wid BaiShanLin and tek way de land. Now de government decide to give out de land and 459 people apply. Dem claim how dem see big logs and that is wha dem want. It tun out that sixteen of dem seh dem want big wood. De government watching dem and lining up de wood. Talk half and watch how wood sharing.
assets worth $40 million. Each year my wife prepares our property tax and PAYE files. I don't want any problem with the people with power because they use state agencies to get after you to shut you up. Burnham, Hoyte, Cheddi and Janet Jagan, Jagdeo and Ramotar couldn't shut me up and I refuse to let Granger shut me up. They don't have anything against me to use to victimize me. Dog license is required if you have three canine pets. I only have one so they can't come after me for dog license. I sat with Glenn and he asked me a favour, told me something personal which he said I can quote him on, and he also gave me something. He is aware I will write on all three. First, he is disappointed that I haven't done any critique on the exploitative oil contracts. He got up from his seat, said to me. “I know it is not your forte but people need to speak up.” He was annoyed at a We s t e r n d i p l o m a t f o r saying Guyana has oil so Guyanese will benefit. Glenn felt it was a harshly unfair statement because it left out any mention of the
tiny income we will get from the contracts. He pushed his hand in his pocket took out a “towel” (in street lingo that is a $1000 bill) and exclaimed; “Look, this is your salary increase.” I was laughing wildly and urged him not to insult me. He went on: “No, no take it, because it represents what Guyana will get for its oil.” Then in his usual animated style, he explained that just how I felt the $1000 increase is an insult, then the crumbs Guyana will get from oil is an insult. He asked me to keep the bill, and possibly frame it to remind me of the cruel oil contracts. I have to be honest with Glenn and my readers. When I was going home, I passed the fish shop on Drury Lane and bought fish and plantain chips with the money. If you think I am lying ask, ask the owner of Nicky's Fish Shop if about 8 PM I didn't buy fish and chips at her place.” Now what was the personal thing he uttered for which I can write about it? He will not vote in the next election. I jumped from my seat and said that was wrong; we should vote for one of the smaller parties. But he would have none of it.
Frederick Kissoon Glenn raised his voice and intoned he is so disappointed at how the post 2015 government turned out that he will not be voting. He intoned again; “We didn't get a change but an exchange; meh nah know if dat is even an exchange; they are all the same.” Finally, what was the favour asked? If I can host a nightly one-hour callin/interview programme on Kaieteur Radio. Now here is a direct address to the GRA. I will not be paid so I am telling the GRA now, and I am saying it boldly; don't expect any difference in my PAYE returns. It is voluntary work to help the radio station find its feet. Radio will be new for me since I have experience in print media and television. But I will give it my best shot. I am telling readers upfront – Glenn will be on the programme and he wants Adam to be interviewed. I am going to crucify Adam Harris. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)
Friday August 23, 2019
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
Friday August 23, 2019
Friday August 23, 2019
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Kaieteur News
459 applications made for timber concessions Despite the high excitement in oil and gas, interest on the forestry sector has not dimmed. In fact, says the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), there are almost 500 applications filed for 68 parcels of lands. The poor roads, lower world prices and imported alternatives to wood products for especially housing have not daunted the interest. According to Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, and Commissioner of Forestry, James Singh, there are 459 applications on file. The applicants all want the 68 concessions that have been advertised by the Guyana Forestry Commission. According to Singh, questioned yesterday about the safeguards to ensure transparency in the distribution of forestry lands, the concessions are advertised one month before the opening of interests. Currently, the 459 applications after being screened and processed, are currently being reviewed by the Technical Sub-Committee of the GFC board. Recommendations are then made to the full Board. The award of the concessions could happen as early as next month, Singh disclosed. In recent years, following the scandal involving Chi-
Forestry officials: GFCs Commissioner, James Singh; Chair, Jocelyn Dow and Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman at the press conference yesterday nese investor, BaiShanLin, which received large tracts of state forests but failed to open processing facilities in keeping with its contractual agreements with the people of Guyana, there has been a tightening up of systems. President David Granger had pledged another two million hectares for conservation purposes. Following Barama Company Limiteds relinquishing of its 1.6 million hectare forest concession in October 2016, GFC awarded two lots totaling over 800,000 hectares of that concession to R.L. Sukhram and Sons Sawmill and Rong-An Inc. The Ministry of Natural Resources had announced
that along with the GFC, it has taken the decision to divide the former Barama Company Limited concession into four parcels, each of approximately 400,000 hectares. The Ministry advertised two of those parcels as State Forest Exploratory Permits, which meant that there is a three-year process of assessment prior to commercial full scale harvesting. The third parcel was identified for conservation and research, while the fourth was identified for small concession allocation of areas 20,000 acres and less. In September 2016 also, authorities announced that in its first major strike to stamp out lawlessness and regain
control of the forestry sector, it was moving to repossess
over 600,000 hectares from BaiShanLin International Forest Development Inc., a Chinese logging company that has been under fire for its operations here. The news of the concession seizures came as the commission continued to assess the operations of a number of large concession holders to ensure that they are in keeping with regulations and that commitments made in agreements are being honored. The decision was taken after the cash-strapped BaiShanLin failed to deliver on agreed actions to introduce investors to the commission and failing despite being given time to prove that it had an acceptable plan to clear an approximately $80M debt. BaiShanLin was not only
involved in logging and export. It had also branched off to gold mining, housing, river transportation, ship building and even property acquisition. Several of the ventures, including its unfinished luxury homes and a mall, would tell a stark tale of an investment that went all too wrong‌all too quickly. The company was even accused of burning down a large swath of forest up the Berbice River and never reporting it. It owes the government of Guyana hundreds of millions of dollars for properties it bought, including the Cacique Banquet Hall behind Ramada Princess Casino, in Providence. It was taken to court by BK International, a local (Continued on page 31)
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Friday August 23, 2019
Kaieteur News
Businessman cross-examined as Robb Street arson-murder trial continues Businessman John Pyneandy was cross-examined yesterday as he returned to the stand in the murder trial of Ganga Kishna and Vishkar Bissoon. Kishna, a 75-year-old businessman and his employee, Bissoon, have been charged for the unlawful killing of Randolph Thomas and his two daughters Tressa Rozario, 14, and Feresa Rozario, 11. Thomas and his children were trapped in their home at Lot 65 Robb and King Streets, Georgetown, which was razed by a fire in the wee hours of November 17, 2014. Yesterday, Pyneandy, who rented the lower flat of the building which destroyed by the fire, under cross-examination admitted he had no one to corroborate that the elder accused had threatened to torch the building. Questions were also posed to the witness about the issue of a property dispute. The questions however faced objections from the Prosecution.
Under questioning the businessman had related that during 2014, he operated a beverage depot, ice cream parlour and restaurant at the lower flat of the premises at Lot 65 Robb and King Streets, which he described as a threestorey wooden and concrete structure, which had no electricity from the Guyana Power and Light, (GPL). He said that the only source of electricity for the family who lived in the top flat was a 12-volt battery, which they used to power several fluorescent tubes. He also said that he renovated the lower flat of the building after an agreement between him and Jeffrey Thomas, Randolph Thomas’s brother, who sold palm trees at the premises. The witness told the jury that a few months prior to him establishing the business, he saw Ganga Kishna at the premises with a blow torch in his hand. He said that the equipment was hooked up to two 100-pound gas cylinders that were inside of his car.
He recalled, “Two other boys were present with him (Kishna). They were cutting the locks and grills off of the hinges from my business. The police (ranks who were at the scene) warned them to stop, but they ignored the police and continued to cut. “The police got a little more aggressive with them and that was when they stopped.” At this point, the witness recalled that Kishna went into his car and retrieved some documents, which he showed to the police, telling them that he was the owner of the building. According to Pyneandy, “I told the police that it wasn’t his building and the police told us to accompany them to the Brickdam Police Station. “We met woman Sergeant Lewis who documented the issue in the Occurrence Book.” He added that Kishna was warned by woman Sergeant Lewis to refrain from going to the premises and to let the court deal with the matter.
However, Pyneandy recalled that Kishna returned two days later and began using threatening language. “I came out and met him there. He was talking to a
couple of people there saying that the property is his own. I approached him and asked him to leave, and he turned to me and said that the property is his own and that
he was not going to leave.” Pyneandy said he told Kishna, “You’re a mad man”. Pyneandy said Kishna responded, “You’re going to (Continued on page 28)
MURDER ACCUSED: Vishkar Bissoon MURDER ACCUSED: Ganga Kishna
Friday August 23, 2019
PAGE 15
Kaieteur News
New Horizons 2019 hands over Blue Berry Hill Community Centre
Director General Joseph Harmon, at the handing over ceremony of the newly built Community Centre at Blue Berry Hill, Wismar, Linden, by the New Horizons 2019, told residents, “These Community Centres must be made into dynamic and viable entities to fulfill their roles as catalyst for community development and citizen empowerment!” He added, “These things are done within a framework of good governance and with a respect for the rule of law, and the fact that Government wants to build each community, step by step.” Harmon, who was standing in for President David Granger, thanked the diaspora association, the local private sector Corporation and international organizations, who collaborated to see the venture to fruition; and expressed the hope, that they would become more involved, with the operations of these centres and provide continued support. Harmon reflected on another initiative at Richmond Hill, which saw the erection of a Welcome sign by that community’s CDC and alluded to the new community Centre, said that, that also would be led and managed by the CDC (Blue Berry Hill), and that those were tangible “manifestations”, of what CDCs do. “Ladies and Gentlemen, we are on the right track...and development is seen all across this country...not just in Georgetown ...not just in one place!” Harmon thanked New Horizons 2019 for the work done, the government and people of Guyana, and especially the people of Linden. “We had a vision that was established, and now we have the reality which brings to the citizens of this area, something that will improve the quality of their lives!” he declared.
Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Patrick West, expressed appreciation, for the tangible support, extended by the United States Military, for improved and continuous bilateral arrangements that manifest tangibly “in moments like these”. Alluding to a quote by Minister Faith Mcqumbai of the ANC, which says “Together we can do more”, West posited, that New Horizons 2019, epitomizes what the quote really means, since more was done through coordination and cooperation, between our military and other agencies. He added that more was done, with the community Centre, and that this would now have a huge social impact, as more cohesive societies are built in the near future. He thanked the team as well as the Guyana Defence Force for the successful collaborations, and expressed optimism for more of this. Major General, Andrew Croal, of the United States Air Force, said that New Horizons began in the 1980’s, and is an annual exercise, which train military civil engineers and medical professionals, to deploy and conduct joint operations. Since its inception, he pointed out, US Service members, working under US Southern Command, has built schools, clinics and community Centres; and has supplied medical and surgical care in South and Latin America and Caribbean countries. He however acknowledged that the team is more than just an engineering and medical exercise. The members aim to work side by side with partnering nations and forge lasting partnerships. New Horizons is not new to Guyana, he reminded. The Major General ex-
pressed satisfaction with all the team was able to accomplish on this mission. Mayor of Linden, Waneka Arrindel, said that it was truly an honour to stand and see a project that commenced two years ago, “come to a magnificent conclusion”, more so, not a conclusion, but a beginning of a new era. “The onus is on us to reflect
where we came from,” she challenged. She singled out Councillors Elize Benjamin and Fern McCoy, who she said stood to defend why both Amelia’s Ward and Blue Berry Hill needed community centres. The Mayor also pointed out that a team from Guyana, went over to the United States, to sit with the planning team to ensure
that the “site fit in” with what the community wanted. She added, further, that for years, Linden has been extremely fortunate to benefit from the generosity of the US Embassy. She expressed gratitude for these interventions. The New Horizons 2019 built a “Safe Haven” at Richmond Hill, three community
Centres including one at Yarrowkabra on the Soesdyke- Linden Highway. Hundreds of Lindeners and residents from neighbouring communities also benefitted from medical interventions provided by the team, which consisted of five hundred US military personnel, who spent almost five months in Linden.
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Friday August 23, 2019
Kaieteur News
NICIL directing support to Region 10 to advance agricultural drive Even as moves are being made to encourage agriculture in Region Ten, the Regional Democratic Council [RDC] is poised to receive support from the National Industrial and Commercial and Investments Limited [NICIL] to advance its efforts. A commitment in this regard was made by NICIL’s Chief Executive Officer [ag], Mr. Colvin Heath-London, during a recent meeting with RDC officials. Speaking of the meeting, Regional Chairman, Renis Morian, said Region 10 is likely to soon see forthcoming support to a number of agricultural projects it is seeking to execute. The support, he explained, is expected to take the form of technical support and donations of equipment. Morian said that during the meeting Regional Executive Officer [REO], Orrin Gordon, highlighted the need for assistance with the continued rehabilitation of the Millie’s Hide Out road. Once completed, the road will allow farmers farming in this vicinity to easily transport their produce to the buying public.
