Kaieteur News
PAGE 04
Wednesday August 28, 2019
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
Barricades around the City jail: What message is being sent?
I
t’s still over there two years later in the middle of town. Isn’t it past the time when that jail in Georgetown should be gone? And if not wholly, then security significantly improved through better utilisation of the new city surveillance system? In that way, those hypertension-inducing barricades (and more) could be gone. What message is being sent? Are the authorities really ‘on top of things’, as they would like us to believe? The conscious among us would disagree. The area surrounding the jail is a traffic stroke: twitchy and unstable. In this very well-travelled area of the capital, there is this great inconvenience with all the closed sections of the surrounding streets. Why? And why now with the much-touted optical system in action? To the bewilderment of citizens, there is this cheering about the newly unveiled, expensive state-of-the-art surveillance system city-wide, but the jail and its environs are not a major focal point. Why is this not so at this very sensitive and, shall we say, very concerning, jail structure? That is the overarching question. Now for some additional questions for the authorities. Question #1: In addition to the cameras already around the facility, why not place/position four of the high-definition, high-resolution cameras at the four corners (or the optimum vantage points available) around the jail, and have your people monitor them 24/7? This would allow freeing up of the various arteries in that section of South Georgetown - the congested Smyth Street at rush hour comes to mind, with workers heading home, and with its milling, swarming congregations of young children. Question #2: Why not place another (a fifth camera) on an elevated structure (mini-tower) in the centre of the compound, which could essentially serve as a permanent drone? This would also be manned around the clock and bring another layer of comfort that unblinking eyes are in the right places. Question #3: Why not seek permission to use the roof of the NIS building to locate still another electronic eye? This will not only give ever wider scope in terms of surveillance, but would also give NIS management, staff, security personnel, and citizens with business to transact at the Scheme, even greater comfort. It could serve as an added intelligence source. Question #4: With the surroundings so heavily fortified, is not the wrong message being sent: that you cannot control the criminal element(s), other than through the limitations of human presence and steel cordons? It would be surprising if there is not a covert element that provides another layer of surveillance overseeing the prison. In view of the manpower shortage in the security sector, this would help to release some human resources, by rearranging parts of the coverage of the new surveillance system to focus intensely on the Georgetown Prison. Barricades can go. Questions #5 & 6: If the fear is persons throwing dangerous items into the compound or the possibility of a jailbreak or drive-by shooting, wouldn’t an increased camera presence give pause to intended wrongdoers? Would you not have a reliable ‘source’ to follow, if anyone should try the unthinkable? To repeat the obvious: sounds like a plan, a commonsense one. Question #7: Are there any cameras directly overlooking the main entrance? This is recommended.
Editor’s Note; If your sent letter was not published and you felt its contents were valid and devoid of libel or personal attacks, please contact us by phone or email.
This is one poll too many, too obvious, too unnecessary DEAR EDITOR, I am perplexed about that poll making the media rounds. Was it really needed? What purpose served? What difference does it make? Still, it is there and a few words (few only) are spared in recognition of its existence. First, was it really needed? Speaking for myself only, it restated the boring, and confirmed far and wide, what just about every Guyanese knew, believed, and harboured in his or her bosom. So much has been said about the demerits of the candidate that scorched earth will not be revisited. Pointless. Settled territory, since there is little genuine dispute about the lack of either persuasive power, or good feeling, or standing, about the candidate. A few letter captions were noticed in passing, which trumpeted that this candidate could be the best thing for Guyana, since the proven discovery of oil. There is widespread doubt, if not laughter, over the source and objectives of what amounts to the surreal.
Sounds like spitting into the teeth of a hurricane to me. Regardless, this much is appreciated. Opposition voters from every nook and cranny had and still have serious trouble considering the viability of the one championed as God’s gift to Guyana. Even those who worship the same God have serious reservations about limitations through numerous objections. Of course, since this was a palpably distinguishing democratic exercise, then it stands: the party representatives of the faithful people have spoken. Yes, they have; only that a careful listening comes up with gurgles, static, and what sounds suspiciously like curses. No man should be subjected to this kind of exposure and insult and the objectionable from the hands of his own people. And, by the same token, no man should have allowed himself to be put in that position where he would be open to the worst possible ridicule and humiliations. Therefore, in a nutshell, this country should have
Question#8: Are there any cameras in the section that family members/close relatives/visitors and prison officials traverse, given the numerous illicit items that enter the facility? This would seem to be an automatic consideration for concentrated electronic attention. Puts people on alert. Makes them wonder what else is there… Makes them think twice. Makes attendant staff a bit more careful and conscientious about their duties. This layered scrutiny could go far to ease the anxieties and fears of all concerned: and not only nearby residents and dedicated prison personnel, but also citizens wherever they may be. After all, escapees could end up anywhere and menace anyone. In Guyana, the prisons, like the national borders, have earned a deserved reputation for porousness: they leak people and trouble. There is dread that with all the contraband traffic, tools are accumulated and could be put to work. The jail threatens families and community: Nowhere to go should escapists succeed. Come to think of it, residents and wheeled passersby can’t go anywhere in a straight line along the regular ways. Travellers are forced to go around those steel barricades that have become abominations. There are disappointments over the inconveniences of them all: D’Urban Street, John Street, Bent Street, and Camp Street. The overflows regularly backup Smyth and Norton Streets, in particular. Residents manifest mounting impatience at being unable to access something as basic as one’s home. The affected include the business places and businesspeople put out of place and pocket. Loss of income, loss of services, loss of sense of self, loss of the timeworn familiar. It is ironic that in a place with so much space, the only place for a prison still is Georgetown. A project is underway. But nobody is listening now: taking too long. The Camp Street facility must be an overnight holding area; a temporary shelter for misdemeanour violators only. We believe that the new surveillance system should be put to work at the jail in a manner that would free up the surrounding streets, as they once were. The barricades (and unnecessary bottlenecks) can go, and security will likely be enhanced.
been spared this poll. It has enough on its plate already; the sitting Chief Justice (acting no less) was moved to the pain of disclosure on the repetitive, complex legal framework surrounding the local electoral system. I applaud her honesty, since the thing was intended to be Machiavellian, and for that very reason has found favour with lawyers and politicians. As Exhibit Number 1, I tender her lengthy acting stewardship. Also, there is turmoil over a date and the brokerage of the torturechamber-aging of GECOM’s Chair. Indeed, if the forced apprenticeship of the job, as well as the character hazards of being suspected as to motives, truth, and justice. These are only two of the things that intrigue the nation currently, not the old news and infuriating reminder of the candidate and his good self. It is a poll best left undone. Now, for the second question, what purpose served? I think it is twofold (maybe more). For starters, it is a stark message to leadership and opposition brain trust that the selection and direction taken is a losing hand with a loser’s odds; that there is still time (is there, really?) to change horses in midstream and race ahead with a more pedigreed presidential offering to the faithful. The two substitute twelfth men are known, would be welcomed, and followed all the way to the voting booth, if only to unseat the incumbents. In other words, the dissatisfactions voiced over the present man arranged by the headman could be overcome and the victory celebrations begin. Now I have a problem. Since when does the candidate matter or the issues or character or history? As I said, long ago when this candidate was first unveiled before a stunned opposition congregation, a cup could be tied to the tail of a dinosaur (think crocodile or cockroach; I kept things impersonal and scientific) and their voters would put blindfold on, drag themselves over nails, and deliver heart and soul (their votes) for the favourite son. Favourite as forwarded and forced upon the helpless. They would respond accordingly. Forget all this nonsense about the fence sitters and the undecided.
Who are they and where are they? When did they ever exist, and especially now with all the bitterness stoked? As a quick aside, that is why, it should be observed; I have not questioned nor commented about the poll itself: its methodology, its supporting facts and figures, and the rest. Immaterial and irrelevant to me. But back to the same second question. I found interesting that not-so-subtle urging for the government, struggling with its own dissensions from conscientious supporters (who think it fooled and failed), to take the plunge and get ahead of the competition through an earlier rather than a later election. Like I said, very interesting. That means if the government heeds such a recommendation, it would be sacrificing some voter eligibility that favours its cause. Intriguing, it is. Even more so, when that clashes with my own views that the opposition ranks, never less than fully committed (quarrels and distaste and all) to delivering their precious franchise would sense a rare opening, compliments of government, to seize the upper hand. That is, the believed superior numerical hand presented by early elections, and as embedded in the list. I must say the Machiavelli present in me like this development. Slick and sophisticated, I sense. Then again, not so. Last, for the third question: what difference does it (this poll) make? I submit: none. Some government people are disappointed and disillusioned, but they are going nowhere but to the polls. That’s a given and done deal. Opposition people all over are outraged and the rest about thecandidate, but they are more outraged at the government. They are going out in their numbers on the big day for the big result and the big return. Across the Guyanese electoral spectrum, that is the dream and drive. I think the media could have been more selective and let sleeping dogs lie. This is one poll too many, too obvious, too unnecessary. Democracy can be a dog. Sincerely, GHK Lall
Wednesday August 28, 2019
POLITICS AND MORALITY DEAR EDITOR, Without doubt one of the most important professions in the world is politics. More than any other sphere of activity, it influences peoples’ lives in a profound way. It is the profession that pulls together all others for the purpose of development of a community or country. It is, therefore, a very noble endeavour. Yet few other professions have been more ridiculed than politics. Any bad action by a person is often described as that person acting like a politician. It is not unusual to hear people saying that ‘politics is a dirty game’, or being called very unflattering names, example, scamp, corrupt, etc. This has come about because far too many politicians make promises that they had no intention of keeping, or some behave in such a way that one can get the impression that the masses of people are there to serve those in power, and not vice versa. Far too many become corrupt with only one purpose, that is, personal aggrandizement. They also abuse power and authority and take advantage on the poor. Yet politics remains very important in people’s lives. Like all other professions, you have decent, principled and upright politicians and you have the power hungry, corrupt and unprincipled elements as well. The sad reality is that there are far too little of the former and much too much of the latter. One would have let
things ride at that had it not been for the devastating effect that immoral politics have on the lives of people in any society. We in Guyana have both these groups in our body politic. When the most corrupt grab power, they do tremendous harm to every aspect of life. We have had experiences with immoral politics and we know the c o n s e q u e n c e s . Unfortunately, the immorality of the past continues to guide those in power today. In the last elections campaign, the APNU+AFC made many promises that they had absolutely no intention of keeping. A few examples of this...The two parties promised sugar workers a twenty percent increase in wages and salaries. Public servants were also given rosy promises of sizeable increases. Rice farmers were told that they would get nine thousand dollars a bag for their paddy. Amerindians were promised jobs and lands. We were told that the VAT would have been reduced to single digit number. None of their ‘promises’ were made with the intention of keeping them. It was done to deliberately fool the people to dishonestly obtaining their votes.The APNU+AFC regime is now doing everything, including trampling on our laws and constitution to perpetuate themselves in power. In doing so, they are destroying the independence of our institutions and making a mockery of the law.
