Kaieteur News
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Friday August 12, 2016
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
THAT MID-YEAR ECONOMIC REPORT The 2016 mid-year economic report has indicated that there has been no recorded growth in the major sectors of the economy, except for mining and quarrying. According to the report, the economy grew by two percent in the first six months of the year due to the decline of sugar by 30 percent, rice by 26 percent, manufacturing by 14 percent and forestry by 13 percent. Overall, agriculture, which is a major foreign currency earner, fell by 12 percent. The significant growth in gold could offset the decline in the major sectors, but it is too early to tell. The contraction of the economy is disconcerting and could spell trouble for a country that spends more than it earns and imports more than it exports. With the slowdown in the economy, the government would be advised to establish a Council of Economic Advisers, with diverse views and different perspectives on how to stimulate growth. The Council, if properly conceptualized and allowed to function freely, could create significant initiatives. Every initiative the authorities have tried in the past year to boost the economy has sputtered and the dial has moved in a negative direction. Sound policies are needed for the growth rate to reach four percent by the end of the year as forecast. The belief that grandiose projects could do so is wishful thinking. It did not happen in the past and is unlikely to occur now. The economy has been limping at an anemic two to three percent growth in the past year and very little was done for it to recover. Part of the answer lies in an inadequate workforce, and the fact that the economy has been starved of capital while the government tries to woo foreign investors with little if any success. Small businesses are the backbone of the economy, and if neglected and strung up by mindless regulations and lack of capital, they cannot contribute to growth. Without robust growth in small enterprises the economy cannot take off. This is basic economic sense. It seems that the authorities are aware of this, but except for speeches, they have not done much to tangibly support small businesses. GO-Invest has always seemed to be an entity without initiatives of how to grow the economy. And while the Ministries of Finance and Business are scrambling to find solutions, the economy is fading fast. Unemployment could well be at an all-time high, as thousands of youths and others eligible to work are not meaningfully occupied, and many who are employed are in low-paying jobs and cannot by any means make ends meet. These are worrying trends and the challenges facing the current administration may well be too difficult to overcome unless proper advice is sought. In the last year, sales and revenue have fallen and with the onset of the Brexit impact in addition to no emergency monetary policy in place to stimulate economic growth, the country will find it difficult to stave off whatever may be breathing down its neck. So far, there have been no announced plans to grow the economy, create jobs and reduce food imports. And there are no economic czars to help the government solve the fiscal woes of the country. Printing more money will not be a solution; that will fuel inflation. We believe that there are many willing and capable Guyanese here, and in the diaspora, who can be called upon to be part of the aforementioned Economic Council. The fact that there has been reticence, and in some cases obstinacy by some in authority, to seek quality assistance to help solve the country’s problems, is min-boggling. That mid-year economic report should change those attitudes.
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.
Mega fruit producing farmlands in West Bank, Demerara DEAR EDITOR; Editor’s note; this is the concluding section of this letter which first appeared in our Wednesday’s edition There must be no talk about selling Wales’ lands. These are lands firstly for equity for the former sugar workers, both manual and administrative. Since Wales will be endowed with vast amount of arable land, this land must be developed specifically for residents of the West Bank. These citizens have waited since enslavement times for the better life. The experiment we talk about here will have to be discussed between the residents of the West Bank, be they sugar workers, cane farmers, householders and villagers, residents of the Canals for their valuable experiences, all who wish for the better life, and Central
Government. These deliberations will take time, patience, empathy and the motivation to make the project work in the interest of the citizens of the area, and the country. Incorporating the writings and comments of several commentators: F. McLean, H. Rahman, D. Singh, C. Sohan, R. Dev and Dr. Cummings into the narrative of taking Wales further, we wish to state the following and thank those named for use of their views: McLean: I can state that from agronomic studies and research done there in my time on the Wales’ soils ranging from the aluminum toxic heavy clays to the organic pegasse soil type, it clearly showed that there were benefits from intensive hand work – forking and shovel work – and fertilizer additives which have now become costly in
today’s context and can be best done only during f a v o u r a b l e w e a t h e r. Additionally the high rainfall in West Demerara will generally prohibit effective mechanical operations at the best of times. The inability to sustain these costly amelioration operations has, over time reduced sugar yields, consequently progressively affecting the economic and financial viability of the estate. With the pending closure of the Wales estate some thoughts for the future may be considered. From a crop diversification perspective the Canal Polder areas adjacent to Wales is known for its fruit, vegetable and ground provision potential and already supplies the local market and exports to a small extent. From national, economic consideration, the
challenge is to upgrade this potential for a bigger export market by a combination of a labour intensive and mechanised production initiatives. Cut flower is also a potential for the export market as l know that haliconias and some lilies grow well on the organic soils in the West Dem. areas. The development of some non-traditional fruit may be considered for export. Doodnauth Singh: Mr. Singh does not wish to cut the umbilical cord from sugar thereby making way for the Pheonix syndrome. Sentiments aside, we must prepare for a new beginning. He advocates limited diversification which resembles what Mauritius did in the 1974 period. They succeeded in their endeavour. Guyana’s attempt (Continued on page 5)
Approaches to mental health treatment DEAR EDITOR; He posted a heart wrenching appeal, some time after midnight, a few days on the face book page of The Caribbean Voice (www.caribvoice.org), asking for help because he was having familiar feelings of the kind that had driven him to attempt suicide once before. It took a while, but eventually the doctor called and set up an appointment for him at the Georgetown Public Hospital, at eight am. His arrival at the hospital created confusion and frustration as no one could direct him to the doctor he was seeking. The Caribbean Voice continues to engage him, as we usually do with regards to all our cases, hoping that we can still persuade him to take the additional counseling. This experience begs the following questions: 1. W h y w a s i t impossible for hospital staff to direct the
young man to psych ward? Surely this information should be available at reception desks and known by all staff? 2. Why was there no mental health professional to meet with the young man until close to 11 am even though he had an 8PM appointment? Surely the staff at the mental health unit knows that delays and consequent frustration can concretize the final act of suicide? In any case the young man is in an upbeat mood, since he found a temporary job, as his lack of employment was a trigger for his suicidal mindset, especially since it clearly created tension between him and his parents with whom he lives, and for whom he feels responsible. And, having once before attempted suicide, suicide ideation came very easy to him. Frighteningly, however, is that youth
unemployment is 40% according to the Caribbean Development Bank, a state of affairs that is fertile ground for youth suicide ideation and actual suicides, and may well already be impacting both, given that so many suicides go unreported. Thus our concern that government seems to be going back on its election campaign promise to provide jobs for the youth. While we applaud the efforts being undertaken thus far, especially by the police and the First Lady, we strongly urge that these be extended nationwide, be as inclusive as possible and be followed by job placements, perhaps in collaboration with the various business associations. We suggest too that all high schools implement summer, work study internships for students moving into (Continued on page 6)
Sherod Duncan raises funds for youth group DEAR EDITOR; Youth work is a noble enterprise and several youth groups in Guyana are exemplars in their consistent efforts. In many regards youth groups buttress the work of central and local governments, as well as other non-governmental organizations. In short, youth groups are not only important to moving Georgetown forward but aid in the holistic development of communities of our country. However, like any organization, youth groups face
challenges on several fronts, the chief of which is adequate financing. As a result, in honor of International Youth Day 2016 being celebrated on Friday, August 12, I will be partnering with Navin Singh of ‘Gravity Lounge’ to host a fundraiser. The fundraiser is being held at ‘Gravity’, Saturday, August 13, 2016, 8PM, $1000 for entry of which 100% of the proceeds will be given as grants to several groups identified, for the advancement of their good work. The youth groups to benefit are:
Guyana Animation Network (GAN); Fruita Conquers Football Club (Youths); Guyana International Volunteer Effort (GIVE); Give Foundation Guyana; Enterprise Youth Development Group; Come Alive Network Inc. (CANI).This fundraiser is intended to be the first of a series of planned collaborations to empower youth groups. Sherod Avery Duncan, LLB, JP. Deputy Mayor, Municipality of Georgetown
Friday August 12, 2016
Use of dangerous/poisonous chemicals in Strathavon DEAR EDITOR; With reference to the above-mentioned subject, I wish to draw the attention of the relevant authorities to a serious problem affecting residents of East Strathavon, East Coast Demerara. Three p e r s o n s a r e squatting on the access dam which is the government reserve at East Strathavon. Fences were erected by these persons who do not reside anywhere around the dam. People who previously used this dam to access their farms and rice fields are prevented by the squatters from doing so. They have to traverse a longer distance and use the
rice field dam which is in a deplorable state. Vegetables are cultivated and dangerous chemicals are sprayed everyday e.g. Fastak, B e s t a k , R o g a 4 0 . Ve g etables are sprayed at any time during the day and harvested for sale next morning. Residents including babies and the elderly have to endure this daily, also school children using the road next to the dam. While Cane Grove is an agricultural area, the rice fields are situated some distance away from residents. In addition, rice farmers do not spray often. Complaints were made to the NDC at Cane Grove without any help. Let-
ters were sent last year and earlier this year to the NDC, the Chairman Region 4, the Minister of Communities and the Board for Dangerous Poisons and Chemicals; and to date this matter has not been addressed. A delegation visited the Regional Chairman and stated its concerns. Because we live on the leeward side of the dam, our homes, clothing, food and bodies are all contaminated. Residents are being pushed around by the officials in authority who do not seem to care about our health or welfare. We are fed up and need urgent intervention in this matter. Concerned Resident
Mega fruit producing farmlands... From page 4 by GuySuCo OTHER CROPS Division was sabotaged by the very people who brought sugar flat on its back. Singh’s value added products and miscellaneous derivatives from the diversification augers well for the complete over-all diversification, taking in focus the vastness of the area, the land ownership – both statal, private, communal - as in the African villages. We will accept all his proposals and views except sugar at Wales, at least after 2016 plus a few more years, as the final solution may not be realisable until some time beyond the appointed date for closure. Dr. Cummings, Geographer in his Occasional paper 1, has laid the ground work for the development of the lands within Demerara and Essequibo Rivers. He provides sufficient material for the understanding of the conditions inherent in the Canal Polders which information could suffice for the entire area; that is the lands between the Demerara and Essequibo Rivers. The diagram of the lands between the rivers displayed in his book re-en-
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forces the fact from the study of the lands that we can now put Dr. Cummings work to useful purpose. In this matter where the closure of Wales will have serious adverse effect on the lives of its workers, Govt. will have to be encouraged to offer not only solace but an involvement with the people until such time that things go the way we envisage. The cane farmers themselves face double jeopardy. The transportation of cane to Uitvlugt may wipe out the farmers’ thin margin of profit, giving that farmers do not get duty concessions like gold miners on fuel and related items for use by their tractors and cane carts. The end of cane farming is in sight for the small cane farmer, whose transition to other crops will be costly. How will he and other displaced workers survive until they can put things right? Will Govt. establish a special fund to assist the cane farmer who will have to begin a new regime of agriculture? Will Govt. not want to make land grant to the sugar worker, and an interest free loan or an out-right grant
for him to transition from worker to farmer? There will be imperative need for a stabilization fund at low interest rate, over a long pay back period. In some situations grant money should be available. Because we are entering into a huge venture as has been discussed, there will be need to set up by Govt., a Land Grant College to teach farmers on the spot, that is on the land all the methods and techniques relevant to our agriculture. This institution will get its teachers from the senior staff of the defunct Wales estate and from graduates of the Guyana School of Agriculture and the University of Guyana. We should endeavour to make the Land Grant College a permanent feature, and in the process extend this facility to all parts of rural Guyana, especially in the hinterland. Government must without delay set up a Committee of Helpers comprising citizens from the West Bank Demerara whose main objectives will be in the interests of those who stand to suffer. Hafiz Rahman
Serious complaints against hotel owner DEAR EDITOR; This is the reason why we graduates want to migrate badly from Guyana. We have been treated with disrespect by our own employers in the Private Sector or more or less, the Business Community. Our labour rights continue to be trampled upon and some labour officers seem to be ill equipped to deal with some of our concerns, and disrespectful employers who are failing to pay over employees’ taxes, NIS and overtime pay over to us and the relevant authorities. I am the father of the child who gained perfect score in the English Language at the National Grade Six Examination 2016 and who also gained a place at Queen’s College and topped the country in the above subject area. To God Be the Glory. On the 20th April,2016 I indicated to my ‘Boss’ who is, the owner of a certain hotel via email that I cannot continue to work (6) six nights a week including Saturdays,
Sundays and National holidays without being compensated for my labour. I also outlined to him my NIS, P.A.Y.E and overtime not being paid over to the relevant authorities. I knew my days would be numbered thereafter because I gave him until May month-end to fix my benefits. However, being an auditor, I had to see that the right things are done for the benefit of me, the employees and the hotel business itself. Further, by the 1st June there was threat to me and my daughter’s life. I ordered two boxes of food for lunch to take home. Thank God my daughter did not eat from the bottom box. When I got home my wife and I decided to share the food from the bottom box among ourselves and children and guest what we found in the food as I dip the first spoon; I found one broad headed galvanized zinc sheet nail which I showed to the owner on the 7th June,2016.
As a result, things took a different turn with my employer’s wife who came to Guyana from overseas in early July 2016 with her disrespectful attitude towards employees. In this regard, she claimed that she is a minority shareholder in her husband’s business and she has the right to hire and fire as she likes. Well, I was relieved of my Auditing duties on the 5th August, 2016 and was told verbally that she is going to pay me all that I deserve. In conclusion, I am asking the Minister of Labour and my Government to urgently address this wanton abuse on my labour rights, coupled with my fellow employees who are afraid to speak out. I believed that I should be paid compensation for the past (10) ten months working six nights a week including Saturdays, Sundays and National holidays. My wife and children who made the sacrifices for me in the nights deserve every cent. Rawle Charles
City Council says Private Sector must play its part too DEAR EDITOR; We have noticed certain statements made by the Private Sector Commission in sections of the media on the Council. In one of the media, the caption “Private Sector won’t be bullied by the City Hall” attributed to the chairman of the Private Sector Commission, presents the wrong picture of the collective effort of the Georgetown City Council. It has never been the practice of the Georgetown Municipality to bully anyone, let alone the Private Sector – a body for which the Council has great respect and is in consultation to advance the interest of the city.
It must be noted, however, that all we are seeking to do is to persuade the Private Sector and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce to pay their just and fair share of taxes, and to make their contribution to the restoration and development of the city. The city has its statutory responsibility; to provide and maintain streets and other public through-fares as stipulated in the Municipal and District Council Act chapter 28:01., also to maintain roads, bridges and parapets. However, we need the full support and cooperation of all our partners including the (Continued on page 6)
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High praise for the qualities Unbearable duck-rearing farm in Good Hope, ECD of the First Lady DEAREDITOR, Her Excellency Sandra Granger, wife of His Excellency President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, The Honorable David Arthur Granger, is in my opinion one of the finest First ladies that this country has ever seen. Being a strong advocate for Women’s Rights and National Unity, with her role models being impressionable women such as Michelle Obama and Mrs. Viola Burnham, Guyana’s First Lady is indeed a positive influence for women and children across Guyana and beyond. Since becoming First Lady, Mrs. Granger has been engaged in many programmes that aim to build and stimulate the advanced development of the lives and people of Guyana and in doing so; she has become a major role model for many both young and old. Mrs. Granger is a strong advocate of equality on every plateau, regardless of gender, race and religion. As the National Chairman of the Universal Federation of Peace (UPF) - Guyana Chapter, an organization dedicated to peace, harmony, cooperation and growth, I do believe that in years to come, Her Excellency will be a force to
reckon with in the social development of our country. After becoming First Lady, she stated that one of her biggest concerns in Guyana is children and their safety and education, and claimed that she desperately wanted to make a difference in these areas. I am very happy that these ambitions were not in vain. I do believe that she will fulfill every promise made to the Guyanese populace. A project of hers that has been highly praised was her promoting of the Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) projects in various communities. She recently launched a STEM Guyana Robotic Camp in Buxton/Friendship, mentioning that she saw all the possibilities of robotics and the increase of knowledge for the young men and women of the varying communities. I honestly cannot wait to see what she does for the people of Guyana during her remaining time in office. Another aspect of her life to be admired is her partnership with her husband, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Brigadier David Granger. In previous media interviews, the love, respect and admiration for her husband was quite obvious. The First Lady had stated
that she believes President Granger was born to fulfill a greater purpose and she was proud to be by his side as he strived to make Guyana greater. In my opinion, this is the epitome of a great partnership. The relationship between the two should be appreciated by all Guyanese and I personally believe that Guyana would have moved further ahead if every politician possessed a partner of the same characteristics as that of First Lady Sandra Granger. Haaji Roshan Khan National Chairman, UFP.