From right: NICIL’s CEO [ag], Colvin Heath-London; REO Orrin Gordon; Regional Chairman, Renis Morian, and other RDC officials in discussion. The support of NICIL to complete this project, Morian said, “would be a major blessing to the residents.” The project is also gaining support from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority. Meanwhile, REO Gordon said that the region will be distributing some 15
shade houses with seven of those specifically for schools. Shade houses are used to protect cultivated plants from excessive heat, light and dryness. The remaining shade houses will go to farming groups within the Region, Gordon said, even as he
revealed that this represents part of a wider mission to enhance food security. Gordon stressed that the region is seeking to reduce the significant amount of food that is imported into the region. He said that the Region has the capacity to plant sufficient fruits and
vegetables to meet beyond its needs. With the initiatives already set in motion, he anticipates that the region will be able to reduce its agriculture imports by at least some 25 percent over the next two years. Gordon revealed too that a number of seedlings were distributed to residents, and several schools which received seedlings too have commenced planting these on their farms. According to him, several of the schools were also given chicks to rear which once developed are purchased to supply the region’s two dorms. “This would significantly increase and enhance food production within the region,” said Gordon as he revealed that some 1000 permanent crops are being explored and utilised by the region. These, he said, were given out to farmers within the region. Even as he pointed to the fact that Region Ten is taking an aggressive approach to agriculture, Gordon recalled that in 2005 when the country
had encountered a major flood it had caused residents in the region to come to the realisation that they can play a more pivotal role in food security. This was in light of the fact that several businesses were forced to purchase fruits and vegetables from Lethem as a result of the flood. Committing to support the region’s ambitious agriculture vision, Heath-London said, “We are prepared from a NICIL-LINMINE point of view to lend whatever assistance is needed to further help the region to advance its agricultural development through a number of areas. We want residents to know that NICIL and the region is moving expeditiously in advancing agriculture in the region.” According to HeathLondon, NICIL is even prepared to make available a building which can be converted to a market place so that farmers coming out of Millie’s Hide Out can have an avenue to have their produce sold.
Two of Guyana’s neighbours on PAHO’s dengue epidemic watch-list Two of Guyana’s neighbours, Brazil and Venezuela, are currently on the Pan American Health Organisation [PAHO’]s dengue epidemic watch-list. The two countries are among 10
that are said to be most affected per 100,000 inhabitants by the dengue epidemic which has impacted Latin America and the Caribbean. The other eight countries that are said to be severely
affected are Nicaragua, Honduras, Belize, Colombia, El Salvador, Paraguay, Guatemala and Mexico. Honduras and Nicaragua have already declared national-level epidemiological alerts this year to expedite response, PAHO has announced According to PAHO, the Region is experiencing a new epidemic cycle that mostly affects children under the age of 15 and is therefore urging communities to eliminate Aedes mosquito breeding grounds, which is the most effective way of controlling the disease. The latest PAHO epidemiological update published on August 9, reveal that during the first seven months of 2019, more than two million people contracted the disease and 723 died. The number of cases exceeds the total number of cases reported in 2017 and 2018, although so far, it remains lower than the number recorded in 2015-2016. “The Region is experiencing a new epidemic cycle of dengue, with a notable increase in cases,” said Dr. Marcos Espinal, Director of PAHO’s Department of Communicable Diseases and Environmental Determinants of Health. The climate, environmental (Continued on page 30)
Kaieteur News
Friday August 23, 2019
DPP removes all hurdles to release of rape accused pending appeal
D
irector of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack has removed all legal hurdles that were preventing convicted rape accused, Andre Hetsberger, from being released pending appeal. The former television camera man was serving a 25-year sentence for raping a 13-year-old girl. The Court of Appeal recently overturned the sentence on Friday, August 9, last. However, Hetsberger also faced a second sexual offence charge, which was connected to the same alleged victim. The DPP has since informed the Registrar, via a letter copied to the Commissioner of Police and the Director of Prisons, that the charge and committal for the offence against a child family member be discontinued against the accused. However, up to yesterday afternoon, Hetsberger had still not posted the $200,000 bail that would have allowed him to be released.
Investigation of fake drugs…
Food and Drug Dept finds questionable drugs in stores
D
Andre Hetsberger The clerk of court kept refusing bail because of the file that remained in the system connecting Hetzberger to sexual activity of a child family member. That matter has been discontinued by the DPP. 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 supported 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, Dexter Todd, had applied for bail then, but was advised by the Court of Appeal to make a formal application before the High Court.
PAGE 19
irector of the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department, Marlan Cole, yesterday said that the department has made a great progress in their investigation into a complaint whereby a number of pharmaceuticals are being manufactured and sold under conditions that are not authorized. The Director released this information yesterday during an interview at Grand Coastal Hotel where his department conducted a seminar. In a previous interview done by this publication, Director Cole had stated that following the complaint an investigation was launched a s p r i o r i t y. I n t h e i r investigation thus far they have visited a number of retailed pharmacies in which they have encountered the reported drugs. The drugs found in the pharmacies had their barcodes scanned and it was found to not be in the department's systems. Also the name and address of the
manufacturer was omitted from the packaging along with the patient inserts. However, Director Cole said that a location was listed on the packaging of the items and it was found to be nonexistent. Six locations were searched by investigators of the department, yesterday, and the reported items were found to be sold at four locations. These items have since been seized and will later be removed from the premises of the locations. Cole said, “We are to now trace the distributor, who is a local person. We only know where he operates from. ” He added that a countrywide exercise will be done to see if the illegal items are being retailed at locations other than the ones reported. Details of the countrywide exercise will be released next month. The Director highlighted a challenge the investigation is facing in which the retailers do not know who the distributor is. “It is a malpractice on behalf of the pharmacy to be receiving
goods without knowing specifically or exactly who is supplying these goods.” The Government Analyst Food and Drug Department's investigation has thus far revealed that the items are over-the-counter drugs which means that the medication can be sold without a prescription. According to Director Cole some of the products which are being counterfeited and sold have to do with persons who are suffering from stomach ailments and heart burns. He added that one of the reports based on the investigation is already on his desk waiting for him to peruse it. With the next step being for them to locate the distributor, the Director said that such a person operating illegally may be found operating a mini-lab in his or her home, photocopying some labels, buying bottles from another country which is similar to the ones used in Guyana and paste on labels to release their product on the (continued on page 20)
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Kaieteur News
Friday August 23, 2019
Jagdeo in support of more royalty in Orinduik PSA
O
pposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, has taken issue with the fact that the royalty payable to Guyana from the Operator of the Orinduik Block is so low. The Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) which governs operations of the Orinduik Block states, “The government's share of Profit Oil specified in Article 11 [Cost Recovery and Production Sharing] includes royalty payable by the Contractor at the rate of one percent of Crude Oil produced and sold.” Asked whether the royalty should be higher, Jagdeo said, “If the new standard is two percent, nonrecoverable.” The PSA which governs the Stabroek Block, where the first Petroleum discovery was made, requires the Operator, ExxonMobil, to pay a royalty of two percent. But even that has got much flack because of how low it is. Other oil producing nations, including industry leaders, have been getting between 10 and 20 percent royalty. Venezuela has even managed to negotiate for 30 percent royalty. During a press conference, yesterday, the Opposition Leader said that no other oil company should be given the same benefits that ExxonMobil was given. And for the Orinduik PSA, he said, “Tullow got even
better terms than Exxon, in relation to the royalty.” Commenting on the low rate, the Opposition Leader said “These people think that we're stupid, as Guyanese. They really think we're stupid.” Defining the low rate as a “frontier advantage”, Jagdeo said “How many times are we going to give [that advantage to oil companies?] With ExxonMobil, they're the first who came here. You can argue that case. But the Tullow contract was signed in January of 2016, after we knew that we had oil in commercial quantities. And you had billions of barrels of proven reserves out there.” Last week, Jagdeo also drew attention to the fact that the contractor can recover the one percent royalty it is obligated to pay, on the Block. “In the Tullow contract… the Government pays Tullow's royalty.” He had said that, effectively, Guyana is “not getting royalty on top of profit oil” when production starts on that Block. Should the People's Progressive Party (PPP) win the next General Election, Jagdeo reminded that he has said, “The PPP will review any other contract which has benefits that exceed those of Exxon or akin to those of Exxon in the future.” “That position still remains today,” he had added.
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo In the Stabroek PSA, there is no mention of the royalty being recoverable. Jagdeo has made it clear that the provision of this contract which speaks to royalty will be reviewed, specifically because it grants more benefit than was granted to Exxon for the Stabroek Block. So far, the current stake distribution on the Orinduik Block, as approved by the Government of Guyana, is Tullow – 60% (Operator), Total – 25% and Eco – 15%. Qatar Petroleum recently bought a 10% stake from Total's interest in the Block, but the farm-in is yet to be approved by Government. R e c e n t l y, Tu l l o w announced that it struck oil on the Orinduik Block, where it is the lead operator. Tullow's Chief Executive, Paul McDade, had noted that the discovery was made at the Jethro-1 well which could hold more than 100 million barrels of recoverable oil.
Food and Drug Dept finds... From page 19 market. However, to aid with t h e i r investigation, the department would look at the product itself, look at the batch number and try to trace it back to the facility that it was manufactured. If that cannot be traced it will confirm the allegation of the item being processed locally. “Until that time when we a r e c o n f i dent of the information received and we can tie it down, we will disclose it to the public.” According to Cole if the distributor is found to be operating under illegal circumstances legal actions will be taken for him to be prosecuted. Currently the punishment for these acts will incur a fine of up $30,000 along with six months' imprisonment. Kaieteur News had reported that the products sold
to the public are bootlegged complete with labeling purporting them to be from established manufacturing companies. This publication was able to learn that these named pharmaceuticals are not in any way associated with the established companies. Further information revealed that the distributor [name withheld] has no licence, no degree or certificates of approval from any health institutes to engage in such activities. This publication has learnt that the conditions under which the products are made are insanitary. This is compounded by the fact that ingredients used, in some cases, could be detrimental to end users. This is according to a source familiar with the state of affairs. Information provided to this publication reveal that one
of the products sold is made with 'Caustic Soda' better known as Sodium Hydroxide which is broken down to be placed as an ingredient of the product. Wikipedia says, “Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye and caustic soda, is an inorganic compound. It is a highly caustic base and alkali that decomposes proteins at ordinary ambient temperatures and may cause severe chemical burns.” Furthermore, another website, ThoughtCo, stated, “Caustic soda is not sold in bulk and in some cases it has been removed from the market because of being used as an ingredient to make illegal drugs.” According to the source, what is especially worrying is that the items are being sold in bulk and not only to Guyanese but to persons overseas right under the nose of the relevant authorities.
Kaieteur News
Friday August 23, 2019
Public school teachers to finally receive clothing allowance on Sept. salary
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he way has finally been cleared for public school teachers to receive their clothing allowance which their union and the Ministry of Education agreed to in a multi-year remuneration agreement inked towards the end of last year. According to a Ministry of Education circular signed by its Permanent Secretary, teachers will receive their clothing allowance on their September 2019 salary. Moreover, only teachers currently in the system will benefit from this payout which will represent clothing allow for a fouryear period [2016 -2019]. This was confirmed yesterday by GTU President, Mr. Mark Lyte, who revealed that “the union had suggested that this form be adopted to pay those who are in the system irrespective of where they are.” As such he noted that the various regions are being urged to ensure that by the end of September all teachers receive their clothing allowance. For those teachers who have resigned or otherwise left the system but are eligible for clothing allowance, Lyte said that another mechanism will be put in place by the Ministry to cater to their payment. “That is a positive,” said Lyte of this development. He, however, expressed some disappointment. “We are still awaiting word on the implementation of debunching from January 2019.” According to the GTU President, the last the union heard of this issue was that the Permanent Secretary was
awaiting word from the Ministry of Finance for the go ahead. The decision to have the Ministry put teachers on their respective scales and commence regular debunching payments from January 2019 was in fact part of the agreement the parties signed to. The agreement entailed a one-off $350M to teachers owed for the period 2011 to 2018 before they were placed on respective scales. Another aspect of the agreement that the Ministry is yet to honour is that of the $10,000 monthly allowance for special needs teachers. Failure on the part of the Ministry to honour segments of the agreement had in fact forced the union to halt talks with the union for another multi-year agreement as the previous one expired in December of last year, shortly after it was inked. T h e p r e v i o u s agreement, which materialised after many halted bouts of negotiation and industrial action, was signed between the union and the Ministry of education spanned the period 2016 – 2018. “We have not proceeded to continue talks for the new agreement but early in new [September] term we hope to recommence the talks,” said Lyte who pointed that the union has been able to address with the Ministry the remediation programme as well as Whitley Council circular which is also expected to be shortly issued. “So we are hoping in the new term that will be sent to all schools,” said an optimistic Lyte.
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Kaieteur News
Friday August 23, 2019
Teen with cerebal palsy is newest member of caribbean voice; receives new walker
Davindra Bridgmohan receiving his walker
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eventeen-year-old D a v i n d r a Bridgmohan of Endeavour Canal No. 1 is the newest member of the Caribbean Voice organisation and will be a spokesperson for the said organisation. He will be attending a number of functions to give motivational talks and to help spread suicide awareness. He feels that he can relate in some way especially since he is viewed as being different. The announcement was made during a press conference for the Caribbean Voice at the Pegasus Hotel on Wednesday morning by Bibi Ahamad, the organisation's Managing Director. As a first step towards helping him, the organisation presented the young man with a brand new walker compliments of a number of stakeholders and overseas donors, to aid in his mobility since his condition limits his independent movement, Davindra greeted the audience and expressesed his joy at being there. “It's a pleasure to sit before you and speak about the awareness of suicide.” He went on to say that the gift of life was given and should be appreciated. Just like a caterpillar who thought the world was over then became a butterfly, the moment you are ready to quit, that's usually the moment right before a miracle can happen.