PAGE 5
Kaieteur News
Our courts are in grave danger of being taken over by the PNC led APNU+AFC regime. The latest outrage was the ruling of the Court of Appeal on the validity of the No Confidence Motion. The disdain with which the CCJ overturned that decision by the Guyana Court of Appeal says quite a lot. It implies that that decision was not based on law, logic nor arithmetic. While that is the latest, there are many other cases that are not being called, heard or not making decisions, the Elections Petition Case challenging the result of the 2015 elections is a good example, it is yet to be heard. In every democratic society, those types of cases are given priority. In the same year, 2015, Kenya and Trinidad had elections that were challenged in the Courts. Those elections were held after ours, yet the cases in the two countries have been heard and ruled on. In the case of Kenya, the court upheld the case brought by the opposition and ordered fresh elections. That was also concluded. Yet to date Guyana’s case is still not even called. In the meantime, it is being overtaken by other political developments. This is a serious body blow to our democracy and an indication of where we are going.There are other constitutional cases already heard but years after no decision is handed down by the judges.This, by the way (Continued on page 6)
I condemn all victimisation DEAR EDITOR, One Rudolph Singh penned a question: “Was Bisram in Hibernation during PPP rule?” (KN Aug. 25) relating to my missive on political victimisation in Guyana. He accuses me of being affiliated with PPP and writing scores of articles in support of that party. He misunderstood my missive. Apparently, Rudolph does not read or comprehend well my many writings. No, I have not been in hibernation. I have been very active on Guyana and the Diaspora affairs since the late 1960s. Since the restoration of the free press in Guyana in 1986, I must have penned some thousands of articles. And prior to that, since 1977, when I arrived in New York for tertiary education I penned hundreds more, some of which were carried in community and student campus newspapers. And of course, I published thousands of articles in the US, Canada, UK, and around the Caribbean from 1977 to now. I do not recall ever promoting or defending the PPP. Only once, I recall, I penned a commentary appealing to the United States (Bush Administration specifically) around 1991 to give Dr. Jagan a chance in free and fair elections. This commentary was carried in the international press. Shortly,
thereafter, President Bush issued a statement calling for free and fair elections. I also wrote to Members of Congress and the Carter Administration explaining they need not worry about PPP’s political ideology; communism had collapsed and PPP had reformed embracing market economics. Members of Congress issued releases calling for free and fair elections. And President Carter visited Guyana. I wrote a few more pieces urging support for Dr. Jagan’s administration and for overseas Guyanese to send material assistance to help Dr. Jagan rebuild the country. I also volunteered my time during school holidays to help with rebuilding in Guyana and in various charitable events. I did condemn the violence unleashed on people on account of their race and political affiliation in 1997 and after that. If those memos, articles, and activism can be equated as support for the PPP, I plead guilty. Everyone who knows me (even a little) would know about my commitment to Guyana and non-partisanship. It is for this reason that I have consistently advocated for power sharing among all political parties and ethnic groups. No one group or party can or should rule Guyana. I
don’t think PPP or PNC has fully endorsed power sharing. Therefore, it is not possible for me to support PPP or any other party unless they agree to share power among all parties and ethnic groups. I support democracy and all parties (PPP, PNC, WPA, ROAR, etc.) benefit from my struggle. Rudolph wrote that Bisram did not shed a tear for Freddie and others who may have been victimised. If I did not care, then would I condemn victimisation? Rudolph has not read well. The record would show in the media that I penned several pieces condemning attacks on Freddie and the termination of his contract at UG. There were also my pieces opposing lawsuits against Freddie. It was only Joey Jagan and I who publicly urged KN to restore his columns after they were reduced about a decade ago. I also condemned the victimisation of the media, withdrawal of ads, etc. These are penned in the press. I condemn all forms of victimisation against whoever or whatever – businesses, professionals, countries, parties, and individuals regardless of status. People must be free to express their political views and to engage in political activities without fear of (Continued on page 6)
PAGE 6
Kaieteur News
Wednesday August 28, 2019
Let’s use this pre-election period to forge a sense of nationhood, regardless of party affiliation DEAR EDITOR, Having had the good fortune of being involved in Sports, Academia, Business and Politics as a Guyanese; be it in the community where I reside, the business I manage, giving solicited or unsolicited advice to politicians; it seems to me that it is time for us to now look directly at the sunlight and cast off the Guyanese shadows of race identification that have tormented and divided Guyana for over sixty years. We have to enable and embrace a culture, especially at the political, business and governmental level that deemphasizes the use of such terms as African-Guyanese, Indian-Guyanese, Portuguese-Guyanese, ChineseGuyanese and similarly the use of black, brown, red, white and yellow to identify Guyanese in different ways. Referring to Guyanese in a hyphenated or race-labelling manner, should not be the primary means of communication on our population demographics; we can instead convey the information using inclusive language, with the tone and prosody of what is being emphasized. The use by
Guyanese of self-hyphenation and race-labelling tends to create racist and other destructive divisions amongst our people. A disturbing visual and widespread occurrence resulting from the partial consequence of this racialization and destructive practice is cornerstoned often times in segregated local employment practices in governmental organizations and private businesses. Some of our leading private sector institutions present this social malady, and to a lesser extent this perversion occurs far too frequently in the public sector. Having studied the evolution of two great leaders, namely Malcolm X and Walter Rodney; and having seen their transformation to believing in integrated, multiethnic, multicultural, and multiracial societies and nations, I will let their progressive wisdom guide me. The following quote is an extract from Malcolm X’s last speech in Detroit on February 14, 1965: “I am not racist in any form whatsoever; I don’t believe in any form of racism, I don’t believe in any form of Discrimination or Seg-
regation”. Similarly, we have Walter Rodney concluding the following in a 1978 lecture: “… It seems to me that we are in a position to illustrate and to illustrate not just from the distant past, but the recent history of Guyana that race is an aberration viewed from a working class point of view, that it is maintained deliberately by classes whose interest contradicts with the interest of the working class…”. Tackling problems of poverty, housing, education, security and unemployment, should be done without the use of race labels. We can do so in a nation building manner that advances Guyanaism to unify our country and not instead have a mixture of hyphenated Guyanese hordes that are easily ignited racially by our baser instincts, where these baser instincts are invariably politically instigated. The Guyana system I am advocating for, will not allow for employment, property ownership, social services, financial services, among other systems, services, structures or industries to be determined on a discriminatory basis. Instead, the eco-
POLITICS AND MORALITY From page 5 is breaking the law by judges, since the Ninth National Assembly had passed laws putting time limits to judges for the purpose of giving written decisions when cases are concluded. Many of our judges are ignori ng this law. What an example!It is also sad to observe what is happening at the Guyana Elections Commission. The PNC led regime is destroying that body. It took the CCJ decision to force James Patterson to resign.However, the new Chairperson who is also a judge, seem not to want to enforce the laws of country and ensure that we have free and fair elections. The question is why? The action of GECOM continues to lead to deliberate, delay and the prolonging of the life of a corrupt regime. It has failed to fulfill its constitutional responsibility. The regime is now taking the time given it to engage in massive social bribery. Every day plane loads of goods are now being dispatched to the interior with ‘goodies’ in a desperate attempt at mass bribery. Moreover, the ruling of the CCJ as to the caretaker nature of the regime is totally ignored! The immorality of these
actions are clear. It is setting the lowest standards for our people. This example will fuel corruption into every aspect of our social and economic life. We will not only be confronted by the corruption of the bureaucratic elite but it will seep into every area and the culture of corruption will once more become universal in Guyana. This APNU+AFC regime has learnt nothing from the previous PNC regime that led the country into bankruptcy and infrastructural ruins or maybe it did, but personal power for them, it may be, is more important than country. Despite exertions of good intentions, we would fail. The simple fact is that you cannot achieve lofty goals with dirty hands! Those in public offices, particularly in independent constitutional offices that are tamely allowing abuse of our
people to take place, are as guilty as the PNC elite.Politics must have morality to serve our nation as well. Donald Ramotar Former President
nomic, social and cultural components of Guyanaism will be implemented, using principles and policies that are reflective of demographic parameters in a Guyanese context.We cannot and ought not to ignore or try to wish away our admixture, yet this admixture must never be emphasized above Guyanaism, being Guyanese is what our Political Leaders must herald and proclaim. If great men such as Malcolm X and Walter Rodney in their knowledge morphing, saw the necessity for racial integration and the vital importance of human rights, so must we. The meaning of words expressed and the context in which they are used have consequences, let us aim to use language for positive consequences. It would be remiss of me not to recognize that the political culture of the two major parties needs to be overhauled, needs to be changed, needs to be transformed - to being pro-Guyanese. Over the sixty years I referenced above, we have had two political movements that captured nationally and, in the diaspora, an ethos that we in Guyana need so much. The
political movements built under the umbrellas of The Working People’s Alliance and The Alliance For Change- were destroyed or subsumed by one of the major parties or by both of the two major parties, the destruction occurred in one instant, after the death of Walter Rodney in June of 1980, and the shredding of the Working People’s Alliance continued with actions that followed, over a decade after his death. What became clear with the passage of time is that Guyanaism was not allowed to flourish, because of the actions and conduct of the two major political parties. In 2011 the Alliance For Change, at the height of its better and brighter days, inhaled, inspired and exhaled the spirit of nationhood. The soul of the Alliance For Change was subsequently subsumed and snuffed out after the 2015 General and Regional Elections, thereby losing its Guyanaist identification.My belief is that lasting change from this ruinous race based and race-labelling culture will best be exampled and implemented from within the two major
THE GALL OF IT ALL DEAR EDITOR, Recent letters to the Editor in your medium and some others have demonstrated the thoughts of a peculiar gallimaufry of certain elements in this society who
are hell bent on showing off their stupidity. The President has the sole task of calling elections; the Chair of GECOM has the role of guiding the Commission in making wise decisions
The media entities can be transformed into caretakers of good governance, credibility with all the tenets of good journalism DEAR EDITOR, Permit me a few lines in your newspapers to highlight a most troubling development, which must be called out for what it is, with the hope that what must be a blind spot is corrected. As I perused another newspaper’s Monday, August 26, 2019 edition, I came upon the headline of “Caretaker President in backto-school drive at Liverpool” which I found perplexing. Editor, it is public knowledge that the
I condemn all victimisation From page 5 being victimised. The GRA and GPL and thugs and goons should not be unleashed on people for their activism or free speech. Over half of the Guyanese population lives in “white man” countries. Some of these Guyanese spoke out against wrongs in their places of domicile. The white man does not victimise them for free speech. The authorities in Guyana (regardless of party) should follow suit. People should not be victimised for political engagements or commentaries. Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram
parties.As Senator Barrack Obama said in February of 2008: “Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” Let us use this pre-election period to Guyananize the political culture and forge a sense of nationhood, regardless of party affiliation or party support. We ought not to have rubber stamp politicians in senior office. Terms such as race traitor, house slave, race sell out and other race-based permutations should not be foisted on those who seek to cultivate a Guyana that is inclusive and speaks for all Guyanese. Positive vibrations are what we need in Guyana from our “Grangers” and “Jagdeos”. Our political and business leaders must set the language and tone; it is the honorable thing to do. As Guyanese, we are capable of avoiding the hyphens that cage and separate us. As Guyanese we can be one people in one nation, with a destiny of solidarity. Yours respectfully, Nigel Hinds
Government has acknowledged that it is an “interim administration” given the validity of the no -confidence motion as determined by the Caribbean Court of Justice. The Government has limited its overseas travel and has indicated that it will not pass the national budget nor initiate any controversial project or policy commitment that cannot be changed. The Government has however repeatedly maintained its role to ensure the safety and security of the citizenry and the administration of services of the state. Cde. Editor in our current domestic political situation, the Government has continually communicated and demonstrated that it will ensure credible elections are held in the shortest possible time. The Guyanese people on all sides are interested in an electoral process that is above scrutiny particularly as
we prepare for petroleum and its prospect of significant National Development for all. We can ill afford to be bickering over contested results at such a momentous time - history will be unkind to us should we fail to get it right this time. Editor, this naked display of what can only be deemed as a personal attack on the Head of State must come to an end. Entities responsible for disseminating information to the public especially given our political history must demonstrate some level of reasonable ethics. As our nation approaches General and Regional Elections and makes an informed choice on the course of leadership, it is hoped that entities can transform themselves into the caretakers of good governance, credibility and all the tenets of good journalism. Sincerely, Ryan Maraj
concerning dates for elections. The President and the Commission will act in their own deliberate judgments. The decisions and processes that have to be dealt with by both parties are exclusively theirs. No amount of litigation nor subtle bullying will in any way affect what they do. The noted and named persons who have been trying to force the hands of the previously named parties should better spend their time educating the public on their rights. GECOM has the right to advertise for elections activities. They have the right to quote the law in respect to prosecutions for failing to register. I registered on Saturday last and I am most pleased that they are doing an excellent job in an atmosphere of hostility and indifference.Why did not our Ralph work harder to effect changes to the constitution when he had the chance? Why did not the other litigants lobby harder for constitutional changes? They didn’t because it did not suit their agendas. They have been outwitted and now they go bawling for changes. When we have the chance to do positive things we must embark thereon lest we live to rue the day further on.Remember editor, the PPP lambasted the Burnham (Continued on page 30)
PAGE 7
Kaieteur News
Wednesday August 28, 2019
Union, Rusal battle over pay increase
-bauxite company complains of poor world prices R usal and Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) are at odds, with the latter demanding pay for its members that is equivalent to what Chinese-owned Bosai Minerals is offering. The Russian-owned Rusal, through its subsidiary, Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. (BCGI), has control of the mines in the Berbice River area, Region 10. According to the unions General Secretary, Lincoln Lewis, the negotiations for better pay have been dragging on for a while now. “We are asking for an increase in wages. We have made a proposal and Rusal has given us a counter proposal. We are asking for parity. The workers cannot be paid less than workers at Bosai.”
Rusal is offering 3.5 percent, with one percent already paid. “We have told them no, we are not accepting that. That is far, far away from what Bosai is paying. We went to a conciliation meeting on Monday. Rusal wants to come out of conciliation and back to bilateral talks. We told them no.”According to Lewis, the union has made a written submission to the Labour Department and the two sides are to meet next Tuesday. The union leader disclosed that the matter of pay dates back to 2009. In a letter to the company, the GB&GWU said that it remains unacceptable that its members will continue to be paid less than the industry is offering. “We expect a favourable response to our reasonable proposal. We cannot ignore
the ten (10) years that you have lagged behind. If, however, there is no agreement reached, we will exercise our right to request arbitration. “ On August 20th, Rusal had written Lewis insisting that the global outlook does not look promising, in the near term. Rusal is arguing that aluminum prices dropped since 2008, affecting bauxite. Stressing that Guyana has a lower quality bauxite, Rusal claimed it has experienced
Rusal workers have been complaining about the working conditions in the Kurubuka mines area, Region 10. increasing expenses. Despite this, Rusal boasted in the letter, it continues to invest in Guyana. Rusal has been clashing with workers. In 2009, it fired 50-odd workers for downing tools in protests of working conditions. A few months ago, it was in a standoff with workers over conditions, leading to a month-long stoppage that saw Government intervening.