DEAR EDITOR I would like the relevant authorities to investigate this unpleasant duck farm that is next to me in Good Hope, Phase 1 on the East Coast of Demerara. Having made numerous reports to the authorities like the NDC, RDC and EPA, I was told that they will look into it. I would like to know what kind of person opens a duck farm where he is rearing close to a thousand ducks and not care about its effects on his neighbours, particularly in a community where it is populated.
The stench of this duck farm is unbearable to the extent that it smells in your bedroom and on many occasions, we have had to lock the windows, pull the blinds down, and even use a pillow to cover our nose since it is very nasty. We have spoken to these people on numerous occasions but they are determined not to do anything about it. A sanitary inspector came but we know these people were tipped off because they would clean up just before the inspector arrives and then the smell comes back. Think about having to raise children, invite guests, have functions and friends over only to be greeted by one of the worst stenches from
this duck farm which I consider illegal since you cannot have a large farm in a neighbourhood. I am not sure if they have a permission to do so. They cannot do this kind of business at the expense of other people’s health. We are not prepared to endure this kind of inhumane condition since we are law abiding citizens and want what everyone wants, that is, to be able to live comfortable in our home, breathe fresh air and be able to sit on your veranda and not have to rush in to close the doors. A large duck farm like this needs to be closed down or relocated to a place where it cannot affect people. Concerned Citizen
Approaches to mental health treatment From page 4 fifth forms and perhaps extend this to weekends/evenings where possible during the fifth form years. A job placement program is also needed for all tertiary level educational institutions. Alarmingly too, the myth that dealing with counseling and the psych ward or the psychiatric institution means someone is ‘mad’, holds tremendous sway in Guyana and that may be why transparent and obvious warning signs are ignored by care givers and loved ones. Far too often, after a suicide, we hear or read that so and so had talked about wanting to take his or her life but those around him/her thought he/she was joking and/ or did not take that person seriously. Thus we strongly urge the Ministry of Health to embark on a sustained education campaign to combat this myth. As well, we urge the Ministry of Health to
make sure that mental health professionals are available 24/7 at public hospitals, especially where there are psych wards and that mechanisms, including signage providing directions, be put in place to make access to such wards easy and quick for anyone seeking help, given that delays and consequential frustration/anger can lead to loss of lives. Empirical and anecdotal evidence indicates that Guyanese are hardly utilizing the hotline and we do recall that an appeal last year for figures to be released was met with deafening silence in spite of claims of its success. The Caribbean Voice has been publicizing the hotline via our self-esteem pledge which has been distributed to schools and communities in many parts of Guyana. However, it is critical that the Ministries of Public Security and Health embark on an ongoing, national campaign to make the
suicide hotline a household item and to encourage citizens to make use of it with the promise of absolute confidentiality every time. On the issue of confidentiality, we have also found that too many Guyanese are still skeptical of counselors and counseling because of claims that confidentiality is not often kept. In fact, the grapevine revealed that a suicideprevention activist, who committed suicide last year, might have done so partly because the confidentiality she was promised was breached. That is why the promise of confidentiality with regards to the suicide hotline is so absolutely critical. And perhaps that is why, far too often, those seeking help emphatically refuse counseling in Guyana and/or by Guyanese, when we place that on the table for them. Also, this case and many others that we have handled over the lasttwoyears,makeitclearthatmental healthcare has to be national in
scope and of easy access. Thus we reiterate its call for mental health care to be integrated into the physical heath care system, per the recommendation of the World Health Organization, for nations like Guyana. While we do have our own complement of counselors we also do sometimes refer cases to various counselors in Guyana with whom we have developed relationships, and who also offer their services free of charge to our referrals. Incidentally, not all of our cases are related to suicide. In fact we have handled domestic violence, sex abuse and rape, child abuse and alcoholism cases as well, and while most of our cases are from Guyana we have dealt with cases in a number of other countries as well, since people seek us out through our Internet and social media presence. Anand Boodram for The Caribbean Voice
City Council says Private Sector must... From page 5 Private Sector. The container fee provides an opportunity for the Council and its partners to secure the integrity of roads, bridges, reserves and parapets more particularly, it provides an opportunity to have more revenue to ensure the public and environmental health of the City, and to create an enabling environment for all of our entre-
preneurs. The council is in the process of identifying members to sit on the tripartite committee, consisting of members from the Private Sector Commission and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, to address other initiatives including a charge per tonnage per cargo that is through and across the city of Georgetown. The Council’s administra-
tion is firm on its position as it relates to the city’s by-law and regulations stipulated in the Municipal and District Council Act 28:01. Also, it is committed to the development of Georgetown to a level that is comparable to great cities of the world, and to leave a legacy of safety and goodness for the next generation. While we are not in the practice of bully-
ing anyone, we remain committed to the statutory obligation and to ensure that the city is properly managed. It is the sincere hope of the City Council that the Private Sector Commission and Georgetown Chamber of Commerce can work together to advance the interest of the Capital City. Debra Lewis Public Relations Officer
Friday August 12, 2016
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Regional executives Guyana, US to sign important warned against corruption reciprocal agreement For years, Governments around the world have tried to prevent major players from evading taxes. To avoid certain measures attached to reporting their wealth, some persons have resorted to placing their ill-gotten wealth in accounts outside of their respective countries. This is the very situation before tax chiefs in countries like Guyana and global superpower, the United States of America. Acknowledging that international ways of hiding money, lawfully and unlawfully attained, and evading taxes, call for international ways of stopping it, the US in 2010, implemented the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, during the PostCabinet Press Briefing yesterday, stated that Cabinet has approved the request made by the Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, for the Government of Guyana to sign Reciprocal Model Level ‘A’ One, Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with the USA Internal Revenue Service (IRS). He explained that the signing of this IGA will allow for the service agreement with the software provider for the installation of reporting software relating to the FATCA which will strengthen Guyana’s Anti-money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act (AML/CFT) thrust. He added that the agreement will allow financial institutions in Guyana to identify and disclose the details relating to the holders of United States-dollar accounts. Cabinet has noted that since 2014, Guyana had considered an inter-
- aim at ill-gotten wealth in overseas accounts and tax evaders
Minister of State, Joseph Harmon briefing the media yesterday governmental agreement and as a consequence, local financial institutions were required to submit reports for 2014, but were unable to do so, because the agreement was not in place. Therefore, reports for 2014 and 2015 are now due and expected to be submitted by September 2016, Harmon said. FATCA, according to
previous reports, is generally regarded as the beginning of the establishment of a central worldwide clearing house for the exchange of taxpayer information amongst countries. FATCA was instituted by the United States of America to combat tax evasion by U.S. individuals holding investments in foreign accounts.
Regional Executive Officers (REOs) and other officials from the Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) met with various ministerial teams yesterday. The meeting facilitated the refinement of their 2017 proposed work programmes with the main objective being the finalisation and approval of their respective budgets. The meeting was held at the Umana Yana and was facilitated by the Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan and Permanent Secretary within the ministry, Emil McGarrell. A team from the Ministry of Finance led by Finance Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, Dr. Hector Butts, Ministry of Education Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, and Minister of Public
Infrastructure, David Patterson and his team were also present to assist with the “fine-tuning” of the capital expenditure of the various regions. Minister Bulkan in his address pointed out that the meeting was aimed at bringing together the sector ministries and RDCs to initiate the process of preparation and finalization of budgets for the various RDCs. He noted that this fresh approach taken by the administration is geared towards ensuring that a financial management system and an astute accountability framework are in place at the regional level. “At the level of Central Government, we are committed to the highest standards of accountability
and transparency. It is within our mandate to make sure that where there are weaknesses and gaps that exist, it is brought to the attention of the appropriate personnel, so there is no recurrence”. He continued that specific issues relating to the financial management of RDC will be highlighted by the team from the Ministry of Finance, “largely to draw attention to the serious concerns which exist within the system”. “We want to ensure there is a clear understanding that at the level of central government, no corrupt practices will be condoned and should these issues be a recurrent feature at the regions, there will be consequences and repercussions,” he (Continued on page 9)
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Agri Ministry wants farmers to increase use of bio inputs - says organic products will produce safer food, environment The Ministry of Agriculture is pushing for there to be an increased use of bio inputs in the Agriculture Sector. Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Agriculture, George Jervis, stressed the Ministry’s intention to have more bio inputs used in the sector so as to provide greener and safer products. Bio inputs are naturally derived things which are free of the toxic elements common to the current chemicals being used. Jervis was at the time ad-
dressing stakeholders at the launch of the Act Project in the Ministry of Agriculture. The Act Project is designed to foster development of the institutional framework of the subsector of commercial bio inputs for agricultural use to promote cleaner agriculture in Guyana, Paraguay and Dominican Republic. According to Jervis, the focus on using bio inputs is timely, since crops in Guyana are showing resistance to some of the chemi-
cals which are currently being used. He made reference to a visit which he made with Agriculture Minister Noel Holder to the facility at Mon Repos. Jervis explained that during their visit, plants and animals were showing an increased resistance to antibiotics. He said that farmers usually administer antibiotics to their chickens the day before they are killed. Jervis stressed that plants, animals and humans are linked, because despite
persons may not be ingesting the antibiotics directly, it will be consumed after eating meat and crops coming from farms. Jervis said that if Guyana is to make its agriculture greener through the use of bio inputs, then it would be on the right track. He made mention of the “One Health” programme which seeks to address both animal and human health issues through food contamination. Undertaking this project with the Ministry is the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) and the Pesticide and Toxic Chemicals Control Board (PTCCB) in collaboration with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA). Representative of the
Permanent Secretary, George Jervis addressing the gathering IICA delegation in Guyana, Wilmot Garnett in his remarks said that another aim of the Project is to develop a sustainable sub-sector, whereby Guyanese can be-
gin producing bio inputs on a commercial level. He said that the project seeks to target relevant institutions and officials - the public and private sector involved in the commercial development of inputs and the producers who will find a new and alternative commercial offer of sustainable biological input. It is aimed to strengthen the institutional capacities required for evaluation, registration and post-registration control of bio inputs for agricultural use. It is expected that locals will be trained to facilitate the enactment of the agreed national standards and operating procedures. The general themes at the forum was that the chemicals currently being used have been adversely affecting the environment, inclusive of human, animal and plant life. As a result, it is necessary that a safer alternative is sought after.
Way cleared for Bid Protest Committee to operate - Minister Harmon The Bid Protest Committee (BPC) has been approved through a decision by Cabinet and is now cleared to begin work. This was disclosed by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon at post Cabinet media briefing yesterday. He said that the BPC will complement the work of the Public Procurement Commission “to further government’s commitment to transparency in the public procurement process.” He disclosed that the Bid Protest Committee “will adjudicate over complaints filed by aggrieved contractors for a fee of $50,000 plus one percent of the bid sum in question.” According to Harmon, the
BPC was established on June 15, but its work did not start earlier because of the uncertainty about contract sums when Cabinet first made a decision about the fee and percentage for aggrieved contractors. “It is now clear, it’s now clarified that we are talking about one percent of the bid sum. That should now clarify and clear the way for any protests that are before the committee to get that done.” The decision by Cabinet now means that the BPC can start investigations into the procurement and awarding of the Haags Bosch Landfill site management contract. Cevon’s Waste Management made several complaints regarding the bidding process and the eventual awarding of the Haags Bosch Landfill management contract to Puran Brothers. Cevon’s had alleged
favouritism on the part of the Government in awarding the contract to Puran Bros. According to Cevon’s CEO Morse Archer, there was a rush to sign the contract which seemed “fishy”. Another issue cited was that Puran Bros’ estimate was some 32 percent below that of the Ministry’s engineer. Archer stated that it was difficult to accept that Puran Bros is delivering at 32 percent below the engineer’s estimate and at the same time making a profit. In response, Lakenauth Puran of Puran Bros said that his company had satisfied all the criteria for managing the Landfill site. Mr. Puran also said that the Ministry should address the issues brought forward by the Cevon’s group. Ivor Allen, a partner of Cevon’s, has also expressed confidence in the Bid Protest Committee.
Friday August 12, 2016
Bond Fiasco.... With the misleading utterances made by the Minister of Public Health, over the acquisition of a bond, causing a firestorm, President David Granger has added his opinion to the raging debate. During his weekly programme, “The Public Interest,” the Head of State asserted that “the Ministry of Public Health attempted to avoid the pitfalls of the processes which prevailed under the previous administration, in which a single corporation had been given more or less, like, single source, carte blanche, and they created a huge bond, because that corporation had more or less expected that the government would always buy from them, maybe in perpetuity, but what happened is that the new administration decided to bring an end to single sourcing.” He explained “when that was announced to the corporation which benefitted from single sourcing, it decided to charge the government a very high rate for the use of its bond which had been built into the cost before, so the government found it impossible to
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Kaieteur News
Regional executives Health Ministry attempted to avoid pitfalls of previous administration - Granger warned against... pay the new rates being charged by the corporation under the previous arrangement, it was almost punitive.” “That caused the Ministry of Public Health to seek a new bond. That is how it all started, and in seeking that new bond, the government obviously had to think about timing, it had to think about the short term storage of drugs and it led to the adoption, or the quest for a new bond that is under Linden Holding, a new company.” “It was an act driven by necessity not by any sort of perversity. It was an act because the old arrangements, single sourcing, had been criticized and had been brought to an end, and once the corporation that was the beneficiary of that old system discovered that, they imposed what were regarded as punitive rates and the government had no choice but to seek a new bond in order to store the pharmaceuticals, that is the genesis of the problem.” The Minster of Public Health, during the sitting of the National Assembly last Monday had told
President David Granger Members of Parliament (MPs) that drugs were stored in the bond – which is located at Sussex Street, Albouystown. However, this was not so, since the media was able to ascertain that the facility was still under construction and no drugs were being stored there. In addition, the Minister told his colleagues and members on the opposite side that the building was certified by the Ministry, deeming it suitable for the stor-
age of pharmaceutical supplies. However, as stated before, the facility was not completed and therefore, could not be certified. It is of the view that the Minister misled Parliament and by extension, the nation. A probe was subsequently launched by President Granger where a Cabinet Sub-Committee was established to review, examine the deal between the Linden Holdings Company and the Ministry of Public Health. That report was concluded was promised to be presented to the President. (See related story on page 3)
(From page 7) cautioned. Dr Butts explained to participants that the general aim of the engagement was to create awareness in terms of how the issue of public financial management shapes the perception of functionaries, based mainly on the idea of providing a high quality service in the most transparent manner. He urged the regional officials to execute their mandates in accordance with the requirements of public accountability and to the satisfaction of their various constituencies. Dr Butts pointed out that not only will their financial deportment come under scrutiny by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) but also their attitudes, skills
and knowledge base required for the task at hand. The fora will continue today when regional officials will meet with teams from the Ministries of Health and Agriculture. Departmental and Subject Heads from the Ministry of Communities on Wednesday also presented their respective budgets to Ministers Bulkan, Valerie Adams-Patterson and Dawn Hastings-Williams. Presentations were also made by the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI), Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA), the Sanitation Management Unit, the Community Infrastructural Improvement Programme (CIIP) and the Sustainable Livelihood Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) Fund.