“The World Health Organisation estimates that approximately one million people die each year from suicide. Suicide doesn't end the chances of life getting worst; it eliminates the possibility of it getting any better.” He further noted that people who are deeply depressed have difficulty realizing that their life would eventually get better. He said that he didn't let his disability keep him back and from pursuing his dreams. Davindra can walk with assistance and he is a fluent speaker. He is mostly an independent child who does things on his own. He lives with his parents and two younger siblings in a home that his father made sure to have built in such a way that it suited his son's needs. When he sat the National Grade Six Assessment back in 2014 he was awarded a spot at the St. Joseph High School but o p t e d t o a t t e n d We s t Demerara Secondary instead. This year he sat 10 subjects at the CSEC level and passed all gaining four grade one and six grade two passes. He has expressed interest in becoming a Civil Engineer. However his family couldn't afford it. Bibi Ahamad is appealing to the public to collaborate with the young man and to assist him furthering his studies to achieve his dreams.
Friday August 23, 2019
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
THE
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Indigenous Heritage Month kicks off August 31
POP
CULT
Friday August 23, 2019
THE REVIEWS ARE IN!!!
Angel Has Fallen review
Gerard Butler's pyrotechnics fizzle out meant to notice Banning's wife is now Piper Perabo, in for the unavailable Radha Mitchell. The conspiracy business, meanwhile, yields zero surprises from scene one: Banning being put through manoeuvres by hawkish military palturned-private security contractor Danny Huston. That said, there are diverting ideas to cancel out: as with Den of Thieves, Angel falls into the “lively mediocrity� category of Butler schlock, with one or two plot hikes that suggest the script meetings were wellrefreshed. How else to explain our hero's reunion with his grizzled hermit father (Nick Nolte, unintelligible), save that the producer-star also really enjoyed Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade? Or the finale, in which Huston's hackers turn a hospital against itself? Everything's too dashed off to make much of these flickers of inspiration, but flickers it has, and Butler is becoming a low-key selling point, taking this nonsense laudably seriously. You'd draw the line at his Bad Boys, but he may have a Hard Target or Under Siege in him yet. (https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/au g/21/angel-has-fallen-review-gerard-butlermorgan-freeman)
HITS AND JAMS PULLS OFF ANOTHER UNFORGETTABLE JAMZONE SUMMER BREAK fter 19 successful years of being in business, Hits and Jams' Jamzone Summer Break finally came to an end on August 18 with the giving away of a brand new car. Jamzone has been known for years for being the greatest event of the Summer Season. This year featured three days of excitement with the first being a Water Colours Beach Jouvert on the KingstonKitty Seawall. This event involved paint, powder, water and some of the most requested soca artistes such as Christo and Mandella Linkz performing. Following the Jouvert was the most anticipated event known as the Dancehall Night
A
headlined by Popcaan. Munga and Gage shared the stage along with a few local artistes. The final day led to the HJ Water Park in Providence where the beach day was held. A variety of games were played as patrons enjoyed music from Boom DJ's. The highlight of the day was the giving away of a brand new car to winner, Amanda Boson through the 3 in 1 Summer promotion. Some of the sponsors for this year included Liat Airline, Stag Beer, Extra Beer, Fast Graphics, Demerara Distillers Limited and Royal Castle. The Hits and Jams team says it thanks everyone for their continuous support.
The Ministry of Indigenous People's Affairs has planned a month of exciting activities to celebrate the cultural contributions of the Amerindians to Guyana's history and its way of life. See calendar attached for full details.
Entertainment POLICE THE
I
s Gerard Butler hellbent on remaking every last action movie of the 90s? The thought arose during last year's Den of Thieves, in which Butler bellowed his way through the Al Pacino role in a cut-price Heat; it was followed by Hunter Killer, a Crimson Tide-ish sub thriller in which Butler tried something close to character work. With that project having sunk commercially, he's returned to his signature role of Mike Banning, patriot, dad and secret service agent par excellence, as seen in Olympus Has Fallen (2013) and London Has Fallen (2016). Angel, which sets a weary Banning scrambling to prove his innocence after being framed for a drone attack that leaves President Morgan Freeman comatose, qualifies as a twofer: it's Gerry doing In the Line of Fire and The Fugitive. As with many of the star's recent projects, it's been compiled with minimal quality control, insistently cancelling out its better ideas with turns for the derivative. The budget stumps up decent pyrotechnics but sloppy green-screen work, again flagging what American action cinema lost after the 2008 financial crash and the near simultaneous retreat of the moneyed Jerry Bruckheimer, while the deeply retro indifference to women is such we're just not
E P
Reserving Tuesday Nights for American's Got Talent is totally worth it !!!
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or the past few weeks, the Entertainment Police has featured the absolutely thrilling Big Little Lies series as a must watch show on the Enetworks channel. But it's time to switch things up a bit. If you are ever wondering what to do with your Tuesday evenings, then worry no more; reserve that night for America's Got Talent at 8 PM on NBC. For those who may not be familiar with the hit show, America's Got Talent sees some of the world's talented yet undiscovered performers of all ages -- singers, dancers,
magicians, comics, musicians, ventriloquists and more -- appear before celebrity judges who decide which contestants move on in the competition each week. With the guidance of the show's host, the audience learns the back stories of these amazing people as they strive to make it to the finale, in which one talented performer wins a life-changing $1 million prize -- as well as viewers' hearts. It is a show you would more than likely fall in love with. Be sure to catch up on it this and every Tuesday.
Friday August 23, 2019
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Mortally wounded man of Guyanese origins refuses to tell cops about shooter New York (New York Daily News) - A 28-year-old man shot on the street in Brooklyn refused to give cops any information about his killer as he lay dying in the hospital, authorities said Wednesday. Arsenio Gravesande — a close friend of slain rapper Nipsey Hussle who even appeared in one of the rapper’s music videos — was blasted in the left hip on Union St. and Sutter Ave. in Brownsville about 9:20 p.m. Tuesday, cops said.
The bullet apparently struck a major artery. “The ambulance came and I got in there with him,” said Gravesande’s cousin, Bethany Samuels, 35. 3He was moving around, he was grabbing everything; he didn’t want to stay stabilized. He didn’t want to stay down. He kept telling me, ‘Bethany I’m dead, I can’t breathe, I’m dead.’ I was telling him, ‘No you’re not dead.’” He was conscious when medics rushed him to
Brookdale University Hospital but refused to tell police anything about the gunman, a police source said. He died at the hospital a short time later. There have been no arrests. Gravesande received a phone call Tuesday night to meet someone around the corner from his Brooklyn home, according to Samuels. “It probably was a setup,” Samuels said. “People just hate you for no reason.
Arsenio Gravesande (right), a friend of slain rapper Nipsey Hussle (left), was shot in the left hip at Union St. and Sutter Ave. in Brownsville, Brooklyn on Tuesday. The bullet apparently struck a major artery and eventually killed Gravesande at the hospital. It’s crazy.” Gravesande and two of his friends walked down the block, Samuels said. Five minutes later, she heard shots ring out. “One of his friends came running around saying, ‘Arsenio got hit, Arsenio got hit,’” she said. “So I ran around the corner and he was on the floor saying he can’t breathe.” Gravesande is one of five people across the city shot to death during a frightening 24hour span. Two Brooklyn men died after a gunman opened fire on them in Coney Island about two hours after Gregory Haskins, 25, of Jamaica, Queens, took a fatal bullet to the chest. Angel Nixon, 18, was also gunned down in Jamaica after an argument with a man early Wednesday morning. While shootings are up in the city by just over four per cent so far this year compared to last, homicides are down. As of Sunday, cops have
investigated 495 shootings this year compared to 475 by this time last year, officials said. There have been 191 murders across the five boroughs this year, compared to 199 during the same period last year, a four per cent drop, according to NYPD stats. Cops were back at the scene of Gravesande’s slaying Wednesday looking for evidence and surveillance video that could help them identify the gunman. Gravesande, who has a four-year-old daughter and a seven-year-old son, was a member of the G Stone Crips gang and had seven arrests on his record, a police source said. He was previously wounded during a 2012 shooting that left his friend, boxer Trendon Franklin, dead. Cops have not established a motive for Gravesande’s killing. His cousin acknowledged Gravesande was affiliated with the Crips.
“He was like the head of them, he controlled them here,” Samuels said. “He barbecued and did giveaways to the kids. He was a good person and did good things for everybody out here. He tried to keep the streets clean. Some people are not in gangs for bad vibes. Some people are in gangs to give away to the community. He never killed nobody, he never hurt nobody. He wasn’t like that.” “That was my favorite cousin,” Samuels added. “We did everything together. We partied, we went bowling. We had a lot of fun in life together . . . We’re never going to see him again. That’s crazy. I can’t believe this. It’s like a dream.” Gravesande’s mother was too distraught to talk to a reporter. “She’s not too well,” Samuels said. “She can’t even sleep. She keeps saying her baby is gone, her baby is gone. That’s her youngest.”
Hotel owner and alleged hit man PI…
Main evidence presented in court As the preliminary inquiries continues for Mark Grimmond and Chatterpaul Singh, who were charged two months ago for conspiracy to commit murder, the two men yesterday made another court appearance in the Georgetown Magistrates Courts. Both defendants were
granted bail on their previous court appearance and are out on bail, Grimmond is being represented by Attorney-atlaw Bernard DaSilva, while Singh is unrepresented. During yesterdays proceedings which were conducted before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, a witness from the Criminal Inves-
tigation Department (CID) Video Analyst branch yesterday stood in the witness box, and under oath he testified. A series of screenshots, videos and audio was shown to the court by the witness; the evidence was purportedly extracted from Singhs phone which is said to be a (Continued on page 31)
Friday August 23, 2019
Kaieteur News
Rotary Club collaborates to change lives of the less fortunate Through collaborative efforts with the Food for the Poor Guyana Inc., and several donor entities, the Rotary Club of Demerara has just changed the lives of two less fortunate families. The collaboration saw the construction of two brand new homes to the tune of over $1M each. Receiving one of the homes was Rana Pertab of Number 60 Village, Corentyne Berbice, whose husband set fire to their home in a recent domestic dispute. The blaze left her and her two children homeless. The other lucky recipient was Salima Wahab, also of Number 60 Village whose husband had committed suicide, leaving her and four children in a dilapidated house which eventually collapsed. Rotary Club of Demerara President, Hansraj Singh, in an interview yesterday said his organization is always seeking to assist the poor and needy, the less fortunate and the underprivileged in the Guyanese society. He said collaboration with Food for the Poor Guyana Inc, BM Soat Enterprises, Delco Ice Company, Prem’s Electrical Inc, and the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club made the ventures possible. Navin’s Construction entity built both houses. The new home owners also received donations of
Severely burnt victim Shaniya Persaud for whom the club also raised funds to aid in her evacuation to Texas for corrective surgery mattresses, school supplies, food hampers and household utensils as part of the organizations humane drive. That aside, the Demerara Rotary Club recently evacuated severely burnt victim, Shania Persaud, to Texas for corrective surgery at a cost of US$42 000. To make this possible they had received some US$21, 000 from the Shea Organisation in Guyana, while they raised an
additional GYD$4.5 M. The young girl has reportedly done surgery in Texas which is said to be fairly successful, and has regained her sight and speech as a result, according to reports. Come September 1, 2019, the Demerara Rotary Club is heading to Kimbia in the Berbice River for a medical outreach initiative which the members say will benefit residents greatly in that region.
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One of the homes donated to less fortunate families in Corentyne, Berbice by the Rotary Club of Demerara.
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Friday August 23, 2019
Redeemer, Sophia Primary receive monetary donation from Tropical Shipping.
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ropical Shipping is a logistics and s h i p p i n g company that has over 50 years' experience in the business arena. They have weekly seven-day transits sailing from Florida to Guyana and provide Guyana with complete shipping services to and from Canada and across the Caribbean. During a simple ceremony yesterday, at the office located at 22 Barrack and High Streets, Kingston, Country Manager of Tropical Shipping, Glenis Hodge, made a donation of vouchers worth $270,000 each and redeemable at the Giftland Office Max to head teachers of two primary schools. Denise McAllister received the vouchers on behalf of Redeemer Primary located in Stone Avenue, Campbellville. Audrey Sue received the donation on behalf of Sophia Primary located at 'A' Field Sophia. Hodge said that as an institution it was part of the
entity's mandate to be involved with the community. It placed a big f o c u s a n d Yo u t h Development and Education and Sports. She then noted, “As a part of our country's corporate social responsibility, in the islands and countries we serve, on a yearly basis one of the areas we consider for funding is Yo u t h E d u c a t i o n a l Programmes.” She went on to explain that they were happy to use the opportunity to make the donation to the two schools to assist in the delivery of their curriculum, as they will have the necessary stationary for a comfortable convenient learning experience. It is the company's belief that the youths are the future. The management knows that what they are doing will bear fruits in the years to come. Ms Audrey Sue said, “I want to say thanks to Tropical Shipping for such a timely donation. We know
The Head teachers receiving their vouchers from Tropical Shipping Country Director Glenis Hodge. that they are very interested in the lives of the children in Guyana and because of that they are helping children like those at Sophia Primary. We are so grateful for the contribution.” Ms Denise McAllister echoed her colleague's sentiments. “I am very
grateful to Tropical Shipping for this donation and I must say this will go a far way in fixing our classrooms.” Both teachers shared concerns about the students and the status of their supplies. While the Ministry of Education provides a
majority of the things they needed, there were still some setbacks and shortages in regards to teaching aid materials, she said. Because of the poor socio economic status and the stigma attached to the areas they were located there wasn't much that the parent-
teacher Association (PTA) could do. The funds will be used to coverage these areas and boost the classrooms as well as buy textbooks that have more work-oriented pages for the students because of the fact that some of them were slow learners.