Union leader, Lincoln Lewis
PAGE 8
Kaieteur News
GNBA to roll out citizens monitoring programme in time for election The Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) is introducing it citizens monitoring programme in a bid to keep broadcasters in check, as Guyana moves closer to an election period. During a stakeholders engagement held at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre at Liliendaal yesterday, GNBAs Communication Specialist, Dr Rovin Deodat underscored the importance of the citizenry in the monitoring of television and radio broadcasters. According to Deodat, citizens often call the authority to lodge complaints over the contents of programmes aired on the radio or television. He disclosed that the programme to be rolled out in September will provide citizens with a more formal avenue to report their concerns with the authority. Dr Deodat informed stakeholders that the GNBA hopes to draw monitors from different age groups, communities and organisations across the country. He said that the primary aim is to help curtail and prevent the broadcast of obscene, lewd, or any language that is distasteful
GNBAs Communication Specialist, Dr Rovin Deodat or incites violence or racism, as the country heads to general and regional elections. Any such behaviour will not be tolerated, the GNBA official warned. Dr Deodat noted that the programme is being implemented with the particular aim of focusing on those broadcasters operating outside of the primary zone, which
mostly encompasses those broadcasters operating out of Georgetown. The GNBA official had previously stated that getting broadcasters to be compliant with the guidelines continues to be a challenge for the authority given the limited human resources to monitor. At forum earlier this year, Deodat asserted that “We monitor fairly thoroughly the primary zone, but we have not been able to put in place monitors for the other zones; and this is in direct response to that. We will have to volunteer monitors in all the regions of Guyana. We are just at the start of setting that framework up. It will cover not only the primary zone but all the other zones as well,” The GNBA Board member had pointed out that balance and fairness in broadcasting, as mandated by the law, is of utmost importance. The GNBA has a monitoring department that tracks the broadcast of its various licensed broadcasters television, radio and cable and monitors their broadcasts to ensure they are in keeping with the Broadcast Act 2011.
Wednesday August 28, 2019
Union boss hospitalised hours after police were to question him PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad CMC – The President of the Public Services Association (PSA) President Watson Duke was hospitalised yesterday, hours after he was brought in by police for questioning over statements he is alleged to have made several months ago. “Shortly after he was taken to the hospital for medical attention, where he is now warded due to concerns expressed by the attending physicians. At this point the police have not provided any specific details for the detention of our president nor has he been charged. “However, the president has been cooperating fully with the police,” PSA first vice – president Ian Murray told a news conference.Duke, who is also the minority leader of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) was brought in for questioning on Monday and Murray said that his detention is an attempt to weaken the trade union movement.“It is passing strange…that the police would take a statement by a trade union leader given the context in which it was made, in defence of workers losing their jobs and interpret it to be be allegedly sedition.
“But that is why we have a DPP, (Director of Public Prosecution) who is well informed of the laws and we trust that the right decision will be made,” he said. The police have not issued any official statement regarding Duke, but opposition legisltor, Dr Roodal Moonilal, speaking at a public meeting of the United National Congress (UNC(), said that the arrest is part of a move to detain religious leaders, and political opponents. “I warn you, watch for arrests of religious leaders, political opponents,” Moonilal said, adding that this was a sign of a totalitarian government. “As I speak to you now, trade union leader and minority leader in the THA Watson Duke is being questioned by the police. Today, tomorrow, he could be charged for making statements.“Understand what is happening here. Persons who make statements about what is happening here, now face persecution on charges of sedition and treason and all type of things. This is the work of dictatorship. I warn you about that tonight,” he added.
Wednesday August 28, 2019
The Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) had little choice but to abort house-tohouse registration. She also was within her authority to have so ordered without a vote by the Commissioners. The Chief Justice had ruled that the names already on the list of electors could not be removed except where provided for in the law - that is, if they are dead or ineligible to be electors,. As such, the Chairperson of GECOM was left with very little choice other than to abort the highly costly house-to-house registration since this would have rendered it irrelevant. An appeal was filed against aspects of the Chief Justice’s decision. But this appeal is not likely to be treated as urgent as the one’s dealing with the no-confidence motion. And in any event, the Chief Justice did rule that house-to-house reg-
istration was constitutional, so the only issue is whether a new database can erase those who were in the existing database and are eligible to be electors. Even if the Court of Appeal finds the grounds of appeal attractive, this does not become a basis for house-tohouse registration, because the Commission can find ways of taking off those who are dead from the list and to prevent votes from being cast in the name of those who have migrated. The Chairperson of GECOM, being a former judge, would have understood very well these issues and would have come to a decision that you did not need house-to-house registration to ensure that those who are off the list are now on the list. As such, she did the right thing by asking that the exercise conclude by August 31, 2019.
A Claims and Objections period is likely now to be launched. APNU+AFC will now have the opportunity to produce the 200,000 errors which it claims that are on the list. In a previous election, the PNCR had tried this gimmick. The party photocopied tracts of the voters’ list and submitted it to GECOM claiming that these persons did not exist or were not supposed to be on the list. It was a sickening attempt at mass disenfranchisement. The decision of the Chairperson now paves the way for elections, possibly by the end of October - that’s if the PNCR does not pull one of its old tricks. But there is an issue which must be addressed also during the Claims and Objections period. More than 350,000 persons were likely to have been registered during house-tohouse registration. And this was done without any moni-
DEM BOYS SEH
Gambling can cause yuh death Dem old people always seh be content wid wha you have. But nuff people don’t listen. Dat is why some does thief and some does gamble. But even when you gamble, you got to understand dat some people don’t like to lose. Just de odda day, a man gamble wid some people he know. And he win so he decide to go home. He never reach because de people who he beat decide dat dem want back dem money. But if dem boys play and dem win, dem does buy some drinks fuh everybody suh de losers don’t feel too bad. But dis man keep he money suh de losers kill him. De courts gon talk. But gambling is
something dat people does warn against. A man use to play horses. When he start, he had a car. De next thing dem boys see him, he was riding a bicycle. When dem ask him wha happen, he tell dem de horses kick him. Dem boys know people who lose dem business. Dem don’t want to call name but dem know a man who mek some money. He set up a nice bar. Now he don’t own nutten. Gamble tek all. Dem know anodda man who win a hotel. Before he stop gambling, he continue and de next thing dem boys know, he lose back de hotel and more. If he wife didn’t hold on to de business, he woulda lose dat too.
PAGE 9
Kaieteur News
People does gamble wid everything. Dem boys remember when people use to go to de Ministry to collect dem teacher pay. De money never use to go to de bank in dem days. A man collect de money and decide to gamble. De people who sit down outside de room only know something was wrong when dem see de man coming out de room and crying. He gamble out de teacher money. Imagine dem teachers in school waiting fuh dem pay and dem can’t get no money. Wha save de day is dat dem same gamble people decide to lend him de money. Talk half and don’t trust people who does gamble.
toring from the Opposition. There is therefore a need to ensure that there was no illegal registration during the house-to-house exercise. One way of dealing with this would be for the Commission to publish a list of all new registrants, including those who have reached 18 years as at the eligibility date. This list should then be subject to verification checks during an extended Claims and Objections period. The funds which are left over from house-to-house registration can be used for
verifying these new registrants. This should go a long way towards satisfying those who had boycotted the house-to-house registration on the assumption that it was illegal and intended to frustrate holding of elections within the three-month period following the decision of the CCJ.The Chairperson acted within her authority to abort house-to-house registration. Such a decision does not require a vote by the Commission. The present house-tohouse registration com-
menced under an instrument issued under the hand of the former Chairperson, so it is was quite in order for it to be also ended by virtue of an instruction from the new Chairperson. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)
PAGE 10
Wednesday August 28, 2019
Kaieteur News
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
Bounty Supermarket, Magistrates Daly and McLennan, and heartless Guyana I am in strong disapproval of the type of magistrates we have serving throughout the territory of Guyana. This columnist’s inflexible opinion is that almost 99 percent of them should not be dispensing justice, because I don’t think they are endowed to do so. I hold emotionally to the viewpoint that Chief Magistrate McLennan should not hold that position. I have done several columns criticising the judgements of these magistrates, and on no occasion have I written a word of approval. I will do so now in relation to Magistrate Leron Daly. Bounty Supermarket on Regent Street had a Venezuelan woman charged
for shoplifting goods worth US$25. Life is so ironic in this wasteland of a country. One of the richest families in the Caribbean that owns the supermarket arrested a poor woman fleeing a horrific breakdown in her country. To remind readers, it is this same family that wants to facilitate a foreign company to build a warehouse to store dangerous chemicals for the petroleum industry on land that the family owns in Ruimveldt. I guess this is life in Guyana, where the heart of people died a long time ago. Laws are not made in cement. Even if she had committed an illegal act, the heart dictates
punishment. She is a woman who fled a country that has broken down. Where was humanity here? Couldn’t this super-rich family recognise her plight and give her a warning? I now will become the devil’s advocate. The woman is an Afro-Venezuelan. If she were a white Briton or white American, would this family have charged her? What do you think? I remember doing a column on the Kitty branch of that supermarket on an incident that was unacceptable (see my piece for Thursday, December 14, 2017 captioned “In Guyana, signs of psychic breakdown are ubiquitous.”). A member of this family read the article
and called me on the phone. The conversation ended on an angry note from my side. She invited me to come to the supermarket for a gift. I remember my words well before I put down the phone, “Lady don’t patronise me.” No one can convince me that if the complainant were a white Guyanese or Portuguese, she would have been so condescending but I let her have my anger. Magistrate Daly did a wonderful thing. She put the unrepresented convicted woman on three weeks of community service. Her task is to be done at the magistrate’s courts. Maybe she could have done it at the colossal chicken farm owned by this company at Timehri, at the back of which is an exclusive private resort, owned by you know who. Those who are reading this could buy something for that poor Venezuelan soul or maybe the family could repent and invite her to eat some chicken at their farm; she was arrested for stealing items among which was chicken. While Daly did a nice
thing on the bench, her colleague McLennan was at it again. She jailed a 19-yearold first offender, Imran Mohamed for 18 months for assaulting and stealing from his employer. The teen was unrepresented. We haven’t heard his side of the story. He was employed by the shopowner and left the job two days before the incident. I don’t know if there was a breakdown in industrial relations and the youth went on a vendetta act. Of course, if an employer exploits you, that is not a reason to return to the workplace, beat up and steal from the employer. He is a first offender and he is a teenager. So what is President Granger going to say about the indiscretions of these judicial officers? He wasn’t deterred by his reaction to a decision of the Chief Justice. He told reporters, her decision is her position and he has his position. So can’t the Head of State say something about those magistrates who are filling up the jail? The most horrific jail rampage occurred during
Frederick Kissoon the presidency of President Granger. The inmates burnt flat down to the ground, the central jail in the capital city. For those who are not familiar with this incident, they should be informed that during the inferno, they took the inmates and housed them across the road in the sports bar of the prison wardens. The prisoners drank every bottle of alcohol and nonalcohol drink, then burned the club down. Finally, we have the Public Security Minister who likes to use the words, “Haul ya ass,” when he gets annoyed with the media. Shouldn’t he tell some incompetent legal people; “Haul ya ass!” (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)
File on Deputy Commissioner Alves reaches Top Cop’s desk The Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) file containing allegations against Deputy Commissioner (Law Enforcement) Lyndon Alves, is reportedly now on the desk of Police Commissioner Leslie James. Kaieteur News understands that because the OPR investigators are junior to Alves in rank, they could not question him about the allegations. This will have to be done by the Commissioner of Police or even President David Granger. A top police official had described the probe as “a very lengthy and intense” investigation.” Some of the allegations that were circulated in the media were addressed. Alves, who was appointed Crime Chief, was sent on leave last June, in the wake of a number of allegations that were made about corruption in Berbice, where he had previously served as Commander. Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, had indicated that Alves would return as Crime Chief if he is cleared. He had also stated that President Granger would make a decision on Alves’ fate if the allegations appear to hold merit. The OPR report is said to contain allegations that were made by police ranks and civilians. They include claims about some ranks being paid to protect criminals, including an alleged plot to kill a policeman who was set to give evidence in a drugs case. There were even allegations that a bandit had made calls to a senior cop, mere hours before the bandit was slain. Reports about ranks providing protection for drug shipments and interfering with investigations were also made. Alves was one of four deputies appointed last year August by President David Granger in keeping with police reforms.
Deputy Commissioner of Law Enforcement Lyndon Alves The reforms were spurred by the findings of an inquiry into an alleged assassination plot against President Granger. The inquiry report recommended sweeping changes to the police force’s leadership. Expressing confidence that the investigation would be conducted in an impartial manner, Ramjattan had noted that the OPR has conducted hundreds of investigation of police ranks over the years.