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Friday August 12, 2016
Kaieteur News
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
The image of fools and failures seated at a table There is a photograph in the newspapers of a group of PPP leaders sitting in front of a table. On the list was Donald Ramotar- a politician who twice contested national elections and failed to win a majority. He led a minority presidency from January 2012 to April 2015 and was commonly referred to in journalism and political commentary as Medvedev, meaning a surrogate of Bharrat Jagdeo, as President Dmitry Medvedev was of Vladimir Putin. Ramotar cannot point to any form of success, however tiny, when he was President for three years and four months. His sordid record becomes even uglier when one considers that he was a Board member of GuySuCo
during which time GuySuCo became a failure. Next to Ramotar was Clement Rohee, a Cabinet Minister for just about 23 years. One of the most ridiculous figures ever to emerge in politics anywhere in the world, Rohee as Minister, Parliamentarian, and now leader of a political party, cuts a figure of derision and fun. In what can only be described as unimaginable caricature, Rohee utters the most comical sentences each time he opens his mouth at public forums. Explaining to his fellow Guyanese why he is eligible to run for the presidency, Rohee says after all, “goat ain’t bite meh.” Responding two weeks ago to media questions about
threats to a foreign diplomat by a PPP executive, he said he would not comment because “what’s in the cup stays in the cup.” As night follows day, until his career is over, Rohee will remind the world of what a disaster his party, the PPP, is. To the right of Jagdeo was Roger Luncheon. He held the position of Secretary to the Cabinet for almost 23 years and held the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors for the NIS for the same length of time. Jagdeo said a few weeks ago, when asked about the investment of billions of NIS funds into the Berbice Bridge Company, that as President, he had nothing to do with that decision. So was it Luncheon? Five billion dollars of NIS money vanished into thin air because it was invested in CLICO which collapsed. Yet this failure of a politician was seated at a table giving a lecture to the people of this country. As a citizen of this land I say to Luncheon, go to hell,
my country does not want to hear anything from you. To the left of Jagdeo was a funny human being named Ramon Gaskin. One doesn’t know what his first name is. He says it is Raymond, then, in the same breath he says it is Ramon. Ramon Raymond Gaskin, who trained at Patrice Lumumba University - the same one Jagdeo attended in the now defunct USSR -became the Chairman of the Guyana Electricity Corporation (now known as GPL) when the PPP came to power in 1992) and special Advisor to the Minister of Finance, Bharrat Jagdeo. During his rampage against public servants at GPL, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under President Cheddi Jagan and Finance Minister Jagdeo, Gaskin earned the nickname, “Rambo.” More public servants were dismissed under “Rambo” than at any other time in the history of this
country. Testifying in libel trials for Dr. Walter Ramsahoye against this newspaper on two occasions, “Rambo gave his age as 74. At age 74, maybe it is time, Rambo returns to Canada, where he has citizenship, to live out the rest of his life. The centrepiece at the table was Bharrat Jagdeo. The occasion was a public lecture by these men held at the Sleep-In hotel on Brickdam where as President, Mr. Ramotar, frequented the place every Friday evening singing karaoke. I wondered if in his repertoire, was the famous Burt Bacharach wonder hit, “Any Day Now” made famous by Rhythm and Blues singer, Chuck Jackson. There is a line from this song that goes like this. “Then my wild beautiful bird You would have flown Any day now I’d be all alone.” Guyana flew away from Ramotar and the PPP since
Frederick Kissoon 2011, never to be possessed anymore. So Ramotar spends his lonely time writing letters to the newspapers. The supposed star of the lecture was Bharrat Jagdeo. Any decent human looking at that photograph must ask him/herself what can this man who ran Guyana for twelve years tell the people of Guyana. The men at the table went to Sleep-In to lecture because, unlike most other countries in the world, they seem free to walk and talk despite a mountain of troubling evidence against them (minus “Rambo”). But the walls are closing in.
Sub-Committee recommends... From page 3 several hundred thousand people with the procurement of one building. The two are not comparable, if I may put it that way.” He added that given the ‘circumstances,’ the Minister of Health had to enter into a contract as soon as possible. “We believed that sole sourcing was the best way forward. However, in Cabinet, the discussion went along the way of Government having its own facility, and that is one of the recommendations in the Sub-Committee’s report.” He added that the original contract that was presented to cabinet was for 10 years, however, cabinet brought it down to three years with the belief that the State must move towards having its own facility. The Minister said that a tour of the
bond was conducted by the Sub-Committee and he is satisfied that the building is suitable for drug storage – which he added, has met the World Health Organisation (WHO) requirements “in terms of temperatures, cold storage, security and so forth.” He explained that the government simply cannot afford the price being asked by the New GPC for storage when the company did not previously charge for drug storage fees under the last government. He also offered clarification that a security deposit was only handed over to the company in July, while the building was bought in March. He said the government had nothing to do with that purchase and added that it was merely a coincidence that the security deposit and sale price of the building were both $25 million.
Dem boys seh...
Nutten tell lie pun Babbie Old people always seh ‘Come see meh is not come live wid meh.’ Soulja Bai see Nutten and tek de man into he Cabinet. Now de man tun out to be either a dumb SOB or a scamp. Larry buy a building in Albouystown in March fuh $25 million. He get transport in June. This is wheh Nutten come in. He already give back Larry de $25 million claiming how he paying security deposit fuh de building. De man tell de Cabinet how he cut a deal wid Larry and he was right, because he promise to give Larry $12.5 million every month. After he hatch de plan wid Larry, he go to Soulja Bai and de Cabinet to explain how he get a bargain from
Larry. He tell dem that Babbie was charging $19 million a month and Larry gun only tek $12 million a month. Right away Babbie tell de whole world how Nutten is not corrupt or spoil, but that he rotten. De man seh that he never charge a cent. Dem boys now want to know if Nutten was actually tekking de $19 million every month. Dem boys seh that if Nutten did only tell de Cabinet bout he deal, he could argue that de people didn’t hear him properly, but de man tell de National Assembly de same thing. But people should have suspect that he was lying. This is a man who does talk smooth, but this time he start to stammer. He mek Stammer Joe look like stupid-
ness. It look like if Nutten eyes pass poor Soulja Bai. He sit down and try to fool de man. Dem boys seh knock got knock back. Soulja Bai gun knock him so hard that he head gun spin. As for Larry, people know that he is a wheeler and dealer. It had to be that he trap Nutten wid dem gyal he does got in de place. Well is either Nutten pay back de $25 million or he get Larry to give back de taxpayers de money. Soulja Bai start an investigation and Jagdeo want Nutten go before de privileges committee. Dem boys want see him in jail. Talk half and watch out fuh who else paying fuh nutten.
Friday August 12, 2016
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Kaieteur News
An apology is inadequate for a “cock and bull story” –Jagdeo, Goolsarran
Public Health Minister, Dr. George Norton By Kiana Wilburg After giving the nation what was essentially a “cock and bull story” on the drug bond fiasco, an apology from Public Health Minister, Dr. George Norton just wouldn’t cut it. This is according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo and former Auditor General, Anand Goolsarran. Even though these two public figures have been extremely critical of each other in the media, they both shared the sentiments that a so-called apology which Norton is being asked by the Government to offer the citizenry for his misleading comments does not solve anything. Both parties agreed that Norton and any other official involved in the “shady drug bond deal” must be held accountable. In an interview with this newspaper yesterday, Jagdeo recalled that when the Minister was asked in the National Assembly to provide the details with respect to the location, the rental and certification of the controversial drug bond, he sought to make a mockery of the questions, which his colleagues on the government benches reacted to with mirth and loud laughter having found his explanations highly amusing, notwithstanding the fact that millions of taxpayers’ money was involved in the fiasco. In addition to this, Jagdeo said that Parliament was advised by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo that all the issues concerning the bond went to Cabinet for consideration and were fully discussed and approved. He insisted that the Granger administration must take full responsibility for the Linden Holdings Inc. bond fiasco and must account to the nation and the National Assembly for its corrupt practices. The Opposition Leader stressed that the matter is therefore one of collective responsibility and not solely Norton’s. The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) also said that it stands by its commitment that the Health Minister must go before the Privileges Committee and face the full brunt of the penalties. The Opposition party also said that it rejects the mere call for an apology on Norton’s part by the Granger administration as disgusting and views it as an affront to the Nation. Sharing his thoughts on the matter earlier in
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo
Former Auditor General, Anand Goolsarran the day, Chartered Accountant, Anand Goolsarran expressed from the get go that Norton’s explanations to the National Assembly on the matter represent a full “cock and bull story” and stressed that in addition to Norton, officials from the Ministries of Health and Finance must also be held accountable. It was on Monday that the Public Health Minister was grilled extensively by members of the Opposition over $25M which was taken from the Contingencies Fund. It was revealed the sum was used as part of a security deposit for a warehouse in Sussex Street owned by Linden Holdings Inc. Getting this information out of the Public Health Minister was by no means any easy task. But in the process, the political opposition was
able to show that Dr. Norton’s statements were just not adding up. The Opposition was able to reveal that Dr. Norton avoided the tendering process for the warehouse contract. But the Public Health Minister sought to defend the use of sole sourcing a contractor, by stating that the Ministry of Health and the Georgetown Public Hospital were in a hurry to find space to store drugs and other medical supplies. He insisted that it was an “emergency.” Lo and behold, when checks were made at the Sussex Street location of the bond, not a single medical item was being stored there. In fact, the bond was still under construction. Additionally, Dr. Norton told the House that in the interest of being cost effective, the administration had no choice but to go with Linden Holding Incorporated, as opposed to New GPC. He claimed that Linden Holding Inc. was only going to cost the government $12.5M in rental fees per month while New GPC was charging $19.2M. New GPC subsequently submitted a statement to the media which showed that Dr. Norton’s statements were far from the truth. The company made it clear that it never charged a rental fee of $19.2M. In fact, it offered its warehouse for the past decade, free of charge. Furthermore, the Public Health Minister failed to answer questions as to who are the principles of the Linden Holding Inc., its date of registration here, who signed the contract with the company on Government’s behalf and when it was signed. Even after these questions were repeated numerous times, he insisted that those details were not available at the time. Also, Dr. Norton was asked to tell the nation why the Diamond storage facility was not being used to hold the drugs and other medical supplies. This too, he failed to answer in a straightforward manner. Instead, he said that Government hopes it would not have to use the warehouse
belonging to the Linden Holding Inc. for too long. What also shocked members of the Opposition was the failure of the Minister of Public Health to commit to presenting the bond contract in the National Assembly. Norton told the House that while Government would be interested in doing so, the disclosure of the contract would be dependent on the other party. He made this
comment in spite of the fact that his Government had stated on numerous occasions that contracts should be made public, with the exception of those that deal with national security. Another area on which the Public Health Minister was found producing mixed stories, was when the Opposition Parliamentarians asked him to say if the bond that was procured met international standards.
Norton told the House that it complies with the World Health Organization and Pan American Health Organization standards. But when challenged to bring the relevant certificates from the said organizations to the House in order to substantiate his claim, he changed his story and said it was the Ministry of Health that certified the safety of the bond.
Missing tug captain found in hospital’s ICU An Adventure Village, Corentyne man, who went missing last Tuesday after leaving home, was found by relatives yesterday in the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC)’s Intensive Care Unit. Emro Adrian Gomez, 31, had left home around 09:00 hrs on Tuesday to go to work at Nismes, West Bank Demerara (WBD) but never showed up. His wife, Susan Hickman got suspicious when he failed to make contact with her. Gomez is the captain for a tug. The company operates in Nimes. “He goes to work and comes home every monthend, but he calls every minute.
He calls in the morning and night,” his wife said, while adding that she knew something was wrong when she was informed that he had not turned up at work. When Wednesday passed and he failed to make contact with his relatives, they started searching all the hospitals and mortuaries for him early yesterday. Eventually, they found him in an unconscious state in the GPHC’s ICU. They were informed that Gomez had been struck down by a car somewhere in Berbice and was taken to the hospital in a critical condition. It is unclear if anyone was arrested in relation to the accident.
Emro Adrian Gomez
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Friday August 12, 2016
Kaieteur News
$29 million fraud at GPL…
Former PM not aware of cabinet approving Carvil Duncan to pay himself Former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, who had oversight over the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), was not aware of a cabinet decision approving Carvil
Duncan to pay himself $984,900 or for him to be paid otherwise. This was revealed to the court yesterday when the t r i a l o f Duncan, who is
accused of stealing close to $30M from the power company, continued before Magistrate Leron Daly, in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Duncan, 73, of 1977
Williamstad Road, Festival City, Georgetown, is accused of stealing $989,900 belonging to GPL on March 31, 2015. It is also alleged that between May 7, and May 8,
2015 at Georgetown, Duncan conspired with a former senior GPL official to steal the sum of $27,757,500, property of GPL. Duncan is currently out on $1M bail. Hinds was at the time being cross examined by Charles Ramson Jr., attorney for Duncan. Hinds told the court that most decisions made by Winston Brassington, the former Chairman of GPL Board, were done without consultation from cabinet. When the defence attorney suggested to Hinds that the Chairman of GPL Board raised the issue of retroactive application of directors’ fees, he stated that the issue of arrears was raised generally with cabinet or the then Head of the Cabinet Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon. When further questioned, Hinds stated that Luncheon, who was also the Cabinet Secretary, had such responsibilities and powers during the periods Duncan
allegedly stole the monies from GPL. “The Cabinet Secretary was a very strong and powerful person”, the former PM related. He added that Luncheon had more powers and responsibilities than any other minister. Hinds explained that Luncheon represented the president and only the president had the authority to override decisions made by him. A s s i s t a n t Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kedarnauth Bejaimal continued testifying yesterday. He gave evidence in relation to documents he received from GPL officials. Among the documents was a cheque paid to and signed off by Duncan for the sum of $984,900. The police witness testified that on January 7, h e c o n t a c t e d G P L’s F i n a n c e O ff i c e r, L o r i s Nathoo, who showed him (Continued on page 31)
Former PM Samuel Hinds
CHARGED: Carvil Duncan
Friday August 12, 2016
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Kaieteur News
No past, current or future President will enjoy immunity from SARA investigations By Kiana Wilburg If an official is found to be stealing assets from the state, then rest assured that he or she would be investigated by the soon to be formalized State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA). And this is regardless of the office or status held by the individual. This was made pellucid yesterday during a public consultation process on SARA’s draft legislation which was held at the Pegasus Hotel. The event attracted numerous legal luminaries inclusive of Chief Justice (ag), Madame Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, Madame Justice Roxanne George, head of Guyana’s Bar Association, Attorney-atLaw, Gem Sanford-Johnson and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar-Ali-Hack. Also present were Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, US Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway, members of the Banking Association, Head of the Human Rights Association,
– Dr. Thomas
SARU Head, Dr. Clive Thomas Mike McCormack and members of Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc. During the consultation, a number of serious concerns regarding the Bill were raised. This newspaper particularly questioned how the Bill proposes to deal with the issue of officials who enjoy a certain level of immunity, but are fingered in corrupt acts. Sharing his thoughts on the issue was Chief Parliamentary Counsel, Cecil Dhurjon, who provided an overview of the Bill, prior to the discussions with the
audience. He is of the opinion that there is no need to inject into the draft legislation, any provision to address officials who enjoy immunity. He emphasized that “No one is immune from criminal law. And so the issue of immunity does not have to be included in it.” Dhurjon added, “We draft our laws and everyone is expected to abide by it. No matter who you are, everyone is subject to it.” Head of the State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU), Dr. Clive Thomas also lent his voice to the subject matter. Dr. Thomas told this newspaper that there is an urgent need to break the “sick” culture where some officials believe that it is their birthright to take assets of the state and use it at their will and pleasure. He insisted that such a line of thinking is what continues to fuel the “raging levels of corruption” in Guyana, which his agency will be committed to bringing an end to.