Public servants ‘hurt to the core’ by PM’s lazy talk Trinidad Express Public servants, some of who arrive at work at 8 a.m. but don’t leave until 6 p.m. are “hurt to the core” by the Prime Minister’s suggestion that they are lazy. So says president of the Public Services Association Watson Duke. Duke said he was shocked, perturbed and upset when he saw Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley’s comments about public servants. “When I come across the headline in a daily newspaper (Express) that
says ‘PM knocks public servants who produce absolutely nothing, but make the most noise when pay is late…lazy loafers’, it worries me, it worries all 80,000 public servants of this country. And it hurts us to the core,” he said. “It says to that mother, that father, that good worker who leaves South at 4 a.m. to come to Port of Spain for an 8 a.m. job and leaves work at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. to get home, that your efforts are not recognised,” he added. Addressing a handingover ceremony at the Police
Businessman cross-examined as Robb Street arson-murder... From page 14 see who is a mad man when I burn it (the building).” The witness recalled, “I made a phone call to the Brickdam Police Station and spoke to Sergeant Lewis and she sent a patrol. (Kishna) was taken to the Brickdam Police Station Enquiries Office. I followed behind the patrol in my vehicle. “Sergeant Lewis warned (Kishna) again. When we were leaving the station together, Ganga Kishna told me that I will regret all the monies I have invested in the building.”
According to Pyneandy, Kishna told him, “The first time I burnt it (the building), it didn’t come down, but this time I will bring it down.” “You will go to jail,” the witness said he responded to Kishna, who replied; “I will get people to burn it.” Following the fire which occurred in the wee hours of November 17, 2014, witness told the court that later that same day, he went back to the station to tender CCTV footage he obtained from one Mr. Khan who resided a short distance from the property. He revealed, too, that the building was not insured.
Academy in St James on Wednesday, Rowley opined that the quality of the Public Service had declined. “We have a lot of people on the payroll. Many of them produce absolutely nothing when the day come, collect a salary at the end of the month and make the most noise when the pay is late,” he stated.In a Facebook video yesterday morning Duke
fired back at the Prime Minister, stating: “I want to tell Keith Christopher Rowley this morning that before you take the speck out of the eye of public servants, take the plank out of yours. When you point in this direction you have four fingers pointing back at you. Think before you speak.” “Furthermore, we want
to tell you, as one politician told another in the Parliament, shut your stink mouth. Every time you seem to speak, you seem to speak foul language to hurt and denigrate people.” Duke said instead of saying what Government would do to improve the health sector and working conditions for public servants, Rowley was
“blaming public servants”. “Even though this PNM Government would have bailed out a toilet paper factory for some ($30) million thereabout, today in the Immigration Division, in Treasury, in foreign services, in many Government offices there remains no toilet paper and workers must walk with toilet paper from home,” he lamented.
Barbados to abolish immigration/customs forms BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - CMC – Passengers arriving at the Grantley Adams International Airport here will no longer be required to fill out immigration/ customs forms, also known as ED forms, as of September 1. According to Minister of Home Affairs Edmund Hinkson, starting next month, there will be a full transition to the use of the 48 kiosks at the airport. Hinkson, who was speaking to reporters on Wednes day, the kios k system has been tested for almost a year and has been fine-tuned to ensure that the passenger information gathering system meets all the markers for Customs, Immigration and the Statistical Services. “We have eliminated the
Minister of Home Affairs Edmund Hinkson ED cards from September 1. Cabinet made that decision at last Thursdays’ meeting. We have 48 kiosks now; there were 16 and we got another 32 and they were installed last month and are working
effectively. I am not going to tell Barbadians that there will be perfection and that the systems will never break down, but we have backup facilities, redundancies in other computer equipment, in terms of saving the information.” He also disclosed that Cabinet has decided to put more questions in the system. “Right now, on the ED card, persons are asked to put in their address, length of stay in Barbados, type of accommodation, zip code. We are going to add some questions to the kiosks that will still allow for the acquisition of that information.” He added that while speed of the process may vary based on the size of a travelling party as well as an i n d i v i d u a l ’s t e c h n i c a l
proficiencies, the digital systems have significantly cut down the length of time it takes for passengers to get through the airport. “ R i g h t n o w, t h e questions in there take an average of a minute to a minute and a half. Obviously, it depends on how technically challenged you are. Also, a single person would take a shorter…time than a couple or a family of four. But everyone who has used it has said that it is tremendous and that it has made life much easier for entering Barbados,” he said. H o w e v e r, H i n k s o n stressed that while Government was focused on improving efficiency and ease getting into the country, measures were being taken to ensure that national security was not compromised.
Friday August 23, 2019
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Self contain rooms for working couple/single person $32,000 monthly, light & water, Lodge. Call: 623-0076 2 months security.
New model premio, pearl REPAIRS AT LOW COST: white 2009 registered $2.3M , FRIDGES, AIR Toyota Vitz 2010 Black C O N D I T I O N E R S , unregistered $1.8M . Tel#223WASHING MACHINE, 5615/600-4212 FREEZER, SALE OF AC’S. 1-Tundra $1.8M, 1-Audi TEL#629-4946,225-4822 Convertible $2.5M Contact#650-0402/603-1402 Installation, Repairs and parts for AC, Fridge, Washing Machine, Stove etc. Call Nick Two Vehicles: 1.Nissan Pathfinder Jeep, 2.Nissan 630-1600, 627-3206 Laurel Sedan-Both in Superb condition. All documents KEY CUTTING SERVICES intact, Let’s negotiate #609@ AFFORDABLE RATES. 7766/225-8427 KURU KURU MARKETING SQUARE (DENTALCLINIC Model M Truck, great BUILDING) CONTACT# condition with winch, fitness 622-1031/ WHATSAPP etc. $2.7M Neg. #673-4527/ #626-9590 610-5732
CAR RENTAL
FOR RENT
2 bedroom apartment to rent on ECD. Tel#684-8906 WANTED
Wanted- Salesman, Cashier and Office Clerk. Apply in Person at Lot 10 Vlissengen Road, Survival. Male & female to work in Factory and 1 Driver. Apply in Person to R.P’s Enterprise ECD. #220-2818 Required- Supervisor Post 03 (Male) Harish Variety Store. #691-9272 Clerical assistance domestic worker, live-in accomodation for Berbicians and Essequibians. Call between 8:15-4:15 pm. #219-5354 One Office Manager. #2269485 Wanted land to buy- Parfaite Harmonie, Herstelling, Providence, Farm, Tuschen, Eccles, Uitvlugt, Best Price pay & cash. Call: 666-2326 One cook to work in a bar #679-2612 Preferable from West Bank Demerara.
LEARN TO DRIVE
1 Live-in maid. Call: 639-2037
FOR RENT One bedroom apartment for couples Middle Rd La Penitence for Rent. Call: 686-4564
1 maid needed. Age 30-40. Call: 226-7766 Tailor & Seamstress. Contact #253-3070/601-9855 1 General Domestic worker. Must know to cook. Tel#2269492 Cashiers to work at Superbet. Tel#691-7123 Wanted One truck, car & van driver at VV&I General Store. Tel# 223-9677 1 Chainsaw operator for ripping. Tel# 690-3535/6013798 Land to buy in Parfaite $1.3M Neg. Tel# 687-5873
Experienced Cashier, Apply One mature General Domestic. with handwritten application. Must be able to cook. Tel#624Hack’s Halaal 5 Commerce St 5058 M-F, 5-7 pm Only
(1) 3 bedroom house located at Middle St, Stewartville. Tel#625-3299/268-3129
N. Outar Driving School, Learn to Drive the right way @ Cuffy Square. Affordable package. Call: 644-5166/6912561/681-2808
One Live-in caretaker to care for elderly person in Bel Air. Call: 227-0373
1- Male ablebodied clerk. Tel#231-2029/616-5954 Puri cooks, Kitchen assistant. Apply: Shanta’s The Puri Shop 225 Camp & New Market Sts. No Phone calls One handyman/yard help to work in Georgetown. Tel# 6751647
From page 16 management and the mosquito’s capacity to adapt may have caused the situation to increase in complexity. Another characteristic of the current epidemic is that children under the age of 15 appear to be among the most affected. In Guatemala, for instance, they represent 52 percent of total cases of severe dengue, while in Honduras, they constitute 66 percent of all confirmed deaths. According to Dr. Espinal, this may be due to the fact that their age means they have been less exposed to the virus in the past and may therefore lack immunity. Dengue is caused by a virus that has four different, but closely related, serotypes DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3 and DEN-4, all of which circulate in the Americas. When a person recovers from the infection, he or she acquires lifelong immunity against that particular serotype. However, subsequent infections caused by other serotypes increase the risk of acquiring more severe forms of dengue. Serotype 2 is one of the dead-
Labourer to work at Sawmill. #619-9143/614-8857 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 English Tutor. Contact# 2235273/223-5274 Supervisor to work at 704. Contact# 223-5273/223-5274 One General Domestic, must be able to prepare vegetarian meal. Apply at Alabama Trading, 65 Robb Street Bourda TRUCK DRIVER. Contact #223-5273/223-5274 Female Cleaner Office & Home. Call: 642-9823 Male Sales Clerk for Harware Store West Bank Demerara #254-0087/647-6075 For Experience Accounts Clerk, must have passes in Maths & English. Apply in person at Alabama Trading 65 Robb St Bourda For Sales Girl. Apply in person at Alabama Trading 65 Robb Street, Bourda Wanted Servicemen to work in Interior. Call: 223-5180
VACANCY 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 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 for (2) professional and experienced nail technician @ Natural Beauty Salon & Spa. Call: 652-5800 Vacancy for operators to work day & night shift @ Del Ice Company, must be 25 years or older. Training provided. Call: 231-1408/642-9191 Tele-Sales Clerk: Maths & English, Computer Literate, Excel. DacEasy and advantage. Telles Steel, 74 Hadfield St #226-6771 Salesclerk/Cashier. Submit hand written application to Kards Plus in City Mall. #2271846 Experience an asset.
liest and is the one currently affecting children and adolescents, according to PAHO. Given the prevailing dengue situation, PAHO has already urged that entire communities and all sectors of society work together to eliminate mosquito breeding sites, particularly those around the home. “Dengue is a domestic and community sanitation problem,” said José Luis San Martin, PAHO’s Regional Advisor on Dengue. “The most effective way to combat it is to eliminate its breeding sites in order to prevent the mosquito from reproducing, because without mosquitoes there would be no transmission of dengue,” he said. According to San Martin, the community as a whole must get rid of all unused objects where water can accumulate, such as drums, old tyres, cans, bottles and vases and domestic water tanks must be hermetically sealed to avoid them becoming hatcheries. “Eliminating hatcheries would hit the mosquito hard by interrupting its breeding cycle, therefore reducing the mosquito population,” he said. Meanwhile, PAHO has also called for health professionals to be trained to diagnose and adequately manage patients with dengue and other arbo-viruses such as Zika and Chikungunya. “The proper management of patients is a priority that can save lives, said San Martin, urging the population to avoid self-medicating and to instead visit a health system early when experiencing symptoms of the disease. According to PAHO, the most common symptoms are high fever [40°C], severe headache, pain behind the eyeballs, and joint and muscle aches. Warning signs of dengue that require urgent medical attention include severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, rapid breathing, bleeding from the mucous membranes, fatigue, irritability and presence of blood in the vomit. While there is no specific treatment for dengue [or severe dengue], PAHO has assured that timely detection, access to medical care and proper management of the patient can reduce complications and disease progression. Moreover, death from dengue is almost always avoidable.
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Friday August 23, 2019
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Kaieteur News
GTU President elected Caribbean Union of Teachers Trustee
The newly elected CUT executive members [Mark Lyte is second from left]. In recognition of its continued efforts to champion the interest of teachers, the Guyana Teachers Union [GTU] continues to be entrusted with executive positions at the level of the Caribbean Union of Teachers [CUT]. CUT is a body de-
signed to unite teachers from across the Caribbean to create a framework that enables them to work together in harmony. At its 39th biennial conference held in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on August 4 through August 10, last, GTU
President, Mr. Mark Lyte, was elected an office holder in the capacity of Trustee. Speaking of this honour Lyte said, “I am grateful for the support that I received from my unit and the other units across the Caribbean. This is a recognition of the
work we do in Guyana for our teachers...persons recognise that you can serve in greater ways at the level of CUT.” Also elected was GTU’s Ms. Dolores Benjamin who will represent Guyana on CUT’s Status of Women Com-
mittee. GTU’s General Secretary, Ms. Coretta McDonald, severed as CUT’s Third Vice President for the past two bienniums. She, however, did not contest at the most recent elections neither did Sister Hazel Pile-Lewis who was a
member of the Status of Women Committee for the past two bienniums as well. The recent conference was held under the theme: “Caribbean Women Taking the Lead in Transforming the Norm and Culture.”