Wednesday August 28, 2019
Kaieteur News
PAGE 11
PAGE 12
Wednesday August 28, 2019
Kaieteur News
Former Public Health Ministry official sues State for $25M over wrongful dismissal Contending that he was wrongfully dismissed from his post Director of Projects within the Ministry of Public Health, Rudolph Small is
suing the State for in excess of $25M for breach of contract. The lawsuit, which was filed by Attorney-at-law Anil Nandlall on behalf of
Small, listed Attorney General Basil Williams as the Defendant. According to a Statement of Claim (SOC), Small, the
Claimant, is also asking the court to award him special damages in the sum of USD$208,000; aggravated damages; interest, costs, and any such order that the court deems fit. The court document said in 2016, Smith worked with the USA Immigration and Customs Enforcement by virtue of a secondment from the United States Public Health Service. He had attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander, serving as the Field Medical Coordinator for New York City with responsibility for the provision of quality medical and ancillary services to all detainees in custody of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. For that year, his basic pay was USD$71,604 and he received a basic housing allowance and subsistence of USD$56,448 and USD$3, 034 respectively. Therefore, his total income stood at USD$131,095.56. Smith outlined that his qualifications are as follows: A Bachelor of Science (Biology) Degree from Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA which he obtained in the July 1989; a Master’s of Science, Environmental Health, from Hunter College, New York, NY, which he obtained in May 1995; a PostGraduate Diploma, Project Management from the University of Pittsburgh-Katz School of Business, Pittsburgh, PA, which he obtained in July 2002; a Bachelor of Science, Nursing Degree from Dominican College, Orangeburg, NY which he obtained in May 2008, and a Post-Graduate Diploma, Legal Nurse Consultant from the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants, Chicago, IL
which he obtained in May 2014. According to him, in 2016, Minister of Finance Winston Jordan whom he knew long before informed him that there was an available post within the Ministry of Public Health to impact the well-being of Guyanese women and children, and he expressed an interest because he wanted to make a contribution to the land of his birth. “The said Minister of Finance informed the Claimant (Small) that Guyana was in jeopardy of losing one billion, six hundred million Guyana Dollars (G$1.6B) in Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funding for a maternal and child-health improvement programme, and that once the Claimant is interested, the Government of Guyana will nominate the Claimant to the IDB as a person suitable to administer the project,” the Statement of Claim said. The court documents said that Small later received a call from the IDB informing him that he was nominated by the Government of Guyana to serve as Consultant/Project Coordinator for the said project and requested him to submit his Curriculum vitae. It said that Small complied and was subsequently interview by an IDB panel and was offered the consultancy. Small said that he was informed by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health Trevor Thomas that Minister Jordan was urging that he expedite the terms and condition to the IDB contract, but he informed that he would be unable to depart the USA for Guyana for a six months contract. He said that, he was however assured by Thomas that the project was for a
duration of five years and that he would be given a government contract to serve as the Project Director for the life of the project, since the IDB had already approved candidacy as Project Coordinator/Consultant. The Claimant pointed out that he and the Minister of Public Health, Ms. Volda Lawrence, negotiated an addendum to the said contract. According to the Statement of Claim, “After the addendum to the IDB was agreed upon, the Claimant began visiting Guyana, using Paid Time Off (PTO) from his job in the United States, from October 2016 to January 2017. The Claimant was invited to the Office of the Minister of Public Health in January 2017, and was requested to help the Ministry of Health to prepare a project document for a proposed mental health complex, that was being put up for funding by the Islamic Development Bank. The Ministry of Public Health was behind with its submission and required the Claimant’s expertise to expedite the process.” The SOC outlined that the Claimant was also requested to assist with the health project slated for funding by the Indian Government, as well as the Islamic Development Bank Project and that given the ever expanding work assignments, Thomas, Executive Director of the Health Sector Development Unit (HSDU), Dr. Morris Edwards, and him, commenced meeting to formulate a new structure for the HSDU. The Claimant was assigned as the Director of Projects and his contract was Continued on page 27
GECOM rules House-to-House must... (From page 3) views that the decision made by GECOM as the only logical decision that could have been made, there are several misleading positions that were communicated to the Guyanese people via a press a statement issued by GECOM. According to the PPP, the positions seem intent on confusing the Guyanese electorate. First, the Party stressed that the headline of the press statement – ‘Data garnered from House-to-House Registration will be merged with existing National Register of Registrants Database’ – leaves more unanswered questions. The PPP reiterated its view that the planned merger of data from the house-tohouse registration will not improve the quality or ‘credibility’ of the database – rather it will further contaminate the National Register of Registrants and cause further delays in the holding of Elections. “What data exactly is being merged with the National Register of Registrants? Is it the entire 270,000-plus persons that GECOM claimed to have registered, including persons who were re-registered? If it is only the new registrants, why embark on this process,
which will take several months to be completed, when it could easily be done in a Claims and Objections period. Secondly, the GECOM press statement said “based on the ruling of the Chief Justice on 14th August 2019 that House to House Registration is not unlawful and is constitutional, the data garnered from that registration exercise must be merged with the existing National Register of Registrants Database.” “This is an attempt to distort the ruling of the High Court. Nowhere in the ruling of the Chief Justice did she direct any such merger of data garnered from the house-to-house registration with the National Register of Registrants. Thirdly, the GECOM press statement said: “In this regard, the Commission will move to an extensive Claim and Objections Exercise before extracting the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE).” That said, the Party urged that GECOM moves decisively by immediately launching a Claims and Objections exercise, which will allow those who are not on the National Register of Registrants and are eligible, to be properly registered.
Wednesday August 28, 2019
PAGE 13
Kaieteur News
GPA calls for greater respect from those seeking media coverage The Guyana Press Association (GPA) is asking the general public who seek media coverage to offer much more respect to its operatives so that workers can be able to effectively carry out their duties. In a statement, the GPA said, “We have noticed with frequency two types of notices for press coverage that affect how our professionals carry out their duties and in some cases border on disrespect.” According to the Association, persons
seeking coverage of events oftentimes do not notify media houses of their events in a timely manner and notices are sent basically at the last minute, when their conferences and other events were planned well in advance. The GPA also highlighted that media houses are facing a challenge, in which they are struggling with limited resources but at the same time, try to provide coverage of all sectors and stakeholders. While noting an understanding for unplanned
Guyana Prison Service assists widow of rank slain during 2017 riots The Guyana Fire Service has made a modest contribution to the widow of Prison Officer Odinga Wickham, who was slain on July 9, 2017, by disgruntled inmates who also destroyed the Georgetown Prison. A release described Wickham as “a dedicated father and exceptional prison officer, who died defending the service to which he had dedicated his life.” The statement noted that Wickham had a young daughter. “The officers of the Guyana Prison Service, believing that it is important to contribute to the welfare of the child, met with the widow and made a small contribution. The officers and ranks of the Guyana Prison Service Cooperative Credit Union also made a contribution towards the welfare of the child.
SLAIN: Odinga Wickham The Guyana Prison Service hopes to continue contributing to the welfare of the late officer’s daughter at the beginning of each school year, at her birth anniversary and at Christmas, while she is still in school. We take this opportunity to salute Prison Officer Wickham.”
Director of Prisons Gladwin Samuels presents the donation to Officer Wickham’s widow.
and unscheduled events, the GPA said that late notices for coverage greatly affect media operatives’ lives and production. Moreover, the GPA said, “We would also like to place
on the record our call for the disrespectful “snacks are available, food and drinks available, refreshment for media” and the other types of so-called inducements on press notices to come to an
immediate halt.” It was further emphasised that the media do not need any other inducement than access to true, accurate, fair and balanced information and
that the press should not be enticed, encouraged, or excited to carry, cover or convey any information other than that which is in the public interest or the public’s right or need to know.
PAGE 14
Kaieteur News
Wednesday August 28, 2019
Trotman says Guyana is ready for First Oil; Ramson takes him to task
Many experts have waxed about Guyana’s unpreparedness for oil production, but Minister of
Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, has a different opinion; that Guyana is ready, and that it has done a
commendable job getting there in a very short period. During a Mining Week event at Pegasus Hotel on
Monday, Trotman, in highlighting Government’s achievements in the extractive sector, said “We have ensured
readiness for first oil in a record-breaking 48 months.” This statement is sure to ruffle a lot of feathers, as there are many provisions that have been advocated for by critics, that aren’t yet in place. That’s likely because Guyana is moving from first discovery to first oil production in a very short period. Speaking to Kaieteur News yesterday, Attorney-at-law Charles Ramson Jr., said that it’s unbelievable that the Minister would make such a statement. Only recently, Ramson, who is the Head of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI)’s petroleum committee, spoke at an event about the need for a strong local content plan to ensure Guyanese participate fully in the oil and gas sector. “Are you kidding me?” Ramson said. “No local content legislation is in place.” It was only last week that the GCCI held a roundtable discussion to discuss the third draft Local Content Policy, which by the way, has no provisions to penalise oil companies for failure to adhere to its targets. On another front, Ramson lamented that Government doesn’t have the capacity to audit costs. “We can lose millions from inflated costs.” There are concerns about Guyana losing revenue from inflated costs, which oil companies have to recover. Just yesterday, Kaieteur News reported that Guyana is paying, through cost recovery, uncapped interest rates on loans taken by the operators of the Stabroek and Orinduik Blocks. Earlier this year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) advised Government to get clear definitions of eligible costs and to conduct routine audits to maximize revenue. Ramson had explained the need for specialised accountants to verify cost claims made by oil companies. He also criticised that the Natural Resource Fund Act, which was passed earlier this year, was not debated in Parliament. This was due to the fact that it had been passed after the Government was defeated by a vote of noconfidence on December 21, 2018, and the Political Opposition, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) refused to go back to Parliament, citing the motion. Poor contract terms, inability to regulate, and lack of capacity to audit costs are just few of the issues that plague the Department of Energy and its partner public actors with responsibilities to the petroleum sector. Government has fielded criticism from the opposition for
Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman
Attorney-at-Law, Charles Ramson Jr. not yet amending the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act. That is holding back the Department of Energy from going forward with public bidding of oil blocks, as its Head, Dr. Mark Bynoe said that bidding will not be done until the legislation is brought up to date. Ministry of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, recently said that an expert review has been done of the act. It is unclear when amendments will be made. Government has indicated in the 2019 Half-year report, that it is prioritising several institutional strengthening requirements of the oil sector in its preparations for budget 2020, to build capacity for certain public institutions with regulatory roles in the industry. In this regard, institutions such as the Guyana Revenue Authority, the Department of Energy and the Civil Defence Commission are expected to build their capacities for cost audits, the designing and negotiation of production sharing agreements, and oil spill management and preparation, among other areas. The report had noted that an inter-Ministerial Committee on Petroleum (IMTCoP) was established in 2017 to coordinate public sector actors that have a role to play. It is through IMTCoP that Government has indentified more than 70 areas for strengthening, across nine institutions. Those plans are yet to unfold.
Wednesday August 28, 2019
Accused in Robb St. arson murders was pointed out during ID parade - Police witness A 12-member jury was told yesterday that pensioner Ganga Kishna, who is on trial for the murders of a man and his two daughters, who were burnt to death when their home at Lot 65 Robb and King Streets, Georgetown, was set on fire in the wee morning hours of November 17, 2014, was pointed out during an identification parade held at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary Georgetown. This is according to Deputy Superintendent of Police, Himnauth Sawh, who was called to testify when the trial of Kishna, also known as, ‘Scientist’ and ‘Buddy’ and his co-accused, Avishkar Bissoon, continued before Justice Brassington Reynolds at the High Court in Demerara. Together, the men are accused of murdering 63year-old Randolph Thomas and his two daughters Tressa Rozario, 14, and Feresa Rozario, 11. They have both pleaded not guilty to the charge. State Prosecutor Seeta Bishundial in her opening remarks to the jury stated that the sisters and their father were asleep around 2am when their home was set on fire. Based on reports, the sisters were trapped in the early morning inferno. Thomas, 63, managed to jump through a window to escape the flames. He, however, sustained second and third degree burns and later succumbed – on December 21, 2014 – while receiving treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital. Officer Sawh told the court that the identification parade was conducted in February 2016 at CID Headquarters, where he was attached to the Crime Intelligence Unit. He recalled that the identification parade was in relation to the alleged murder and setting fire to a building at Lot 65 Robb and Wellington Streets, Georgetown, which resulted in the death of Thomas and
Ganga Kishna
Avishkar Bissoon his two daughters. According to the police witness, Kishna was one among the eight suspects on the identification parade. He said that one Joseph Fraser was the sole witness to the parade. Officer Sawh said that before Kishna was placed on the parade, he told him of the purpose intended and he raised no objections. He said that the murder accused was placed among seven other men of similar height, weight and mode of dress. The witness told the court that within less than a minute, Kishna was pointed out by Fraser. Kishna and Bissoon are being represented by lawyers Dexter Todd and Mursaline Bacchus respectively. The trial continues this morning at 09:30hrs.