The SARU Head said, “In order to bring an end to this, we cannot say that it is okay for some officials to steal what belongs to the state and for others to be placed before the courts when they do it.” He continued, “And that is why I am saying that no one would be given a free pass. Regardless of whether you were a former cabinet member or a present one, a past president or current, there is just no way you could enjoy some immunity from investigations once you are found stealing the state’s assets.” The economist added, “ I, along with many other members, am of the firm opinion that the law was never intended to shield any president to such an extent that he can brazenly steal from the nation and we must sit back, watch, and do nothing because of this immunity.” Dr. Thomas insisted that his agency would be committed to due process. He reiterated however that no past, current and future president or official would enjoy immunity from SARA investigations once they are
found to be part of certain corrupt acts. He added, “You can’t get immunity from committing such a crime. And that is the premise SARA is going to work with. We have to hold all, and I mean all, officials accountable, whether past, present or future.” During his opening remarks at the event, Dr. Thomas recalled that the previous administration supported the need for Guyana to sign on to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC). He noted that the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) has been most helpful in providing the outstanding service of a British Legal Consultant, who has contributed, way beyond the call of duty, in bringing the Draft Bill to this stage. Dr. Thomas said that yesterday’s consultations marked the second formal round of public stakeholders’ consultations on the legislation. He said that the first was held from January 20 to 22, last, and the main purpose was to help in
deciding on the most viable design for the Bill, given Guyana’s circumstances. Following that consultation, the SARU Head said that the decision was taken to go the route of a NonConviction Based Civil Recovery Agency. Dr. Thomas said that among the stakeholders who were separately consulted at that time were civil society, the private business sector, the banking sector, the legal fraternity, Government, the international community, and other inter-governmental agencies. The SARU Head said that the international community, particularly Canada, the European Union, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the USA, were extremely helpful. He said that the nations have been very responsive in providing technical and professional advice when requested, training wherever possible, and informational literature, both solicited and unsolicited. Dr. Thomas said that this has aided the formation of useful networks; in particular (Continued on page 15)
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Friday August 12, 2016
Kaieteur News
Reinstatement of GPHC’s CEO...
Khan to remain on job until matter resolved
A mediator has been appointed by Cabinet to intervene in the discord between Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton, and the Board of Directors of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) regarding the reinstatement of Michael Khan as Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The appointed mediator is Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Basil Williams. The Minister and the Board have not been unified in their views regarding the reinstatement of Khan. Khan was sent on administrative leave last year to facilitate a forensic audit of the institution. The audit was conducted by Junior Finance Minister, Jaipaul Sharma, who recently released a report of his findings. The findings of the audit, based on the view of the Board, had cleared Khan of allegations of wrongdoing. But this publication was reliably informed that the Board had voted on whether Khan should return, but the members were divided. A member of the Board had told this publication that because a unanimous decision was not arrived at to have Khan reinstated, a decision was made to write to
AG to mediate between Minister and Board
Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton
GPHC CEO, Mr. Michael Khan
Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon
Minister Norton to intervene. The member had revealed that “We have a consensus to let the Minister know the findings of the audit. We have written to the Minister and we are awaiting his response in terms of guidance on the way forward”. The Board member disclosed too that “some folks are optimistic that Khan will return, some are not, and some are just not saying anything…It is kind of ‘ticklish’.” Minister Norton had confirmed that being the Minister responsible for the Corporation, he was asked to look into the state of affairs. It was for this reason, this publication understands, that the Minister decided to rescind a decision of the Board to reinstate Khan, even after seeking his intervention. Minister Norton informed, too, that he had written to Khan asking him to stay off
the job until a thoroughly evaluation of the audit report was done. But according to the Minister, “when one, even at a glance, evaluates the (audit) report, there is so much evidence (against Khan), enough for him to be deprived of further employment (at the GPHC).” The Minister further disclosed that, at this point, “any decision that does not have his approval is in violation of the (GPHC’s) Order.” At yesterday’s post Cabinet press briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, said that “Cabinet received a report from the Honourable Minister of Public Health on the state of affairs at the Public Hospital Corporation, Georgetown.” According to Harmon, “among the issues raised in the report were the
relationships between the subject Minister and the Board of Directors of the Corporation.” He noted that the decision of the Board of Directors to reinstate the CEO of the hospital has gained the attention of Cabinet. And Harmon noted yesterday that “Cabinet, having deliberated on the matter, appointed the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister (Basil Williams) as mediator to inquire in all the issues raised in the report.” Williams is also tasked with making recommendations to Cabinet which will allow for a resolution within one week, Harmon said. This publication also understands that currently Khan is abiding by the decision of the Board to remain on the job pending Cabinet’s resolution.
Friday August 12, 2016
Kaieteur News
Five arrested as GEA seizes illegal fuel
GEA officials offloading the illegal fuel that was seized at Airy Hall, on the Essequibo Coast
Officials of the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) on Tuesday intercepted and seized almost 300 barrels of illegal fuel, believed to have been transported from neighbouring Venezuela. The illegal fuel bust took place at Airy Hall, on the Essequibo Coast.
Acting on information, an official from GEA was alerted to the unlawful activity. On investigating he found five men in the boat where the fuel was housed. They were questioned, then arrested. The boat was later seized and transported to a GEA compound.
The fuel was removed from the boat. The boat with the illegal fuel belongs to an Essequibo businessman who sells domestic gas, gasoline, kerosene and other petroleum and hardware products. The men who were arrested were attempting to
Westford, assistant served with additional statements Dr. Jennifer Westford and her former personnel assistant Margaret Cummings have been served with additional statements in relation to the matter in which they are accused of misappropriating over $600M from the state. The statements were served on the women yesterday afternoon, in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. They will return to court on September 12, for continuation of trial. It is alleged that between August 2011 and April 2015, while being employed in the Public Service of the Government of Guyana, they stole the sum of $639, 420,000 belonging to the state. They allegedly received the money by virtue of their employment. They have denied the allegations and were each released on $4.8 bail. When the trial had commenced on June 8, before Magistrate Judy Latchman, there had been a mismatch of files among the prosecutor and defence team. Attorney Neil Boston who is representing the duo was unable to follow the testimony of Andre Dazzell, Chief Accountant of the Ministry of Presidency, Department of Public Service. It was revealed that Page 54 in the prosecution’s file was of Dazzell’s testimony,
- Trial continues on Sept. 12
Margaret Cummings
Dr. Jennifer Westford
but in the lawyer’s file Page 54 was a statement given by former Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Public Service, Hydar Ally. As a result, Magistrate Latchman granted the prosecution leave to copy the statements in order and compiled one file. Attorney Teshana Lake was recently appointed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to prosecute the high profile case. According to court facts, Westford of 55 ‘AA’ Victoria Avenue, Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD) was employed as Minister of Public Service from 2001-2015, while her co-accused was the principal personnel officer of the Ministry. Cummings, of
709 Section A, Diamond, EBD, was also in charge of the Ministry’s accounts department. It was discovered that on 24 occasions Westford signed memoranda amounting to $639,420,000 and sent them to the Office of the President for approval. Approval was granted and cheques were prepared and encashed by Bank of Guyana. The monies were requested to carry out various activities throughout the 10 administrative regions. However, personnel from the various regions were reportedly contacted and denied ever receiving the cash. Investigations were carried out, but the monies were never recovered.
conceal the illegal fuel at a bond at Golden Fleece that belongs to the businessman in question. Upon learning of the incident, liaison to the Prime Minister’s office, Karan Chand and coordinator of Agriculture in Region Two, Naith Ram, visited the scene on We d n e s d a y and managed to unearth information relating to the incident. Chand stated that the operation was illegal and steps must be put in place in order to avoid a repeat. The police were informed, but members of GEA are also conducting investigations.
PAGE 15
No past, current or future... (From page 13) Fraud Net. He said that this group represents a worldwide network of leading assets recovery specialists attached to the International Chamber of Commerce. He noted as well that connections were made with the Caribbean Institute of Forensic Accounting. The SARU Head also acknowledged with deep gratitude, the many contributions made by the Guyanese Diaspora, in helping to frame the unit’s understanding of various issues. While coming from different cultural standpoints, he said that their approaches have revealed a common understanding of the need to deal with the theft of public assets, and the rejection of any notion that seeks to assert the Guyana Constitution protects citizens’ claims to property rights in stolen public assets. Dr. Thomas said that appreciation must also go to the significant number of citizens and professionals who have provided very helpful information and advice, about legislative requirements to fight corruption. He also expressed gratitude for the Ministry of Legal Affairs and its hardworking team of officials, who in collaboration with SARU’s Personnel, and under the guidance of the Attorney General Basil Williams, made yesterday’s public consultation possible.
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Friday August 12, 2016
Kaieteur News
North Road tragedy…
Miner’s wife regains consciousness Sarojni Warnauth, who was shot in the mouth Wednesday night by her husband at their Lot 24 North Road, Georgetown home, has regained consciousness. Her condition is listed as stable but severe. She is a patient in a private hospital’s Intensive Care Unit. Doctors had to perform emergency surgery on Warnauth to stop the bleeding and to assist her in breathing. She will have to undergo a second operation to remove the warhead that is lodged in her throat. Kaieteur News understands that the bullet damaged the woman’s jaw and reconstructive surgery will be needed once she is out of danger. Persons who visited Warnauth at the hospital yesterday said that she is aware of her surroundings, but she cannot speak due to her injuries. Meanwhile, medical personnel confirmed that the shooter, Theodore Adams called “Totie,” had been
- but bullet still lodged in throat
Shot in mouth: Sarojni Warnauth seeing a psychiatrist. Kaieteur News was informed that the 73-year-old
man was suffering from a severe case of depression. According to information
received, Adams and his wife had an argument and he then picked up the gun and shot her to the face, in the presence of her 10-year-old daughter. Although she was shot, the woman and her daughter managed to run and lock themselves in a bedroom, before escaping through a window. They were rescued by nearby residents and rushed to the hospital. The gold miner reportedly shot himself just under his right ear minutes after the woman escaped from the house. His licenced firearm was discovered at the scene. Kaieteur News was told that for the past week, Adams was on “the edge” and might have “tripped” when he shot his partner and turned the gun on himself. Warnauth’s daughter reportedly told police that her mother had “just dished out dinner” for Adams, when he accused her of mixing poison in his meal. There are reports that the
Sarojni Warnauth and Theodore Adams in happier times
miner had been claiming that persons wanted to kill him. Relatives who asked not to be named said that the miner started suffering from a
mental breakdown when he suspected his wife had cheated on him some years ago. They insist his illness was not severe.
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Friday August 12, 2016
Kaieteur News
Govt. should conduct forensic audit of City Hall Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo is of the opinion that the David Granger-led administration should order a forensic audit on the affairs of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC). He made these remarks on Wednesday at a press conference held at the People’s Progressive Party’s Robb Street headquarters. Jagdeo said that the government has been selective in the agencies which it has targeted for audits to be done. According to the former President, the M&CC has been under the control of the People’s National Congress for over 50 years. The PNC is the largest political bloc in A Partnership for National Unity. Jagdeo believes that the coalition government seems to not be interested with what would have transpired at the council. He said that the failure of the government to institute an audit is a clear case of bias. He said that the back and forth between government and the council as to what matters of the City is the business of the government is unacceptable. He went further to say that Central Government is complicit in the arrangement to give the unconscionable
- Jagdeo
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo contract out for parking meters. A call for an audit of the council had been forthcoming for quite some time now from the PPP/C, particularly from councillor Bishram Kuppen. He has expressed his dissatisfaction with the manner in which the council has addressed the issue. He said that his requests for an audit have been turned down by the Town Clerk, Royston King. He explained at an earlier PPP/C press conference that billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money is being spent without credible financial reports or audits performed. He said that this is required by law under the Municipal and District Councils Act Cap. 28:01 section 177.
This publication had made contact with Mayor Patricia Chase-Green on the issue and she had explained that the only problem stopping Mr. Kuppen’s motion from being tabled at the council’s statutory meeting is the incorrect construction of the document. She informed that it lacks the essential features of a motion and as such, there was nothing that could have been done about it. She further stated that based on her knowledge, Kuppen has not sought advice from the council on the proper procedure which is to be followed. She suggested that Kuppen seeks the right legal advice from the many legal minds within the PPP/C party of which he is a representative. According to the Mayor, her council remains open to being audited. Earlier this year she had reported that back in 2011 and 2012, letters were written to the Office of the Auditor General on three occasions to conduct an audit but there was no intervention. The last known audits were done by Keith Burrowes and Ramon Gaskin, at the expense of the council.
Gold miner remanded for illegal gun, ammo A 27-year-old gold miner was yesterday remanded to prison for allegedly having an illegal firearm, after he was arraigned before Magistrate Leron Daly in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Devon Blount, of Kumaka, North West District, is accused of having a 12-gauge shotgun in his possession on August 10, at North Fork Backdam, Region Seven, when he was not the holder of a firearm licence. Blount, who had no legal representation, pleaded not guilty to the allegation. Police Prosecutor Kevin London told the court that Blount was caught with the illegal gun by police ranks and Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) officials who were on patrol in the area. Magistrate Daly instructed the defendant to return to court on September 8, when he will appear before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.
Devon Blount
Friday August 12, 2016
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Kaieteur News
Deputy Director of Prisons visits stabbed recruit Deputy Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels on Wednesday visited recruit Kevon Patterson, who was stabbed to the stomach by an inmate who is on remand for the rape and murder of a 50year-old woman. The 22-year-old rank of New Amsterdam, Berbice, is a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. He is in a stable condition. During the visit, Patterson was able to chat with the Deputy Director. Patterson was stabbed with a length of sharpened wire by 30-year-old murder accused Paul Charles, at around 14.30 hrs last Sunday at the Lusignan Prison. The attack reportedly occurred when Patterson and
other staff were preparing to serve meals to the inmates. Kaieteur News understands that Charles had alleged that Patterson had shot at him during the March 3, Georgetown Prison unrest, in which 17 inmates perished. However, a prison officer made it clear that there is no possibility that Patterson could have shot at Charles, since Patterson is still undergoing training and would not have been issued with a firearm. Prison sources said that Charles has displayed erratic behaviour since his incarceration, but has not been deemed to be mentally ill. He was one of a number of prisoners who were transferred from the
Georgetown Prison to the Lusignan Prison, in a bid to ease overcrowding at the Camp Street penitentiary. According to reports, the prisoner and the recruit had an altercation earlier in the day when Charles had refused to return to his cell. Later, Charles stabbed Patterson. Charles has been on remand for the past seven years for the December 21, 2009 murder of boat operator Patricia Williams at Foulmouth, Essequibo River. Williams’ partially nude body was discovered by residents in a clump of bushes close to a landing. A post mortem revealed that the woman had been strangled and sexually assaulted.
Major fire averted at UG
Fire fighters inspecting a scorched area
A potentially major disaster was averted yesterday at the Faculty of Health Sciences. Dean of the Faculty, Dr Emanuel Cummings told Kaieteur News that a small fire, believed to be electrical in origin, was quickly contained. According to reports,
staff of the faculty observed flames on an electrical wire and immediately raised an alarm. The main switch in the building where the fire started was turned off and some staff members used fire extinguishers to quell the flames. Fire fighters, who arrived shortly after, ensured that the
fire was properly doused. Other than visible scorches, there was no other damage to the Faculty building. Yesterday’s fiery threat brought back memories of a conflagration that caused a fair degree of damage to the Faculty of Natural Sciences. That fire completely gutted the Section “C” building.