Carpenter charged for breaking Main evidence presented in court and entering, remanded to prison
A man, who broke into his neighbour’s house and allegedly stole a quantity of electronic items and other articles, was on Wednesday remanded to prison after he was brought before the courts. Fifty-seven-year-old Daniel Gullford, a carpenter appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates Courts, where the charge was read to him. The court heard that between August 15, 2019, and August 16, 2019, at Lot 333 Cummings Street, South Cummingsburg, Georgetown, he broke and enter the dwelling house of Revon Turman. Gullford allegedly stole a 50-inch smart television, an xbox, HP laptop, a wrist watch and a bottle of Johnny Walker whisky, property of same Revon Turman. Gullford denied the charge. Police prosecutor Gordon Mansfield objected to bail being granted to the defendant based on the
From page 26 conversation between the two defendants. Grimmond and Singh are expected to make their next court appearance soon. They were not required to plead to the indictable charge which stated that between April 1, 2018 and June 7, 2019, at Georgetown, Grimmond and Singh conspired with each other and persons unknown to murder Dwayne Grant, a businessman from Lethem. According to the facts of the charge, Grant received certain information that the men were plotting to kill him and he reported it to the police. The police ranks acting
on the report went to a hotel where they made contact with Singh. Singh was arrested and at that point in time he was reportedly found with a firearm. In a detailed conversation with the police, Singh admitted that he was contracted by Grimmond to kill Grant. Grimmond was subsequently arrested and the allegation of conspiracy to commit murder was put to him. A conversation, between the two defendants was obtained by the police. Based on advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) the charge was instituted. The plot may have stemmed from
a transaction between Grimmond and Grant leading to Grimmond being indebted to the tune of $30M. Grant moved to the courts to recover his money and was granted judgment. On June 24, 2019, a Light Street property that Grimmond owned was to have been put up for sale to recover Grants money. Money changer Bridglall Persaud was shot and killed on America Street in 2014. There was not enough evidence to link Grimmond to the killing although the police wanted him for questioning in connection with the murder; Grimmond had owed Persaud some $40M.
459 applications made for ... Remanded: Daniel Gullford grounds that he has no fixed place of abode. Prosecutor Mansfield added that the defendant is a flight risk. No items were recovered and when the defendant was arrested he told the
police that he assisted in removing the articles from the house. Investigations are still ongoing. Gullford was remanded to prison until August 28, 2019.
From page 13 contractor for hundreds of millions of dollars owed for housing lands at Providence. In Guyana, BaiShanLin was the third largest holder of state forests behind Barama Company Limited, a Malaysian company, and the Indian-owned Vaitarna Holdings. In 2011, it was granted 52,896 hectares up
the Berbice River through a company named Haimorakabra Logging Company Inc. Through a number of questionable transactions called joint ventures, the Chinese logger acquired Puruni Woods- 107,671 hectares; Kwebanna Wood Products Inc.-87,361 hectares; Sherwood Forest Inc.- 167,075 hectares; Woods Association
Industries Co Limited- 26,076 hectares and other concessions- all totally over 600,000 hectares. The concessions are located in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine and Ten. In recent years, the small loggers in especially Region 10, in the Upper Berbice area, have been calling for more forestry lands to be made available.
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Kaieteur News
Friday August 23, 2019
Kaieteur News
Friday August 23, 2019
Cash-strapped GFC gets greenlight to access forest fund
T
he Guyana F o r e s t r y Commission (GFC) will soon be able to access funds from the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF), moving closer to restoring the commission to its rightful place. Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, told a press conference yesterday, that while the commission has been experiencing some financial difficulties, the government, through his ministry, is working to return it to full viability, making “it even better than before.” Included in the efforts are the use of funds from the Guyana/Norway Agreement and the sale of the High Street, Georgetown building. “Cabinet has given its “in principle” support, and I have written to Minister of State, her ministry is the one under which the Office of Climate Change and project management office come… asking for us to start the process of actualising that Cabinet decision which came at the beginning of this year,” the minister told the media. The minister said the GFC's financial situation has been engaging the government's attention, even as it continues to work with the management and union. Talks are also ongoing with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) about ways through which the cost of related matters could be shared. In July 2018, Guyana was able to secure close to $27Billion following fruitful talks in Oslo, Norway. The fund was made accessible after the government of Norway was impressed with
this administration's 2025 energy-mix proposal, Guyana's deforestation rate of 0.05 (one of the lowest) and President David Granger's role in championing sustainable development. Addressing the sale of the High Street building, Minister Trotman said the stakeholders are working to ensure a transparent process. “GGMC has a transport and has invested some money, along with the Forestry Commission has also invested. We are at a position where the building will be sold as is. The ministry will commence the process,” he said. GFC has been complaining that it is cashstrapped, after two transfers, totaling almost $1B were made prior to 2015. Staffers have complained of delays in salaries. Meanwhile, the Natural Resources Minister stated that the forestry commission is transitioning from being just the overseer of the movement and trader of logs and timber to becoming a conservator of forests. He reported a 0.052 deforestation rate for 2018, one of the lowest rates ever recorded regionally and globally. “The demands are high now. We have high demands being placed on us to ensure under the GSDS (Guyana Sustainable Development Strategy) Forestry in the decades ahead will not be the place that collects royalties for logs, but the place that ensures that the forests are preserved for generations to come. We have started to put our hands around it, things are happening at a very rapid pace right now,” he assured.
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Friday August 23, 2019
Bolsonaro says Brazil lacks resources to fight Amazon fires
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A O PAULO/BRASILI A (Reuters) - The Brazilian government lacks the resources to fight a record number of wildfires burning in the Amazon rainforest, President Jair Bolsonaro said yesterday, weeks after telling donors he did not need their money. “The Amazon is bigger than Europe, how will you fight criminal fires in such an area?,” he asked reporters as he left the presidential residence. “We do not have the resources for that.” Fires in the Amazon have surged 83% so far this year compared with the same period a year earlier, government figures show, destroying vast swathes of a forest considered a vital bulwark against climate change. Bolsonaro says criticism over Amazon interferes with Brazil’s sovereignty Although fires are a regular and natural occurrence during the regular dry season at this t i m e o f y e a r , environmentalists blamed the sharp rise on farmers setting the forest alight to clear land for pasture. French President Emmanuel Macron said on his twitter account the fires in the Amazon forest are an
international emergency and should be discussed by the G7 summit that will begin tomorrow in Biarritz, France. Federal prosecutors in Brazil said they are investigating a spike in deforestation and wildfires raging in the Amazon state of Pará to determine whether there has been reduced monitoring and enforcement of environmental protections there. Prosecutors also said they will investigate an ad reportedly published by a local newspaper last week encouraging farmers to participate in a “Fire Day,” in which they would burn large areas of forest “to show Bolsonaro their willingness to work.” The probe is being led by prosecutors in the cities of Santarém, Itaituba, Altamira and Belém. On Wednesday, Bolsonaro said, without supporting evidence, that non-governmental organizations were behind the fires. Questioned again yesterday about those comments, he said he could not prove that NGOs, for whom he has cut funding, were lighting the fires but that they were “the most likely suspects.” The firebrand right-wing
Smoke billows during a fire in an area of the Amazon rainforest near Porto Velho, Rondonia State, Brazil, Brazil August 21, 2019. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino
president has repeatedly said he believes Brazil should open the Amazon up to business interests, to allow mining and logging companies to exploit its natural resources. “As NGOs lose funding ... What can they do?” he asked. “Try to take me down, try to take me down. That’s all that’s left for them to do.” Brazil is facing growing international criticism over its handling of the Amazon, 60% of which lies in the
country. Earlier this month, Norway and Germany suspended funding for projects to curb deforestation in Brazil after becoming alarmed by changes to the way projects were selected under Bolsonaro. At the time, when asked about the loss of German funding, Bolsonaro said “Brazil does not need that.” Other officials have expressed concern over the
fires. Brazil’s lower house speaker, Rodrigo Maia, said on Twitter he would create “an external committee” to monitor the burning of the rainforest. He also vowed to form a group “to evaluate the situation and propose solutions to the government.” The Bishops Conference for Latin America expressed concern about what it called “a tragedy,” and yesterday called on countries to take
immediate action to protect the rainforest and the communities that live in and around it. “ We u rg e t h e governments of the Amazon countries, especially Brazil and Bolivia, the United Nations and the international community to take serious measures to save the world’s lungs,” the Bishops Conference said. “If the Amazon suffers, the world suffers,” the statement said.
Too late for new Brexit deal, France’s Macron tells Johnson
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ARIS (Reuters) French President E m m a n u e l Macron told Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday that there was not enough time to wholly rewrite Britain’s Brexit divorce deal before an Oct. 31 deadline. Johnson met Macron at the Elysee Palace a day after talks in Berlin with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who challenged Britain to come up with acceptable alternatives to the agreed safety net provision for the UK-Irish land border. More than three years after the United Kingdom voted to quit the European Union, it is still unclear on what terms - or indeed whether - the bloc’s second largest economy will leave the club it joined in 1973. Talks over lunch were constructive, a French official said. Macron left the door open to Britain seeking a solution to the Irish
“backstop”, but said any alternative must respect both the integrity of the EU single market and stability on the divided island of Ireland. “I want to be very clear,” he said. “In the month ahead, we will not find a new withdrawal agreement that deviates far from the original.” On his first trip abroad since entering 10 Downing Street a month ago, Johnson has warned Merkel and Macron that they face a potentially disorderly no-deal Brexit on Oct. 31 unless the EU does a new deal. Speaking in The Hague, Merkel said she had not meant to set a deadline when saying on Wednesday that a solution to the Irish border issue could be found within 30 days, but to “highlight the urgency”. T he British pound, sensitive to the prospect of a ‘no-deal’ exit, rose 1% against both the dollar and the euro on her comments.
“LET’S GET BREXIT DONE” Johnson told Macron that he believed it was possible to agree a deal before Oct. 31, and that he had been “powerfully encouraged” by what he had heard from Merkel on Wednesday. “Let’s get Brexit done, let’s get it done sensibly and pragmatically and in the interests of both sides and let’s not wait until October 31,” Johnson said. “Let’s get on now in deepening and intensifying the friendship and partnership between us.” J ohns on, an ardent Brexiteer, is betting that the threat of ‘no-deal’ Brexit turmoil will convince Merkel and Macron that the EU should do a last-minute deal to suit his demands. He has repeated promises to leave on Oct. 31 with or without a deal. Macron insisted Britain’s destiny lay in Johnson’s hands alone. He said the EU did not want a
‘no-deal’ scenario, but would be ready if it happened. The political crisis in London over Brexit has left allies and investors puzzled by a country that for decades seemed a confident pillar of Western economic and political stability. Many investors say a ‘nodeal’ Brexit would hurt the economies of Britain, the EU and the wider world, roil financial markets and weaken London’s position as the preeminent international financial center. Macron said that any new solution to the problem of the Irish border had to be found in the next month. Signaling that the ball was in the UK’s court, he said: “If we cannot find alternatives, then it will be because of a deeper problem, a political one, a British political problem. “And for that, negotiations can’t help. It will be up to the prime minister to
make that choice, it won’t be up to us.” IRISH BORDER After Brexit, the frontier between Ireland and the UK province of Northern Ireland will be the only land border between the EU’s single market and Britain. The EU wants to ensure that it does not become a back door for goods to enter the single market - which guarantees free movement of goods, capital, services and labor. Ireland for its part says physical checks could undermine the 1998 Good Friday agreement, which brought peace to Northern Ireland after more than 3,600 died in a three-decade conflict between unionists who wanted the province to remain British and Irish nationalists who want it to join a united Ireland ruled from Dublin.
The backstop, negotiated by Johnson’s predecessor Theresa May, provides for Britain to remain in a temporary customs union with the EU after Brexit, avoiding the need for any ‘hard’ border infrastructure, until a better solution is found. But Johnson said in Paris: “Under no circumstances will the UK government be instituting, imposing, checks or controls of any kind at that border. We think there are ways of protecting the integrity of the single market and allowing the UK to exit from the EU.” Brexit supporters acknowledge that there may be short-term disruption from a ‘no-deal’ exit but say the UK will thrive if cut free from what they cast as a doomed experiment in integration that has led Europe to fall behind China and the United States.