Kaieteur News
PAGE 15
PAGE 16
Kaieteur News
Wednesday August 28, 2019
GuyOil sales fall $1.3B for first half The state-owned Guyana Oil Company Limited (GuyOil) has recorded lower sales for the first half of the year. The news in the recently released half-year report of Governments performance would come after GuyOil complained that smuggling and other factors have been eating at its bottomline. The report said that at the end of the period under review, GuyOil recorded a cash surplus of $979.8M, an improvement from a cash deficit of $811.5M in the first half of 2018. While that itself may sound good, on the sale side
of things, it started to become worrying. According to the halfyear report, total receipts were $19.5B, $1.3B lower than the same period in 2018. The Ministry of Finance explained: “This was a direct result of lower sales volumes of fuel products, which fell by 62,461 barrels below the first half of 2018. Mogas, Kerosene and Gasoil sales were 35,701 barrels, 4,632 barrels and 33,624 barrels lower than 2018, respectively.” GuyOil had blamed price competition and the contamination of a shipment of Super 95 Gasolene in February 2019
and overall declining sales. The company assured that a market plan is in place to address this, and includes public outreaches, volume discounts and a dealers rebate programme. The situation of GuyOils sales have been under scrutiny for a number of years now amid evidence of significant smuggling and direct competition to the company. Significant sales to the gold bush and hinterland locations have accounted for a big slice of the fuel market to smugglers and other private individuals who have been granted import licences. It was reported in December that GuyOil lost ground in its gasoline sales in 2017, thanks to smuggling among other things. In its 2017 Annual Report, it was reported that net profit had decreased almost 29 percent. GuyOil competes mainly with SOL and Rubis. The companys business involves the importation, storage, distribution and marketing of motor gasoline, gasoil, kerosene, fuel oil, and Castrol lubricants. The products are distributed through the large network in the petroleum business in Guyana, comprising
52 dealer-owned, dealer-operated, and eight companyowned, company-operated service stations. Its three terminals are at Adventure, Region Two; Providence, East Bank Demerara and Heathburn, Berbice.Since the loss of the Venezuela supplies in 2015, Guyana had turned to the Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago (PetroTrin) refinery in Trinidad which is the main supplier of Mogas, Gasoil, Kerosene, and Jet A1;
and Staatsolie Maatschappij, Suriname. It is now reportedly sourcing from Jamaica. According to chairman Mark Benders report of 2017, “Despite the increasing manifestation of smuggled/illegal fuel and the increased number of licensed private importers, GuyOil maintained its dominant position in the Guyana market and continued to be the leader in stabilizing fuel prices, to the benefit of the Guyanese consuming
public and industries.” According to the sales revenues, in 2017 sales were $35.259B, compared to $31.939B in 2016, an increase of $3.32B or 10.39%. Cost of sales was $30.465B compared to $25.889B in 2016, an increase of $4.576B or 17.68 percent. With regards to the sales volumes, GuyOil managed to reach 1,309,093 barrels compared to 1,287,211 barrels in 2016, an increase of 21,882 barrels or 1.7 %.
Wednesday August 28, 2019
Kaieteur News
PAGE 25
PAGE 26
Wednesday August 28, 2019
Kaieteur News
Traffic Chief blames negligent supervisory personnel for return of lawlessness at car park
SERVICES
FOR SALE
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620
1 (2) Storey house & land, 3 bedroom $39M, 1 (2) Storey house & land, 4 master bedroom $59M Gated community @ Schnoord WBD #650-0402/603-1402
Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design, advertisements, Wedding arch rentals. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535.
Pure Bred German Shepherd male puppies for sale. Contact# 697-1141/612-6672
ICONIC MARKETING & PRINTING –TEL: 6006887: We create A/works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Professional Repair Service: Computers, Tv’s (LCD & LED), Cellphones & Other Electronics.Ph#6962 8 4 3 . E m a i l :akinscott@outlook.com
Li Hong Fa Aluminium CoDoors, Glass cases, Shutters, automatic doors, stainless works. 26 Public Road, Bagotstown. #669-1516/6599999 Allion car- Excellent condition, First owner $1,750,000. Call: 624-2043/2161303 Pig & Piglets Package Deal. Tel# 626-1157/657-3538 1 Double Axel (6x6) TM trucks, Reasonable offer. #684-9268/ 500-6817
FOR RENT
VACANCY
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620
Vacancy exist for a Spanish Teacher- must be able to teach (2 & 7) years old. Call: 600-6887 for more information English Tutor. Contact# 2235273/223-5274
Top Flat of House 2 bedroom for rent. La Grange Public Road. WBD #665-7636/6924108
Supervisor to work at 704. Contact# 223-5273/223-5274
Self contain rooms for working couple/single person $32,000 monthly, light & water, Lodge. Call: 623-0076 2 months security.
Female Cleaner Office & Home. Call: 642-9823
One bedroom apartment for couple or single person $35,000 monthly light included. Call: 638-8858
For Experience Accounts Clerk, must have passes in Maths & English. Apply in person at Alabama Trading 65 Robb St Bourda
One self contained room, single working male or female. $32,000 monthly. Contact# 667-3483
For Sales Girl. Apply in person at Alabama Trading 65 Robb Street, Bourda
(1) 320 CL Excavator. Best rates in town. Contact#6098989
Wanted Servicemen to work in Interior. Call: 223-5180
One bedroom apartment for couples at Success, ECD. Tel# 220-5634/630-9599
Vacancy for (2) professional and experienced nail technician @ Natural Beauty Salon & Spa. Call: 652-5800
TRUCK DRIVER. Contact #223-5273/223-5274
WANTED 1 Live-in maid. Call: 639-2037
CAR RENTAL DOLLYS AUTO RENTAL CALL: 225-7126 & 2263693 -DOLLYS AUTO RENTAL@ YAHOO.COM/ W W W . D O L L Y SAUTORENTAL.COM PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS FROM $4000 & UP, SUV’S PER DAY- CALL: 656-0087 / 643-5122 ,EMAIL:PRO_ A U T O R E N TA L @YAHOO.COM AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL:PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MINI BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPORT & FAMILY OUTINGS, CHEAPEST RATE . Call: 698-7807 PROPERTY FOR SALE (1) 3 bedroom house located at Middle St, Stewartville. Tel#625-3299/268-3129 South $19.5M, 1st St Cummings Lodge $40M, $5.5M Charlestown St, Seven St Diamond $18M Shawn. #231-2199/618-7483 Two Storey house and land, Lot 3 Durban Street, Prime Business Spot $40M negotiable. Phone # 625-1505 Whatsapp #625-1505
VEHICLE FOR SALE 1 Honda CRV. includes TV, music system, alarm, reverse camera, sproiler, crash bar, Low mileage. PTT Series (First Owner) Contact #6490956 1-Tundra $1.8M, 1-Audi Convertible $2.5M Contact#650-0402/603-1402 LEARN TO DRIVE N. Outar Driving School, Learn to Drive the right way @ Cuffy Square. Affordable package. Call: 644-5166/6912561/681-2808 WANTED Male & female to work in Factory and 1 Driver. Apply in Person to R.P’s Enterprise ECD. #220-2818 Clerical assistance domestic worker, live-in accomodation for Berbicians and Essequibians. Call between 8:15-4:15 pm. #219-5354 1 maid needed. Age 30-40. Call: 226-7766 One cook to work in a bar #679-2612 Preferable from West Bank Demerara.
Photo/Video Editor, Must be abe to events. Call: 628-8944/ 718-845-2700 or Email: spectrumimaging 32@gmail.com 1 Diesel Mechanic to work in the interior, Interested Persons can make Contact on Tel# 625-5136 between the hours of 8am-4pm Fish processing workers. Call: 223-5180 Tailor & Seamstress. Contact #253-3070/601-9855
Traffic Chief Lynden Isles yesterday explained that any form of lawlessness allowed on the minibus parks and its environs can for the most part be attributed to supervisory ranks not performing to expectations. Isles said that on a regular basis, supervisory personnel at all stations are tasked with detailing ranks for various sections of the city, but noted that if departmental heads fail to carry out their duties of designating, observing and supervising junior ranks, then the department’s aim of ensuring a sustained campaign approach will not be successful. He was referring to an article appearing recently in this publication that highlighted his prior promises to maintain a sustained campaign to rid the bus parks of the menace of touts who over the years have continued to harass passengers and commuters. The Traffic Chief further stated that any supervisory officers found failing to carry out their duties in a professional manner and with the public interests at heart, would be dealt with severely at the departmental level. He added that the department is presently working out strategic systems, geared at bringing on stream policies and projects aimed at restoring order - citing that zero tolerance will be given to any minibus touts found harassing commuters. He said that just recently his department met to formulate a plan that will see ranks taking an approach to the issue that is geared towards eradication. He said those systems, when fine tuned, will be made available to the public. The campaign against touts was intensified by the Police Traffic Department some three months ago and order was Continued on page 29
Mining laws up for review (From page 18) the Mining Act details how mining exploration, development and production are to be conducted, setting out rules
Tele-Sales Clerk: Maths & English, Computer Literate, Excel. DacEasy and advantage. Telles Steel, 74 Hadfield St #226-6771 Mining engineering/ operations manager for Cuyuni area. Requirements: Academic qualifications & 5 years relevant experience in Mining. Call: 223-5180 Lucky Me, Lucky You, seeks Sales Representatives to sell tickets in their respective region. #660-0275/624-3501
Lorry Driver with Sales Experience, submit application 1 Certified & experienced to NS Trucking, 257 Block X costmetologist, must be able Section A Diamond EBD. Tel# to work unsupervised & fast 617-5632/501-2537 paced salon. Tel#615-9328/ Salesclerk/Cashier. Submit 626-6450 hand written application to Front Desk Receptionist, must Kards Plus in City Mall. #227be able to work o/night shifts. 1846 Experience an asset. Apply: General Manager Herdmanston Lodge, Peter WANTED Rose & Anira Sts (1) Able body Ice machine 1 Canter driver. Age 35 and operator/handy man. Tel# over. Preferably from 220-3459/616-2222 Diamond/Grove. Contact# 644-5957 1 General Domestic at 12 Henry Street. #225-9211 Seamstress. Contact: 6911918. Monday to Saturday One person to work two 9am to 4pm weeks from 26 to Sept 7 as One shop assistant to work Kitchen assistant. #226-2320 from 6-2 from 16th Sept to 5 Oct 2019. 193 Charlotte Street 1 working female to share apartment. Tel# 661-0799 L/Town #226-2320
VACANCY Pump attendant & cashier, shift rotated weekly (6am-3pm & 3pm-11pm) Shell Service Station Providence EBD. E m a i l : Shellramsburg@gmail.com Tutor. Contact# 223-5273/ 223-5274 Cook to work in Charity. Contact# 654-7162 Male Office Clerk. Age 17-25 Please send CV’s to: lakram@rambaire.com 1 experienced driver, must have license for car/van/ minibus & motorbus, residing in G/town between ages 2450 yrs old. #225-1429/641-5075 Vacancy exist for a Full time/ Part time teacher, must be able to teach (2 & 7) years old. Call: 600-6887 for more information Handyman (must have experience in landscaping) contact# 223-5273/223-5274 One Male Janitor. Apply in person at Alabama Trading. 65 Robb St Bourda One experienced Cashier to work at a reputable company. Contact# 672-4695 or send CV to: eonbollers@gmail.com
for the granting of licenses. The Green State Development Strategy: Vision 2040 has recommended that the mining laws be updated to improve capacity for enforcement and monitoring. In the act, the GGMC is the designated enforcer of the law and monitor of all the subsurface mineral rights owned by the state. The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) report 2017 is another major document that has pointed out issues in the mining act, one of which causes the State to lose millions in rental fees. Medium scale operators are those considered as having between 150 and 1,200 acres of land on a single mining permit. Large operators exceed the 1,200-acre threshold. However, the EITI highlighted a trend in operators having multiple medium scale permits with total acreage exceeding the medium scale threshold. The watchdog body said that as a result, the medium scale operators should be paying the same fees as large operators. Yet, many of them don’t. This issue, brought to the attention of GGMC Commissioner, Newell Dennison, was noted as one that has attracted the regulatory body’s attention for years. While a legislative change is a possible solution to the issue, Dennison had told Kaieteur News that it’s not the only solution, and that the decision would have to wait on consultations with stakeholders.
Wednesday August 28, 2019
PAGE 27
Kaieteur News
Former Public Health Ministry official sues State... From page 12 negotiated with Minister George Norton after approval and concurrence was received from Minister Lawrence. It was stated that as a result of the foregoing, on January, 31, 2017, a written contract was executed between the Government and Small. He was engaged to perform the duties and functions of Director of Projects within the Ministry of Public Health, for the terms of engagement and to act in all respects in accordance with the instructions and directions given to him by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Health, effective from February 01, 2017, to the January 31, 2020. His monthly salary was set at USD$5,000 which was subject to certain terms and
conditions set out in a Schedule attached to the said agreement and which formed part of the said agreement. However, in lieu of his new contract, the Claimant contends that the Minister of Public Health ceased paying allowances stipulated in the addendum to the IDB contract, since it was subsumed in the his new contract. “ A f t e r M r. Tr e v o r Thomas was dismissed, the new Permanent Secretary, Ms. Collette Adams, advised the Claimant to continue working, as the Claimant possessed a valid contract. Consequently, the Claimant was informed that he could no longer be p a i d s i n c e M r. Tr e v o r Thomas had no authority to issue the contract,” the SOC added. It added, “The Claimant
maintains that at all material times, his contract was approved by the former Minister of Health, the then Minister of Health and was signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, who was duly authorised to do so. By a letter dated 7th of June, 2017, Ms. Collette Adams, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, wrongfully and in repudiatory breach of the said agreement, purported to terminate the Claimant’s employment and wrongfully dismissed the Claimant.” The letter stated, “I wish to inform you that a review was undertaken by Administration, and it was confirmed that no approval exist for your employment as Director of Projects. The Ministry’s review also confirmed that since no
approval exist, the payment of emoluments and the processing of any other condition of service therein, has become recoverable.” It added, “Administration subsequently sought advice from the Ministry of the Presidency and the following was recommended; (a)Employment contract which you signed on 31st January, 2017, (b)Supplemental Agreement executed as an Addendum to the (PEC) Consultancy Services for Maternal and Child Health Improvement Project. …to be null and void for the want of competent
authority.” “As you may recall, my letter dated 10th March, 2017 for you to repay payments that were made for rental of building, this request was not honoured to date. Based on the recommendation from Department of the Public Service which indicated that there is no authorised position as Director of Projects and no approval was granted for the employment of the said position, the Ministry therefore, wishes to advise you that the contract on your position is null and void,” the letter concluded.