Deputy Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels visiting the recruit who was stabbed
PAGE 28
Tourism providers to benefit from $500m loan facility KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) – The Tourism Ministry is partnering with the National Export-Import Bank to provide a $500-million loan facility for the sector’s small and medium-size goods and service providers. Portfolio Minister, Edmund Bartlett, said that negotiations are being finalised for the establishment of the facility, through which persons in select sectors will be able to access up to $25 million. Loans will be offered to providers in the subsectors of health and wellness, knowledge, shopping, and sport and entertainment, which are being given focus as part of the drive to grow tourism. The objective is to increase the production of goods and services locally for the tourism sector. The EXIM Bank’s provision will complement a $100million arrangement already in place with JN Small Business Loans Limited for industry stakeholders. Bartlett said the ministry’s
Friday August 12, 2016
Kaieteur News
Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett (centre), shares pleasantries with Tourism Linkages Council member, Kevin Hendrickson (right), during the Ministry’s network strategy session at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Wednesday yesterday. Also sharing the moment is Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Jennifer Griffith. decision to negotiate additional funding support was consistent with “our interest to enable the small entrepreneurs to become big providers of goods within the industry”. He contended that the overall benefits of the sector will only materialise “when
the small man in the community feels that he is a part of the process”. “So, what we are trying to do is to enable local entrepreneurship at the broadest level, to build out their capacities to supply on the demands of the industry,” Bartlett said. (Jamaica Observer)
Bad Pay Drive…
Garcia goes after Gate students who failed courses Trinidad Guardian - Students who have received funding under the Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses (Gate) programme and failed to complete their course of study may soon be tracked down and asked to repay those monies. This was the word from the director of the Ministry of Education’s Funding and Grants Administration Department, Te r e s a Davidson, Wednesday, as she no t e d t h e y h a d r e ceived approval from Cabinet for increased financial and human resources to be invested in order to restructure and improve the department’s operations. Speaking at a press conference at the ministry’s St Clair head office, Davidson said: “Going forward in terms of trying to recover money, we will have to look at ways to verify the students in the database and their status.” She said the drive could soon become a reality, noting that previously they were hampered by staffing problems. The increase in staffing, she said, would now allow them to investigate cases of students who had failed to meet their Gate contractual obligations by passing courses and initiate the fund recovery process. Davidson said with the proposed changes, “we can put someone to work on it in terms of setting procedures on how that recovery can be done. “Within our database, we may have paid for three years for a student attending UWI but because we may not have collected data that this per-
Teresa Davidson son has graduated, we are not sure.” Davidson pointed out that if students did not meet performance standards, they were required to refund the money for the programme. “We have been collecting money from students over the years,” she explained. She estimated that upwards of $70 million had so far been collected since 2006 and that the amounts collected had increased yearly, with close to $14 million collected last year. She said students continued to visit the department on a daily basis to repay monies. But she added: “That’s one of the problems that we have to monitor right now. We can only monitor the students who come back seeking Gate. If you come back and try to access Gate for another programme, then we will not fund you if you cannot show proof that you have successfully completed the previous programme.” “If, however, the students drop out of their
programmes and are no longer in the system, they have no immediate way of tracking them and will now have to research the individual cases.” Noting that funding was provided to both public and private institutions, Davidson said the latter were subjected to audits to ensure students met the stipulated requirements. “If we find there are students who did not meet the requirements, the institution is billed and asked to refund monies spent,” Davidson said. She sa i d prior to the current restructuring processes “ G a t e w a s v e r y, v e r y open.” She said one only needed proof of T&T nationality as there was no age limit. But going forward she assured that students would not be allowed to abuse the programme, including pursuing more than one course through Gate. “At this point in time, students cannot be in more than one programme,” she added
Curacao-St Maarten anti-corruption raid targets central bank president WILLEMSTAD, Curacao — Officers of the anti-corruption unit (TBO) of the Kingdom Detective Cooperation Team (RST) last Wednesday raided the residence of the president of the Central Bank of Curacao and St Maarten, Emsley Tromp. In addition to the raid on Tromp’s private home in Mahaai, TBO also executed a search at the offices of United Trust, owned by businessman Gregory Elias, where Tromp is reportedly a customer, as well as at the of-
fices of the Central Bank. Tromp is suspected of tax evasion and money laundering. He has for many years been alleged to be associated with financial malpractice. We d n e s d a y ’s a c t i o n , led by former Amsterdam prosecutor Saskia de Vries, is part of the tactics of the prosecution in Curacao to tackle the so-called subversion by criminal elements on the island, referring to activities by notaries, brokers, lawyers and – in this case –
bankers that make it easier for underworld figures to launder their money. Tromp has already been under fire for a while because of a perceived failure to manage the Curacao and St Maarten Central Bank with integrity. The raid is causing a lot of tension on the island. The Public Prosecution (OM) in Willemstad declined to comment on the reason why these searches were executed. (Caribbean News)
Friday August 12, 2016
Trump calls Obama, Clinton Islamic State ‘co-founders,’ draws rebuke Reuters - Republican Donald Trump called U.S. President Barack Obama and Democrat Hillary Clinton the “co-founders” of Islamic State, ratcheting up his assertion that they are responsible for the rise of the militant group and sparking renewed criticism of his leadership ability. Clinton’s White House campaign yesterday called the remarks a “false claim,” in her latest response to a series of attacks by Trump in which he has sought to portray America as less safe, blame Democrats and depict himself as the only one who can restore security. Democrats, in turn, have used Trump’s often hyperbolic statements ahead of the Nov. 8 election to argue he is unfit to be president and lacks the temperament to be trusted with matters of national security. “This is another example of Donald Trump trash-talking the United States,” senior policy adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement. “What’s remarkable about Trump’s comments is that once again, he’s echoing the talking points of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and our adversaries to attack American leaders and American interests, while failing to offer any serious plans to confront terrorism or make this country more secure,” Sullivan said. For Republicans uncertain about whether Trump has the discipline to stick to an attack against Clinton, the latest comments were concerning. Many see the New York real estate mogul as spending too much time fighting within his own party and have called on him to refocus his campaign message on Clinton.
U.S. President Barack Obama and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton “ISIS is a solid GOP message to show contrast with Hillary Clinton and the failures of the Obama-Clinton administration,” said Alice Stewart, a Republican strategist who remains undecided about the nominee, using acronyms for Islamic State and the Republican Party. But, she added, “Trump should have simply said that the Obama administration’s decision to pull all troops out of Iraq, with no stay-behind agreement, created a vacuum and allowed ISIS to metastasize. It’s absurd for him to say that Obama and Clinton are founders of ISIS - and he can’t blame the media for this.” A group of about 70 Republicans, including five former members of Congress, called on the Republican National Committee to stop helping Trump in the wake of his recent remarks and instead focus on getting members of Congress re-elected. “Trump’s divisive and dangerous actions are not only a threat to our other candidates, but to our party and the nation,” the letter stated. Some Republicans see a small silver lining in Trump talking more about Clinton.
“It is helpful – at least to the rest of the ticket – that he is focusing a little more on Clinton than on other Republicans, whether defeated primary opponents or other elected officials who are on the ballot, for a change,” said former New Hampshire Republican Chairman Fergus Cullen, who is not supporting Trump. “But tomorrow, or later today, he could blame (Republican Senator) Jeff Flake for A-Rod’s retirement,” Cullen said, referring to Yankees player Alexander Rodriguez’s decision to leave professional baseball. “I have zero confidence in Trump’s ability to stay on one message or to drive one message for any length of time longer than about 10 seconds.” Trump has previously criticized Clinton for supporting the Iraq War in 2003 while she was a U.S. senator. Trump frequently says, in contrasting himself with Clinton, that he opposed the war - but in interviews before the invasion he did voice support. Now, Trump is arguing that in trying to end the war and withdrawing U.S. troops in 2011, Clinton, who was secretary of state at the time, and Obama created Islamic State.
Venezuela, Colombia presidents say border posts to reopen Reuters - The VenezuelaColombia border will be reopened gradually, the presidents of the two countries announced y e s t e r d a y, s p e a k i n g side-by-side in Venezuela’s southeastern state of Bolivar. The news signalled a warming of relations between the neighbouring countries after Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro formally closed the border at this time a year ago in what he called a crackdown on smugglers and paramilitary groups. “We’re interested in a
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Kaieteur News
new beginning in economic and commercial relations with all of Colombia’s productive sectors,” said Maduro, seated next to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos in front of a picture of Latin American independence hero Simon Bolivar, who dreamed of integrating the region. The porous border has long been a haven for smuggling of everything from Venezuela’s price-controlled toothpaste and pasta to illegal drugs and weapons. Santos said bilateral talks in preparation for opening the
border had gone on for months and that both countries would guarantee security and help curb smuggling. The b o r d e r w i l l b e opened at five crossing points during the day from Saturday. Ve n e z u e l a i s i n t h e midst of a severe economic crisis, with triple-digit inflation leaving many hungry and standing in lines for hours every day for basic staples. Food riots and looting have become commonplace and the country’s violent crime rate is one of the world’s highest.
Russia announces war games after accusing Ukraine of terrorist plot Reuters - Vladimir Putin summoned his security council and the Russian Navy announced war games in the Black Sea a day after the Russian president accused Ukraine of trying to provoke a conflict over Crimea, which Moscow seized and annexed in 2014. The belligerent posture heightened worries in Ukraine that Russia may plan to ramp up fighting in a war between Kiev and pro-Russian eastern separatists that had been deescalated by a shaky peace process. Using some of his most aggressive rhetoric against Kiev since the height of the war two years ago, Putin has pledged to take counter-measures against Ukraine, which he accused of sending saboteurs into Crimea to carry out terrorist acts. Ukraine has called the accusations false and says they look like a pretext for Russia to escalate hostilities. Such an escalation could be used by Putin to demand better terms in the Ukraine peace process, or to inflame nationalist passions at home ahead of Russian parliamentary elections
Vladimir Putin next month. The Russian leader met his top military and intelligence service brass yesterday and reviewed “scenarios for counter-terrorism security measures along the land border, offshore and in Crimean air space,” the Kremlin said. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said he had ordered all Ukrainian units near Crimea and in eastern Ukraine onto the highest state of combat readiness. He was seeking to urgently speak to Putin,
the leaders of France and Germany, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and European Council President Donald Tusk. In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said the United States was extremely concerned and called on both sides to reduce tension and rhetoric. In New York, the U.N. Security Council held a closeddoor meeting at Ukraine’s request to discuss the growing tensions.
velopment, but there were no reports of violence on the day of the election. If no candidate wins more
than 50 percent, a second round between the two leading vote-getters must be held within 37 days.
Zambia awaits presidential, parliamentary vote results
Reuters - Zambia today await the first election results from what is expected to have been a close contest between President Edgar Lungu and his main rival, who accuses him of mismanaging the economy. Lungu narrowly beat opponent Hakainde Hichilema in a presidential vote nearly 20 months ago to fill the vacancy created by the death of then president Michael Sata, and could be forced into a second-round rerun if he does not get an outright majority this time. Although the final voting tally was not yet available, electoral officials reported a high turnout in yesterday’s elections, where Zambians also voted for members of parliament and councillors. The economy of Africa’s second largest copper producer is under stress after weak commodity prices hit exports, and the government is trying to negotiate a support programme with the International Monetary Fund. During the campaign, supporters of Lungu’s governing Patriotic Front tussled with those of Hichilema’s United Party for National De-
PAGE 30
TO LET 2X3 Bedrooms fully furnished luxury apartments for rent (short & long term stay). Call: 665-3505
SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.-CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana passport application. Graphics design, advertisement. Tel: 6267040; 265-4535. INNOVATIVEMARKETING& PUBLISHINGINC–TEL:6004212: We create A/works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Repairs at low cost: Fridges, air- conditioners, washing machines, TVs, microwaves, freezers- Call:6294946 or 225-4822 RAMDASS VISA APPLICATION & immigration services, room A-4, Maraj Building, Georgetown. Call Samantha: 227-0295; 615-9295 Passport, permanent & visitor visa application, Professional Immigrant Consultant – Sabita Immigration Services. Call: 225-6496; 662-6045 Hello the doctor is back! Have your gas stove service and repairs. Call: 601-0595; 220-4073; 220-5785 Jadesco Offers: Architectural designs, 3D modeling, building estimation/ quotation, rehabilitation works & general construction. Call: 612-0468, 629-3605, email: jadesco15@gmail.com Guytec Repairs Services & Spares to washing machines, pressure washer, dryer, stoves, refrigerator, treadmill, vacuum, etc –Call: 680-2377 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158
Friday August 12, 2016
Kaieteur News
VACANCY One nail Technician- Call: 609-7458 Checkers, labourers, pump attendants & accountants. TI certificate needed (Berbice). Call: 330-2399; 623-5920 One Trainee A.C, Refrigerator, Technician –Call: 231-0655 Travel Assistant with 5 CXC subjects. Email applications to :goetravel2016@ yahoo.com along with 2 references & recent photo ID. Sales clerks between 1828yrs, sound secondary education, experienced in sales, send application @ 35 North Road, Georgetown. Call: 225-8831
One four storey business place located on Robb Street, next to Bourda Market. Call: 623-7731; 629-0636; 645-3489 2 Bedrooms bottom flat furnished with Wi-Fi, etc at Liliendaal E.C.D - $70,000 monthly. Call: 676-6409
Maid helper to work for salon/spa. Call: 227-4799/2310734
VEHICLE FOR SALE
- Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc. - Cosmetology Courses: $120,000 - Technician Course: $45,000. Call: 647-1773/660-5257
2009 RX8, Allion, Music Bus, Small bus, Motor cycle, Benz. Call: 265-4979
Register now for summer courses in cosmetology and nails between 2nd -25th August – Cost $15,000 Call Abby: 619-7603 Nails & hair station to rent. Call: 689-0888
LAND FOR SALE
Land for sale at Eccles and Diamond. Call: 609-7766 La Parfaite Harmonie -$1.2M & $1.6M with titles, Farm (110ftX55ft) -$3.2M. Call:6585897; 673-2692
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Kitchen Assistant: 2 males &female, experienced a plus, must be able to work weekends. Call Mr.Khan: 695-6550; 656-9313 TAXI SERVICE GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 225-7878 (24HRS)
PROPERTY FOR SALE Transported property @ Grove and Diamond $16M negotiable. Call: 625-5461 One (2) family house lot 32 Ann’s Grove housing scheme, land 100x50 $20M negotiable- Call: 623-5423 East Ruimveldt corner $15M. East La Penitence $13.7M 2 storey, Aubrey Barker road (corner) $30M- Call Shawn (Broker) 231-2199, 618-7483 2 Storey house & land , 3 bedrooms, size 20x30. 2 inside bathrooms @ Best Village, W.C.D. $15 millionCall: 609-5620, 664-4415 House & land 2 storey concrete building (4 bedrooms; 2 self-contained), semi-furnished @ Grove & Diamond N/S. Call: 216-1861, 657-2300, 614-0578 House & land for sale in Plantation Peter’s Hall -$8M. Call: 617-6015; 269-0493 Transported property, 5L Hilux pick-up, 1-complete music set. Call: 265-3586
FOR SALE/RENT American Pool Table. Call: 277-0578 MASSAGE Happy Touch Day Spa: Come & Experienced heavens touch, visit us today! –Call: 690-6079
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CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS& SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 6560087 , EMAIL: PRO_ AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO. COM
Aidan’s Car Rental: 4WD pickup. Call: 698-7807
Wings 4WD pickup rental: 690-6494
Electronic Course. Starting 9th August. Hands-on training repairing all types of TVs, etc. Call: 226-6551; 225-0391 IAE: Register for full time school (Grades 7-11) CSEC lessons; adults and school leavers CXC classes. Call Mr. Roberts: 683-5742
One 2007 Fielder stick gear $2.7M negotiable. One B12 Sunny $300,000- Call: 6165974, 618-8703 AT192, 212, Allion, Premio, Hilux Surf, BRR, RZ & Pitbull, Pajero Junior, Spacio: Cash / terms- Call:680-3154 We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 Tacoma- Call: 680-3154 2008 Toyota Axio -$2.6M, unregistered. Call: 691-7475
Tushen $2.2M, $3.5M, Parfaite Harmonie- Call:642-1252
American Variety Store, 140 Regent & Light Street, Georgetown: 1 experienced cashier, apply in person with written application. 1 Male janitor/cleaner. Apply in person at Alabama Trading, Georgetown Ferry Stelling, Stabroek.