Kaieteur News
Friday August 23, 2019
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45 Westside students receive back to school gifts from Daphne Foundation Malgre Tout students at the outreach initiative yesterday
From left: Foundation Member, Duel Morgan, and Daphney Foundation's, Gervy Harry and Desiree Harry Mc Pherson, as they pose with two of the happy students
S
ome forty-five Westside primary school students were the recipients of sizeable 'back to school' packages from the local leg of the Daphney Foundation, when the organization held its annual 'Back to School' outreach initiative at the Malgre Tout Primary School, yesterday. Students received school uniforms, backpacks, exercise books, pencils, crayons and other items when they gathered for the much anticipated event, which was attended by several parents as well. The Daphney Foundation was established in 2014 and is celebrating its sixth year in existence. The foundation is the brainchild of Desiree Harry-McPherson who is the daughter of Daphney Harry. Ms Daphney Harry biologically mothered seven children, but equally cared for dozens of other underprivileged and less fortunate children in her community of Malgre Tout, West Bank Demerara. The foundation caters for underprivileged children of Malgre Tout Primary School, Grade 1-6 throughout each school year. Yesterday students, and in many cases parents, were overjoyed at the gesture, since several mothers noted that it was extremely difficult to come up with all the items needed for their kids as
dictated by the school's curriculum. Students and parents alike were also treated to a scrumptious lunch before the event completed. Speaking at the venture, son of the deceased, Gervy Harry, thanked all the attendees for being present, nothing that the family will do all it can to make a difference each year in the lives of the needy and underprivileged. He said that it warms the hearts of the family to see satisfied smiles on the faces of the students as they received their packages with much enthusiasm and excitement. Daughter, Desiree HarryMc Pherson was appreciative to all the supporters and overseas sponsors for contributing, citing that without their efforts the annual programme could not become a reality. She said after their mother passed away she felt the need to continue her legacy and therefore with other relatives decided to form the foundation which has been doing well for the past six years. She said while their geographical locations (overseas) did not allow them to create the 'foster mother' scenario for children, they however try to keep the cause alive by conducting the yearly student outreach initiative.
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Friday August 23, 2019
Kaieteur News
Christian Coleman under investigation for three alleged missed drugs tests
Christian Coleman ran a season’s best 9.81 seconds at the Diamond League meeting in Stanford, California in June.
Friday August 23, 2019 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Love is in the air for you. You will be rewarded handsomely because you have so many things to offer. Spread your love everywhere. Skip from place to place and person to person, receiving smiles of pleasure.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Embrace your loved ones, Libra. Let your heart lead the way. Things will flow your way if you let them. Don't try to fight the good fortune that comes. If you try to force the door open, it won't budge.
TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You feel indecisive when it comes to a romantic situation. You might ask yourself questions about how to proceed. Don't get overwhelmed by all the possibilities.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Listen to the birds today, Scorpio. They have a song for you, telling you to be happy. Take time to do things that make you feel good.
GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Things should go quite well in the department of love today. Pursue creative projects in social environments. The more time you spend with others, the more fulfilled you'll be by sundown. CANCER(June21–July22) Stay busy today. Keep your mind occupied with basic tasks that need doing. You can accomplish a lot by multitasking, writing down a plan, and sticking to it. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You're at an emotional climax now, Leo. Things are coming to a critical point. Little issues in your relationships that you've ignored are coming back to haunt you. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You may feel confused, Virgo. If so, take a breath and slow down. Being frantic will only run you in circles. Your heart and mind are buzzing in all directions, so try to settle down. Don't feel like you need to come up with any particular solutions.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) There is power behind your heart, and you might come across more forcefully than usual in the love and romance department. This is a good day to make a bold move toward someone. CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) You might feel like your heart requires a bit more attention than usual. There could be a close loved one who is even needier than you. Either way, this situation is going to cause tension in an important relationship. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Things go well in your love life today, Aquarius, but only if you let them happen. You must first open your arms to give and receive. If your arms are full of laundry, it will be harder for people to hug you. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Spend time with someone you love today, Pisces, but keep things light and easy. Don't go too deep, and don't expect others to necessarily feel the things you feel.
BBCsport - American sprinter Christian Coleman is under investigation over concerns he may have missed three drugs tests, BBC Sport has been told. If found guilty he would face an automatic one-year ban and would miss the World Championships in Qatar and the Olympic Games in Tokyo next year. He is alleged to have had three possible failures under the ‘whereabouts’ system in the last year. Coleman is understood to be contesting at least one of those cases. Neither athletics’ governing body the IAAF, the World Anti-Doping Agency, the US Anti-Doping Agency nor the
Athletics Integrity Unit has commented on the situation, which was first reported in the Daily Mail. BBC Sport has approached Coleman for comment. Coleman won the US National Championships last month in a time of 9.99 seconds, having already set the fastest time of the year so far - 9.81secs in the Diamond League meeting at Stanford, California in June. The 23-year-old won the silver medal at the 2017 World Championships in London behind fellow American Justin Gatlin and has a personal best of 9.79secs, making him the seventh fastest man in history. He also set a new world record for the 60m when he claimed gold at the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham last year and was talked about as a new
superstar sprinter in the postUsain Bolt era. However he pulled out of a Diamond League event in Birmingham last Friday. Under the ‘whereabouts’ system, athletes must let officials know where they will be for one hour every day as well as details of overnight accommodation and training. Former Great Britain 400m Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu received a year’s ban in 2006 for three failures under the ‘whereabouts’ system for three missed tests. However, cyclist Lizzie Deignan won a successful appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 2016, which allowed her to compete at the Rio Olympics and prevented a two-year ban after she missed three out-ofcompetition tests in a 12month period. One of those tests was later declared void.
Friday August 23, 2019
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Kaieteur News
Karunaratne sparkles for Sri Lanka on rain-hit day ESPNcricinfo - Dimuth Karunaratne led Sri Lanka’s slow but steady progress on a rain-hit first day at the P Sara Oval in Colombo. The Sri Lanka captain blunted the new ball and grew more fluent against the old one, making an unbeaten 49 off 100 balls, on a truncated day that saw only 36.3 overs. This, just three days after he had broken into the top ten in the Test batting rankings. A persistent drizzle had wiped out the entire morning session before returning to delay the start of the final session of the day. Although it relented, fading light resulted in early stumps on the opening day. After Sri Lanka had opted to bat, both Tim Southee and Trent Boult found swing and seam
movement on a grassy t r a c k, but their lengths weren’t full enough. It was offspinner Will Somerville who provided New Zealand with the breakthrough, when he extracted turn and bounce to have Lahiru Thrimanne, the other opener, spooning a catch to short cover for a skittish 2 off 35 balls. Karunaratne, much like Thirimanne, had been uncertain when the ball was pitched up, and threaded the cordon twice when he reached out outside off in the early exchanges. However, when Boult erred short, Karunaratne rose on top of the bounce and crunched him between point and cover for a brace of fours. Karunaratne’s defensive technique was
tighter against Somerville and Ajaz Patel although he faced only eight balls of spin. Somerville’s tussle with Thirimanne was more intriguing as the offspinner challenged both the edges with fuller lengths. Somerville could have had Thirmanne with his third ball when he drew a bottom edge, but wicketkeeper BJ Watling wasn’t quick enough to close his gloves around the ball. Moments after being dropped, Thirimanne cracked under pressure and loosely d rove Somerville to Williamson in the 15th over. Kusal Mendis then played a few lively shots and upset Somerville’s lengths, but he was largely circumspect against the seamers. He contributed 32 to
US Open draw: Serena Williams drawn to play Sharapova in first round Serena Williams will play Maria Sharapova in the first round of the US Open at Flushing Meadows in New York. Britain’s Johanna Konta faces Daria Kasatkina of Russia while Kyle Edmund will play Spain’s Pablo Andujar. Dan Evans faces Adrian Mannarino of France while Cameron Norrie will take on a qualifier. Novak Djokovic begins his title defence against Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena while 2018 women’s champion Naomi Osaka plays Anna Blinkova of Russia. Elsewhere in the men’s draw, Spain’s Rafael Nadal will
play Australian John Millman while 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer will face a qualifier. In the women’s draw, 15-year-old Coco Gauff, who beat Venus Williams on her way to reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon last month, will play Russia’s Anastasia Potapova. Meanwhile, Wimbledon champion Simona Halep will take on a qualifier. Williams and Sharapova have shared 21 matches and a fair bit of animosity over the years, but this is their first meeting since the Australian Open quarter-final of 2016. Williams has had back problems in recent weeks,
while Sharapova has been limited to just six matches since January because of a shoulder injury. Daria Kasatkina is a dangerous first round opponent for Johanna Konta. She is twice a Grand Slam quarter-finalist, but is struggling this year. The British men have decent first round draws, but should they make progress - and then Dominic Thiem could await Kyle Edmund in the third round. Dan Evans and Cameron Norrie, meanwhile, could face the seeded Lucas Pouille and David Goffin in just the second round.
Serena Williams beat Maria Sharapova in straight sets in the 2015 Australian Open final in Melbourne.
a 50-run second-wicket stand with Karunaratne before Colin de Grandhomme landed the ball on the seam and had him nicking off in the posttea session. New Zealand had broken up their three-man spin attack and picked seam-bowling allrounder Colin de Grandhomme in place of Mitchell Santner, who not too long ago was their No.1 spinner. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, recalled a fit-again Dilruwan Perera in place of Akila Dananjaya, who risks suspension after being reported for suspect action for a second time in ten months. Sri Lanka 85 for 2 (Karunaratne 49*, de Grandhomme 1-14) v New Zealand.
Dimuth Karunaratne plays one straight down the ground Getty Images
T20 Qualifier
Rawlins stars as Bermuda see off Cayman Hamilton, Bermuda, CMC – Sussex all-rounder Delray Rawlins’ quick-fire 49 helped guide Bermuda to a sixwicket victory over the Cayman Islands, while Canada edged their North American neighbours United States by four wickets on day three of the week-long quadrangular ICC Twenty20 World Cup Qualifier Americas final on Wednesday. Rawlins, 21, smashed five sixes and a four in his 31-ball knock, adding 70 runs for the fourth wicket with Kamau Leverock (28 not out), who plays for Nottinghamshire Seconds, to take the game away from Cayman, who had earlier subsided from a promising 85 for one to 116 for nine off their 20 overs. After Cayman elected to bat at White Hill Field, Durban-born opener Chad Hauptfleisch hit three fours and a six in his 42, putting on 32 for the first wicket with Sri Lanka-born Sacha De Alwis, who made 19, and adding a further 53 for the second wicket with Darren Cato, who
made, 20. However, the introduction of fifth-change Onias Bascome halted the Caribbean side in their tracks. The medium pacer, later named Man-of-the-Match, claimed four for 10 from three overs while off-break bowler Rodney Rott chipped in with two for 15. Opener bowler George O’Brien returned to claim two wickets in the final over to finish with two for 15. An early wobble left Bermuda – whose team were all born on the island – struggling at six for two, and although Bascome was third out at 36 for 22, Rawlins, who earlier took three catches, was quickly into his stride with a flurry of boundaries before falling one short of his second half-century of the tournament. Alessandro Morris, a 36year-old Jamaican off-break bowler, was the pick of the Cayman attack with two for 17 from four overs. Canada, with a superior run rate, joined Bermuda on five points after squeezing home with five
balls to spare after Steven Taylor (38) and former West Indies batsman Xavier Marshall (22) helped guide the US to 144 for six. A half-century by Man-ofthe-Match Navneet Dhaliwal laid the foundation of Canada’s reply, but they slipped to 112 for six at the start of the 17th over as legbreak bowler Timil Patel made serious inroads with four for 27 from four overs. Guyana-born Dillon Heylinger proved to be Canada’s hero, teaming up with Hamza Tariq (11 not out) to steer Canada home. H e y l i n g e r ’s 11 - b a l l unbeaten 23 including 13 runs off the penultimate over delivered by Cameron G a nnon. Tariq then dispatched Saurabh Netravalkar’s first ball of the final over for four. The top two teams from this week’s tournament will earn places in the final qualifier to be held in the United Araba Emirates later in the year ahead of next year’s 16-team T20 World Cup in Australia.
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Friday August 23, 2019
Kaieteur News
Jofra Archer claims six as Australia are rolled for 179 ESPNcricinfo - Anyone watching his debut at Lord’s was left in little doubt as to what Jofra Archer brings to this England side, but his sixwicket haul rammed the message home all the same as Australia were bowled out for 179 on the opening day of the third Test at Headingley. It was a case of another d a y, a n o t h e r i n t r i g u i n g chapter in this Ashes contest as David Warner found some form and Marnus Labuschagne only in the side because Steven Smith was still suffering the effects of being concussed by Archer - top-scored for Australia for the second time in as many innings. But Archer, playing just his second Test, had the last word, his 6 for 45 putting England on top. Despite rain and bad light forcing a delayed start and long, frustrating stretches without any play at all, there were enough twists and turns amid the action to ensure it was in keeping with the rest of the series so far. England, keen to make t h e m o s t J o e R o o t ’s decision to bowl in overcast conditions upon winning the toss and having already reduced the tourists to 25 for 2, were stymied first by the weather they had hoped would work in their favour and then by the stubborn p a i r i n g o f Wa r n e r a n d Labuschagne. But just as it looked like Warner might dig in after rediscovering some muchneeded form with his first double-figures score of the series and then having a caught-behind decision rightfully overturned, he exited, the first in a flurry
Marnus Labuschagne ©Getty Images of three wickets that had England back in control as Australia slid from 136 for 2 to 139 for 5 in the space of 15 balls. That became 162 for 6 thanks to Root’s deft use of the DRS when Tim Paine was given not out lbw on 11 t o a C h r i s Wo a k e s inswinger, with replays showing the ball hit the knee roll in line and would have taken the top of leg stump. But as in the second Test, when he came in as S m i t h ’s concussion replacement and scored 59, Labuschagne produced another composed innings. After play started 70 minutes late, Archer struck in the fourth over of the match when he had Marcus Harris - in the side for Cameron Bancroft who was dropped after scores of 8, 7, 13 and 16 in the series so far - caught behind for 8. Harris’ disappointment was compounded as the players immediately followed him off the field as the rain returned.