As a consequence of this, the Claimant argues that he suffered loss and damages. According to the Claimant, his claim for special damages includes a salary of USD$180,000 from February 1, 2017 to January 31, 2020, gratuity of USD$13,500 and vacation allowance of USD$15,000. Had he remained in his employment in the United States, which he forfeited for the offer to work in Guyana, the Claimant said that his remuneration would have earned a salary of USD$125,760.36 for 2017 and 2018 respectively; and USD$139,620.36 for 2019.
PAGE 28
Kaieteur News
Wednesday August 28, 2019
Three Foreign Companies bid for Ministry of Public Health Project Bids were opened yesterday by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board for two projects from the Ministry of Public Health - for the Supply and Delivery of Reagents for Disease Control Lot 1-4 and Supply and Delivery of Reagents for National Blood Transfusion Services and Standard & Technical Services. Two of the companies are from the United States of America and the other one is Trinidadian. Other notable projects were the Ministry of the Presidency, Roof Rehabilitation of the Providence Hindu Temple, Construction of Portuguese Arrival Memorial, Phase 1 and Construction of 1823 Demerara Revolt Memorial. Ministry Of Public Health Supply and Delivery of Reagents for Disease Control Lot 1-4
Parliament Office - Exterior repainting of Public Buildings
Renovating Police Sanitary Area Public Area Public Buildings Brickdam (retender)
Central Housing & Planning - Supply and delivery of Laptop Computers
Supply and Delivery of Reagents for National Blood Transfusion Services and Standard & Technical Services Police/Public Service Commission - Supply & Deliver of One New Sport Utility Vehicle
Bureau of Statistics - Supply and Delivery of Computer Equipment and Devices
Ministry of the Presidency - Roof Rehabilitation of the Providence Hindu Temple Ministry of Public Security Supply & Delivery of Office Furnishing for Guyana Police Force
Guyana Energy Agency Supply & Delivery of Electrical Tools for Guyana Energy Agency Construction of Portuguese Arrival Memorial, Phase 1.
Guyana Revenue Authority Rehabilitation and Modification of GRA Building New Amsterdam. Construction of 1823 Demerara Revolt Memorial
>>>> Continued on page 30 <<<<
Wednesday August 28, 2019
Kaieteur News
Traffic Chief blames negligent... From page 26 restored to the bus parks in the city. Minibuses were all in line as expected, and the absence of touts was noticeable. Commuters and other members of the public had heaped praises on the police for their efforts, and had hoped that the campaign would have been a sustained exercise. Recently, the presence of police ranks on the parks has dwindled significantly, thus creating the loophole for the touts to return in their numbers. Meanwhile, former Crime
Chief, Deputy Commissioner Lyndon Alves responding to a spate of crimes occurring around the Stabroek, Georgetown area, had said that his department would have been taking a systematic approach involving collaborative efforts with the City Constabulary and other military organisations. Several regular vehicular patrols and plainclothes police stakeouts had followed which saw a change in the state of things around the Stabroek Market Square. This too soon
disappeared and, from all accounts, criminal elements have returned to the Stabroek Market area, taking up their positions outside the Parliament Building perimeter fence, and under the Demico House Outlet walkway, especially by night. They have also regrouped and joined forces with female and male sex workers to seek out and rob innocent citizens traversing the said areas. Several attempts to solicit a response on the issue from Acting Crime Chief, Michael Kingston yesterday, proved futile.
PAGE 29
PAGE 30
Kaieteur News
Granger must respect Articles 106 (6) and (7) DEAR EDITOR, Following the successful passage of The Noconfidence motion on December 21st, the following salient processes should have been set in motion in accordance with Articles 106 (6) and (7). 1. The President and Cabinet should resign 2. Parliament should dissolve 3. The President sets a date for an early election To date none of the above constitutional requirements have been honoured. It has been eight (8) months on and not a single aspect of the above matters as required by law has been settled. What we have been witnessing is an eddying cycle of nonsensical legal opinions by The PNC, which in essence amounts to an inordinate delay in the holding of general and regional elections. It took billions of dollars of Granger’s Lunacy in that vain attempt to evade those three main critical issues. This president would go down in history as the one who feared, should I say, is mortified by the thought of facing the people in an election! Granger is most fearful of the fact of facing the electorate.
The latest in this con game of his is that GECOM is the body designate to set a date for elections; he is shifting the blame hence breaking the law, where the setting of a date for elections is concern. The calling of election is the role of the president, not GECOM, period, end of discussion! The Granger Administration knows this but is only trying to complicate the issue, but there is no complication in its interpretation. The idea of having a house-to-house registration and the “sanitising” of the voters’ List is just another deception meant to break the new deadline date of September 18th set by The CCJ. What they call sanitising of the voters’ list can easily be effected in the claims and objections period when all the relevant parties, institutions, and what have you, would be there to ensure that those who should be on the list are on the list while those who are deceased would be taken off by the official records furnished by the GRO. This is a simple aboveboard process which for the most part can be done in a month’s time, not the 20-month Unilateral NRR Process they are conducting at the present
time. Now, Article 106 (6) and (7) speaks to the president setting a date for election and that is not a carte blanc situation, wherein the president runs away with the idea that he can go on forever without setting a date, that is the erroneous assumption this government is operating under, wherein he thinks he can do as he pleases, far from it? The president has 90 days or 3 months in which he must call election that is pellucid! Mark you well that should have been done in the first instance, which Granger in his arsenal of tricks allowed to expire on March 21st 2019, so, in its truest sense this Granger Government is illegal. What is very clear is that this government is hell - bent on a rule by force, breaking every law as it goes along, but I must caution them that this is not going to happen. The Opposition has by September 18th to approach The Commonwealth as well as The United Nations to intervene in this illegal game of sorts carried out by The Granger Cabal and bring an end to it all. We are not far from that stage of things. Respectfully submitted, Neil Adams
Wednesday August 28, 2019
NIS treats all individuals equally and ATM service. respectfully (ii) Pensioners do not have to go to the DEAR EDITOR, The tone of letter bearing the caption “Decisions being made at NIS are not anchored in the concept of Social Security” carried in another newspaper reflects the malicious intent of its author. The author has gone out of his way to deliberately misguide the populace. The National Insurance Scheme treats all individuals equally and respectfully, the Scheme is mandated to provide social security coverage to all insured persons regardless of their ethnicity, literacy, political or religious persuasion or any other characteristic. The specifics of Ms. Lake’s matter were unique and were dealt with by the relevant authorities within the Scheme in accordance with the provisions of the National Insurance and Social Security Act. The Scheme conducts regular public relations campaigns, which seek to educate the general public on the nature of its operations, the benefits offered and the importance of social security coverage throughout the entirety of Guyana. As it relates to the allegations by the author that the Scheme is demanding that new pensioners have their pensions paid into financial institutions, and the non-acceptance of claims for those who choose otherwise, these statements are fallacious and defamatory. At no time has the National Insurance Scheme demanded that pensioners have their pensions paid into financial institutions. The Scheme has merely been encouraging pensioners to utilise the facility due to some of the following reasons:(i) It is easier and convenient to access the funds from the bank due to their 24 hours
post office and face a situation where they are told that the post office does not have enough cash to pay them. (iii) The issues of lost pension vouchers/ books are eliminated. Monthly reports indicate that there is a steady increase in the number of pensioners who choose to utilise the bank lodgement system. It must be noted that although pensioners are encouraged to use the bank lodgement system, many persons still continue to enjoy uplifting their pensions by way of encashing pension vouchers.The National Insurance Scheme has not changed its mandate to provide social security coverage to all those who contribute and are duly entitled. Dianne Lewis Baxter Public Relations Officer
The gall of it all From page 6 constitution. When they got in to power in1992, they just ignored its pimples and merrily drove on enjoying all the perks. Today, when they are in the opposition, they are hollering foul. Twenty-three years is a long time to go waste. They should have fostered reform of the constitution when they had the time at their disposal. They must now put up or just plainly shut up. I am pleased that the Court has been handing down salutary judgments on costs. This should deter others who would similarly wish to waste the Court’s time. Regards, Cyril Walker
Young: Opposition members interfacing with criminal element NEWSDAY - National Security Minister Stuart Young has alleged that Opposition members have been “interfacing” with the criminal element. He was speaking at a media conference Monday at the National Security Ministry, Port of Spain, where he responded to allegations Carlton Dennie made at a UNC public meeting on Monday in Debe. “As the Minister of Na-
tional Security, I am aware that there are members, both past and present, of the UNC Opposition in TT who are interfacing with the criminal element in TT.” He said a few months ago on a UNC platform there was an individual with a host of criminal charges against him. “I warned the population then. They questioned how I would know that and if I interfered in police work, etcet-
era.” Young said he was warning the population again that there were members of the current Opposition, some as parliamentarians, who have been interfacing and communicating with the criminal elements. He said there is also the suggestion that those who are associated with the Opposition but no longer in Parliament, and some who may be before the criminal
Three Foreign Companies bid for Ministry ... From page 11 Regional Democratic Council Region 1 Construction of Engineer’s Living Quarters at Mabaruma, Region 1
Construction of Health Training Complex at Mabaruma, Barima-Waini
courts, “may be doing likewise. “This is a very disturbing occurrence for me as a citizen of TT and as a member of the Government of TT and lastly, but not least, as the Minister of National Security.” Young said he was observing that the Opposition is “particularly worried,” and pointed out that Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal, speaking at a UNC public meeting in Debe Monday night, spent a lot of time speaking about what is going on in crime and the action taken by the police. “As the Minister of National Security I have never interfered in any police investigation. I can say that without fear of contradiction. And I can give the assurance to the public of TT that once I am in the portfolio of minister of national security, or whatever other portfolio I may hold or not hold, I will never interfere in any police investigation.” He said the Opposition was raising the issue of former minister Marlene McDonald (who is before the court on charges of conspiracy to defraud and money laundering) and suggesting he had prior information about charges about to be laid or the investigation into her. “I had no prior knowledge
National Security Minister Stuart Young
whatsoever with respect to the police investigation into former minister McDonald.” He said the Opposition was selling “CambridgeAnalytica politics” and making allegations about him as National Security Minister and referred to former Strategic Services Agency (SSA) employee Dennie, who, on a UNC platform on Monday, used the phrases “Stuart Young ministry” and “Stuart Young police service.” He replied: “Stuart Young has no ministry, and I certainly have no police service.” He said as minister, and as obtained with previous ministers, he received security briefings and reports on a daily basis.
“It is part of the role of the minister of national security to be apprised of what is the situation taking place 24/7 in TT.”UNC deputy political leader David Lee responded that for the past four years Young has been making accusations against Opposition members in and out of Parliament. “We have always said to any one of them, if they have information, take it to the higher authorities – which may be the police – and let the course of action happen. Let them take it.” Lee said Young makes accusations from time to time and the rhetoric continues. “If the Minister of National Security has information, take it to the authorities.”
Wednesday August 28, 2019
Kaieteur News
PAGE 31
PAGE 32
Kaieteur News
Wednesday August 28, 2019
Wednesday August 28, 2019
Kaieteur News
PAGE 33
PAGE 34
Kaieteur News
Wednesday August 28, 2019
PAGE 36
Kaieteur News
Wednesday August 28, 2019
LETTER TO THE SPORTS EDITOR
The State of Refereeing in Guyana and by extension Football DEAR SIR/MADAM, Congratulations are in order regarding the performance of our overseas Guyana Women’s team. I am still concerned that there is no evidence of football development in Guyana. Again we have no clubs and except for rubber stamp Associations. UDFA was again in the spotlight with the head of referees in Linden bringing the game into disrepute after being misdirected by Mr. Forde and team of the GFF. If the Referees Association which should form the Referees committee of the GFF is not allowed to function, then the game will continue to go
further into a state of irreversible damage. Mr. Forde, please save our football and the future of our youths by leaving, since you are clueless as to what is required to effect growth into Guyana’s football. Your adviser Mr. Richard Gordon is being paid to do what after all these years? He was hopeless as the General Secretary of the TTFF, therefore what help could he bring to the table in Guyana. Jack Austin Warner was the defector President and General Secretary of the TTFF. Never in the history of Guyana did we have to import any administrator at any level. This is disrespectful and disgraceful to all Guyana.