SALON
2 Storey wooden & concrete 5 bedrooms, (2 selfcontained), concrete fence & garage. 1 Roadside, 2 storey building @ V/Hoop (ideally business/residence). Call: 614-0107
2005 Tacoma -$2.4M, Massey Tractor from Canada: MF 165 -$1.7M, MF 135 $1.2M –MF 265 $2.2M, 165 Loader $2.3M – Call: 682-5230; 6289596 2010 Premio -$3.3M, 2010 Noah & Voxy -$2.5M, 2004 Mitsubishi canter 2 ton $2.4M, unregistered & fully loaded. Call: 642-7295 3 TON CANTER ENCLOSE AND OPEN BACK WITH 4D ENGINE, PRICE -$3.6M, NEVER REGISTERED – CALL: 617-2891 2009 BELTA -$2.3M, 2011 BLUEBIRD -$2.7M, 2009 IST -$2.7, 2012 RACTIS $2.6M, 2009 ARUIS -$2.5M –CALL: 617-2891 Bargain! White, 2005 Toyota RAV 4 66,000KM, fully loaded, price $2M. Call: 6426721 Model M truck GTT series $3.9M negotiable- Call: 6667380, 603-7090 One 4 wheel drive, automatic, extra cab, Toyota Hilux, GSS series. Call: 614-0107; 6928923 Honda Civic M/Car “SS” series -$1.3M, very good condition- Call: 696-2815 FOR SALE 1-Leylad DAF-45 $1.5M, 1Cat 928F Loader-$6.9M,1Hyster Forklift-$1.5M, Light Tower-$800-000. Contact#650-0402 1 Play station 3 with accessories -$70,000$75,000, 1 used wall-divider in good condition. Call: 657-7077 Pekingese pups mixed with dachshund for sale $20,000. Call: 614-0562 English Made Double Charge Cement Mixer, durable body & attractive price –Call: 6815988; 225-3019
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. Computer parts; tile cutter; cleaning detergents concentrate and household appliances for sale; price negotiable- Tel: 618-8672 ADORABLE FLUFFY PUPPIES FOR SALE. CALL: 615-0146 Purple Heart: 30X80 -$25,000, 32X80 -$28,000, 34X80 $28,000, 36X80 -$28,000, Free Delivery- Call: 688-9712; 6510717; 671-2490 Baby Chicks for sale on the Essequibo Cost, lowest price anywhere. Call: 626-9589 Crazy Deal! Dell laptops & desktop computers, loaded with lots of games & educational programs from $49,000. FutureTech: 2312206 CAT 320 BL excavator, 428 CAT back hoe, CAT930 Front End, 9 Wheeled Pneumatic Roller -Call: 275-0538; 6837225 Double Steel Drum Compactor, CAT 215 Excavator, Leyland DAF55 Truck, 400 GLS, Bitumen Kettle. Call: 275-0538; 6837225 Desks and benches in good condition, ideal for school, privatelessons,etc.Call:683-3887 1-43 Cabin Cruiser, 1-48 Yamaha Outboard engine. Call: 661-6938; 259-3164 One 8" by 6 ft jouter, price $170,000 & drill press -$40,000, 1- Mitsubishi Canter -$1.2M. Call: 618-3359; 662-6326 2 Storey concrete building @ Samatha Point, Grove. Call: 682-1126; 613-7596 Gold & Diamond land @ Potaro Mining District (Kuribrong). Call: 682-1126; 613-7596 Trawler –Call: 682-8724; 6165954 1 Perkins V8 Turbo Charge 170KVa Generator in working condition, Call 223-7380 D4H CAT Bulldozer, Mack 8 Cubic Yard, cement mixer truck, all in working order. Call: 275-0538; 683-7225 Audi A4-$3.7M, BMW$2.3M, Ist$1,895,000,,Fielder$1,895,000, Spacio$1,995,000. Contact#6500402 Continue page 31
Friday August 12, 2016
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Kaieteur News
Former PM not aware of... Police witness testifies in trial of... Fromp age 21 assistance. A breathalyzer test, the witness added, was performed on Cole and he was found to be below the prescribed limit. A notice of intent to prosecute was prepared in duplicates by a police constable and a copy was served on Cole, Payne recalled. Payne stated that on April 14, he went back to the scene of the accident with Cole and La Fleur. He said both men
explained how the accident occurred and also showed him the point of impact. The witness told the court that after Cole was released on station bail, he received information that La Fleur died after he was taken back to the GPHC having complained of feeling unwell. This trial has been adjourned until Monday for the tendering of an accident booklet and La Fleur’s post mortem examination report.
From page 12 original copies of the documents. He explained that Nathoo kept the originals in his possession and served him with photocopies. The photocopied documents, the witness stated, were placed in his crime file to conduct investigations. At this point, Police Prosecutor Shevon Jupiter made an application for ASP Bejaimal’s testimony to be suspended so as to allow the documents to be tendered in the trial. Magistrate Daly adjourned the trial until August 17.
From page 30
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WANTED Wanted land to buy @ Tushen, Uitvlugt, Zeelugt, Parfaite Harmonie. Best price offered- Tel: 642-1252 Cashier to work in supermarket and one live in domestic to work in Trinidad. Call or text 1868- 683 1528 1 Driver for East Bank Area – Call: 233-2745 One female cleaner for office in Eccles call 233-2745 Buying non-working appliances such as: washing machine, pressure pumps, refrigerator, treadmill, pressure washer. Whatsapp: 661-8802 One experienced cashier apply @ Hack’s Halaal with written application, 5 commerce Street.
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Experienced female bartender, live in/live out waitress, cooks & bouncers needed @ Eden Bar & Lounge, Garden of EdenCall: 652-0074
Three bedrooms and two bedrooms apartments @ Granville Park, E.C.D –Call: 604-0883; 681-3660
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Kaieteur News
Friday August 12, 2016
Friday August 12, 2016
Kaieteur News
Theresa May seeks progress on Falklands in letter to Argentine leader Reuters - British Prime Minister Theresa May has written to Argentina’s President Mauricio Macri calling for restrictions on oil exploration in the Falklands Islands to be lifted and for more flights to the British-run islands, her office said yesterday. Argentina claims sovereignty over the South Atlantic islands it calls Las Malvinas, and relations between Buenos Aires and London have been strained for decades over the issue, culminating in a war in 1982 which Britain won. May, who became prime minister in July, called for “more productive” relations between the two countries in her letter to the pro-business Macri, who took office in December as Argentina’s first
non-Peronist president in more than a decade. “Since the election of President Macri, we have been working towards improved relations with Argentina because we think that is in the interests of both our countries and the Falkland Islanders too,” May’s Downing Street office said in a statement. In her letter, May said she hoped that where the two countries had differences, “these can be acknowledged in an atmosphere of mutual respect”. She called for progress towards new flights between the islands, which are located about 435 miles off the coast of Tierra del Fuego in southern Argentina, and third countries in the region. As things stand, a Chil-
ean airline flies from Santiago to the Falklands every Saturday via the southern Chilean city of Punta Arenas, according to the Falklands Tourist Board. Once a month, the flight also stops in Rio Gallegos, Argentina, in both directions. May also called for the removal of “restrictive hydrocarbons measures”, a reference to various attempts by Argentine authorities to restrict oil and gas exploration in the waters around the islands. Tensions flared in June last year, under Macri’s predecessor Cristina Fernandez, when an Argentine federal judge ordered the seizure of millions of dollars’ worth of assets owned by drillers operating in the Falklands area.
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Kaieteur News
Friday August 12, 2016
Friday August 12, 2016
Kaieteur News
IMF agrees $12 billion three-year funding deal with Egypt Reuters - The International Monetary Fund has agreed in principle to grant Egypt a $12 billion three-year loan facility, to support a government reform programme aimed at plugging a budget gap and rebalancing the currency markets. The long-awaited Extended Fund Facility (EFF) deal is subject to final approval by the IMF executive committee, likely in the coming weeks, the IMF said. “Egypt is a strong country with great potential but it has some problems that need to be fixed urgently,” the head of the IMF’s mission in Cairo, Chris Jarvis, said. Among the reforms agreed are subsidy cuts, introducing Value Added Tax (VAT) and reducing bureaucracy for foreign investors. The IMF also wants Egypt to focus monetary policy on easing the chronic dollar shortage and reduce inflation to single digits. “The programme aims to improve the functioning of the foreign exchange markets, bring down the budget deficit and government debt,
Chris Jarvis and to raise growth and create jobs,” Jarvis said in a statement. Egypt’s dollar-denominated 2025 bond rose to trade at its highest level since endSeptember 2015 after the deal. Egypt’s stock market edged up 1.1 percent by mid-afternoon. Fund managers said the loan could ease pressure on Egypt’s finances and bolster foreign investment but were not rushing to buy stocks until they were more confident the deal would go through and reforms would
be implemented. In late 2012, Egypt reached an initial deal with the IMF for a $4.8 billion loan, but it was never finalised. “We don’t expect IMF lending to lead to an immediate turnaround,” Londonbased Capital Economics said in a note. “In the near term, high inflation and tighter monetary and fiscal policy will prevent domestic demand from strengthening significantly. But we are more optimistic about what the deal means for medium-term growth prospects.” The IMF did not give implementation timeline, though Egypt began a fiveyear subsidy reform program in 2014 and announced further electricity price hikes this week. A VAT act is being debated in parliament. But the big question is the nature and timing of exchange rate reforms in a country that has kept its currency artificially strong and rationed dollars since the 2011 uprising drove away tourists and investors, depriving it of hard currency.
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LeBron James agrees $100m threeyear deal with Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James will be the NBA’s highest paid player next season after agreeing a reported $100m (£77.2m) three-year contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The American is expected to sign for $31m (£23.9m) next campaign, rising to $33m for 2017-18, his agent has said. James led the Cavaliers, his hometown club, to their first NBA championship last term after rejoining in 2014. “I can’t be more excited than this opportunity once again, to defend our crown, defend our title,” he said. In a video posted on sports news site Uninterrupted, James added: “We all know last year as a magical, inspiring, all the words you can come up with, it was an unbelievable season.” James, four times the NBA’s most valu-
LeBron James won Olympic gold medals with Team USA in 2008 and 2012 able player, won two championships for the Miami Heat before returning to the Cavaliers. His agent Rich Paul released the details of the con-
tract - which is yet to be completed - to ESPN, with James reportedly earning a rise of more than $8m for next season. (BBCsport)
GDF is our biggest rival at... (From page 37) old and it seems there will be no truce later this month. Wilson noted that the Police Inter-Division Athletics, which recently concluded, has helped the club prepare better for the Classic. He said that he is aware of all the areas that needs adjustment before his team goes to Linden for the Classic. “We had our sports a month prior to Boyce/Jefford Classic; we know where our athletes are and where we have to take them, so that is our process right now,” Wilson added, stating that one of the most consistent and dominant clubs will hope to extend its legacy.
“We are a disciplined service. The athletes adhere to instructions and understand what they have to do. We always have the right people for each event; we don’t select our team based on face we select based on performance,” he informed. Apart from being defending champions, Police are definitely contenders for the $1M prize which is the highest purse on offer in local track and field. In addition, the second place team will take home $500,000 while third and fourth gets $300,000 and $200,000 respectively for a total purse of $2M. There are also eight international events that carry a
total purse of US$500 each with US$250 for the winner, US$150,000 for second place and US$100 for third; the Champion Male and Female will pocket $50,000 each while the Media and M a s t e r s races also have a similar $50,000 scheme, which when added to the $800,000 for international events carries the total prize monies to $3M. Trophies will be given to the top four clubs, while medals will be given to all athletes placing 1-3 and trophies to Champion Male and Female. According to the prizes, this year’s Classic has been earmarked to be the most lucrative in its seven-year history.
Exclusive: Bulgaria’s Danekova... (From page 33) a positive test,” Bulgarian Olympic Committee’s Secretary General Belcho Goranov
Jason Khalil, Victoria Arjoon cop... (From page 39) (GUY) 3-2 (5/11, 11/4, 11/2, 6/ 11, 11/6) Women’s 50+ Ingrid Lloyd (TT) beat Juanita Fernandes
Friday August 12, 2016
Kaieteur News
(GUY) 3-0 (11/1, 11/3, 11/6) Men’s 50 + John Holley (TT) beat Jojo Mekdeci (GUY) 3-0 (11/8, 11/6, 11/3) Women’s 40 Defaulted
told local media, refusing to name the athlete who tested positive. “We expect the opening of the B sample test.” Bulgarian athletics has been marred by a series of doping offences recently while its weightlifting team was banned from Rio for doping. (Reuters)
Digicel on board... (From page 38) recently. Doing the presentation to Sancho was Sponsorship Executive Louanna Abrams, who spoke of how proud the company was to be part of the big event. According to Abrams, “This year, we are quite excited to be the official sponsor of the E & Lower Class Race where we will be donating the grand prize and trophy.” The Annual Meet which is being co-ordinated by Jumbo Jet Auto sales will be held this Sunday, at the Port Mourant Turf Club in Corentyne, Berbice.
Rain washes... (From page 36) afternoon. The match is at a critical stage after West Indies removed the last five Indian wickets for just 14 runs and staged an encouraging start to their first innings. Responding to the visitors’ 353, West Indies reached the close on 107 for one, still 246 runs adrift of first innings lead. Kraigg Brathwaite will resume on 53 along with Darren Bravo on 18. Leon Johnson went for 23 via the run out route.
Friday August 12, 2016 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You can make adjustments in your domestic scene today. You may be admired by colleagues and employers for your diplomatic way of handling your work and those you work with. Build on friendship rather than starting out in an intimate encounter. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You may feel a need to make changes to your legal documents. You may have difficulties with family members if you get involved in petty arguments. You'll be tempted to spend extravagantly today. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Don't be afraid to lay your cards on the table. Stretch the truth, and you may get blamed for something you didn't do. Travel will also entice you. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Opportunities to show your worth will enhance your reputation and bring possible advancement. Try to include the one you love in your plans today. You will have the ability to capture the interest of others. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You may find your mate somewhat perturbed. You will find it easy finalizing personal papers if you make an effort. A change of attitude has probably disrupted your home environment. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You will have a problem holding on to your cash today. Financial gains can be made through wise investments. Your diplomatic nature will
help you in straightening out unsavory situations. LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Be aware that you might be at fault as well. Things at home may be somewhat rocky. Do not travel unless absolutely necessary. Be careful. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You will learn valuable skills if you sign up for seminars today. Try not to be overly generous. You will be in the mood to socialize. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) You will enjoy events that lean toward theater, art, or music today. Your lover will be annoyed with your participation. You are better off visiting friends or relatives than entertaining at home. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Heed the advice given by family or old reliable friends. You will find it easy finalizing personal papers if you make an effort. Unexpected bills may set you back. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Put all your energy into moneymaking ventures. Opportunities for new and exciting relationships will be yours if you get out and join groups. Compromise may be necessary. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Partnerships with creative people could lead to financial gains. Compromising could be on the agenda today. Build on friendship rather than starting out in an intimate encounter.