After lunch was taken early, Stuart Broad had Usman Khawaja out just as cheaply early in the second session, caught down the leg side after a confident and ultimately successful review by Root. The England players looked rather dubious when play was halted as light rain began to fall again with Wa r n e r o n 1 8 a n d Labuschagne yet to score and they were even slower to leave when bad light was called 3.1 overs into the resumption. An elongated tea break was followed, however, by a break in the weather, which is forecast to be fine for the coming days. That d i d n o t , h o w e v e r, l i f t England’s mood as they became bogged down in a tenacious partnership b e t w e e n Wa r n e r a n d Labushcagne, which yielded 111 runs. Wa r n e r r e a c h e d h i s half-century off 79 balls with a four off Woakes and booing could be heard as the batsman - still finding
GFF record 245 Pre-Season Transfers
Santos FC registers highest number for Elite Clubs; Record number for RMA’s “This Pre-season window saw more movement of players across Regional Member Association clubs than has been the trend in recent years. If this trend is an indication that Coaches have recognized and acknowledged the deficiencies of their respective clubs, and have therefore sought to improve their club’s performance in those areas on the pitch, then this augurs well for the quality and competitiveness of Guyana’s football going forward,” said GFF’s
President, Wayne Forde, in an invited comment on the last transfer window. The window, which lasted two months from June 1 to July 31, recorded a total of 245 transfers across Guyana and one international transfer across Concacaf Member Associations. Of the local transfers, Elite League club Santos FC received the largest number of transferred players – twenty – during the window. Santos was followed by the non-Elite Club, Moco Moco FC of the Rupununi Football Association, with a
total of 13 transfers, and the Guyana Police Force FC with a total of 12 transfers. Capital FC from the Upper Demerara Football Association followed closely with 10 transfers. Apart from Santos FC and the Guyana Police Force FC, other Elite Clubs recorded transfers as follows: Fruta Conquerors (6), Guyana Defence Force (6), Buxton United (4), Milerock (4), Den Amstel (3), Ann’s Grove (3) and Victoria Kings (2). The next transfer window is scheduled from the 1st – 31st, January, 2020.
his way back into the game following his year-long ball-tampering ban acknowledged the crowd, which also offered warm applause as his wife and two of his three young daughters cheered him on from the stands. Warner was on 61 and mighty swift to call for a review when he was given out caught behind off Broad, with UltraEdge revealing he had not hit the ball. He failed to add to his score, though, before Archer found the edge in the next over with a nearunplayable 90mph ball and Bairstow took the catch. Far from the onslaught of speed and aggression he showed with such devastating effect at Lord’s, Archer bowled in more controlled spells with no damage whatsoever to his figures. He still produced speed when he n e e d e d t o , a s Wa r n e r discovered, and enough bounce to keep the
Jofra Archer appeals for a decision © Getty Images batsmen on their toes. He bowled the most overs with 17.1, having sent down 44 overs of venom in the previous match, which ended just four days ago. Broad, too, caused Australia some problems, answering L a b u c h a g n e ’s fifty celebration with a ball to the groin that took the batsman several minutes to recover from and taking 2 for 32 from his 14 overs, including the dismissal of Travis Head for a duck with a gem of a delivery that crisply struck the top of off stump, the second wicket of Australia’s mini-collapse. Matthew Wa d e followed, also for a duck,
after an Archer delivery struck him on the glove and thigh pad before dropping behind him and rolling gently into the base of leg stump. Labuschagne carried on as Paine, James Pattinson and Pat Cummins fell - the latter two more Archer fodder - before his bizarre dismissal, lbw to a dipping Ben Stokes full toss that he reviewed to find the ball would have smashed into the centre of middle stump. Nathan Lyon was the last man out, and Archer’s sixth wicket, lbw to a full, straight ball that was hitting leg stump and which allowed England to claim the day.
Sebai to host Matarkai for Indigenous Heritage football and cricket qualifiers The Amerindian community of Sebai, located 25 miles from central Port Kaituma will host Matarkai this weekend for the Indigenous Heritage football and cricket qualifiers. The Oronoque females and Five Star male footballers will play Sebai FC at 10:00hrs and 14:00hrs respectively tomorrow while on Sunday the male cricketers from Port Kaituma/Canal Bank will engage Sebai at Sebai Recreational ground. The venue is well prepared to host the matches and the female competition highest goal scorer Sebai’s Invincible Talons FC striker 18 year-old Feona Benjamin will
Feona Benjamin be looking to continue her rich run of form and help her team secure maximum points. Sebai Invincible Talons FC are leading the points table with three from one game while Oronoque FC has one point from one game following a
draw last weekend with PK United FC. In the male division, both Five Star FC and Sebai FC are on three points from two games as both teams lost one game each to 2017 Indigenous Heritage champion, PK United FC who are leading the table with six points. The male cricket competition sponsored by International Imports and Supplies is expected to create much excitement as top players Dexroy Benjamin, Randolph Benjamin, Ray Solomon and Orison Sealy are likely to grace the occasion. The game is scheduled to begin at 12:00hrs.
Friday August 23, 2019
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Kaieteur News
Roach, Gabriel keep India in check as rain frustrates North Sound, Antigua, CMC – Veteran seamer Kemar Roach inspired an incisive West Indies display to leave India rattled and searching for stability on a rain-hit opening day of the first Test here yesterday. Opting to bowl first, West Indies grabbed early wickets through Roach to reduce the visitors to 25 for three before Ajinkya Rahane top-scored with 81 and opener KL Rahul chipped in with 44, to help lift their side to 203 for six at the close. Hanuma Vihari scored 32 and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant was unbeaten on 20 when rain at 4:38 pm forced a premature end to play with 20 overs still remaining. The 31year-old Roach was easily the best bowler on show, ending with three for 34 while newball partner Shannon Gabriel picked up two for 49. Exploiting the early movement in the surface at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Roach bossed the first hour as he went past the outside edge on several occasions before finally being rewarded when he removed right-handers Mayank Agarwal (5) and Cheteshwar Pujara (2) in the fifth over. Agarwal nicked the second ball of the over behind to give wicketkeeper Shai Hope the first of his four catches. The decision was only given, however, after West Indies resorted to DRS. Four balls later, Roach also found Pujara’s outside edge for Hope to take the catch moving to his right. It was Gabriel, however, who got the prized wicket of Virat Kohli for nine, roughing up the Indian captain with a couple of short-pitched deliveries before getting him to steer a short ball to debutant Shamarh Brooks at gully, after three-quarters of an hour’s play.
Ajinkya Rahane plays a pull © Associated Press Rahane then came to h i s s i d e ’s r e s c u e i n a composed innings that lasted 163 balls, just short of four hours and which included 10 fours. More importantly, he anchored two critical half-century stands, putting on 68 for the fourth wicket with Rahul and a further 82 for the fifth with Vihari. The stand with Rahul saw India safely to lunch at 68 for three and they flourished afterwards without dominating as West Indies persisted. Unbeaten on 37 at the interval, Rahul perished nearly an hour after the resumption when he feathered a leg-side catch to Hope off part-time off-spinner Roston Chase, after facing 97 balls in a shade over 2-½ hours at the crease and striking five fours. Vihari, who faced 56 deliveries and struck five
fours, then combined with Rahane to stabilise the innings and they were together when rain forced an early tea at 134 for four. The right-han d e d Rahane reached his 18th half-century in Tests in the third over before the break when he punched ineffective pacer Miguel Cummins to cover for a couple, and pressed on following the resumption with boundaries on either side of the wicket off Chase. Vihari, on 18 at tea, lasted half-hour after the interval before Roach returned to have him caught at the wicket, squared up trying to defend one that swung at 175 for five. And five overs later, Gabriel removed Rahane with the batsman seemingly set for three figures, bowled after chopping on an attempted cut. West Indies are without
Shamarh Brooks, the West Indies A skipper made his Test debut.
first-choice wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich who was ruled out with an ankle injury.
Second annual Bartica Basketball Camp begins today The second annual Bartica Basketball Camp which will bounce off today and end on Sunday was launched yesterday at the Head Office of major sponsor, Grace Kennedy Remittance Services (GKRS) on Water Street, Georgetown. The organisers of the three-day event which will be hosted at the Bartica Community Center Hard Court, Hercules Basketball Academy through their head, Andrew Hercules, explained that the camp will continue to focus on players between the ages of 6-18 years and will be based primarily on the fundamentals of the sport, namely, dribbling, passing, defensive techniques and shooting. During the launch yesterday, it was also revealed that there will also be sessions based on the rules of the game along with scholarship guidance and valuable life skills will also be thought to the youths.
Registration for the camp is free and will see activities getting underway at 15:00hrs and run up to 18:00hrs, today. Meanwhile, during the weekend, there will be two sessions per day. The first will last from 10:00hrs to 12:00hrs while the second will be 13:30hrs to 15:30hrs. Tomorrow and Sunday evening from 19:00hrs, Georgetown based team, Plaisance Guardians will take on the home team, Bartica Wranglers in two friendly matches at the Community Center Hard Court. Tina Gibson of Grace Kennedy posited during the launch that, “It’s our corporate duty to give back and develop the young minds of the next generation, so we are pleased to support the camp.” Hercules noted that in addition to the major sponsorship of GKRS, the camp has also gained the support of the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Banks DIH Limited.
GKRS’ Tina Gibson (left) presents their sponsorship cheque to the Andrew Hercules who will be facilitating the Basketball Camp, Marion Fiedtkou (center) watches on.
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Friday August 23, 2019
Kaieteur News
2019 Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship Qualifying –Group D
Shanic Thornhill brace leads Lady Jags edge host Curacao in opening match Guyana’s fortunes in the realms of female football development continues to yield encouraging results with the Under-17 Lady Jags following on from where their Under-20 counterparts left off in sweeping the Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship, Group A which was hosted here last month. This time, the U17s are on the road and on Wednesday evening last defeated host nation Curacao 2-1 on account of a Shanic Thornhill double to win their opening match of the 2019 Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship Qualifying – Group D, played at the Stadion Ergilio Hato Willemstad, Curacao. Thornhill scored either side of play to ensure Guyana walked away with three points and currently stands second in the group on goal difference after Bahamas defeated St. Vincent & the Grenadines 4-1 in the opening match of the group earlier on Wednesday evening. The young Guyanese took the lead in the 8th minute when Thornhill found the back of the nets and they held that advantage up until the
61st minute when Curacao fired back to level the score. But, not content in having the home team sit level with them, Thornhill rocked the back of the nets in the 74th minute to ensure Guyana retook the lead and eventually win the match. Guyana will be going after their second win this evening when they take on St. Vincent & the Grenadines from 18:00hrs, the main attraction will be between host nation Curacao and the Bahamas. Guyana’s final match will be on Sunday from 17:00hrs against the Bahamas and this encounter can most likely decide the group winner. Guyana’s Starting X1: 1. Deekola Chester (GK), 2. Jenea Knight (C), 3. Hasha Holder, 4. Samara Rodrigues, 5. Samantha Banfield, 6. Alleia Alleyne, 7. Latesha Sutherland, 8. Shamya Daniels, 9. Jalade Trim, 10. Shanic Thornhill, 11. Akasha Low-Koan. In results from other matches, Saint Lucia 2-1 Anguilla, Honduras 12-0 Bonaire, Antigua & Barbuda 2-4 Martinique, Dominica 1-8 Cayman Islands, St. Kitts and Nevis 10-0 U.S. Virgin Islands, Barbados 1-1 Belize.
Guyana’s starting X1 against Curacao.
GFF/NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power U-17 League – ECPFA Leg
Henrietta United hammer FC Castle; play continues today Dartmouth Dominators Football Club will come up against Good Hope Football Club from 15:00hrs on Friday at the New Opportunity Corp Ground as competition in the Essequibo Coast/ Pomeroon leg of the GFF/ NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power U-17 League continues. In the latest match, contested yesterday at the same venue, Henrietta United waltzed to a huge 11-2 triumph over FC Castle led by a helmet-trick and hat-trick from Alderon Austin and Ezekiel Scott. Austin hit the network in the 18th, 74th, 77th and 84th minute while Scott was on target in the 3rd, 5th and 6th minute. Tareak Johnson netted a double (12th, 88th) while there was one apiece for Emmanuel
Smith in the 11th and Shawn Norton in the 36th minute. Converting FC Castle’s consolation goals were Griffith Ronaldo in the 7th minute and Eloyd Miguel in the 58th minute. East Bank Football Association Leg Play in the East Bank Football Association leg will continue tomorrow at the
Timehri Red Ground with three matches. Timehri Panthers ‘B’ will open action from 10:00hrs against Soesdyke Falcons. Next up will be Herstelling Raiders and Friendship All Stars from 12:00hrs with the final encounter of the day from 14:00hrs between Samatta Point/Kaneville and Timehri Panthers ‘A’.
Shawn Norton (left), Tareak Johnson, Ezekiel Scott. Emmanuel Smith and Aldreon Austin (stooping) - Henrietta United FC.