What continues to amuse me is that Mr. Lovell former Head of the GDF and Rawltson Adams head of our Demerara harbor bridge sits idly by and allow Forde to make a fool of them or are you both clueless and hopeless as he? Are you comfortable collecting monies under false pretense while the football ship continues to drift without a sail? In my last letter some weeks ago, I had asked President Forde and by extension the two VP’s regarding the monies (US50,000) received from FIFA for development of referees in Guyana. To date neither the Associations nor the Custodians of Football in Guyana have been informed regarding these funds. It begs the question if the two Vice President or General Secretary has any knowledge of the use and or misuse of these funds. Take note (VP’s) of what has happened to your peers in the Cayman and other parts of the World. You are accountable. Additionally, upon review of the GFF Financial statements, this item is not adequately disclosed, which again begs the question as to competence of the financial officer and the Auditors. The Police and FIFA needs to be called into investigate whether there is financial mismanagement and possible misappropriation of funds. The silence of the executives and the Associations are deafening. To this date of writing, referees attached to the GFF remains unpaid while those attached to Banks DIH a new footballing body were already paid. Additionally, I am reliably
informed that this is just the tip of the Iceberg since your creditor’s listing keep growing each day. Some creditors have already taken court action for non-payments. Mr. President where is the funds from FIFA? Sir in conclusion, let me remind you since you seem very ignorant of the fact that the referees are the custodian of the Laws of the Game with the mandate to execute same, not the Administrators, including you. Without the effective, unbiased interpretation of these Laws and its execution our matches are nothing more than scrubby not Football. Mr. Forde, please pay the referees their outstanding funds and stop interfering with its functioning by suspending our referees without fair play and blocking their appointments. What kind of a President are you? What about the player from Linden who you rushed for training in Brazil? He had reportedly thrown water into the referee’s face during a match without the matter even gracing the presence of the disciplinary committee. Take a page from the Boxing Association regarding discipline of players. At the end of the day Sir you would lose, Football will always be the winner. The game is bigger than you, FIFA and CONCACAF. The Caribbean is in a far worse state than ever in its history after Jack Warner because of lack of or no leadership at all. Regards, Thomas Bowen. Businessman and former footballer.
Number of sporting and community activities planned for NA Town Week 2019 The New Amsterdam Town Week 2019 this year will be a two weeks affair and is expected to feature a number of sporting events. The event was launched recently at Leisure Inn Hotel in New Amsterdam under the theme “Diversification is the Focus, Inclusion is the Goal, Celebration through Transformation in 2019”. This year will mark the 128th anniversary of the town of New Amsterdam. Among those at the launching ceremony were Mayor of New Amsterdam Winifred Haywood, Deputy-Mayor, Wainwright McIntosh, Director of Sports Christopher Jones and Members of the Private Sector among others. The activities are expected to run from Friday 18, October to Sunday 3rd November. Among the activities listed are Inter
School Basketball Competition, Bird Whistling Competition, Inter-School Debating Competition, Male Empowerment Pageant, Domino Competition, Poetry Competition, Medical Outreaches, Renaming of Streets, Street Fair and Exhibition, Duck Curry Competition and Cooler Fete and a Soft Ball Cricket Competition. Mayor Haywood and Deputy Mayor McKenzie both pledged theirs and the Council’s full support to the event, while Director of Sports Christopher Jones made a pledge to support the sporting activities which he said will bring communities, organisations and agencies together. CNG, who are the organisers, is a multicultural NGO that participates in a number of activities including sports and community activities among others.
Horserace action set for Port Mourant on September 29 Horseracing action is set to return to the Port Mourant Turf Cub, Corentyne Berbice on Sunday September 29 when the Port Mourant Turf Club in collaboration with the MMP Foundation holds a grand one day horserace meet. Six races are listed for the day’s card with over $3.5M in cash, trophies and other incentives up for the taking. The feature event for the day will be for horses classified B and lower over 1300meters for a winning take of $600,000 and trophy. The other three placers will receive $300,000, $150,000 and $75,000 respectively. There is an event for 3 Years Old Guyana Bred horses (Winner of less than four races) also over 1300 meters for a first place taking of $300,000 and trophy.
The race for H and lower animals is another 1300 meters event which has a winner’s purse of $300,000 and trophy. The 2 Years Old Guyana bred animals will be running a distance of 1000meters with the winners set to collect $260,000 and trophy. Animals classified J and K and lower will be battling over 1300meters for the winning reward of $200,000 and trophy. All the L and lower animals will have their chance to show who is boss when they compete over 1000 metres for the pole position takings of $160,000 and trophy. The day’s event will be held using the Guyana Horse Racing Rules. Interested persons can contact Kris Jagdeo on 624 6123, C. Ramnauth on 697-1979, R. Gajnabi on 643-9696 or Turbo Jagdeo on 618-7278 for further information.
Wednesday August 28, 2019
PAGE 37
Kaieteur News
Rublev sends Tsitsipas packing at U.S. Open
Jasprit Bumrah’s game sense is his most striking feature - Andy Roberts
Halep ends string of first-round U.S. Open losses
Andrey Rublev of Russia celebrates after his match against Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece (not pictured) in the first round on day two of the 2019 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. (Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports) NEW YORK (Reuters) Russian Andrey Rublev used a steady stream of power from the baseline to upset eighthseeded Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4 6-7(5) 7-6(7) 7-5 yesterday and reach the second round of the U.S. Open. World number 43 Rublev, who two weeks ago earned the biggest win of his career when he beat Roger Federer in the third round at Cincinnati, attacked Tsitsipas with a barrage of all-in forehands and broke his opponent five times in the match. Rublev displayed near flawless judgment with his shotmaking throughout the match and while Tsitsipas tried to lure him off the baseline, the Russian stuck to his gameplan to prevail in a battle of 21-year-olds that lasted nearly four hours. “Both of us were tired. He started to cramp ... I was cramping in the match and tried not to show it,” said Rublev. “When you win matches like this it gives you lots of confidence.” Tsitsipas, whose best showing at a Grand Slam came this year in Australia where he reached the semifinals, received a coaching warning for his dad’s behaviour early in the third set at Louis Armstrong Stadium. The Greek, one game after receiving a time violation in the fourth set, then became furious when the umpire would not allow him extra time on the changeover to change his bandana. An angry Tsitsipas told the umpire: “You’re a weirdo, you’re all weirdos.” He also
asked to be given a point penalty, which the umpire granted at 3-4 before Rublev went on to hold to love. Tsitsipas showcased a well-rounded game that featured solid serves, relentless forehands and plenty of trips to the net but Rublev took his game to a higher level. The Russian played predominantly at the baseline, pounding groundstrokes and stinging forehands that zipped by Tsitsipas and painted the lines. Tsitsipas seemed to hurt his left wrist when he used it to brace himself from falling hard to the court after reaching for a backhand volley in the opening game. But the Greek, who has a
one-handed backhand, seemed mostly unbothered when play resumed but was unable to slow down an inform Rublev. Up next for Rublev, who reached the U.S. open quarter-finals in 2017, will be either Frenchman Gilles Simon or American wildcard Bjorn Fratangelo. Meanwhile, - Wimbledon champion Simona Halep snapped a string of early U.S. Open exits with a 6-3 3-6 6-2 victory over American lucky loser Nicole Gibbs also yesterday to reach the second round. The Romanian fourth seed, who fell at the first hurdle in New York the last two years, looked to be heading for yet another early exit but came out firing after losing the second set to Gibbs. The 135th-ranked Gibbs had six set points while serving at 5-2 in the second but Halep coolly turned each one aside before winning the game only for her opponent to break right back and force a decider. Halep then perked up as she opened the third set with a break and raced out to a commanding 5-1 lead that proved too big a hole for Gibbs, who failed to qualify for the U.S. Open but entered the main draw after other participants withdrew. Up next for Halep, who is vying to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2012 to follow a Wimbledon win with a U.S. Open triumph, will be American qualifier Taylor Townsend.
Simona Halep (ROU) returns a shot against Madison Keys (USA) during the Western and Southern Open tennis tournament at Lindner Family Tennis Center. (Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports)
Jasprit Bumrah celebrates a wicket. (Getty Images)
ESPNcricinfo - Jasprit Bumrah’s 5 for 7 - the least expensive five-wicket haul by an Indian in Tests - helped hurry India towards a record 318-run win over West Indies in Antigua. That five-for also helped Bumrah become the first bowler from Asia to take five-wicket hauls in South Africa, England, Australia and West Indies. And beyond the numbers, he impressed two Antiguan fastbowling greats - Andy Roberts and Curtly Ambrose - with his clarity of thought, game sense and aggression. So impressed was Roberts that, in an interview with the Indian Express, he called Bumrah the “best Indian fast bowler I have seen”. “In my time, it was all spin,” he said, thinking back to the India attacks of the past. “Good ones, but they wouldn’t win you matches overseas. India had Kapil Dev and some others, but we never thought they could produce someone as lethal as Bumrah. He’s the best Indian fast bowler I have seen.” Roberts, part of the great pace quartets that also included Michael Holding, Joel Garner, Colin Croft and Malcolm Marshall, described how Bumrah’s unorthodox run-up and action broke the mental rhythm of batsmen as they prepared to face him. But what made the India bowler truly special, he felt, was his game sense and thinking, which belie the fact that he only made his Test debut in January 2018, and has only played only 11 games in the format. “When a bowler is running in, you should look at the batsmen. They are settling into a mental rhythm of their own in their mind,” Roberts said. “They are visualising the bowler, his action, the leap, the load-up,
the release and things like that. Their thought processes are conditioned in such a way that if he’s a side-on bowler, the ball will come like that, if it’s high-arm it would come in a different way. Or the longer the run-up, the quicker the ball will be. With Bumrah, the batsmen have little time to get into their mental rhythm. “Look at everything else he does, he’s classical. He moves two balls into the batsmen, and the other one goes away. Then two away from him, and then one into him. This is how we did, this is how fast bowlers have operated over the years. But the best one knows how, where and when to bowl. And Bumrah seems to have this awareness, which usually takes a lot of time to develop, a lot of experience. But how old is he? How many Tests has he played? He’s a quick learner, isn’t he? “To me, it has been the most striking feature of him. Some call it maturity. I call it game sense. There seems to be clarity in his thinking, and that automatically shows in his bowling. Some bowlers, very skillful ones, don’t develop it even 10 years after they had played the game. That’s the biggest thing for a fast bowler, to learn how to use your head.” The game sense also impressed Ambrose, who said Bumrah’s ability to size up and adjust his lengths according to surfaces and batsmen reminded him of his long-time new-ball partner Courtney Walsh. “He’s good at varying his lengths, depending on the surfaces and batsmen,” Ambrose told the Indian Express. “I saw that in the World Cup, how he adjusted (and altered) his lengths according to the conditions and batsmen. That makes life
difficult for batsmen. “(In this regard), he reminds me a bit of Courtney (Walsh) a bit. He was wonderful in sizing up the length and bowling accordingly.” Ambrose also said Bumrah’s quiet demeanour did not make him any less aggressive on the field. “I’m not talking about body language here. I’m not talking about being hostile. Aggression is not always about what you show outwards. Some show, some don’t. It depends on the individual’s nature,” Ambrose said. “To me, it’s about how you bowl, the aggression of the delivery. And Bumrah shows a lot of it.” Could Bumrah have fitted into the fearsome West Indies attacks of the past? Roberts suggested Bumrah’s unconventional action would have added a different dimension to the attacks he was part of. “It’s the strangest action that I have seen on a cricket field,” he said. “I need to study that for a longer time to understand the mechanics of his action. But if he were born here back in our days, we would have had him. A freak was the only element missing in our bowling lineup. In fact, Bumrah is the only variety of bowler we had never produced. Then I don’t think even India would produce one like him again.” Ambrose went even further in his praise. “At times, he rekindles memories of our prime,” he said. “The pace, aggression, the hostility, the craft. The way he outclasses the batsmen, the way he outthinks them. He could have been one of us, he’s so complete a bowler that he could have played in any era.”
PAGE 38
Wednesday August 28, 2019
Kaieteur News
Serena proves too strong for Sharapova in U.S. Open showdown NEW YORK (Reuters) - Serena Williams trounced old foe Maria Sharapova 6-1 6-1 in their blockbuster first-round clash at the U.S. Open on Monday to get her quest for a recordtying 24th Grand Slam title off to a flying start. Williams, returning to the U.S. Open after last year’s infamous final in which her row with the chair umpire overshadowed Naomi Osaka’s maiden Grand Slam victory, used her trademark power to overwhelm Sharapova in the first New York meeting between two of the sport’s biggest names. Eighth seed Williams showed no signs of the back spasms that forced her to retire in tears from the Toronto final two weeks ago and instead showcased some of her best oncourt movement since returning from maternity leave in 2018. “I just feel like her game really matches up well against mine,” said Williams, who improved to 20-2 in career meetings with the
Russian. “I always said her ball somehow lands in my strike zone. I don’t know. It’s just perfect for me.” The rivals, who have had a frosty relationship that dates back to 2004 when Sharapova earned her breakout win against Williams in that year’s Wimbledon final, came out firing right from the start. Sharapova did her best to trade big shots with Williams but it quickly became apparent she simply did not have the same high gear she used to collect five Grand Slam titles. The Russian has fallen to 87th in the rankings during an injury-hit season that included shoulder surgery in February. Williams, dialed-in throughout the 59minute encounter, got the first break of the match to go ahead 3-1 and that appeared to free up the six-time champion’s playing style as she did not give Sharapova any chance to wrestle away momentum.