Kaieteur News
Friday August 12, 2016
PAGE 37
Rampant Fiji take sevens gold in double Olympic first Fiji were crowned the first men’s rugby sevens Olympic champions last night after crushing Britain 43-7 in the final of the inaugural tournament, giving the Pacific island nation its first Games medal. In a breathtaking display of power rugby, the Fijians ran in five tries to take a 29-0 lead at halftime before taking their collective foot of the gas a little and adding only two more after the break. Skipper Osea Kolinisau, Jerry Tuwai, Jasa Veremalua, Leone Nakarawa, Vatemo Ravouvou, Josua Tuisova and Viliame Mata all scored tries as Fiji collected its first Olympic title at its 14th Games. The shellshocked British failed to even get out of their own half in the opening period and when Dan Norton
The joy of the Fijian players was clear to see after they won their first ever Olympic medal finally touched down for their only score it was only ever going to be a consolation. Their mission complete, the Fijian players, many of them in tears, linked
arms in a circle on the halfway line and sang together with eyes raised up to the dark skies above. ”They just attacked everything, they went for
Andy Murray reaches quarterfinals but Johanna Konta is out Defending champion Andy Murray survived a scare to reach the Olympic men’s singles quarter-finals but Johanna Konta exited the women’s singles. Murray fought back after losing eight successive games to register a 6-1 2-6 63 victory over Italian Fabio Fognini. He and Heather Watson then completed a 6-3 6-3 win over Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro and David Ferrer in the mixed doubles. Murray will face American Steve Johnson in the singles last eight today. The Wimbledon champion was under pressure going into the third set before winning six games in a row to progress, in the process stretching his winning run to 15 matches following his French Open final defeat by Novak Djokovic in June. It was a different matter in the doubles, where he and Watson competed a speedy victory after they received a late call-up when Romanians Monica Niculescu and Florin Mergea withdrew from the competition. Wa t s o n , w h o w a s knocked out of the second round of the women’s
Spaniard Nadal won gold in the men’s singles at Beijing 2008
singles, admitted she “had her bags packed” before hearing she was playing. It was a frustrating day for British number one Konta, who delivered an error-strewn performance a g a i n s t G e r m a n y ’s Angelique Kerber. Number two seed Kerber took just over an hour to beat Konta 6-1 6-2. The Briton and mixed doubles partner Jamie Murray put in a strong performance against Americans Jack Sock and Bethanie Mattek-Sands, but Konta suffered her second defeat of the day as they were beaten 6-4 63. World number five Rafael Nadal maintained his bid to regain the Olympic men’s singles crown he won at Beijing 2008 with a 7-6 (7-
5) 6-3 victory over Frenchman Gilles Simon. The 14-time Grand Slam winner, 30, had not played since the French Open in May and later withdrew from the mixed doubles with partner Garbine Muguruza. H e w i l l , h o w e v e r, compete for gold in today’s men’s doubles match with Marc Lopez. Meanwhile, Argentine Juan Martin del Potro, who knocked out world number one Novak Djokovic in the first round, is into the last eight after a 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 6-2 win over Japan’s Taro Daniel. Del Potro will play Spain’s Roberto BautistaAgut next, while Nadal faces Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci. (BBCsport)
everything and it all paid off,” said Britain’s James Rodwell. “That’s how it goes sometimes, that’s rugby sevens and they’re one of the
best there is. ”They’ve won the world series for the last two years and now they’ve added an Olympic gold medal so credit to them, they had an
absolute blinder.” Japan’s remarkable run at the tournament, which included victories over the All Blacks and France, came to an end with defeat to the Fijians in the semi-finals earlier yesterday. Their hopes of having a bronze medal to show for their giant killing exploits were crushed by South Africa, who ran out 54-14 winners in the opening medal match. They were the first men’s rugby medals awarded at the Olympics since the 1924 Paris Games, where the United States won gold in the 15-a-side game. New Zealand, who have dominated sevens for much of the last two decades but were sent out of the tournament by the Fijians in the quarter-finals on Wednesday, finished fifth. (Reuters)
Hanif Mohammad: Record-breaking former Pakistan batsman dies aged 81 Former Pakistan batsman Hanif Mohammad, who played the longest innings in Test history, has died aged 81. Hanif played in Pakistan’s first Test match in October 1952 and scored 3,915 runs in his 55 Test appearances. The 499 he made for Karachi against Bahawalpur in 1959 was the highest firstclass score for 45 years, until Warwickshire’s Brian Lara made 501. Hanif’s 337 against West Indies in Barbados in 1958 lasted 16 hours 10 minutes, which remains a Test record. The original ‘Little Master’, Hanif co-founded The Cricketer Pakistan in 1972 and edited the magazine for
Hanif scored 12 Test centuries and 15 fifties, at an average of 43.98 two decades. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2013 and had been having treatment for respiratory complications when he passed away in Karachi. Former Pakistan batsman Rameez Raja,
speaking on the BBC’s Test Match Special, said Hanif was “a true legend” and “cricketing genius”. He added: “He was a determined and solid player. He was the only renowned batsman Pakistan had in the 1950s and ’60s and into the early 1970s.” Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan said cricket was “in mourning” and Hanif ’s “legend shall live forever”. “His sublime technical skill, his unflappable temperament and his resolve and staying power in all co n d itio n s w er e mo s t remarkable and won plaudits for him and for Pakistan,” he added. (BBCsport)
Exclusive: Bulgaria’s Danekova fails doping test – sources Bulgarian runner Silvia Danekova has tested positive for a banned substance and has been temporarily suspended pending the test of her B sample, two sources familiar with the case told Reuters yesterday. The 33-year-old, who was due to compete in the
women’s 3000m steeplechase, tested positive in a doping control conducted in Rio a few days after her arrival in Brazil on July 26, the sources said a day before the athletics program begins. According to the same sources, Danekova, who raced the steeplechase at the
London Olympics in 2012 but did not get beyond the heats, used the banned blood booster erythropoietin (EPO). Neither Danekova nor her coach Rumen Angelov were immediately available for comment. ”Unfortunately, we have (Continued on page 32)
Kaieteur News
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Friday August 12, 2016
Michael Phelps beats Ryan Lochte to win 22nd gold
Record-breaking Olympian Michael Phelps became the first swimmer to win four consecutive gold medals in one event by beating Ryan Lochte in the 200m individual medley. Phelps, 31, won his 22nd gold - more than any other Olympian - as fellow American Lochte, 32, struggled to a fifth-place finish in R i o . J a p a n ’s K o s u k e H a g i n o t o o k s i l v e r, with China’s Shun Wang winning bronze. Gb’s Tutton misses out in 200m breaststroke Rie Kaneto won Japan’s seventh gold medal at the Games as GB’s Chloe Tutton narrowly finished outside the medals in the women’s 200m breaststroke. Kaneto, 27, put
controversial Russian swimmer Yulia Efimova into silver, with China’s Jinglin Shi winning bronze. Tutton, 20, came fourth, with team-mate Molly Renshaw, 20, finishing sixth. Efimova, 24, was allowed to compete at Rio after successfully appealing against a doping suspension. She was beaten to gold by Lilly King of the United States in the women’s 100m breaststroke on M o n d a y . Earlier, Ben Proud set a British record to reach the men’s 50m freestyle final. Commonwealth champion Proud, 22, swam a time of 21.54 seconds to qualify fifth fastest for tomorrow’s. Murphy seals another
USA victory The United States won the men’s 200m backstroke title for the sixth Olympics in a row with Ryan Murphy taking gold. Murphy, who also won 100m backstroke gold on Monday, sealed the victory in a time of 1:53:62. Australia’s Mitchell Larkin finished second and Russia’s Evgeny Rylov set a new European record as he won bronze. Murphy follows in the footsteps of fellow Americans Brad Bridgewater (1996), Lenny Krayzelburg (2000), Aaron Peirsol (2004), Ryan Lochte (2008) and Tyler Clary (2012), who all also won the 200m Olympic backstroke title.
Michael Phelps
North Pakarimas Summer Fiesta
Impressive March Pass heralds start of 10 days of rivalry By Franklin Wilson in Kopinang Seventeen villages from pristine green areas deep in the heart of Guyana converged at the Kopinang Ground in Region #8 on Wednesday afternoon last for the start of what is anticipated to be 10-days of exciting rivalry in football (male & female), volleyball (female), cricket (male & female), archery (female) as well as road races. In feature remarks before declaring open the championships, National Director of Community Development Council (CDC), Eugene Gilbert expressed pleasure at being invited to officiate at such a beautiful activity in a beautiful area in Guyana. Gilbert told the gathering of players, officials and well wishers many of who traveled for days to be there that he was inspired by the scenic beauty of Region #8. “It is the preeminence scene for great tourism in Guyana. I’ve also met wonderful people which are also an asset that you have to promote Kopinang and
Members of the Kopinang Dance group performing a welcome dance.
Region 8 as a tourism destination.” Gilbert expressed the good wishes of Minister of State Mr. Joseph Harmon to the athletes and people of Region #8 noting that the Minister could not have been present. He noted that focus if now on the region from the CDC standpoint and it is their wish to capture the resource and potential in
building strong CDC groups with a view of arranging and organizing more resources from the donor community, locally and internationally to aid in the development of the communities. ”It is indeed a privilege on our part to partake in this Fiesta. This is no ordinary activity and achievement. It is well recognized around the world that sports is an opportunity for healing,
sports is an opportunity for people getting together, sports is an opportunity for people to develop themselves, sports is an opportunity for communities to grow and we welcome this initiative.” Gilbert stated that it his intention as head of the CDC to promote more events of this nature noting that it is his wish for the fiesta to be an
annual affair. He also promised that more resources would be mobilized to make the activity more spectacular. Chairman of Region #8 Bonadventure Fredericks in remarks welcomed all the teams noting that it was a privilege to be part of this inaugural event which brings together youths in a positive way. ”I want to remind you
that in every sport there is discipline so I want to remind you all to play in an atmosphere of discipline and professionalism over the next few days. I would like to wish all of you the best.” Fredericks also expressed thanks to all the businesses which contributed towards the fiesta and its success. Deputy Regional Executive Officer Gavin Ganga who is based at Madhia also offered words of congratulations to the teams and organizers for putting all the plans in place for the event. Dr Simpson Da Silva a veterinary surgeon and former Minister of Agriculture, REO of Region #7 Mr Rawle Edinboro also attended the opening. Businessman Deoraj Dhanraj among others was complimented for partnering with the organizers to bring off the fiesta. The competing villages are Kopinang, Chenapou, Maikwak, Kamana, Waipa, Kaibarpai, Itabac, Penak, Kanapang, Karbararu, Chinengmouth, Kato, Paramakatoi, Tuseneng, Monkey Mountain, Taruka, Karisparu.
Kaieteur News
Friday August 12, 2016
Hannibal Gaskin lowers PB and sets possible Nation Record in 100m fly in Rio
Hannibal Gaskin on the starters block awaiting orders. Guyana’s lone male swimmer to this summer’s Rio Olympics finished 2nd in his heat with a time of 58.57 and while not qualifying for the semi finals lowered his previous personal best time 59.98 which was achieved at the South American Swimming Championships in April of this year in
Paraguay. The previous record of 1:00.02 was held by Niall Roberts which was set at Carifta in 2009, the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association would have to verify and make official. In a post swim interview with ESPN, Gaskin admitted that he did not swim to his best and had
drifted away from his plan as his mind was a bit clouded. The other member of the Guyana swim team, Jamila Sanmogan is set to compete in the 50m freesytle today. Sanmogan is in heat 5 of 12 heats and has an entry time of 28.60. Both swimmers were granted wild card entries.
PAGE 39
Coronation complete as Biles wins all around gold As Simone Biles stood locked in a tight embrace with her team mate Aly Raisman, waiting for her final score to come up on the big screen, the concerned look in her eyes suggested she had no idea who would be crowned Olympic all around champion. The American, however, was the only one still in the dark in the brightly lit Rio Olympic Arena yesterday as the hollering cheers and standing ovation that greeted her final tumbling pass on the floor exercise confirmed what everyone knew long before the judges’ verdict came up — Biles was the new champion. When a stupendous score of 15.933 confirmed she had beaten Raisman by 2.100 points, the coronation that had been in the planning stages ever since she won the first of a record three successive world titles in 2013 could finally take
place. Then the woman who had remained stoic throughout the previous two hours as she showcased her jaw-dropping skills across four apparatus, finally let her guard down and burst into tears. As the realization hit home that she finally owned the biggest individual prize in the sport, the crowd saluted a gymnast who had just become the first woman in 20 years to win the Olympic all-around title as the reigning world champion. Raisman claimed silver with a total of 60.098, while Russia’s Aliya Mustafina settled for bronze. Biles earned 15.866 on the vault, 14.966 on the asymmetric bars and 15.433 on the balance beam — a routine that included her spinning around 900 degrees on the four-inch wide apparatus as she balanced her entire body weight on her right toes.
On the floor, her explosive tumbling passes — which included her trademark soaring double layout with half twist at the end — had the Brazilian crowd on their feet as her sassy moves were choreographed to hipswinging Samba beats. Biles’ triumph made her the fourth successive American to win the title — following the successes of Carly Patterson, Nastia Liukin and Gabby Douglas — which is the longest winning streak by a country in the Olympic discipline. Biles and Raisman completed a one-two finish for the second time for the U.S. after Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson won gold and silver respectively in 2008. It was also the first time since 1992 that the both the men’s and women’s all around champions were members of the gold medal team at the same Olympics. (Reuters)
CU15G Recap: August 11, 2016 Stallions, Hikers register lop-sided wins
Action from the 2016 CU15 Girls’ C/ship match between the USVI and Barbados.
Orlando, Florida – Canada (3W-0D-0L, 9 points) became the first team to secure quarterfinal berth in the 2016 CONCACAF U15 Girls’ Championship, when it posted a 5-0 win over Jamaica (0-0-2, 0) yesterday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Sydney Kennedy’s brace led the way for the Canadians, who are guaranteed to finish no
worse than second in Group B. Also, in Group B, El Salvador (1-1-0, 4) and Costa Rica (1-1-1, 4) battled to a 3-3 draw in a hotlycontested encounter that produced three yellow cards in the last two minutes of play. The day’s other four games saw all eight teams launch their tournament campaigns. From those outings, three sides posted
shutouts in victory: Barbados, Bermuda and Curacao. Tiana Sealy was the top scorer of the day, netting three goals as Barbados topped the US. Virgin Islands, 9-0. Today ushers in the fourth straight day of play as the United States (v Haiti) and Puerto Rico (v Grenada) look to maintain their unblemished records. (CONCACAF)
Old Fort Stallions and Pepsi Hikers were the latest teams to register wins when the Lucozade-sponsored Hockey League continued recently, at the National Gymansium on Mandela Avenue. Old Fort Stallions inflicted a 9-1 thumping on Old Fort Knockers with Aderemi Simon firing in five goals, while Terry Shaw added a brace and there was one apiece for Jason De Santos and Omar Hopkinson. Stephon Sprosta made the lone response for Knockers. In the other encounter, Hikers cruised past Bounty GCC 6-3 with national standout Aroydy Branford lashing in a hat-trick, while there was one each for Devin Munroe, Colonel Heywood and Rayon Branford. On target for GCC were Peter DeGroot, Steven Xavier and Kevin Spencer. The night’s full results are as follows: Game 1 - Old Fort Stallions vs. Old Fort Knockers; Half Time Score 4 : 0; Full Time Score 9 : 1. Goal Scorers - Terry Shaw
Aroydy Branford 7th Minute FG (Stallions), Terry Shaw 10th Minute FG (Stallions), Aderemi Simon 15th Minute FG (Stallions), Aderemi Simon 16th Minute FG (Stallions), Stephon Sprosta 25th Minute FG (Knockers), Jason DeSantos 33rd Minute FG (Stallions), Aderemi Simon 35th Minute FG (Stallions), Omar Hopkinson 37th Minute FG (Stallions), Aderemi Simon 37th Minute FG (Stallions), Aderemi Simon 39th Minute FG (Stallions). Game 2 - Bounty GCC
vs. Pepsi Hikers; Half Time Score 2 : 3; Full Time Score 3 : 6. Goal Scorers - Devin Munroe 6th Minute FG (Hikers), Peter DeGroot 7th Minute FG (GCC), Steven Xavier 14th Minute PC (GCC), Aroydy Branford 15th Minute FG (Hikers), Aroydy Branford 17th Minute PS (Hikers), Aroydy Branford 25th Minute PC (Hikers), Colonel Heywood 27th Minute FG (Hikers), Kevin Spencer 32nd Minute FG (GCC), Rayon Branford 32nd Minute FG (Hikers).