Milerock, Eagles, Botofago & Amelia’s Ward to clash in today’s Semis The Wisburg Secondary School Ground is the venue for today’s semi finals of the GFF/NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power U-17 League being contested in the Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA). Defending champions Milerock and last year ’s runner-up, Botafago can likely meet again as they take on different opponents today. Milerock are slated to clash with Eagles United in the first
semi from 14:00hrs while Botafago will oppose Amelia’s Ward United. Eagles United and Amelia’s Ward United copped their places in the semifinals by identical wins on Wednesday. Amelia’s Ward United came away with victory compliments of a goal in the 23rd minute by Shadrack McKenzie for their 1-0 win over Topp XX while Eagles United eliminated Hi Stars when the goal of that
game was registered by Omar Duke in the 58th minute. In charting their way, Botafago downed Coomacka 4-2 behind goals from Karden Samuels (11th), Adrian Samuels (23rd), Tyreese David (41st) and Kareem Bizzeth in the 60th minute as the scorers for Coomacka were Javante Lewis who netted in the 57thminute and Jose Adams, one minute later. Milerock also won their match via a 4-2 score line.
Friday August 23, 2019
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Kaieteur News
2019 Senior CASA Squash Tourney
Guyana’s Men sweep T&T; Women beat Cayman Islands 5-0
Nicolette Fernandes (left) plays one off the wall against Mearlene West. By Sean Devers The sun produced steaming heat on the outside in the City yesterday during the morning session of day five of the team Event of the 2019 Senior CASA Championships at the Georgetown Club and both Guyana’s men and women’s teams were just as fiery on the Squash Court. The evening session usually attracts a larger crowd which provides a fantastic atmosphere with the Tassa drummers in attendance but Guyana compensated for that when an exciting exhibition of high quality Squash. The Men’s team blanked Trinidad & Tobago 5-0 and only lost three games with the Guyanese Women beating the Cayman Islands by a similar margin; losing just one game. The men began yesterday on the back of a 41 win on Wednesday over the British Virgin Islands (BVI) and continued their dominance over the ‘Fellas’ from the Twin Island Republic. The most intense battle was between Richard Chin who turns 50 on the 11th of next month and Chayse Mc Quan, who practices with him in New York. Chin, who began
his career in the inaugural Junior CASA held in St. Vincent in 1981; winning his first junior Caribbean title as a diminutive 11-year-old, by beating the Paul Cyrus in the Boys U14 category, seemed on course for an easy win after losing in the semis on Tuesday night. After comprehensive 114, 11-4 wins in the first two games, Chin, who dominated Junior Squash in the 1980s, winning seven titles between 1980-’88 was on course for 30 win. However, the much younger Mc Quan, orchestrated remarkable fight back and pushed the experienced Chin, who first played at this level in 1984 in St Vincent. The Trini executed some good drop shots and quickly got into place for retrievals to win the third game 11-8. With his adrenaline pumping the Trini again pressured Chin, who won his last senior Caribbean Title in 2010 at age 41 and an after a grueling game, Mc Quan won 11-8. The contest was a fivegame match but Chin summoned his vast experience to close off the decider 11-8 to take the match. National Champion Jason
Number one Richard Chin won very competitive match against T&T’s Chayse McQuan yesterday.
Ashley DeGroot (left) beat Emma Turnbull. Ray Khalil eased his way to a 11-4, 11-6, 11-9 win over Brandon de Montrichard, Caribbean U-17 Champion Shomari Wiltshire beat Justin Sanguinette 11-4, 11-5, 11-4. Kristian Jeffery defeated Luc Davis 11-2, 11-5, 11-4 before Deje Dais completed the sweep with a hard fought four game win over Zachary Loquan. Dais, who won by default in his match against the BVI, rebounded from a first game loss to win 9-11, 115,11-5,11-8. The Women’s matches, which commenced at noon, saw a riveting battle when 36year-old Nicolette Fernandes
just off her sixth Caribbean title on Tuesday when she defeated the Caribbean number one ranked 17-yearold Meagan Best of Barbados and the 48-year-old former three times Caribbean Champion Marlene West. The contest was an epic one for Nicolette, in her first Caribbean Tournament in six years as both players had a wealth of experience and great game awareness. At 36, Nicolette’s skill, charisma, fitness level and competitiveness make her a great advertisement for Caribbean Squash. Both players seemed to be
15-year-old Shomari Wiltshire beat Justin Sanguinette of T&T yesterday. enjoying the contest and Nicolette dived full length and on her stomach to keep a drop shot in play and she quickly got up as West hit the ball off just out of the reach of the feisty Nicolette, her infectious smile was as broad as the Essequibo River, Guyana biggest River. Nicolette took an 11-3 win in the opening game before the skilful lady from the Cayman Islands, registered crucial points with some well executed drives and impeccable cross Court shots before she lost 9-11. West took the third game 11-9 and Nicolette, who seemed in a
very good mood, jokingly threw her Raquette to the ground. Nicolette won the fourth game 11-4 to take the match. In the other matches, Mary Fung-a-Fat beat Jade Pitcairn 11-7, 11-6, 11-3 while Taylor Fernandes defeated Eillidh Bridgeman 11-2, 11-7, 12-10. Larrissa Wiltshire got the better of Lara Conolly 117, 11-5,11-3 after which Ashely Degroot capped a perfect day at the office for the Guyanese Ladies when she beat Emma Turbull 11-7, 11-5, 11-6. Guyana’s Men got a walk over from the Cayman Islands in their evening game.
CAREBACO Open International 2019
Guyanese players holding their own After a successful Junior Under-19 campaign with Guyana winning 3-gold and two bronze medals, the Guyanese Team of Narayan Ramdhani, Priyanna Ramdhani, Jonathan Mangra, Tyrese Jeffrey and Akili Haynes turned focus to the Carebaco Open International which served off on Tuesday last at the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium in Barbados. Although this tournament is if a higher standard as players from around the world are playing for Olympic Qualifying points, the Guyanese players are trying their utmost to stand up to these world class players and try to get as much points as possible to improve their ranking points to get into the Olympics. Twenty-three (23) countries with 70 athletes are competing, they are the Czech
Republic, Germany, Panama, USA, Canada, Italy, Luxembourg, Wales, Poland, Finland, Iceland, Slovakia, Suriname, Haiti, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, Jamaica, England, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Barbados, and Mongolia. Reaching the quarterfinals/round of 8 in the championship are: Narayan Ramdhani and Priyanna Ramdhani in the Mixed Doubles; Jonathan Mangra and Kathrine Winter of Jamaica in Mixed Doubles; Narayan Ramdhani and Jonathan Mangra in Men’s Doubles and Priyanna Ramdhani and Sabrina Scott of Barbados in the Ladies Doubles. Following are the results of the matches played to date: Day 1 results (Tuesday 20, 2019) Men Singles Qualification Rounds: Tyrese Jeffrey defeated
Raval Jaggessar of Trinidad: 22-20, 16-21, 21-17 Akili Haynes defeated Aslam Bhikha of Barbados: 21-8, 21-14 Day-2 results main draw (Wednesday 21, 2019): Men’s Singles Round 1: Akili Haynes lost to Vinson Chiu of USA: 21-8, 218 Tyrese Jeffrey lost to Samuel O’Brian Ricketts of Jamaica: 21-4, 21-6 Jonathan Mangra lost to Sam Parsons of England: 215, 21-12 Narayan Ramdhani gained a Walk-Over: 21-0, 210 Mens Singles Round 2: Narayan Ramdhani lost to Milan Dratva of Slovakia: 2113, 21-6 Ladies Singles Round 1: Priyanna Ramdhani defeated Tishelle George of Trinidad: 21-3, 21-1 Ladies Singles Round 2:
Priyanna Ramdhani lost to Haramara Gaitan of Mexico: 21-15, 21-13 Men Doubles Round 1: Tyrese Jeffrey & Akili Haynes lost to Francisco Hau Liu & Kyle Alexander Munoz Seixas of Panama: 21-23, 2220, 21-19 Narayan Ramdhani & Jonathan Mangra defeated Shae Michael Martin & Gavin Robinson of Barbados: 21-12, 21-10 Mix Doubles Round 2: Guyana Players got Byes in Round-1 Narayan Ramdhani & Priyanna Ramdhani defeated Cory Fanus & Monyata Riviera of Barbados: 21-12, 1821, 21-14 Jonathan Mangra (GUY) &Katherine Winter (JAM) defeated Amir Mahabir & Meera Mahabir of Trinidad: 21-13, 21-5. The tournament continued last evening with quarter-final matches.
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Friday August 23, 2019
Kaieteur News
Fourth Petra/Limacol Football Tournament Launched
NSC pumps $3.6M into GAPLF’s participation at FESUPO/NAPF Pan AM and SA C/ship
Petra’s Mark Alleyne (center) receives the sponsorship cheque from Zulfikar Ali of New GPC in the presence of other Petra and New GPC representatives. The Petra Organisation and corporate partner New Guyana Pharmaceutical Company (GPC) officially launched the 4th Annual Limacol Football Championship, yesterday at the Ministry of Education (MOE) ground, Carifesta Avenue. A total of $750,000 in prize money is up for grab in the tournament that will feature 12 teams matching skills in a round-robin/knockout format with initial play scheduled to commence on August 31st with the grand finale projected for late September.
Troy Mendonca, CoDirector of the Petra Organisation thanked New GPC for their continued support of the competition, adding that the event will give the local football a timely boost. Meanwhile, Company Secretary of New GPC, Zulfikar Ali, during brief remarks, stated that his company is proud to be associated with the tournament. The tournament will feature teams predominantly from the Georgetown Football Association (GFA),
numbering eight while two will come from the East Bank and one team each from West Demerara and East Coast. The teams are Pele FC, Riddim Squad, Camptown, Black Pearl, Beacons, Northern Rangers, Pouderoyen, Grove Hi-Tech, Buxton Stars and Mahaica Determinators. GT Panthers and Eastveldt will engage in a playoff to for the 12th and final spot in the tournament. A new champion will be crowned since 2018 Champions Police FC will not a part of the action this year. This year’s champions will pocket $400,000 while the runners-up will walk away with $200,000. The winner of the third place playoff will receive $100,000 and the fourth place finishers will enjoy $50,000. The twelve teams will be divided into three groups of four with the top two in each group and the two best third place team advances to the quarter final round.
GAPLF Treasurer Colin Austin accepts the cheque from DOS Christopher Jones in the presence of Ed Caesar (left) and PRO Runita White. The National Sports Commission (NSC) yesterday handed over a cheque worth $3.6 million to the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) to aid in their participation at next month’s NAPF Pan American Powerlifting and FESUPO South American Classic Powerlifting Championship. Director of Sport Christopher Jones presented the cheque to Treasurer of the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation, Colin Austin in the presence of President Ed Caesar at the NSC office, Homestretch Avenue. Also attending was Public Relations Officer and athlete, Runita White. Jones encouraged the athletes to put their best foot forward in their quest to medal and wished them well. He also stated that the powerlifters have traditionally done the nation proud on the international platform and the
government is happy to play a role in their success. Caesar said they are happy for the support and expressed gratitude to Jones for his input. The athletes that will represent Guyana are, Franklyn Brisport, Noel Cummings, Lisa Oudit, Natoya Robinson, Nairanjan Singh, Nadina Taharally, Frank Tucker, Runita White and Bjorn Williams. The officials are Colin Andrews, Erwyn Smith and Gordon Spencer while the Team Physiotherapist is Kathleen Paul. The team will depart on September 15th and return on September 23rd and 24th, respectively. Guyana won medals at this competition in 2015 in Sao Paulo, Brazil and 2017 in Miami, Florida. The championship will be held from September 17-22 at Argentino Hotel in Piriapolis, Uruguay. Meanwhile, the GAPLF
has released the names of the athletes who will be battling this Sunday at the federation’s 2019 Raw National set to take place at the Saint Stanislaus College, Auditorium, Brickdam, Georgetown. Lift off time is 10:00hrs with weigh-in set to start at 08:00hrs and will end at 09:30hrs. Flight ‘A’ athletes are: Shelly Ann Gomes, Davendra Sookdeo, Navindra Tamasar, Romario Gonsalves, Christopher Sookdeo, Jermy Indarjit, Akram Gaffor, Chitra John, Ameera Wajidally, Esther Maycock, Vijai Rahim, Timothy Bagla, Dwayne Welch, Jamal Bently. Flight ‘B’ - Roger Rogers, Arjun Roopnarine, Donnel Perry, Jeremy Smith, Wazim Mohamed, Matthew Maycock, Farouk Abdool, Hardat Tarson, Ramzam Mohamed, Marlon Wilson, Nigil Phillips, John Edwards.
Friday August 23, 2019
Kaieteur News
GuyanaNRA to host fund raising event on Sunday @ YMCA With the West Indies Fullbore Shooting Championships set to shoot off in Trinidad and Tobago in October this year, the Guyana National Rifle Association has been seeking all avenues to raise funds to offset their participation at this event which the national has dominated for years. To this end, the association would be
hosting a fund raising bar-b-que this Sunday at the YMCA, Thomas Lands between 12:00hrs and 17:00hrs. The main sponsors for this event are Bounty Farms, Industrial Safety Supplies Inc., and INFAB. Tickets are available from any member of the GuyanaNRA Executive and Fullbore shooters.
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2019 Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship Qualifying –Group D
Shanic Thornhill brace leads Lady Jags edge host Curacao t r o p S in opening match
Shanic Thornhill
Roach, Gabriel keep India in check as rain frustrates
Roach and his Captain celebrates another wicket.
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