The 37-year-old Williams, facing Sharapova for the first time since the 2016 Australian Open, kept pressing and grabbed a double-break for a 5-1 lead and went on to serve out the set. Sharapova had a glorious chance to break Williams and work her way back into the match in the fourth game of the second set but at 1540 she let the opportunity pass her by. The Russian sent a service return into the net on her first chance before Williams fought off the next one with a sublime backhand winner that whizzed past a charging Sharapova. She had three more break points while
trailing 4-1 but was unable to convert. “I went through a shoulder procedure about four months ago. To find myself playing at a night match at the U.S. Open with people excited about the matchup, it’s a pretty big deal. I’m fortunate to be a part of that,” said Sharapova. “It’s easy to be discouraged after a match like this. But if I’m personally discouraged, I wake up tomorrow, I don’t feel like I want to go out, train, be better, that’s more discouraging than the result.” Williams will next face Catherine McNally after the American wildcard beat Swiss Timea Bacsinszky 6-4 6-1 earlier in the day.
Honduras, Cayman Islands, Belize and Guyana qualify for 2020 CUW17
Jalade Trim MIAMI, Florida – Honduras, Cayman Islands, Belize and Guyana have all punched tickets to the 2020 Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship after finishing atop their respective groups in last week’s 2019 Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship Qualifying. Matched with Saint Lucia, Bonaire and Anguilla in Group A, Honduras marched to a first-place finish with a 3W-0D-0L, 17GF-0GC record at the Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Top scores Group A: Krysan St Louis Saint Lucia (8) goles, Larissa Marisol Arías, Maylin Iveth Menjivar, Ana Marisolo Torres (Honduras) and Carlia Johnson of Anguilla (5) each one. The Truman Bodden Sports Complex in George Town, Cayman Islands was the site of Group B where hosts Cayman Islands took top spot with a 2W-1D-0L, 16GF-3GC record, finishing ahead of Martinique, Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica. While the Cayman Islands and Martinique each finished with seven points, Cayman Islands’s superior
goal difference (+13 to +7) proved to be the difference. Molly Kehoe of Cayman Islands scored 8 goals. Goal difference also factored into the winner of Group C at the Wildey Astro Turf Stadium in Wildey, Barbados, with Belize claiming first place with a 2W1D-0L, 10GF-4GC record, compared to second-place Barbados, who finished 2W1D-0L, 3GF-1GC. Rounding out the group was Saint Kitts and Nevis and U.S. Virgin Islands. Ellie Stokes Saint Kitts and Nevis (6) goals and Kaite Korell Jones of Belize with (6) There was no need for a tiebreaker in Group D, as
Guyana completed a perfect 3W-0D-0L, 11GF-4GC record over Bahamas, Curacao and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines at the Stadion Ergilio Hato in Willemstad, Curacao. Areka Hooper (Saint Vincent and the Grenadinez), Rachell Rolle (Bahamas) and Jalade Trim of Guyana three goals each. The Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship is scheduled to be played from March 21 to April 5th, 2020. The top 3 teams of the Championship will qualify to the 2020 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India from September 21 to October 4th. (concacaf.com)
Serena Williams of the USA shakes hands with Maria Sharapova of Russia after their first round match on day one of the 2019 U.S. Open tennis tournament. (Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports)
‘Extremely nervous’ Osaka scratches out win at US Open
Larissa Marisol Arias # 15 scored five goals to help Honduras win first place in Group A of the Concacaf Under-17 Championship held at the Estadio Olimpico Metropolitando in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
AFP - Reigning US Open champion Naomi Osaka survived a patchy start to her title defence yesterday to come through in three tough sets against Russia’s Anna Blinkova, the world number 84. Osaka suffered a firstround exit last month at Wimbledon and the Japanese star found a spirited Blinkova hard to put away in Arthur Ashe Stadium before she advanced 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2 in two hours and 28 minutes. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this nervous in my life and she played really amazing,” top seed Osaka said after moving through to a second round meeting with Poland’s Magda Linette. “I just came off really slow and never found my rhythm but I fought as hard as I could and I managed to win. “You want to do well after you did well last year,” she added. “I definitely didn’t want to lose in the third set.” Osaka, who was beaten
Naomi Osaka admitted to feeling the nerves in her first round match at the US Open. (AFP / Timothy A. Clary) by Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva in her Wimbledon opener, said the battling nature of her win here would serve her well moving forward. “It helps me a lot. I learn
from the tough matches and it helps me be prepared and try and adjust my gameplan. “I didn’t smile that much playing this match but hopefully I’ll change that in the next match.”
Wednesday August 28, 2019
PAGE 39
Kaieteur News
Final 16 teams confirmed for Inaugural ‘592 Street Kings’ Streetball Sparta Boss, Gold is Money among main contenders Following the official launch of the Inaugural edition of the ‘592 Street Kings’ streetball tournament on Monday last (August 19), the final list of teams, 16 in total, has been confirmed with some of the country’s best streetball teams along with some young, exciting, up and coming units going head to head for over $600,000 in cash and prizes. The tournament which is being sponsored by Ansa McAl’s 592 Lager Beer brand, will see some well-established teams inclusive of Albouystown-B, Tiger Bay, Gold is Money and Sparta Boss take on younger streetball outfits such as LA Ballers, Future Stars, John Street and Avocado Ballers across three nights of highly anticipated action. The venues which have been confirmed thus far are Berlin Tarmac (Drysdale and High Streets), while the second night will be played at the Burnham Court on Carmichael and Middle
Representatives from some of the participating teams in the ‘592 Street Kings’ tournament at the official launch last week. (Adrian Narine Photo) Streets. The final venue will be announced following the first two match days. The three nights which will be played on September 7, 14 and 21 will see the teams clash in a straight knockout competition with eight games on night one. The eight winners will advance to the
quarter-finals on night two. The winners of the quarterfinals will then advance to the semi-finals which will be played on the same night, while the losers will be eligible for the ‘592 Shield’ section. At the tournament, patrons will have a chance to win prizes and 592
merchandise with select purchases of 592 beer; also in the works is a halftime penalty shoot-out between fans which could see them landing a bucket of 592 Lager Beers. The ‘592 Street Kings’ of 2019 will pocket $300,000, while the runners-up will collect $150,000. The third-
place finishers will grab $100,000 while fourth-placers will receive $75,000 and the winners of the ‘592 Shield’ section will collect $50,000. Fixtures for the tournament will be released by the coming weekend. The teams that have been confirmed for the
tournament are: Avocado Ballers, Sophia, Ansa McAl All-Stars, North East La Penitence, Back Circle, Albouystown-B, Tiger Bay, Leopold Street, John Street, Melanie-B, Broad Street, Alexander Village, Future Stars, LA Ballers, Gold is Money and Sparta Boss.
Vanguard recover well to win Burnham Volleyball tourney Vanguard Volleyball Club of Georgetown had a rocky start but they recovered well to win the National Sports Commission/ Linden Forbes Burnham Female Volleyball Festival last weekend at the National Gymnasium. Organised by NSC Sports Officer A. Munroe, four teams took part in the action: Vanguard, Pakuri Warriors and PMTC females and
Castrol. The format for the competition saw the two lower ranked teams: Pakuri and Port Mourant Training Centre (PMTC), pulling to see which team they would play number one, Vanguard and number two Castrol. PMTC picked Vanguard, while Pakuri picked Castrol. The teams were then set to play another round with the winners facing the losers of the first round
to determine those advancing to the medal round in a best of 30 points encounter. Vanguard played PMTC and lost their opening clash 19-25, Castrol playing with 5 players against Pakuri 6 and lost 24-30. Castrol then played PMTC and won in 2 straight sets. This was followed by Vanguard beating Pakuri 2 sets to 1 (25-20, 23-25 and
15-9). It was then determined that Pakuri and PMTC would play for 3rd place and Vanguard and Castrol would play for 1st place. Pakuri won in straight sets against PMTC to take third. In the final, Castrol finally fielding 6 players, capitulated in straight sets to Vanguard 25-27 and 20-25. President of GVF, Levi Nedd, spoke to the teams before the
The teams that participated take time out for a group photo.
start and appealed to all the subassociations that they must work together if they want the sports to grow, he also praised the NSC, DOS Christopher Jones and also Sports Officer A. Munroe for their efforts and input. He also made an appeal to the regions and villages to get involved by forming more teams, not just females but males also.
PAGE 40
Kaieteur News
Matarkai Indigenous Heritage Football tournament
PK United FC and Sebai Invincible Talons FC crowned Champions The victorious PK United team.
On Saturday last, 2017 National Indigenous Heritage Champion and double semifinalist, PK United FC, defeated Matthews Ridge Junior FC 2-1 in the Matarkai Indigenous Heritage football final played at Fitzburg Recreational Ground, Port Kaituma. On a brilliant and windy afternoon, and watched by a sizable crowd, the closely knitted team in blue who remained unbeaten throughout the Matarkai competition, continued to display high quality of football throughout the 90 minutes of play as they won the bragging rights to
represent Matarkai in the Regional Football competition which involves Hosororo FC of Mabaruma and Moruca at Mabaruma on September 7-8, 2019. The regional winner will then head to the National Indigenous Heritage games schedule from September 20-21 at Everest ground in Georgetown. The men in blue from PK were confident as they had a well planned and calculated approach towards the young footballers from the Manganese mining community as one of their main striker and joint leading goal scorer Cordell Mitchell
was rested for the first half of play. However, for PK’s left winger Leroy Domingo the Indigenous Heritage Games means business as he passed a super volley in the 9th minute of play to Striker Keanu Williams who converted in spectacular fashion, earning him the leading goal scorer title with four, in the entire competition, despite receiving a yellow card in the 18th minute, the “North west footballers” had a psychological lead as they headed into half time. Following the interval, the Matthews Ridge Jr FC footballers showed determination of a comeback
Sebai Invincible Talons FC
as Ishmael Glen managed to pull one back in the 53rd minute, through a penalty. However, the celebration didn’t last long as PK’s Jason Ramjohn was floored in the 59th minute by a Matthews Ridge player within the penalty box and defender Cornel St Romain converted to hand PK United FC another Indigenous Heritage football title and booked their passage to the regional Competition. Meanwhile, Sebai Invincible Talons FC who won the Female segment a week ago will head to Mabaruma for the Regional competition on September 7-8.
Wednesday August 28, 2019
Federer overcomes Nagal scare to reach second round NEW YORK (Reuters) Roger Federer gave India’s Sumit Nagal a harsh introduction to Grand Slam tennis as the five-time champion weathered an early storm for a 4-6 6-1 6-2 6-4 win on Monday to reach the second round of the U.S. Open. When the match began it was Federer who surprisingly looked intimidated under the Arthur Ashe Stadium lights as he sprayed errors all around the court but the Swiss great woke from his slumber in time to turn the match resoundingly in his favor. “I thought I played like my beard today, I was rusty,” Federer, who was sporting a few days worth of stubble, said in his on-court interview. “I’m going to clean it up for my next match.” World number 190 Nagal, who has never earned a tourlevel victory and only qualified for the year’s final Grand Slam last week, came out swinging and even put a rare look of incredulity on the faces of those inside third seed Federer’s box. The 22-year-old Indian used impressive court coverage and sent heavilyspinning shots over the net during his dream start but his legs started to look more wobbly as the match wore and Federer righted the ship. Still, the start to the match for former world number one Federer, who is chasing his first New York title since 2008, could hardly have been worse as he made 19 unforced errors in the first set. Federer, playing in his first Grand Slam since he failed to convert two
championship points on his own serve against Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon, was down 0-40 while serving for the match but won six of the next seven points to hold for the win. The 38-year-old Swiss only played two hardcourt matches in his leadup to the U.S. Open and admitted that he may have been a little rusty adjusting to the hardcourt but chose to focus on the positives. “Maybe it’s not a bad thing to go through a match like this. It was very similar at Wimbledon when I dropped the first set there, as well, in the first round,” said Federer. “At the end you look at the last three sets, and they were good. That’s encouraging.” After the match Federer heaped praise on his opponent for the performance he managed to deliver on one of the sport’s biggest stages. “Never easy to come out and play your best. Even though it’s kind of what you live for, you dream about, playing on the big stage. So I think he did that very well,” said Federer. “He knows what he can bring. That’s why I think he’s going to have a very solid career. “Up next for Federer, who is seeking a recordextending 21st career Grand Slam title, will be Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur, who beat Frenchman Elliot Benchetrit earlier on Monday. Federer owns a 2-0 record in career meetings with Dzumhur, having beaten him in the third round at the 2015 French Open and in the first round at Wimbledon the same year.
Cummins omission only... From page 43 World Test Championship (WTC) for both teams. After a two-year period the two best teams will contest a final to be crowned Test Champions and the West Indies have an opportunity to claim 6o points for a win which will draw the series or pick up 20 points for a drawn match. This Series is the first of six Test Series which West Indies will play during the two-year period. Meanwhile, Guyanese born Radio cricket commentator Reds Perreira will do commentary in his 150th Test in this match, while during the Lunch break on the third day a Ceremony was be held by CWI to honour him for his outstanding services to Caribbean Cricket. Reds, who lives in St Lucia, will be afforded return air tickets from St Lucia to Jamaica, accommodation at the Jamaica Pegasus and daily transportation from the Hotel to Sabina Park. West Indies Team: Jason Holder (Captain), Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Jahmar Hamilton, Shannon Gabriel, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Keemo Paul, Kemar Roach. (Sean Devers)