Kaieteur News
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Friday August 12, 2016
Second round wins for Bolt, James headline Caribbean track & field challenge Windwards and Barbados Guyana, Jamaica and Barbados post opening wins Kingstown, St Vincent, CMC - Unbeaten half centuries from openers Anil Matthew and Johann Jeremiah and a four wicket haul from West Indies youth World Cup hero Ryan John steered Windward Islands to an opening win in round two of the WICB Regional One D a y U n d e r - 1 9 Championships here yesterday. Matthew and Jeremiah scored 58 and 54 as the Windwards registered a comprehensive 10 wicket victory over Jamaica by way of the Duckworth Lewis Method at Arnos Vale Playing Field. John snared top figures of four wickets for 33 runs to restrict the Jamaicans to 130 for nine in 37 overs, one of three second round matches affected by rain. Jeavor Royal 26, Javelle Glenn 24 and Dominik Samuels 20 were the leading scorers for Jamaica who suffered their first defeat following Wednesday’s opening win against Trinidad and Tobago. Matthews counted ten boundaries while Jeremiah scored seven fours and a six as their unbeaten century stand for the first wicket carried their side to victory. Meantime, Trinidad and Tobago crashed to their second straight defeat when they crumbled at the hands of Barbados by eight wickets by the Duckworth Lewis method at Sion Hill Playing Field. A powerful half century from the promising opener Leniko Boucher guided the Bajans to victory after T&T had posted 150 for five in 43.4 overs with Joshua Da Silver conjuring a top score of 65 from 91 balls with eight fours. Deswin Currency and Nicholas Kirton picked up
Defending Olympic 400m champion, Kirani James
Jamaican sprint sensation Usain Bolt Keemo Paul
Leniko Boucher
two wickets each. Boucher struck six fours and two sixes and was undefeated on 73 at the end while Shemar Springer was not out on 27 as Barbados secured their second victory. The other second round fixture between ICC Americas and Leeward Islands at Park Hill playing Field ended in a no result. Leewards were 45 for three when the rain came. Meanwhile, West Indies youth World Cup hero Keemo Paul stared with bat and ball to propel Guyana to an impressive start to the WICB Under-One Day Championship which opened here on Wednesday. Paul, who played a key role in West Indies winning t h e Wo r l d U n d e r Championship earlier this year, grabbed four wickets and blasted a half century to help Guyana trounce ICC America’s Under-19. He picked up four for 37, Akenie Adams three for 27 and Marlon Hubbard two for 15 as ICC Americas were bowled out for 173 in 48.5 overs at the Arnos Vale playing field. Akashdeep Gill top scored for ICC Americas with 41 while Aran Pathmanathan chimed in with 28.
Guyana stumbled to 34 for three on the chase, but Paul led the fight-back with a top score of 72 from 93 balls featuring six fours and four sixes. He also shared a matchwinning 111-run thirdwicket partnership with Bhaskar Yadram who made an unbeaten 57 that included nine fours off 63 balls. In other first round matches, Barbados beat the Leewards Islands by seven wickets at Park Hill playing field and Jamaica secured a six wicket win over Trinidad and Tobago at Sion Hill. The Bajans bowlers rattled the Leewards line-up as they crumbled for a paltry 105 in 40.2 overs. The main destroyers were Tremaine Harris and Joshua Bishop four for 20 and three for 21 respectively. Only Tyrone Williams with 34 offered any resistance to the Bajan attack while the other two batsmen to pass double figures, Jaidel Richardson and Karima Gore, scored 12 and 10. An unbeaten 30 from Nicholas Kirton spurred Barbados to victory with supporting knocks of 21 from Shian Brathwaite, 19 from Shemar Springer and 18 from Leniko Boucher. Jamaica made light work of T&T who were bowled out for 131, mainly through the efforts of Miguel Smith five for 35 and Royal Jeavor three for 20. Opener Keagan Simmons with 28 and tailender Jonathan Bootan 26 were the main scorers for T&T who slipped from 24 for the loss of two wickets and never recovered. Opener Keshawn Beale steered Jamaica to victory with an unbeaten 56 containing four fours and one six while Michael Frew added 45.
Rain washes out play on the third day Gros Islet, St Lucia, CMC – No play was possible on the third day of the third Test between West Indies and India at the Darren Sammy National Stadium here yesterday. Rain washed out all three sessions without a ball being bowled and with the match intriguingly poised, raising the prospect of a draw. Steady rain through-out
Guyanese Winston George begins quest today in heat six of 400m
most of the day kept players off the field and forced officials to call off play before tea at 1.45pm and heavy early morning showers left a water-logged outfield. Play is set to start at 9.30am Eastern Caribbean time today with 98 overs to be bowled while the forecast for day four is for early showers but a clear (Continued on page 32)
Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, CMC – Caribbean sprinters will be aiming for the record books when the track and field events at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games begin here today. Jamaican sprinters Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, along with Kirani James of Grenada are among athletes who are destined for history in some form. Both Bolt and Fraser-Pryce are racing for three consecutive 100 metres titles at these Games with James hoping to become the second man to win the men’s 400m in successive Olympic Games. The main attraction of the track and field programme will involve Caribbean sprinters in the men and women’s 100m, 200m and 400m. Bolt, bidding to win nine gold medals and enhance his status as the most outstanding sprinter in the 120-year history of the Games, struggled with a hamstring injury at the Jamaican trials last month before bouncing back with a sharp performance of 19.89 seconds over 200m at the Anniversary Games in London just before the Games. But his best time this season over 100m – 9.88 seconds– is behind the fastest man of the year – former Olympic champion Justin Gatlin and his fellow American Trayvon Bromell who have clocked 9.80 and 9.84 respectively. France’s Jimmy Vicaut has also gone faster with 9.86. Bolt’s compatriot and 2012 London Olympic silver medallist Yohan Blake is returning to form, along with Nickel Ashmeade. Former world 100m champion Kim Collins from St Kitts and Nevis will be making his fifth Olympic appearance and is the sub-ten second club. Beijing 2008 Olympic silver medallist Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago is also in contention. Fraser-Pryce, nicknamed the “Pocket Rocket”, can even be regarded as an underdog in Rio after struggling with a toe injury for much of the year. Seven women have run faster than the defending champion’s best of 10.93, including the much-touted compatriot Elaine Thompson (10.70), Dutch sprinter Dafne Schippers (10.83) and American Tori Bowier (10.78). Trinidad and Tobago’s Michell-Lee Ahye and Jamaican Christania Williams are among other sub-11 second performers. The women’s 100m heats get going this evening followed by the men’s tomorrow. Shaunae Miller of the Bahamas, meanwhile, will be out to stop American Allyson Felix who is one gold medal away from becoming the first woman in athletics
Winston George
history to win five Olympic titles. Miller is unbeaten this season over the women’s onelap event and is banking on confidence to pull h e r t h r o u g h . But the Jamaican trio of Stephanie-Ann McPherson, Christine Day and Shericka Jackson could spoil the party in a competitive line-up. The men’s version will be a competitive affair and the Grenadian champion, James, will be hoping to emulate the American Michael Johnson who won gold in 1996 and 2000. In his quest for glory, the 23-year-old will have the American LaShawn Merritt and World Champion Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa as his main challengers. James will launch his bid in heat six when the 400m begin this afternoon, in a race that also involves Jamaican Rusheen McDonald and Guyanese Winston George. Machel Cedenio of Trinidad and Tobago, who posted an impressive 44.34 in Monaco, along with Grenadian Bralon Taplin have also thrown down a challenge to the “big trio” and the event is setting up to be a musts e e . The 20-year-old Cedenio runs in heat one involving Jamaican Fitzroy Dunkley while Taplin does battle in heat two. The men’s 400m in 2012 is the only event in Olympic history in which three Caribbean countries finished in gold, silver and bronze positions — James, Luquelin Santos of the Dominican Republic and Lalonde Gordon of Trinidad and Tobago.
Kaieteur News
Friday August 12, 2016
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Atwell to have second surgery in the USA On October 24, 2015 Clive Atwell buckled in the 9th round of his WBC FECARBOX Lightweight title fight against Dexter Gonzales at the Giftland Mall and after an emergency surgery was done by Dr Amernauth Dookie the same night, Atwell has opted to do his second surgery in the USA. The boxer needs to have a plate inserted to protect his brain and traveled to Trinidad where Dr Steve Mahadeo from the St Clair Medical Centre provided him with the cost for the operation. After two members of his team that had accompanied him to the US to solicit support returned to Guyana for work, Atwell was joined by Lady Ira Lewis who offered assistance. ”She has gotten support from Dr Cort of the Guyana Medical Mission who began investigations to decipher the cause of numbness and pain in my leg and in my back. It was discovered that I
was suffering from a Herniated Disc believed to be from lack of proper treatment after first surgery and bad movements. I am having treatment for those problems and found a surgeon who will do the next operation through the assistance of President of Ring 10, Matt Farrago” Atwell disclosed. Ring 10 is an organisation set up to help boxers who are finding difficulties in funding their medical expenses. ”Through the input of Matt, a Surgeon has agreed to do the operation but he highlighted the risk factors because the time has long passed and the wound (from the first Surgery) had healed” Atwell explained. Atwell says he has to u n d e rg o s e v e r a l t e s t s including CT scans, ECG Scan and MRIs which would cost approximately US$12,000 and will be partly covered by the insurance policy he recently obtained. ”The surgery is scheduled to be done as soon
GDF is our biggest rival at Boyce/Jefford Classic VII -says Police Coach
The Police Progressive Youth Club (PPYC) has declared its readiness for battle at the upcoming Boyce & Jefford Track and Field Classic VII with the aim of defending their title, and winning a historic grand prize of $1M for a third consecutive year. This is according to ENetworks Channel 1 News Room Sport that conducted a recent interview with Police Coach, Lyndon Wilson. Police narrowly edged the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) last year with Wilson pointing out that he expects the soldiers to return with a very competitive team on August 27-28 at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground, Linden. “Well we expect all the
Lyndon Wilson teams to come challenging, once you are a winner their will always be a lot of challengers. Our biggest rival is GDF, because we are the two largest teams. However, we are ready to defend our title,” Wilson declared. GDF has been on an upsurge recently with some quality athletes and the form of Davin Fraser and Akeem Stewart leading the way. The rivalry of the two armed forces in athletes is decades (Continued on page 32)
as I get Medical clearance from my Primary Care physician and confirmation from the insurance on their payment towards the surgery. I am thankful for the support from all who have helped.” Atwell noted. He stated that he was grateful for his wife’s
prayers and support and Fly Jamaica who donated the tickets for his trip to USA. Monica Sanchez, CEO of the Miss Caricom Organisation Pageant in the US, is also helping. Atwell says he knows God will be with him when he goes for his surgery.
Clive Atwell, his wife & son at a Surgery fundraiser in Guyana.
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Kaieteur News
Friday August 12, 2016
ECB coaching clinic underway Students going through their paces at Imam Bacchus ground
The Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) has commenced a one-week Coaching Camp for Under17 cricketers at the Imam Bacchus ground Affiance. The camp got underway on Monday last with 40 cricketers from Wakenaam, Essequibo Coast and Pomeroon and is being facilitated by Coach Forbes Daniels. Sessions start at 09:00hrs and conclude at 16:30hrs daily with students being tutored on batting, bowling, fielding, wicket-keeping, laws of cricket and game sense as well as life skills development. Daniels told Kaieteur Sport yesterday that the players will be engaged in a two-day game starting from
today and will also take on an Imam Bacchus XI in a 50over contest on Sunday. Daniels indicated that he is pleased with the turnout and discipline shown by the youths. ”There are some talented youths here and they have shown the willingness to learn. Essequibo cricket needs such clinic so the young players can be exposed to certain aspects of the game which can be beneficial for them going forward,” he stated. Daniels related that he hopes to conduct similar camps on a regular basis and calls on the business community for assistance. The programme is being sponsored by Imam Bacchus and Golden Fleece Rice Investment.
10th Annual Guyana Cup Horse Race Meet
Digicel on board for fifth year
Digicel’s Sponsorship Executive, Louanna Abrams hands over the cheque to Race Co-ordinator, Compton Sancho. The 10th Annual Guyana Cup Horse Race Meet continues to enjoy the patronage of Digicel after the Company confirmed its support for the fifth year
following the handing over of a cheque to Race Coordinator Compton Sancho a t t h e e n t i t y ’s H e a d Office in Kingston (Continued on page 32)
Kaieteur News
Friday August 12, 2016
C’bean Squash C/Ships in T&T
Jason Khalil, Victoria Arjoon cop plate titles; Veterans lose 0-5 to host team Guyana ended the final day of the individual category of the Caribbean Squash Championships in Trinidad and Tobago with some moral victories. With attention now turned to the team events, the Guyanese got off to a rocky start when its Veterans Team went down to the home team by a 0-5 match scoreline. The Senior Ladies were scheduled to start their title defense against Bermuda yesterday. They are in a round-robin pool with Barbados, Bermuda and the host nation. The Men’s team has been strengthened with the arrival of Alex Arjoon, Richard Chin and Kristian Jeffery. Guyana have been placed in a pool with defending champions Jamaica and the Cayman Islands and begin their quest for glory tomorrow when they play
Jason Ray-Khalil Jamaica in the morning and then Cayman in the evening. Results: Men’s Plate Final: Jason Ray Khalil (GUY) beat Julian Jervis (CAY) 31 (11/9, 11/8, 1/11, 11/5) Women’s Plate Final: Victoria Arjoon (GUY) beat Faith Gillezeau (TT) 3-0 (11/9, 11/3, 11/7) Women’s Classic Plate (5th Place) Final - Amanda Haywood (BAR) beat Larissa
Victoria Arjoon Wiltshire (GUY) 3-1 Women’s 3rd Place Ashley Khalil won by walkover from Mary FungA-Fat Veteran’s Team Matches Guyana lost to Trinidad & Tobago 0-5 Men’s 40+ Paul Devertile (TT) beat Ramon Chan-ASue (GUY) 3-0 (11/7, 12/10, 11/7) Men’s 60+ Richard Hart (TT) beat Alwyn Callendar (Continued on page 32)
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t r o Sp Coronation complete as Biles wins all around gold
Hannibal Gaskin lowers PB and sets possible Nation Record in 100m fly in Rio
Hannibal Gaskin
Simone Biles (USA) of USA dismounts from the balance beam during the women’s individual all-around final. Reuters/Mike Blake
North Pakarimas Summer Fiesta
Impressive March Pass heralds start of 10 days of rivalry
Officials take time out for a photo with some of the competing teams before the business end of the Fiesta got underway on Wednesday afternoon at the Kopinang ground in Region #8.
Bolt, James headline Caribbean track & field challenge Guyanese Winston George begins quest today in heat six of 400m Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210